Books: No More Boogers Book

 

Nose picking can be an uncomfortable and embarrassing subject. In this book, social situations are presented in an appropriate manor in order to teach children the proper methods of using a tissue, blowing their nose and appropriate social behaviors associated with boogers. The "No More Boogers Book" is perfect for pre-school or early elementary age students. It is also appropriate for children with autism, PDD or other developmental disorders.  Along with parents of pre-schoolers, this book is currently being used for teacher training in autism education. 

I wrote this book out of desperation of my son’s embarrassing booger picking habit. My son is autistic, and at the time of the writing of the book, he learned best through pictures and social stories.  The book worked in helping him to stop picking his nose. My daughter, a toddler at the time, also stopped picking her nose after reading the book. I felt others could benefit from this book so I teamed up Jon Stokes, a professional artist, and graphic designer, Jill Levins, to form the No More Boogers Book.

The book is available at lulu.com, amazon.com, bn.com (Barns and Noble) and Burlington By The Book bookstore in Burlington, IA.

What moms are saying:

Broderick loved the book. He had it memorized in a matter of days and was so excited to always use a tissue! And he would ask the questions .... Wipe it on a friend?

NO WAY!!! Loved that the book could get him to do something I could not convince him to do --- use a tissue.  - Megan

Mrs. Dowd’s book is so awesome for our special needs son to help teach him manners about his nose and it is very educational.  My family loves it!  - Lisa M.

My 3 year old daughter loved this book! She asks to read is all the time and it was helpful, too! - Holly

Recipes: Buttermilk, Evaporated Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk

 

Buttermilk Substitute

   1/3  c. nonfat dry milk

      1  c. water

      1  T. vinegar or lemon juice

Combine ingredients and cover; let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature.

Evaporated Milk

      1  c. nonfat dry milk
    1/2  c. hot water

Combine in a blender or food processor or whisk together. Use in any recipe calling for one can of evaporated milk.

 

Sweetened Condensed Milk

      1  c. nonfat dry milk

   2/3  c. sugar (granulated)

   1/3  c. boiling water

      3  T. butter, softened

Combine dry milk, sugar, water and butter in blender until smooth. Refrigerate until chilled and slightly thick. Can be frozen.

©Copyright 2011 Tara Dowd

Money: The Present Box

One thing that works well at our house is something called the Present Box. At the beginning of the year I make a list of the amount of people we need to buy for anticipated birthday’s, children’s birthday parties, weddings, babies and Christmas. Next, I scan the sale isles whenever I am at the store for bargains. Generally I look for items 70-90% off.  If I find a good deal, I usually buy several. For example I found footballs that retailed $5 on sale for $1 so I bought eight in anticipation for boys’ birthday parties this year. I found Barbie dolls originally priced at $10 on sale for $2, so I bought six or seven. I do this with different types of toys throughout the year. Finally, I put them all in a box that is stored in our basement. When it is time for a special occasion, I simply take out the box and let my children choose a toy or other gift for the recipient instead of running to the store. It is fun for the kids to pick out a present that is within your budget. This also works great for parties with a late notice. Remember, no one knows what you paid for it. It saves money, time and stress. Be careful not to overbuy just because an item is on sale. The point is to save time and money in purchasing presents.

Recipes: Making Fruit Leather

Fruit leather can be very expensive from packages at the store (up to $6.00/ lb. for roll-ups) Fruit leather can be made from fresh, thawed frozen, or even drained canned fruit.

Simply puree the fruit with a blender, food processor or by mashing. Two cups of fruit puree makes a good batch of fruit leather. If desired, add 1 T. of lemon juice to prevent discoloration for light colored fruits. Avoid adding liquid as it will take longer for the fruit leather to dry. The consistency should be like applesauce.

Drying Methods

Dry in a dehydrator on a plastic tray and follow manufacturer’s directions or pour onto a cookie sheet lined with plastic wrap or greased with oil or spray until it is 1/8-1/4” thick. Spread as evenly as possible.

Oven method 1: Place tray in 175 degree oven with door slightly open for 3 hours. If bottom isn’t dry, flip and continue drying.

Oven method 2: Place tray in 275 degree oven with door closed for 30-35 minutes. Then turn off the oven, leave the door closed , and let dry overnight or for at least 8-10 hours.

Recipes: Creamy Cinnamon Rolls

My great-grandmother, Ruth Taeger, was a wonderful cook and well known caterer in Southeast Iowa. I remember cooking with her often.  This recipe is my revised version taken from her first cookbook, Recipes From the Range.

Creamy Cinnamon Rolls

1 loaf frozen white bread dough, thawed

                ( or white bread dough from bread machine or bread from scratch)

2 T. melted butter

1/2 C. chopped walnuts (optional)

2/3 C. brown sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 cup whipping cream (I use milk)

Roll dough into an 18 x 6” rectangle. Brush with margarine and sprinkle with brown sugar, nuts and cinnamon. Roll up, moisten edges and seal. Cut into 20 slices and place in two round baking pans. Let rise until double (about 1 1/2 hours). Pour cream over rolls and bake in 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. While warm, drizzle top with glaze made of 2/3 cup sifted powdered sugar and 1 T. milk.

Tara’s Tips:

For morning rolls, make the rolls the night before and let the cinnamon rolls rise overnight in the refrigerator. Check to be sure the rolls have risen enough, if not, allow the rolls to continue rising in a warm area. 

Rolls will rise faster in warm, humid temperatures and rise slower in the winter.

To cut the rolls, use thread or dental floss.  Slide the thread under the rolled dough. Bring both strands of thread into the air and make an X with the thread. Pull the thread strands away from one another until they slice through the dough. Repeat.

Recipes: Easy Tostadas, Black Bean Quesadilla and Cheese Enchiladas

Easy Tostadas

         Corn tostadas

    16 oz. refried beans

      2  c. cooked hamburger or shredded chicken (optional)

      1  tomato, diced

      1  c. cheese or cheese alternative (optional)

      1  c. lettuce, shredded

         salsa      

         Sour cream (optional)

      

           

Heat refried beans in a small saucepan on medium heat . When warmed, spread beans evenly on tostadas. Top each tortilla with meat, sour cream, salsa and cheese or cheese alternative.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place tostadas on baking sheet or stone.  Bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted or chicken is warmed. Serve immediately.  Tostadas can be topped with shredded lettuce and fresh diced tomatoes.

I make this when I need a meal in less than 10 minutes. Very quick and easy! Omit the cheese and sour cream for dairy free tostadas.

Black Bean Quesadilla

      3 c. black beans, cooked

      1  c. salsa

      2  c. shredded cheese (optional)

    10  tortillas (8 inch)    

In a bowl, mash the beans and add salsa.  Place 5 tortillas on ungreased baking sheets.  Spread the bean mixture on the tortillas.  Sprinkle with cheese, if desired,  and top with the remaining tortillas.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until crisp and heated through.  Cut into wedges.  Can be served with sour cream and salsa. 

Cheese Enchiladas

      1 c. chopped onion

      2  garlic cloves, crushed

      2  T. vegetable oil

      4  tomatoes, diced or 1 (28 oz.) can of crushed tomatoes

      1  t. cumin

      1  t. oregano

     ½ t. salt

   1/8 t. pepper

      3  c. taco cheese or filler such as chicken, beef  or beans

    12  corn tortillas, warmed

           

Cook and stir onion, garlic and chili powder in oil in saucepan until onion is tender, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for approximately 30 minutes. Dip each tortilla lightly into tomato sauce to coat both sides. Spoon approximately 2 T. cheese on each tortilla; roll tortilla around cheese. Place seam side down in ungreased 9x13 baking dish. Pour remaining tomato sauce over enchiladas; sprinkled with remaining cheese. Cook uncovered in 350 degreed oven approximately 20 minutes. Serve with sour cream, lettuce and guacamole if desired.

*Recipes are copyright of the soon to be released book -Free Eating, by Tara Dowd.  Do not copy or share these recipes without the permission of the author.

Nutrition: Help! My Kids Won’t Eat Meat!

Recently I was talking with a group of friends and the question came up, “How do you MAKE your kids eat meat?”  Being a vegetarian since I was three years old, this really struck a chord with me.  I asked my mother how she felt abut me not eating meat as a child and she simply replied “You were a real pain!”  This is the same response that many moms I have talked to have had about their children, along with concerns about cooking. If your children won’t eat meat, they are missing essential vitamins. However, the good news is that a majority of vitamins, minerals and amino acids found in meats can be found in other foods.

There are many reasons why children won’t eat meat. For some, it may be texture sensitivity and for another it may be the taste. Some may be bothered by Bambi shaped into a patty on their plate or maybe a traumatic experience. For whatever the reason, it can make a difficult situation.

Growing up a vegetarian in the rural Midwest has been difficult and even looked down upon. Many people are simply not exposed to other types of ethnic cooking and many feel that vegetarians will hurt the Midwest economy. As a granddaughter of a beef farmer, I understand these concerns but I also can relate to the children.

The day may come when your child refuses to eat meat or you may have a guest (child or adult) in your home that may prefer a vegetarian diet. So how do you handle the situation?

Don’t make a special meal. If you plan meatloaf, prepare it. Maybe offer a couple side dishes such as potatoes, pasta or vegetables. It may not appeal you but you but your child or guest may love it.

Do watch nutrition. If your child doesn’t eat meat, a peanut butter sandwich, cottage cheese, eggs, tofu, beans, quinoa or nuts can be alternated and still provide adequate protein. Broccoli is a good source of iron. Combining different proteins such as macaroni and cheese can provide a complete protein. Your child may eventually grow out of meat-less eating, but until that point, nutrition should be carefully watched.

To quote my mother: “You don’t like it? Fix it yourself.” Meaning, if you don’t like the meal I prepared for you, prepare your own dinner. This practice is optional. It does teach your child that he/she should respect the time and effort it took to prepare a wonderful meal and that as they grow older, people won’t cook around them. It also teaches your child to prepare a meat-less alternative on their own which will be handy when at a visitors house. Even a preschooler can scoop cottage cheese onto their plate or pull bread and peanut butter out of the cupboard.

Try different foods and recipes. Just because you don’t like it, doesn’t mean your kids won’t. Both of my kids love eggplant and Brussels sprouts. Refried beans are another favorite. You may be surprised at what your kids eat and of all the healthy alternatives.

Keep a positive attitude. Having a child dislike certain foods isn’t fun. Don’t tell your child they are bad or tease them. It may make the situation worse. After 25 years of having eyes rolled, loud sighs, being told I’m difficult, picky and a pain, I assure you it won’t help, but rather discourage your child.

Ask.  Ask your child or guest prior to cooking the meal what they enjoy eating for dinner.

In conclusion, try not to get too discouraged with your child, it may be a phase. At the same time be sure to watch their proper nutrition and educate yourself on meat alternatives. The library or internet are wonderful sources for proper nutrition requirements and recipes for your family.  

Note: Try http://www.mypyrimid.gov/ from the USDA that provides information on nutrition.