It's Saturday! Woohoo! The weekend is here. I made it through another week of teaching. With the second week down, I think the rest of the year should be smooth sailing (in general). The first two weeks the little ones are learning the new routine of being in school, but I think they have it now. I can start delving into the real learning now.
Along with the weekend, comes a lovely change in weather. It's been in the high eighties and nineties here for the past couple weeks (if not hotter). Today it was in the mid-seventies in the sun. Well, I thought, I think it's time I used that can of pumpkin that has been sitting in my pantry for so long! I decided to make Millionaire's Shortbread (shortbread covered in caramel and chocolate). I'm Scottish way back, so a while ago I taught myself how to make shortbread without a recipe. Its simple 1-2-3. 1 part sugar, 2 parts butter, 3 parts flour. Easy. I decided to make a pumpkin spice version of the recipe. Here goes!
1/4 cup sugar
1 stuck (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, soft
2 tbsp pumpkin puree
1 cup flour
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Preheat oven to 325F
Mix the pumpkin and butter together until smooth. Add sugar and spice. Mix well. Add flour and mix until it comes together.
Put cookie dough into a 9" cake pan, lined. Spread evenly.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until done.
Allow to cool on baking rack.
Now, for the "Millionaire's" part, you need:
Chocolate layer
2 tbsp heavy cream
1/3-1/2 cup chocolate chips
Heat the heavy cream in microwave until boiling (it doesn't take long, maybe 30 seconds).
Add the chocolate chips and let sit for 10 minutes or so. Stir until smooth.
Caramel layer:
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Combine all ingredients in heavy saucepan. Heat on low temperature until butter is melted, stirring. Increase the heat until boiling. Continue cooking, without stirring (it will make it grainy if you stir) for about 5 minutes. It will look nice and caramel colored after a few minutes. Watch it, but DO NOT STIR. Once it has come together, turn it off and let it cool down for about 20 minutes or so.
To assemble:
Pour the cooled caramel sauce over the shortbread in the cake pan. Allow to cool a little, until firmed up a bit, then add chocolate. Refrigerate until firm. Slice into little fingers and enjoy!
I don't have pictures, but google Millionaire's shortbread and you will know what it's supposed to look like.
It's so so so good!
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Just one of those days
I've been back at it for a week and a half now, and last Thursday I caught a few of the little buggies that my kids brought with them. You know how four year olds are. Cute as pie, but they don't always wash their hands. I want to say, as always, I love my job, and I love my kids.
Well, this morning. I woke up feeling so good for the first time in a week. I was rested and my throat was no longer sore. I got to school and things were going great. The kids were following the routines really well for the seventh day of school.
Feeling great, I left to eat my lunch. I dropped it. Half of it was gone. I had to eat some stale sort of cinnamon roll thing left over from breakfast. Ugh.
Right after lunch, a student, not mine thank God, was taken to the nurse and EMT's were called. Since we are a school for very little ones, when this happens all students stay in their rooms. This meant that we didn't get the bathroom break the 17 tiny bladders desperately needed.
My TA was stuck watching another class when she should have been eating lunch, so she wasn't back until later than usual, which is a little stressful for me this early on (give it a month and I won't care).
Okay, so all this happened early on, and then one of my poor little children threw up right before we went to the buses. The child teared up, frozen. I huddled the rest of the kids out to the buses while my TA helped the child to the nurse.
Later I realized the mess happened all over one of my personal rugs, so I had to take it home to clean it. I wanted to set it on fire, I mean, wouldn't that get rid of the germs? Oh, then after school I had a fun ice breaker game, and was put on the spot for a minute. Normally I am good at these, but after the whole vomit incident I was flustered. I ended up taking so long, we got out of our meeting late.
Finally, after ALL of this, I couldn't pay my electric bill because the website was down. UGH. Try to get things done on time and the world is against you.
I know teacher's don't drink, but I like a cocktail or a glass of wine every now and then. Today was one of those days. My favorite go to drink is a Gimlet. None of that vodka nonsense, gin all the way. I have adapted a few recipes and created one that I like the best. Here it is:
1 1/2 oz Gin (Tanqueray Rangpur is the best, but any gin will do)
1 1/2 oz lime cordial (Rose's is standard)
Pour both over ice and stir, or pour into a shaker, shake and strain.
Easy, delicious, and fortifying.
A note on the cordial, Rose's is standard, but the Kroger by me stocks a store brand that is a little more tart, and I prefer that. If I use Rose's, which I don't often, I like to make it:
1 oz lime cordial
1/2 unsweetened lime juice
That way you get a nice bite.
Anyway, I am feeling world's better, and I sincerely hope that my little one feels better too. At that age getting sick can be scary.
Well, this morning. I woke up feeling so good for the first time in a week. I was rested and my throat was no longer sore. I got to school and things were going great. The kids were following the routines really well for the seventh day of school.
Feeling great, I left to eat my lunch. I dropped it. Half of it was gone. I had to eat some stale sort of cinnamon roll thing left over from breakfast. Ugh.
Right after lunch, a student, not mine thank God, was taken to the nurse and EMT's were called. Since we are a school for very little ones, when this happens all students stay in their rooms. This meant that we didn't get the bathroom break the 17 tiny bladders desperately needed.
My TA was stuck watching another class when she should have been eating lunch, so she wasn't back until later than usual, which is a little stressful for me this early on (give it a month and I won't care).
Okay, so all this happened early on, and then one of my poor little children threw up right before we went to the buses. The child teared up, frozen. I huddled the rest of the kids out to the buses while my TA helped the child to the nurse.
Later I realized the mess happened all over one of my personal rugs, so I had to take it home to clean it. I wanted to set it on fire, I mean, wouldn't that get rid of the germs? Oh, then after school I had a fun ice breaker game, and was put on the spot for a minute. Normally I am good at these, but after the whole vomit incident I was flustered. I ended up taking so long, we got out of our meeting late.
Finally, after ALL of this, I couldn't pay my electric bill because the website was down. UGH. Try to get things done on time and the world is against you.
I know teacher's don't drink, but I like a cocktail or a glass of wine every now and then. Today was one of those days. My favorite go to drink is a Gimlet. None of that vodka nonsense, gin all the way. I have adapted a few recipes and created one that I like the best. Here it is:
1 1/2 oz Gin (Tanqueray Rangpur is the best, but any gin will do)
1 1/2 oz lime cordial (Rose's is standard)
Pour both over ice and stir, or pour into a shaker, shake and strain.
Easy, delicious, and fortifying.
A note on the cordial, Rose's is standard, but the Kroger by me stocks a store brand that is a little more tart, and I prefer that. If I use Rose's, which I don't often, I like to make it:
1 oz lime cordial
1/2 unsweetened lime juice
That way you get a nice bite.
Anyway, I am feeling world's better, and I sincerely hope that my little one feels better too. At that age getting sick can be scary.
Monday, September 12, 2016
I Don't Care if No One Reads
I'm a teacher. I love my job. My last two posts were scattered at best. I want to write just to write. To talk about my likes and dislikes which are many. I love history, and as a result antique things of every kind. I care about healthy eating (to a reasonable extent) and keeping my energy up for my job.
This blog will be disjointed at times. Well, I should say most of the time. Posts will be about things I cooked, things I wore, things I bought, and things I taught. Regardless, I think it is important for me to write things down because I want to keep a record of the things I do.
Read, enjoy, learn. Or don't. I won't mind if no one finds this.
This blog will be disjointed at times. Well, I should say most of the time. Posts will be about things I cooked, things I wore, things I bought, and things I taught. Regardless, I think it is important for me to write things down because I want to keep a record of the things I do.
Read, enjoy, learn. Or don't. I won't mind if no one finds this.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
A beautiful face, A relaxed face
It's pretty easy to take care of your face. When I'm bored, I look to the internet for vintage beauty tips. I have spent a lot of time compiling the best ways to take care of my skin using a vintage method. The following are my tools for keeping my skin luminous and happy.
After experimenting, I settled on Pond's cucumber cleanser. It is the lightest of the ones I tried, and with oily skin like mine, it was an obvious choice.
It smells wonderful, and it cleans your skin. I will say now, you should look around for the best cleansing cream for you. I have very oily skin, and this one does not leave me feeling greasy (it did the first week or so, but my skin adjusted nicely, and now it is always smooth). This one runs anywhere from 5-8 dollars for a 10oz jar. (For those of you on a budget, try Jergen's first. They are normally less than four dollars for a substantial jar).
I use it every day, except for the days where I follow step two of my face routine. I use only dab a small amount on my fingers and rub it in to the skin all over my face. Lastly, I moisten a washcloth with warm to hot water (not too hot), rub it on my face to remove the cleanser, rinsing the cloth as necessary.
This cleanser will remove all makeup, even eye waterproof makeup. However, I cleanse my face and then the eyes. It does not sting the eyes, as long as you use just a dab on each eye lid. The cleanser will sometimes smudge the makeup so badly it will make you look like a raccoon. That is why I do it second, so I don't smudge eyeliner all over my face.
It will leave your skin feeling smooth and fresh and clean.
A Buf-Puf is a pear shaped sponge that is slightly rough:
They are not easy to find, so when I see them at the drug store I stock up. You can get them in gentle and normal, in case you have sensitive skin. They normally cost about 5 dollars for a pack of two.
I use a bit of ivory bar soap on the sponge for a good clean. I exfoliate my face for about a minute with the sponge. I rinse my face with very warm water. Doing this once or twice a week cleans the excess skin on my face, leaving a fresh face for the next day.
A lot of vintage ads and tutorials I've found from the forties and fifties suggest washing your face with soap three times a day, at least. They also suggest using a cleanser both morning and night. For some people, that will work for them. I can't wash my face that much, because of my skin type, so I just wash at night.
Step 1: Cleansing Cream
I have looked into a few cleansing creams: Ponds Cold cream, Jergen's multi-use cleansing cream, and Pond's cucumber cleanser. There are a few others like Nivea and Noxema, but Nivea goes beyond my budget and Noxema has a strong scent.After experimenting, I settled on Pond's cucumber cleanser. It is the lightest of the ones I tried, and with oily skin like mine, it was an obvious choice.
I use it every day, except for the days where I follow step two of my face routine. I use only dab a small amount on my fingers and rub it in to the skin all over my face. Lastly, I moisten a washcloth with warm to hot water (not too hot), rub it on my face to remove the cleanser, rinsing the cloth as necessary.
This cleanser will remove all makeup, even eye waterproof makeup. However, I cleanse my face and then the eyes. It does not sting the eyes, as long as you use just a dab on each eye lid. The cleanser will sometimes smudge the makeup so badly it will make you look like a raccoon. That is why I do it second, so I don't smudge eyeliner all over my face.
It will leave your skin feeling smooth and fresh and clean.
Step 2:
On the nights I don't use my cold cream, I use another face cleanser. Those nights I use a Buf-Puf, or exfoliating sponge.A Buf-Puf is a pear shaped sponge that is slightly rough:
They are not easy to find, so when I see them at the drug store I stock up. You can get them in gentle and normal, in case you have sensitive skin. They normally cost about 5 dollars for a pack of two.
I use a bit of ivory bar soap on the sponge for a good clean. I exfoliate my face for about a minute with the sponge. I rinse my face with very warm water. Doing this once or twice a week cleans the excess skin on my face, leaving a fresh face for the next day.
A lot of vintage ads and tutorials I've found from the forties and fifties suggest washing your face with soap three times a day, at least. They also suggest using a cleanser both morning and night. For some people, that will work for them. I can't wash my face that much, because of my skin type, so I just wash at night.
Monday, May 18, 2015
Teacher, Teacher, Pumpkin Eater
I am a new teacher. I mean brand new. I mean I just got a degree and am still awaiting that license to come in the mail. I love teaching. I have wanted to teach since I was four years old, with the exception of the two years that I wanted to be an actress/singer. Maybe one day I will moonlight, but for now, I am stuck steady on the career path that has been my calling since childhood.
On top of my passion for teaching, I am also a vintage-addict. In fact, once I had finally mounted myself on the teaching path, I researched teaching methods from the past. I talked with my grandmother who taught for about forty years from the forties to nineteen eighty. I researched the dress of teachers, the way they set up classrooms, and the way the treated children. Admittedly, much of the things they did are no longer acceptable, for practical reasons. (It is wrong to put a dunce cap on a child or to use the paddle). Regardless, I think that it sets a good example for children to see a teacher who does her best to dress and act like someone the children could aspire to be.
I ramble, but I want give a good introduction. I am a young, new teacher, who appreciates history and it's practical application to the present. I hope to give you all tips on dress and teaching, using my experience (which is more extensive in some areas than others). I want you to learn with me as I grow into becoming a great teacher.
On top of my passion for teaching, I am also a vintage-addict. In fact, once I had finally mounted myself on the teaching path, I researched teaching methods from the past. I talked with my grandmother who taught for about forty years from the forties to nineteen eighty. I researched the dress of teachers, the way they set up classrooms, and the way the treated children. Admittedly, much of the things they did are no longer acceptable, for practical reasons. (It is wrong to put a dunce cap on a child or to use the paddle). Regardless, I think that it sets a good example for children to see a teacher who does her best to dress and act like someone the children could aspire to be.
I ramble, but I want give a good introduction. I am a young, new teacher, who appreciates history and it's practical application to the present. I hope to give you all tips on dress and teaching, using my experience (which is more extensive in some areas than others). I want you to learn with me as I grow into becoming a great teacher.
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