Patriotic Healthy Treat

Here’s what the Kempiak Party of Five is munching on this weekend!
{Note to myself...}
And here’s what I want to make next year…

Resurrection Rolls

We absolutely LOVE the Easter cookie recipe/devotional we take part in each year, however we added a new component this season that helps add to our Easter breakfast. And I have to report, this is a “Keeper” for the Kempiak Party of Five! Besides being very yummy, the devotional totally complimented the other.

Ingredients:

Crescent rolls

Melted butter

Marshmallows

Cinnamon & sugar

Preheat oven to 350 .
1. Give each child a triangle of crescent rolls. The crescent roll represents the cloth that Jesus was wrapped in. Read Matthew 27: 57-61

2. Give each child a marshmallow. This represents Jesus.

3. Have him/her dip the marshmallow in melted butter. This represents the oils of embalming.

4. Now dip the buttered marshmallow in the cinnamon and sugar which represents the spices used to anoint the body.

5. Then wrap up the coated marshmallow tightly in the crescent roll (not like a typical crescent roll up but bring the sides up and seal the marshmallow inside.) This represents the wrapping of Jesus' body after death.

6. Place in a 350 oven for 10-12 minutes. (The oven represents the tomb---pretend like it was three days!)

7. Let the rolls cool slightly. The children can open their rolls (cloth) and discover that Jesus is no longer there, HE IS RISEN!!!! (The marshmallow melts and the crescent roll is puffed up, but empty.)

8. Now read Matthew 28:5-8

Explain: At the tomb, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary saw an angel, who told them not to be afraid. No one had taken Jesus' body, but He Had risen from the dead! The angel told the women to go and tell the disciples what they had seen, that Jesus had risen from the dead. They were so excited, they ran all the way home to tell the disciples the good news! He is risen from the dead! Alleluia!

After that Jesus appeared in person to Peter, then to the 12 disciples and after that, to more than 500 people. Jesus' appearance to eyewitnesses, those who saw Him with their own eyes, would give support and prove that Jesus rose from the dead ( 1 Corinthians 15:3-6).

By rising from the dead, Jesus proved once and for all that He was the Messiah, the Savior of the World, the Chosen One, and the Lamb of God. By dying on the cross and rising from the dead, Jesus did what no other had ever done before. As both God and man, He overcame sin, death, and hell. And now because of what Jesus has done, these things no longer have any power over those who believe in Jesus and allow His Spirit to lead and direct them. Rather than being slaves to sin and death, Christians ( those who love and believe in Jesus) are free to obey God and do good ( Romans 6:17-18). The Bible says in John 8:36, "If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."

However, we will only obey God if we listen to the Holy Spirit our helper. He enables believers in Jesus to do the right thing. It is important that we read the Bible (God's Word) because one of the ways the Holy Spirit helps us obey God is by reminding us of what He says to us in His Word. God's Spirit will never go against his Word. In fact, when we read God's Word, we are listening to the Holy Spirit.Of course, you won't always do the right thing; the Bible says this ) 1 John 1:5-10). But that is why we need to continue to confess our sins knowing that God forgives us, based on what Jesus did on the cross. This is also a reason we need to spend time with other believers in Christ so they can encourage us in our faith.

-Unknown Author

Easter Story Cookies

Tonight on “Easter Eve”, before laying the kids in bed, we had one more family devotional that we have yet to miss since they were born. With the Bible opened to the Gospels and many baking ingredients, we began reading about the Roman soldiers arresting our Savior (John 19:1-3) and went through the story all the way to Jesus’ resurrection and the empty tomb ( Matthew 28:1-9). Each ingredient for the cookies unveil part of the truth of Easter with scripture to read and once done, the next morning, your family has a bunch of cookies to enjoy and a tangible reminder of what was read the night before, the reason we Christians celebrate this day with such awe.

Here's the recipe to get your family started on this special season of “life” and the incredible power of Christ and his love, something much more fulfilling than chocolate bunnies and jelly beans!

You will need:
1 cup pretzels (this is a YUMMY new part this year...in the past it's been pecans)
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch salt
1 cup sugar

As well as:
Large zipper baggie, wooden spoon, packing tape, and the most important of all "THE WORD OF GOD" (Bible).

Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Preheat oven to 300°F.

Step one- Place pretzels in zipper baggie and let your children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces.

Illustration- Explain that, after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.

Read John 19:1-3.


Step two- Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl.


Illustration- Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.


Step three- Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life.Illustration-

Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.

Read John 10:10-11.



Step four- Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.

Illustration- Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing.

Read Luke 23:27.

Step five- Add 1cup sugar.

Illustration- Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.

Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Step six- Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.

Illustration- Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.

Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Step seven- Fold in broken nuts (pretzels). Drop by teaspoons (approximately 24) onto wax paper covered cookie sheet.

Illustration- Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.

Read Matthew 27:57-60.

Step eight- Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF!! Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.

Illustration- Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed.

Read Matthew 27:65-66.

Step Nine- GO TO BED!

Illustration- Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

Read John 16:20 and 22.

Step ten- On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow!

Illustration-On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

By making these cookies and having other Easter traditions I've come up with for our family, it's allowed me to teach our kids how marvelous this season really is. By doing so, my kids can clearly decipher the difference this Christian holiday has over how the “world” tends to shape it with its distortion.

(If you’ve never truly understood what Christ did on the cross for His people and the power and importance of his resurrection, I’d love to share it with you. This can be the most significant Easter’s ever for you!)

Easter S'mores

Today the kids and I put these together to pass out to guests in our home over Holy week.

Aren't they adorable?!

Update Warning: (Although totally cute, blue Peeps don't make a pretty final product once cooked, my guests warned me later!)

How to put together:
~Using a 1 quart jar~
1. Pour 1-1/4 cup Easter M&M's into the bottom of the quart glass jar.
2. Place 8 marshmallow bunny peeps standing up, facing out around the inside of the jar, on top of the M&M’s.
3. Reduce 1 sleeve graham crackers to crumbs (I used a food processor) and add 1/3 cup brown sugar (place both together, in a baggie). Place the baggie in the hole of the bunnies so it isn't noticeable.

The tag I made read this:
Empty the jar contents into a bowl. Snip the bunnies into bits with kitchen sheers ( poor “guys”) which is a great way to let out some of your daily stress. Return bunny bits to the mixture and mix well.

Melt ½ cup butter; add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour this over the dry ingredients, mixing well. Pat into a greased 9” square pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.
☼
(If you absolutely, positively can’t get yourself to cut the cute little critters, simply combine all the ingredients from the jar (except our cute friends) and place the bunnies on the top before baking as directed.)

Celebrating the End of 2008

Our traditional family slumber party for New Year’s Eve was in full swing with lots of fun. Jon had to work so he was only able to join in on the tail end but thankfully he was home before midnight. Owen pooped out on us this year, unable to make it to the strike of midnight, but the rest of us were going strong.


We started it off with a new recipe (from Aunt Lois) that the kids already want to keep in our dinner repertoire, Walking Tacos. Have any of you made these before? Here are the directions…

Step one: Have individual bags of Doritos chips for each person that will be joining you for dinner. Let out the air from the bag and smash the Doritos into pieces. Talk about a fun way to release some stress! ☺

Step two: Cook a pound of meat and add seasoning to your liking (as if you were making your favorite taco meat mixture).

Step three: Collect all the other taco topping ingredients you enjoy. Don’t forget cheese…


and maybe black olives, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, onions, cilantro, lettuce, etc.

Add a few scoops of cooked meat mixture along with your favorite toppings into the bag of smashed Doritos and whalla, you’ve got yourself a meal to eat right out of the bag. Yummy!






Since we were on a Mexican theme, we made a yummy dessert too which we concocted in our heads together. We think they turned out great. Give this a try sometime!

Make tortillas and while they are still hot, smear butter and cinnamon vanilla sugar on top. Roll them up enjoy this yummy warm sensation!


After dinner/dessert time we played the Wii until it was time for countdown. It's been a great source of entertainment for all of us. 2008 was great and we look forward to 2009! Happy New Year everybody.

On the Seventeenth Day of Christmas...a Cup of Yum!

I had a very special relationship with my Grandma Bailey. It wasn’t rare that I’d be with her for slumber parties most weekends and loving every minute of it. We’d stay up late playing cards and eating a snack before bed. It was always hot cocoa and toast with butter in my little birdie cup (that I still have today).

Maybe it’s the memory of my grandma’s that makes me love hot cocoa so much or possibly just because I am a chocolate fanatic, regardless I have my own homemade recipe that my family begs me to make every winter, especially this time of year.

Our family likes to make a smorgasbord of “extras” to add in our cup of yum from mini marshmallows; crushed candy canes, whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, and chocolate chips.

Go ahead, immerse your taste buds in this little bit of warm heaven, the Kempiak Party of Five style!

Kymberly's Decadent Hot Cocoa

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup hot water
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix cocoa, sugar, hot water, and salt in a saucepan. Over medium heat, stir constantly until boiling. Cook, stirring constantly for one minute. Stir in the milk. Heat, don't boil! Remove from the heat and add vanilla, blend well and serve.

Nathan's First Cottage Fair

As each quarter comes to an end at Edu-Prize, every class has a “cottage fair” (an open house you might call it). Tonight’s was Nathan’s and it was truly wonderful.

We began with a class potluck on the kindergarten playground. Each kid had to bring something to share that began with the first letter of his/her name. Nathan picked nachos. We made queso dip to drizzle over the chips. Yummy!

Next, we went into the class for the kids to sing a few songs. I love hearing little voices just belt it out with huge smiles on their faces. Nathan was adorable as he kind of crept back a bit behind his friends, not wanting the spotlight. After the songs, Nathan sat on our laps and showed us a pile of fabulous work he had been storing for this special night. Boy has he done a lot these past 10 weeks!
(Nathan with 2 of his "many" buddies...Andrew and Michael)
Finally, we ended up in the kinder ‘garden’ where each family got to plant sunflower seeds. How cute!

Nathan loves his classmates and his teacher Mrs. Zavisch. This quarter was so much fun exploring the theme of ‘me’.




Some have asked for the nacho queso dip… (this fed 20 families)
2 large blocks of Velveta cheese
2 ½ pounds of ground meat (we use turkey)
1 large can of diced tomatoes in green chilies

Cook ground meat, drain. Dice up the cheese in a saucepan. Heat on low until melted. Add meat and tomatoes to the mixture. Keep warm when serving.

Sneaky Chef

In the constant pursuit to healthy eating, I had an idea that I just had to try out on my kids. In our home, we love to have fresh smoothies and slushies, handmade. It’s almost a daily staple in our home, especially when the temperatures are scorching outside. Well, last week, instead of having the kids assist me, I made up some new concoctions once the kids went to bed. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the kids to help, however I had to be sneaky because of my new “Special” green ingredient. Seeing spinach in their drinks would give them an automatic, “I don’t like it” statement, so keeping them ignorant for the time being was the best I thought. I made my drinks with the same ingredients as usual, this time adding 1 cup of fresh spinach puree and they were completely clueless. Watching them “down” their drinks just makes me smile, especially knowing that I’ve just added another serving of vegetables and folic acid in their precious bodies! Now my mind is racing on other ways I can slip more vegetables in my pile of recipes.

This Slushy recipe had:
2 cups strawberries
1 cup peaches
1 cup water
5 drops Stevia
1 cup spinach

I froze for several hours. An hour before serving it to the kids, I pulled it out so it could soften a bit. Then the kids spoon fed it to themselves for a nice refreshing morning or mid day treat.

(I’ve also done similar drinks smoothie style…yogurt, blueberries, raspberries, banana, water, and spinach)