Furoshiki ~ Crepes and Cupcakes

What's Schoolin'?


Practical Life:  Cloth Gift Wrapping

I love to wrap gifts in cloth but never know what I'm doing.  So, although I love it in theory, I usually use bags and tissue.  Now, finally, visual directions!  I didn't know that it was an official way of wrapping, didn't know it actually had a name, and didn't know that it was an ancient Japanese art called Furoshiki.  Here is a link to a page you can print out.  Unfortunately it has a green background.  I would rather have it white with black ink - especially since I've been out of colored ink for weeks.  I doubt I'll print it but will hopefully refer to it often with dc.  Great idea for Practical Life shelf work:  put a tray with boxes and fabrics along with this page.  No, not my idea ;), it's from Heidi's link also posted below:
http://www.env.go.jp/en/focus/attach/060403-5.pdf

Have a look at the above and much more in the winter newsletter here:
http://www.amonco.org/winter1/montessori_winter1.pdf
http://www.amonco.org/montessori_winter_handson.html

More on the technique:
http://furoshiki.com/techniques/

The above one in (yeah!) black and white:
http://art-maddie.blogspot.com/2011/08/wrapping-techniques-furoshiki.html

What's Cookin'?

Crepes:  I made an adjusted version of crepes yesterday morning.  It was actually much faster than pancakes because everyone just had one or two.  They were filling and I was actually able to eat one without it messing up my morning blood sugar.  I have been reading several of Dr. Amen's books about brain health and this cookbook is by him and his wife.  I am NOT endorsing this book because it includes a lot of UNfermented soy, trans fats such as margarine, and processed foods such as egg beaters.  However, I enjoyed looking through it and got some really good ideas.  Plus it has a great list of the top 50 brain foods.



Their recipe ingredients for the crepes:  flour, egg beaters, almond milk, stevia.  Their filling was yogurt mixed with ground flax seed with mixed berries and bananas.
My ingredients for the crepes:  soaked flour with fresh milk, real eggs (2 eggs equaled the 1/4 C), a pinch of rapadura sugar.  My filling was less fancy:  a dollop of homemade yogurt and a spoonful of thawed frozen cherries.  After folding it over I sprinkled a little cinnamon sugar on top.

Directions:  The night before, soak 2/3 Cup whole wheat flour (or flour of your choice but no reason to soak white flour) with 1/2 C milk.  The next morning mix in a pinch or 1/2 teaspoon of rapadura (more or less sugar to taste) and 2 eggs.  Stir until well mixed.  I added more milk to thin it further (probably about 1/4 C more).  Heat oil in a pan (I used about 1 Tablespoon coconut oil in an 8" stainless steel pan).  Put about 1/4 C batter in the pan and swirl it around to get it spread out.  Flip when the edges are firm and the bottom starts to barely brown.  Cook the other side the same.

These crepes were very pliable and this recipe worked well.  A long time ago I made crepes using another recipe and they froze well so these should also.

**This adjusted crepe recipe is part of Kelly's Real Food Wednesday:
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2011/11/real-food-wednesday-11092011.html

Basic Vanilla Cupcakes:  Here is a great versatile cupcake recipe from Alyss.  I have a few bags of frozen cherries left so I may use those instead of the plums (no plums around here - they are a pit fruit so I try to get organic ones once in a blue moon):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alyssssyla/3941608828/
[Update:  I used 1/2 the recommended sugar (rapadura) so it was more like a sweet bread (pan dulce) with fruit than a super sweet cupcake.  I did not add any icing  and everyone enjoyed them for a special snack. Definitely a repeat!]

What's Gardenin'?

I have 2 container roma tomato plants that I barely put out last month when we moved.  They look great and have lots of flowers.  If I get one good tomato at this late date I'll be thrilled.  It will start freezing soon but I can bring them in at night.