This recipe is so easy and it’s very refreshing!  I had it the first time while visiting my grandma in Tennessee two years ago.

Start having a baked pie shell ready to fill.  You can use the Pillsbury ones or the frozen ones that need to be baked for 10-15 minutes.  Peel and quarter about 9 fresh peaches and layer them in the baked pie shell.

Boil 1 cup water with 1/2 sugar.  Stir.

Add 3 tablespoons corn starch (I’ve found not to measure it exactly so there’s slightly a bit more in each TBSP) to the boiling sugar water and stir until medium thick.

Add 1 small package of peach Jell-O to the boiling mixture and stir until smooth.  Pour over peaches and cool in refrigerator.

Spread non-dairy whipped topping (Cool Whip) over the top and chill for slightly longer.  Serve!   Please comment and share how you prepared and/or changed it!

It was a few months ago when I found a Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Truffle bar in my box at school with a thank you note attached.  I had helped with some training for a colleague.  Little does anyone know the “thank you” actually goes to her for giving me the chocolate bar!

During the first bite I immediately began thinking of how I could use it in food.  Every time I taste something excellent I’m inspired to cook with it.  Although there are savory dishes with chocolate in them, and hopefully I will create one someday, this recipe is for brownies.  They are one of favorite desserts to eat and share with others.

I was inspired by Ina Garten’s “Outrageous Brownies” recipe that I’ve used for years.  I used it as a template to create my own.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

NOTES:

1. Yield is a 9×13 pan of brownies
2. Using a thermometer is always very helpful in cooking as you can determine internal temperature of foods.
3. For a double boiler I use a glass bowl over a sauce pan filled 1/2 with water.

INGREDIENTS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 9×13 pan and set aside.

Put the butter and 1/2 lb. chocolate bars in a double boiler and melt until smooth.  Cool slightly (to about 90 degrees).

Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar.  Stir in warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature (about 72 degrees).

Stir together 1/2 c. flour, baking powder and salt.  Add to cooled chocolate mixture.  Toss the pecans and chopped chocolate bars in 1/8 c. flour to coat then add to the chocolate batter.  Pour into prepared pan.

Bake about 30 minutes.  About half way through cooking hit the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from the bottom of pan.  I would suggest after about 25 minutes checking the center by sticking a toothpick in the center.  If it comes out clean then it’s finished.  Do NOT over bake!  Cool completely (at least 2 hours).  Refrigerate and cut into servings.

This is not an original recipe.  I can’t even remember where I got it but I guarantee it’s the best you’ll try in it’s category!  NO JOKE!

I made this cheesecake for a fundraiser event for my children’s choir.  Lots of people donated desserts and I thought I would also.  I’d never made it before, but I know cheesecake very well so I wasn’t too nervous.  Here it is for you to enjoy.  You need to add this recipe to your cookbooks!

1. In a medium bowl, crush enough graham crackers to surround bottom and 1″ up the sides of 10″ spring-form pan.  Add 1/3 c. butter and spread/pack around edges and bake at 350 for about 5 minutes.  Leave oven on. Set aside to cool.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat 5 (8 oz.) packages of softened (room temperature) cream cheese, and 1 1/2 cups sugar until smooth.  Add 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (I use Adam’s) and 2 tsp of good vanilla extract.  Mix well.  Add 3 eggs (room temperature) and beat on low just until combined.  Don’t over-beat, otherwise it will cause tension in the batter and make for a rough cake!
3. Stir in 1 cup peanut butter chips and 1 cup semi-sweet (I use bitter-sweet to intensify).
4. Pour over crust, smooth and even top.
5. Bake at 350 for about 55 minutes.  Please check to make sure the batter is almost set.  It should jiggle just a little bit.  Keep the oven on.
6. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, mix in a bowl 1 cup good sour cream, 3 tbsp peanut butter and 1/2 cup of sugar (I use bakers sugar because it dissolves and doesn’t leave a gritty texture.
8. Spread over cake once cooled for 15 min.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup of chopped peanuts on top and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
9. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Carefully run knife around edge of pan to loosen, cool 1 hour longer then refrigerate overnight (at least 4 hours).
10. 12-14 servings (if you’re lucky!)

Set students in activity groups.  Pass out white paper and set a few crayons for group to share.  Tell student to write name on back.  When music begins, students should not talk, but instead take everything they want to say and let flow out in color with no words.  Fill the page with color.  Here are some prompts you can use to direct the activity:

Is the melody walking alone? Walking with others?  Or is running?  skipping?

Is the music being spread?  Is it dripping down?  Is it being gathered or swept?  Is the music sad?  Happy?  Alone?  Is the music light or dark?  Heavy or light?  Thick or thin?

Finally, if this music was following you around, what would you be doing while it was playing?

To make this activity more interesting, put a container of oil pastels at each group.  It’s cool to see the different ways students use them (especially over time as they learn visual art techniques they can apply to the picture)!

Upend the rain stick and what happens next…

Trickle, trill, trickle, trill
down, down, down
Sound of the rain falling
’round the town.
Music everywhere though it seems
only little raindrops.  Can it be?
Ting, tang, tiddle-diddle tong;
The sound of the rain drops singing a song.

I was wrapping up the school year and a co-worker wanted to borrow my Slick iMovie plug-in CDs to install in iMovie HD.  I told her that I would get them back from her in the fall.  She told me to e-mail her as a reminder.  I was wondering if I would even remember, and I didn’t because the CDs weren’t needed.

LetterMeLater.com is a free, web-based tool where you can register your e-mail or e-mails and do exactly what I needed!  It’s not every day I need to schedule an e-mail, just once in a while something will pop up.  I think this is the perfect, free tool to use.  It even lets you import contacts (CVS only) and build an address book.  I recommend using it for small, unusual e-mail scheduling and not for everyday use.  I quickly added the three addresses I use most.  I hope this is helpful.  Check it out at www.lettermelater.com

This morning before we left, of course I had late permission slips to process.  I needed to type out the ‘who’s going list’ like I always do, answer phone calls from parents wondering where in the mall we’re performing, lunch questions and everything else to keep me from rehearsing with my band before the field trip.  (Oh the things teachers have to process before school starts…just ask ANY teacher what a 30 minute morning is like before the kids come).

Anyway, I was able to rehearse with the choir before loading the bus.  I felt the kids were ready and they watched me like a hawk.  It’s wonderful to work with a school group who is learning the importance of a director and how they work as a team.

We arrive at the mall around 15 minutes before the show.  The kids filed on to the risers, I moved the piano where I wanted it, set up the PA system and we were on our way.  I couldn’t tell the kids were actually singing but, I saw the lips moving.  LOL  They were SO nervous that they couldn’t sing out.  They looked great on the risers, but the point is to SING!  haha  The music I selected was Rudolph, Pat-a-Pan, 12 Days of Christmas, We Wish You a Merry Christmas and some music from our choir folders.  By the end of the set, I could hear them, but they were still timid as a group.  We sat and ate lunch in the food court and talked about how it went.

When we boarded the bus I mentioned I was very surprised that the sound was so timid and shy because of what I experience in the classroom with them.  These kids LOVE to sing and they enjoy a challenging piece!  I was taken back when I didn’t hear what they could produce.  I reminded them of the purpose of singing.  It’s for them.  It always makes me feel better when I sing and I want them to experience the same!

At Town Center Village the experience was AMAZING!  They were less timid and like most retirement homes, the audience just loved all 35 of them!  The dining room was set up wonderful with a stage and microphones.  The space is acoustically live so it was wonderful to experience the sound of children’s voices in the venue!  The piano, unfortunately, was on the side and I couldn’t possibly direct the kids so we experienced what it was like to be self-directed.  12 Days of Christmas was a nightmare I didn’t want to try, but I did and it was okay!  :)

After we performed the kids sat and talked with the residents and shared stories.  They even met a 103 year old lady who shared stories.  I made sure that they met her because of the rare opportunity to meet a centenarian.  I also mentioned to the choir that “it’s always wonderful to talk to elders because they’ve experienced what you all are getting ready to experience”  The stories they have about life are motivating and wise.  I could tell the kids just ate it up because they didn’t want to leave.

This is the biggest lesson I walked away with.  The more kids are experiencing reality and purposeful learning they will attach more to the subject.  I’m hopeful about scheduling a Spring concert at the venue and continuing a long relationship with them.

My church had it’s first annual Chili cookoff to raise money for Portland Rescue Mission.  There was close to $350.00 raised.  They were definitely the big winner.  However several prizes were awarded for chili and pie.  I tied with another recipe for People’s Choice!  I thought that pretty neat since it was my first chili recipe that I changed so much!  I certainly owe a lot of organization points to Tyler Florence.  This recipe (inspired by Tyler Florence’s Ultimate Beef Chili) has several additions and deletions.  The It’s a bit spicy on the end after you swallow, but I typically don’t like spicy foods and I could handle it.  I recommend this recipe to try!  Let me know how it goes!

Yield 12-16 servings

Intermediate level

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 pounds pork shoulder, cut into large cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoons ground coriander
• 2 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 medium onions, rough chop
• 10 garlic cloves, halved
• 2 (7 oz.) cans of chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 (28-ounce) cans of whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 2 (15 oz.) cans of reduced sodium black beans
• 16 oz. frozen sweet corn
• Juice of 1 fresh lime
• Shredded cheese, chopped cilantro and sour cream for garnish

Directions

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Season the pork shoulder all over with salt and pepper, add it to the pot and brown it. As it’s browning stir in the chili powder, coriander, cumin, paprika, oregano and cinnamon. Lower the temperature under the meat to “toast” the spices. In a food processor puree the onions, garlic, chipotle peppers, jalapeno, tomato paste, mashed tomatoes and sugar and add it to the pot.  Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer until the meat is fork-tender and comes apart with no resistance, about 2 hours. As it cooks down, add more water, if necessary.  Take the pork out and pulse in the food processor about 10 times.  Add black beans and corn and continue to simmer.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with the shredded cheese, cilantro and sour cream.

I write to help give you the tools to integrate music into YOUR classroom. I don’t mean just singing songs, but using music, movement and rhythm as powerful learning tools. With reading, have students make the shapes of letters with their bodies and create an in-class performance where the students tell a story through movement and music.

Integrating the arts (storytelling, poetry, music, drama, dance, visual arts) allow students to be actively creating the content through the arts. You all have witnessed the satisfaction on a students face when they show off their work. If you’re willing to take a risk and surrender a little control and allow the students to be the center of learning, I’m willing to help you grow in your ability and comfort level with arts integration!

Those of you who sings songs in your class, keep singing.

Often times we give up, not intentionally, on these things that bring us fulfillment. Life gets in the way and before we know it, we’ve lost the song that used to sing in us.

August Rush, according to Warner Brothers, tells the story of a charismatic young Irish guitarist (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and a sheltered young cellist (Keri Russell) who have a chance encounter one magical night above New York’s Washington Square, but are soon torn apart, leaving in their wake an infant, August Rush, orphaned by circumstance. Now performing on the streets of New York and cared for by a mysterious stranger (Robin Williams), August (Freddie Highmore) uses his remarkable musical talent to seek the parents from whom he was separated at birth.

However fictional the story was, it reminded me to chase after my dreams and search for what matters to me.