Teacher Appreciation Ideas

As a teacher myself, I like to think I'm at least somewhat of an authority on teacher appreciation gifts. So as the end of the year approaches, I thought I'd share some ideas that I have loved, and things that are... well, lower on the list.

Of course it's the thought that counts, and for most teachers, anything a student brings is appreciated for the sentiment! However, after talking with many different teachers about gifts, here are some things that are usually best to skip unless you know your teacher would love it:

• Candles, lotion, or other bath & body-type things
• Homemade treats - sorry, teachers are notorious germaphobes. I don't mean to sound harsh, but your edible treats will probably end up in the lounge - most teachers I know are just too nervous about eating something from other people's kitchens. 
• Teacher-related trinkets - now, these are probably okay for a first or second-year teacher. But after a while, they lose their novelty.

Now here are some ideas that I think are cute, or things I have gotten and loved. Of course every teacher is different, these are just things I personally think are great!

• Gift cards of any type, but particularly Target, Wal-Mart, Starbucks, or a book store
• Books for the classroom library
• Flowers/plants 
• Chocolate
• #1 Favorite Gift of All Time ---> A nice letter with some specific reasons why the teacher is wonderful at their job. Seriously. There is nothing better than this. Little gifts are thoughtful and nice, but nothing makes me happier than a note with something specific a parent or student likes about how I teach. Easy and free. What could be better?

Links to cute ideas:


Chocolate "Survival Kit" from Our Best Bites

Customizeable Flower Tags from Skip to My Lou

Review: Everyday Food Magazine

We've been getting this magazine for a few years now, since my husband got it for free one year with Coke Rewards points. We have LOVED this magazine! It's put out by Martha Stewart, and has a great mix of easy, everyday favorites, and interesting new things we want to try.

Just this month, I'm eyeing:

• Grilled Garlic-Lime Fish Tacos
• Shrimp and Edamame with Lime
• Flank Steak Kebabs with Peanut Sauce
• Garlic-Chipotle Beef Kababs
• Pork and Snap-Pea Kebabs with Ginger-Hoisin Glaze
• Bacon-Wrapped Corn
• Cherry-Lime Cups
• Frozen Chocolate-Mousse Trifles
• Frozen Lemon Souffle
• Strawberries and Cream Bars
• Strawberry Lemonade

And more! This is a magazine you can frequently find for free/cheap with various magazine giveaways, but even regular price is only $12 for the year. Enjoy!

Cornbread Salad

This is a perfect recipe for summer potlucks! It's different, light, and looks gorgeous! This is one of those recipes that I never actually have in my binder, because every time I make it, I print out the recipe and take it with me, because I know someone is going to ask me for it. It's a little unusual because of the cornbread, but give it a try - it's delicious!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (16 ounce) package corn bread mix, cooked and crumbled
• 10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
• 2 (15 ounce) cans beans, rinsed and drained (I usually use one can of pinto beans and one can of black beans)
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper (any color will work, whichever you prefer)
• 1 cup chopped green onion
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 (11 ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained (you can also use 2 cups frozen corn)

To make the dressing, whisk the sour cream, mayo/Miracle Whip, and ranch dressing mix.

The rest of the salad can go together in two ways. The first option is to toss all the ingredients together. This helps all the flavors combine, but it doesn't look as pretty.

The second is to layer it in a trifle dish. I do half the cornbread, then beans, then the peppers, tomatoes, and green onions, then the corn, bacon, and cheese, and then the dressing. Then repeat the layers. I always reserve some bacon and green onions for the top, because I think it looks nicer than just the dressing.

When finished, chill at least 2 hours (and up to over night) before serving.

NOTE: I don't personally like a lot of dressing, so I always have about a half cup of left over. However, it's a matter of your personal preference.

The finished product! Bring the recipe with you when you take this to your summer baby shower, picnic, or potluck, because you WILL get asked for it! It's so different and interesting, people always want to talk to me about this dish. Enjoy!

*inspired by the recipe on allrecipes.com by Hidden Valley Ranch

Ask-a-Chef!

This week over on our Facebook page I have my husband answering all your cooking/baking questions! He attended culinary school and worked in the restaurant industry for almost 10 years in fine dining, mostly in the pastry department.

Have a question about cooking or baking? Ask away! Click on the left margin here on the blog to "Like" our page on Facebook or follow this link to our page!

Hope to see you over there!

How-Tuesday: Cleaning Routines

Hello, everyone! I'm excited about participating in this blog and was really excited when Katie asked me to help her. I get asked all the time about my cleaning routine, from people I know in real life to people I know through Internet forums. My routine is one that I developed over several years. I took my initial inspiration from Flylady, and then I adapted her basic concept into a routine that would better fit my own life. There are a few issues I take with Flylady's system, so I knew I needed to alter it a bit. Now I have a system that works fabulously for me, and I'm able to very easily keep my home clean with very minimal effort when I stick to my list.

The concept is simple: deep clean one room or area of your home each day. How you divide it up should be determined by how large your house is. When I first started my list, we were renting a tiny 2 bedroom apartment. We only had 5 rooms to clean, so I had my list set up to where I only deep cleaned one room each day. Now we own a much larger home, so I clean one area each day, which breaks down to 2-3 rooms on average. For example, on Mondays I deep clean the kitchen, dining room, laundry room, and pantry. Our floorplan is really open, so all of these spaces naturally flow together. Thursdays I clean both bathrooms (kids' and master). I do the master bathroom on a separate day from the master bedroom simply because that way I only have to get out the cleaning supplies once and get it all done in one shot. Divide it up however is easiest for you, but try and create a list that allows you to streamline your chores. Group like things together, like doing all bathrooms on the same day, mopping all floors on the same day, etc.

One more tip before I post my actual list. I found this idea on a blog several months ago and thought it was beyond brilliant. This woman took her cleaning list and put it in a picture frame that she set up on her counter. I modified it just a bit and hung it on a wall near my kitchen instead (I hate clutter on the counters). I pass by this list a trillion times per day, so it's always in my face, reminding me to clean. And the real bonus is that it easily lets me see what I've done off my list and what I have yet to do. I just use a whiteboard marker to put a check mark in the box next to each chore as I accomplish it, then I erase it when the week is over and start again the next week. It's fabulous. At the bottom of my list, I left a few blank spaces for me to fill in whatever random stuff I need to do (go to the post office, do some household project, whatever).

So, here's my list:

It looks really overwhelming, I know. And it is at first. If your house is pretty disorganized to begin with, it'll be pretty brutal getting it under control. But stick it out because if you keep at it, by probably the second week you will be spending much less time cleaning and have a cleaner home to show for it.

Now, this is just my deep cleaning list. Along with the deep cleaning for that day, I also always do general upkeep on the house, such as dishes, laundry, picking up toys, etc. But from start to finish, ALL the daily chores and deep cleaning will take me about 2 hours max when I stick to this list. It's really great!

Ginger Peanut Chicken Wraps

This is a recipe my husband made up last summer when we were craving something summery and different. It's very light and delicious!

GINGER PEANUT CHICKEN WRAPS

Sauce:

1/2 c. soy sauce

4 T. brown sugar
1" peeled ginger, smashed
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 c. peanut butter
1T. sesame oil
Dash of cayenne pepper
2 T. rice vinegar

Wraps:

flour tortillas

cooked chicken, diced

cabbage, shredded

carrots, julienne

celery, thinly sliced

There are lots of other veggies that would be good in this (red bell peppers, bean sprouts, snow peas, etc.), but these are the basics that we use...

To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients. The best way to mix it is either with an immersion blender or a food processor, but you can also use a whisk, though it's more labor-intensive. When you're finished, it should look something like this:

Toss the chicken, carrots, and celery in a large bowl and add the sauce to taste. You'll want enough to cover everything and bring it together, but not so much that everything is drenched.

Then lightly warm the tortillas, spread the filling down the middle, make into wraps, and enjoy! Also, if you're in my family, put a bunch more sauce on your plate so that you can sop some up with each and every bite - it's just that good.

Kids' Chores and Chorecharts

Photo credit to AbbiesHouse on Etsy.com, link here

What types of chores can kids do? Well, pretty much anything! I don't have my kids on a regular chore routine, although I'd like to. But this year over Spring Break I sweetly offered them the opportunity to do several chores each day for money, and then we went to Target at the end of Spring Break and they bought a toy with the money they earned.

Kids can start doing chores when they're really young. Even our 1-year-old gets into the action! She loves to feed the dog, help unload the dishwasher, put the clean silverware away, and pick up toys.

My other two kids are 4 and 5, and they can sort, fold, and put away laundry, wash the dishes, help with dinner, set the table, help load/unload the dishwasher, wipe down the walls, wipe the baseboards, make their beds, clean the sinks, mirrors, counters, and shower in the bathroom, sweep and swiffer the floors, and vacuum. They are also expected to clear off their dishes after each meal, generally keep their toys cleaned up, and periodically go through their clothes and toys to toss/give away.

I should note that I use pretty kid-friendly cleaning products. If you need some ideas, Anissa posted a great post about Homemade Cleaning Supplies awhile ago. For instance, in the bathroom, they just clean with a mixture of water and vinegar.

This summer I'd love to get them going on some sort of regular routine. Right now I just sort of have them help when I want help, but I think having them on a routine would help me to stay on my routine. What sorts of chores do your kids do regularly? Has anyone made anything fabulous to keep track of their kids' chores? I saw the ones listed above on Etsy and I really love it, but I'd love to find something I can do myself. I'd love to see any links if you've got any!