(photo credit: wikipedia)

My 9-year-old came home from school yesterday, dropped his bag in the hallway (why can't he remember to hang it up is beyond me), and strolled into the kitchen for his usual after-school snack. I joined him as this is often the best time for us to catch up and talk about his day.

While he's munching away on some grapes, I ask him about his new snack routine at school. "Do you have it before lunch? Are there assigned seats? Is it a working snack?" You know, nosey mom questions. That's when he told me the kids said they felt bad for him.

Me: "Why do they feel bad for you?"

9 yo: "Because they asked why I never bring chips or Doritos for a snack and I told them we never have that at home."

Me: "That's true. It's okay to have it once in a while, but too much junk food is not good for you."

9 yo: "I told them that. Then they asked if I've ever had Burger King or McDonald's and I told them never. They couldn't believe it and that's when they said they felt bad for me."

Me: (wheels turning) "They just don't understand because maybe that's what they have often. We just never go to those places when there are so many great restaurants to choose from around here. It's okay to have that stuff once in a while. But like junk food, too much fast food is not good for you."

9 yo: "I know. Then they asked what is my favorite thing we have for breakfast. I told them Belgium Waffles. They all agreed... Food from scratch is the best, right?"

Me: "Right. And yeah, it's hard not to like Belgium waffles."

My 9-year-old really doesn't care what others think or say and will be the first to set you straight. I know his classmates were probably more curious than really shaming him for never eating that crap. We don't deprive our kids of treats and we try to limit how much processed foods they eat. This is just another sad reminder why there's a childhood obesity problem. I'm now scheming ways we can start getting these other kids excited about real food.

Apple Snacking Spice Cake

Confession: It's January 12th and our Christmas tree and lights are still up. We are typically not this delinquent when it comes to dismantling our Christmas decorations. I swear! I will shake my head in dismay if I see a Christmas tree out on someone's curb any day past January 2nd. Yeah, yeah. Glass houses and stones - or however that saying goes. So in an effort to not be a total slacker, I've begun by gathering up all the holiday cards for a quick afternoon craft activity with the boys.


Around this time of year, we find ourselves staring at the pile of holiday and photo cards from friends and family near and far, wondering what to do with them. I feel guilty throwing away pictures of our friends' kids and/or pets.  So for the past few years we've trimmed and saved photo cards and file them away in a photo album, only to be taken this time the following year to marvel at how big everyone is getting.


With the holiday cards, I got the boys to work and had them make gift tags for next year's gifts. Got the idea from good 'ol Martha of course. Other ideas include ornaments, gift bags and garland to name a few. The kids love any craft involving sharp tools (yay). And it resulted in a glorious 20-minutes of peace and quiet as they snipped away, turning old Christmas cards into funky-shaped gift tags.

The afternoon of upcycling (my new favorite word - thanks Etsy!) worked up an appetite. Can I introduce you to the a tasty, oh-so-delicious hunger buster courtesy of Joanne Chang? The boys didn't even complain about the good-for-you ingredients in this Apple Spice Cake. It is so good.


Apple Snacking Spice Cake
Adapted from Joanne Chang's Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temp)
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups peeled, cored, and chopped green apples
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1 cup walnut pieces, toasted
• Confectioners' sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10-inch round cake pan
2. Sift together the flour, cake flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add sugar and butter to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 1 minute with paddle attachment (stopping the mixer a few times to scrape the bowl to make sure butter is mixed in). Add eggs and mix on low for 10-15 seconds. Then turn mixer to medium-high and beat for one minute until batter is light and fluffy.
3. Fold in apples, raisins and walnuts. Note: the batter will be stiff and thick and it will look like there is not enough batter. This is what it is supposed to look like. Scrape all the batter into prepared pan and spread it evenly to fill the pan.
4. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until cake feels firm and top is golden brown. Let cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
5. Invert the cake onto a serving plate, then invert again so it's right-side up. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

The Good: Easy to prepare. Loads of fresh apples and raisins. Boys could not get enough.

The Bad: None!

Grade: A. Have made this several times now. Great for breakfast, snack or dessert (or lunch and dinner too if you're like me).

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am not much of a baker. I will be the first to raise my glass (no spiked egg nog for me - hot cocoa with some kahlua please) to anyone that engages in a baking marathon of Christmas cookie after Christmas cookie. Especially when I am the lucky recipient of such tasty, hard work!  It's no wonder I am drawn to no-bake, home-baked gifts.

White Christmas was first introduced to me by my mother-in-law. An addictive combo of sweet and salty, it has become our standby home "baked" gift for family and friends during the holidays. At first glance, it may not seem like much. But once you try it, you are hooked. Seriously. Alton Brown has a version (which he calls White Trash) in which he warns his readers to "Dole this stuff out carefully. It is highly habit forming."

So as my Christmas gift to anyone reading this, here is our recipe for White Christmas. Enjoy!




White Christmas


INGREDIENTS:
4 cups Cheerios
4 cups Golden Grahams
2 cups peanuts
2 8 oz. bags white chocolate chips


DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix Cheerios, Golden Grahams and peanuts in a large bowl.
2. Melt white chocolate and pour over ingredients. Fold until mixture is well-coated.
3. Spread mixture on parchment paper and cool.
5. Break into pieces and place in air-tight container.