Teacher Treats for Halloween

Everyone who signed up for the food committee at school was asked to bring something for the teachers today.  Since they will likely get a lot of "treats" and some teachers might be looking more for a food suitable for breakfast, I decided to make my Stuffed Apple French Toast.

Yesterday I bought loaves of French Baguettes, a bag of Honey Crisp Apples, and a dozen Eggs.  I have the rest of the stuff in my kitchen already.  I have one batch in the oven with one more to go.  This will net a few dozen french toast squares.  When it comes out, I am going to glaze it with melted butter with Fancy Grade Syrup stirred in.

NOTE: I used an 8" X 11 1/2".  Ended up needing 7 Eggs on account of the larger dish because the baguette cubes required more egg than sliced sandwich bread.   But the recipe is on my site if you search Stuffed Apple French Toast.

Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas

Here is one of the ideas I have used in the past for the Sweet Treat Day.  I provide all the dry ingredients plus Madagascar Vanilla to bake something.  In this case, I like to use my Goo-Goo Bar recipe.  The Sugars are in 1 bag, the Flour, Salt, and Baking Soda is in 1 bag, and the Chocolate, Nuts, and Coconut is in 1 bag.  I include a recipe and all they need is 1 stick of Butter and 1 Egg.



My son writes a message to the teacher on the back of the recipe.  I buy small handled bags and I glue the recipe onto scrapbook paper.  I top it with colorful tissue to make a simple festive gift.  The Vanilla is the most expensive part at $8 at World Markets, but my guess is the entire gift is around $12 each.  This price allows me to thank more than just his teacher and recognize their endless efforts.  Once the Goo-Goo Bars are gone the teacher can still enjoy the Vanilla!
FYI- Goo-Goo Bar recipe is in my dessert section!!

Teacher Appreciation Week Gift Ideas

It's Teacher Appreciation Week for our school district.  It's nice to say thank you to your child's teacher without giving a coffee cup or a picture of your child.  I tend towards consumables because they can be enjoyed and in this case, re-created next year.  I like things that give lasting joy as well.
If you are stuck for a clever idea here's one you may like.  It's a Strawberry Pot filled with Herbs.  There are 2 sizes of pots and this one is the largest.  It has 9 holes and I like to finish the top with flowers.
To make this, begin planting the two bottom holes.  Place the roots on the inside and feed the herbs through getting them to stand upright.  Add dirt.  Plant the next herbs in the same fashion, adding dirt last.  Continue working your way to the top.  Add a 4" flower to the top.  Add dirt to fill it in and water well without a dish.
Here in the deep south where the sun is strong, I place mine on the steps to the kitchen from our carport.  This way it gets several hours of morning sun as well as several in the afternoon.   It needs to be watered each day and I rotate the pot 90 degrees upon watering.
What a treat it is to step outside the door with scissors and return with a fistful of herbs.  Some herbs that do well are chives, oregano, basil, parsley, lemon balm, thyme, sage, and lemon thyme.  See what's available and go for it.  You can even include a recipe using multi herbs with a note from your child on the back.

Mom's Butter Crunch

As far back as I can remember we gave our elementary school teachers (grades K-6) gifts at Christmastime. Since there were so many of them in any given year, we always helped in some way to get the gift together.  The youngest kids either measured chocolate or ground the nuts.  We didn't have food processors so we had to grind our nuts in a gadget that was a jar fitted with a grinder.  The top was loaded and the nuts ground as you turned a crank.  It took hours but the nuts were a wonderful consistent size perfect for topping butter crunch.  We used to watch tv and grind the nuts.  I remember my hand used to get tired from turning the crank.
There are many variations of butter crunch today.  I favor the recipe I grew up with.  It's tender and has just the right ratio of candy to chocolate to nuts.  If you are going to make this, I highly recommend you purchase a good candy thermometer.  Interestingly, I have had trouble making it everywhere I have lived since leaving NY.  Relative humidity is likely the biggest culprit, but for some reason, this year, it turned out perfectly!   This recipe dates back to at least the 1960's.
Butter a sheet pan lightly and set it on a trivet or hot pad of some sort.  Add ice water to a measuring cup for testing and have it near by.

In a non-reactive saucepan with a thick bottom (such as All-Chad) add 1 Stick of Butter, 1 Cup Sugar, 1/4 Cup Water and 1/2 tsp Salt.  Attach the candy thermometer to the pan using the clip.  Heat mixture over medium heat, bubbling, until it reaches 290 degrees F (Soft Crack).  You need to stir this just about the entire time.  Use a wooden spoon instead of a metal spoon because it won't transfer heat to your hand.  As it nears 280 begin testing small amounts by dripping the candy into the water.  Once it cools, about 15 seconds, eat the drops testing it until it is tender and crunchy. The last 10 degrees go quickly so continue to do this until it is ready.  The toffee should be a golden brown color.  Remove the candy thermometer from the pan and carefully pour out onto the sheet pan and tilt the pan every which way to get a shape that is a consistent thickness.

Caution, candy making is dangerous as it is VERY HOT.  Warn your family not to touch the sheet pan once you've poured the candy.  Let cool entirely.  Heat 12 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate (such as Nestle's Semi Sweet Chips) in a saucepan over very low heat just until melted.  Spread 1/2 of it onto the toffee.  Top with 1/2 Cup Ground Walnuts and push slightly into the chocolate.  Once cool, turn over the toffee using an off set spatula and repeat using the remaining chocolate and another 1/2 Cup Ground Walnuts.  Once cooled completely, break the toffee by hand.  Store in an airtight container.  Thanks Mom!

Teacher Gift Ideas

When it's teacher appreciation week I usually have lots of people to thank.

Here are some of my teacher gift ideas:

Put together ingredients to make something and include Madagascar Vanilla, (World Markets).

I like to give Goo Goo Bars (recipe on this site). I put together 3 small plastic bags with 1) The Sugars, 2) The Flour/Salt and Levening Agent, and 3) The Coconut/Nuts/Chocolate. I glue the printed recipe to scrap book paper and have my son write a note on the back and sign his name. I tie this to the bag and stuff with colorful tissue. Cost around $12-14.

I make homemade Wheat Pasta and include 4 oz of Homemade Pesto. I glue the printed recipe to scrap book paper and have my son write a note on the back and sign his name. I tie this to a bag and stuff with colorful tissue. This has to be refrigerated. Cost Under $5.

Homemade Granola (recipe on this site). I glue a printed recipe, for instance a Fruit and Yogurt parfait, to scrap book paper and I have my son write a note on the back and sign his name. I tie this to a bag and stuff with colorful tissue. Cost, under $5.

For a large group, I bake cookies on a stick and have my son help decorate them. I make an arrangement with the cookies in a clean clay pot using styrofoam in the bottom. Nothing says thank you more than seeing a child carrying this arrangement, proud they had a part in it. Cost under $10.

Get a small strawberry pot and fill each hole with a different fresh herb. Many times each herb can be broken in half and used to fill 2 pots. Plant flowers in the top. They'll have to water each day but will have fresh herbs all summer long. Cost around $15.








My sister has made fresh salsa packaged in nice jar (recipe on site) and included freshly baked chips from a local retaurant. The salsa needs to be refrigerated and it usually has about a 1 week shelf life. Cost $6-8 depending on the jar.

Put together the dry ingredients for pancakes (recipe is on this site).  All they need to add is Buttermilk, an Egg, and Oil.  I like to mix the flours adding either wheat or buckwheat.  I print out the recipe and attach it to scrap book paper.  My son writes a note on the back.  I place it in a handled bag along with a pint of Fancy Grade Vermont Maple Syrup which I purchase directly from Therrien's Sugar House, Brattleboro, Vermont.  You can call Kim directly, (802)257-4013.

I love consumables because it allows teachers to take a break and that's what it's all about! That says thank you!