Homemade Fruits of My Labor

Cooking homemade makes me tired. It is hard work and where on earth am I suppose to find the time when I am a homeschooling Momma!  I know it is the best thing for my family.  I know cooking homemade allows me to choose what goes in our foods.  It allows me to do away with foods that can produce a different child in one son with a sensitivity to dyes. And I know it keeps me from getting headaches associated with MSG. Not to mention it is healthier!

And what I know without a doubt is homemade just plain taste better.  Period.  End of story.
And when our tummies are full of good food we are happy.

But I find it hard to find a day when I can make ALL the homemade things that we eat weekly. Saturday would really be the best day, but I hate to take up a weekend day to be stuck in the kitchen when Brant is off.

Well yesterday morning I had an epiphany!  I could get the boys started on a few things for school, be right there in the kitchen by them and make this a school/work day to get some things done. It may not be our typical school day, but that is OK.  It might even be good for the boys to have some fun learning on their own with me there for back up.

So I took out books, the magnet set, educational animal DVDs, their scales and box of math manipulatives. 

It proved to be a great day with a different style of learning and allowed me to get some things done in the early hours of the day.  After lunch we sat and read books together to finish up school.  And after supper I made one more homemade treat. 

Here are the homemade fruits of my labor.  Make one today!  And enjoy the fruits of YOUR labor.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup -this is perfect in milk or on ice cream.  And it has NO dye like a certain brand or that high fructose corn syrup like the other brand!

Good Granola -I make this weekly now.  Perfect in milk or sprinkled over yogurt.  And pretty darn good by the handfuls.

Homemade Granola Bars -so easy!  And you can add anything you want to change this recipe up.  Yesterday I made them with mini chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. 

And just because I want you to make something SO GOOD today (or this Saturday morning for breakfast) for your family I am sharing this recipe.......



Strawberry Bread with Strawberry Butter
Makes 2 loaves

2 cups chopped strawberries and 1/2 cup

3 cups flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup pecans (optional)

~Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour (2) 9x5 loaf pans.
~In a small bowl, toss the strawberries with the 1/2 cup of sugar and set aside.
~In a large bowl sift together flour, sugar, cinnamon salt and baking powder
~In a medium bowl stir beaten eggs and oil together; add strawberries and pecans.  Add this mixture to the dry ingredients.  Pour (or spoon..mine was super thick) into prepared loaf pans.
~Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Strawberry Butter (THIS makes the bread and you must make it to go on top!)
2 tablespoons of powered sugar
1 stick of butter softened
3 strawberries finely chopped
~In a small bowl combine butter and sugar.  Stir well. Add strawberries and gently fold. Store in fridge until 30 minutes before serving.

Disclaimer: I am far from the wife and mother who makes everything from scratch, but I do try to feed my family better tasting food made homemade.