We just finished reading the Salem Adventure by Susan Kilbride and did a few of her suggested activities. Since we focused so much on crafts with her last book, King Phillip's war, this time the kids wanted to try the cooking ideas from that time period found on her website. So here is what we made.
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| We made bean soup from scratch...soaking the beans overnight |
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| adding ham hocks which I think is the first time I have ever purchased ham hocks:) |
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| Kids helped with all the cooking for this soup which was going to be our dinner later that day |
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| We cooked our soup for several hours. |
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| Next we tried making butter using whipping cream |
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| I wasn't sure how long you needed to shake the cream so we tried 2 ways to make sure we got the results we wanted. The kids took turns shaking the cream and to our surprise we had butter is a very short time |
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| Lots of yummy butter |
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| The second way to make butter was by using the electric mixer which also was successful in turning the cream into butter. |
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| We tried turning whole milk into cheese |
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| I have never made cheese before so I have no idea if what we got was what it was suppose to look like. I will say it looked horrible but actually tasted ok. |
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| Straining the cheese curds, which was a messy project |
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| Our homemade cheese, it tasted better than it looked, but no one wants to give up store bought cheese in our house any time soon:) |
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| Next the kids made corn bread to go with our homemade bean soup, butter and cheese |
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Would you believe this may have been the first time my kids have ever had corn bread, just not something I make, they both loved it:)
Cornbread with homemade cheese on one side. |
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| I always know when a meal goes over well...when everyone asks for seconds:) |
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| For dessert we made Johnny cakes, which are cornmeal cakes served with homemade butter and store bought honey |
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| They were yummy! |
All these activities and the directions can be found on the
Fanstastic Unit Studies site that goes along with each book written by Mrs. Kilbride
The kids and I are moving on to learn about the French and Indian war in our history lessons.
Now I am hungry! I love cornbread, but no one else in my family likes it, so I never make it. I'd probably love Johnny cakes also, as I have loved all cornbread-type foods that I have ever tried. It looks like it was a yummy meal. I've made butter before, but have never made cheese before. I've also never eaten spreadable cheese before, except cream cheese. Was that supposed to be cream cheese? Did the recipe say what type of cheese you were making or was it just "cheese"? Speaking of cheese, Sola had American cheese for the first time these and she kept asking me what type of cheese it was and I'd answer "American" and she'd say, "No, I mean what TYPE of cheese?" It took me a few to figure out what the issue was.... :-)
ReplyDeleteMaureen you need to try Boursin pepper cheese...it is spreadable and delicious on hot bread with grapes;)
DeleteThese recipes look like fun and delicious! We have made butter before, but haven't tried cheese. Interesting! We are enjoying our Kilbride book, Revolutionary War, and you have inspired me to look on her website to try some of her activities for this time period, if I don't run out of steam and motivation by the end of the day! :)
ReplyDeleteAfter we wrapped up the French and Indian War we will move on to the next book, my kids enjoy them and love all the extra activities we can do
DeleteNot that is real scratch cooking!
ReplyDelete