Teaching College

Meggar gave a slide presentation to two World Geography classes at Missouri Western today. Mr. Dagel invited her to talk about her trip to France, Spain, and Poland. She said the 9 am class didn't ask many questions like the 11:00 am class did. I'm glad her technology worked!

SAT on Saturday

Meggar got up early because they only offer the SAT in Kansas City. She liked it better than the ACT, she said. The essay is first (while your brain is fresh) and the sections are shorter (10 instead of 3) so you get frequent breaks. She thought she managed her time better this way. Guess it reveals something about her learning style, too.

End of Volleyball

Did I mention that we are relieved volleyball is over??! The Knights finished 3rd in the league tournament last Saturday--in the midst of a busy Halloween weekend. Happily, they won their final match. Meggar had all good serves, a couple of blocks, and high intensity/hustle! Good friends like Kendra and Caitlin, who sat in the hot tub until midnight, made Meggar's final games more enjoyable.

Chipotle's Foil Wrapped Halloween

I am saving this spot for another Halloween photo from Chipotle... Meggar went with Becca in foil togas. The rest of us were more athletic. The prize for coming foil-wrapped is a free burrito! Afterwards, we went to the Schieber's house so the boys could trade trick-or-treat candy. I love when we can mix some new traditions in with the old.

Foil Togas to Go

The Chipotle offer for free burritos drove Meggar and Becca to great lengths - of foil! Nice Togas, ladies!

Cooking in Chilly Weather

Today, I chose Soup Recipes for my "Boys Can Cook" class. In preparation for chilly weather, we made chili--and chili crackers, a new recipe from Julia and Faith. Not too spicy--I loved them! I was surprised, however, when the little boys eagerly ate my steak-and-spinach soup. I thought it would appeal to the middle school boys, who are older and more "manly."
Chili Crackers
1 box saltine crackers
1 1/2 c. oil
1 pkg (envelope) Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix
1 T. parsley (dried or fresh)
1 T. cayenne pepper
1 T. crushed red pepper flakes
1) Layer saltines in a large sealed container.2) Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over crackers. Seal the container. Let sit for 15 minutes.3) Then turn container over several times to help distribute the oil.
Steak-and-Spinach Soup
1 lb. London Broil or Round steak
2 t. cumin
2 t. garlic salt
1 t. dried thyme
1 t. black pepper
1 T. oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
2 T. olive oil
4 c. beef broth
1/4 c. jalapenos or diced chilies
1 c. crushed tomatoes
11 oz. baby spinach leaves
1. Combine cumin, garlic salt, dried thyme, and black pepper in small bowl.
2. Mix in 1 T. oil and rub over both sides of steak.
3. Broil quickly until steak is medium rare (3-4 minutes per side). Let rest on platter.
4. Meanwhile, sauté onions and garlic with mushrooms in 2 T. olive oil.
5. Add beef broth, chilies, and crushed tomatoes and bring to simmer.
6. Slice steak against the grain into bite-sized pieces and add to soup.
7. Add baby spinach all at once. Simmer until wilted.
Serve with a small dollop of sour cream and a few tortilla chips on top.

All Saints Day

Today is the Feast of All Saints--what a happy occasion! Our parish held a pot-luck luncheon after the Latin Mass, and it was half homeschool families. My boys did not want to dress up like a saint, but they played the guessing game for the little kids' sake. I took my famous Sweet Green Beans, and they were met with gleeful shouts from the Thilges family... and our orange-frosted cupcakes quickly disappeared.... plus all the left-overs from our NCYC Bake Sale. Meggar and Dorito had baked muffins, pies, brownies, and cinnamon twists for a couple of weeks and stored them in the freezer for this fundraiser. They made $235 thanks to some generous donors, and our family enjoyed the caramel popcorn best of all!