Family Favorites Friday: Parmesan Potatoes

I found this recipe in a cookbook from the Arkansas Association of  Extension Home Economists that I received as a wedding present almost 30 years ago.  My husband loves these potatoes, as do all my children.  I avoid white potatoes due to blood sugar issues, but have found that this recipe works just as well with sweet potatoes.  Enjoy...and share!

Yummy Parmesan Potatoes

1/2    cup    butter  (could use 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup butter)
1/2    cup    flour
1/2    cup    Parmesan cheese, grated ( grated )
1    teaspoon    Greek seasoning
6-8    potatoes ( peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes ) 

 Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Add butter to 9 x 13 baking dish; put dish in oven to melt butter. Place dry ingredients into gallon Ziploc bag; add cubed potatoes, shake to coat potatoes. Put potatoes into baking dish with melted butter. Stir to coat potatoes with butter. Bake for 1 hour, stirring after 30 minutes. 

 

HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE OK, Part 1

Now that I have your attention, let me clarify that I realize there is no ‘one size fits all curriculum’.  What I deem as “OK”, you may love; what I deem as “good”, you may not like at all.  Different curricula fit different learning and teaching styles.  You have to find what works best for you and your student(s). But, as homeschoolers, I realize we like to know what others have used and what they thought about it.

This will be a two-part post on curriculum. Check back on Saturday (or follow me) to get Part 2.

CURRICULUM – EARLY YEARS

For more than 12 years I had a student in the elementary grades. I used a variety of curricula over that time span. A few books made the cut to be used every time; some publishers were only used in the beginning of my schooling or later.

SAYING YES TO SAYING NO

Saying Yes to Saying No by Christy Baca opened my eyes to issues teenagers are faced with and the fact that they really do want parents to help them navigate their world.

BEST BROWNIE MIX

I've been making mixes to send with my college son when he returns to school next week.  He will be living by himself in a dorm-like room, which means he has no kitchen.  But, he also has no meal plan, so he will be cooking for himself- with a microwave, toaster oven, and maybe a  Slow Cooker.  I'm not too worried, though, because I know there is a lot of good cooking that can happen with those three small appliances.

So far, I have made granola, mint coffee mix (recipe coming soon), and a homemade brownie mix.  We love this brownie mix.  The brownies can be made in the microwave, too, which is a plus for dorm life.

“Boys Will Be Boys”

I have 4 boys.

Boys sometimes do crazy, incomprehensible things.

-they jump off the barn roof

-they set the trash on fire in their room and melt the trash can

-they throw sticks at their brother and split open his head

-they play in rain filled trenches and get covered head to toe in mud

-they hit their car windshield to prove that it won't break (it will)

HOW TO FRUGALLY VACATION WITH A LARGE FAMILY

We like to travel.

When my children were younger we occasionally took a two-week vacation after Labor Day weekend.  Tourist areas are not crowded since school is back in session and the only other vacationers are usually retirees or families with preschoolers.  This is my favorite time to travel.

How did we do this without breaking the bank?

BIG BATCH HOMEMADE GRANOLA

My mom made this granola for my sisters and brother when we were growing up.  I don't remember her ever putting apples in it.  We liked raisins in our granola.  We called it dry cereal and ate it with milk poured over it.

I like to make a batch of this for when we camp or vacation.  I have added some variations over the years that we like even better.