a most floury and fragrant week: Camp Create and the Ultimate Yeast Feast

We just finished Camp Create, which is our church's version of Vacation Bible School. Really it's a mini-arts camp and a few months ago, I heard myself suggesting that they offer a bread-making class called Bread of Life. And then I heard myself agree to teach it.

Nice.

Actually, it was way better than nice. It was so fun!

And beautiful.

I had 10 students, from age 5 - 11, and 2 adult helpers. Praise the Lord for adult helpers. They were relentless in their dishwashing.

We used 35 lb. of flour, 8 lb. sugar, 30 eggs, 1 lb. butter, 3 lb. carrots, 3 lb. zucchini, 12 tomatoes, and a whole list of other stuff. We ended up making quite an impressive list: 30 loaves of bread, 73 muffins, 126 mini-muffins, and 10 servings of bruschetta.

Kids used rolling pins, garlic presses, food processors, serrated knives, cookie sheets, loaf pans, muffin tins, measuring devices of all kinds.

Only 1 egg cracked on the floor, no one was cut, and we had only 1 minor burn. So overall, a golden week.

And another fun detail: the bible verses.

1) So the people took their dough before the yeast was added. From Exodus.

2) "I will rain down bread from heaven for you." God to Moses. Also from Exodus.

3) "I am the Bread of Life." Jesus to the disciples in the book of John.

4) "I am the Bread of Life." Again, Jesus, later in John.

5) "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast." From a parable in Matthew.

There were other fun classes going on as well.

Photography,

Abstract Art,

Gardening,

Cake Decorating (Frosting is like love; it covers a multitude of sins.)

and a few other classes like Superheroes, Tie Dye, Poetry, Dance/Drama, String Instruments, Flag Twirling, Global Art.

I could really feel the creative joy this week! I wonder if God felt this way when he was creating weird stuff, like the coconut, or the giraffe.

Oh, yeah, our trip.

I was so excited about Camp Create that I almost forgot to post the pics from our little vacation up north.

Here's a synopsis:

Playing

Crafting

Swimming

Playing

Wading

Snuggling

Roasting

Brewing

Kayaking

Sitting Around

Hanging Around

More Snuggling

It's a party. It's a work day. It's a Muffin Exchange!

Here's what ran through my head last week:

1. We're going on a little road trip soon.

2. We like muffins.

3. We get bored of our own muffins after a while and need a little variety.

Solution: a muffin exchange!

The idea is simple and beautiful. Friends come over, bringing muffins. The kids play, and the moms chat and swap muffins.

And unexpected bonus was that I happened to mention that I pay 1 penny for every black walnut that kids collect from the backyard. The mention of coins sent all 10 kids around in a flurry, seeking and finding over 300 fallen walnuts in mere minutes.

And while the moms divvied up the muffins, the kids fell into this sweet story:

Thanks to the generous and creative talents of Carrie, Mari, and Siri, we enjoyed Zucchini-Chocolate Chip Muffins, Apple-Walnut Muffins, Rhubarb-Custard Muffins, Bran-Chocolate Chip Muffins, and homemade bagels!

No one will be getting bored with this tasty selection!

they get ideas of their own

This is what happens when you cook with children.

Sooner or later, they are bound to get ideas of their own.

This past weekend was the 4th of July, and at 7:30am, this is what we were doing:

And why not? So what if we consumed our yearly allotment of food coloring in one quick breakfast?

I'm all for creativity in the kitchen, especially when it's as cheerful as this toast.

Or this lemonade.

(1/2 cup juice from squeezed lemons, 4 cups cold water, 1/3 cup sugar, adjust to taste).

God bless America, and my little chefs.

fresh and juicy

watermelon juice (slice, de-seed, puree)

garden peas and beans (pick, pinch off tips, blanch, serve with butter of course)