The Livingston Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory fieldtrip

The Livingston Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory


I took Gregory to the Livingston Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) today with one of our home school groups. Say that three times fast! The purpose of LIGO is to measure the ripples in space-time by using a device called an inteferometer. LIGO is partners with Cal-Tech and MIT and is supported by the National Science Foundation. There are two in the United States, one here in Louisiana and one in Washington State. The LIGO Science Education Center focuses on eight specific science topics for children to explore:

• light
• waves
• interference
• gravity
  
• resonance
• oscillations
• feedback
• astronomy

We had a really great time and our tour guide/teacher was fantastic. We made UV detector bracelets and spent time in the hands on "fun room".

This is a mirror that reflects the image as well as the heat of a space heater. If you put your hand over the reflection of the heater, you feel the heat in the reflection as well:


The bubble maker:


The Ripple Slinky


Notice the bracelet is white: (pics can be enlarged by clicking on them)


Notice the colors when UV light is detected:


There will be an open house for the public on Saturday, March 7, 2009 from 1-4pm. For more information, visit the LIGO website at:
LIGO

The Haircut

The Haircut
This is about a year and a half old but a favorite among friends.
Gregory got his hands on a pair of scissors........

The Video:

Ropa Vieja

Ropa Vieja








Ropa Vieja

1 1/2-2 lbs. skirt steak or flank steak (leftover pot roast can be used too if the meat can be pulled apart in strings.)
1 small vidalia onion (sliced)
1 small yellow onion (finely diced)
4 garlic cloves (minced or crushed)
1 green bellpepper
1 red bellpepper
1 seasoning pack of sazon cuban seasoning without annato (by Goya, you can find it at alberstons on the seasoning aisle)
Adobo cuban seasining (shaker can be found at albertsons near the season-all. Season-all can be used in it's place too
1 4oz. can of tomato sauce
white rice cooked
1 can of Goya black beans (optional)
Place the skirt steak in a large stock pot and boil the meat for 15-20 minutes until tender. Take out and cool for a few minutes before tearing the meat off in small strings placing meat in a separate bowl. After meat is separated, sprinkle with a packet of sazon and set aside. (keep about 1 1/2 cups of the stock or water the meat was boiled in)

Prepare your sofrito :
In a skillet, pour about two tablespoons of olive oil and heat. Saute' both diced and sliced onions until they are translucent or clear and then throw in your diced green and red bell pepper. When almost done, throw in the minced garlic. Don't cook the garlic too long or it will scorch. Once all the veggies are cooked, add in the cooked steak, one packet of sazon and 4oz. of tomato sauce, about 1 cup of the stock water and adobo seasoning (add salt to taste if desired) and cook for about 15 -20 minutes until the sauce thickens. Serve over white rice or black beans and rice.

This is a very colorful, festive, and tasty dish. You can also use this mixture to stuff bellpeppers for stuffed bellpeppers.

****if making with black beans, put beans in a sauce pot, add, 1 can of water, two tablespoons of olive oil, 1 packets of sazon, saute'd onions, peppers, and garlic, adobo seasonings, simmer and pour over rice.

How to fold grocery bags

How to fold grocery bags
This is how to fold plastic grocery bags. It's quick and easy and saves tons of space!

A few website finds for homeschoolers...

Website finds for homeschoolers
I recently discovered a few new websites for age/grade appropriate activities and lessons.

Internet4classrooms:

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/grade_level_help.htm

Education Place for Students (online textbooks)

http://www.eduplace.com/kids/

BrainPop (pay site)

http://www.brainpop.com/

BBQ Chicken, Spinach, Mushroom Pizza

BBQ Chicken, Spinach, & Mushroom Pizza




Did you know you can go the pizza counter at Whole Foods and ask for their 50/50 Whole Wheat blend pizza dough that they use to make their pizzas? They sell it frozen and wrapped in plastic for about $2.50. You just bring it home and thaw it out. It's not sold in the freezer case where the rest of the frozen dough is sold so you have to ask for it.

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

I got this recipe from my sister. It's fantastic and kids love it.

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

3-4 Chicken Breasts
1 box of Stove Top Stuffing (I use whole wheat stove top)
1 can cream of healthy request mushroom soup (you can substitue for cream of celery or cream of chicken)
1 pint or 16oz container of light sour cream
3-4 slices of swiss cheese.

Prepare stuffing as directed on the package and place in a sprayed 9x13 pan or casserole dish.
Place raw chicken breasts on top of the cooked stuffing
Place one slice of swiss cheese over each chicken breast.
Mix the soup and sour cream together and then spread over the top of the dish.
Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

Serve chicken breast with stuffing on the side and cover with the soup "gravy"

Banana Bread

Banana Bread

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 very ripe bananas
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda and powder, salt. In a large bowl cream together eggs and sugar. Stir in mashed bananas, vanilla, oil and cinnamon. Stir in flour mixture, a third at a time, until just combined. Divide batter into two 9x5 loaf pans. Bake for about 1 hour

Fried Ravioli

Fried Ravioli
(recipe courtesy of Amanda)

• 1 pkg cheese ravioli (grocery)
• 1 can evaporated milk or 1 cup of buttermilk
  
• 1 c Italian bread crumbs or plain bread crumbs seasoned your way
  
• oil for frying(olive, canola)
  
• parmesan cheese

Dip the ravioli, one at a time into milk then into bread crumbs. Shake off excess bread crumbs. Fry in 350 degree oil for a few minutes until golden brown. Top with a light sprinkling of parmesan cheese serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

Hummus

HUMMUS

4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
two 1-pound 3-ounce cans chick-peas, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup well stirred tahini
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/2 cup olive oil, or to taste
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted lightly

Accompaniment: Toasted Pita Thins

On a cutting board mince and mash the garlic to a paste with the salt. In a food processor purée the chick-peas with the garlic paste, the tahini, the lemon juice, 1/4 cup of the oil, and 1/2 cup water, scraping down the sides, until the hummus is smooth and add salt to taste. Add water, if necessary, to thin the hummus to the desired consistency and transfer the hummus to a bowl. In the food processor, cleaned, purée the remaining 1/4 cup oil with the parsley until the oil is bright green and the parsley is minced transfer the parsley oil to a small jar. The hummus and the parsley oil may be made 3 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. Divide the hummus between shallow serving dishes and smooth the tops. Drizzle the hummus with the parsley oil and sprinkle it with the pine nuts. Serve the hummus with the pita.


****I personally don't use the parsley garnish, I just use olive oil and I serve this with fresh whole wheat pita bread.

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas (low carb)

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1lb boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 can of Cream of Chicken soup
1 16 oz. container of light sour cream
1 can rotel tomatos w/chilies (mild)
1 can of enchilada sauce (mild)
1 8 oz.package of light cream cheese
1 package of shredded cheddar jack Mexican blend cheese
1 package of Mission carb balance whole wheat flour tortillas

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350

Dice uncooked chicken breast and place in a baggie with 1packet of taco seasoning. Shake and mix well and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together cream of chicken soup, sour cream, rotel, cream cheese, ½ can of enchilada sauce, and ½ package of cheddar jack Mexican blend cheese. Set aside 1 ½ cup of mixture.

In a skillet, cook the diced chicken breast in olive oil until just cooked (do not overcook). Add chicken to filling mixture.
In a 9x13 baking dish, pour ½ can of enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the dish.

Spoon mixture onto tortillas and roll up enchilada style, placing each enchilada into the baking dish, seam-side down.

Tightly place enchiladas side by side until the dish is full (about 6-8 enchiladas)

Cover the top with the remaining 1 ½ cup of filling mixture.

Use the remaining ½ package of cheese to sprinkle over the top and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake covered at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Uncover mixture and bake for an additional 10 minutes uncovered or until cheese is melted.

Dallas "DJ" Stewart

My cousin, Dallas Stewart, and his wife Christy, lost their oldest son nearly two years ago in a car accident. This video by Hunter Erwin pays tribute to his life. The video is quite touching, much of it filmed in the cemetery where he is buried near my father, grandparents, and the rest of my family that has passed.
"Love Deep Live Loud"

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce


Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

2-3 medium eggplants
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 small sliced onion
2 TBSP olive oil
3 TBSP oyster sauce
4 TBSP hoisen sauce
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic finely diced
2 TBSP chili sauce with garlic

Cut eggplant into cubed slices and boil for 1 minute. Drain and set aside
In a wok, stir fry the rest of the ingredients, then add eggplant.

Introduction and first post.

This is my first official post. I'm trying out this format so I might just scrap the whole thing and start again. That's my thing,,,scrapping the whole thing and trying again. I have a habit of it.

My blogs are about about my life as a domestic engineer and to entertain and share my many whims. I have a good many whims, I have to pick and choose which to go with, and which to scrap, and which to go with and then scrap.

I have a 6yr old son whom I homeschool which is an adventure in itself. He also has a congenital heart defect for which he's had three major open heart surgeries. He's incredible. He's my blessing.

These are my ramblings,,, of the stuff I bake, the stuff I break, and stuff I make.