Free Family Inductive Bible Study Guide for Advent

Photo Credit

The files for Eleanor Zweigle's 2018 Family Inductive Bible Study Guide for Advent are available for download here. Advent begins tomorrow, and this family study is a wonderful way to focus on Christ during the Christmas season. Homeschoolers may also use it for Bible study. There are coloring pages for young children, but the guide can be used by the entire family. It is a great way to learn or brush up on the inductive Bible study method.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

I will be posting some recipes that I made for my daughter's graduation party. The delicious marinara sauce in the above photo is from Planner Perfect Meals.

I used penne for the pasta, keeping it warm by turning a slow cooker into a double boiler. I put about an inch to an inch and a half of water in the bottom of the slow cooker and set a foil pan inside to hold the pasta. My pan was too large to fit all the way inside, so I covered it with foil instead of the slow cooker lid. I kept the temperature on high the entire time, but I probably would have turned it to low if I had a pan that fit. I would recommend finding a pan that fits and raising it from the bottom of the crockpot by using foil balls or a shallow heat-safe container. I tossed the cooked pasta in a little olive oil to keep it from drying out.

Below is the alfredo sauce recipe I made for the party.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

makes about 2 quarts 

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 cups half & half
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 TB arrowroot, flour, or cornstarch
• 1 quart heavy cream
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp white or black pepper
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 lb parmesan, grated (about 2 cups, I think)

Instructions

1. Whisk egg yolks and half & half in a small bowl.
2. Melt butter on medium heat, add garlic, and cook until fragrant (a minute or two).
3. Whisk in arrowroot, flour or cornstarch.
4. Whisk in egg yolk/half & half mixture. Heat up a bit.
5. Add cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
6. Heat on medium or medium hight heat until thickened, whisking  frequently (constantly as it gets warmer). Don't let it boil.
7. Melt in cream cheese.
8. Add parmesan a little at a time, making sure it is melted in thoroughly.

Notes

• Egg yolks may be omitted, but they add to the creamy texture.
• You could use all half & half or a mix of cream and whole milk or half & half and whole milk. Just make sure you use something with fat or it will take forever to thicken.
• Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. Will probably last up to 5 days in refrigerator. I think it would freeze well as long as you whisk it really well when reheating and reheat it slowly. Don't let it boil.

Two Homemade Popcorn Seasoning Recipes

We served popcorn with a couple of homemade seasonings at our daughter's recent graduation party, and I thought I would share the recipes here.

Nacho Taco Popcorn Seasoning

adapted from Whole New Mom's "Dorito"-Flavored Popcorn

Ingredients

• 5 TB nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder or granules
• 1 teaspoon onion powder or granules
• 1 tsp paprika (smoked paprika is amazing)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Combine ingredients in a blender or coffee grinder and blend to make a fine powder.
2. Store in a cool, dry place.

Spicy Ranch Popcorn Seasoning

adapted from Natural Chow's Cool Ranch Flavored Popcorn

Ingredients

• 5 TB nutritional yeast
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder or granules
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chives (or add extra onion powder)
• 1/4 tsp dill

Instructions

1. Combine ingredients in a blender or coffee grinder and blend to make a fine powder.
2. Store in a cool, dry place.

Lunar Eclipses

Photo from total lunar eclipse on 2/20/2008

If you are looking for an intriguing hands-on astronomy study, lunar eclipses are absolutely fascinating. We were able to get some photos of the total lunar eclipse in February of 2008. Why is it always freezing when we attempt to view an eclipse anyway?

About two-thirds of lunar eclipses are able to be seen with the naked eye, depending on where you live. This makes them really fun to study. The next total lunar eclipse is expected on April 15, 2014. Check out the NASA Eclipse Website for information.

Here are some informative lunar eclipse links:

Technical Information at NASA

Lunar Eclipses for Beginners at Mr.Eclipse.com

Observe a Lunar Eclipse (animation)

Lunar Eclipse (another animation)

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Old post published on 12/20/10

There is a lunar eclipse tonight (or early tomorrow morning depending on your time zone) that will be best viewed in North America. The eclipse will begin at 5:29 UT (12:29 a.m. EST on 12/21/10 and 9:29 p.m. PST on 12/20/10).

Here are some links about the upcoming eclipse:

Holiday Treat: December's Total Lunar Eclipse Is Best One Until 2014

December 21 Lunar Eclipse at Mr.Eclipse.com - includes diagrams of the eclipse for each time zone