Top 10 Gifts for Global Kids

Posted by marocmama on Dec 16, 2011 in Events | 9 comments

If your kids are like my kids they are super cute…
 

Everyone knows your kids are cute and therefore they are constantly buying your cute kids toys.  And then some more toys.  So when it comes time for mom and dad (or Santa – hey you never know) to get them something well, there isn’t much left.  This year I’m working really hard to give my kids more global gifts.  M has lately developed a real interest in the world and ahem takes after his mom.  Who am I to argue? K is in love with animals, all of them, but especially pandas because “they live in China and eat bamboo” (his words not mine).  So I thought I would share my top 10 favorite gift ideas for global kids.

1. Geosafari Talking Globe  Every little adventurer needs a globe to learn where they’re going.  I like this one because it’s a great learning resource and it’s fun.  It teaches basics of geography and mixes in quizzes to keep kids on their toes.

2. A Child’s Introduction to the World.  I love the watercolor illustrations in this book as well as the more advanced level.  This book is for kids aged 9-12 it starts with the basics—hemispheres, latitude and longitude, continental drift, map notation, landforms, population density, and more—the book gives kids a solid foundation to begin exploring world geography. Each section profiles a different continent, including climates and biomes (tundra, grasslands, etc.), mountain ranges and bodies of water, people and cultures, governments and industries, wildlife, and much more. And sidebars throughout offer biographies of explorers, fun facts, and projects kids can do with parents or on their own.

 3. Kids Around The World Cook It should come as no surprise that I would recommend a cookbook for kids that is global.  I have found that the more children are exposed to different kids of food the more open their eyes are to the world.  Food is memorable and being able to tie new foods with learning about different parts of the world will stick with your child. I can vividly remember the first time I tried unique global foods and I hope my children will be able to do the same.  This book is really a gift for the entire family!

4. Hartlyn Kids books.  I just got our first book from Hartlyn Kids and I found it really beautiful.  I am  making continent bags for gifts this year.  I purchased the India book and plan to include it with a bag I am making about the Middle East and South East Asia.  There are two books currently available and I recommend both of them!

 5. Little Passports.  Lately I’ve been really looking into curated monthly subscription boxes –         I’ve got a few coming my way to review (so you’ll be seeing them soon). A while ago I got a  Little Passports subscription for my boys.  We received several months but ended up  canceling as we just weren’t having time to really use it effectively.  I’ve been thinking about re-starting it and I think you would like it also.  It works like other curated boxes except it’s for kids between 5 and 10.  Each month a box shows up focusing on a country with goodies inside about or related to that place.  It’s really very cool! There are 4 subscription levels available but what better gift than something that shows up as a surprise every month?

6. Little Pim – Remember Muzzy?  I remember when I was growing up that this time of year was rife with commercials for Muzzy 

language VCR tapes.  I wanted one so bad.  (They are still around).  However, I’ve found Little Pim and would LOVE to get these DVD’s for my boys.  The best part..they have Arabic!!!  In the gift sets there is an intro set and a gift set. You can also buy the DVD’s individually, a digital version and teacher’s guides.  They are really reasonably priced.  I wish I could give you a better review of the product but I haven’t actually tried them yet.  I love the concept and appreciate that they exist in Arabic.   They also have free shipping during the month of December – love free shipping!  

Firecracker Cupcakes

Posted by marocmama on Jul 7, 2011 in American Food | 0 comments

Every year for the Fourth of July our family has a little get-together at a local lake.  It’s been a few years since we have been able to attend and so this year I was excited to be going.  Since we have seen marked improvements with MarocBaba since removing gluten from his diet I didn’t want a total sabotage during the weekend.  I also wasn’t going to be in my kitchen and didn’t want to have to buy a lot of ingredients.  So cupcakes it was.  I totally cheated and used cake mix.  (You didn’t think I took the long way with everything did you?)  The verdict is that these cupcakes are fast, easy and super cute.  I will probably make them again for the kids birthdays.

What I Used:

• 1 box of white cake mix
• 1 box of Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix (so good!)
• 1 can of Pillsbury Vanilla Dream Easy Frost
• Blue Food Coloring
• Red Food Coloring
• a bunch of Pop Rocks

Make each of the cake mixes in a separate bowl following the directions on the box.  Add red food coloring to one batter and blue to the other.  I did this so that MarocBaba (and everyone else) would know which cupcakes were gluten-free.  Spoon batter into cupcake tins and bake according to package instructions.  Once a toothpick comes out clean, remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack.  After they are completely cooled frost.  I used the Easy Frost and it was fantastic but any frosting does the trick!

If you’re serving these right away sprinkle the Pop Rocks on.  If not wait to sprinkle them.  They will melt if they sit around too long.  Trust me the Pop Rocks make these cupcakes!

Enjoy!

Red Gluten-Free Cupcakes and Blue Traditional Cupcakes

The Ramadan Table..A Little Early

Posted by marocmama on May 16, 2011 in Moroccan Food | 16 comments

Whew!! I have spent a better part of the weekend working on a little blog makeover.  So…what do you think?  (PS if you say you hate it I will ignore you…just kidding!)  I think my eyes are crossed but I am happy with how things look, although I’m sure to make tweeks as I go.  But seriously I do want to know what you think!

Now that I’m all set up it’s time to get back to posting.  The weather here is still dismal at best and I’ve found myself continuing to make the staples of warm winter comfort food even though deep down I’m craving light, fresh food.  One of these meals is traditionally eaten during Ramadan in Morocco.  I shouldn’t say eaten, I should say consumed in massive quantities.  Even MarocBaba who doesn’t do soup eats this EVERY DAY during Ramadan.  I’m not sure if it’s habit, tradition, or what but he does.  I’ve shared the recipe here before, but I’m re-sharing with images today.

The Table Setting

Looking at this picture again I realize it looks like a copious amount of boiled eggs.  M literally will eat 4 boiled eggs in a sitting, plus I knew whatever was left he’d take to school – the kid is an egg freak.  In the bottom right corner is a plate of dates, a standard accompaniment with harira.  The very small tajine in the upper left is actually a dish that holds spices; salt, pepper, and cumin are on the table for this meal.  Also you can’t see it, but rest assured there was a basket of bread to eat too.

I really love the contrast in this picture.  There is something about brown eggs that just makes me smile.  To my international readers, most eggs in the US are white, not brown.  We buy free-range organic eggs that always come in the brown hues.  Makes them feel much more natural to me.

Finally the harira.  If you want to cook up a batch tonight, here’s my recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 medium to large onion
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 5-6 tomatoes
• 1 to 1-½ cups beef, lamb or chicken cubed (optional)
• 1 handful chopped Italian parsley
• 1/2 handful chopped cilantro
• 1 small can tomato paste
• Olive oil
• 1t Salt
• 1½t Black Pepper
• 1T Paprika
• 1T Turmeric
• 1 small pinch Saffron crushed (if desired)
• ½ c garbanzo beans (soaked overnight)
• ¼ c lentils (washed)
• 1/2 c Vermicelli pasta (broken to small pieces)
• 1/2 c Flour
• 4 cups water
• Food processor

Directions

• Heat olive oil in large stockpot.
• Puree onion and garlic in food processor. Add to pot and sauté.
• Add meat and brown until almost cooked.
• Puree tomatoes and add along with another dash of olive oil
• Either finely chop or puree parsley and cilantro (w/ tomatoes) and add Add salt, pepper, paprika, turmeric (and saffron if desired)
• Add water and can of tomato paste
• Add the flour to 1c of water in a seperate bowl, mix and allow to sit while soup is cooking, mix occassionally to seperate any clumps that might occur.
• Bring the soup to a boil and add lentils and beans
• Once beans are cooked, add pasta and let simmer
• When beans are cooked through, begin to stream the flour mixture into the pot. Slowly pour the flour mixture into the soup, all while mixing to ensure it combines. The soup should begin thickening halfway through.
• The harira should be thick but still have a soup consistecy.

Eating for Eid

Posted by marocmama on Nov 29, 2009 in All other posts | 2 comments

Eid has come and gone here and I have to say this year was not quite what it was in years past. When we lived in Washington DC it was a much bigger occasion, albeit there was a much much larger community as well. I think it’s safe to say I did miss the Eid celebration this year. In Washington we got up early and went a farm with a ton of other families and some of our close friends. We packed a breakfast picnic, chose our sheep, the kids played and we did the sacrifice. In the afternoon we went to a friend’s house and made salads, grilled the traditional liver brochettes that Moroccans make the first day of Eid. I remember standing in the kitchen for a few hours, while the kids all played, the husband’s were outside grilling and we were chatting away. It really was so much fun. I miss all those friends so much in these days after Eid.