Canadian Bacon, Egg and Cheese Sliders

   COME TOGETHER  FOR 

Rejoice Egg McMuffin Lovers
Now you are able to feast on your favorite breakfast item without the wait of a line at the drive thru. And I guarantee taking the homemade route will be better. There are options for this recipe by swapping out type of cheese, meat and bun used. I highly recommend trying Hawaiian Sweet Bread Siders. It adds sweet to savory for a new flavor dimension complementing the Canadian bacon, cheese and egg. YUM! YUM!

Canadian Bacon, Egg and Cheese Sliders  

 
Recipe adapted from FoodNetwork.com September 2020 and makes 6-8. The only thing missing from photo are avocado slices which by mistake did not get on. Would have been a great addition.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of slider rolls, split
• 6 large eggs
• 1/3 cup half and half
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs e.g. parsley or dill
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Slices of cheddar cheese, colby or provolone
• 1-2 packages of Canadian Bacon or 1 package of sausage patties.

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 8 x 8 baking pan.
• Wrap Canadian bacon in foil to heat in oven at the same time eggs are baking. Plan on 2 pieces of Canadian bacon per slider. If doing sausage patties cook according to package directions then pat dry with a paper towel after cooking.
• In a blender mix eggs, half and half and spices.
• Pour egg mixture into baking pan and bake 16 minutes with the Canadian bacon. 

• Keep oven on and line up bottom of slider rolls on a baking sheet. Place warmed Canadian bacon (2 slices) or cooked sausage patty (1) on bottom of roll. Top with a cheese slice and an egg square. Place top of the roll on egg square to complete the slider. 

• Bake 3-5 minutes to melt cheese and warm the buns. 
• Wrap leftovers in foil and reheat the next day. 
  
  Did you know?
  Canadian bacon is more like ham than regular bacon. It's sold fully cooked, so you just need to warm it up before you eat it. 
  

Santa Fe Chicken and Brown Rice

Full moon viewing over the Santa Rita Mountains 

Advice from the Night Sky

See the big picture

Be a star

Keep looking up

Don't be afraid of the dark

Stay full of wonder

Expand your horizons

Turn off the lights

If you go to https://successrice.com/recipes/ there are 50 recipes that use this convenient product. I went with one of the featured recipes Santa Fe Chicken and Brown Rice but added my own spin. It was a quick and easy preparation. The meal was very flavorful and quite delicious. Diced olives are optional topping as well as crushing a handful of chips over dish right before serving. Using a rotisserie chicken can be a great time saver. Brown rice is a healthy option.  A box of Spanish rice could be substituted for boil in a bag product.  

Cook's notes:Recipe serves 4. 

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Success Boil in a Bag rice (you will need 1 bag of rice from the box for this dish) I used Brown Rice but white or jasmine work too.
• 1 tablesspoon olive oil
• 3/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/2 cup diced red and green mini bell peppers
• 2 cups of cooked chicken, shredded or diced
• 1 cup frozen corn (no need to thaw)
• 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2-3 tablespoons green chiles, drained and patted dry 
• 1 cup mild or medium salsa
• 1-10 oz. can diced Mexican Style Tomatoes (Rotel)
• 2 cups (low fat) jalapeno, Monterey Jack cheese, Pepper Jack cheese or Mexican 4 Blend Cheeses, divided
• Optional toppings 3/4 cup diced black olives and crushed tortilla chips

Directions:

• Grease a 2 qt. baking dish and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cook rice according to box directions.
• Heat oil and saute onions and peppers about 4 minutes.
• In large bowl add cooked chicken, rice, onions, peppers, green chiles, corn, beans, salsa, tomatoes and 1 cup of cheese.
• Mix well and place in greased baking dish. Sprinkle rest of cheese and olives on top.
• Bake uncovered 30 minutes.

Oatmeal Raisin Quick Bread with Streusel Topping

 

Oats are one of the healthiest grains. They are a naturally gluten-free nutrient loaded with vitamins and minerals. They contain antioxidants and are a good source of dietary fiber.  

A Pantry Special

Oatmeal-Raisin Quick Bread with Streusel Topping
Cook's Notes: A quick bread that's moist and flavorful. A recipe bonus is all the ingredients are pantry staples. The recipe makes one standard size loaf.
Note this recipe is arranged differently than most recipes. The ingredients are bulleted and directions underlined. Old-fashioned oats were used for this recipe. 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a loaf pan. 

Cooking Tip-to plump raisins place in a small dish and pour boiling over them, drain after 10 minutes. 

Streusel Topping

Whisk together in a small bowl

• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Dash of nutmeg

Cut in

• 2 tablespoons cold butter with a pastry cutter until pea sized

Mix in

• 1/4 cup oats
• 1/3 cup plumped up golden raisins

Chill

Bread Batter Dry Ingredients with Directions:
Combine and mix well

• 1-3/4 cups flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup oats
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2/3 cup raisins

Form a well in the center

Bread Batter Wet Ingredients with Directions:

• 2 eggs, beaten

Whisk together

• beaten eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/3 cup each dark brown sugar and granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients stirring just until incorporated

Pour batter into prepared pan 
Top with chilled struesel topping
Bake 40-45 minutes
Cool in pan 15 minutes and invert to a cooling rack

Test Baking Powder for Freshness

• Place about 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder in a small bowl or measuring cup. Add 1/4 cup hot water. It may take a few seconds, but you should see fizzing with small bubbles.
• If you don’t see any fizzing or only a few little bubbles, then it’s time to replace your baking powder.
• This reaction won’t work as reliably with cold water, so be sure the water is hot from the tap.

How to Test Baking Soda for Freshness

• Place about 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in a small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of plain vinegar. You should see pretty vigorous bubbling.
• If there are only a few bubbles or no bubbles at all, then it’s time to replace your baking soda.

As a general rule, I recommend testing your baking powder and baking soda if it’s been more than a couple of months since you used it or if it’s been opened longer than six months. Make a note of the date they’re opened either on the container or somewhere you can access easily.
How to Keep Baking Powder and Baking Soda Fresh
There is one simple thing you can do to keep your baking powder and baking soda fresh longer-store baking powder and baking soda in airtight containers.
Most baking powder containers are already airtight, but you can always transfer to another container to ensure that it’s sealed well. Baking soda is often sold in a cardboard box, and it should be transferred to another container that seals well.

Can Bears Ski?

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2021 (1/29/21) is in its 8th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen, two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those books into the hands of young readers and educators.

Eight years in, MCBD’s mission to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues. Read about our Mission & History HERE.

To Candlewick Press for gifting me with a copy of this book for the review. Thank you Raquel Stecher and Rachel Johnstone!

"Can Bears Ski? by Raymond Antrobus is an endearing children's picture book that speaks to the hearts of those faced with hard of hearing issues. The book explores diversity with a creative approach for ages 4-7. It's also a helpful book using age appropriate terminology, e.g. audiologist and audiogram. Young readers will enjoy figuring out what the title “Can Bears Ski?” is supposed to mean. They will also benefit from learning more about the issues of someone hard of hearing and how to talk to them. It's the perfect book for teachers, parents and classmates. Sign language is not a part of the story line. The story follows Little Bear who is just discovering his deafness. It is Antrobus's children's debut book.

Born deaf, author Antrobus wears hearing aids and often explores his own experiences with deafness in his writing and spoken word. “Can Bears Ski?” was inspired by the author's poem Happy Birthday Moon in his poetry collection “Perseverance." One of Antrobus's favorite childhood books was listening to the book “Happy Birthday Moon” by Frank Asch.

The story line develops the relationship of the two main characters Dad Bear and Little Bear. As they discover Little Bear's deafness a variety of emotions surface. The question “Can bears ski?” really equates to “Can you hear me?” showing the experience of deafness how noises get all muddled and messages often misunderstood. It models a father who connects with his child by reading him books. Often their communication is not always clear. Sometimes Father Bear is frustrated and can lose his temper. Yet the story speaks to love and patience, a central theme to the story line. Little Bear despite his hearing difficulties is a strong, lively and resilient character. He likes to wear bold primary colors, is energetic, proud and happy. I liked the addition of adding realistic details such as Little Bear losing his hearing aids often and his father's impatience helping to look for them. I did note there are no deaf stereotypes in this story and Little Bear is not portrayed as a victim of deafness. Some unexpected characters added a new dimension to the story with a male primary teacher and a female audiologist.

Polly Dunbar, illustrator, is partially deaf and grew up in a home with a mother who is deaf. What a collaborative pair Dunbar and Antrobus make bringing their own personal experiences with deafness to the story. Readers with hearing loss will find it relatable to their own lives. Dunbar's illustrations make the story shine with her attention to detail and how she effectively captures the characters' emotions. Her depiction of Little Bear's home, school setting and an audiologist's room add realism to the story line. Sound and silence are captured beautifully in the illustrations complimenting the text. Vibrations in Little Bear's bedroom with movement and going down the stairs indicate sound. Bold use of color with some busyness on pages indicate how noises seem confusing to Little Bear. Silence is suggested with snowfall and the hush of a quiet room in the library. The device of using number repetition several times illustrates how those with a hearing loss need something repeated more than once. My favorite page is when Little Bear with his newly acquired hearing aids discovers his new world is loud and he needs to get used to it.

The author and illustrator bring first hand knowledge to the story. What a wonderful book for helping kids better understand sensitive issues for those experiencing hearing loss whether it be in their family, neighborhood or school. This book fits a niche in the market for needed books on diversity for young readers experiencing hearing loss.

Helpful links for parents and educators working with children faced with hearing loss.

https://www.readingrockets.org/article/reading-together-tips-parents-children-hearing-loss-or-deafness

https://successforkidswithhearingloss.com/

Raymond Antrobus is an award-winning British poet, educator and writer. He is a a deaf spoken-word poet who has been performing poetry since 2007. In March 2019 he won the Ted Hughes Award for new work in poetry and he's the first poet to the awarded the Rathbones Folio Prize. His notable work "Perseverance" is a book of loss, contested language and praise, where elegies for the poet's father sit alongside meditations on the deaf experience.
www.raymondantrobus.com

Polly Dunbar is a partially deaf author and illustrator of many books for young children, including Penguin, Hello Tilly, Pretty Pru, Goodnight Tiptoe and A Lion is a Lion. She is also the illustrator of Pat-a-cake Baby and Here's a Little Poem, among other titles. Dunbar lives in England.
http://www.pollydunbar.com/ 

MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Prgamaticmom) and Valarie Budayr’s (Audreypress.com)

Platinum Sponsors: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages, Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media

Gold Sponsors: Barefoot Books, Candlewick Press, Capstone, Hoopoe Books, KidLitTV, Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.

Silver Sponsors: Charlotte Riggle, Connecticut Association of School Librarians, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Pack-N-Go Girls

Bronze Sponsors: Agatha Rodi and AMELIE is IMPRESSED!, Barnes Brothers Books, Create and Educate Solutions, LLC, Dreambuilt Books, Dyesha and Triesha McCants/McCants Squared, Redfin Real Estate, Snowflake Stories, Star Bright Books, TimTimTom Bilingual Personalized Books, Author Vivian Kirkfield, Wisdom Tales Press, My Well Read Child

MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!
Poster Artist: Nat Iwata

Authors: Author Afsaneh Moradian, Author Alva Sachs & Three Wishes Publishing Company, Author Angeliki Stamatopoulou-Pedersen, Author Anna Olswanger, Author Casey Bell , Author Claudine Norden, Author Debbie Dadey, Author Diana Huang & Intrepids, Author Eugenia Chu & Brandon goes to Beijing, Green Kids Club, Author Gwen Jackson, Author Janet Balletta, Author Josh Funk, Author Julia Inserro, Karter Johnson & Popcorn and Books, Author Kathleen Burkinshaw & The Last Cherry Blossom, Author Keila Dawson, Maya/Neel Adventures with Culture Groove, Author Mia Wenjen, Michael Genhart, Nancy Tupper Ling, Author Natalie Murray, Natalie McDonald-Perkins, Author Natasha Yim, Author Phe Lang and Me On The Page Publishing, Sandra Elaine Scott, Author Shoumi Sen & From The Toddler Diaries, SISSY GOES TINY by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher, Tales of the Five Enchanted Mermaids, Author Theresa Mackiewicz, Tonya Duncan and the Sophie Washington Book Series, Author Toshia Stelivan, Valerie Williams-Sanchez & The Cocoa Kids Collection Books©, Author Vanessa Womack, MBA, Author Veronica Appleton & the Journey to Appleville book series

MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!

MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by these Media Partners!

Check out MCBD's Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!

FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day
Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents

FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Empathy Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit
Gallery of Our Free Posters
FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program

TWITTER PARTY! Register here!

Sue Ready-Book Reviewer 

She is a freelance writer, book reviewer (EverReady Book Reviews), former middle school and elementary teacher. Sue is the president of Northwoods Arts Council in Hackensack, MN and chair for the book arts Northwoods Art and Book Festival. She writes a twice monthly food column for a local newspaper and blogs at sockfairies.blogspot.com

Sheet Pan Meal Chicken Apple Sausages with Roasted Veggies and Quinoa

"Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

LEWIS CARROLL

January 27, 1832-January 14, 1898 

Chicken Apple Sausages with Roasted Veggies and Quinoa with Brown Rice

Cook's Notes: A healthy easy dinner that makes clean up a breeze using a sheet  pan. There are possibilities for this dinner. Chicken Apple Sausages, Butternut Squash,  Apples, Brussels Sprouts are roasted in Apple, Maple, Cinnamon  Sauce with Cranberries. Pair the meal with a nutritious serving of quinoa with brown rice. Substitute broccoli for Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes for butternut squash and pears for apples. 

I'm really impressed with this flavorful, tasty product from Chef Bruce Aidells. It's gluten free, no artificial ingredients, and fully cooked so only needs a warm up.

Recipe serves 2-3 but can be increased for more just double the sauce.
Sauce Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 tablespoons lemon olive oil or olive oil, divided
• 2-1/2 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
• 2 tablespoons apple juice or apple cider, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, divided

Main Ingredients:

• 1-12 oz. package chicken apple sausages (I used 3 links and cut each into 4ths)
• 3 cups Brussels Sprouts, stems cut and sprouts halved or broccoli florets 
• 1 large firm apple, cut in chunks (I used Honey Crisp)
• 3 cups diced sweet potatoes or butternut squash
• 1 cup red onion slices
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 prepared package Seeds of Change Quinoa with Brown Rice

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone pad or parchment paper.
• In a large bowl mix the sauce 1/2 of (olive oil, maple syrup, apple juice/cider, cinnamon and thyme).
• Toss sauce with diced sweet potatoes or butternut squash, Brussels Sprouts, red onion slices and apple chunks. Spread mixture out on baking sheet. Roast 20 minutes.
• Add remaining sauce to chicken sausage chunks, cranberries and pecans. Mix  well. If substituting broccoli for Brussels sprouts add in at this time. Spread out evenly on pan. Roast veggie sausage mixture 10 minutes more until sausages are warmed and sweet potatoes or butternut squash and apples are al dente.

• Prepare Seeds of Change packet in skillet rather than microwave. Following directions use 2 tablespoons apple juice or apple cider instead of water.

• Add in roasted vegetables /sausage mixture to quinoa, mix well and serve immediately.

P.S. I just had to add in this photo from yesterday as snow in southern AZ is a rare occurrence. But I was ready. I still have all my MN gear on standby. But within a two hour time period, it was all melted. We did have to cover the lemon tree.

2021 Food Trends Part Two

Burrito Bowls 

Cook's Notes: Burrito bowls are popular and for a good reason.  They’re tasty and easy to customize to your preferences and can be a power bowl of nutrients. In a world where complex carbs are considered the enemy, burrito bowls give you the option of creating a protein heavy burrito-like meal without the flour-based tortilla. That’s not to say that there are no carbs in a burrito bowl as most of them are served over a bed of white or brown rice,

But with this recipe the Burrito Bowl recipe is lightened up by trading carb-heavy white rice for cauliflower rice. You'll barely notice the difference when you pile your Mexican bowl high with colorful, flavorful toppings. Cauliflower rice is available in frozen foods or making your own using this easy recipe. 

Cauliflower Rice 
Place cauliflower florets in a food processor. Cover and pulse several times until cauliflower is evenly chopped into rice-size pieces. (If necessary, process cauliflower in batches.) Quickly cook cauliflower in a little butter or olive oil on the stovetop, Riced cauliflower becomes softer and more tender. As a rule of thumb, about three minutes over medium heat and not too oil much should do the trick.

Add chopped cilantro and a few squeezes of lime to brighten the dish.

Ingredients: For the Chicken

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

For the Bowls

• 4 cups cauliflower florets, riced
• 1 cup cooked black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 cup cooked roasted corn
• 1 avocado sliced or cubed
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• 1 lime sliced into wedges
• Olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Crema
• Pico de Gallo
• Shredded Monterey Jack

Directions: 

• Combine the vegetable oil, chopped chipotle peppers in adobo, garlic powder, cumin, dried oregano, and black pepper in a small bowl and stir to combine. Place the chicken in a large zip top plastic bag and add the marinade. Zip the bag and mix the chicken into the marinade. Place it into the fridge and let it marinate for at least 1 hour.
• Grill or bake chicken. Cut in bite sized pieces. 
• To the bowls add the cauliflower rice, chicken, black beans, charred corn, avocado, and cilantro, pico, cheese and serve with limes.

Some other serving ideas include:

and offering a deconstructed Burrito Bowl tray.

In The Know

New Girl Scout Cookie Toast-Yay inspired by the flavors of French Toast

Introducing new Green Giant Veggie Rings. Crispy and crunchy, these rings are made with real cauliflower. Enjoy as a delicious snack, flavorful appetizer or as a side dish that is sure to steal the spotlight.

Hard Seltzer

Several companies now offer the drinks, which are made from a malt or distilled sugar base, most of which hover at around 100 calories each with an ABV similar to beer. (For contrast, beer has around 150 calories and traditional soda calorie counts often reach into the 200s.)

The drinks are here to stay because they appeal to drinkers who are trying to cut calories and those looking for an easy cocktail mixer. Plus, they're light and refreshing for spring and summer months.

Some of the leading brands include: Corona, Bud Light Seltzer, Truly, Bon V!V and White Claw.

Air Fryers and InstaPot appliances continue to be popular items. 

This also could be labeled year of the snacks snack with more nutritional Smoothie,  mini meatballs, potato skins and customized pizzas recipes available. 

Will keep you posted through the year as new ideas and products come on the food scene. 

Sunday Rain

The non-profit children’s literacy initiative Multicultural Children’s Book Day was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen, two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators.

Eight years in, MCBD’s mission to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues. Read about our Mission & History HERE.

I am honored to again be a part of this wonderful literary event as book reviewer for MCBD.

"Sunday Rain" by Rosie J. Pova, Published by Lantana Publishing, UK is
a delightful book that shares the joy of a small boy who retreats with his fictional friends getting lost in his book. He also relishes the carefree adventure of playing out in the rain, overcoming his shyness to make new friends.

Rosie  J. Pova is a multi-published, award-winning children's author, poet, speaker, and writing coach on a mission to inspire children not only to read and write more, but to use their creativity, follow their passions, dream big and believe in themselves.

Pova is also a Writing Instructor for the Dallas Independent School District through The Writer's Garret, an instructor with Writing Workshops Dallas, teaching picture book courses to children's writers, and the founder of two children's writing contests--KWEST and Haiku Hype-- as well as the organizer of The Write Universe Kidlit Writers Workshops in Dallas, TX. She also serves as a judge for Rate Your Story. Rosie visits schools and shares her inspirational journey as an immigrant from Bulgaria and how she became a published author, encouraging kids to persist, push through obstacles, and hold a high vision of themselves.

You can pre-order a signed copy of "Sunday Rain" at Sunday Rain signed copy preorder

Website

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Twitter

LinkedIn

Instagram

“Sunday Rain” is a picture book aimed at ages 4-7 years. Pova found the spark for her story from a childhood experience growing up in Bulgaria. One hot summer afternoon a sudden rain came up. She remembers fondly twirling in the rain feeling so adventuresome and carefree. And for Pova, reading was one of her favorite past times. She incorporates these childhood memories into her book “Sunday Rain.”

Elliott, the main character is a young boy about 5 or 6. He has moved into a new neighborhood. He enjoys spending time reading books in his room. One of the stories in his book, a princess fighting a dragon and trying to keep a boat afloat in the sea plays a central part of the story line. One Sunday afternoon it suddenly rains. With some encouragement from his mother, Elliott decides it would be another adventure to go out and join other children playing in the rain. He brings his small sailboat to sail in a puddle. A new imaginative world comes alive as the children then board Elliott's boat and sail off to an island with the dragon on the sail.

There are so many things to love about this book. The author uses strong active 'ing' verbs making the storyline energetic moving it a brisk pace. Attention getting sound words such as BOOM, WHOOSH, TAP, ROAR, STOMP are written in bold letters. They are sprinkled throughout the story. The storyline is relatable as young children have similar experiences as Elliott. It's a discussable book with a class and/or parent. Diversity is addressed showing Elliott, a boy of color and his biracial family. Some suggested lesson plans from the author are included at the end of this review as well as a coloring sheet. Since Elliott and other children wear their rain boots for playing in the Sunday rain, a coloring sheet of a pair of rain boots could be an added idea.

It's quite amazing to me to know that author and illustrator rarely communicate during the production of the book. Yet seamlessly somehow the text and illustrations work together producing a very satisfying book.  Amariah Rauscher, illustrator for "Sunday Rain" lives in central Illinois. She is a full-time illustrator and mom to two girls. She has been illustrating full-time for the past 4 years. Her undergraduate degree is in Psychology, with a Masters in Communication. Rauscher is the illustrator for the popular Princess Truly books.

Kudos to illustrator Rauscher. Her attention to detail to match the storyline was amazing. Even the curtains had sailboats on them to tie in with Elliott's sailboat. All the children featured in story wore different colored rain boots. Elliott's mother called his rain boots sharkies as they had on shark designs. This was a special request from the author to illustrator to match the text to Elliott's rain boots adding  shark designs on them. The illustrations are visually appealing using bold primary colors to engage the reader. The cover design of a princess holding an umbrella over Elliott to protect him from rain speaks to the idea of friendship, helping one another.

Suggested rainy day activities for kids from the author include:
1. Rain craft (Materials: construction paper, crayons, cotton balls, Popsicle stick, glue)
2. Make and eat a rainbow snack (grapes, blueberries, kiwi, pineapple, melon, strawberries, bananas, whip cream -- or substitute for any other fruits, veggies and cheese in the corresponding colors.)
3. Build an Umbrella Reading Fort for story time and read! (What you'll need: two chairs, an umbrella, blue ribbon, blankets and pillows, books, your favorite stuffed animal. 

4. A printable coloring page 

 https://www.rosiejpova.com/uploads/9/3/7/1/93710874/coloringpage.pdf

MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Prgamaticmom) and Valarie Budayr’s (Audreypress.com)

Platinum Sponsors: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages, Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media

Gold Sponsors: Barefoot Books, Candlewick Press, Capstone, Hoopoe Books, KidLitTV, Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.

Silver Sponsors: Charlotte Riggle, Connecticut Association of School Librarians, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Pack-N-Go Girls

Bronze Sponsors: Agatha Rodi and AMELIE is IMPRESSED!, Barnes Brothers Books, Create and Educate Solutions, LLC, Dreambuilt Books, Dyesha and Triesha McCants/McCants Squared, Redfin Real Estate, Snowflake Stories, Star Bright Books, TimTimTom Bilingual Personalized Books, Author Vivian Kirkfield, Wisdom Tales Press, My Well Read Child

MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!
Poster Artist: Nat Iwata

Authors: Author Afsaneh Moradian, Author Alva Sachs & Three Wishes Publishing Company, Author Angeliki Stamatopoulou-Pedersen, Author Anna Olswanger, Author Casey Bell , Author Claudine Norden, Author Debbie Dadey, Author Diana Huang & Intrepids, Author Eugenia Chu & Brandon goes to Beijing, Green Kids Club, Author Gwen Jackson, Author Janet Balletta, Author Josh Funk, Author Julia Inserro, Karter Johnson & Popcorn and Books, Author Kathleen Burkinshaw & The Last Cherry Blossom, Author Keila Dawson, Maya/Neel Adventures with Culture Groove, Author Mia Wenjen, Michael Genhart, Nancy Tupper Ling, Author Natalie Murray, Natalie McDonald-Perkins, Author Natasha Yim, Author Phe Lang and Me On The Page Publishing, Sandra Elaine Scott, Author Shoumi Sen & From The Toddler Diaries, SISSY GOES TINY by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher, Tales of the Five Enchanted Mermaids, Author Theresa Mackiewicz, Tonya Duncan and the Sophie Washington Book Series, Author Toshia Stelivan, Valerie Williams-Sanchez & The Cocoa Kids Collection Books©, Author Vanessa Womack, MBA, Author Veronica Appleton & the Journey to Appleville book series

MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!

MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by these Media Partners!

Check out MCBD's Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!
TWITTER PARTY! Register here

FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents

Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Empathy Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit

Gallery of Our Free Posters

FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program

BOOK REVIEWER: Sue Ready is a freelance writer, book reviewer (EverReady Book Reviews) former middle school and elementary teacher. She is the president of Northwoods Arts Council in Hackensack, MN and chair for the book arts Northwoods Art and Book Festival. Sue writes a twice monthly food column for a local newspaper and blogs at sockfairies.blogspot.com

2021 Food Trends Part One

Since more people are working from home and some students doing remote learning, there has been more attention given to "what's for breakfast?" It no longer has to be a meal "on the run."

An Easy Day Starter 

Banana Buttermilk Pancakes
Cook's note: A recipe worth trying making your breakfast a little more special. The  secret ingredient making pancakes fluffy-buttermilk. Each pancake stack was drizzled with syrup. They reheat easily in the toaster. 

For me the question was "to top or not? What do you think? 
Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup ripe mashed bananas (2)
• 1 cup low fat buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon softened butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Optional 1/3 cup macadamia nuts sprinkled on top

Directions:

• Combine first 5 ingredients with a whisk and set aside.
• Combine buttermilk, bananas, egg, vanilla, butter and brown sugar with a whisk.
• Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients. Whisk only until combined. Do not over mix. 
• Stir in nuts if using and let batter rest 30 minutes. 
• Use 1/4 cup batter at a time for pancakes on a hot buttered griddle.
  

Baking Tips; 

Buttermilk substitute: To make buttermilk in a pinch, combine 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar. Let the mixture stand for 5 to 10 minutes then use in the recipe.

Jarcuterie

Yup, it’s exactly what it sounds like: single-serving charcuterie boards packed into a cute little jar or container. Also called graze bouquets, jarcuterie is just what we needed in the age of social distancing, since the last thing we want on the table is a communal cheese board with shared tongs and knives. It also helps you manage your portions (unless you’re helping yourself to a second or third jar anyway…)
Be sure to add a little piece dark chocolate to the jar-I see this photo is missing that.

These jarcuterie jars hold a variety of valentine candies. 

Cook's Notes: To keep the cost down for jars consider this recycling idea. 

OUI product (French Style Yogurt) comes in small glass jars. After enjoying your French style yogurt rinse clean jars and save for your next jarcuterie gathering. They are small but it could work with refills available. 

Mini Bread Bowls from foodnetwork.com

Feel free to double-dip. These mini bread bowls are single servings.
Directions:
Mix half of a 10-ounce box of frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry) with 3/4 cup chopped canned artichoke hearts, 4 ounces room-temperature cream cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste. Cut off the tops of 8 dinner rolls and hollow out the insides. Fill with the dip and serve with veggies

Plant Based Foods-
The rise of plant based based diets is gathering momentum, a term becoming more popular. People are waking up and becoming more conscious about their daily choices. There has been a growing focus not only on the health benefits of eating a plant-based diet, but also the environmental concerns of diet and how important it is on our planet for people to eat plant-based.
This is one of the newest cookbooks to hit the market. The recipes are easy to follow with a dazzling array of accompanying photos for each recipe. The book make a great gift for those looking to make healthier food choices. 

https://shop.americastestkitchen.com/plant-based-cookbook.html

     Part Two Food Trends 2021