Teatime

I have brought over this post and some of the teatime resources from the Charlotte Mason Home website, because there are just too many ads over there!

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Those who follow the Charlotte Mason method, are like to be followers of traditions as old as Charlotte herself... at least!

One such favoured method, is the timely one of TEA-TIME. Tea-time, according to tradition, occurs at about three or four O'Clock in the afternoon. It is a time of refreshment and rest, and a time of culture to those who use the time wisely.

There are numerous articles on the web about tea-time and homeschooling.

Teatime offers a unique opening for the teaching of manners, for the reading of a family book and for a quiet time of reflection. Well, not necessarily quiet!

Favourite teatime activities include studying paintings, listening to poetry, reading a chapter book, discussing the day with Mum, listening to a selection of good music and eating baked goodies.

Teatime is an opening to the past that we can use in our everyday lives to broaden the cultural horizons of our children, letting them peak into the traditions of the past while learning lessons to take into their future.

In addition to all that, teatime offers a unique possibility in the realm of teaching our children the rudimentary basics of cooking. One might choose to bake a cake or pie to eat during that week at teatime. Involving the children in the everyday household duties such as cooking, can only benefit them as far as their future goes. I see no reason why both girls and boys should not learn to cook, and the most enjoyable beginnings are those which are rewarded with the sweetness of a dessert. Of course, there is also the opportunity to study other cultures and serve up foods that you would not normally eat. This is particularly good to do at teatime, since not all experiments will be met with enthusiasm, and spouses are notoriously hard to please in this respect.

Mum’s Caramel slice

Another English recipe, this is a kid favourite!

Shortbread:
5 oz butter ( 9 ½ T)
10 oz fl (20 T)
4 oz caster sugar (7 ½ T)

Filling:
4 oz butter (7 ½ T)
2 T Golden Syrup
4oz sugar (7 ½ T)
1 large can Condensed Milk

Topping:
4 oz chocolate (7 ½ T)

Shortbread Method:
1. Cream butter and sugar together and add flour.
2. Press into tin
3. Bake 350 for 15-20 minutes.
4. Cool

Filling Method:
1. Put all ingredients into pan and heat slowly till sugar dissolves stirring occasionally.
2. Bring to the boil, simmer and stir continuously for 5 minutes.
3. Cool for 1 minute.
4. Pour onto shortbread base.
5. Chill until firm.

Topping Method:
1. Melt choc and pour over the filling. Cool, then mark into squares before firm. Chill until firm.

Cut and Come Again Cake

Another English recipe, it is so named because people keep coming back for more. It is much lighter than normal fruit cakes, and quite delicious! Ingredients:

8 oz S.R. Flour (15.3 tbsp)
Pinch of salt
2 tsp. Mixed Spice
4oz Margarine (7.6 tbsp)
4oz Sugar
9oz Dried Mixed Fruit
1 egg and enough milk to make up to 1/4 pint (17.3 tbsp)

Method:

1. Sift flour, salt and spice.
2. Rub in fat, and then stir in sugar and fruit.
3. Make a well in center then stir in milk/egg mixture. Mix well.
4. Place into greased and lined 8" tin.
5. Cook in oven gas mark 4 for approx. one and ¼ hours.

Best Brownies

Something more traditionally American, these brownies can also be made using carob powder if you are allergic to, or don't like chocolate.

Prep Time: approx. 25 Minutes. Cook Time: approx. 35 Minutes.

Ingredients:

½ cup butter (8tbsp)
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
2. In a large saucepan, melt ½ cup butter. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, ½ cup flour, salt and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.

To Make Frosting:

1. Combine 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 cup confectioners' sugar.
2. Frost brownies while they are still warm.

Lemon Meringue Pie

A delicious Lemon meringue recipe, a hit every time.

Ingredients:

4oz short crust pastry (i.e. made with 4oz flour, 2oz fat and pinch salt and water to mix)
Half pint water
1 large juicy lemon
2-3oz granulated sugar (~1/4 C)
2 level tbsp. cornflour
2 egg yolks
Half oz butter

Meringue:

3-4 oz caster sugar 2 egg whites

Method:

1. Line 8-inch pie plate with pastry - bake blind for 25 min at gas mark 7 or 425 degrees F
2. Meanwhile put the water lemon rind and granulated sugar into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
3. Mix the juice with the cornflour then strain the rind mix onto it. Bring back to the boil and cook for two minutes.
4. Beat in the yolks and the butter. Once butter has melted pout into the pastry case.
5. Make meringue by beating the egg whites until stiff - then beat in half the sugar.
6. Stir in almost all the rest of the sugar then pour over the lemon mixture making sure that you seal the edges.
7. Sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar and cook in a low oven (gas 2 or 300 degrees F) for 30 minutes or until browned.

A True English Scone Recipe

I'm adding some teatime resources in here to share with others :)

This recipe comes straight from England! Serve plain scones with clotted cream and jam (if you can't get clotted cream, see recipe below!). Fruit and cheese scones are delicious with butter.

2 oz butter or margarine
8 oz Self Raising flour
¼ pt of milk (just under)
PLUS:
FRUIT SCONES
2 oz fruit
1 oz sugar
CHEESE SCONES
3 oz cheese
PLAIN SCONES
1 oz sugar


Mix the butter and flour together.
Add the milk stirring constantly.
Add any extra ingredients.
Mix to a doughy consistency.
Roll out to 1/4 inch thick, and cut out with cookie cutters.
Cook in preheated oven, Gas mark 4, 350 degrees, for about 15 minutes or until the scone is golden brown.
Cool.



Clotted Cream

If you can't purchase clotted cream in your grocery store, you can make this acceptable substitute:

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
½ pt whipping cream

Method:

1. Beat butter until creamy (easy with your electric mixer).
2. In another bowl, with clean beaters, whip cream until dry, firm peaks form.
3. Gradually add the whipped cream to the butter, mixing gently with a whisk until it is combined.
4. Refrigerate until ready to use, or freeze (for up to 3 weeks).

Keeping it Balanced

So the last couple of weeks, I have been focused on balance. Trying to balance time online with time teaching with time crafting etc etc. I don't think I am there yet.
BUT I have learned a few things.

1. Mondays are always bad. So now we have nature study on Mondays. This gives us the opportunity to gradually start the school week. It works really well, and Rebel actually will provide work for it too :) Both Monday and Tuesday are far less stressful. Not to mention when you suggest the kids keep an eye open for autumnal things, they will spend the rest of the week looking.

2. Reading and/or knitting while the kids school is better than the computer. Unfortunately, the book you are reading or your knitting bag do NOT happen to have those files you want to listen to/print out. If you want to only turn on the computer in the afternoon, you are going to lose. So you will turn on the computer, you just have to NOT turn on the emails ;)

3. If you keep the kids out of their rooms for studying, then you will not have to fight over Lego's and Nintendo DS's. These things are quite safe when applying the rule "out of sight, out of mind".

4. Husband's working at home on the occasional one day a week are a novelty. The kids WILL interrupt him even if you promise they wont. However, after a week or two, it becomes a treat- the kids realise they can work while your husband does and when they are done, DAD will take them places :) Great motivation!!

5. The stereotypical table in the kitchen really is a nice place to make them work, BUT the little one will disrupt the older, who will try to do the younger's work- "because it is so EASY"! However, your control is a lot greater when they are forced to sit on a chair. It is NOT the best place for them to listen to read alouds- invariably they need to fidget!

6. Reading some of the 'My First Little House' books will lead to reading the real "Little House on the Prairie" because your 4 year old will demand to know "what happens next?" Your 9 year old son will want to listen too :)

7. Birthdays should always be taken off if you are a homeschooled kid :) After all, those presents are way too tempting otherwise! Yes, Rebel turned 9 in my time away! Wow... how those kids age FAST!

8. Sickness should be dealt with by unschooling. Hopefully some family friends will leave you with a supply of National Geographic magazines, which supply your children with days worth of reading. This does not require vast amounts of energy, concentration or pencil work. They will get interested in a subject and be willing to do a notebook page on it :)

9. 4 year olds will lose their books and no matter how hard you try you can't find the one you REALLY want. And this is despite you putting the books in the bags you made.

10. When you want the kids to go outside, they wont. They will want to play inside. When you want them inside, there is nothing they want more than to be out playing with that rabbit!