Monday, August 05, 2013

FREE Catholic Homeschool eBook: Limited Time Offer!!!

To celebrate Homeschool Connections' Back-to-Homeschool eConference, we're giving away my eBook A Catholic Homeschool Treasury. It was originally published by Ignatius Press many years ago. Today it is available to you digitally with an updated appendices.

Though offered as a Kindle book, you don't need to own a Kindle to read it. Amazon offers its Kindle software for free download. You can read eBooks on your computer, smartphone, or handheld device.

A Catholic Homeschool Treasury is free today through Friday, August 10, 2013. After August 10th, it'll be available for only $0.99.

So, pick up the book then go register for the eConference and get rejuvenated for the upcoming school year!!!

Friday, August 02, 2013

FREE eConference for Back to Homeschooling

Homeschool Connections Announces Free Webinars!!!

Homeschool Connections, in addition to offering amazing and affordable online courses for Catholic homeschooling families, offers free webinars to help parents in their vocation.

Next week begins their Back-to-Homeschool series. They'll be focusing on Special Needs this year, but I think there may be something there for everyone. Check out all the choices below.

Tell all your friends!!!

Simply click on the webinar title to register.

All webinars take place at 8:00 PM Eastern Time (7:00 Central; 6:00 Mountain; 5:00 Pacific)

Monday, August 5, 2013
Myths and Solutions for ADD/ADHD
Presented by Katie Moran

Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Homeschooling a Seriously Ill Child
Presented by Joan Stromberg

Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Back-to-School Special: Jump Start Your Homeschool with a Slam Bang Success; Practical Tips & Helpful Resources
Presented by Beth Yank

Thursday, August 8, 2013
Complete Mastery Reading: Successfully Teach your Struggling Child to Read
Presented by Erin Brown Conroy

Monday, August 12, 2013
More than Just Survival: Balancing and Enjoying Life while Homeschooling through Challenges
Presented by Erin Brown Conroy

Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Homeschooling From the Couch - Chronic Illness Means Adaptation, Not Quitting!
Presented by Rachel Watkins

Thursday, August 15, 2013
Homeschooling with Dyslexia: Triumphs and Struggles
Presented by Rita Munn

If you can't make it to the live talks, it's not a problem. Everything is recorded. HSC will post links to the recorded webinars at their website and also at the blog after the eConference is complete.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Win a Free Year of Catholic Online Classes


How would you like to have Unlimited Access to 125-plus Catholic courses? For your entire family? Middle school, high school, adult! Theology, philosophy, logic, history, Latin, Spanish, German, math, science, more! Supplement your homeschool, private school, public school, or create a whole homeschool curriculum around it.

If this all sounds amazing to you, here's your chance to win twelve months of Homeschool Connections' Unlimited Access service, worth $330!!! These are recorded, independent-learning courses to be taken on your own time, at your own pace.

Even if you don't win, it's a completely affordable service for Catholic families. It's only $1 to try it out for 7 days (make sure it's a good fit for your family!) and then it's only $30 per month after that (for just as long or short you need it!)

Homeschool Connections also offers live, interactive classes as well as the Catholic History Video Project and free webinars for parents. Learn more here: www.homeschoolconnections.com.

Now for the contest ...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can enter every day for more chances. Good luck and God bless you!!!


Monday, June 10, 2013

Recipe: Risotto with Italian Sausage and Cream

I just had a pig butchered for me at the local organic farm. So tonight, instead of the usual Risotto Primavera, I'll be making Risotto with Italian sausage and cream. Vegan Husband will have to have a salad (!).

(I'll take a picture tonight and add it to this post at that time.)

If you've never had risotto, you've got to try it! It's a classic Italian recipe and a favorite at my house.

Risotto is a rice dish made with Arborio (or more simply, medium grain rice). It is a more time-consuming recipe than other rice dishes. Instead of just dumping the water and rice into a pot and forgetting about it for 20 to 40 minutes, you gradually add broth as it's absorbed by the rice. Even though you do have to watch it closely for 20 plus minutes, it is very easy to make and the you end up with a nice creamy dish. It is versatile and you can easily substitute ingredients, but you always use Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage (or sausages with casing removed), either sweet or hot depending upon your preference
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 chopped onion
1/2 tablespoon fresh chopped basil (Or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups arborio (medium grain) rice
3 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth or stock
½ cup cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions
Cook sausage over medium-high heat, breaking into small pieces, approximately 4 minutes, until completely browned.
Drain and set aside.
Bring the 3 1/2 cups of broth to a simmer on the stove top and keep hot.
Melt butter in a pan (I use the same pan as I cooked the sausage in.)
Add garlic, onion, basil, salt, and pepper.
Cook over medium heat, stirring, approximately 3 minutes, until the onions are softened.
Add rice and mix well.
Add 1 cup of the hot broth and bring to a low boil.
Stay with the rice and stir occasionally.
After the rice absorbs the broth, add ½ cup of hot broth.
Keep repeating until all 3 cups of broth is absorbed and your rice is nicely cooked and creamy.
Stir in the cream and heat it through.
Add the Parmesan cheese and parsley.
Give a quick stir and serve hot.

A few notes
Don't use brown rice as it takes to long to absorb the liquid and will spell disaster.
If you want to lower the fat, replace the cream with more broth or 1/2 cup wine.
This would be good with roasted red peppers or your favorite veggies.
You could skip the parsley if you don't have it. You could also substitute oregano for the basil.