It's Family Meal Day!! Recipe #4

Hello, hello and Good morning! Today is Family Meal Day! Monday, September 24th, 2012 is not just a day that we are celebrating here at Family Builders, but is also a national event. Launched in 2001 by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, Family Meal Day became a national movement that encouraged families to eat dinner together at least one night a week. Engaging your kids in conversation at the dinner table has been proven as an effective way to keep kids substance and alcohol free! This initiative encourages parents to become a STAR on family day: Spend time with your kids, Talk to them about their day and the things going on in their lives, Answer their questions and listen to what they say, and Recognize that you have the power to help your kids in living wholesome lives. More information on this family day can be found at http://casafamilyday.org/familyday/

Today's recipe, in honor of Family Meal Day, is brought to you by a local mom who wishes to remain unnamed. A mother of five, she tries hard to get her family sitting down together for dinner at least once a week. Here is her suggestion for a fun, family-friendly and low cost recipe, as well as a yummy dessert:

Oven Fried Chicken Strips

Ingredients: 
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup of flour
1/2 tsp each of Kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika
1 cup of fine bread crumbs
2 egg whites
1/2 cup of buttermilk
3 Tblspn. of olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Slice chicken breasts into 4-5 stips each
Combine flour, salt, pepper, and paprika in a flat dish (such as a pie plate)
Dredge chicken strips in flour mixture and set aside. Add break crumbs to remaining flour
Whip egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then add buttermilk and whisk together
Dip chicken strips into buttermilk mixture, then dredge in bread crumb mixture. Set aside.
Preheat oil in baking dish, then add chicken strips in a single layer
Bake 10 to 15 minutes, then flips strips over and bake another 10 minutes
Serve with honey mustard or BBQ sauce.

Goes great with mac-n-cheese, fruit, or even a salad.

And for dessert... 
Chocolate Chip Scones!

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup of milk
3 3/4 cup of flour
1 cup of sugar
1 Tblspn. of baking powder
1 tsp of salt
1/3 cup of shortening
4 to 5 tsp butter, softened
     add 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Mix together in a bowl the eggs and milk
Then with a pastry wire, cut in flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, shortening, and softened butter
Then mix all ingredients together
With floured hand, knead ingredients until mixed together
Add chocolate chips and knead together
Divide dough in half, press out into a flat circle on a greased and floured cooked sheet 
Sprinkle with sugar and cut into 8 wedges with a pizza cutter
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes

What yummy recipes from this busy mom! Celebrate Family Meal Day today and have dinner with your family. Download and print out this Family Builders place-mat so your kids can learn to set the table with you: Family Meal Day placemat

Have a fabulous week and remember to be a STAR for your kids - not just today, but every day of the week. Happy Family Meal Day!
 

Protective Factor #6: Social & Emotional Competence of Children

It's Wednesday everyone. Yes, that "middle of the week, I really don't want to get out of bed, I wish it were Friday already" feeling hits everyone right about this time every week. Well, chin up. Wednesdays aren't so bad. They mean that you have had a successful first half of the week and are ready to conquer the second half and get ready for a weekend filled with spending time with your children, enjoying the crisper air, and getting outside to spend time in the outdoors before the chilly weather hits. Ah, Wednesday is not so bad after all.

Today, we are going to discuss our sixth and final, Protective Factor. This little blog series has, I hope, helped to instill some positive thoughts and actions in the parents who have taken the time to read them. These Protective Factors are so important for a healthy, developmental, and safe relationship between you and your child. So let's finish on a strong note. Today's Protective Factor #6 is:

Social and Emotional Competence of Children

What does that even mean? Well, think of it this way: in previous weeks, we have discussed how it is so important for parents to be emotionally prepared and resilient to deal with the pressures of parenting, as well as to establish good social connections with other parents in your community for support and guidance. Just as good social and emotional development is healthy for you as a parent, it is also important and healthy for your children to be socially and emotionally competent.

Just like learning to walk, talk, and read, learning the correct emotional and social tools can sometimes be a journey for children and their parents. However, children must learn to express their emotions in a healthy manner. In this way, parents are better able to respond to their children's needs, and this creates a stronger parent-child relationship (www.childwelfare.gov). When a child is incapable of expressing their social or emotional needs, they can become frustrated, which in turn will only frustrate you as a parent as well. Developing emotional self-regulation is so important for your child, as it effects their relationship not just with you as their parent, but with peers and friends as well.

Additionally, the ability of children to manage their emotions and behaviors and the ability to cultivate healthy friendships with peers, can have a greater affect on their ability to perform positively in school. In other words, healthy emotions and social capabilities better prepares your kids for academic success (Webster-Stratton,C. PhD & Reid, J. PhD. Social and Emotional Competence in Young Children - The Early Foundation for School Readiness and Success, Infants and Young Children, 17 (2). ). Teaching your children to not throw tantrums, express themselves with words, and share and interact with peers will all help ready them for succeeding in the world around them.

Parents must teach their children to learn and properly identify their emotions, as well as how to successfully express those emotions to others in a social setting. ChildWelfare.gov has some suggestions for helping parents with this important process:

• Help children understand their emotions by first giving the feelings names and then encouraging them to talk about how they are feeling.
• Use pictures, books, and other visual elements to help the child understand his or her emotions.
• Give children opportunities to suggest different ways he or she can deal with feelings.
• Teach children the different methods for responding to feelings, conflicts, or problems such as taking deep breaths, stepping away from the situation to calm down, or asking an adult for help.
• Praise the child for healthy emotional expression.

In addition to all of these, a parent must be responsive to a child's emotion, nurturing and caring to their feelings, and show the child that he/she is loved by many. Teach your child the joy found in giving to others and a healthy respect for different cultures, skin colors, and religions. All of these steps will help you to help your child to develop social and emotional competence.

Keep up the good work all you parents out there! Utilize these 6 Protective Factors that we have been covering in the month of September. Remember, you can always contact Family Builders for thoughts and guidance anytime of the day. Enjoy the rest of your week. Here are the list of the 6 Protective Factors one more time! Happy Wednesday!

1.Nurturing and Attachment
2. Knowledge of Parenting and Child and Youth Development
3. Parental Resilience
4. Social COnnections
5. Concrete Support Services for Parents
6. Social and Emotional Competence of Children

Family Meal Month, Recipe #3

Today marks the third week of September and the third week of Family Meal Month here at Family Builders. In honor of Monday, another family recipe has been provided for you courtesy of local chef Christa Carretero of Cooking Girl. She has graciously provided us with a low-cost, fun recipe for you to share with your family:

Oven Roasted Chicken

4 pieces of chicken with skin on

1 tsp. Thyme

1 tsp. Rosemary

1 TBSP. Dijon Mustard

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

While the oven is heating, mix all ingredients together with chicken in a bowl.  Rub mixture into the chicken pieces.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

4 Idaho Potato's, cut into wedges

3 TBSP. Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Place Potato's in a bowl and mix in the ingredients. Place in a 9x13 casserole dish. Place Potato's in with the chicken at the same time at 375 degrees and cook at 375 degrees for approx. 30 minutes. Every oven differs in temperature so check the Chicken and Potato's in 30 minutes to see if they are done.  Chicken will be done when the juices run clear. One of them may have to cook longer than the other.

Garlic Roasted Broccoli

1 1/2 Fresh Brocoli

1 TBSP Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

3 cloves of garlic, minced

Wash and cut the Broccoli into florets.  In a bowl, mix the Broccoli and all other indredients together.  Transfer Broccoli  mixture onto a cookie sheet and put into oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

 

Remember, these recipes are to encourage you to sit down and share a meal with your entire family. Enjoy a hearty meal, good dinner conversations, but most importantly, quality time with your children. 

For more info about Christa and her company, visit the Cooking Girl website at:

http://www.cookinggirl.org/

Enjoy the meal and enjoy the company. Have a fabulous week and don't forget to spend time with your kids!

Protective Factor #5: Concrete Support Services for Parents

Here we go...continuing on our journey to learn about each of the 6 Protective Factors that may help families to avoid child abuse, neglect, and other types of violence. We have discussed factors 1-4 and today we will discuss #5, the second to last protective factor.

Be sure to remember that these factors serve as guidelines and may need to be slightly modified to fit each family's particular situation. However, the root of their advice applies to everyone. These factors have been linked to lower incidences of child abuse and neglect and so their advice should be taken seriously and with great consideration.

Protective Factor #5: Concrete Support Services for Parents

All families experience times of crisis, whether it be a natural disaster, unstable finances, inadequate health insurance or medical care, or a death in the family. These crises vary, but will create stress for parents and could often pose a risk to the children in the home as well. These circumstances are beyond the realm of child-parent relationships, but can still pose a great risk to a parent's ability to cope and care for their children at the same time.

This is where support services for parents makes their greatest leap. In most cities around the country, there are community resources that can help parents meet their basic needs and help guide them through tough times (www.childwelfare.gov). Concrete, social support through counseling services, food drives, transportation and housing services, as well as clothing needs, can usually be met in some degree by services within the community.

These services are not meant to completely support a family, but can certainly supplement family needs when times get tough. Utilizing these services to help in the care of your children does not make you greedy or incapable of caring for your kids. The services are there as a protective factor to help protect your children from the inescapable burdens of life. Parents, utilize these services if needed.

In some cases, you may find that your community lacks a certain service that you, or someone you know, could have benefited from. In this case, parents are a powerful advocate for a cause, and this could be your calling to step up to legislature and community leaders in order to establish new programs (HeadStart, ECLKC.gov). Other helpful programs could be low-cost, after-school programs, or safe transportation for your teenagers (www.childwelfare.gov).

Remember, as a parent your ability to cope and deal with stress is necessary for the health and well-being of your children. Concrete, substantial, support services in your community can aid you in being the best parent possible. Reach out to them, and encourage other parents you know to do the same, so that your kiddos come first.

Some Concrete Support Services for Parents in the Oklahoma City area include:
Family Builders
Oklahoma Department of Human Services
Family & Children's Services
EduCare - Tulsa
Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma
Child Care & Development Fund
Emergency Infant Services
Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency
Shelter for Friends
 and many, many more!

If you need some type of support, do not hesitate to contact us at Family Builders. We can get you in touch with the right people!
 www.familybuildersok.org

Family Meal Month : Recipe #2

Good morning everyone. I hope this past weekend was filled with fun moments with your children, enjoyment of the cooler weather and of course, football. Family Builders had a busy weekend, attending the United Way Kick-Off breakfast on Friday and then spending Sunday evening at a Block Party at the OKC First Nazarene Church. Both events were fun-filled and encouraging.

To continue on in our quest to promote and represent Family Meal Day here at Family Builders, I have added another recipe below. This recipe comes courtesy of Chef Shauna of the OKC Metro area. The recipe feeds a family of 5 to 6 and is great for a long meal that involves quality time together and good conversation.

Angel Hair Pasta with Sautéed Chicken & Artichokes

and Lemon Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

1 shallot, chopped 1 tsp garlic, minced ½ cup white wine ¼ cup lemon juice 2 sprig thyme 1 bay leaf  4-5 peppercorns 1 cup heavy cream 3 sticks unsalted butter, cubed salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a small sauce pan combine shallot, garlic, white wine, lemon juice, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Reduce by half and add heavy cream. Reduce again by half and until thick. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in butter a few pieces at a time. Salt and pepper to taste and strain.

For the Pasta Mix

1 can Artichoke hearts, chopped

¼ cup red onion, chopped

1 pound chicken tenderloins

3-4 fresh tomatoes, diced

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 large box angel hair pasta

Fresh basil

In a large pot, cook angel hair pasta for 3-4 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. In a large sauté pan, cook chicken then add onions, artichokes, and tomatoes.  Dice chicken and in a large bowl combine pasta, chicken mix, cheese, and lemon butter sauce. Toss and top with basil.

For an easy side, Chef Shauna suggests:

Herb Roasted Red Potatoes

Ingredients:

10-12 small red potatoes ½ cup vegetable oil Salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp parsley, dried 1 tsp basil, dried 1 tsp oregano, dried 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp garlic powder

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and quarter red potatoes making sure all pieces are about the same size. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, oil, and seasonings until potatoes are evenly coated. Spread onto a baking sheet evenly and bake in oven for 50 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown and thoroughly cooked.

 Shauna is the owner and chef of her own business, Chef Shauna. She teaches cooking lessons, provides cooking class parties, caters private dinners, and creates custom cakes.To learn more about Chef Shauna, visit her company website at:

http://www.chefshauna.com/

To contact her personally, call 405-260-0476

Enjoy Chef Shauna's fabulous recipes and be sure to eat this yummy meal with the entire family. Remember, it's Family Meal Month here at Family Builders, so be sure to track our Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest pages to get all the info on new recipes, cooking tips, dinner conversation ideas, and much more. Have a fabulous week! 

Protective Factor #4: Social Connections

Hello Everyone and welcome to the middle of the work week! The Labor Day holiday is behind us and the days of Fall are before us. However, here in Oklahoma, Fall seems far off with continuous temperatures still hovering around 100 degrees. Oh well...that can only mean more outside play time with the family before chilly north winds and crisp temperatures keep us indoors playing board games and drinking hot cocoa.

September is Family Meal Month here at Family Builders and so most of our blog posts will celebrate and encourage families sitting down together and sharing meals. However, I would like us to continue our journey on becoming familiar with the 6 Protective Factors. We have covered Factors 1-3 and today I would like to concentrate on Protective Factor #4: Social Connections.

Parents should always keep up social connections. Period. What are social connections you may wonder, and why is it important in the realm of improving and expanding my parenting skills? There has been evidence that links maltreatment and lack of support for children with parents who experience social isolation and a lack of interaction with friends and family outside the home (www.childwelfare.gov). Parents need to interact with other adults and parents in their community as an important form of their own social development.

Interactions with friends and other parents within the community can foster a sharing environment that may serve as a resource for parents in observing, sharing, and learning alternative parenting styles. Learning how other parents parent and hearing stories of how these parents deal with parenting stress can serve as an important outlet for mothers and fathers alike. These social connections can serve as a stabilizing point for parents and allow them to interact with other human beings, besides their own children. This can help ease the burden of parenting and provide support in crises.

Additionally, this social interaction will serve as an example for your own children in encouraging them to make friends and interact with other children within the community. Serving as a role model for your children on proper social development, will further help them along in their own social connections and maturity, while helping them learn how to make friends.  

So now, where to start? Everyone has obstacles to overcome in order to get out of the home and begin interacting within the community. These can include transportation and child car obstacles. First, access community resources, especially those that might have free child care (such as churches) and city transportation services. Then join a parents group in your area, or start a play group in your own neighborhood. This can be a great idea as a neighborhood play group alleviates transportation issues. On a rotational basis one parent from the group can watch children in a neighborhood or backyard playground while the rest of the group meets. Or meet in a home, where children can play in a playroom while parents meet.

There are ways to work through barriers to making social connections. Parents need the support of other parents and so social connections are indeed important. This Protective Factor may serve as one of the most important in keeping parents resilient to the challenges that inevitably may come when being a parent!

September is Family Meal Month at Family Builders

Happy Labor Day! What a fun American holiday that celebrates the contributions and achievements of American workers. This holiday promotes the end of summer and the beginning of fall, a day off from work for all Americans, and marks the first weekend of September.

September is also a very important month at Family Builders. In September, we are utilizing the entire month to celebrate "Family Day-A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children." Family Day is Monday, September 24th and is the official day that recognizes and promotes sitting down and eating dinner together as a family. This day is considered a national movement that informs parents that sitting down with your family and engaging them during frequent family dinners is an effective tool for keeping your kids drug and substance free. The day's personal slogan is "Dinner Makes a Difference." For more information on Family Meal Day visit:

http://casafamilyday.org/familyday/

Later on in the week, I will continue to blog about Protective Factor #4, but today, I would like to introduce to you local OKC Chef Rebecca Connolly. She is the owner and personal chef at Rebecca's Feast. Each Monday of September, Family Builders will be recognizing a chef in the OKC Metro area who will be providing us with a family meal plan for one night each week, in the weeks of September. These meals are meant to be fun, family-friendly, and low cost. Rebecca's contribution and support to Family Meal Month at Family Builders is below:

Beef & Potato Empanadas

Makes 8 empanadas

1/2 lb ground beef

1 med gold or red potato (not a baking potato)

1 clove minced garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 small onion, chopped or 1-2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp cumin

salt to taste

black pepper to taste

canola or grapeseed oil

1 package 8 prepared biscuits (raw)

1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp water (egg wash)

optional: 1-2 cups frozen peas & carrots (if using fresh carrot, saute with onion)

Preheat oven to 425-degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Dice potatoes, place in small saucepan and cover with cold water. Add 1 tbsp salt. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 10-12 min until tender (can pierce easily with a fork.)

While the potatoes are cooking, heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp canola oil. When heated, add chopped onion and garlic (and carrot, if using). Saute until aromatic then add the cumin. Crumble in the ground beef and cook though (no pink). Add peas if using. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Drain cooked potatoes and add to the cooked ground beef. Allow to cool while you prepare the biscuits.

Separate the biscuits. Using the palms of your hands or a rolling pin, flatten each biscuit into a thin disc. Place 1/3 cup filing mixture into the center of each disc. Fold one side over to meet the other side forming a half circle shape. Using the tines of a fork, seal each empanada. Place on the baking sheet 1-2" apart. Brush with egg yolk wash.

Bake in over until golden brown and puffed, approx. 12-15 min. Serve with a tossed green salad, dressing of choice and perhaps ketchup for dipping!

These can easily be made ahead and frozen for up to one month. If pre-baked, heat straight from the freezer for 20-25 min. Great for quick dinner on a busy evening or even school lunches (pack with a cold pack and then enjoy at room temperature)!

And if you have eager little helpers in your kitchen, here are a few tasks they can complete with your supervision:

*Scoop diced potatoes into pot & 

cover with cold water.

*Flatten biscuits with their clean hands or rolling pin.

*Scoop filling and place in middle of biscuit discs.

*Seal empanada edges with the fork.

*Place uncooked empanadas on the baking sheet.

*Brush empanadas with the egg wash. Wash hands immediately afterwards.

 

Thank you so much Rebecca for providing us with this fabulous family meal for Week 1 of Family Meal Month. If you wish to get in touch with Rebecca, feel free to visit her Rebecca's Feast website at www.rebeccas-feast.com

or become a Fan on FaceBook!

www.facebook.com/RebeccasFeast

or you can follow her on Twitter!

www.twitter.com/RebeccasFeast 

 

Stay "blogged in" for a Protective Factor later this week, and more family fun recipes throughout the month of September! Happy eating!