For Marian and Meaghan

My good friend Marian requested more details about our "Sock Game" to get kids interested in folding socks. It is really quite simple and could be easily changed and/or adapted for different age groups. In fact, it is so simple it really sounds silly when written out. However, I know the battle we all face in encouraging our children to work and this is something that has helped around here. So here you go:

Step 1- Dump a huge pile (in our case gargantuan size pile) of socks in the middle of the floor.
Step 2- Gather all participants spaced equally around pile. If you have younger helpers, team them up with a parent or older sibling.
Step 3- Determine a prize for all participants and a prize or something extra for the child that folds the most socks. (Ex. all kids can watch a movie after but the winner picks it, a small piece of candy for all and 2 for the one with the most socks, or an extra book at bedtime for the winner. This is the part where you get creative and make it work for your schedule.)
Step 4- Start folding, placing matched socks in a pile next to you.
Step 5- Count socks in your pile and see if you are the winner. Follow through with prizes set in step 3.

Ta-da! There you have it folks- "The Sock Game".

The key is just to make it fun for your family. In our house a little competition gets everyone moving a little faster so adding some competition to the chore of sock folding makes it a little more exciting. Let me know if you try our uber-exciting game and what you choose for prizes. I need ideas too.


Secondly, I promised my beautiful cousin, Meaghan a recipe a while back and it's time to deliver. I got this one from a Pampered Chef Party I attended and have made it several times since. It's Delish-to-the-Pish as my mother would say. Click here to go to the Pampered Chef site for easy printing.

Note: I substituted Italian Dressing Seasoning Mix (like Good Seasons) instead of the Pantry Italian Seasoning Mix which I didn't have on hand. Enjoy!

Pampered Chef Garden Pizza

1 (10 ounce) package refrigerated pizza crusts

2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

1 medium tomato, sliced

1 teaspoon italian seasoning, dried

1 medium zucchini, sliced

1 small onion, sliced

1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2 Place pizza dough on flat stone of your choice. Roll dough to fit stone. Combine garlic and olive oil and brush onto crust. Bake 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven.

3 Sprinkle with mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. Top with tomato and Italian seasoning. Layer zucchini, onion and mushrooms over tomato.

4 Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake 15 - 18 minutes more.