Spring Book 1

Flying Machine

Irish Soda Bread, Irish Lace Cookies

Gotcha Covered, Signs of Spring

Soda Straw Regatta, Pinwheels

Catch a Rainbow in a Jar

Gratitude

Just One Thing

Blue Yonder Book of Days, written and illustrated by Stefani Austin ©Blue Yonder Ranch
 Whatcha Got Cookin’? - Irish Soda Bread

1 cup measure Pastry brush Measuring

spoons Mixer

4 tablespoons 1 tsp baking 1 tablespoon

white sugar soda baking powder 4 cups flour

½ teaspoon ½ cup butter,

salt softened, plus a 1 cup plain ½ cup milk
little extra for yogurt
brushing

1 egg Foil Cooking Spray Cookie Sheet

Ireland has a very moist climate, making it difficult to grow the “hard wheat” that produces
the flour most commonly used in today’s kitchens. Yeast, which is usually used to make
bread rise, does not work well with the “soft wheat flour” more common in Ireland.

So, Irish soda bread gets its lift not from yeast, but from a chemical reaction between an acid
(the lactic acid in the yogurt) and a base (the baking soda). The reaction makes bubbles
which then cause the bread to rise.

Test the two methods to see which you think would make fluffier bread. Put a little yeast,
warm water and sugar in a bowl. Then, in a separate bowl mix yogurt and baking soda. What
happens? Record your results on the back of the previous page.
Blue Yonder Book of Days, written and illustrated by Stefani Austin ©Blue Yonder Ranch
 Whatcha Got Cookin’? (continued)
Preheat oven to 375° F.

Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Using a mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and ½ cup butter.
Slowly add the yogurt, milk and egg.
When the dough is thoroughly combined, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead
slightly.
Form dough into a round and place on prepared cookie sheet. Brush loaf with melted butter.
Use a sharp knife to cut a cross into the top of the loaf. Some people say this cross was
meant to ward away bad spirits; others say that the marks make a good guide for cutting
even pieces.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of
the loaf comes out clean. In the middle of the baking, brush the loaf with butter again.

Allow to cool on a rack.

HOW 1 2
TO
KNEAD:

4 5 6
3

1. Coat your hands with flour and sprinkle some on

your work surface, too. It feels good!
2. Form the dough into an oval by smoothing the sides
down, around, and under.
3. Lay the dough on your work surface and use the heels of
your hands to stretch it away from you. Be careful not to
tear the dough.
4. Lift the end farthest from you and fold it back over the
end closest to you.
5. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat the steps.
6. Most bread recipes require 8-10 minutes of kneading, or
until you can poke two fingers in, and the holes in the
dough don’t fill back up. This recipe only needs to be
kneaded for a couple minutes.

Blue Yonder Book of Days, written and illustrated by Stefani Austin ©Blue Yonder Ranch
 FIELD G UIDE
BOOKS
About I rel and -
This is Ireland, M. Sasek
Patrick, Tomie DePaola
The Blackbird’s Nest,
Jenny Schroedel
Flying Feet, Anna Marlis
Burgard
Clever Tom and The
Leprechaun, Linda
Shute
O’Sullivan Stew,
Hudson Talbot
Finn MacCoul and His
Fearless Wife,
illustrated by Robert
Byrd
Fiona’s Luck, Teresa
Bateman
Tales from Old Ireland,
Malachy Doyle
About H and wo rk –
Kids’ Embroidery,
Kristin Nicholas
Kids Knitting
Fallick/Nicholas
About Bakin g an d
Foo d Science -
The Science Chef,
D’Amico
What Einstein Told His
Cook, Wolke
Knead it, Punch it, Bake
it, Judith Jones.
Blue Yonder Book of Days, written and illustrated by Stefani Austin
Whatcha Got Cookin’?
No celebration of spring would be complete without a an exploration of all
things Irish. And what better jumping off point is there for culture study than
enjoying their food?
This edition of the Book of Days features two Irish recipes that kids will love to
make and eat.
The first, Soda Bread, is a modern version of a staple in Irish cuisine. The
traditional recipe would call for sour milk or buttermilk, and no eggs or sugar.
This is an updated version that tastes a bit like a very big buttermilk biscuit (or
muffin for our readers outside the states). Many modern Soda Bread recipes
call for nuts, raisins or other dried fruits, so feel free to experiment. This recipe
is an experiment in and of itself. Your kids will learn a lot about the chemistry
behind bread! If they enjoy food science, there are a few more books in the
sidebar for further learning adventures in the kitchen.
The second recipe is for Irish Lace cookies. With just a few meager ingredients,
you’ll have some very tasty treats! Be warned, the cookies really flatten out in
the oven. Don’t worry, they are supposed to do that!
Once they are hardened, you will be able to hold them up and see the light
through the lacey holes left by the crystallized sugar. Bring out your best dishes
and tablecloth, brew up some tea, light some candles, and maybe even bring in
some budding branches to put in a vase on your table. These cookies would
have been a rare treat in old Ireland, so enjoying them should be a special
occasion! This is a great time to talk to your kids about how food cultures
evolve. Both of these recipes show how people use what they have on hand,
locally, to create unique dishes. Perhaps you can visit a farmers’ market and try
to make a meal from only what is available in your area, just as people would
have done in old rural Ireland.
While you are enjoying your bread and cookies, you can also introduce your
child to the wonderful world of the Irish folk and fairy tales. There are some of
our favorite resources for those stories on the sidebar. Some Celtic music
would go nicely with your meal too!
Also, be sure to take some time to explore the beautiful crafts of Ireland.
Woodwork, glassware, pottery, stonework, candle-making, weaving, textiles…
all are traditional crafts of Ireland. There are a few suggestions in the sidebar to
help your kids get started with embroidery and knitting. You may also want to
check out Traditional Crafts of Ireland by David Shaw-Smith or try your hand
at the Celtic Design Coloring Book by Ed Sibbett.
©Blue Yonder Ranch
 Create - Pinwheels

Paper Crayons Pencils with Straight Wire Scissors

good erasers pins cutters

1.Start with a 2. Fold the 3. Color the front 4. Cut along 5. Working around
square of paper. opposite corners and the back. fold lines, the square, fold
Fold it corner to together and Experiment with leaving a circle every other corner
corner, then unfold again. contrasting in the center, into the center
unfold. colors or uncut
patterns.

Carefully, push a straight Using wire cutters,

pin through the ends of the bend the end of the
folded corners and into a pin downward,
pencil’s eraser. Don’t push then snip off the
too far in. Your pinwheel sharp point.
needs room to spin!

Blue Yonder Book of Days, written and illustrated by Stefani Austin ©Blue Yonder Ranch
 FIELD G UIDE Create
Supplies :
Both “Create” projects this issue are meant to spark lots of discussions
See the “Create” about that one thing that March is famous for… its wind!
page for a detailed
list of supplies.
Here are some questions to research:

Books: Why is spring often windy?

Close to the Wind: What do windmills do? Are there other ways that people can use the
the Beaufort Scale, power of wind? What is a wind farm?
Peter Malone
We made sailboats, but are there any other wind-powered instruments?
The Wind at Work,
Gretchen Woelfle What purpose does wind serve in nature?

I Face The Wind, What is a wind instrument? (Visit a music store or go see a performance.
by Vicky Cob Try a harmonica or recorder flute. Experiment with blowing over bottles
to make them sound.)
The Wind Blew,
Pat Hutchins Learn all about kites! You can make one and/or take a field trip to a kite
shop. Also, check your area for upcoming kite festivals. Learn about
Feel the Wind, competitive kite flying and the history of kites. And don’t miss one of our
Let’s Read and favorite books on the subject, the endearing and informative Kite Flying, by
Find out Science 2 Grace Lin.

Story of the Read through the poems on the “Create” page and talk about a great, big
Orchestra, Robert smarty pants word: “Anthropomorphism.”
Levine
Don’t forget to include photos, notes and drawings about all your windy
Willa and the discoveries!
Wind, Janice M.
Del Negro

Flip, Float, Fly,

Gail Gibbons

Blue Yonder Book of Days, written and illustrated by Stefani Austin ©Blue Yonder Ranch