May 1st - Mother Goose Day

Today is Mother Goose Day. Mother Goose deserves a special day to celebrate the joy she has brought to all the little ones who have spent countless hours chanting her rhymes. Who is Mother Goose? Several stories have circulated about the real mother goose. In Boston they claim Mother Goose was the wife of Isaac Goose and the mother of 16 children. They claims she used to sing song and ditties to children all day. When her husband died she went to live with her oldest daughter who was married to Thomas Fleet a publisher. According to the legend, Thomas noticed how much the children loved the rhymes Mother Goose shared and therefore he published her stories for all the world to enjoy. Although this is the version I prefer, the real Mother Goose was most likely something brought about by publishers to sell books containing folklore rhymes that had been passed down for generations.

To celebrate Mother Goose Day share with your children Mother Goose rhymes you fondly remember from your past.

Here are a few Nursery Rhymes to share with your children.

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater

Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater,

Had a wife and couldn't keep her;

He put her in a pumpkin shell

And there he keep her very well.

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater Activity
On orange construction paper draw and then cut out a pumpkin. Have the children tape the top of the pumpkin only onto a white piece of paper so the pumpkin is a "flap". Then have them draw a picture under the pumpkin "flap" of what they think Peter's wife is doing while she is locked in her pumpkin shell. They can then dictate to you what she is doing while you write it at the bottom.

-from Jeannee' Neville, Oroville, CA, USA; Sept. 12, 2000

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups solid pack plain pumpkin
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups and set aside. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together 2 cups pumpkin puree, vegetable oil and eggs. Stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture until smooth. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

HOT-CROSS BUNS

Hot-cross Buns!

Hot cross Buns!

One a penny, two a penny,

Hot-cross Buns!

Hot-cross Buns!

Hot-cross Buns!

If ye have no daughters,

Give them to your sons.

Use this rhyme as an opportunity to discuss how the value of money has changed over time.

Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
3/4 cup raisins (optional)
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons cold water

ICING:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel
4 teaspoons orange juice

DIRECTIONS:
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, cinnamon and salt. Heat milk and butter until butter is melted. Add to dry ingredients; mix just until moistened. Add eggs; beat until smooth. Stir in raisins and enough flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in a bowl coated with nonstick cooking spray, turning once to coat completely. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 18 pieces; shape each into a ball. Place in two 9-in. round baking pans coated with nonstick cooking spray. Using a sharp knife, cut a cross on top of each roll. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Beat egg yolk and water; brush over the top of the buns. Bake at 375 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Combine icing ingredients in a plastic bag. Seal and knead the bag until all ingredients are well combined. Cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and pipe icing crosses onto the rolls.


THE TARTS

The Queen of Hearts,

She made some tarts,

All on a summer's day;

The Knave of Hearts,

He stole the tarts,

And took them clean away.

The King of Hearts

Called for the tarts,

And beat the Knave full sore;

The Knave of Hearts

Brought back the tarts,

And vowed he'd steal no more.

Musical Tarts!

Have your children or a group of kids sit in a circle. Put six tarts on a paper plate and hand had the plate to one of the children. Turn on some music and have the children pass the plate around the circle. The last one to hold the plate when the music stops is out of the game. Likewise, if a child accidentally drops a tart he is out of the game as well. The child who wins the game is the last one sitting. The prise- the remaining tarts.

The Queen of Hearts Pecan Tarts

Ingredients:

CRUST

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

FILLING
1 egg
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup chopped pecans
Whip Cream (optional)

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter; blend in flour, sugar and salt. Chill for 1 hour. Shape into 1-in. balls; press into the bottom and up the sides of greased mini-muffin tin. For filling, beat the egg in a small mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, butter and vanilla; mix well. Stir in pecans. Bake at 325 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack. Decorate with whip cream if desired.