What we're reading at Spatulatta

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

Edward maybe a toy rabbit but he has a lot to tell us about the nature of love and how we learn to love.

I found it on the "Independent Readers" shelf of the children's section in our local bookstore. The front cover drew me in and the story fulfilled the promise. It's an incredibly intelligent book and it will delight readers of all ages.

I don't want to tell you too much about it because I want it to unfold as naturally for you as it did for me.

Gaylon

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bites

Start with Chewy chocolate peanut butter granola bars... and put them in a ziplock
baggy... then smash it with a rolling pin... then mix peanut butter with it and then
take in out and roll it into a ball...put it into the freezer for 4 hours...take out
for 1 hour to thaw and enjoy!!!!!!

Samantha

Gaby sends us a recipe for Macaroons

I just found the best recipe "COCONUT COOKIES"
(MY MOM JUST DID IT YESTERDAY*)

HOW TO DO IT,
PUT IN A BOWL,
3EGG WHITES
1/4 TSPN VANILLA
1 1/4 CUP CONFECCIONARRY SUGAR.
BEAT VERY WELL THEN,
ADD ABOUT 12 OUNCES OF COCO FLAKES, MIX AND GIVE IT ANY SHAPE YOU WANT.
PUT OVEN TO *350 AND TAKE OUT UNTIL GOLDEN



gaby*******

Liv and Belle in "Relish" Magazine

There's a full page story about Spatulatta with the girls making Irish Soda Bread for St. Patrick's Day. Relish magazine is the Sunday supplement in many newspapers across the US.

If you get Relish along with your Sunday paper, check it out!

Chocolate "Moose" - recipe sent in by Kate

Chocolate Moose

1 1/4 cups of chocolate chips
2 cups heavy whipping cream

Melt chocolate chips in microwave for about a 1:30.

You'll need a mixer. Blend the cream for about 2:00 then add chocolate while still blending cream.

Refrigerate for three hours.

It's soooooo good!

Kate

Where the Name "Spatulatta" Came From

I am an adult teacher of English who came across your website while
teaching a class on how to summarize newspaper articles. I, and a number of my
students, are curious about how you came up with the name "Spatulatta." We know
what a spatula is, but what gives the word its unique ending? Thank you!

Robb Davis
Escuela Internacional Sampedrana
San Pedro Sula, Honduras
5th Grade Language Arts

Dear Robb,

Great question! We were trying to come up with names for the site and testing them with kids in focus groups. The kids really liked names like "Cooking for Kids" and "Kids in the Kitchen." But in the time it took to do the focus groups those names were snapped up. So we ran more groups but nothing seemed to have that "Aha!" moment.

Liv, Belle, their mom Heidi, their dad Vince, my husband Roger and I would have these conversations where we would just sling ideas back and forth. We probably tried a thousand names!

I must have been drinking too many lattés or something when the name Spatulatta popped into my head. The image it evoked was a smaller, slightly feminine spatula. Since the hosts of the website were girls it seemed to fit. It also had a slightly exotic feel, sort of Spanish maybe Italian sound.

It sort of rolls off one's tongue - Spatulatta. We liked it and it stuck!

Thanks for your question,

Gaylon