Fatherhood
Building Up the Men in Our Lives
Father’s Day is around the corner, and it’s the perfect time to reflect on how good the men in our lives are! We live in a culture where the role of fathers and husbands has shifted from being an essential part in the family, to at best being a minor detail or on the periphery of family life. Our hope is that this Father’s Day, we will see that the very role of these men is not only essential, but a wonderful gift to each one of us.
Fatherhood is an instrumental part of family unity and a happy family. Their presence, affection and good counsel is necessary for the wellbeing of every child. Watch how excited small children get when their father has arrived home from work. It’s as if life is complete once dad walks through the door! What a glorious way for him to finish his day…
The cheers and clamoring to be with dad when he walks in the door are important for HIS wellbeing as well. Fathers need to know they are appreciated and loved by their family, and the best example for children to learn from is their mother. Do you greet your beloved when he comes home with love and affection? Building your man up in front of the children is an extraordinary way to teach them how to express their appreciation for their father. Many of us have witnessed programs or commercials on TV where the father is portrayed as weak and in an undermining way. Our mission is to be countercultural, and to show our gratitude for all these men are in our lives! Their presence and paternal role is the essence of a happy family.
How have you shown your father and/or husband the joy and gratitude you have for his leadership in your family? Let this Father’s Day be a sure sign that your love for him runs deep and true. This holiday, like Mother’s Day, only happens once a year, but let us make a commitment to make each day a mission to build up our husbands and fathers so they can be the leaders they have been called to be in our families.
“The heart of a father is the masterpiece of nature.”
- Antoine Francois Prevost
Chocolate Chip Muffins
Looking for a tasty breakfast treat for Father's Day? These Chocolate Chip Muffins are perfect for the whole family, and easy to prepare the night before or on Father's Day morning!
Yield: 12 muffins
Ingredients:
1 ½ C Flour
¾ C Sugar
¾ tsp Baking Soda
½ tsp Baking Powder
¼ tsp Salt
¾ C Sour Cream (or ¼ C buttermilk and ½ C sour cream)
¼ C Vegetable oil
1 Lg Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
½ C Chocolate Chips
3-4 Tbl Cinnamon Sugar for topping
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in bowl. Mix. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl combine sour cream (or ¼ C buttermilk and ½ C sour cream), vegetable oil, egg and vanilla. Whisk together.
4. Gently mix wet mixture into dry ingredients just until combined. Batter will be thick.
5. Scoop about 2 Tbl. of batter into lined muffin tins. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake for 15-18 minutes.
Treating Dad like a King this Father's Day
Father’s Day is the day we treat our favorite fathers as the King of the family. But it is not a day to set him on the throne and ignore him while we cook or order out. How about this year, we make a meal for Dad that everyone takes part in, even and most importantly Dad!
Now you may say that’s a great idea, and you can jump right into the kitchen with your handsome hero, but some may be thinking, “this is a great idea, but what do I cook?” We got you covered with a menu of ideas that you can make your own.
Breakfast
A fruit platter with fruit washed and plated by the youngest of your crew. If they are able to handle a knife, they can cut the melons, add berries and make a beautiful salad. If your sous chef is on the smaller size, a big empty sink to wash the berries may be the job for them. Scrambled eggs can be prepped and ready by another young helper. If you are lucky, you have a little egg cracker who may crack the eggs into the bowl and ask Dad to whisk them before adding them to the pan. Think of the slimy messy fun a little one can have cracking a bunch of eggs in the bowl. (Be sure to check for shells before pouring them into the pan!)
Muffins made with Mom are a delightful treat for your favorite dad. The recipe in this newsletter is easy to whisk together and can be done with the help of Dad or the night before to free up hands to help the smaller hands assisting Dad in the kitchen.
Dinner
Now for dinner…We won’t stress over a big lunch, because there will be leftover muffins to enjoy as you prep and plan the dinner for Dad. The perfect dinner is one that is delicious but simple enough to enjoy the ones around you. Remember, this isn’t the day to display your cooking skills. This is the day to have Dad close and to treat him like a king. Does your man like to grill? But you don’t want to leave him alone on the deck while you are in the kitchen with the kids finishing the rest of the dishes? Working ahead of time will prevent separation during a day designed to bond the family.
Smashed Burgers are the latest grilling trend that Dads can do quickly to get back to backyard races with the kids. Recipes can be easily found on your favorite cooking site, but the basic smashed burger calls for 2 ounces of ground beef (ground beef with 20% fat content makes the best smashed burgers) rolled into balls. Each ball of beef is smashed into a thin disc and seasoned to your heart’s content. The secret of the burger is to make sure the smashed patty is evenly spread to make sure the entire surface can caramelize and become crispy. Using a cast iron pan on the grill makes the best surface to grill these quick-cooking burgers. Add cheese between the patties, and perhaps some grilled onions cooked along with the patties, and you have a delicious main dish your Dad will love.
Chopped Salad by young hands can be made and chilled well before dad goes out to the deck for grilling.
Steak Fries made of russet potatoes is another easy dish kids can help make with dad. Little ones can clean the potatoes for Dad (or you!) to slice. Tossing the fries in avocado oil or olive oil with your favorite seasonings is a messy job any child would enjoy. Toss these steak fries to bake in the oven at 400 degrees. This allows you to spend a little time near Dad while he grills. Don’t forget to bring him an ice-cold beverage.
Dessert
Dessert can be your favorite dad’s choice or consider ice cream sundaes! They make a wonderful dessert kids can put together. Imagine sitting outside with your one-and only love as your kids come out the door with bowls of vanilla ice cream, just beginning to melt and become drippy. One child bringing the bowls another child or two or more following with bowls of toppings. Have fun with your toppings, and use berries, bananas, chocolate chips, candy pieces, and whipped cream squirted from a can. Make the most of the dessert by having lots of fun creating the best ice cream sundae. Would Dad like to judge which looks the most scrumptious? Will it be the one with the sprinkles? Don’t forget the cherry on top!
Father’s Day meals can be fun and loving. It should be a time that we make Dad feel like the king he is in our hearts. Bring him into the fun so that he knows, and your children know that Dad is the center of your family. Be creative with your menu and have fun with Dad. Enjoy!
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