Mad for the Mad Hatter , or at least the hat, anyway + Egg Drop Soup Recipe

I love making costumes; in my next life maybe I will be on a team of people who make them for productions, performances or movies. For now I happily anticipate the next time I get to make a costume for a reason. This year Ellie and Kohlton will be Alice and the Mad Hatter, and they asked for my help making the costumes. I am thrilled.

With grand visions in our heads, we set out to gather materials. We found cool stuff, a great tutorial and lots of inspiration on the internet. Tonight I actually made the Mad Hatter's hat. I was nervous about how it would go. It is not unusual for the ameature online tutorials to forget some critical part of the instructions, but not this time. The instructions were awesome and I am beyond thrilled with how the hat turned out. It is made from cardboard, poster board, fabric, hot glue, wire and thread.

While I was making the hat, the kids were taping up the pants that were then spray painted. They are cool, too, but you have to wait until later to see them as they are spray paint stinky and so they are drying outside.

Here's the tutorial that I am raving about:


-----------
Ellie made Egg Drop Soup as part of our dinner:

Egg Drop Soup
recipe adapted from Tyler Florence and For the Love of Cooking
via: Barefeet in the Kitchen blog
Yield: 6 small servings

5 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon freshly minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, adjust to taste
1/4 teaspoon white pepper, freshly ground black pepper will work as well, adjust to taste
2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch, plus 2 tablespoons water
2 eggs, beaten
2 green onions, sliced thin

Combine the chicken stock, ginger and soy sauce in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add salt and pepper to taste. Whisk together the cornstarch and water and pour into the simmering soup. Stir to combine and slightly thicken the soup.

Slowly pour in the beaten eggs, while stirring the soup in one direction. The egg will spread out and feather through the soup. Remove from the heat and add the green onions. Taste once more and adjust seasonings as needed. Enjoy!