Teachers earn their summer breaks. We work overtime for nine months, and earn the eight-ish weeks of break. And believe me, for most teachers the ‘break’ is not just spent relaxing by the pool, sleeping in late, or having a picnic on the beach. Many of us are as BUSY during the summer as we are during the school year – it’s just a different kind of BUSY.

For me, summer means no students but it doesn’t mean no learning…in fact, I’m heading off tomorrow for my first job as a Staff Developer for AVID Center (I’ll tell you all about it later). Summer means time to do my ‘side hustles’ – besides offering professional development for teachers, I love to cook. In fact, I’m kind of obsessed with cooking shows…and every so often I get to live out my dream on live TV!

My Food Network Dream

Today I had a blast filming at Studio 40 in Sacramento – it’s National Picnic Month, and I shared some cool picnic tips as well as a great recipe for Smokey Chipotle Deviled Eggs. You can scroll down for the recipe!

The hosts, the crew, and I all love the spicy take on the traditional deviled egg…it’s perfect for a picnic but also a grab and go teacher lunch!

Time for a picnic

Oh – and those picnic hacks? Here you go:

Use a twin size fitted sheet as your tablecloth – it’s easy to pack, stays snug in the breeze and something you already have at home. You can even just lay it on the sand and prop up a bucket in each corner and it becomes an instant sand-free blanket!

Bring a container of white vinegar to use as a homemade ant repellent. Ants hate the smell and it disrupts their ability to communicate with each other – so just sprinkle a little on the surface of your table and they’ll leave you alone!

Freeze plastic bottles of water and use in your cooler. You’ll avoid the puddle of water that loose ice leaves behind, and you’ll have something cold to drink once it’s melted.

Smokey Chipotle Deviled Eggs Recipe

6 eggs

1/4 c. Mayonnaise

1T. Chipotle peppers, chopped in adobo

1/2 t. Vinegar

1/8 t. Salt

Chili powder, if desired

Cilantro, fresh and chopped, if desired

Directions:

Put the eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Heat water until it boils, then cover, lower the heat, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and leave the eggs in the hot water, covered, for 15 minutes. Rinse under cold water.

Peel the eggs shells and rinse eggs. Pat dry.

Slice eggs in half lengthwise and remove the yolks to a separate bowl. Place the empty egg whites on a plate.

Mash the yolks into a fine crumble, and add remaining ingredients.

Using a spoon (or a pastry bag if you’re feeling fancy), fill the whites with the yolk mixture. Top with chili powder/cilantro if desired.

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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