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Elizabeth's Best - Stacie Isabella Turk's Macaroni and Cheese



I know it sounds like Stacie Isabella Turk has made the best Macaroni and Cheese ever to EAT, however we're not featuring her recipes today, Instead, we're featuring her book/cd combo called Macaroni and Cheese (Anthology) Volume 1 and have selected it for our Elizabeth's Best Award and our Best Ever You Blue Ribbon Award for Best Books because... it is comfort food for kids!



The book/cd combo known as the MACARONI AND CHEESE (Anthology) is a collection of inspirational stories, songs and activities for children and their parents meant to champion a child’s unique view of the world. Stacie has written a beautiful collection of stories that soothe the soul and remind us of what is really important. These are not only great lessons for kids, but I found myself loving the reminders and lessons! When you receive the book, you know you have a received a book where someone (Stacie) has poured her heart and soul into it. It's brilliantly written with beautiful illustrations.


About herself as the author, Stacie writes,

"Fifteen years ago, I awoke from a dream about a ladybug and a giraffe.

At the time, in addition to being a professional visual storyteller with photographs and film for private families and advertising agencies, I also had the pleasure of reading to 120 kids each week as a volunteer for a children's literacy organization.

So much fun!

It is easy to see how beautiful art inspires one to pick up a book and how a story that enlightens, inspires the turning of the page. Literacy is a powerful and necessary tool with which to be armed, and when reading is shared with a grown-up who cares, it can be magic for a child. Add music into the mix and we have a full experience!

That morning when I awoke with the first complete story in my head, I learned quickly that Wendy and Ursula were not characters I had read about in someone else's book, but were given to me to bring to life…and so I did, along with Sabrina, The Brothers Caterpillar and many others you will meet in this volume and others that follow.

With over 25+ years phtographically capturing children in authentic moments both commercially and privately, I have watched, played and learned. This anthology of stories and songs I call MACARONI AND CHEESE, has its own life. My hope is that it will touch and enlighten you as a child, parent, teacher or mentor. It is meant to be comforting and it is meant to be shared… just like the warmest bowl of macaroni and cheese!

You will have to wait for Volume II to meet the ladybug and the giraffe..."

Well, Stacie, we can't wait :)

Here are a few excerpts and links to a few of the stories in the book so you can sample.

Sabrina and Her Committee - tinyurl.com/Sabrina-and-Her-Committee

A little girl’s path leads her to battle the “committee” of negative voices in her head, until the most important and truest internal voice, Grace, pushes herself forward into Sabrina’s life, letting her know that she does not need to be influenced by her committee at all when she listens to the truest voice inside her heart.

My favorite story is Grumpy, Grouchy, and Grateful. - tinyurl.com/Grumpy-Grouchy-and-Grateful

These are three caterpillars who have each have a different take on life.



More about the Macaroni and Cheese (Anthology) Volume 1 and Stacie Isabella Turk


(Photo taken at LA Time Festival of Books)

The book/cd combo known as the MACARONI AND CHEESE (Anthology) is a collection of inspirational stories, songs and activities for children and their parents meant to champion a child’s unique view of the world. Since its debut release of the first (of six) volumes of this children’s anthology based on character building concepts, MACARONI AND CHEESE Vol 1 is a Mom’s Choice Award recipient, was named Book of the Year by Creative Child Magazine (in the category of self-esteem), and now, Elizabeth's Best Award for Excellence, Best Ever You Blue Ribbon and was chosen as Book of the Year by Creative Child Magazine (in the category of self-esteem). Defined as a literacy and emotional intelligence tool, and intended to support conscious parenting, the first three stories encompass the hard to tackle character building concepts of cultivating gratitude, self-esteem and being your best in the world, even when others choose mediocre behavior. The remaining five volumes (18 stories/songs/activities) and workbook will address self-expression, self-empowerment, self-doubt, empathy, compassion, and other topics in support of self-development during the powerful elementary school age years. These concepts are delivered via art, music, play experience, and wrapped in challenging vocabulary and non-linear patterns of text intended to activate multiple parts of the brain and emotional body.


A certified coach (Noomi.com) and a member of the International Coaching Federation, author and publisher Stacie Isabella Turk has chosen areas of training such as the neuroscience of behavior, neuroplasticity of the brain, self-esteem, shame and resilience. She is the founder of Ribbonhead, a content creation and transformational storytelling company comprised of Production, Publishing, and Philanthropy. After several years as an advertising photographer (Downy, Disney, Molina Healthcare, Kernel Seasons, MTV/Nickelodeon) and directing commercials and a short film, she currently has her first feature film in development based on memoirs of an artist and original drawings. Based in Los Angeles, she has 25+ years as a candid portraiture/lifestyle photographer in which she has been given the unique opportunity to study family dynamic intimately, accelerated by a proactive self-study on conscious parenting. The MACARONI AND CHEESE Anthology Facebook page is a large resource of conscious parenting information.

Website

FaceBook page


To date, Turk has single handedly workshopped almost 3000 children and parents in schools and Girl Scouts with the MAC AND CHEESE (Vol 1) content in art, musical, and story-telling/writing workshops she has created to support this content. Turk directs a portion of school sales back to the school as a philanthropic contribution. Ribbonhead has donated copies and led workshops for Millers Children’s Hospital and Girls Inc. She is an approved LAUSD vendor and has worked in three different school districts with the interactive MAC AND CHEESE workshops. She is partnered with national non-profit literacy organization, Kids Need To Read, in order to make corporate sponsorship of the MAC AND CHEESE workshops seamless…in which every child in a school (K-4th grade) can be in workshop for 45-90 minutes AND go home with their own signed copy!

She is an editorial contributor for sites such as Dandelion Moms and Jambu, and was an invited speaker at the annual Young Writers Conference for a Torrance Elementary School. She is a member of Women In Film, Filmmakers Alliance, APA, an approved contributor for Getty Images, and a recent alumni of The Circular Board, an accelerator of female entrepreneurs.

Her work can be seen at Ribbonhead.com and MacaroniandCheeseanthology.com where Volume 1 is available for purchase for $24.95.

PSA commercial work for The Brady Campaign Against Gun Violence, Cedars Sinai, and The United Way, she has received the Summit Creative Award, Worldfest Houston, and a La Femme Film Festival award for Best PSA.

If you would like to purchase or learn more about this first volume of Macaroni and Cheese Anthology, click here for her website, orders and more information.

To schedule elementary school workshops for students, parent education or Girl Scouts, contact her directly. If you are part of a corporation that wants to participate as a marketing partner or philanthropic sponsor of this program, Stacie can be reached directly here: bigcheese@macaroniandcheeseanthology.com

Oh and by the way, here's a Mac & Cheese Recipe from Stacie's site :)

Annie’s Natural Mac and Cheese Recipe

BAKED MAC & CHEESE WITH ORGANIC VEGGIES

Submitted by Vivian Cummings

Ingredients

2 boxes of Annie’s Macaroni

1/2 cup organic skim or low fat milk

2 tbsp organic butter or margarine 1 cup fresh chopped organic tomatoes

1 cup fresh chopped organic green and red peppers

1 tsp fresh basil

1/2 cup organic cheddar cheese, cut into strips or small pieces

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Boil water and cook two boxes of noodles per instructions.

3. While they're cooking, mix the cheese sauce from the boxes, milk and butter or margarine and basil.

4. When the noodles are cooked, drain the water and pour the noodles into a large glass casserole dish.

5. Pour the cheese sauce mixture evenly over it.

6. Add the tomatoes and peppers, and stir until they're mixed evenly.

7. Distribute the strips or pieces of cheese on top so they melt onto the dish.

8. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hr (might be more like an hour and a half, depending on your oven).

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