Butterbeer

New Years Eve my dear niece, Rachel, made up a batch of yummy Butterbeer for everyone.  Oh my, was it decadently tasty and rich!  Thank you Rachel for sharing the recipe with us!   :)

Rachel preparing the Butterbeer 

Butterbeer - recipe by Darla from Bakingdom, website here:  http://www.bakingdom.com/2010/11/butterbeer-oh-yes-friends-butterbeer.html

Modified slightly by Rachel  :)

For the foam:
2 cups heavy cream
6 Tbsp. sugar or Splenda
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1.5 tsp. imitation butter flavor

For the butter beer:
12 oz. bottles or cans of chilled cream soda, one per serving
Imitation butter flavor (will use 1/2 tsp. per serving so make sure you have enough)
Optional:  1 oz. light rum, per serving, for adults

To make the foam:  In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, whip the heavy cream on medium high speed for 3-4 minutes until it starts to thicken.  Add the sugar and continue whipping until very soft peaks begin to form, another 3-4 minutes (if you need to whip more or less, then be sure to do so... the times can vary quite a bit based on environment.)  Stir in the vanilla and imitation butter flavor, then whip for another 30 seconds or so, until soft peaks form.  Foam in original recipe is for 6 servings, but I found it worked for as many as 10 or 12.

To make the butter beer:  Place 1/2 tsp. of imitation butter in each glass.  Pour 12 ounces of butterbeer into each glass, over the butter.  Lightly stir, if necessary.  Spoon a generous portion of foam on top of each glass of butterbeer, mixing gently if desired.  Or, spoon the foam into the bottom of each glass and pour the butterbeer over the top.  (warning:  if you do this method, prepare for it to fizz up pretty high like root beer!  When I made this for Halloween we had a pretty epic overflow!)  Serve immediately and enjoy.  :)

Chai Tea

Chai Tea

2 cups water

1 cup milk

black tea (I used one small tea bag and about 2 Tbsp. Bourbon Vanilla loose tea)

1 Tbsp. sugar or Splenda  (recipe called for double this, but I don't think it is necessary.)

2 tsp. Pampered Chef Cinnamon Plus seasoning

1/4 tsp. Ginger

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Combine milk and water in a saucepan or tea kettle; bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Add tea and remaining ingredients.  Steep for 5 to 6 minutes.  Remove tea and serve.  

I did this entire process in a saucepan on top of the stove.  Next time I will heat the milk and water in the saucepan but will then pour that into a teapot and add the rest of the ingredients to that.  I think it will keep it warmer longer.  

(the original recipe called for the following spices, but I didn't have them... so I chose the spices listed in recipe above instead, along with the Bourbon Vanilla tea.)

1/4 tsp. cardamom

1/4 tsp. fennel

1/4 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Makes 2 mugs

Creamy Herb Beef and Potato Soup

This was another hit all around - all my fellas enjoyed it.  I love soup but like trying new recipes.  This was enough different from any of my other 'go-to' recipes that it seemed like a real treat.  Creamy, comforting and filling; but not all that high calorie.  

Creamy Herb Beef and Potato Soup

1.5 pounds lean ground beef  (90% lean)

1/2 onion, chopped

7 potatoes, diced

7 carrots, sliced or diced

3 celery ribs, sliced

1/3 cup flour

32 oz. chicken broth

1 Tbsp. parsley flakes

2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. black pepper

12 oz. reduced fat Velveeta cheese, cubed

2 cups skim milk

3 chicken bouillon cubes

3 cups water

Brown the ground beef in a large stock pot.  Rinse, drain and put in bowl at side.  In stock pot, sauté the potatoes, carrots, celery and onion in about 1 cup of the chicken broth until crisp tender.  Sprinkle flour over top and stir, then add remaining chicken broth.  Add seasonings, then add cooked ground beef back to pot.  Add the milk and the cubed cheese and let simmer to melt cheese, stirring occasionally.  At this point I added in the additional water and bouillon cubes because we like our soup with a bit more broth.  When cheese is melted and all is heated through, it is ready to serve. 

Note - the original recipe called for cooking this in a crock pot or stoneware combo.  Here are the directions for that method...

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Combine flour and 1 cup broth until smooth.  Add to beef mixture.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  

Transfer to a 5 quart slow cooker.  Stir in the potatoes, carrots, celery, seasonings and remaining broth.  Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until vegetables are tender.  Stir in cheese and milk.  Cover, cook 30 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.  Just before serving, stir in 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream.      

Nutrition facts - 1.25 cups equals...

327 calories

11 g. fat

61 mg. cholesterol

832 mg. sodium

32 g. carbohydrate

3 g. fiber

25 g. protein

Ham Tetrazzini

Everyone liked this dish a lot!  It tastes somewhat similar to an older, higher calorie dish I used to make, but is better for us.  I will definitely be making this again.

Ham Tetrazzini

2 cans reduced fat, reduced sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced (boys asked me to leave these out next time... or chop REALLY small)

2 cups cubed cooked ham  (I used leftover deli ham, shredded)

1 cup evaporated skim milk

1/2 cup white wine or water

1 tsp. prepared horseradish

1 pkg. (15 oz.) whole wheat spaghetti

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

Prepare spaghetti noodles as directed on package.  Drain and set aside.  Mix together soup, evaporated skim milk, wine, horseradish and seasonings in large bowl.  Add in shredded cheese, ham and mushrooms.  Mix in the cooked spaghetti noodles and pour into 9 x 13 pan and cover with foil.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes then uncover and bake another 10 to 15 minutes.  

Note - this recipe was originally a crockpot (or stoneware combo) recipe.  Here are the directions as they were in the original recipe.

In a 5 quart slow cooker, combine the soup, mushrooms, ham, milk, wine, horseradish and seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.  Cook spaghetti according to pkg. directions; drain.  Add spaghetti and cheese to slow cooker; toss to coat.  

Nutrition - 1 cup equals...

279 calories

5 g. fat

26 mg. cholesterol

734 mg. sodium

37 g. carbohydrate

4 g. fiber

20 g. protein

Panko Roasted Zucchini

1 zucchini, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
5 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Toss sliced zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms in olive oil.  Add seasonings, Panko crumbs and shredded cheese and stir gently to coat.  Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

3 to 4 servings

Quinoa, Sweet Potato and Kale

I sort of made this up the other day and it turned out really well.  I have been eating this for my lunch for the last few days.  :)

Make quinoa with a vegetable bouillon cube  (2 cups water, boiling - add 1/2 Knorr veggie bouillon cube - then add 1 cup quinoa.  Bring back to boil, then simmer for about 15 to 18 minutes or until done and fluffy.)

Slice 1 sweet potato into small chunks and sauté in a few Tbsp. water in skillet.  Chop 1/2 a small onion and add to skillet to sauté.  Add 2 cloves of garlic, crushed to skillet and sauté.  (keep adding water as needed to prevent burning.)  Add 1/2 Knorr veggie bouillon cube, more water (I probably added about 2 cups, total) and kale to skillet.  Add about 2 Tbsp. honey to skillet.  Mix and let simmer at a lower temp until kale is wilted and all is cooked through.  (should only take a few minutes or so.)

Stir in cooked quinoa and let sit for a few minutes before serving.  

Lisa's Chocolate Chip Clouds

Lisa made a double batch of these when we were in St. Louis last weekend.  Oh my, were they ever yummy!!!  Thanks to Lisa for making the cookies and for sharing the recipe!

Chocolate Chip Clouds

Ingredients:
3 large egg whites (room temperature)
1/3 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup dark or milk chocolate morsels

Helpful Tip:  Always be sure your eggs are room temperature, and you use metal beaters and bowls for perfect meringues every time.

Heat oven to 300°F.  Cover cookie sheet with nonstick silicone pad or parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together in a large bowl at high speed until soft peaks form.  Gradually add sugar a little at a time, then vanilla, beating well after each addition until you get stiff peaks, the sugar is dissolved, and the mixture is glossy.

Fold in chocolate chips.  Drop mixture by tablespoons onto cookie sheet.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes or just until dry.  Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Store covered, at room temperature.  Makes about 30 cookies.

Update - Lisa shared the link of the blog where she found this recipe (or the original recipe before she tweaked it).  Looks like a terrific blog!!  Thanks Lisa!

The end of the season

The 11th and 12th days of Christmas were certainly at a slower pace around here.  James headed out early Friday morning to return to his base.  Rachel, Stephen, Candace and the girls also left that morning to head to St. Louis to visit dear friends on their way home to Oklahoma.  There wasn't quite enough room in the van for everyone on that trip so Kerry and Robin stayed up here for an extra night.  That was nice since it allowed them to be here to watch the Cotton Bowl with Daddy, who was finally starting to feel a little bit better.

watching the Cotton Bowl

I love Mama's Christmas village...

Jonathan working on some mini-puzzles

Robin, Jonathan and Mama

Done!  Can I take a photo?  Please?

Thank you, Jonathan!   :)

On Saturday, Mama and I took Kerry and Robin to St. Louis to meet up with the rest of the crew.  We enjoyed our trip together and the extra visiting time.  We also enjoyed lunch at Olive Garden along the way.  :)  A special bonus was getting to see the Barfield family!  It had been too long.  

They had a lovely tea ready for us complete with Lisa's amazing homemade cookies!  They even pulled out a special mug for Robin's tea... one of the commemorative mugs from the Magruder Hall campaign - designed like a beaker!  :)  

Robin, Zachary, Lisa and Christian

Lisa's incredibly tasty cookies... recipe to be posted next!

Robin having his hot tea in the Magruder Hall beaker mug.  :)

Mama and I settled in for nice visit with everyone, then realized we still had to drive back home.  :(  

Grudgingly, we made our good-byes and headed for home.  

Zachary, Lisa and Christian

Mama, Mike and Candace

What a marvelous Christmas season we have had.

The 10th Day of Christmas

The 10th day of Christmas (or Jan. 3) we all got ready for a group family photo.  We had actually planned to do this the day prior, but Daddy was so sick he wasn't able to participate.  :(  He wasn't very much better on this day, but it was so important to him to get a photo when everyone was home together that he got through it.

We tried a few different things to get the family photo, and they had varying levels of success.  But, I can't help but smile when I look at the pictures from that morning because A) we are all together and that just makes me smile on its own! and B) we had some pretty good chuckles throughout the process. :)  So, wonderful memories were made!

Everyone!  Front Row - Jonathan, Laura, Susanna, Hannah, Rachel
Back Row - Marvin, Jackson, Mama, Daddy, Julie, Kerry, Candace, James, Anna, Stephen

Crazy shot...

:D

it was SO COLD outside!!!!

Kerry and Candace's friend Robin had come up the day before to join us and he was so kind to slip right into the midst of changing plans and 'flexible schedules' regarding activities.  He helped us out during the taking of photos by running a camera (or two) and by making people laugh.  (I'll point out my favorite result of Robin's efforts below...)   :D   I have to tell you that we so enjoyed our time with Robin that he now feels like family.  We certainly hope that he and his wife, Karen, can come back again to visit us.

Below are several photos from that morning.  There is an entire album at this link.

Anna, Julie and James

Candace and Kerry

Rachel and Stephen

Susanna

Rachel, Stephen, Hannah, Candace, Kerry, Susanna

the result of Robin's humor :)
I wasn't sure we would ever get my brother back on track!!  :D

Jonathan and Jackson

Jackson, Jonathan, Laura and Marvin

Mama and Daddy

I absolutely LOVE this photo of Mama and Daddy

After photo time we just sort of hung around, played games, visited and enjoyed our time together.  We had been planning to take a sleigh ride but again, Daddy was SO sick that we cancelled that activity altogether.  Jackson had arranged to bring his friend, Gigi, out for that event and we all laughed when he shared with us what he told her... "Well, we aren't having a sleigh ride, but we do have a British guy!"   (Robin is from Great Britain, I should add...)   :D  Gigi showed her flexibility and good-naturedly joined in with the games and camaraderie.

James, Jonathan, Susanna, Jackson and Stephen playing Wits and Wagers

Robin, Kerry and Julie

Hannah, Rachel, Susanna (on the floor!), Jackson, Gigi and Robin playing Rollick.  

Rollick is a great game!  

Gigi and Jackson played a couple games of Chess - I think she whooped him!  :)

Gotta have a few rounds of Pictionary!

Jackson has been determined to beat James at arm wrestling ever since James became a Marine.

Not this year...  :)  

This was our last evening with everyone here together and we were trying to decide what to do to make it special.  We sort of stumbled onto the perfect solution... watching old home movies.  Goodness, it doesn't seem like that many years ago when the 'older' cousins were just little ones, as pictured in the videos.  And certainly, the years have flown by with my own two boys.  It was so much fun to watch those videos and gave me the extra impetus I need to focus on transferring them all to DVD.  

All in all it was a truly lovely last day of celebration with all the family.