Hot Chocolate

 
"Storm Tracker 2012!!!"  

Folks, you might want to stay home 

because we may get 6 whole inches of snow!!!  

For those of us in the good old Midwest as kids, 

six to ten inches of snow was no big whoop...  

The weatherman would sort of roll his eyes 

during his segment of the evening news 

and run through the snowy forecast...  

No biggie...  

"It's snowing again... "

These days they practically call out 

the National Guard if it drizzles... 

So, Mother Nature was quite tardy this year, 

bringing us our first real snowfall of the season today... 

It's like Christmas all over again, 

what with the anticipation and excitement...

The kids can hardly wait to get out of school to play

in the newly fallen snow...

"I'm gonna make snow angels!" Kate declared. 

My mother loved the snow if only for the fact 

that we would disappear into the ravine 

across the street to sled for hours...  

It was steep and bowl shaped, 

with a small hill at the bottom... 

If you hit that hill just right, 

you and your sled would fly into the air, 

 and cross atmospheres before descending

into the creek at the far end...  

My brother would ice down that little hill

just to amp up the trajectory to warp speed...
  

We and the neighborhood kids would sled 

until we couldn't feel our fingers and toes anymore...  

We would emerge into the warm house, 

full of ice burrs on our clothes 

and cheeks as pink as peonies in May...

And the best part would be that Mom 

would have the liquid chocolate piping hot, 

along with some cookies on a plate... 

Sounds like a commercial for Toll House cookies?  

Well, it was awesome.  

So today is a hot chocolate day...

I stopped by my favorite Hispanic market 

this morning to buy Abuelita's Hot Chocolate... 

My current entrepreneurial idol, Ree Drummond, 

has a great recipe for Mexican Hot Chocolate...  

Let's give it a try, shall we?  

As for the cookies, store bought is going to have to do...  

I'm not channeling June Cleaver today...

The Angelfish of Death...

Oops, I did it again... 

Abby and Bubbles II have expired, too... 

I realize now that in this photo, they are begging for help...

In the words of Kate,
"Every morning we wake up and the fish are DEAD!"... 

It's gotta be the water...  

Retro the beta fish lasted about four months,
which is a nice long spell in these parts,
comparatively speaking...

I think he got what is commonly known as "Ick"
and slowly deteriorated into the fishy beyond... 

After Retro's passing, I rinsed the tank
and soaked it with a little bleach
for a couple of weeks before surprising the kids
with a trip to the major chain pet supply store... 

What was supposed to be a happy choosing of two new goldfish
devolved into a heated discussion why no furry rodents
would be coming home with us...

"But MOM, I will take care of the guinea pig,
I PROMISE!"

Look, I grew up with parakeets, frogs, turtles,
gerbils, hamsters, cats, dogs and rabbits. 
Furry rodents smell and make lots of noise at three am... 

Best of all, they escape
and then die in the ductwork of the house... 

Nope, ain't happenin' in my house....

Back to the fish...

So we bought Bubbles I and Skippy,
and all sorts of conditioners, food, ammonia remover,
you name it... 

Went home and did what I was told...

Slipped the happy little fishies into Roscoe's clean tank...

The fish were on the chunky side
and they seemed a little cramped in the beta tank... 

And a little lethargic... 

I figured the trip wore them out...

Who knew? 

In the morning they had that telltale dead look...

You know, when they do the motionless sidestroke? 

Yep...

So, we took the whole tank,
containing the fish carcasses, to the pet store. 

The kind sales girl recommended a larger tank
with an aerator and some more liquid potions
to condition the water....

This goldfish thing was starting to get expensive,
but I relented since they are a lot less bank
than a purebred Persian kitten at this point... 

This time, Kate picked out a black fish
and named her Abby... 

Jack stayed with the goldfish
and named him Bubbles II... 

Went home, did was I was told with the water
and introduced Abby and Bubbles II
to their pretty new lit tank... 

They swam around happily, although I noticed Bubbles II
looked a little sluggish as I went off to bed... 

In the morning, I'll be darned if those fish took a memo
from the previous two and did the same sidestroke! 

I started to feel like the Grim Reaper of fish... 

We trudged back to the pet store,
with two lumps of bait in the Ziploc.... 

The sales girl happened to be by the front door,
giving out pizza.... 

It was the grand opening... 

She saw the look on my face and knew that I'd done it again...

She quickly escorted me away from the throngs
of happy customers, not wanting them to see my dead fish... 

Well, now I am reconditioning the water for a few days
before introducing only one scaled victim
to my tank of death... 

Wish me luck... 

Kate's ant farm is our next adventure into life and death....

Can't wait....

I figured it would be in bad taste to show a fish recipe,
so instead I'll share a tutorial from Steamy Kitchen that looks fun for the start of the year...


MEMORY JAR

We keep this vintage pale blue canning jar on the kitchen counter with a stack of colorful paper and a marker. Every few days, one of us will jot down something that made our family laugh or smile. On New Year’s Eve, we’ll be emptying out the jar, unfolding each paper and reading them one by one.
Next year, a new jar to begin again — and the best part is we can bring out past jars anytime to remember the little things that shaped our lives.
A memory jar is more fun than a journal – as anyone in the family can contribute to it. The best is when one of us secretly writes memory and quietly slips it into the jar. I can’t wait to read some of the notes my kids have written all year long.
Inside the jar, we also keep little silver trinkets and charms. Sometimes one of us will have a bad day, need a little extra reminder for compassion or a good luck charm on a spelling test. These are little enough to put into your pocket to serve as a extra oomph of support for the day. We used to have a small heart too – I carried around the small silver heart one day and ended up giving it to a stranger I came across, who needed a little love.

The charms are indeed magical – and I encourage my kids to give them to a friend or stranger who could use a bit of magic.
If you’d like to create a memory jar, here’s what I used:
Vintage mason jar – quart size: you can find these on eBay or Etsy. Try to get one with a lid so you can store each year’s memory jar on a shelf. The photo below is from Mason Galore on Etsy.

The colorful notepad is from Staples – even though it looks like a Post-It note, there is no sticky backing. Just a pretty spiral of colorful paper. $3.79 for 600 sheets.

You can also use scrapbook paper and cut them into 4″x4″ squares. I love the ones that come in a giant pad from Michael’s.
The silver charms were bought at a local gift shop near my home. There are so many gorgeous handmade ones on Etsy: sterling silver wishbone, faith angel wing, dragonfly word charms, copper pocket heart.
From Cartelle $28:

This is the Oldest I Have Been So Far....

Yesterday was my birthday....

An inconvenient day, what with the Christmas season,
the New Year's parties and then,
Oh, jeez...it's her birthday, already??!  

This year, I hoped to let it slip past quietly....

Maybe no one would notice that ever increasing number...

I might not be over the hill yet,
but I sure have a great view!

35...

That might be the age I will stop at...

At 35, I still had a lot of energy,
nothing really hurt yet and I could go into a room to retrieve something
and get it without wondering,

"Now what did I come in here for?!"

At 35 I was still unaware of what lay ahead in parenthood...

Now that I have survived the boot camp of babies,
diapers and sleepless nights,
I'd like to get 35 back as a reward...

Can't they figure out booster shots,
kind of like cortisone shots that will surge youth
and energy back into my system?

I think that's fair payment after the years of cleaning up two a.m. throw up on the carpet,
running lunches to school,
mediating arguments and sorting piles of socks...

I am now at the age where I am jealous of women
with tight jaws and supple necks...

And where the heck did these wrinkly spots come from?!

So, Tom decided that he would make the day special
and arranged for the kids to have play dates
so I could do as I pleased...

A man planning ahead?

What?!

That, in itself, was such a gift...

So, I spent it shopping with my mom,
having a ladies lunch at Noodles
and enjoying an uninterrupted conversation
for a full 30 minutes...

I know, can you believe it ?!

What is it about a gift card that turns me into a miser?

All of a sudden I am thrust into the league of those
who have money to spend
and I can't pull the trigger...

It's like I will be wasting this delicious card
if I don't find something so outrageously wonderful
at a ridiculously low price...

I can't just blow the whole thing, say, on a pair of khaki pants...

I must LOVE LOVE LOVE it or the card is wasted...

Silly, I know...

So, I bought a black sweater and a white dress shirt....

So typical and boring of me....

Sigh....

Tom and the kids then took me out for sushi at a local favorite...

Jack is a big sushi lover, slurping up the miso soup in a mad rush...

The birthday cake was a cute little morsel via Jewel Food Stores... 

Grocery store cake is a guilty pleasure...
The cake is dark and moist and the sugary frosting just screams Crisco.. 

I love it... 

So, middle age has snuck in through the back door...

I don't like her much,

but we will have to find a way to get along...

Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Onassis and Lauren Hutton
grew older gracefully, so why can't we, huh?

Heck, Elle MacPherson is the same age as I am
and she is still modeling for Marc Jacobs....

Maybe older is the new black.... hah!

And now, as a gift to you, a recipe for a most soul soothing soup for these chilly days...
This soup is awesome, topped with fresh avocado,
sliced green onion, chopped cilantro and a sprinkling of cheddar cheese....

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup courtesy of Skinnytaste.com



Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups low sodium fat-free chicken broth
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1-2 tsp chipotle chili in adobo sauce (or more to taste)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)
•  15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 8 oz skinless chicken breasts (16 oz total)
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions, for topping
• 3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
• fat free sour cream (optional)

Directions:

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and bring to a boil. Add cilantro and remove from heat. Pour into crock pot.

To the crockpot, add drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and stir. Add the chicken breasts; cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.

Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add chicken back into the soup, adjust salt and cumin to taste. Serve in bowls and top with fat free sour cream, cheese, scallions and cilantro. You can also top with avocado or crushed tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Homemade Irish Cream

Okay, this may be a day late and a dollar short,
but here is a super delicious recipe that makes a great hostess gift
for that New Year's Eve party you might be attending tonight....


Homemade Irish Cream...

I found it on Facebook last night,
courtesy of Recipegirl, who posted it courtesy of Tasty Kitchen,
which is in The Pioneer Woman's website...

You know how much I love Ree....

Her recipes have not failed me yet...

So last night, while I was hanging out with a friend
in the kitchen as the kids destroyed each other via the Wii,
I made the Irish Cream... 

Let me tell you, oh multitasking friend,
you can do this while drinking your Pinot Grigio,
eating pita chips and having a meaningful conversation... 

The recipe is that easy and very quick...

The only challenge is to have the proper vessels
to house this fabulous elixir.
I thoroughly washed the dead soldier bottle of wine
we just killed and used it, with a little festive decoration...

I call that sustainable thinkin'!

The recipe fills 1 1/2 wine bottles of intoxicatingly yummy goodness...

So, perhaps the thing to do is to scour your kitchen cabinets
or go to Target, Kmart
or The Container Store to find smaller bottles
to maximize your gifting potential...

Don't forget to squirrel away some for yourself,
because you are going to want to keep a good amount of it...

It will be so lip smacking good over ice, vanilla ice cream or a warm brownie....

It might be better than...
well, you know what I am talking about...

So if you have the time,
whip up some Irish Cream for your favorite party host tonight
and they may be your BFF for 2012....

IRISH CREAM

Recipe Description

Instead of going to the store to buy some Bailey’s, try your hand at making your own. It was quite easy and very good!

Preparation Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix together the espresso, cocoa powder, cinnamon, powdered sugar, and 3 Tablespoons of heavy cream. Stir until dissolved and set aside.
2. Pour all the remaining ingredients into a large bowl, then add the cocoa espresso mixture.
3. Use an immersion blender to incorporate all ingredients together for 20-30 seconds until your mixture is smooth. If you do not have an immersion blender a traditional blender on pulse or puree will work as well.
4. Pour it into your favorite sealable containers. Let the drink sit overnight for all the flavors to blend together.
5. Be sure to give it a good shake before using and enjoy your homemade Irish cream for up to 2 months. Store in refrigerator.
Source: 6 Bittersweets

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon Instant Espresso Granules
• 1-½ Tablespoon Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoons Powdered Sugar
• ¾ cups Heavy Cream, divided
• ¾ cups Milk
• 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (14oz)
• 1 teaspoon Honey
• 1-½ cup Irish Whiskey
• 1-½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Over and Out....

Pine needles...

I'll be finding them in June when I lift the rug
or swish the drapes away from the wall.... 

No matter how much I vacuum, those pesky evergreen leaves persist.... 

I don't know about you, but by December 27th,
I am ready to strike the Christmas set.... 

To me, the remnants of the holiday remind me
that the festivities are over
and it makes me a touch sad... 

And with the tree ever withering and dropping clouds of needles
at the slightest breeze, I am motivated to change the scenery... 

So, yesterday, while play dates were coursing through the house,
video games roaring, little feet running,
I packed up Christmas... 

This morning, my burly husband, who looks very much like a lumberjack lately,
what with the flannel shirt and two weeks growth of scruff,
heaved Mr. Tree out the back,
like he does, with relish, every year...

He is rather hunky, ain't he...?

We do anticipate this tree tossing event.... 

Take a look...

I am not a huge believer in Feng Shui,
but I have to say that the lack of clutter
and the return to open spaces has a lovely, calming effect on me... 

So much so, that I may just stay in the Asian theme

and make this for dinner.....

---

Inspired by Malaysian laksa, a traditional dish of noodles in hot spicy broth, this easy-to-prepare soup gets its complex flavor foundation from store-bought curry paste. It can be topped with cooked chicken (such as the Chicken with Basil and Lime), seafood, or tofu. Try other traditional garnishes, such as scallions, cilantro, chiles, peanuts, or hard-cooked eggs. 

Martha Stewart Living, December 2011

  INGREDIENTS

• 10 ounces Chinese wheat noodles (mein), or rice noodles
• 1 tablespoon safflower or peanut oil
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Thai yellow curry paste (from one 4-ounce jar or can)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 lemon
• Fresh basil, for garnish
• 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil noodles according to package directions. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Toss with 1 teaspoon oil.
   
2. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook curry paste, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in stock. Raise heat, and bring to a boil. Whisk in coconut milk. Cook until just simmering (do not boil).
   
3. Cut lemon in half, and squeeze 1 half into saucepan. Cut remaining half into 4 wedges. Divide noodles and soup among 4 bowls. Garnish with basil, cucumber, and lemon wedges.
   

COOK'S NOTE

Noodles can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before using.

---

Knuffle Bunny

It came to me as I was tucking Kate into bed tonight...

She was parroting out lectures of being happy with whatever Santa brought,
even if it was not EVERYTHING she asked for...

Amazing and frightening when you realize
your kids actually listen to what you say...

Hell, I asked Santa for a new roof and that didn't happen,
but hey, he gave me a pair of ice skates...

In fact, it was an ice skates kind of Christmas this year...

Jack, Kate and I all received skates...

Woo hoo....Wrigley Rink, here we come!

Anyway, I digress... 

Kate really wanted a Knuffle Bunny,
a main character in one of her fave Mo Willems books...

Uh huh, my five year old has favorite authors...
And apparently makes as many costume changes as Cher....

 My favorite is the shiny leopard print biketard....classy.

The dealio is, that I remembered tonight that
I did buy her a plush Knuffle Bunny from Amazon.com... 

And then it hit me that there is a whole box out there
of STUFF; gifts that I didn't wrap and give... 

Crap!

I saw them at the factory weeks ago and then,
Poof!

 Btw, Christmas over Skype is a good thing.....

Anyway, out of sight, out of mind with the box.... 

This kind of thing happened to my mom in 1985...

They were living in Florida
and I was a college student at U of I.

I flew home for Christmas break, full of excitement...

On Christmas Eve we opened gifts
and it became clear that Mom bought all the gifts
for my brother and my dad... 

I had about four presents to their fifteen,
which was so weird...

Now, you have to understand that I have the most awesome mom,
who has treated me like a princess my whole life... 

She would tie herself to the tracks for me...

So, for her to skimp on my present pile
was like a dagger to her heart...

What happened?

She forgot a box that was hidden somewhere...

It showed itself about April and we laughed...

My kids were in no way slighted this Christmas,
thanks to very generous grandparents,
but I noticed the lack of Santa gifts as we were setting them out...

Tom even tried to "merchandise" the piles
to make them look more plentiful...

Damn, that Knuffle Bunny!

Now it's gonna bug me all night...

Where is that #%@ box?

If found, should I save the gifts for the next event?

Nah...I can't wait that long....

Speaking of waiting,
most yeast recipes require lots of waiting
and this cinnamon roll recipe is no exception...

But, OH...is it worth the wait....

That Ree Drummond is my new idol...

She rocks. 

Recipe: Cinnamon Rolls, courtesy of The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 1 quart Whole Milk
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 packages Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
• 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
• Plenty Of Melted Butter
• 2 cups Sugar
• Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon
• _____
• MAPLE FROSTING:
• 1 bag Powdered Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1/4 cup Melted Butter
• 1/4 cup Brewed Coffee
• 1/8 teaspoon Salt

Preparation Instructions

For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.
Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.
To make the filling, pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly. Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of the sugar over the butter. Don’t be afraid to drizzle on more butter or more sugar! Gooey is the goal.
Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, gooey log.
Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices. One “log “will produce 20 to 25 rolls. Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil cake pans and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.)
Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for at least 20 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown.
While the rolls are baking, make the maple icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, and salt. Splash in the maple flavoring. Whisk until very smooth. Taste and add in more maple, sugar, butter, or other ingredients as needed until the icing reaches the desired consistency. The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable.
Remove pans from the oven. Immediately drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor. They only get better with time… not that they last for more than a few seconds. Make them for a friend today! It’ll seal the relationship for life. I promise.