The Doghouse

Rather than receive gifts under the tree, Brielle chose the opportunity to ski with mom and dad during the winter season.  So, we hit the Beav on New Year's day, despite temperatures in the single digits.  Brielle was seriously tearing up the slopes, even after only having one lesson and a half day of skiing prior to today.  She ski's like a little champ and loves it.  Here, take a look...

Here's Brielle in perfect form heading down the mountain.

 Here she is riding up the chair lift with mom and dad.  She can now get on and off without any assistance.

Wait.  What?  You don't see Brielle in the pictures above?  Why could that be?  It's because Chris forgot the camera and I had to pull the above photos off of Google. Someday, when she is skiing in the Olympics, representing the US of A, I won't have pictures to show of when the little bug learned to ski.

Chris is in trouble.  BIG trouble.  He started off the New Year with a bang... landing himself in the doghouse. 

***He's not in that much trouble, but I still would've liked a picture or two.***

Made with Love

I found this great idea for a super cute Valentine Cupcake on a website called Glorious Treats.  She used a basic Chocolate Cupcake and Cherry Frosting for the filling.  However, I've made a Cherry Frosting before using the juice from a jar of maraschino cherries, and I didn't love it.  So, I put my own little spin on it...

Chocolate Cupcake + Homemade Raspberry Mousse.

It was well worth the effort.  

Raspberry Mousse Filling.

• 3 cups Frozen Raspberries (should make 1 to 1 1/2 cups when pureed)
• 1 packet Gelatin
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 6 tsp Meringue Powder
• 1/3 sugar

Simmer the raspberries in a saucepan until soft.  Transfer to blender and puree.  Using a sieve, separate the seeds from the puree and set aside.

In another saucepan, add Gelatin packet with 3 Tbsp water and let sit for a few minutes to soften the gelatin.  Add 1 cup raspberry puree to the gelatin and simmer until gelatin has dissolved.  Let cool to room temperature.  

In the meantime, add 6 tsp Meringue Powder to a mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment.  At 6 Tbsp cold water.  Beat on high until still peaks form, and resemble stiff egg whites.  Slowly add sugar, then raspberry puree.

Next, whip the heavy cream until stiff.  Gently fold in the raspberry mixture and place in the fridge until set.

Cupcakes.

Use a basic chocolate cupcake recipe, or, if using a box mix, I prefer Western Family Chocolate Fudge.

After the cupcakes are baked and cooled, use a sharp knife to cut the tops of the cupcake, right on the liners edge.  Using a small heart cookie cutter, cut a heart out of the cupcake top, and dust with powdered sugar.

Pipe the mousse onto the cupcake, and replace the cupcake top.  I then piped extra mousse inside the heart.

While skiing up at Beaver on Tuesday, we had lunch with on of Brielle's friends and her dad.  She was eating what looked like a super yummy cookie, and I told her that her mom bakes cookies better than me.  She replied "that's cuz she makes everything with love."

Well there... now I do, too.  And it's obvious, don't you think?

Chicken with Wild Rice Soup

One of the things I most love about winter is making soup.  I love soup, especially when paired with some really good, crusty bread and maybe some Boursin Cheese.  Chicken & Wild Rice Soup is one of Chris's favorite soups and I have a little secret ingredient that makes it extra creamy, and extra flavorful.

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium saucepan, start by bringing to a boil 3 cups of a good chicken stock.  When boiling, add 1 1/4 cups Wild Rice, cover, reduce to medium-low and let simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.  You could use water, but cooking the rice in chicken stock will add extra flavor.

Next, you'll need:

• 4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 celery stocks, chopped
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup mushrooms (optional - I hate mushrooms)
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped or shredded (to save time, a rotisserie chicken from the store works well -- just take the skin off and shred)
• 4 cups Chicken Stock
• 1 cup Half & Half or Heavy Cream
• 3 Tbsp. Butter
• 3 Tbsp. Flour
• Salt & Pepper 
• 2 tsp. Dried Parsley
• 1 cup shredded Fontina Cheese

Meanwhile, in a large stockpot or dutch oven pot, drizzle olive oil and saute onion, carrots, celery and garlic over medium heat until just cooked through.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper, and add parsley.  Next add the butter and flour.  Let it coat the vegetables and cook for a few minutes more.  This will help thicken the soup.

Next, add the chicken stock and stir until it starts to thicken, then add cream and let simmer.  When rice cooked and ready, add the rice and chicken to the soup.

Just before you get ready to serve, add the shredded Fontina cheese, which can be found with the specialty cheeses at the grocery store.  This is my secret!!!  Fontina melts very, very well and will make your soup extra creamy, and provide a rich flavor.  Don't omit the cheese -- I promise, it makes a big difference.  Stir until cheese is completed melted and combined, and serve.

This will make enough soup for 6-8 people.  Enjoy!

***Omit the rice and add diced potatoes and corn, reduce the liquid slightly, and you've got the makings of my chicken pot pie filling.  Put between 2 store-bought pie crusts and bake at 425 for 15-18 minutes, until pie crust is golden brown.***

Lemony Blackberry Cupcakes

I crave these all summer long.  They scream "summer cupcake."

Lemon Cupcakes

• 1 cup Butter
• 2 cups Sugar
• 2 Eggs, plus 3 Egg Yolks
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Zest
• 1/3 cup fresh Lemon Juice
• 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 cup Buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs and yolks, zest and lemon juice.  Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk until well combined.

Line cupcake pan with with liners and fill 3/4 full.  Bake for 16 to 18 minutes.

Blackberry Frosting

• 8 oz Mascarpone Cheese
• 8 oz Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 cup Fresh Blackberries
• 1 cup Weeks Frozen Blackberry Jam

In a mixing bowl, fitted with the whisk attachment, combine Mascarpone cheese and whipping cream.  Beat on high until well combined and stiff.  Add powdered sugar and thawed blackberry jam.  When well combined, add fresh blackberries and beat for 30 seconds more.

This frosting is not a thick, dense frosting that can be pipped onto cupcakes.  Spoon carefully.  You may even want to stick frosted cupcakes in the fridge to set up a bit before serving.

Beef Stew

I love Beef Stew.  Especially one that isn't too hard to make, and one that I don't need to fuss over the entire time it's cooking.  Pair with some homemade bread, and you have the perfect winter supper.  My favorite Beef Stew recipe that I've found was posted on the Our Best Bites site.  With the recipe, you can throw everything in the pot, stick in the oven and pull out after church.  It's wonderful.

 Beef Stew - Our Best Bites

Happy Cheesy New Year

New Year.  New Blog.  New Post.

We moved to Cache Valley 4 years ago.  A year later, we made new friends who happened to share our love for cheese, good food and games.  Hence came our annual "Cheesy Holiday Party."  A party we look forward to each and every year. 

You can't have a "Cheesy Holiday Party" without...  Cheese.

We'll start our cheesy description with Havarti with Dill (Chris's personal favorite).  We include the tags in order to identify the type and flavor of the cheese.  We also make sure to buy specialty breads from a local artisan bakery called Crumb Brothers.

Chris also put in a special request for Gruyere and Gouda cheeses made by Rock Hill Creamery, located in Ogden, Utah. And no, I didn't drive to Ogden.  Thankfully, you can find it at Gossner's in Logan.  I made it just as they were closing early this afternoon -- Phew.

Even though the theme of the party is totally "cheesy," we also include meat & crackers.  A caramel dip was made for dipping fruit and cake.  I should also mention that what you see in the pics is not all... this is only just what I prepared.  Our friends brought Brie Cheese baked in pastry dough, Boursin Cheese (a family favorite) and for dessert, Cresent Rolls filled with dark chocolate, with a milk chocolate drizzle on top.  Mmmmmmm.

Another holiday staple that I couldn't pass up making was my Mom's "Glog-Nog."  Sounds appetizing, doesn't it!  Don't be a doubter -- it's super delicious and super creamy.  Don't you see all that wonderful, frothy goodness?  A great alternative to the thick, rich flavor of straight Egg Nog.  Let me share with you the recipe...

In a large bowl, add about a 1/3 cup Orange Juice Concentrate (just trust me).  Next, pour in a half gallon of Egg Nog and a 1 liter bottle of Sprite.  That's what makes it frothy.  Stir to combine.  Just before you are ready to serve, add 8 or 9 scoops of vanilla ice cream (that's the "glog").

Now that you've had a glimpse into our holiday cheesiness, you should try being cheesy yourself.  You won't be disappointed.  Full maybe, but definitely not disappointed.