Cheddar Ale Soup

Because my family lives so close together we gather annually for Christmas. The kids open gifts from their cousins and grandparents and we adults plan a meal that usually centers around soups for the main dish.

This year I found a recipe in the Williams Sonoma catalog that I had to try. They were doing an "English Christmas" theme and the Cheddar Ale Soup sounded like just the thing to follow an afternoon of sledding.

The soup was smooth and rich and pairs wonderfully with fresh baked Irish Brown Bread.

Ingredients

4 thick cut bacon slices, cut into 3 " strips

2 Tbs. unsalted butter (If you omit the bacon, use 4T butter)
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced

3 cloves minced garlic
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 c pale ale
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

2 c milk

2 c chicken broth
1 1/4 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste

In a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium high heat, approx. 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels; discard all but 2 T of bacon fat.

Reduce heat to medium add and melt the butter. Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook, covered, until soft- about 20 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute.

Stir in the flour and cook for 3 or 4 minutes.

Add ale, stir constantly 3-4 minutes.

Add Worcestershire, milk and broth; bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low; simmer 10-12 , minutes.

Puree with an immersion blender.

Set pot over medium low heat. Add cheese by handfuls, stirring constantly; do not boil. Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with crumbled bacon. Serves 4 to 6.

Kitchen Tip: What to do with Extra Egg Yolks

I have hundreds of recipes that call for egg whites and I truly hate wasting the yolk. As I was thumbing through a very old cookbook the other day searching for a recipe for homemade noodles I saw a tip.

Hard boil the yolks.

I had honestly never even thought to do this. Brilliant!

Just place a small pan of water on the stove top and bring it to a boil. Gently add the unbroken yolks and boil about 5 minutes. Cool, then chop and place in refrigerator for use in salads and salad-type sandwiches.

Cinch! Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds & Lose Inches by Cynthia Sass - A Review

I spent the final days of 2010 on a diet. Completely crazy, I know, but I figured if it worked and I began 2011 a few pounds lighter I might just be able to continue in 2011 during the "resolution breaking phase".

The plan I chose is a new one by Cynthia Sass M.P.H., R.D. called Cinch! I was given the book as a review and, after reading it, enjoying the conversational tone Sass uses to convey her message, and appreciating that she explained why she chose the foods for the diet (always good to know why you are eating what you are eating) I jumped in with both feet and did the 5 Day Fast Forward plan; a "jump start" to weight loss.

The 5 Day Fast Forward


The 5 Day Fast Forward is stringent, to say the least. It consists of 5 foods, prepared 4 ways, eaten on a schedule, for 5 days. By day 5 I was terribly sick of them- but I had lost 6 pounds.

What was more amazing to me, though, was that I had no desire for the party fare served at a New Year's Eve party I attended the evening before the Fast Forward ended. I had one drink, and ate a couple of appetizers the hostess had made. But I had no desire to sample everything, or keep grazing. And that, my friends, is HUGE!

The Cinch! Core Plan

Another aspect I appreciated was that the option was open for you to skip the Fast Forward if it was just too stringent and move on the the Core Plan. This 25 day plan (30 if you skip the Fast Forward) gives you options for 4 meals, by now your body has a schedule, plus one dark chocolate indulgence per day.

The menu items are easy to prepare, easy to plan ahead, and follow a "5 piece puzzle" of produce, whole grain, lean protein, plant based fat and specific spices. Learning this 5 piece puzzle will help keep you on track after the core plan ends.

Final chapters of the book discuss emotional eating, walking as exercise, and living the plan.

Pros and Cons

The Cinch! plan includes no red meat. As a Midwest girl, this is a bit painful as we have a deep freeze filled with beef and pork. But I understand the logic and plan to cut my family's red meat intake to 2 meals per week.

The cost of preparing a separate meal for myself and another for my family has been a bit daunting to work into our tight budget (raspberries are expensive in the dead of winter!) but now that I have worked through the Fast Forward I am able to buy whole foods and create menus for my family that use the same ingredients as my meals.

Certain organic foods are suggested- and Sass gives her reasons for choosing them. I truly appreciate that she says not to use organic if it doesn't fit into your budget or you just don't want to. Organic is not a deal breaker.

Vegan and vegetarian options are also given, making this a plan suited to anyone. If weight loss and healthy eating are part of your plan for 2011 I highly recommend Cinch! by Cynthia Sass.

Disclosure: I was provided a proof copy of Cinch! to review. Images and thoughts are completely mine and were not suggested or compensated.

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix and Minty Marshmallow Recipes

As much as I hate to admit it, winter is really and truly here. The positive side of that, however, is that it's time for hot cocoa and marshmallows!

This year I made hot cocoa mix from a recipe my mom used when I was a kid and tried my hand at making marshmallows. It all turned out so nicely that we gave homemade cocoa and minty marshmallows as teacher gifts this year!

Hot Cocoa Recipe
The cocoa recipe is quite easy and makes a lot of mix. If you store it in a airtight container it will keep for 6 months.

Ingredients
10 cups nonfat dry milk powder
1 can (15 ounces) instant chocolate drink mix (the kind used to make chocolate milk; not hot cocoa mix)
1-1/3 cups powdered nondairy creamer
2 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions
In an airtight container, combine all ingredients. A tip for mixing ingredients: Use a large plastic tub with a lid (an old ice cream bucket works well). Put in about half the powdered milk, half the cocoa mix and half the powdered sugar. Then add the creamer and layer the rest of the ingredients on. Tightly attach the lid and rotate the container to mix.
Yield: 13 cups mix (about 41 servings).

Minty Marshmallow Recipe
This recipe came to me as a part of the Betty Crocker Holiday Trends. I made just a couple changes...

These are so much better than purchased marshmallows! Just skip the mint if you're not a fan.

Ingredients
Butter
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup cold water
2 1/2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
8 to 10 drops red or green food color

Directions
1. Generously grease bottom and sides of 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with butter; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the powdered sugar (I used more to help with the stickiness). Pour 1/2 cup cold water into bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with paddle or whisk attachment. Sprinkle gelatin over water; set aside. (Handy tip: if you buy Knox gelatin in packets, each packet is 1Tbsp.)

2. In 2-quart heavy saucepan, heat granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/2 cup water over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium-low and heat syrup to boiling. Boil without stirring until syrup reaches 240°F on candy thermometer, about 15 to 20 minutes; remove from heat.

3. With mixer running at low speed, slowly pour hot syrup into gelatin mixture in thin stream down side of bowl (avoid pouring syrup onto paddle or whisk, as it may splash). Gradually increase speed to medium-high; beat until mixture is white and has almost tripled in volume, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add peppermint extract and beat to blend, about 30 seconds longer. Randomly drop four drops of red or green food color into marshmallow mixture in bowl; fold 3 to 4 times to swirl color.

4. Pour into baking dish. Smooth top with damp rubber spatula. Drop red or green food color randomly on top of marshmallow mixture. Using toothpick, pull food color through marshmallow mixture to create swirl pattern over top. Let stand uncovered at least 4 hours.

5. Sprinkle cutting board with about 1 tablespoon of the powdered sugar (again, I used more. I also sprinkled the top of the marshmallows with powdered sugar before removing them from the dish). Place remaining powdered sugar in small bowl. To remove marshmallow mixture, loosen sides from dish, and gently lift in one piece onto cutting board. Spray sharp knife with cooking spray (I found it worked better if I didn't use cooking spray, but dusted my knife with powdered sugar). Cut marshmallows into 1-inch squares (11 rows by 7 rows). Dust bottom and sides of each marshmallow by dipping into bowl of powdered sugar (I tossed marshmallows in the dish, rolled them in the sugar and then rolled them in my hands to dust off the extra sugar. This kept the marshmallows from sticking together in the container). Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 weeks.

About the cups
I found a dozen plain white cups at Walmart for $9. At Michael's I purchased Porcelain 150 paints and fine point marker. I brushed my girls hands with the paints and had them grip the cups. After those dried for 24 hours I added the text. After another day of drying I baked the cups for 35 minutes. They are dishwasher safe and the girls grandparents have a thoughtful gift.

Giving the Gift of Food with Hickory Farms

I struggle with what to get my husband's parents for Christmas. Both sets have so much "stuff" that I dislike getting them things. And, to be honest, my family puts more emphasis on spending time together and less on gifts (my parents get nothing from us and we get nothing from them) so this whole idea of we "must" get them a gift still overwhelms me.

When I received the Party Planner Gift Box ($40) from Hickory Farms I felt an idea forming. As my family enjoyed the meats and cheeses the idea seemed (tasted) even better.

December is such a busy month with parties, church activities, school programs and gatherings that it is often nice to just sit down with meats and cheeses to snack on while you enjoy a movie or spend time with family. Because it's food I know my gift won't sit on a shelf and collect dust. And because it's yummy I know it will be eaten and enjoyed. (The cranberry mustard is divine!)

You can usually find a Hickory Farms display in your local mall, or order online and have it shipped. Either way you're giving a gift that will be enjoyed.

For our soldiers: many of the gift boxes ship free to APO/FPO military addresses.

Disclosure: I was given the Party Planner Gift Box from Foodbuzz and Hickory Farms to sample and share my thoughts. I was not paid for this review.

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Soups are a wonderful meal on a cold winter evening. This recipe, from Hungry Girl, is my new favorite. It's warm, low cal and filling! I mix 1T fat free sour cream into mine to add a creaminess, while my husband and daughters prefers theirs sprinkled with cheese. I serve it with half a slice of Irish Brown Bread.

Ingredients:
Non-stick cooking spray
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
4 cups Fat Free broth (chicken or vegetable)
15 oz. can pure pumpkin
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn
3/4 cup salsa (this is where you can add or reduce the spiciness)
Optional toppings: shredded reduced-fat or fat-free cheese, and reduced-fat or fat free sour cream

Directions:
Spray pot with non-stick cooking spray and heat pan on medium. (Tip: use a larger pot than you think you'll need) Add garlic, chili powder and cumin, and stir for one minute. Add broth to the spices, and bring to a simmer. Add pumpkin and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. This soup can be served with a sprinkle of cheese and a little fat free sour cream on top. Serves 4.

(calories: 162.5, fat: 0.75g, sodium: 1128mg, carbs: 13, fiber: 12g, sugars: 6.5g, protein: 10g = 3 Points)

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

My sister wanted to make a chocolate dessert for our family's Thanksgiving gathering. I had just pulled this recipe from the latest Family Circle magazine but hadn't had a chance to try them.

Of course they were a hit. The adults enjoyed them but the kids adored them! Tasty little cupcakes that look like their favorite winter drink- and covered with marshmallows! What's not to like?

This is a great recipe for the kids to help with. From working the mixer and adding ingredients to decorating with marshmallows and the candy cane.

The only thing I would change the next time I make these is to add about 2oz melted semisweet chocolate to the cake batter for a bit more richness and moisture. You'll see that addition in the recipe in italics.

Recipe makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar

2oz semi sweet bakers chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons milk or water
1 1/4 cups mini marshmallows
3 candy canes

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line indents of a standard-size 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. Cupcakes. In medium-size bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In large bowl, with mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy, 2 minutes. Slowly mix in 2 oz melted semi sweet bakers chocolate. Beat in eggs and vanilla until fluffy, 1 minute. On low speed, beat in flour mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fill each cupcake liner two-thirds full (about 3 tablespoons of batter per liner).
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Remove cupcakes
from pan to wire rack; let cool.
5. Topping. In medium-size bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat confectioners sugar, shortening and milk or water until smooth. Spread over cupcakes, about 2 tablespoons for each. Top each cupcake with 8 or 9 mini
marshmallows. With a serrated knife, cut wrapped candy canes into 2-inch pieces. Unwrap and tuck a piece into each cupcake.

291 calories per cupcake