Adele is FIVE!

I just can’t believe my first-born is such a big girl. P1040963

Adele requested a strawberry cake with strawberry frosting and strawberry ice cream. She’s not exactly on board with only eating locally-grown food in season. We had a really fun evening with our friends the P family. It was the perfect birthday party! We all had someone to talk to/play with. P1040959 P1040960 One of our birthday traditions is that the birthday person gets to have their favorite foods for dinner and pick the kind of cake. Last year Adele requested a green drink made with lime juice and lime sorbet for her special birthday dinner. We put her off because you don’t have frozen drinks in November. Plus it wasn’t exactly a whole foods recipe – it called for things like ginger ale and green food coloring. This year, she requested the exact same drink, so we gave in a tried to accommodate her strange request. Lime sorbet is impossible to find in November, so we substituted mango. I refuse to feed my kids food coloring or soda, so we added spinach juice and fizzy water. Basically, it was ok, but not fantastic. I’m pretty sure we won’t be repeating this one =)P1040958 On Sunday, Adele’s actual birthday, we opened a few presents and Skyped with the grandparents. P1040964

And Adele drank the leftover “special green drink.” P1040983

Everett is TWO!

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Our poor little boy burst into tears as soon as the cheering and clapping started after we sang Happy Birthday. He was pretty shaken up, but then we saw some smiles.

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We served hamburgers, hot dogs, kielbasa, tabbouleh, potato salad, deviled eggs, Mexican 7-layer dip, hummus, veggies, chips, pita, and fruit salad.  And it was a beautiful spread if I do say so myself!

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There was an unintentional rainbow theme, it seems. I just like pretty things!

 

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My no-paper-plates plan has mostly worked in the past, but then I seem to run out at the end of the party and there are no plates for dessert. So, I think I need to buy a few more plates and encourage people to keep their dinner plate for dessert. And the same for the forks! I hope I can still find them at the Christmas Tree Shoppe!!!

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Christmas Eve Fondue Party Pics

I’d say this was the very best Christmas Eve Fondue Party we’ve had. It was so much fun! Check out my original planning post for recipes and specifics.

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The main fondue table – in the pots: Swiss Fondue (from Trader Joe’s), Cheddar Beer Fondue, Broth, and Beef Tallow. On the platters: turkey, beef, cubed sourdough baguettes, broccoli, cauliflower, and grape tomatoes.

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Drink table with kombucha punch (simply kombucha with floating raspberries, cranberries, and mango sherbet) and egg nog. Yum! Next year we will triple the egg nog recipe to yield 1.5 gallons because 1 gallon wasn’t enough!

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Faux-gingerbread-house-making was lots of fun.

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Grammy won the prize with her church!

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Mimi was the official coat-taker.

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Mary was the head dishwasher. WOW! What an amazing difference that made. We love you, Mary!!!

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The kiddos were beyond tired when we finally put them to bed.

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Planning our Sixth Annual Christmas Eve Fondue Party

We like having our friends and family over to celebrate Jesus’ birth. We like Fondue! A lot! And what’s more fun than a bunch of little kids running around with a bunch of open flames on the table? =) This is where I give you all the details to help you put together a fondue party of your very own. Also, it helps me get ready and not make the same mistakes two years in a row! See how it all turned out here.

We own FIVE fondue pots, but that’s not enough so we always ask Kent’s parents to let us borrow one more for our party. I bought a few from Goodwill and Kent and I each had a couple from before we got married.

An easy way to prepare for this party is to order a fruit tray and a veggie tray premade and just use those as the dippers for dessert and cheese fondues. I think it is a lot cheaper to do it myself, but it’s also more work. It’s your party, so it’s your call – I won’t judge (I’ve done it both ways).

At the Main Food Table

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We serve two cheese fondues in ceramic pots like this heated by tealights and two meat-cooking fondues (broth and oil) in metal fondue pots like this heated by small sternos. We put raw meat on platters; then we put hot broth in one metal pot and hot beef tallow in the other. Then we put out dipping sauces for the meats.

Cheddar Beer Fondue

1 lb sharp cheddar, shredded (or 1/2 Monterrey Jack and 1/2 cheddar)
1 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
dash cayenne
3/4 cup beer
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

In bowl, combine cheese, flour, mustard and cayenne; mix well. In a regular pan (not the fondue pot), combine beer and Worcestershire sauce. Heat (on the stove) until bubbling; gradually add cheese mixture and stir constantly until the cheese melts and mixture is smooth (about five minutes). Transfer to ceramic fondue pot with tea light.

Sassy Barbeque Sauce

1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon Braggs raw apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sucanat
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco® sauce
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small heavy-bottom saucepan, whisk the sauce ingredients with 1/8 cup water. Bring to boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mustard Sauce

3/4 cup yogurt
2 Tbsp Braggs raw Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp dry mustard
3 Tbsp hot mustard (or dijon)

Horseradish Cream Sauce

1 cup sour cream (we use strained yogurt)
3 Tbsp horseradish
1 tsp Braggs raw apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp sucanat
1/2 pepper
salt to taste

Mix well and chill before serving. We always have extra from the fondue party, so we eat it with a roast at our Christmas Dinner.

Served with:

  • crusty bread
  • broccoli
  • caulifower
  • carrots
  • cherry tomatoes
  • snap peas
  • apple slices

At the Dessert Table

We put this one near an outlet because we put the dessert fondues in two electric fondue pot like this. We use a crock-pot style pot because the sterno flame fondue pot heat is too hot for the dessert fondues – burned chocolate doesn’t taste good.

White Chocolate Fondue

12 oz white chocolate
1 oz cherry brandy
8 oz (1 cup) raw heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream if you don’t have access to fresh raw milk and cream)
frozen raspberries

Combine chocolate and cream in a double boiler. Stir until the chocolate melts completely. The mixture should be creamy; do not overcook. Add brandy and mix thoroughly. Put mixture in electric fondue pot. Drop in some frozen raspberries and swirl around as desired.

Chocolate PB Fondue

4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
8 oz (1 cup) raw heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream if you don’t have access to fresh raw milk and cream)

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine chocolate and cream in medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Add sugar and peanut butter; continue cooking until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into electric fondue pot.

Served with:

  • strawberries
  • cherries (if available)
  • sliced banana (sprayed with orange juice to prevent browning)
  • apple slices (with lemon juice to prevent browning)
  • pineapple chunks
  • mandarin orange segments
  • cubed pound cake
  • cubed angel food cake

Try to make the fruit as dry as possible so that the fondue won’t slide off. Also, the fruit should be chilled, which helps the chocolate to coat the fruit more easily.

Here are a few new recipes that we haven’t tried, but I want to:

Fresh Berry Sauce

1 1/2 cups raspberries
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp cognac or rum
1 1/2 cups strawberries
2 Tbsp powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients in food processor and lightly blend. The sauce should still have some texture. Heat sauce in double boiler until warm, then transfer to fondue pot.

Chocolate Fondue

16 oz sweetened chocolate
4 Tbsp Rum
1/2 to 1 cup cream or milk

Melt choc and cream in double boiler until smooth. Remove from heat and add rum. Transfer to fondue pot.

At the Beverage Table

I like to serve drinks at parties with my little cut glass punch cups. I have over 50, so that’s enough for most parties. People sometimes lose their cup and take another, so I usually have to wash a few in the middle of the party. If you use regular-sized cups, people will take too much punch, which they will put down and forget about, and you will run out before most of the guests arrive. Small cups make it last for the whole party, even if people get lots of refills. I bought my punch cups at Goodwill for pennies! I also like to put the beverage table near an outlet because I sometimes serve a hot punch in my crockpot.

Healthy and Tasty Eggnog (Triple Recipe)

5 local pastured (don’t eat grocery store eggs raw!) egg yolks (save whites for ginger bread house glue/icing)
1/3 cup maple syrup
pinch of Celtic sea salt
freshly ground nutmeg to taste
1 or 2 Tablespoons whey
1 Tablespoon organic lemon juice
3 cups raw milk (or pasteurized milk if you must, but NEVER ultra-pasteurized milk!)
1 cup raw cream (or pasteurized cream if you must, but NEVER ultra-pasteurized cream!)

You can use more cream and less milk if you like it creamy. Beat or blend egg yolks until thick. Add syrup, nutmeg, whey and lemon juice. Add milk and cream. Beat until frothy. Store in the fridge until right before the party. I usually double or triple this recipe for the party and serve in a crystal punch bowl. We like to float scoops of coffee ice cream on the top.

Cold Christmas Punch

kombucha with sherbet floating at the top =)

“Gingerbread” Houses in the Butler’s Pantry

We set up our faux-Gingerbread houses on the counter tops in the Butler’s Pantry. It gives the kids something to do and it’s fun for adults too! I got the idea from Smockity Frocks here. The key is to build and grout the houses the night before so they are strong enough to be handled without breaking at the party.

Royal Icing (grout): 3 egg whites (save yolks for egg nog), 4 cups (1 lb) powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp cream of tartar.

My shopping list:

  • 10 or more boxes of graham crackers
  • 6 lb bags of powdered sugar
  • assorted candy for the gingerbread houses (Hopefully I remembered to stock up on this at Halloween! – Obviously, that stuff is not suitable for eating, but it’s perfect for decorating!)
  • orange juice
  • pineapple juice
  • cranberry juice
  • raw ACV
  • Heinz 57
  • A1 Steak Sauce
  • strawberries
  • cherries
  • bananas
  • apples
  • pineapples
  • mandarin oranges
  • pound cake/angel food cake
  • sparkling mineral water LOTS!!!
  • bread
  • horseradish
  • PB
  • coffee ice cream
  • Sherbet
  • sternos

Planning a Nourishing Thanksgiving

I am hosting Thanksgiving this year, and I am so excited for a holiday where the theme is eucharisteo (radical gratitude)!!! Just a few things I am grateful for right now: I get to plan the menu exactly how I want, I get to make all the food from scratch (no cans or jars or other industrial food) or purchase it locally (made by hand) – all real food!, I get to spend the day with family and friends and bless them with my cooking, I get to support our local farmer who is raising the turkey (I just love voting with my feet and my wallet!), I get to decorate the Thanksgiving table (I can’t wait!). It looks like we will have 19 people here (10 adults and 9 kids), so I’ve changed a few things around (like adding the ham). I hope we have enough food!!!

We will have:

  • root veggie curry bisque (frozen) for a starter with a yogurt garnish
  • 21-pound pastured turkey (Smockity’s recipe for moist and super-fast cooking turkey, Pioneer Woman’s brine recipe)
  • pastured ham (crockpot recipe here)
  • gravy (easy-peasy using drippings from the turkey sizzled with flour, then broth to thin or arrowroot powder mixed with milk to thicken as necessary)
  • stuffing (recipe here)
  • mashed potatoes with my CSA potatoes
  • sweet potato casserole with my CSA sweet potatoes
  • green bean casserole with homemade crispy shoestring onions (recipe here)
  • 5-spice apple chutney (recipe here)
  • raw Chocolate Mousse Pie (recipe here except sub sucanat for agave syrup)
  • pumpkin pie (recipe NT p. 562, or here)(I’ll be using Heavenly Homemaker’s pie crust recipe using palm shortening – it’s good for you!) 35 – 45 min @ 350 degrees
  • apple pie (NT p. 564) 45 min @ 375 degrees

This week, I need to buy raisins, 6 cups of apples and 1 cup pecans to make the apple chutney

Next week, I will be in VA for Everett’s therapy on Tuesday and Wednesday, so I’d like to get any prep I can on Monday, then hope for some very productive evenings (pray I don’t get stuck in traffic on the way home) on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Monday – grocery shopping and misc. prep

  • make ice in the deep freezer to add to the turkey brine
  • Grocery list:
    • 5 avocados
    • apple juice or cider
    • 5 oranges
    • fresh rosemary
    • arrowroot powder
    • sucanat
    • 15 tart apples
    • small pumpkins
    • green beans
    • onions
    • couple sourdough baguettes
    • back-up mango chutneys from Trader Joe’s
    • cranberry sauce from Trader Joe’s

Tuesday – Savory Dish Day

  • turkey will be delivered today, make brine and add turkey to the bucket
  • roast pumpkins & make puree for pie
  • assemble stuffing (one dish for in the turkey, one dish for the side oven) still need to add cubed bread and saute with broth
  • make fermented cranberry chutney YUM!
  • purchase blueberry and cherry pies from MOM’s

Wednesday – Sweet Dish Day

  • roast sweet potatoes, white potatoes
  • assemble green bean casserole in oval dish that fits side oven (prep, but don’t bake)
  • make 3 regular pie crusts and 1 hazelnut pie crust
  • prep pie fillings (apple, pumpkin) (have to wait on avocados for choc mousse)
  • bake assembled pies and remaining crusts
  • set the lovely Thanksgiving table
  • thaw soup in fridge

Thursday – Thanksgiving (dinner served at 2pm)

first thing in the morning

  • put ham in crockpot (add molasses, pineapple juice, maple syrup, and sugar)
  • simmer soup
  • make chocolate mousse pie
  • finish stuffing

11:30

  • put turkey with stuffing in the oven and extra stuffing in the side oven
  • herbed kefir cheese ball appetizer???

1:30

  • turkey out of the oven to rest, then carve
  • sweet potato casserole in the oven
  • green bean casserole in the oven
  • make mashed potatoes on stove
  • make gravy

Derm Dad’s Birthday Cake Recipe

When someone in our family has a birthday, we have a big dinner with the birthday tablecloth, crown and banner that I sewed when Adele turned one. I like that it is bright and festive, that it’s already done =), and that I don’t have to buy anything disposable for the party. Another tradition we have is that the birthday boy (or girl) gets to choose his or her favorite meal and cake.

Derm Dad loves chocolate and peanut butter, so for the last four years he has requested this:

Triple-layered Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting and Peanut Butter Filling

Yes, it has a LOT of sugar. But, he puts up with all my crazy, so I give him the cake he likes on his birthday.

Cake

3 cups Sucanat

2 5/8 cups fresh whole grain flour (use the extra fine setting on the grain mill to get pastry flour)

1 1/8 cups cocoa powder

2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

2 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons course unrefined Celtic sea salt

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 pastured eggs

1.5 cups whole, raw milk

¾ cup coconut oil

1 ½ cup boiling water

Preheat over to 350 F. Grease and flour three 9-in round baking pans – I cut rounds of parchment paper for the bottom and grease with coconut oil.

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs milk, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into pans.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with peanut butter filling and chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter

1 cup raw cocoa powder don’t forget to SIFT, or the frosting will be lumpy

4 ½ cups powdered Sucanat (use some honey, to taste)

½ cup whole raw milk

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa.

Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to a spreading consistency. Add more milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

Peanut Butter Filling

1/2 cup raw spring butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter (fresh)

3 tablespoons raw whole milk, or as needed

Raw honey to taste

Dash of Course Celtic sea salt

Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the honey, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the honey is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.