PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE

We upheld our annual tradition of picking out our Christmas Tree with long time friends and their family, and hot chocolate.
This year I experimented with Peppermint Hot Chocolate - some of the kids loved it and others didn't care for the flavor.
I lined the cups up along the back of the car and divided the chocolate among them. I had loaded up my basket with various adult beverages (peppermint schnapps, Godiva chocolate liqueur, creme de cacao and Kahlua were what I had in the liquor cabinet) so the parents could adjust the drink to their liking.
This will be the perfect accompaniment to the ice and snow forecast to come through over the next couple of days.

cups filled with Peppermint Hot Chocolate lined up along the back of the car

PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE

1/2 cup cream
2 cups whole milk
4 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
whipped cream and candy canes to garnish if desired

Whisk cream and milk in a medium saucepan over medium high heat, bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate, whisk until smooth. Whisk in extract. Divide hot chocolate among mugs, top with cream and garnish with candy canes if desired.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, December 2008
www.bonappetit.com/recipes‎

PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES

My husband and I attended an "everything butter" tasting at 28 Springs in Siloam Springs, where each course was absolutely incredible and paired perfectly with a beverage.
Once we arrived and had been seated, we were given a jar filled a quarter of the way with cream and a pinch of salt, and were instructed to shake the jar for about 2 minutes. We made our own butter to pair with the fresh, warm pretzel bread - such a fun way to start the evening.
There was a fish course drizzled with butter aoli, butternut soup topped with a cultured butter foam, a "turkey dinner"- bite sized delights of turkey and stuffing, green beans wrapped in bacon, accompanied by roasted sweet potatoes topped with homemade brown-butter and sage marshmallows. The magical meal, for that is how I came to think of it,  was rounded out with a rich, buttery shortbread baton, paired with brown butter ice cream (some of the best ice cream I have ever tasted) and butterscotch and chocolate sauces.

TURKEY DINNER - turkey confit, roasted sweet potatoes, brown-butter & sage marshmallows, cornbread stuffing, bacon-wrapped green beans, cranberry sauce, paired with a Belgian beer - at 28 Springs

ELEMENTAL SUNDAE - scottish shortbread, brown butter ice cream, askinosie chocolate sauce, butterscotch, paired with Breckenridge bourbon, at 28 Springs

It was such an amazing meal and we are still talking about it!! In fact, every time we have eaten at 28 Springs, has been a memory maker.
While my husband and I were busy anticipating a spectacular meal, I thought I would give the kids something to look forward to as well, a little "butter tasting" of their own, incorporating the childhood favorite, peanut butter.

PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup dark chocolate chips
FROSTING
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 to 6 tablespoons milk
chocolate chips for garnish

Heat oven to 350F.
Line 20 to 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl, mix well.
Beat 1/2 cup peanut butter and 1/4 cup butter in a large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until blended. Add brown sugar, beat until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, mixing well at low speed after each addition. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips. Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups.
Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool completely.
Beat 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup of peanut butter in medium bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, mix until well blended. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until smooth and desired consistency is reached. Pipe or spread frosting on cupcakes. Garnish with chocolate chips.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cupcakes, March 2013
pilcookbooks.com/‎

OLIVE BALLS

Our family gathered for the final, post Thanksgiving Football game between Arkansas and LSU. I have learned over the years that it inevitably turns into an emotionally charged, quietly passionate few hours, with different family members supporting opposite teams. I'm not personally vested in what is on the screen, but tend to focus on the food while attempting to ignore the mounting hostilities in the room - the guacamole, queso, corn chips and bloody mary's we had this year were delicious, and I brought these Olive Balls as my quick contribution to the appetizers

OLIVE BALLS

1/4 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
stuffed green olives

Heat oven to 400F.
Blend cheese and butter together. Mix in flour, salt and cayenne pepper. Shape 2 teaspoons of dough around each olive. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Enjoy!

VANILLA MAPLE SCONES

Perfectly delicious for a lazy Saturday morning!

VANILLA MAPLE SCONES

SCONES
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour
1 tablespoon vanilla powder
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup buttermilk
GLAZE
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons milk

TO MAKE SCONES
Heat oven to 350F. Butter and flour a baking sheet, set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, vanilla powder, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut the butter into 1/2 inch pieces and add it to the dry mixture. Use your fingers to break down butter into small, pea size pieces. Stir in buttermilk until just combined.
Scrape the dough onto a well floured surface. If dough is too sticky to work with, fold in a little flour. Shape into a circle about 8 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into 8 triangles and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through until scones spring back to the touch, 23 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
TO MAKE GLAZE
In a small bowl, stir together ingredients. Once scones have cooled, drizzle glaze on tops and let set.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Oprah Magazine, October 2011
www.oprah.com/food.html‎

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS and FALL CURRY CHICKEN

Although I used chicken in both of these pleasant recipes, left over turkey would be a perfect substitute. Transforming the bird from its previous Thanksgiving role on center stage to  b e a u t i f u l  back - up,   working well with other ingredients to create a completely new and different meal.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

5 tablespoons butter, divided
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups, chopped cooked chicken
3 (4 ounce) cans diced green chiles, divided
3 cups shredded colby-jack cheese blend, divided
8 flour tortillas
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk

Heat oven to 350F.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add onion and bell pepper, and sauté 5 minutes or until tender.
Stir together onion mixture, chicken, 1 can diced green chiles and 2 cups of shredded cheese.
Spoon 1/3 cup of chicken mixture on 1 end of each tortilla, and roll up. Arrange enchiladas, seam sides down, in a lightly greased 13 by 9 inch baking dish.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk, cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Remove from the heat and stir in remaining 2 cans of green chiles.
Remove enchiladas from oven. Pour green chile mixture over enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of cheese.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with cilantro, chopped tomato and shredded lettuce as desired.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, October 2011
www.southernliving.com/food/‎

FALL CURRY CHICKEN

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 pods cardamom
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup light coconut milk
3 tablespoons chicken broth
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 apple, peeled and diced

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat, add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes, or until onion begins to soften. Add curry powder, cayenne pepper, cardamom and tomato paste and mix. Pour in coconut milk and chicken broth, stirring until ingredients are combined.
Add squash to sauce and cover. Let simmer for 15 minutes, or until squash has softened. Return chicken and juices to pan. Simmer for 2 minutes, then add raisins and apple. Stir to combine.
(I ended up adding a jar of pre-made curry sauce to the mixture, as it seemed like it required more flavor).
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Shape Magazine, November 2013
www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes‎

TANGERINE CHESS PIE and CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE

Happy Thanksgiving - here is a little something sweet to finish the festivities!!

TANGERINE CHESS PIE

1 package of refrigerated piecrusts
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons tangerine or orange zest
1/3 cup fresh tangerine or orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Heat oven to 450F.
Unroll piecrusts, fit one into a 9 inch pie plate. Prick bottom and sides of crust with a fork. Bake 8 minutes, cool on a wire rack 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
Whisk together sugar, flour, cornmeal, salt, butter, zest, tangerine and lemon juices and eggs, until blended. Pour into prepared piecrust.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is set.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, February 2012
www.southernliving.com › Food › Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE

1 ready made pie crust
1/2 cup butter
2 ounces chocolate
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350F.
Fit pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate.
Microwave butter and chocolate, until melted and smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring at 30 second intervals.
Whisk in evaporated milk, eggs and vanilla.
Stir together sugar, cocoa, flour and salt. Add sugar mixture to chocolate mixture, whisking until smooth, Pour mixture into prepared crust.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until pie is set. Remove to a wire rack, and cool completely.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, November 2011
www.southernliving.com › Food › Recipes

SOUTHERN CHESS PIE

1/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
3 eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1 pie shell

Heat oven to 400F.
Cream and sugar in a bowl together. Stir in the flour. Add lightly beaten eggs, evaporated milk, nutmeg, vanilla and salt, mix well.
Pour into unbaked pie shell, bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 300F and bake for 30 minutes longer. Refrigerate after it cools completely.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Holiday Cookbook, 2009

GREEN BEANS WITH LEMON AND GARLIC and SWEET POTATOES WITH MIRIN AND HONEY and CREAMED SPINACH AND PARSNIPS and POTATOES COOKED IN DUCK FAT and BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH APPLEWOOD BACON and BUTTERNUT SQUASH PARMESAN

Lots of delicious side dishes. As much as I love turkey on Thanksgiving day - a tradition I didn't grow up with, but have come to adore, thanks to my wonderful in-laws, and excited kids, it is the vegetables, sides and condiments that really get me excited and encourage me to return to the beautifully laden buffet table again and again!!

GREEN BEANS WITH LEMON AND GARLIC

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 packet haricot vert
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons maple syrup
4 cloves garlic, minced
zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add green beans and cook until a little brown, but still crisp, about 10 minutes.
Add lemon juice, salt, pepper and maple syrup. Add garlic, stir well, and cook for 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with lemon zest and toasted almonds.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Sams Club Healthy Living, November/December 2012
www3.samsclub.com/Healthyliving/.../daily-ways-to-stay-healthy

SWEET POTATOES WITH MIRIN AND HONEY

2 sweet potatoes
1/2 cup mirin
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons corn oil
2 tablespoons butter
salt to taste

Heat oven to 450F.
Pierce potatoes in several spots with a fork. Microwave sweet potaotes on high for 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Whisk mirin, honey, vinegar and salt in a medium bowl. Peel sweet potatoes and cut crosswise into 1 inch thick rounds. Add to mirin mixture and toss to coat.
Drizzle a baking dish with the oil, add sweet potatoes and mirin mixture to the dish, arranging sweet potatoes cut side down. Bake until sweet potatoes are caramelized on one side, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn sweet potatoes and cook until tender and caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Transfer sweet potatoes to a platter. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the baking dish, scraping up browned bits. Add butter, swirling pan to melt and combine. Pour sauce over sweet potatoes. Season with salt.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, February 2012
www.bonappetit.com/recipes‎

CREAMED SPINACH AND PARSNIPS

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds small parsnips, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 pounds baby spinach
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups half and half or whole milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the oil. Add the parsnips and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and thyme and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, cover and simmer over low heat until the parsnips are tender, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill a large, deep pot with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Add the spinach in large handfuls and blanch, stirring, just until wilted, about 10 seconds. Drain and cool under running water. Squeeze the spinach dry and coarsely chop it. Stir the spinach into the parsnips.
In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and cook over moderately high heat until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking for 1 minute. Whisk in the half and half and nutmeg, season with salt and pepper and bring the sauce to a boil, whisking until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir the sauce into the spinach and parsnips and bring to a simmer. Transfer to a bowl and serve.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, November 2008
www.foodandwine.com/‎

POTATOES COOKED IN DUCK FAT

1 1/2 pounds of potatoes
3 tablespoons rendered duck fat
1/2 cup packed parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves

Peel potatoes, then cut them into 1/4 inch thick slices. Rinse in 2 or 3 changes of cold water, until the water runs clear. Drain and pat dry.
Heat fat in a skillet, over medium heat until melted. Cook potatoes with 3/4 teaspoon salt, turning gently, until coated with fat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, turning occasionally, until golden in spots and potatoes are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, finely chop parsley and garlic together.
Gently stir parsley mixture into cooked potatoes.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Epicurious
www.epicurious.com › recipes & menus‎

BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH APPLEWOOD BACON

2 pounds of brussels sprouts, halved
6 slices of applewood smoked bacon, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons of butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg

Cook brussels sprouts in boiling, salted water to cover, for 4 minutes, drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process, drain.
Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, 10 minutes, or until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings in the skillet.
Melt butter in hot drippings over medium-high heat, stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until sugar is melted and sauce thickens slightly. Stir in brussels sprouts, cook, stirring often, 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, November 2012
www.southernliving.com/food/‎

BUTTERNUT SQUASH PARMESAN

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 teaspoons of olive oil, divided
1 onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese, divided

Heat oven to 425F.
Toss squash with 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a 15 by 10 inch pan. Spread evenly onto the bottom of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
Add onions, pepper and remaining oil, toss to coat. Spread in an even layer in the pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Drizzle with broth, mix lightly. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of parmesan, toss to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with remaining parmesan.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Family, Fall 2010
www.kraftrecipes.com/foodfamilyarchive/‎