It really is December! Friday afternoon it snowed here. Nevermind that it was really just a few flakes and nothing actually stuck to the ground. Beggars can't be choosers after all. In celebration of that fact we made tortilla snowflakes & snowball cookies.
The picture at the top is our little paper tube caroling family. It’s one of the activities we’ve done for our advent calendar this year. You can find the directions at http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/christmas-choir-661390/ if you want to do them too.
We’re still van-less here at the Whipple house. Some days we do okay & some days Jonathan getting home is the only thing standing between the boys and certain death (or at least being grounded to their room until they’re 20). A couple of days ago the boys were arguing about some toy or something & I said “Hey, I want two happy, obedient boys” to which Christopher replied with a very puzzled look on his face “But it’s not your birthday.” Jon thought that was hilarious. I guess that will teach me to ask for nice obedient boys for my birthday.
In addition to the cookie recipes, I’ve also posted the recipe for the meatloaf we had the other night. It was pretty good according to Jon & he’s not really a fan of meatloaf. Ethan, as usual, had several servings & proclaimed how much he liked it as well.
For those grandparents and great-grandparents not around I also put up the pictures of the kids ‘sledding’ Texas style on a mound of hay & the boys pictures with Santa. For the pictures and recipes
We wrote letters to Santa the other night as part of our advent calendar activities & both the boys have pretty short lists. Christopher wants a dog, a cat, a horse & his very own penguin & Ethan wants his own magic Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang like in the movie. Simple requests really. Good luck with that Santa.
Snowflake tortillas
Not much of a recipe really. Nuke however many flour tortillas you want for 10 seconds or so just to soften them up. Fold into quarters or eighths & cut out shapes just like you would if you were making a paper snowflake. Put them on an ungreased cookie sheet & bake @ 325 10 min each side or-if you’re more attentive than me-broil them until they’re light brown on each side. Brush with butter & dust with powdered sugar.
Snowball Cookies
I really don’t like flaked coconut-it’s a texture thing for me-but I really like these cookies made with coconut. Also, if you want, you can form the dough balls around a Hershey kiss.
1 c shredded coconut/blanched almonds
2 T granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
3 ½ c flour
¾ c powdered sugar
1 ½ c melted butter
In a food processor, blend the coconut/almonds with the 2 T sugar until it’s very finely minced. Add vanilla, nutmeg, salt, flour & powdered sugar & pulse until well blended. Pour melted butter in as it’s running & blend until it forms a ball in the bowl. Form into 1 inch balls and roll in powdered sugar. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wait 5 min & roll in powdered sugar again. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 12 minutes. Cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar one last time. Enjoy!
Meatloaf
If you want to drain the fat off the meatloaf as it cooks but don’t have a ‘meatloaf’ pan that does this for you try this: Put mason jar rings in the bottom of your bread pan and then top them with a layer of bamboo skewers. Line the altered pan with aluminum and poke a few holes in the bottom of the aluminum. Voila! Grease drainage.
½ a package of saltines (as in ½ of one of the 4 pkgs that come in a box)
2 carrots, peeled & rough chopped
1 onion, rough chopped
1 t kosher salt
1/8 tsp pepper
dash or two of red pepper flakes (optional)
2 eggs
2 t dried basil
½ t dried rosemary, crushed
½ tsp dried oregano
1 clove minced garlic
¼ c parmesan cheese
1 lb ground beef (I use 80/20 because it gives more flavor without too much fat)
Several slices of mozzarella cheese
2 c of your favorite marinara sauce
Line a bread pan with aluminum & preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Put everything but the beef & mozzarella in the food processor & let it go until everything’s well blended and minced quite small. You can then add the meat & zap it in the food processor too or mix it in by hand in a bowl. Spread the meat mixture on a piece of parchment paper until it’s the width of your bread pan and ½ inch thick. Lay slices of mozzarella over the top and use the parchment to roll it up the same way you would a pumpkin roll. Put it in your pan and cook for 50-55 min. Slice & serve topped with heated marinara sauce.
Not much of a recipe really. Nuke however many flour tortillas you want for 10 seconds or so just to soften them up. Fold into quarters or eighths & cut out shapes just like you would if you were making a paper snowflake. Put them on an ungreased cookie sheet & bake @ 325 10 min each side or-if you’re more attentive than me-broil them until they’re light brown on each side. Brush with butter & dust with powdered sugar.
Snowball Cookies
I really don’t like flaked coconut-it’s a texture thing for me-but I really like these cookies made with coconut. Also, if you want, you can form the dough balls around a Hershey kiss.
1 c shredded coconut/blanched almonds
2 T granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
3 ½ c flour
¾ c powdered sugar
1 ½ c melted butter
In a food processor, blend the coconut/almonds with the 2 T sugar until it’s very finely minced. Add vanilla, nutmeg, salt, flour & powdered sugar & pulse until well blended. Pour melted butter in as it’s running & blend until it forms a ball in the bowl. Form into 1 inch balls and roll in powdered sugar. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wait 5 min & roll in powdered sugar again. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 12 minutes. Cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar one last time. Enjoy!
Meatloaf
If you want to drain the fat off the meatloaf as it cooks but don’t have a ‘meatloaf’ pan that does this for you try this: Put mason jar rings in the bottom of your bread pan and then top them with a layer of bamboo skewers. Line the altered pan with aluminum and poke a few holes in the bottom of the aluminum. Voila! Grease drainage.
½ a package of saltines (as in ½ of one of the 4 pkgs that come in a box)
2 carrots, peeled & rough chopped
1 onion, rough chopped
1 t kosher salt
1/8 tsp pepper
dash or two of red pepper flakes (optional)
2 eggs
2 t dried basil
½ t dried rosemary, crushed
½ tsp dried oregano
1 clove minced garlic
¼ c parmesan cheese
1 lb ground beef (I use 80/20 because it gives more flavor without too much fat)
Several slices of mozzarella cheese
2 c of your favorite marinara sauce
Line a bread pan with aluminum & preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Put everything but the beef & mozzarella in the food processor & let it go until everything’s well blended and minced quite small. You can then add the meat & zap it in the food processor too or mix it in by hand in a bowl. Spread the meat mixture on a piece of parchment paper until it’s the width of your bread pan and ½ inch thick. Lay slices of mozzarella over the top and use the parchment to roll it up the same way you would a pumpkin roll. Put it in your pan and cook for 50-55 min. Slice & serve topped with heated marinara sauce.
If you need a ride anywhere call me. I'm home most the time. My new number should be on the ward website. Your sledding pictures crack me up :D
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