Snowy, Blowy Ice Cream!

Summer and I recently discovered a deeply darling children's book called "Snowy Blowy Winter" by Bob Raczka (don't ask us to pronounce his unfortunate last name). Together we unite in our promotion of this story book, not only for its catchy rhymes and reasons, but because of the ice cream recipe on the last page, which calls for...wait for it...FRESH SNOW! I know! Any of my readers living in Northern Utah had a heightened awareness of Mother Nature today, as we received several inches of the fluffy stuff. Summer and I excitedly brought a heaping bowl of snow into our bright kitchen and in three minutes, we enjoyed a dish of delicious, frosty, freezy ice cream! Its frothy texture resembled a soft and creamy snow cone. Summer had the pure inspiration from the snowy heavens above to add a generous smattering of milk chocolate chips to the concoction. Joy was ours. So ambrosial was this frozen confection, that it would be impressive enough to serve to guests. In fact, I recommend it because how else could one say at a dinner party: "This evening's dessert was brought to you in part by our current precipitation!" The recipe is as follows:

SNOWY, BLOWY, ICE CREAM

4 cups fresh, clean snow

1/2 cup whole milk (or half & half)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

~ Gather four cups of fresh snow and and put it in a mixing bowl. It's best to do this during or right after a snow storm, so you know the snow is clean. Then, in a glass measuring cup, mix milk, sugar, and vanilla extract until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the milk mixture over the snow and mix well with a spoon--about two minutes. Serve in bowls. Add your favorite toppings (we used milk chocolate chips). Makes two heaping, delicious servings. Let it snow!

Chocolate Silk Pie!

This chocolate silk pie is the most satiny, silky, plush, velvety pie you'll ever have the pleasure of devouring! Actually, didn't that sound like I was describing fabric? Anyway, I made this confectionery ambrosia for our Thanksgiving Extravaganza last month and I have since received some requests for the recipe, so here it is! My only addition to the original recipe was to add the garnish of chopped candy bars for dramatic effect. Any pie or cake without a garish type of garnish makes me want to weep out of boredom and despair. So, try making this chocolate silk pie during the holiday season. I guarantee that loved ones will be so spiritually touched and moved by your culinary creation, that you'll receive more Christmas gifts than usual! Plus, it just tastes monumentally delicious...

Chocolate Silk Pie

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter

3 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate - melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs

1 baked 9" pie shell

Sweetened whipped cream and candy bars!

~Beat sugar with butter for exactly 15 minutes with electric beaters or a mixer, scraping sides of bowl often. You must beat the mixture for that long so as to ensure a smooth pie. No one wants a gritty filling. That's just wrong. Know, however, that after 15 minutes, it will still feel a bit gritty (Rest assured, it will smooth out with the addition of the rest of the ingredients and refrigeration). Then add the melted chocolate and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Spread into a baked 9" pie shell and chill for at least two hours or over night. As it chills, it will continue to dissolve the sugar and "silken" up. Before serving, garnish with sweetened whipped cream. I like to form dollops around the edge and place a bite-sized candy bar in each one. Chop up your favorite candy bars, such as Heath, Snickers, etc., and litter it all over the top. Admire your work, present it to others and demand that THEY admire your work, then immediately devour with fierceness and fervor.

November Novelty

What made the whole month of November glow with happiness was the return of my parents from their church assignment in Palmyra, New York. Summer is crazy about them both, and as this picture shows, they're pretty nuts about her too.

Also, this month Jerald performed a fabulous concert for the Yamaha/Clavinova Festival. I felt so proud of him! He was so gracious with everyone who lined up to receive his autograph after the concert. He just about made this young girl's life when he signed a copy of one of his books for her.

As a sidenote, check out Summer's hot balloon poses!

Jerald's parents splurged on all of their kids and grandkids and bought tickets to the Disney Princesses on Ice show. It was so beautiful! The only sad part was that Jerald couldn't come because he was asked to judge a piano competition that day. We filled him in on all of the details, though!

Here skate Cinderella and her prince. Don't fall!

Here is Cinderella in her carriage on her way to the ball! Unfortunately, the roads were a bit "icy" that night. Haha!

Summer adores Mickey and Minnie! When she saw them skating across the ice, she exclaimed, "I need Mickey right now!" Then she proceeded to move with surprising speed across the isle, and if we hadn't stopped her, she would have climbed over that rail and onto the ice so she could hug him!

Summer and her favorite cousin, Annika, have enjoyed many play dates this month. Their favorite thing to do is to dress up as the charming princesses they already are, and perform enchanting and entrancing dances together!

The Thanksgiving holiday made us give MANY thanks this time around because it was the first Thanksgiving we'd all had with my parents in three years! Here are some family shots. Try to ignore Summer's menacing glare in the shot just below :)






My mother and I spent several days cooking and baking for our Thanksgiving Extravaganza. Here's a shot of the chocolate silk pie I made! Any dessert is 177 times better with candy bars on top...