Spring Break Ice Cream

My five youngest kids have had spring break this week, and my husband has taken most of the week off. We haven’t done anything extraordinary, but it’s been nice to have a little more relaxed time together.

Yesterday, we drove a couple of  hours south to visit our two oldest children, Sam and Hannah, who are students at Brigham Young University. It was a bright spring day and we enjoyed the visit.

At the Provo City Library

We brought the ingredients to make dinner in Hannah’s apartment and topped it off with homemade ice cream, which was beautiful and very yummy. Here’s how I made it (I did this the night before):

I stemmed about a pound of strawberries and cut them in half. It filled a two cup measure plus a little.

I put the strawberries in the food processor and poured ½ cup sugar over them. I let them sit like that while I heated 1 cup milk, ½ cup sugar, and ¼ teaspoon of salt in a pan on the stove.

I separated two eggs and put the whites in a small container in the refrigerator for some other use.* I put the yolks in a small bowl and stirred them a little, then added a bit of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks and stirred again, then put in a little more of the milk mixture, stirred more, added more, stirred it up, and then put it all in the pan. (This ‘tempering the eggs’ step is important – if you put the egg yolks directly into the hot milk, it will cook the eggs and you will have “Scrambled Egg Ice Cream" for dessert.)

I cooked and stirred the milk and egg mixture until it became quite thick, and then let it cool. While it was cooling I pureed the strawberries that were sitting in the food processor until they were quite smooth, and then I poured in a cup of cream and pureed some more. (We like our strawberry ice cream smooth; if you like chunks of frozen strawberries you can do less pureeing.)


I started to put the pureed mixture in the pan, but then I thought, “You know what would be good in this? Some cream cheese. I wonder if we have any.”  So I searched the  refrigerator and found some and put a little (maybe 2-3 ounces) in the food processor with what was left in there, and then poured it all, plus another cup of cream and a teaspoon of vanilla, into the poor overworked pan. Almost done! I stirred it up and poured it into jars to take to Provo. After dinner, we put it in the ice cream maker, and ended up with about a quart and a half of really good stuff.

The break will be over on Monday, and we'll go back to the routine of normal life. Is it possible that the lovely day we had will change our lives? Perhaps we'll be a little happier than before. Perhaps we'll weigh a bit more than we did. And I suppose my cholesterol count will be a little higher.

Oh! I do love spring . . .



*Based on previous experience, I expect to forget they are there, and they will sit until they rot and I will throw them away.  

Resurrection Story Cookies

We have made these cookies the night before Easter Sunday for quite a few years. It's a good way to help your children remember the true meaning of Easter. 

You need to preheat the oven to 300 degrees (this is important--don't wait until you are half done with the recipe!)

1 cup whole pecans

1 tsp. vinegar

3 egg whites

A pinch salt

1 cup sugar

A zipper baggie

A wooden spoon

Tape

Bible

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.

Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink .Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.

Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.

Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed (*See note below.) Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah. 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew. 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matt. 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the day of Christ's Resurrection, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

My children don't love these cookies, so I don't make a lot of them. But this is such a great way to capture their interest, so that you get an opportunity to bear your testimony to your children about the miraculous, compassionate, and self-sacrificing life of our Savior, and express your love for His life, his atonement, and for our part in the plan.

Happy Easter.

Brownie Recipe (sort of)

I have a streak of what I call "scientific curiosity." (I call it that in my mind because it sounds smart, but honestly, it's more like a small child thinking I wonder what will happen if I do that?) This immature thinking, combined with my lack of patience and my gift for procrastination, often leaves me improvising through life.  This is particularly true in my cooking. I use what I have, and I like to get things done in the most efficient way possible. But I always hope the things I make will taste really good.

A few days ago I made a pan of brownies to take to a get-together at my friend Sarah's house. They disappeared quickly, which was good. Sarah asked for the recipe, which would have been good if I had actually followed a recipe. "I'll e-mail it to you," I promised, then came home and and sat in front of the computer wondering what to do. At last I decided I would just describe the process I went through in making those brownies. So here we go:


Hi, Sarah! I'm glad you enjoyed the brownies and I'm happy to tell you how I made them. The following steps are important if you want to make them the way I did:

The night before you make the brownies, ask your husband if he has any caramels. Keep asking until he confesses that he has some locked up in the trunk of his car. Ask him to get them out for you.

In the morning when he gets them out, note that they are very hard and therefore impossible to chew. Listen while husband explains that he bought them on clearance some time ago. Kiss him good-bye and let him leave for work.

Spend several very boring minutes unwrapping caramels, trying to complete an online crossword puzzle while you do this. Wish your kids were home to help you. Instantly regret wishing that.

Melt the caramels in the microwave with a little milk and stir until they are smooth. Put in refrigerator. (Put them way in the back, under an open can of green beans. This is to avoid temptation.)

Cream together:

      1 cup butter, melted

      2 cups sugar

      2 tsp. vanilla

      4 eggs

Note that, so far, things are going well.

Get another bowl (I prefer to use one that will be easy to just wipe clean) and put flour into it. (You can use any amount of flour between one and two cups. The more flour you use, the cakier the brownies will be; when you use less flour they are denser and fudgier. I usually use 1½ cups, but for the ones I took to your house I used about 1⅓ cups.)

Pick up the container of cocoa powder from the kitchen shelf. Note that it is empty. Let out a roar of frustration. Resist temptation to quit and just eat the sugar and butter mixture straight out of the mixing bowl. Call neighbors to ask to borrow cocoa powder. Find that none of your close neighbors are home. Look outside at the snow and ice and recognize that you are not going to walk to a neighbor whose address is not "next door to Spencer's." Carefully reconsider eating sugar and butter mixture straight out of the mixing bowl.

Rest until children start coming home from school. Note that one of the children is not yours. Tell this child to go home and get some cocoa powder for you. Wait several hours, until the child remembers your request and tells his mother. When his mother calls and asks if you still need cocoa powder, look longingly into the mixing bowl before you decide to say yes. Wait for friend's child to bring cocoa powder.

Add ½ cup cocoa powder and ½ tsp salt to the flour. Stir the dry ingredients and combine them with the wet ingredients. Realize that although you preheated the oven four hours earlier, it is now off and cold. Turn it on again.

Cake and I have a long, complicated history

Put half the brownie batter in a 9x13 inch pan. Dig through the refrigerator for the caramel sauce (hint: it's under the green beans). Notice that the caramel has become rock hard again. Put the bowl in the microwave to soften the caramel and pour it on top of the brownie batter. Sprinkle chocolate chips (not the whole bag, obviously -- you're going to need something to eat while the brownies bake.) Pour the rest of the batter over the top and bake for thirty minutes.

Good luck! Enjoy!

Cooking With Kids

I wrote this a few years ago, when my children were very young. But I'd be lying if I said things were totally different around here now.

Cooking with kids is a tradition that goes back to the beginning of time, and it's a great way for families to spend time together. With that in mind, I'd like to share the following recipe, so that you, too, can experience the joy of making cookies the way it's done at our house.

Spencer Family Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups oatmeal

1 package milk chocolate chips

How to make cookies, Spencer family style:

           Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Ask Danny to get two cubes of butter out of the refrigerator.Tell Ben to find the mixing bowl. (Hint: look in dishwasher.)  Wash mixing bowl. Tell Joseph to find beater. Ask Hannah and Danny to help Joseph find beater. Tell Joseph to look for beater in his toy box and under his bed. Wash beater.

Put one cube of butter into the mixing bowl. Ask Danny where the other cube is. Take cube of butter away from baby, who has eaten most of it. Decide that cookies will be "reduced fat." Beat butter until smooth. Measure one cup brown sugar. Tell Ben and Joseph to get their fingers out of the brown sugar bag. Measure one cup white sugar. Tell Ben and Joseph to get their heads out of the white sugar bag. Add sugars to butter and beat until creamy.

Ask Hannah to get two eggs out of the refrigerator. Tell Danny to go get the cat to lick up the egg Hannah dropped on the floor. Tell Hannah  to get another egg. Discover that there are no more eggs. Decide that cookies will be "low cholesterol."  Add egg and vanilla to creamed mixture. Explain to Ben that although vanilla extract looks like root beer, it is not for drinking. Tell him to stop whining and get him a drink to take the taste out of his mouth. Tell Danny to stop eating the creamed ingredients.

Measure one cup peanut butter and add to creamed ingredients. Settle argument about who will lick the measuring cup clean. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Explain to Joseph that although baking soda looks like powdered sugar, it does not taste like it. Tell him to stop crying and get him a drink to take the taste out of his mouth. Tell Danny to stop eating the creamed ingredients.

Take peanut butter jar away from Elisabeth.  Attempt to clean peanut butter off of Elisabeth's chest and legs with a wet dishtowel. Give up and start running bath water. Undress Elisabeth and put her in the tub.

Go back to kitchen. Ask who spilled the flour mixture all over the floor. Listen to denials. Look for broom and dustpan. Search garage, basement, backyard and kids' rooms. Give up on broom and push flour into a pile with your feet.

Re-measure dry ingredients and combine. Go see what that splash was. Take fully-clothed baby out of tub. From the bathroom, yell at Danny to stop picking at the creamed ingredients. Take off the baby's wet clothes and wrap him in a towel.

With baby in one arm, add dry ingredients to mixing bowl. Settle argument about who gets to turn on mixer. Let Joseph turn on mixer. Explain to Joseph that when you turn it up too high, flour flies all over your face. Wipe flour off Joseph's face. Wipe flour off your face. Measure oatmeal and add to bowl.

Put down baby and run to turn off bath water.  Mop up bathroom floor. Go back to kitchen to find wet naked baby is playing in the pile of flour on the floor. Explain to kids that it is not nice to call your baby brother a powdered donut, even if he looks like one. Get Elisabeth out of tub. Put baby in tub. Yell at Danny to stop eating the cookie dough.

Get baby out of tub, dress him and put him to bed. Wipe everybody's face and hands. Find broom (it's in the van). Clean up kitchen floor. Put Elisabeth's clothes, Adam's clothes, and nearly all the towels and dishcloths in the house into the washing machine. Look into almost empty mixing bowl. Turn off oven. Put cookie sheet away. Pick up chocolate chips.

Set timer for 10 minutes. Go into your bedroom and shut the door. Lie down and open bag of chocolate chips. Enjoy.