Eggnog

My sister called and asked me for the "Sorensen family eggnog recipe." Aka, the one out of Better Homes and Gardens. :) I thought I'd post it since I had it all typed up. 

1/3 cup sugar 

2 egg yolks

1/4 tsp. salt

4 cups milk

2 egg whites

3 tablespoons sugar 

1 tsp. vanilla

brandy/rum flavoring to taste (I leave this out)

1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

nutmeg

Beat 1/3 cup sugar into egg yolks. Add salt; stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, till mixture coats spoon. cool. Beat eggwhites till foamy. Gradually add 3 tablespoons sugar, beating into soft peaks. Add to custard and mix thoroughly. Add vanilla and flavoring. Chill for 3 or 4 hours. Pour into punch bowl or cups. Dot with "islands" of whipped cream; dash with nutmeg. Serves 6 to 8.

It says till mixture coats spoon, but I don't really know what that means. I just do it till it's good and hot and cooked through. You can cook the nutmeg in with it to add more flavor too.

Remember last year when a girl in Wal-Mart asked me if I wanted to sample her eggnog and in the most snobbish way I said, "No thanks, we make our own." Seriously, I'm still reeling over that one. So embarrassing. 

smoothies

Okay, I talked about this before (in our email chain), but I am more and more convinced that if you want get your kid to eat more veggies, sneak em in a smoothie.  Actually, if you want to get me to eat more veggies, sneak them in a smoothie.

I basically use this recipe:

• frozen strawberries
• frozen or fresh blueberries (I don't use the mixed berries because morgan does not like the seed).  I definitely like to add the blueberries because they are so good for you
• 1/3-1/2 cup of yogurt, I use vanilla, but I'm thinking about making my own yogurt here pretty soon (my Indian friend does it and thinks it's much better.  I agree.)
• banana...bananas really sweeten it up and mask other flavors
• any other fruit--pear is a good one, it's pretty sweet
• 1 cup(or more) milk or apple juice.  I'd prefer to just use milk, but the juice really sweetens it up and my kids are more likely to drink it.  I usually add both.
• spinach.  I fill my blender up as full as I can with spinach
• grated carrot (or left over baby food you want to get rid of.  beware if it has peas in it.  they kind of have a strong flavor.)
• honey or agave if it needs sweetening
• flax seed, i usually add 2-3 tablespoons
• sometimes I add protein powder if I remember.

I usually just make the above recipe, but my friend makes green smoothies, which are more veggie-ish and she adds kale, cucumber, sprouts, bock choy, avocado(makes it creamy), zucchini.  So I bought some kale (which is supposed to be the healthiest of the greens--is that true jamie?), cucumber, zucchini and added it today, and I like it (I grated the cucumber and zucchini).  I can really taste the cucumber, can't taste the zucchini or kale, although the texture is more mealy

There you go, lots of healthy veggies in a smoothie.  If morgan is home i add less veggies, she has a pickier pallet when it comes to these.  Beware of the color.  It's greenish/brown (depending on the blueberries).  I usually put it in a cup with a lid and straw.