Frigid fun

by RobinsFlight

Like many in the United States, last week left us with more snow and colder temps than this area has seen in quite a while.  I know some parts of the country were snowier and more frigid than here in the Detroit area, but our 6-8" of snow, on top of the 6" or so that were already on the ground, was more than my kids had ever seen!  And 30 below (*F) wind chills...well, that had me remembering days when Michigan State University closed classes for a day back twenty years ago, and farther back, remembering walking to school in Wisconsin with friends, all waddling like penguins, we were so bundled up!


Our extended Christmas break, thanks to 3 snow days, left us with some extra time around the house.  And since there's only so long that 2 kids and a mom can handle cooped up indoors, we did venture out a bit.  Before the heaviest of the snow hit, the kids had fun making a snowman, complete with hat, scarf and a carrot nose.  The next morning he had to be dug out, of course- don't want our snowman suffocating under a blanket of snow!





Then there's the general playing in the snow.  My kids are fond of building snow slides and doing their best of fall, flip, and push each other down.  And no snow day would be complete without a trip to the sledding hill.  Unfortunately, my camera didn't accompany us that day.

 














I think my favorite activity was blowing bubbles and watching them freeze.  Yes, I have to admit, the idea came from the now viral pictures by Angela Kelly that have been circulating on the internet.  But hey, what a great idea!  My photos aren't nearly as good as hers are, but it was fun.  



The temperature was -12*F, and there was a decent wind.  It probably would've been better if the wind had been lighter- it tended to blow the bubbles away with enough force that they'd just shatter when they hit something. 

They froze almost instantly, not a slow crystallization.  I actually had to blow pretty quickly to got any bubbles before the liquid froze on the wand.  And the smaller bubbles definitely lasted best.




I tried it again the next day.  The wind was less, and it was warmer- I think about 6 *F above this time.  The bubbles froze more slowly, but they didn't seem to hold their shape nearly as well.  A few held together though.




So what did you do to occupy yourself during the big freeze?

Warm Me Up dinner ideas

Although the weather has been rather crazy in many parts of the United States, it's still January, and winter calls for some nice warming meal ideas. Nancy of NancyEllenStudios and DesignsStainedGlass and I have come up with some family favorites we'd like to share with you.

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili, from Betty Crocker

6 skinless chicken thighs (1 1/2 lb)
1 large onion, chopped (1 c.)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. dried oregano leaves
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. red pepper sauce
2 cans (15.5 oz each) great northern beans, rinsed
1 can (11 oz) white shoepeg corn
3 T. lime juice
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

1. Remove excess fat from chicken. In 3 1/2-4 qt. slow cooker, mix onion, garlic, broth, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper sauce. Add chicken.
2. Cover. Cook on low setting 4-5 hr.
3. Remove chicken from slow cooker. Use 2 forks to remove bones and shred chicken into pieces. Discard bones; return chicken to slow cooker. Stir in beans, corn, lime juice and cilantro. Cover; cook on low setting 15-20 min. or until beans and corn are hot.

Yield: 8 servings


This next recipe is also a chili, but is great for those nights when you're short on time!

30 Minute Chili

1/2 lb. lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (15.5 oz) chili beans
1 can (14.5 oz) chili ready diced tomatoes
1 t. ground cumin
chili powder to taste

1. In large pot, brown meat and onion. Drain.
2. Return meat and onions to pot. Add beans and tomatoes, 1/2 can of water, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, lower heat. Simmer 15-30 min.
3. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and corn muffins (opt.)

Yield: 3-4 servings.
This recipe is great to double, even triple if you have a big enough pot. I've also played with adding corn, peppers, or other veggies, or replacing the ground meat with diced sausage links.


Everyone has a recipe that reminds them of home. For me, it's my mom's beef stew.

Mom's Beef Stew

2 lb. stew beef
3 T. flour
1 t. salt
2 T. vegetable oil
3-4 large potatoes, cut into pieces
1 large onion, chopped
4 carrots, cut into chunks
1 large (28 oz) can stewed or diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1/4 c. minute tapioca

1. In a bag, shake beef, flour, salt, and a dash of pepper. Heat oil in a dutch oven on large pot. Add beef and brown.
2. Add potatoes, onion, carrots, tomatoes and bay leaf. Mix well. Sprinkle tapioca over the top of mixture. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat and simmer 2 hr. or until meat is very tender.

Yield: 4-6 servings


This last recipe is a favorite in my house, making both kids and adults excited for dinner!

30 minute mini-meatloaves

3/4 lb. ground beef or turkey
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1 T. onion flakes or powder (if using onions salt, omit salt listed above)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c. (for beef) or 1 c. (for turkey) bread crumbs
1/2 c. tomato or spaghetti sauce

1. Combine all ingredients. Shape into 4 loaves. Place in a shallow baking dish. Bake at 350*F 20 min.
2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine the following:
1/2 c. tomato or spaghetti sauce
2 t. dried parsley flakes
1 T. brown sugar
1 t. worchestershire sauce
3. Spoon sauce over meatloaves, return to oven and bake 10 min.

Yield: 4 loaves


Stay warm and enjoy!

Posted by Robin of RobinsFlight.