Nog Shake

This is a fun festive dessert during the holidays.
Bon appetite and stay well until next time!

Nog Shake
Servings: 8
Serving size 1 cup

4 cups ice
3 cups nog silken® (only 90 calories per half cup)
3 bananas, peeled, frozen, and medium in size
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 vanilla bean, split and scrapped
2 tablespoons truvia®

In a blender add all the ingredient together. Then Blend until smooth, you should get a milk shake like consistency. Split the mixture between 8 small glasses and serve a one cup portion per person. Garnish with extra cinnamon if desired.

Orzo with Fresh Vegetables

This is the side dish that I made with the lobster stuffed with crab. While the lobster and crab dish is something that you would make only for special occasions, this orzo dish can be served with any protein throughout the year. You can also use any vegetables that you want.
Bon appetite and stay well until next time!


Orzo with Fresh Vegetables
Yields 5
Serving Size ½ cup scoop

1 cup dry orzo
3 cups water
¼ cup chopped asparagus
¼ cup roasted peppers
¼ cup diced red onion
½ cup broccoli flowerets
¼ cup sliced cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon soy butter, earth balance®
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

In a pot add the 3 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until “ Al dente” Drain and add to a mixing bowl. Add everything except for the asparagus and broccoli. Mix together. Steam the broccoli and asparagus. Asparagus for 3 minutes, and broccoli for 5 minutes. Then Mix the vegetables in to the bowl and server.

Lobster Stuffed with Crab

I would say that the only thing that sucks about my job is that we are a 365 day, 24/7 facility and holidays really don't mean anything. Last year we at least got to take Christmas day off, but not this year. I worked on Thanksgiving morning but made it home in time to start and fix dinner. I wasn't scheduled to work on Christmas too, but Shayley had a family thing in Salt Lake and I thought offering to work for her was the thing to do. It became even more palpable when Chef Cam said that he was going to serve the guests Lobster Stuffed with Crab, and I would get some! I actually was involved in the tasting of the dish as he was perfecting it. As it turned out though, they didn't let him serve that so I bought some of the lobster from him and served it to Gayle, Mike and Steve on the Sunday after Christmas. The complete meal includes Orzo with Fresh Vegetables (very festive with red and green vegies) and a Nog Shake. I didn't make the nog shake but I had one at the resort and it was yummy. So, here is the lobster/crab recipe and then I'll post the other two.

Bon appetite and stay well until next time!

Lobster Stuffed with Crab
Servings: 4

4 5oz lobster tails

Steam for 5 minutes. Then add them to an ice and water container to let them cool down after cooking. Let them sit in the water for atleast 5 minutes to stop the cooking process.


Crab Filling:

6 oz jumbo lump crab
1/8 cup veganaise
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1/8 cup red bell peppers, roasted and diced
1/8 cup red onion, small diced
1/8 cup tomatoes, oven roasted (should be able to find this in up scale markets)

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees. Split the lobster tails in half. Clean the lobster meat if needed. Then split the crab filling between the 8 ½ lobster tails. Add them to a sheet pan and bake them for 7- 10 minutes or until the lobster and crab heats up.. Make sure not to over cook this. Serve this with the orzo and fresh vegetables.

One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is making really good cookies and then giving as many of them away as I can! The tradition goes back to when the girls were really young and now a new generation has joined in the fun. This year I went up to Layton and Jen, Denise and I baked all day Saturday the 11th. We made sankakkers, which are a traditional Norwegian Christmas cookie that you make in shells, a new cookie I started making last year, double-ginger chocolate chunk cookies, and homemade turtles. Jen also made another cookie batter and Lauren and her friend Kimberly made cute green Christmas tree cookies. I thought it would be Lauren or Katie who would help us with the sankakkers but it was the five year old, Ethan, who helped with those. It was hysterical watching him jam the dough into the shells, but Aunt Denise was very patient with him. The ones he made we put on a special plate for his friends.
So, I want to share the recipe for the double-ginger chocolate chunk cookies. They are super yummy!
Bon appetite and stay well until next time!

Double-Ginger Chocolate Chunk Cookies
30 cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) room temperature
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar (plus 1/2 cup for rolling)
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup coarsely chopped candied ginger
1 cup dark chocolate chunks (chop a gourmet chocolate bar for the best results)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, spices and cocoa in a large bowl. Set aside.
With a mixer, cream together butter and 1/3 cup dark brown sugar and 1/3 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Beat in egg yolk. Add molasses and vanilla. Add flour mixture. Mix until no flour pockets remain. Stir in chocolate and ginger. Chill dough until firm.
Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a bowl. Roll tablespoonfuls of cookie dough into balls and roll in sugar.
Place 2 inches apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pan after 5 minutes, until cookies are beginning to crack and edges are just set. Do not overbake.
Let cookies cool briefly on baking sheet and transfer to a rack to cool completely.