Ice Age

We've been hit with a slow moving ice storm that continues to drop freezing rain that's collecting on anything standing still and we are hoping to make it through the night with power. Believe it or not, the kid-os are enjoying this drippy freezing stuff and have been playing out doors! (The only kids in the neighborhood who want to do so!) This is what the trees in our yard look like:

But on a cold night like this we need some good hot vittles to warm us up. Here's my menu:

Corn Chowder

(A twist on one Anika snagged and adapted from Marilyn)

6 Tbs. butter
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
3-4 Tbsp. flour
1 qt. half and half
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 lb. frozen corn
2 cans (4 cups) chicken stock
1 lb. diced cooked ham
dash cayenne pepper
green onions, chopped

Melt butter in a soup pot on medium heat. Add onion and celery and saute until onion is translucent. Reduce heat to low and add flour a bit at a time, stirring constantly. When the mixture is no longer shiny, cook another minute. Add half and half very slowly while stirring to avoid lumps. Add salt, pepper, corn, stock, ham, and cayenne. Bring chowder to a boil and simmer 20 minutes. Serve hot garnished with green onions.

Oatmeal Bread
(adapted from a recipe found in The Occasional Cook, by Cyndy Salzmann)

1 cup warm water
3 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. oil

2 Tbsp. dry milk
1 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal
2 tsp. active dry yeast

Add ingredients to your bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer. You can use the machine for the whole process, but I use the dough setting only and take it out of the bread machine after the first rise, form a loaf and place it in a greased bread pan, and then let it rise a second time for about 50 minutes. Cook dough at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Best if cooled about 20 minutes before serving.