Strawbunny Smoothie recipe

Thanks to Kendra Thornton for the guest post and providing the following recipe. This sounds fun! 

The Strawbunny Easter Smoothie Treat
On one of my former travels, my husband and I went on a fabulous vacation to Las Vegas. It's a beautiful city full of excitement and commotion. It's no wonder that the city draws millions of people every year. It was a nice change from the usually cold and windy weather of Chicago. Although I love where I live, Las Vegas was a welcoming change of pace.

However, one of the most memorable parts of the trip was the smoothie I had at the Cosmopolitan, ranked amongst some of the top hotels in Las Vegas. It was one of the best smoothies I had ever had. Not only was it refreshing but also it was extremely flavorful. I love how it has just the right amount of sweetness without it being overpowering. Strawberries are one of my most favorite fruits so I love how this smoothie uses it into its recipe. But the best part of this smoothie is the presentation.

To help celebrate this year's Easter with you all, I want to share this recipe and maybe it will become a favorite in your family as well. The following recipe's proportions make about 2 cups of the smoothie. The recipe is incredibly simple and easy without any complicated steps. The ingredients include the following...

Strawbunny Easter Smoothie:

Ingredients:

- 1(1/2) cups of frozen strawberries
- 4 tsp. of low-fat vanilla yogurt (for dairy-free, add extra milk alternative and 1 teaspoon of sugar)
- 2 tsp. of peanut butter
- 1/2 cup of skim milk (for dairy-free, use a milk alternative)
- Marshmallow (Bunny) Peeps

Directions:
The only step of this recipe is to put all the ingredients into the blender and mix. One tip is to only put a few strawberries into the blender at a time, as it will make blending easier. If your strawberries are exceptionally large, make sure to cut them into smaller pieces so that the mixture blends more smoothly. Keep the blender going as you continue to add in a few strawberries at a time.

Presentation is key with any special holiday meal, drink, or dessert. I like to make it more festive by serving a glass of this on top of a plate of Easter grass. I usually put some chocolate eggs sitting on the bottom sitting on top of the grass. It's the perfect centerpiece to be placed in the middle of the kitchen table on Easter morning. This breakfast decoration never ceases to bring smiles to my children's faces every Easter morning after they wake up.

I hope you enjoy this treat just as much as my family does this holiday…enjoy!
-Kendra

Kendra Thornton is a travel advocate, TV spokesperson, PR businesswoman, proud wife and mama of 3. I am a long time travel expert who has been packing my bags and traveling the world since I was 3 months old! I've found my utmost desire in life is right here in my own home. I have mixed my excitement for travel by bringing the taste of authentic cuisine to my own home with some of my unique recipes. Enjoy!

Creamy tarragon chicken

When you are looking for an elegant dish that you can serve to both adults and kids, try this one. The recipe is courtesy of Aida Mollenkamp from her book "Keys to the Kitchen" (see the interview and blog post here).  I made it for Christmas Dinner this past holiday and everyone raved.

Now, if you notice, the recipe is far from dairy-free so it was off-limits for my daughter (however, there are dairy substitutes below). I didn't really think it was going to be her thing, so after sauteing the chicken, I put some aside for her and proceeded with the recipe. If you know me, I'm not one to make two meals but I do accommodate her special diet by being just a little creative. I promise, it's possible.

After reviewing Aida's book, this one really stuck out. However, being The Family Chef, I had to put my own spin on it and make it a bit more family friendly. It's naturally gluten-free and absolutely delicious. If you need some of your own keys in the kitchen, check out Aida's book.


Creamy Tarragon Chicken

2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into strips
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, butter substitute, or olive oil
2 shallots or 1 medium onion, diced
½ cup brandy, cognac, or white wine
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream or plain coconut creamer (unsweetened)
1-2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard

Optional: 1 cup frozen or shelled fresh baby peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves (it's worth getting fresh; if you only have dried, use about half)

Steamed rice, roasted potatoes, or noodles, for serving

1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season thoroughly with salt and pepper. 
2. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, quickly add the oil, tilt to swirl, and immediately add the chicken to the pan without crowding the pan (you may have to do this is in 2 or 3 batches). Cook until golden brown, but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and repeat to brown all chicken. Note: if you are serving chicken without the sauce, cook it thoroughly.
3. Add the butter or oil to the pan, then add the shallots or onion. Add about 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook until the shallots are golden brown. 
4. Remove the pan from the heat, add the brandy, and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Return to the stove and simmer until any alcohol smell is cooked off and the liquid is reduced, about 2 minutes. Whisk in chicken juices that have accumulated on the plate from the chicken, the broth, cream, and mustard and cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
5. Return the chicken to the pan along with the peas, if using, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the peas are bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tarragon, adjust seasoning as desired, and serve with rice, potatoes, or noodles.

Notes (Aida provides great tips with each recipe):

*Basil is a good substitute if you can’t find or don’t like tarragon.
*Swap pork tenderloin for the chicken.
*Add mushrooms to the shallots and cook until golden brown.

Specialty coffee drinks for the holidays

Thanks to Krups for sending me these delicious looking recipes for coffee drinks. I usually make my own eggnog latte around Christmas time; I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes this!

Krups suggests using their combo coffee/espresso machine. I have used them at other people's homes; it does make good coffee.

Enjoy and happy holidays!!



Eggnog Coffee
2 ½ cups freshly brewed coffee
1 cup eggnog
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Brew coffee in your favorite coffee maker. Warm eggnog in a pot over low heat and add the hot coffee and nutmeg. Serve immediately. Garnish with nutmeg.



Chocolate Mint Latte
2 fluid ounces espresso coffee
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 cup milk, steamed
1/8 cup frothed milk
Whipped cream
Chocolate shavings

In a coffee mug, brew the espresso coffee.  Add the peppermint extract and then pour in steamed milk and frothed milk. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.


Coffee Hazelnut Milkshakes
1 cup chilled coffee
4 scoops coffee ice cream
¼ cup crushed hazelnuts
Whipped cream
Crushed toffee or chocolate shavings

Blend coffee, ice cream and crushed hazelnuts in a blender until mixture becomes a smooth but thick consistency. Pour into a coffee mug and top with whipped cream and sprinkle toffee pieces (or chocolate shavings).

Santa hat cupcakes

Santa Hat Cupcakes courtesy of Lauryn Cohen

I know you might think I'm clever, but really, I'm not. Full credit goes to Lauryn Cohen, aka Bella Baker, who came up with this cute concept. Lauren is the queen of sweet and is known for her uniquely creative treats and crafts. She recently launched a holiday baking guide (entitled Sweet Gifts Holiday Baking and Crafting Guide- available nationwide) filled with innovative and delicious recipes for the holidays.

Lauryn was nice enough to share one of her creations with The Family Chef. In this recipe, she calls for a red velvet cupcake (you will find a gluten-free, no-dye recipe in my upcoming cookbook). You can always use a basic vanilla (regular or gluten-free).

Here is her technique for making super cute holiday cupcakes for your friends or family.

Santa Hats

Santa Baby! This cupcake is topped with your favorite buttercream frosting and uses an upside-down ice cream cone, sprinkles, and a white gumball to create Santa’s signature cap. Here's what you will need:

• 12  sugar ice cream cones (regular or gluten-free)
•  red candy melts
•  red sanding sugar sprinkles
• 12  white gumballs
•  white dot sprinkles or white sanding sugar sprinkles 

Assembly
With an offset spatula, frost a thin layer of buttercream icing onto the top of each cupcake. If you have a strip of some fun paper, wrap it around the cupcake.

Cut the pointy tops off of the ice cream cones (I might try it with kitchen scissors).

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the red candy melts in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring vigorously with a spoon between intervals, until they are completely melted. They should take 2 or 3 intervals to melt completely.

To decorate each cupcake, place your index and middle finger inside the large opening of the ice cream cone for stability and then carefully, using a spoon, coat the entire outside of the ice cream cone with the melted red candy melts. Immediately coat the entire cone in red sanding sugar. Gently slide your fingers out of the cone and stand the cone on a sheet of parchment paper (or a silicone baking mat).

Dab a small amount of the melted candy onto a gumball and place it on the top of the ice cream cone. Allow to dry completely. Place the Santa Hat onto the cupcake.

Finally, sprinkle the white dot sprinkles or white sanding sugar over the icing that is peeking out around the edge of the ice cream cone.