More Family Photos

New photos of our Family!

This summer the boys have grown SO much!

Enjoy the new photos!

Rasberry Swirl

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 5 teaspoons sugar
• FILLING:
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water, divided
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1-1/2 cups reduced-fat whipped topping
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen sweetened raspberries, thawed

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Press into an 11-in. x 7-in. dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, for filling, in a small heavy saucepan, combine the egg yolks, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches 160° or is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Cool quickly by placing pan in a bowl of ice water; stir for 2 minutes. Set aside.
• In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar and remaining water and sugar. With a portable mixer, beat on low speed until mixture reaches 160°. Transfer to a small bowl; beat on high until soft peaks form.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in egg yolk mixture. Fold in whipped topping, then egg white mixture. Drain raspberries, reserving 3 tablespoons juice. In a small bowl, crush half of berries with 1 tablespoon juice. Set remaining berries and juice aside.
• Spread a third of cream cheese mixture over crust; spoon half of crushed berry mixture over the top. Repeat layers. Cut through with a knife to swirl raspberries.
• Top with remaining cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with reserved berries and drizzle with remaining juice. Cover and freeze for 5 hours or until firm. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before cutting. Yield: 12 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 piece equals 217 calories, 9 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 71 mg cholesterol, 164 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1-1/2 fat.

Photo Tyler

Ty reciently got a camera of his very own. (Very proud he purchased it with his own money)

He's been exploring different photo angles and settings and getting quite good at capturing unique images! Check out these two. Now all I have to do is get them framed. Awesome! Way to go Ty!

Boys and Toys!

Brandon and Tyler were in Ft Wayne, IN at my friend Traci's house. She has a few toys laying around the farm and my boys dove right in. From nearly missing the propane tank to wiping out on the gravel roads, lets just say my boys had FUN FUN FUN!

so sorry Traci for the broken wheel....Ty's got it covered! EEEEk!

Quilt Oddesy

Mom and I went to a Quilt show in Hershey, PE this summer. WOW did we learn a lot about different quilting techniques and the artistry associated with quilting, not to mention the AMAZING chocolate that was doled out everywhere we went. Chocolate and Quilting. Is there any better combination? HA!

Like Mother like Son!

When I was a little girl, I used to revel in going to visit my Mom at work at Red Lobster. It meant surely that there would be crab to eat! Now my son Tyler is just as thrilled with this delectable little delicacy that is ever so evasive to crack. I love 'downing a pound' with him when we get our special Mother-Son dates together, and laughing as we finish with smiles on our faces. Ahhhh, it's the little things that make me smile!

Parmesan Rice

Parmesan Rice

Ingredients:

1Tbsp real Butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 can (13 3/4 ounces) chicken broth

1/2 tsp dried basil leaves

1/4 tsp of fresh cracked pepper

1 1/2 cups MINUTE® Rice, uncooked

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

HEAT butter in bottom of medium heat pan. Add onion; cook and stir until well browned or caramelized.

STIR in broth, basil and pepper. Bring to boil. Stir in rice. Return to boil. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 8 minutes or until liquid absorbed. Stir in cheese and serve immediately.

Note: May substitute chicken broth with chicken bouillon and water.

Jewel Sings To Fargo

I was there when she sang this. It was so funny!

Jewel ROCKS!

Bitten by Love!

Ok, this is my horse and me.

I want this horse.

His name is Bayberry, I want him very bad.

Want to say hi?

He likes to sniff things.

And eat things.

Yeah.

You can barely see, but he has a diamond on his head.

Right there.

He likes to get close up into things, so you can see his nostrils.

And that's his beautiful face.

And his muddy body.

Look at all that dirt, dirt, dirt!

But I still love him, he's my buddy!

My Baby is 13!

I can't believe I'm old enough to have a teenager in the house! Eeeek! How!

Brandon celebrated his bday in style this past weekend with a trip to the twin cities in Minnesota. He brought a friend, got their own hotel room, wandered the mall, bought LOTS of football cards, rode the rides at the ammusement park, and ordered pizza 'in'!

Today we were a bit more low key, with home made cup cakes, a dinner at the mall, and another trip to the card store. His smile still warms my heart, and his hugs still make me melt. I pray that God lets me have those special moments always!

Happy Birthday Brandon!

TV Celebrity

We have our own TV Celebrity in the house!

http://web.me.com/michellenoffze/Noffze_Family_Videos/Smoke_OUT.html

Old Lahaina Luau

The setting was right on the beach, complete with a very old banyon tree, and waves crashing in the background. It was breathtaking as the sun set beyond the waters edge and turned the sky the color of the orchids around our neck. The Polenesian culture is amazing and I have really enjoyed getting to know their culture and thier heritidge. The dances were mezmorizing and so full of expression. The men and women who performed them had such passion and conviction. I wish we could bring all of you to this magical island where the banyon trees are larger than buildings, the mountains are untouched by humand hands, and where the whales come to calve their young. Each day offers a new wonder, each turn of your head offers a new color, a new bit of scenery that will take your breath away, and each breath feels more alive than the one before with a sweet taste unlike anything I have ever experienced.

Aloha from Hawaii!

I’m sitting on the veranda of the Ritz Carlton on the island of Maui in the city of Kapalua , overlooking the ocean the amazing tropical flora and fauna of Hawaii. God’s creations never cease to amaze me! Who knew water could be so blue, palm trees could be so green or the air could smell so sweet as that of parfume? God knew! I wonder as I look out across his Hawaiian creation if this is what the garden of Eden was like. I truly think so!

Cole, the Nanny Dog

I was sitting for my friends baby this week and I was a little over my head. I haven't sat for a 15 month old in quite a while and had forgotten how much energy they possess.

Well, Cole stepped up to the plate and was my right hand. Little baby 'Will' would run off to get into something and Cole would follow on his heals. When Will took a liking to something he shouldn't Cole would let out a cautionary whimper and I'd come running. Once Will had found the dog-water and proceeded to paint the cupboards with it all while STANDING in the water. YUM! Once he scooted into the laundry room and was trying to climb up the cupboards, again Cole sounded the alarm.

My friend Ali says I need to adopt another one like she did, but I told her the only thing I'll be adopting is perhaps another pet. No more babies for the Noffze household. I love their cute little faces, their energetic little bodies, and their pure hearts, but alas, I'm no young pup anymore.

So for all of you who are still birthing at my age, more power to you. Cole and I will sit for them anytime and I'll smile joyfully as I hand them back at the end of the night and put my tired body to sleep.

You go girls!

Friends Forever Visit

My BFF from High School, Traci, came all the way to Fargo, ND to visit me last week. She endured a 10 1/2 hour delay in Chicago, lost power on all her gadgets, arrived in sub-zero temps AND they lost her luggage (which just so happened to have her coat).

Yeah, she loves me THAT MUCH! :)

For two days we trompsed around Fargo. She borrowed one of my wraps and just hung in there hoping that her luggage would come 'someday'. Low and behold a few days later they f

ound it on the tarmac in Chicago and flew it here. I've never seen someone so happy to have the necessities!

We spent the week playing cards, laughing at old stories, shopping, getting pampered at the spa and watching movies. One night the movie was Julia and Julia. At 10:30pm at night we stopped the movie ran to the local Barns and Noble to get the Julia Child cookbook, then rushed home to finish our movie and plan a meal. The next day we made her famous Beef Stew. The prep time was long, the steps were long, the process dirtied every dish in the kitchen and we LOVED it! This beef stew is absolutly amazing. It's definely worth all the hype, prep, process and clean up! To top it all off Traci taught me how to make bread.

What a week I tell you, what a week! I miss her already!

Beef Bourguignon Recipe (Beef Stew)

Beef Bourguignon Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 6 oz bacon
• 2 to 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 lbs trimmed beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes, patted dry with paper towels
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups sliced onions
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 bottle of red wine (such as a zinfandel or Chianti)
• 2 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
• 1 medium herb bouquet (tie 8 parsley sprigs, 1 large bay leaf, 1 tsp dried thyme, 2 whole cloves or allspice berries, and 3 large cloves of smashed garlic together wrapped and tied in cheesecloth)

• Beurre manié: 3 Tbsp flour blended to a paste with 2 Tbsp butter

• 24 pearl onions
• Chicken stock
• Butter
• 1 1/2 pounds of button or cremini mushrooms, quartered

METHOD

1 Blanch the bacon to remove its smoky taste. Drop bacon slices into 2 quarts of cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer 6 to 8 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, and dry on paper towels.

2 In a large frying pan, sauté the blanched bacon to brown slightly in a little oil; set them aside and add later to simmer with the beef, using the rendered fat in browning. Brown the chunks of beef on all sides in the bacon fat and olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and put them into a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or covered casserole pan. Cut the bacon into 1-inch pieces and add to the pan.

3 Remove all but a little fat from the frying pan, add the sliced vegetables and brown them, and add to the meat. Deglaze the pan with wine, pouring it into the casserole along with enough stock to almost cover the meat. Stir in the tomatoes and add the herb bouquet. Bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer slowly on the lowest heat possible, either on the stove or in a preheated 325°F oven, until the meat is tender, about 1 to 2 hours.

4 While the stew is cooking, prepare the onions. Blanch the onions in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. Slice the end tips off of the onions, peel the onions and score the root end with 1/4 inch cuts. Sauté onions in a single layer in a tablespoon or two of butter until lightly browned. Add chicken stock or water half way up the sides of the onions. Add a teaspoon of sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer slowly for 25 minutes or until tender. The onions should absorb most of the water. If there is water remaining after cooking, drain the excess. Set aside.

5 Prepare the mushrooms a few minutes before serving the stew. Sauté quartered mushrooms in a few tablespoons of butter and olive oil until browned and cooked through.

6 When the stew meat has cooked sufficiently, remove all solids from the sauce (except the beef) by draining through a colander set over a saucepan. Return the beef to the casserole. Press juices out of the residue into the cooking liquid, then remove any visible fat and boil down the liquid to 3 cups. Off heat, whisk in the beurre manié, then simmer for 2 minutes as the sauce thickens lightly. Correct seasoning and pour over the meat, folding in the onions and mushrooms. To serve, bring to a simmer, basting meat and vegetables with the sauce for several minutes until hot throughout.

Serve with rice, bread, or potatoes (unless you are doing the low-carb version!).

Serves 6 to 8.

Tacco Salad - Make Ahead

TACO SALAD

1 medium head lettuce, bite size pieces 1 large onion finely chopped

1 lb. hamburger, browned & drained 4 medium tomatoes, diced

8 oz. cheddar cheese, grated 5 ½ oz. crushed taco chips

1 small can kidney beans, drained (optional) 1 pkg. taco seasoning

Black Olives, sliced & drained (optional)

Brown hamburger, add taco seasoning; set aside and cool. Add rest of ingredients, except chips. Refrigerate before serving.

Dressing: Mix together 8 oz. bottle Thousand Island dressing, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon taco seasoning and 1 tablespoon taco sauce. Add this dressing and chips to the above mixture just before serving.

**I use a whole bag of taco chips and I do not use the kidney beans.

**Use whatever your family likes on tacos J

You betcha, it was cold enough to set a record

from the FORUM local paper:

For those who thought this morning was extremely cold, here’s confirmation from the National Weather Service: the 33 below zero reading at Hector International Airport set a new record.

And it was a very old record at that. The previous record low temperature for Jan. 2 in Fargo, 32 below, was set back in 1885, before North Dakota was a state.

“Those 1880s-era records are tough to beat, so that’s impressive,” Daryl Ritchison, a WDAY meteorologist, said today.

The Amazing Dog Trickster

We did a new video of Cole. Enjoy!

Who could resist?

With all this snow, who could resist playing in it?

This much snow reminds me of my childhood in rural Wisconsin. we had the best snowdrifts to tunnel in, and the best snow-forts in my memory. I'm so glad that my kids get to experience how FUN snow can be!

Corn Casserole

1 can whole kernel yellow corn, undrained
1 can cream style yellow corn
1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 stick butter, melted

Mix all together and pour into large, lightly oiled casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes.

STORM UPDATE: 'No travel' advisory extended to cover nearly all of North Dakota

UPDATED 11:33 a.m.

FARGO — Regional and local law enforcement agencies advise the public to stay home this Christmas and avoid any travel, as winter weather is ex-pected to worsen throughout the day.

A blizzard warning remains in effect in the Red River Valley region until noon Saturday.

The North Dakota Department of Transportation extended its "no travel" advisory to cover the entire state, excluding the northwest corner. However, roads there in the Williston, N.D., region are reportedly covered with snow and drifting snow is occurring, according to the NDDOT.

The four remaining snow plows out on Cass County roads will be pulled by noon due to deteriorating conditions, Sgt. Bruce Jorgenson said.

Plows were still operating on emergency routes in Fargo and Moorhead city streets, as of 10:20 a.m., according to regional dispatchers.

All roads in Cass County have between 4-and 14-inch snow drifts covering the majority of the road surface. The compacted snow and ice makes any travel in the county hazardous, even impossible in some areas, the sheriff’s office reported.

Local police departments and several area county sheriff’s agencies in North Dakota and Minnesota reported only a few cars in the ditch this morning and no major accidents.

Just before 5 a.m., Cass County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to rescue a driver from the Kindred road south of Interstate 94, after the motorist slid into a ditch and became stuck, according to a county news release.

The driver was unharmed, but county officials are cautioning drivers to stay at a safe location until road conditions improve.

For the most part, agencies reported that it appears people are heeding their advice.

West Fargo and Fargo police are advising no travel, and officers are monitoring 19th Avenue North, 32nd Avenue South and 52nd Avenue South, among other major thoroughfares, to ensure they stay open, dispatchers said.

Meanwhile, in rural areas, county agencies re-ported worsening weather conditions.

The National Weather Service indicated zero visibility in open areas.

All state highways in Richland County were closed this morning, according to dispatchers in Wahpeton.

In Minnesota, several counties are advising no travel as visibility worsens on the roads. Snow plows are having difficulty keeping up with the snowfall and accumulating drifts.

Crews in Otter Tail County were pulled off the road this morning, and the same is expected shortly in Polk County, according to county dispatchers.

Despite the oncoming blizzard conditions, all flights going into and out of Fargo’s Hector International Airport were on time, as of 9:30 a.m., ac-cording to the airport’s Web site.

Baked French Toast - Caserole

BAKED FRENCH TOAST
1/3 stick butter 1/3 c. brown sugar Cinnamon 6 eggs, beaten 1 c. milk Dash of salt 6 pieces of Texas Toast or thick sliced French bread Melt butter in bottom of pan, sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Lay bread in pan. Pour egg, milk, and salt mixture over top. Refrigerate overnight. Bake in 9 x 13 pan at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. May add a little Karo syrup to make it "stickier".