Ah, February.
February always brings to mind a timeless quote from that much revered philosopher, Garfield, “February is the Monday of months.” Here in Michigan, February is the time when the novelty of winter has long since worn off, and what generally remains is an attitude best described as “grim determination.” Perhaps other, hardier souls, in kinder climates do not have the negative associations with February that I do, but those lucky so-and-so’s can just go have a mojito on some breezy outdoor patio. The rest of us in the Midwest and Northeast will be over here, doggedly rubbing lotion into our dry skin, dreaming of tank tops and flip flops.
One solution to getting through the gray days ahead is to muster up some spirit and actually have fun. I have often found that when I try to create some a good time for my family and our friends, that I end up having fun in spite of myself. That can actually be mildly irritating, when I have gone to all the trouble to work myself up into a real grouchy snit; but these are the sacrifices we make for those we love. So what the heck, I’m going to have a sledding party.
Here is what you are going to need to prepare for this wintertime fete. Sleds(duh,) hot chocolate and marshmallows for the kidlets, something warm for everyone’s tummies, and a couple of nice cocktails to reward the parents who have slogged up and down steep hills for the last several hours, towing kids on toboggans.
The easiest thing to do is throw something in the slow cooker that can be doing all the work for you, while you are on the hill embarrassing your children by trying to snowboard in front of their friends. “Mo-ommm, stop. STOP! They’re gonna see you!” (Heh, maybe the next time I tell them to clean up their stuff, they will realize I mean it? Parental retribution is one of the benefits of parenting that no one really talks about.)
Now when everyone gets done sledding and is ready to dig into some refreshments, the last thing that you are going to want to deal with is a lot of work in the kitchen, so keep it simple. Have a tray of raw veggies and dip, along with some fresh fruit. A very easy recipe that you can serve as your main dish (it actually even works best if you make it the day before) is barbecued beef sandwiches. Here is my tried and true version:
Barbecued Beef Sandwiches
1 1/2 cups catsup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons prepared Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2teaspoons liquid smoke flavoring
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon onion powder
4 pounds boneless chuck roast
Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine catsup, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke. Stir in salt, pepper and garlic powder.
2. Place chuck roast in a slow cooker. Pour sauce mixture over chuck roast. Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
3. Remove chuck roast from slow cooker, shred with a fork, and return to the slow cooker. Stir meat to evenly coat with sauce. Remove from heat and let cool overnight. Remove any congealed fat from the top and discard. Warm it back up on the lowest setting of the slow cooker for an hour or two, until heated through. Serve on Kaiser Rolls or your favorite sandwich buns.
For a final touch, you can offer your parent friends this hot drink to help them warm up, and give them the courage to make it until spring!
Hot Buttered Rum
1 lb. brown sugar
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 lb. butter
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
Put all ingredients in a large pot on the stovetop and heat slowly over low heat, stirring until mixture has a cake batter-like consistency. Pour into a freezer-safe container and put into the freezer until firm. Start heating water in a teakettle on the stove. To serve, place 1 heaping teaspoon of batter into each mug. Add a jigger of rum and a jigger of brandy, then top with hot water. Stir and add a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg, if you like.
