Ice Skating Menu
With the winter officially here and snow falling around much of the country, now is the time to head outside and play. Whether you choose to go skating at the nearest rink, or choose instead to find the closest sledding hill, nothing beats coming home to a warming drink or meal after spending a couple of hours outside.
While this menu is designed with three courses in mind, it allows you to pick and choose from what you like, and what meal or snack you will be preparing food for, to create something that fits your needs. For example, simply prepare a basic hot chocolate, and some cookies, for an afternoon snack (make sure to include some homemade marshmallows in there, too). For lunch, pair a soup with a salad, and make sure to have on hand a hearty loaf of bread. If it's dinner time, something like braised short ribs and mashed potatoes make for a perfect, filling meal.
Winter Warming Drinks:
From The Daily Meal
A recipe for a simple hot chocolate from Michael Recchiuti that kids will love. You can also dress up or spike the cocoa with various flavorings, be it mint or caramel, or Bailey's or whiskey, for an grown-up treat.
Mountaineer's Spiced Hot Chocolate
From The Daily Meal
From The Sea Grill in New York City, this is an adults-only cocoa that is hard to resist.
From The Daily Meal
Not a chocolate fan, or lactose-intolerant? Try this boozy version of a hot cider. If you serve this, just make sure you offer some of the basic stuff for the kids, too.
Starters:
From The Daily Meal
A classic French soup that is perfect alone for lunch, or with some cheese, prosciutto, and a salad, for dinner.
From The Daily Meal
A kid-friendly soup that is both healthy and hearty.
Herb Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
From The Daily Meal
A basic green salad that can be easily personalized, with the addition of your choice of colorful ingredients.
Main Dishes:
Lamb Meatballs with Fresh Herbs
From The Daily Meal
A variation on a classic favorite. For those who steer away from beef, lamb is also very easy to digest.
Fettuccine with Butternut Squash, Arugula, Sage, Parmesan and Pine Nuts
From The Daily Meal
A hearty vegetarian pasta dish with a lovely balance of sweet and salty flavors, and creamy and chewy textures.
From The Daily Meal
Meltingly-tender braised beef is a comforting wintertime dish. Serve this with Potato Basil Purée for a balanced meal.
Side Dishes:
Ina's Potato Basil Purée
From The Daily Meal
The Barefoot Contessa gives basic mashed potatoes a makeover with the addition of basil and Parmigiano.
Quickly-Cooked Kale with White Beans
From The Daily Meal
A hearty vegetable dish that can also double as a vegetarian main dish.
Desserts:
From The Daily Meal
A simple, warm dessert that pairs well with vanilla ice cream. Instead of pear, you can also experiment with seasonal fruits, like apples and cranberries.
From The Daily Meal
A family favorite from the pastry chef at Jean-Georges' ABC Kitchen in New York City.
From The Daily Meal
For an after-skating activity, why not decorate your own sugar cookies? You can either immediately devour your creation, or if you're making cookies while dinner is being made, save them for dessert.