Learning With My Boys

My husband turned 35 this year so I decided to throw him a surprise party.  I decided on a Lord of the Rings theme for him and invited tons of family to surprise him!  It was hard keeping it a surprise since he knew that his family was coming to town from all over, but we had fun with a full Lord of the Rings meal with dessert and decorations. 

First we started off by shooting a few of his guns for fun!

I made myself an ivy headdress to look more Lord of the Rings festive.

As he entered the house he saw the sign that was on Baggin’s door in part of the movie.

I also made a birthday banner!

I printed out a map that I found on Google images of Middle earth onto tan paper.  Then I crumpled it up a few times and then flattened it out and burnt the edges.

I thought it would be fun to have a list of Hobbit meals sitting on the table with the food.

For lunch I tried to make Lord of the Rings type food, although I’m not sure how accurate I was?

Here are some of the foods that I made for lunch…

Po Tay Toe Coney (Beef Stew)

• 1 lb cooked and diced beef
• 1 can beef broth
• 1/2 tbl minced onion
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 3 stalks chopped celery
• 4 diced potatoes
• 4 diced carrots
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 can tomato soup

I just mixed it all in a pot and let it simmer for about an hour.  Don’t forget to take out the bay leave before you serve it.

Bread Bowls

I made the bread bowls to eat with the coney.

• 2 (.25 ounce) packs active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbl vegetable oil
• 7 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbl cornmeal
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and let it stand for about 10 minutes (should look creamy).
2. Add salt, oil and 4 cups of flour to the yeast and beat well; then stir in the remaining flour about 1/2 cup at a time (you can use an electric mixer for this part if you have one).
3. When the dough forms a ball, dump it onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes (until smooth).
4. Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl.  Turn the bowl until the dough has been covered with oil.
5. Cover it with a damp cloth for about 40 minutes in a warm place.  It should rise to about double it’ size.
6. Punch down the dough, and divide it into 8 equal parts.
7. Shape each part into a round ball about 4 inches in diameter.
8. Lightly grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.
9. Place the 8 dough balls on the sheet and cover again.  Place in a warm place for about 35 minutes, should double in size again.
10. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
11. In a small bowl beat egg white and 1 tbl water.
12. Lightly brush the dough with the egg wash.
13. Bake for 15 minutes then brush with more egg wash again.
14. Bake fore 10 more minutes and then let cool.
15. Cut about 1/2 inch in around the bowl.  Cut with your knife straight down about 3/4 inch from the bottom.
16. Then scoop out the bread in the middle.

Corn Chowder (Corn Casserole)

• 1 can whole drained kernel corn
• 1 can creamed corn
• 2 tbl flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tbl melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly grease a 8×8  casserole dish.
3. Stir the corns, flour, salt, pepper, and sugar together.
4. Whisk the eggs and milk in a separate bowl.
5. Add the egg to the corn and stir.
6. Add the butter and stir.
7. Pour into casserole dish.
8. Bake for 45 minutes

Elven Bird Delight

I got a roasted herb chicken at a local super market for this.

Roasted Green Beans

• 1 can green beans
• 1 tbl oil
• salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss all ingredients and place them in a small dish.
3. Roast in oven for about 20 minutes stirring halfway through.

Honey Cakes

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease cupcake pan.
3. Stir together dry ingredients.
4. Use a different bowl to mix your wet ingredients.
5. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix like batter.
6. Pour batter into cupcake pan and bake for about 15 minutes.
7. Check with a toothpick.
8. Let cool for about 5 minutes before you remove from the pan.

Platter

I put bread from inside the bread bowls, cheese slices with little sword sandwich picks, grapes, and pickles.

Rosie’s Bread

I just got Hawaiian King Honey Wheat Rolls for this.

Balin’s Spiced Beef  (sirloin wrapped in bacon)

I just bought the prewrapped sirloin and sprinkled some season salt on.  I broiled it for about 10-15 minutes on each side.

Elven Lembas

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tbl baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 tea lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Knead butter into mixture with your fingers (should look like a crumbly mixture).
4. Stir in sugar.
5. Add milk and lemon juice and stir until dough forms.
6. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out about 1/2 inch thick.
7. Cut out 2 inch squares and place on a cookie sheet.
8. Criss-cross each square from corner to corner with a pizza cutter (don’t cut all the way though just the tops).
9. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
10. Print out the Lembas Bread Leaf Wrap on green paper.  Fold according to the directions.
11. Tie with twine to keep closed.

For the drink table I had Ginger Ale, Tea, and Apple Cider.

For the dessert table I had lots of little snacks.

I put out a few extra berries in a little bowl.

Orc Bolders

Donut holes.

Gollum’s Goodies

Gummy worms and Sweedish fish.

The Ring

Peachy O gummies.

Council of Elrond

Keebler Elf cookies.

Smaug’s Gems (Brigaderio)

• 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 1 Tbl butter
• 3 Tbl nesquick
• Chopped nuts, Mini chocolate chips, Coconut

1. In a saucepan heat sweetened condensed milk, butter and Nesquick on medium heat.
2. Stir continuously for about 10 minutes, until it’s thick enough to show the bottom of the pan.
3. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased dish and let it cool for about an hour.
4. Grease your hands and roll into 1 inch balls.
5. Roll the balls into the nuts, chocolate, or coconut.

Mrs. Cottons BerryPie (Cherry Cheese Pie)

This is more the type of dessert that my husband likes.  One of his favorites is my mom’s recipe for Cherry Cheese Pie.

• 9 inch graham crust
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 can cherry pie filling

1. Beat cream cheese until fluffy.
2. Beat in the milk until smooth.
3. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.
4. Pour into the crust.
5. Chill for 3 hours.
6. Top with cherries.
7. Refrigerate leftovers.

Goldberry’s Pie (Berry Short Cake)

I wanted a hobbit type looking cake but couldn’t find anything in my research that was good enough.  I didn’t want to just have a decorated cake (because my husband hates cake).  I decided to try to create something else based on a picture I saw somewhere.  Even my husband ate this cake… I think it’s the best cake I have ever tasted and I will be making it again for sure!

• Round Short Cake
• 1 jar Marshmallow Creme
• 8 oz. Cream Cheese
• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• 1 can Pirouette Wafers
• Ribbon (I used gold to look like a golden ring)

1. Beat marshmallow cream and cream cheese together and spread around the outside of the cake.  If you have extra add it to the top or middle of the cake.
2. Break off about 1/4 of the wafers and press them into the sides of the frosted cake.
3. Wash the fruit and arrange the berries on the top of the cake.
4. Refrigerate the leftovers.

I found a few Lord of the Rings gifts that I thought he would like.