Yesterday, a friend sent me this video.

I found it very Moooooving.

Those cows made me think of milk, which made me think of these hilarious cakes. (Yes, they really are cakes!)

That is too funny.

So, in keeping with the cow theme: It’s what’s for dinner.

I thought this Snowman Beef Stew was the cutest thing. All those little guys looking up at me as I put them into a hot oven.

Now you understand why they don’t have mouths.

Snowman Beef Stew

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 package (16 ounces) frozen vegetables for stew, divided (make sure you get the kind that has peas in it)
1 can (10-1/4 ounces) beef gravy
2 cups mashed potatoes (I used the prepared kind that is sold in the refrigerated section. These. They are not at all bad.)
16 whole black peppercorns
1/4 cup ketchup (I put mine in a small squeeze bottle to make it easier to pipe the scarves)

Directions:

1. In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.

2. Remove 24 peas and one carrot chunk from the stew vegetables; set aside. Add the remaining vegetables to beef. Cook until vegetables are thawed. Add gravy; mix well.

3. Pour into an ungreased 9-in. pie plate. Top with eight mashed potato snowmen, using 1 tablespoon of potatoes for each head and 3 tablespoons for each body. (I used two sizes of ice cream scoops to do this)

4. Bake, uncovered, at 350℉ for 20 minutes. (see note below)

5. Meanwhile, with a sharp knife, cut the reserved carrot into eight strips. Insert one strip into each snowman for a nose. Place three reserved peas on each for buttons. Add peppercorns for eyes. Drizzle ketchup between head and body to form a scarf.

Note: I added the peas, eyes and noses before baking and piped the scarves on when I took the dish out of the oven.

Serves 6

Recipe from Taste Of Home Magazine

As I was adding the scarves to the snowmen I thought of the song White Winter Hymnal.

I love this song, but always thought it was about a bloody injury of some sort.

Popular consensus seems to be that it is just pleasant imagery of a little boy with a red scarf tied around his throat who falls in the snow solely as a vehicle for the lovely harmonies.

As much as I love the Fleet Foxes’ version, I was intrigued by this cover from the band Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring. That musical hum in the background seemed to fit with the song.
Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring-White Winter Hymnal

Speaking of Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring, evidentally they were never here. You just imagined them.

Well, that is what the band’s Website says. Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring may have disappeared, but you can still check out their music on Myspace. You can buy their music on the Market Stall Records Website.

Cheers!