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This hot chocolate is so comforting and creamy.  I don't enjoy an overwhelming amount of chocolate in my drink so it's a little bit of a fainter chocolate taste, but you can always add more if you choose.  That's how I came up with this recipe - just by testing and tweaking.  I've made it for some taste testers of mine and they loved it.  So here it is ...

I use a Breville Milk Cafe to make this recipe.  Use the Cappuccino Frothing disc in the bottom of your carafe. 

For one serving of hot chocolate use ...

1 cup milk - I only use Kalona organic whole cream top milk - supposedly this brand is as close as we can get in the grocery store to raw milk.  We don't have the freedom in Michigan to buy raw milk at the grocery store.  It's a process to get any.  

1/2 cup filtered water - This is my very favorite purchase of the last two years.  When you see what's in our water you'll want one too.  And water bottles - not good at all.  Microplastics galore, etc.  We are being poisoned by our food and water.  If you want to start to learn follow Food Babe.  Even when you see what the same food companies sell here vs. overseas you will really start to wonder.  And I am not perfect in what I eat - just trying to make better choices.  OK - enough of that!

1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla - I used Trader Joe's organic bourbon vanilla

1/8 cup Enjoy Life mini semi sweet chocolate chips - super clean chocolate chip brand

and just to take it to the next level - 

as much as you want of Toonie Moonie Organic Vanilla Marshmallow Cream - it's amazing and as clean as you can get as far as something like this goes.  It's so delicious!!!

Combine all the ingredients in the stainless steel carafe.  

I have mine set to 160 degrees.  I use the cappuccino frothing disc.

Note that if you use larger chocolate chips you might have to do the cycle twice to get them to melt.

And that's it!  Hopefully you enjoy your cup of goodness!

1 stick butter plus extra for greasing ramekins

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, with 60% cocoa - I used Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate

2 eggs

3/4 cup superfine sugar

3 T. all-purpose flour

Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries to serve alongside, if desired

4 - 2/3 to 1 c. ramekins - I used the one cup size

Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

Butter the ramekins.

In microwave melt the chocolate with the butter - then set aside to cool a little.

I talked about this recipe a bit in my stories yesterday.  We used to make these as kids - but we made Rum Balls.   My sister makes them using Bourbon and I really like them that way.  So make them using whichever liquor you like best.  And yes, our parents did not care that we ate them as kids.  You probably couldn't eat enough of them to find yourself drunk :)

This year I made them using Biscoff Cookies instead of Vanilla Wafers cause I had them in the cupboard.  Worked out perfectly.  

Here is the super simple recipe.

Bourbon or Rum Balls

1 cup finely ground pecans

1 cup finely ground Vanilla Wafers or Biscoff cookies

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4 cup bourbon or rum 

I use a little Kitchen Aid food processor to grind the cookies and pecans.

Mix the dry ingredients together and then add the corn syrup and bourbon and mix well.  Form into balls (wet hands can help a little) Roll balls into sugar.  Keep refrigerated.  Definitely not health food, but they are good!!!

 

 I've been making this quesadilla combination for many years now, but this last batch was the best I've ever made.  The only thing I switched up was the tortilla.  I usually use flour, but this new find that crisped up so well is made of ... cauliflower!  Who knew.

After looking Caulipower up online I noticed they have another version that is completely corn free.  I will try those next time because of a food allergy I have to corn.  I still eat it - like I have a hard time resisting the chip and salsa basket at the restaurant, but if I can avoid it I try.

In this recipe the cauliflower tortilla has a crispy crunch and all the flavors together are causing me a bit of a problem.  I got up around 5:30 in the morning the other day and it took all my willpower to stick to having my standard breakfast.  All I wanted to do was to make this quesadilla again.  Lunch couldn't arrive soon enough.

What you will need:

Caulipower tortillas or you can use your favorite tortilla.  They might not get crispy and brown like this, but the filling is still a really good quesadilla combination.  This is the package of tortillas I bought.

extra sharp white cheddar, shredded - I used Tillamook brand this time

rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken breast

BBQ sauce - I usually use Sweet Baby Ray's Original

green onion

baby spinach

I remove all the meat from the chicken and place it in a bowl in nice bite size pieces.  After that stir in the amount of BBQ sauce you desire on your chicken.  Then the layering can begin.

tortilla - white cheddar - chicken - green onion - spinach - another layer of white cheddar - and top with another tortilla.  Then place the assembled quesadilla in a pan over medium heat and let them cook up until you see that crispy browned deliciousness - be sure to cook both sides.  

Serve with a simple salad for a quick and mouthwatering meal.  The salad pictured is spinach, a little parmesan, blackberries and Hendrickson's dressing.  Such a good dressing.

I think I might make some more tonight!  The boat is going in the water so people will be over!  52 degrees out, but I'm still excited :)

 

 

Growing up, when the weather got cooler, we were bound to find a big Tupperware container on the kitchen counter full of this mix to devour.  It's that family classic that never gets old.  I think the main difference in this recipe is using Golden Graham's cereal.  And I noticed when I bought my last box it says they have returned to their original recipe.  I never knew it had changed, but it's nice to know that this must taste closer to the original.  This is a big share.  Enjoy!  And I believe I took this photo before baking.  It will turn a light golden brown when complete.  It is so delicious!!!

Crunch Mix

10 cup cereal combo - Golden Graham's and Cheerios are what we use - equal parts

2 cups pretzel sticks

2 cups croutons - I like Pepperidge Farms seasoned best because they are smaller

1 1/2 sticks melted butter

4 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.

Melt butter, Worcestershire, and garlic powder together.

Drizzle over cereal mixture and mix well.

Transfer cereal mix between two foil lined cookie sheets.

Bake at 250 degrees for 45 minute.  Stir every 15 minutes.

Lastly, just try to not eat it all yourself :)

Hello again.

You might have noticed I took a long break from blogging and Instagram.  I'm not sure what this blog will look like in this coming year.   I've been working on some new things so I guess we will just have to see over time what my next step will be.  And I know I need to share the final kitchen photo's.  I've taken them all - I just need to sort through and edit.

For now I thought I'd share a unique grilled cheese sandwich I like to make.

I used a rosemary bread for this particular one - but really just buy your favorite flavor of bread from the bakery section of the supermarket.  Next step - only use a very light layer of butter on the one side of each piece of bread.  Like very light.  A little is better that a lot - I actually use Smart Balance Original.  Once again just use what you like - just don't saturate your bread :)


Next up - the mushrooms.  I like to sauté cut up mushrooms in a little Smart Balance - then I add a little sea salt and some raspberry balsamic vinegar.  Just eye all of the ingredients based on the amount of mushrooms you are cooking.

When the mushrooms are ready you can start layering sandwiches.   I use Vermont white cheddar in this recipe.  Lay one piece of bread butter side down - add a layer of cheese - top with some mushrooms (not in a bunch of cooking sauce) - and then break apart a few more small pieces of cheese.  Layer the little pieces on top of the mushrooms.  They will just help to glue the sandwich together.  Top with the last piece of bread butter side up and you are ready to cook.  You can use a griddle pan or a frying pan.  I like to use a medium low heat and I cook away until the bread gets that crispy browned color.



The last tip I have is stand your sandwich for a minute when you are finished cooking it so that the underside does not get soggy.  Then cut it, but still layer it in such a way on your plate that it is not sitting flat.  There is nothing sadder to me in sandwich land than soggy grilled bread.  Also, don't cut your cheese too thick.  

Funny thing is my sister and I ate in Royal Oak where Oprah had named their grilled cheese the best. My sister thought they had nothing on my grilled cheese sandwiches, and she is pretty picky.

Overall though I really think the secret is the crusty grilled bread.  It is worth it to take your time and not get impatient while cooking.  You can even flip your sandwich a couple times til you get the grilling just right.

Hope you try this mix of ingredients.  I think you just might love it!

When my boys were younger we had a smoothie recipe that was made on repeat.  Somehow as they have grown we had stopped making it.  Some of that probably had to do with me not drinking milk, and staying away from yogurt.  I have a mid level allergy and cutting those two things out plus eating very little cheese has helped me so much.  Just last night I made my special recipe which I call "hash" and I decided to revisit this smoothie to serve alongside.   I revised the recipe using almond based yogurt.  Noah loved it so much - he exclaimed that he had forgotten how good that smoothie was.  Luckily he liked my new version just as much as the original.  He didn't even realize I had changed it up.


So, this is the yogurt that I can eat, and the added plus is that it is seriously delicious.  It is made by Kite Hill.  I buy it at Whole Foods.  My boys happily eat it too.  It is worth every-single-penny!


My favorite flavor is simply their vanilla.  Do you see all the vanilla seeds in there :)  Every bite is just so impressive.  It could even be eaten as a dessert substitute.


I used my Nutri-Bullet to mix everything together - I usually only use my Kitchen Aid blender, but I was making just a small amount of smoothie.


Yum - It was so good.   And this made a fun little snack.  Here is the recipe:

Strawberry Banana Smoothie - Using Almond Based Products - Dairy Free and Delicious!!!

2 - 5.3 oz. cups Kite Hill Artisan Almond Milk Yogurt - Vanilla Flavor
1/2 c. orange juice (we use pulp free)
1/4 c. wheat germ
1 frozen banana
14 frozen strawberries - (I used Whole Foods organic)
1 T. honey
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1 c. unsweetened almond milk - (I always use Califia Farms)
2 T. Great Lakes collagen

Combine all ingredients in a blender of your choice.  I like the Nutri-Bullet or my Kitchen Aid Blender.  And that's it!

Makes 4 - 8 oz. servings - Recipe can be easily halved.

Target Glasses
Oh Joy Plate
Anthrolpologie Towel
Flower Shaped Bowls - HomeGoods

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