Hot chocolate is wonderful on cold, snowy days. But doesn't it get old sometimes? There are days when I want the rich, chocolatey delightfulness of a cup of cocoa, but it just seems...boring. Here are some ways I change it up to make that mug of delight even more delightful:
Cinnamon--just a shake or two per serving. A cinnamon stick would work too. Sometimes, to this I will add nutmeg as well.
Peppermint--the best hot cocoa ever! Add one mint hard candy to the dry mix. It will gradually melt into the cocoa, diffusing its flavor throughout.
Coffee--there are two ways to do this. One way is to add instant coffee granules to the dry hot cocoa mix. The other is to use freshly-brewed coffee as the liquid.
Happy sipping! Do you have a favorite thing to add to hot cocoa?
Friday, March 1, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Pumpkin Pie
Okay, so it's January. But I never made pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, because my Mom did that. And I had evaporated milk that needed used. And pumpkin pie sounded wonderful. Hence, the fall recipe post in January.
1 prepared, unbaked 9-inch pie crust *
15 oz. pumpkin puree
¾ c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. salt
½ t. ginger
½ t. nutmeg
2 eggs
12 oz. evaporated milk
Preheat oven to 425° F.
Mix sugar, salt, and spices in a small bow. Beat eggs in a large bowl; stir in pumpkin and sugar mixture. Gradually add milk.
Pour into pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; continue baking 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve with whipped cream if desired. (Refrigerate leftovers.)
*Use a deep pie dish, or you will have too much filling.
1 prepared, unbaked 9-inch pie crust *
15 oz. pumpkin puree
¾ c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. salt
½ t. ginger
½ t. nutmeg
2 eggs
12 oz. evaporated milk
Preheat oven to 425° F.
Mix sugar, salt, and spices in a small bow. Beat eggs in a large bowl; stir in pumpkin and sugar mixture. Gradually add milk.
Pour into pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; continue baking 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve with whipped cream if desired. (Refrigerate leftovers.)
*Use a deep pie dish, or you will have too much filling.
Pie Crust
This is a handy recipe to keep around, and so easy to make!
6 T. unsalted butter
¾ c. flour
¼ t. salt
1½-2½ T. milk
Using a fork or your fingers, mix butter with flour and salt until it resembles peas and crumbles. Drizzle the milk in bit by bit, using the fork or a spoon to blend the crust until it just sticks together. (It may not require all the milk.) Pat into a disc shape and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 20 minutes.
On a floured plastic cutting mat, roll into a circle slightly larger than your pie pan. Invert into pie plate. Adjust to center; trim edges till even. If desired, flute or pinch edge to make it fancy. Bake the scraps and serve them with honey, jelly, or whipped cream. :)
Makes 1 9-inch pie. Double for a two-crust pie.
6 T. unsalted butter
¾ c. flour
¼ t. salt
1½-2½ T. milk
Using a fork or your fingers, mix butter with flour and salt until it resembles peas and crumbles. Drizzle the milk in bit by bit, using the fork or a spoon to blend the crust until it just sticks together. (It may not require all the milk.) Pat into a disc shape and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 20 minutes.
On a floured plastic cutting mat, roll into a circle slightly larger than your pie pan. Invert into pie plate. Adjust to center; trim edges till even. If desired, flute or pinch edge to make it fancy. Bake the scraps and serve them with honey, jelly, or whipped cream. :)
Makes 1 9-inch pie. Double for a two-crust pie.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
As I browsed the grocery aisle for poppy seed dressing, I discovered with horror that most of them contained High Fructose Corn Syrup as the first ingredient! :O One brand, however, did not contain that poisonous ingredient. But as I read the short, simple ingredient list on the most expensive bottle of poppy seed dressing, a thought occurred: I can make this myself.
At home, I searched the Internet for a recipe. But it took reading one recipe to remember that Ratio has a chapter about vinaigrette, and to my book I went. Michael Ruhlman came through, and inspired me to create my own recipe for my favorite salad dressing. Time will only tell whether this actually tastes good on salad. :)
1/3 c. vinegar and orange juice (fill to 1/4 c. with vinegar and then to 1/3 c. with juice)
3 T. honey and 1 T. sugar, or another variation of sweetness (I had to add extra sugar because I used apple cider vinegar--which I do not recommend)
A little bit of onion powder--I don't remember measuring this
Salt to taste--Mr. Ruhlman said to use 1/4 t.
1 T. poppy seeds (this much makes a dark dressing; you could use less)
1 c. oil (I used mostly canola, but I ran out and had to add vegetable. Mr. Ruhlman says that olive oil contributes a strong flavor, so I didn't try using it.)
Whisk together everything except the oil. While whisking continually, add the oil in a slow and thin stream until emulsion is complete.
Mr. Ruhlman says that if all the oil is added at once, it will quickly separate. He also says that the harder the oil is whisked, the thicker the dressing will be.
This will keep for one week in the refrigerator--according to Ratio.
At home, I searched the Internet for a recipe. But it took reading one recipe to remember that Ratio has a chapter about vinaigrette, and to my book I went. Michael Ruhlman came through, and inspired me to create my own recipe for my favorite salad dressing. Time will only tell whether this actually tastes good on salad. :)
1/3 c. vinegar and orange juice (fill to 1/4 c. with vinegar and then to 1/3 c. with juice)
3 T. honey and 1 T. sugar, or another variation of sweetness (I had to add extra sugar because I used apple cider vinegar--which I do not recommend)
A little bit of onion powder--I don't remember measuring this
Salt to taste--Mr. Ruhlman said to use 1/4 t.
1 T. poppy seeds (this much makes a dark dressing; you could use less)
1 c. oil (I used mostly canola, but I ran out and had to add vegetable. Mr. Ruhlman says that olive oil contributes a strong flavor, so I didn't try using it.)
Whisk together everything except the oil. While whisking continually, add the oil in a slow and thin stream until emulsion is complete.
Mr. Ruhlman says that if all the oil is added at once, it will quickly separate. He also says that the harder the oil is whisked, the thicker the dressing will be.
This will keep for one week in the refrigerator--according to Ratio.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Apple Soda
This is a lovely alternative to lemon-lime soda for a sick person: all of the fizz without added sugar!
1 can frozen apple juice concentrate
3 cans seltzer (carbonated) water
Mix thoroughly and serve.
1 can frozen apple juice concentrate
3 cans seltzer (carbonated) water
Mix thoroughly and serve.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Broccoli-Cheese Soup
As I cooked this soup yesterday, I thought about A. The last time I'd made the soup was when I lived with her. In fact, the first time I made it was the day I moved in! I'm going to make many more memories of this soup, I think, because it is so delicious and easy to prepare!
2 T. chopped onion (less if using dried flakes)
2 T. melted butter
3 T. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
2 c. milk
1 c. shredded cheese
1 1/2 c. water
10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped broccoli
Shredded carrots (optional)
Heat water in a medium saucepan. When it boils, add broccoli (and carrots) and cook until tender.
Meanwhile, in a large soup pan, saute' onions in butter; then add flour, salt, and black pepper. Cook for one minute to cook flour. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly. When it resembles white sauce, add cheese.
Add broccoli and water to cheese mixture. Serve with hot biscuits.
Serves 6.
"Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God."
~Romans 5:1-2
2 T. chopped onion (less if using dried flakes)
2 T. melted butter
3 T. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
2 c. milk
1 c. shredded cheese
1 1/2 c. water
10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped broccoli
Shredded carrots (optional)
Heat water in a medium saucepan. When it boils, add broccoli (and carrots) and cook until tender.
Meanwhile, in a large soup pan, saute' onions in butter; then add flour, salt, and black pepper. Cook for one minute to cook flour. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly. When it resembles white sauce, add cheese.
Add broccoli and water to cheese mixture. Serve with hot biscuits.
Serves 6.
"Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God."
~Romans 5:1-2
Monday, September 3, 2012
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