Kielbasa Pasta

This was incredibly simple, and simply delightful!  It's a very easy, quick dinner for a busy weeknight.

Kielbasa Pasta
1 Kielbasa Sausage, cut into slices
3 sweet peppers, chopped
oil for cooking
1/2 box farfalle
garlic powder
oregano
Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Parmesan Cheese

Sweat peppers in oil until slightly tender, add sausage and brown.  Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and toss with sausage, garlic powder, oregano, creole seasoning, black pepper, and Parmesan.

Serve with cheesy garlic bread.

Serves 2-3

Note: The endorsement for Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning is because this stuff is amazing!  I did not receive any compensation for this endorsement.

Bubble Pizza

Bubble pizza is quite possibly my favorite meal.  It was certainly one of my favorites when I lived with my aunt and uncle and she cooked dinner every night!  I slightly modified the recipe, especially since I'm cooking for two instead of seven.  (In the past I've also substituted chicken and Alfredo sauce for their red counterparts in this recipe, and added spinach--much like my Deluxe Chicken Alfredo Pizza.)

I don't have pictures of the beef cooking, because I had already cooked it, frozen it, and thawed it the day I took these pictures.  Also not pictured: preheating the oven and greasing the pan.

Start with biscuits--if you're making this for seven people, use two cans.

Cut them in quarters:

Arrange in the pan:

Spread sauce and beef mixture over the top:

Bake a while, then top with cheeses + Parsley.

Bake some more, then let it rest.

Serve with salad and enjoy!

Bubble Pizza

½ lb ground beef or sausage

½ green pepper, diced

Diced onion

1 8-oz can tomato sauce

1 can buttermilk biscuits

1 c. Mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

Parsley

Brown meat with pepper and onion (I like to cook a full pound and freeze half). Stir in tomato sauce. Quarter biscuits; place in greased 11”x7” baking dish. Top with sauce mixture. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes; top with cheeses and parsley and bake 5-10 minutes longer (until cheese has melted). Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Double all amounts to use a 9x13.

Freezer meal idea: brown meat and divide between two quart bags. Add a can of tomato sauce to each bag; mix carefully. Measure cheese into a separate bag; freeze together in larger bag (or label carefully). On serving day, thaw meat and cheese and continue as directed.

Imitation Maple Syrup

Although I grew up making and eating this syrup every Saturday night (pancakes were Saturday's dinner in our house), I haven't made it very much in recent years.  However, my husband and I love to eat granola for breakfast and we go through about a batch a week.  My recipe calls for maple syrup or honey, but both can add up to such a high cost that we might as well buy granola!  I made this syrup specifically for making granola, but it's good on pancakes and French toast.  ☺

It's quite simple, and it doesn't take long. If you're making granola you can use the same pan to melt the butter after making the syrup.

Imitation Maple Syrup

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup water

1 tablespoon maple flavor (or a different flavor to make it interesting)

Bring all ingredients to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Simmer, covered, for two minutes. If storing in mason jars, pour while hot and the lids will seal. (I find that this recipe generally fills three half-pint [jelly] jars, and it's pre-measured for granola!)

This syrup is about the same consistency as real maple syrup; it is nothing like the thick, high fructose corn syrup nastiness you can buy in the breakfast aisle.

Brownie Mix

Long ago, I decided that it was time to make my own brownie mix (I've had these pictures for at least a year).  Then, a friend gave me a jar as a wedding shower gift!  I think her recipe is slightly different from mine, but the jar is cute so I'm including pictures of it. 

It's super easy to whip up a few of these at a time, and then I have mix on hand when I need it--and it's so customizable!

I wrote the ingredients on the bottom of my jar, so that I can reuse it.

Brownie Mix

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. flour

2/3 c. cocoa powder

1/4 t. salt

1/2 c. chocolate chips or other add-ins (nuts, chocolate candy, etc...)

Place all ingredients in a wide-mouthed quart jar.  Whether you stir or layer is up to you.  The strata look is fun if you're giving these as gifts.  ☺   

To prepare brownies, add 2 eggs, 1/2 cup oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla; bake in a greased 9"x9" pan at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.

Better Than Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

Yes, that's a salad dressing bottle. Don't tell anyone.

1 1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 c. water

dash salt

1 t. vanilla

In a saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, and salt with a whisk.  Add water; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat and cook one minute.  Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.  

Cool and store in refrigerator.   For chocolate milk, add 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup to 8 ounces of milk.  

I found this recipe here.

Deluxe Chicken Alfredo Pizza

I've been making pizza for years.  I started by helping my mother make pizza for dinner, and then I worked at a pizza joint for 4 years.  The basic crust recipe came from my grandmother; I learned a few things from Mom; I learned a lot from making it at work every day; and I've read a book or two which helped me out.  Although I haven't made pizza for probably two years (it's hard to eat a whole pizza by oneself), I ventured to make some for my husband and me tonight.  Someone gave us a pizza stone for our wedding, so I was eager to use it!  

Floured up and ready to go!

The unfortunate thing is that the pizza was baking before I realized that we don't have a pizza cutter.  Thanks to the beauty of the stone, the finished pizza transferred easily to another surface, and cut up nicely with a knife.   

It might not be restaurant-worthy, but my husband said that it's possibly the best pizza he's ever tasted.  That kind of praise makes my day!

Deluxe Chicken Alfredo Pizza

Crust:

1 T. sugar

1/2 t. salt

2 1/4 t. yeast (one package)

garlic powder to taste

oregano to taste

basil to taste

parsley to taste

freshly-ground black pepper to test

3/4 c. warm water (to test the temperature, place a drop on your wrist: if you can't feel the temperature, it's just right)

1 1/2 c. flour + more for rolling

olive oil

In a large bowl, combine salt, sugar, spices, and yeast.  Add warm water.  Stir in 1 1/4 c. flour; gradually add more until the correct thickness is reached (it's impossible to describe this--it's basically trial and error making pizza dough).  Form dough into a ball and grease the top with olive oil.  Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rise in a warm place about 30 minutes or until double its original size.

Generously dust pizza stone with flour.  Flour a cutting mat, cutting board, or in a pinch the counter (this will make the transfer to the stone difficult).  Gently roll dough until slightly smaller than the stone (it does not have to be perfectly round).  Carefully flip or otherwise transfer from rolling surface to floured pizza stone.  If desired, crimp the edges; it's a pretty touch and it helps keep the toppings from overflowing the sides.  Let dough rise on stone for another 15 minutes.

Note: My grandmother never used a pizza stone, and for many years my mother didn't either.  This pizza dough works in regular pizza pans, or even rectangular baking dishes.  But if you really love pizza, consider investing in a pizza stone--it takes your pizza to heights of delights you never imagined before!

Toppings:

1 c. Alfredo sauce

mozzarella cheese (can use some cheddar as well, if desired; be careful since cheddar burns more quickly than mozzarella)

cooked chicken (approximately 1 large chicken breast)

2 slices cooked bacon

fresh spinach

finely chopped green bell pepper

sliced mushrooms (my husband likes these, so I put them on half the pizza)

Parmesan cheese

parsley, for garnish

Spread sauce nearly to the edge of crust (leaving probably 3/4 inch all around).    Top with part of the cheese (seal off the edge of the sauce-crust connection to prevent everything sliding off with one bite).  Add remaining toppings and top with a little extra cheese, Parmesan, and parsley.  

Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until crust is golden-brown and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Slice it up and enjoy!  (And then tell me what you think. Any of the toppings can be omitted for taste preferences, and chopped Roma tomatoes might make a pleasant addition.)

Leftovers can be frozen for lunch next week.

Remember That Time...?

Remember when we used to have a blog?  Haha!  I recently remembered it, and signed in--only to discover that a comment from 12/2014 was awaiting approval!  So, I'm very sorry if you've been looking for new and interesting ideas.  We probably don't have any followers any more; but I might post more recipes in the months ahead.  You see, last month I got married (!) and having a husband to cook for has inspired me to try new things.  I made up my own meatball recipe, for example--I'm still tweaking it but I think they're alright.  So don't give up on Morsels of Chocolate entirely: H might still post recipes from time to time, even though we lost K long, long ago. . . .

Bacon Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

Your lunch will never be the same.

My local grocery store has recently run two separate sales on macaroni and cheese.  I simply couldn't resist stocking up!  But with eight boxes of it in my cabinet, I decided it was time to use some of it.  Bacon was also on sale recently, and I love broccoli.  This idea was kind of obvious, and I wish I'd thought if it before.  ☺

Bacon Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

1 box macaroni and cheese
1 cup chopped broccoli
2 slices bacon, fully cooked and crumbled

Water, milk, and butter according to Mac-n-cheese box directions

Cook macaroni noodles according to package directions, and cook broccoli with noodles.  Drain.  Add butter, milk, and cheese sauce mixture.  Mix thoroughly; stir in bacon.  Add a dash of garlic powder if desired.

Serve immediately. 

No More Feedjit

For your security and my own, I have removed the Feedjit widget from the left side of this blog.  Although it was interesting seeing where my viewers are, it no longer seems safe in our day to reveal to the internet where I am.  Thank you for understanding.  You can now view my blog without fear that I will know where you are.  ☺

Because of Christ,
H for Morsels of Chocolate

Banana Fudge Pops

These handy popsicle molds are not necessary--some people make popsicles with paper cups and popsicle sticks.  However, if you happen upon any at a garage sale or second-hand store, they are handy to have around.

Basically all you do is thoroughly mash bananas, peanut butter, cocoa powder, vanilla, and milk together; spoon into popsicle molds; and freeze.

Begging pardon--my amounts are approximated.  I didn't measure anything; and I ended up with too much filling.  The leftover filling I froze in an ordinary container for spoon eating.  For six pops, three bananas probably would have been enough.

Banana Fudge Pops

3-4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 to 1/3 c. Peanut butter
3-4 T. Cocoa powder
1 splash vanilla extract
Milk, to thin

Beat all ingredients together until smooth.  Taste for correct amounts of cocoa and peanut butter.  Add frozen blueberries or strawberries, if desired.  Spoon into popsicle molds.  Cover with lids, add sticks, and freeze.  Makes 6-8

Savor on a summer day!

Post-Workout Smoothie (Milkshake?)

Pure deliciousness

At what point does a smoothie cross the line and become a milkshake?  Is it when it tastes too good to be true?  Is it when chocolate is added?  Is it when it ceases to be healthy?  Whatever the case, this beverage is so delicious that it probably crosses that line.

I've recently taken up running.  And being the perfectionist that I am, I haven't started it without doing some research.  My sources tell me that it's best to eat something--especially protein--within 30 minutes after working out.  This helps rebuild the muscles you've damaged exercising. 

Other sources have told me particular things that are good to eat after running--yummy things like dark chocolate, bananas, and peanut butter.  Considering everything I've read, this smoothie seems to be the perfect food to eat/drink after running: it cools you off, it re-hydrates you, it's full of protein, and it's delicious.  Regardless of how many calories it contains, you've probably just burned them off, and you deserve the reward!

*You don't have to work out before drinking this; but if you do, there will be no guilt in savoring every delightful sip.

Just five lovely ingredients

Here are the ingredients: cocoa powder, banana, peanut butter, almond milk, and frozen yogurt.  (There is enough sugar in everything else to sweeten the cocoa.)  I use frozen ingredients in my smoothies so that they won't be diluted with ice cubes.  If you like it thicker, go ahead--but I'm warning you, it would be better to freeze the banana.

Place it all in the blender and blend until smooth.  Vary amounts according to taste.

Tip: an easy way to clean your blender is to fill it with water and add a drop of dish soap.  Blend on low (some blenders have an "easy clean" setting) until clean.  Rinse thoroughly.

Chocolate Protein Smoothie

1 medium banana
Peanut butter to taste
Cocoa powder to taste
Vanilla frozen yogurt to taste
Almond (or regular) milk to thin

Blend until smooth.  Savor every sip.

Quick & Easy Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo, mi amore

This sauce is easy and delicious, and it cooks in about the same amount of time as pasta.  These factors--but mostly the taste--have caused me to no longer purchase Alfredo sauce.  Why buy it, when homemade tastes so much better?

Quick & Easy Alfredo Sauce

½ c. Butter
8 oz. Cream Cheese
2 t. Garlic Powder
2 c. Milk
¾ c. Parmesan Cheese
⅛ t. Black Pepper

Melt butter.  Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with a wire whisk until smooth.  Add milk gradually, whisking to smooth lumps.  Stir in Parmesan cheese and black pepper.

Serve over your favorite pasta, or use on homemade pizza.

*Adding spinach is optional.

Trail Mix

Trail mix could be called the ideal snack: that perfect blend of salty and sweet, crunchy and soft, protein and carbs.  It's not only for the trail!  I'm planning to take some on an upcoming road trip; but I also like to snack on it during the week at work. 

The beauty of making my own is that I get to choose what goes into it.  As much as I like peanut butter, I'm not a huge fan of peanuts; some trail mix contains cranberries or sesame seeds; and the list could go on.  I simply leave these things out.  I also get to choose how much of each ingredient there is: I can guarantee that there is plenty of chocolate.  ☻    

That being said, this is how I make trail mix; but feel free to use whatever you like or have on hand.  These are my preferences, and do not necessarily represent the feelings, taste buds, or preferences of anyone else.  

I use almonds; cashews; raisins; and M&M's™ candies.

Measure 1 cup of each into a bowl and mix.

Store in an airtight container.  A quart jar holds four cups of mix.

Take some on your next adventure!

Trail Mix

1 c. unsalted, roasted almonds

1 c. cashew halves and pieces

1 c. raisins

1 c. M&M's™

Combine and store in an airtight container.  Adjust ingredients to your liking.

*Enlarged to show texture

Peanut Butter Pie (Π)

What better way to celebrate Pi Day (3.14), which falls in the middle of National Peanut Butter Month, than with a luscious Peanut Butter Pie?  It's so simple and so rich that you'll want it more than once a year; but it's a very fitting dessert for March 14th.

Peanut Butter Pie

Prepared Graham Cracker Crust
8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1 c. peanut butter
1 8-oz. carton whipped topping, thawed

Cream the cream cheese.  Add powdered sugar and peanut butter and beat until smooth.  Fold in cool whip.
Place in crust.  Refrigerate or freeze.

For added delight, add chopped peanut butter cup candies or chocolate chips; or drizzle melted chocolate on top.

Serve on Π Day to your friends/family/coworkers.  
NOTE: If you have no friends, this pie may help you to obtain friends. 
DISCLAIMER: Having never loved math, I do not observe this day because of 3.14159....But I love pie, and I'll take any excuse to make one.

Double-Chocolate Pecan Scones

Double-Chocolate Pecan Scones

Their very name suggests sophistication.  These little pastries are not as sweet as cookies; but they are sublime with peanut butter spread on top.  You may notice that I did not cut them the traditional triangle shape; this is because in my research into scones I saw a comment from a Brit that traditional British scones are actually round like American biscuits.  If anyone knows better, please correct me.  ☺  And now, the recipe.

The first thing I do when baking with nuts is to toast them.  This brings out the flavor and makes them yummier.  Simply spread them on a baking sheet and pop them in your preheating oven.  Watch them carefully; they burn quickly.  Five minutes should do the trick.

Set them aside to cool while preparing the dough.  After they cool, chop them.

Yummy toasted pecans

Combine the dry ingredients.

Cut in the butter.

If you don't have buttermilk on hand, place ½ T. vinegar in a measuring cup and add milk to the ½ c. line.  Let it sit for 5 minutes or until the milk curdles.

Combine the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. 

Add to the dry mixture.

Add pecans and chocolate.

Combine thoroughly.

Place on a floured surface and dust with flour.  (My dough was very wet, so I kneaded in more flour at this point.) 

My hands were floury at this point, so I didn't photograph the rolling/cutting/placing on the cookie sheet part.

Bake for 15-20 minutes....

...and enjoy!

Double-Chocolate Pecan Scones

2 c. flour

⅓ c. firmly-packed brown sugar

1½ t. baking powder

¼ t. baking soda

¼ t. salt

½ c. butter

½ c. buttermilk

1 egg

1½ t. vanilla extract

⅜ c. pecans, toasted and chopped

½ c. chocolate chips

¼ c. white chocolate chips

Flour for rolling

Preheat oven to 375°F.  In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, and vanilla.  Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine.  Stir in pecans and chocolates.  

Place on a well-floured surface and roll to desired thickness (I think about 1 inch).  Cut with biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter and place on baking sheet.

Bake 15-20 minutes.  

Enjoy with a hot cup of tea, and imagine yourself in a London tea room....

(This is, in fact, a variation of Triple-Chocolate Chunk Scones.)