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.