Hot Chocolate

As we headed home from a brisk walk on Sunday afternoon, my husband & I agreed that steaming mugs of hot chocolate would hit the spot. While Ed raked up piles of leaves in the backyard (assisted by our very helpful toddler, of course), I mixed together 3 basic ingredients to create homemade hot chocolate. In fact, I've stopped buying the little packets of commercial hot chocolate completely. For some reason, it always gave me a stomach ache before I even drained my mug. Probably some of those crazy preservatives. Anyway, like most things in the kitchen, making it on your own tastes better anyway. And 3 ingredients? Super simple.  (Go here if you're looking for something more complex.)

Although you could use the microwave, I prefer mixing this hot chocolate together in a saucepan and heating it up on the stovetop. I think it comes together easier with no bits of bitter cocoa left behind. Just pure chocolatey goodness. Use whatever milk floats your marshmallows and adjust the sugar/cocoa to suit your own sweet tooth.

On the next chilly afternoon or windy evening, make some mugs of hot chocolate, topped with mini marshmallows or a dollop of whipped cream. It's the perfect companion for reading a good book, enjoying family game night, or watching Biggest Loser (I don't know what it is, but I cannot watch that show without something sweet in my hands. Bob & Jillian would be so disappointed. Sigh.)

photo by A30_Tsitika

Hot Cocoa

recipe compliments of SACO premium cocoa

makes 1 cup

1 heaping t. cocoa

2 heaping t. sugar

1 c. milk

1. Stir & microwave on high for 1-2 minutes OR...
2. Heat on stovetop until warm, stirring frequently with a small whisk.

Menu Plan Monday

We're celebrating my husband's birthday this week so I asked him last night what he wanted for his birthday dinner. Without hesitation, he replied, "Cornish Game Hens," like it was the most natural request in the world. Where does he come up with this stuff? I must admit, I was relieved that he decided to switch up his usual Hot Dogs Over Rice answer, but Cornish game hens? Seriously? I'll let you know how they turn out next week.

Monday -
Black Bean Chili, Corn Muffins, apple slices

Tuesday -
Leftovers

Wednesday -
Ed's Birthday Dinner - Cornish Game Hens and ???

Thursday -
Curried Cider-Pork Stew, rice, green beans

Friday -
Spicy Shrimp & Fettuccine, green salad, French bread

Saturday - 
Birthday Brunch -- Menu TBD...
Dinner - Calzones, green salad

Sunday -
Leftovers

Check out Organizing Junkie for more menu plan ideas...

Taking a Break

Yikes!

Life got busy this week, and I totally fell off the blogging bandwagon.

I'll brush myself off, gather my wits about me, and be back next week!

Chicken Stew with Dumplings

Disclaimer: I was going to post this recipe last night,

but I was far too busy watching Biggest Loser and eating chocolate ice cream...

Comfort food. It sounds every bit as good as it tastes. I love ending a blustery fall day with a hot bowl of soup or stew, and it doesn't get any better than a bowl of Chicken Stew with Dumplings. Trust me.

If the thought of dropping raw dough into hot stew intimidates you, no worries. Just stick with the cooking times listed in the recipe, and it'll turn out great. No doughy dumplings, I promise. Just light, flavorful dumplings perched on top of piping hot chicken stew.

This recipe has you simmer bone-in chicken breasts in 5 cups of water, creating your own chicken broth base for the stew. If I have the overpowering desire to be domestic, I'll do it this way. If I'm short on time & lacking the patience to de-bone chicken, I'll cheat and use a box of broth and shredded, cooked chicken. Either way, it's delicious.

Chicken Stew with Dumplings

serves 5-6 hungry souls

Stew:

2 1/2 -3 lbs. bone-in chicken breasts (or 2-3 c. cooked, chopped chicken)

5 c. water (or 4 c. broth & 1 c. water)

4 small red potatoes, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2-1 c. frozen peas or green beans

1/2 t. salt (adjust as desired if using commercial broth)

pinch of pepper

1/8 c. fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Dumplings:

1 1/2 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

3/4 t. salt

3 T. butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 c. milk

1/4 c. fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)

1. Place bone-in chicken breasts in a Dutch oven (large pot) and cover with water. Cover; simmer over medium heat until chicken is done. Remove chicken from broth; skim fat. Remove chicken from bones and chop into bite-size pieces; return to broth. (Or simply heat broth in a large pot and add pre-cooked, chopped chicken).
   
2. Add remaining stew ingredients. Cover; cook over medium heat until vegetables are fork tender (15-20 minutes).
   
3. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in milk & parsley. Drop dumplings (about 1/4 c. dough each) into hot stew.
4. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Cover; continue cooking until the dumplings are tender (8-10 more minutes).

Menu Plan Monday

Things have been busy around our place. My sister flew in for a fun, whirlwind weekend and my in-laws are visiting from Alaska. Aren't grandparents a beautiful invention? Elly is loving every minute of it. In fact, it's quite possible she's completely forgotten about her parents. With baby #2 on the way and my energy levels lower than normal, it's been a great break (even if most of it is spent napping...). Anyway, here's my best guess at what meals will look like this week.

Monday - Crockpot Stew, homemade rolls, fresh tomatoes

Tuesday - Chicken & Dumplings, apple slices

Wednesday - Spaghetti & Meatballs, homemade bread, green salad

Thursday - Dinner with Friends

Friday - Dinner Out

Saturday - Black Bean Chili, fresh fruit, cornbread

Sunday - Dinner Out

Great Offers

Over the weekend, I pulled two great offers out of my mailbox.

One was from Vocalpoint and the other from Penzey's Spices.

1. Vocalpoint sent me another pack of Kashi cereal coupons. Inside were 4 $1.50/1 coupons and 2 $3/1 coupons. This will result in some cheap or free Kashi cereal. Sweet! If you haven't signed up for Vocalpoint yet, why in the world not? It's easy to do, and you'll get all kinds of high-value/free coupons out of the deal. By the way, if you're worried you'll get stuck sitting in front of your computer clicking on mind-numbing surveys, have no fear! I've only taken a handful of short, simple surveys (all by choice), and they still keep sending me all kinds of good stuff. It's painless and totally worth it.


2. If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know that I'm totally in love with Penzey's Spices (see previous posts here and here). The sales staff is friendly. The stores are clean. The spices are higher in quality and lower in price than many found on Winco's shelves. I signed up for their free catalog, and in return they regularly send me a great little magazine listing all their products along with some corresponding recipes. As a bonus, on the front of almost every issue is a coupon for a free jar of spices (varies by season). No strings attached. Bring it in and walk out with your free jar. If you're me, you'll also be walking out with ginger and cinnamon and basil and...

Take advantage of these great offers today!

The 5 minutes it takes to sign up will be time well spent.

Autumn Apple Pie

As I was driving home last night, I passed a group of kids jumping into huge piles of leaves as their mothers watched a few yards away. If I had been one of those mothers, I would have been so tempted to join the fun. I love fall. I love the changing colors, the smell in the air, the rain, fires in our wood stove, pumpkins, and... apple pie. Oh, the apple pie. Most pies I can pass by without too much temptation. Not so with apple. It makes me weak in the knees; I can't resist. I could eat it for dessert one night, and polish off another piece for breakfast the next day. Cinnamon-sugar apples tucked inside a warm, flaky crust is pure fall comfort food for the sweet tooth crowd.

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Here's my favorite apple pie recipe, originally from Better Homes and Gardens. I remember making it for the first time one fall day when I was in Tennessee visiting my boyfriend-soon-to-be-fiance. I'm not positive, but this pie may have had something to do with him popping the question the very next month. Definitely a keeper (both the pie and my husband).

Autumn Apple Pie

adapted from a Better Homes & Gardens recipe

8 servings

2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
2/3 c. shortening
6-7 T. cold water
2/3-3/4 c. sugar, depending on the sweetness of the apples
2 T. flour
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
6-8 (7 1/2 c.) medium apples, peeled and sliced
2 T. butter
milk
sugar

1. For pastry, stir together the 2 cups flour and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, a few tablespoons at a time. Press the dough together, adding just enough water to form a slightly moist ball of dough. Divide dough in half. Form each half into a ball.


2. On a lightly floured surface or between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, flatten one ball of dough with your hands. Using a rolling pin, roll dough from the center to the edge, forming a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Transfer pastry to a 9-inch pie plate. Carefully ease pastry into pie plate. Roll out remaining ball of dough to a 12-inch circle.


3. For filling, stir together sugar, 2 T. flour, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add apples; toss to coat. Transfer apple mixture to pastry-lined pie plate. Trim bottom pastry to the edge of pie plate. Cut butter into small pieces; place on top of apples (Just didn't want you to miss it. I always forget this part).


4. Place top crust on filling. Make decorative slits in the dough to allow steam to escape. Trim to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top crust under bottom crust; seal and flute with your fingers. Brush top crust with milk and sprinkle lightly with sugar.


5. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes more or until top is golden. Cool on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.