2 Hot Chocolate Recipe

I'm a big fan of Hot Chocolate. Growing up I would drink hot chocolate everyday. Even in Arizona's 100 and up   summer weather. And on special occasions I would go to Starbucks for their hot chocolate. (I would get pretty creative on what exactly a "special occasion" was). Well, sorry Starbucks you probably won't be seeing me this summer.

Starbuck's Hot Chocolate

1/4 cup water

2 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Tbs. sugar

1 1/2 cup milk

1/4 tsp. vanilla

Combine the water, cocoa powder, and sugar and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and add milk.

Microwave for another minute or so and then add the vanilla. So easy. So good.  

1 Creative Cooking

I love to find meals that are simple, easy, and have ingredients that you typically have in your kitchen. Since we haven't been grocery shopping in awhile, I've been able to come up with some surprisingly good meals.  Here's my latest discovery.

Potato Soup

I made this last night and it is seriously the best. I'm considering making it again tonight that's how good it was.

2 Meatless Monday: Thai Style Curry

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Serves 5-6

1 cup carrot, diced

1 onion, diced

1/2 cup green bell pepper

1/2 cup red bell pepper

2 garlic cloves

4-5 small zucchini

1 cup tomato sauce

2 Tbls peanut butter

1-2 Tbls soy sauce

1 Tbls curry powder

1 cup garbanzo beans or lentils

1 cup frozen peas

salt to taste

1/2 cup cilantro (optional)

Place diced carrots, onion, peppers, and garlic (not the peas yet) in a kettle with a small amount of water and curry powder. Simmer about 5 minutes until tender.

Add zucchini, cover, and simmer 5 more minutes.

Blend all the remaining ingredients, except the peas and garboanzos or lentils, in a blender until smooth.

Add the blended ingredients, the peas, and the garbanzos or lentils to the rest of the vegetables. Heat and serve over rice.

Warning: If you don't like spicy food, half the curry powder or leave it out, because this dish is hot! I loved all the vegetables in it and we used our fresh farmers market zucchini. Yum!

0 I'm not a soda drinker, but...

I think I'll make an exception for these:

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Italian Soda Recipe

Fill a glass about an inch with one of the above Italian syrups. 

Add ice, a little bit of cream, then fill the rest of your glass with club soda.

Mix with straw and sit outside on a porch swing and enjoy it!

My favorite so far has been Strawberry. I don't think I'll ever drink store bought soda ever again.

0 Birthday Boy Dinner

We celebrated Nick's 26th Birthday yesterday.

And we gained 5 lbs. 

Cyndi Rolls

(makes 2 dozen rolls)

3 1/2 c. flour

2 1/2 tsp. yeast

1 1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. shortening

1 tsp. salt

1 egg

In mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast. Heat milk, sugar, shortening, and the salt just till warm, stirring constantly until the shortening almost melts. Add to dry mixture; add egg. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 1/2 minute, then beat 3 minutes at high speed. By hand, stir in remaining flour to make a soft dough. Shape into ball.

Place in lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in warm place till double, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch down; turn out on floured surface. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Shape into desired rolls. Cover; let rise in warm place till double, 30 to 45 minutes. Bake on greased baking sheets at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes. 

Texas Roadhouse Cinnamon Honey Butter

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. honey

1/2 c. confectioners sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix together.

0 Meatless Monday: Manicotti and Bruchetta

Manicotti

serves 6

• 1 (8 ounce) package manicotti shells
• 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 2 (26 ounce) jars pasta sauce

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add manicotti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a bowl, mix 3 cups mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic, egg, and basil. Stuff cooked manicotti with the mixture.

Spread about 2 cups pasta sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti in the dish, and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, and continue baking 10 minutes, until mozzarella is melted and bubbly.

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Bruchetta

serves 12

• 6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 French baguette
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven on broiler setting.

In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.

Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.

Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.

Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

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0 Chicken Tikka Masala

I've been searching for the perfect/easy Indian food dish and, I tell you what, this is the best one ever. 

Like seriously. Nick wouldn't stop raving about how good it is. 

So if you want to be a good wife and plump up your husband make this:

Chicken Tikka Masala

serves 4

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• • 1 cup yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • *2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 4 long skewers
  •  
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 
    
  • In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • 
    
  • Preheat a grill for high heat.
  • Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side. (I just cooked mine in a pan and it turned out great).
  • 
    
  • Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving 
  • platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.
  
  
  *If you don't like spicy leave out the jalapeño and only put a little pit of cayenne pepper.
  And don't forget to serve it over rice! 
  
  
  And you can't have Indian food without naan so here is the recipe I used.
  
  
  Garlic Naan
  makes 12
  
  
  
  
  
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt)
• 1/4 cup garlic, finely chopped (optional)
• Mix together flour, baking powder,salt, cumin and corriander in a large mixing bowl.
• Stir in the milk and sour cream, then knead it in the bowl till it holds together well, adding more flour if necessary.
• Place on a floured surface and continue kneading for about 5 to 10 minutes till the dough feels smooth and elastic.
•  Form the dough into a ball and put it in a non-stick bowl, covered with a towel, to rest for an hour or longer.
•  Take the dough out and cut it into 12 equal pieces.
•  Form each into a ball and press the balls flat into round discs.
•  Heat a large non-stick frying pan or griddle on medium heat.
•  Take 1 piece of dough at a time and roll it out on a floured surface till it is about 8-10 inches across and less than 1/4 inch thick.
•  Lay it on the hot griddle and cook it over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side or until it puffs up and some blackish-brown spots appear.
• Serve hot.
• 
  
• 
  
• Okay I might need to make this again for dinner. (I already made it twice last week.)
• 
  
• I have posted a lot of food recipes lately, but I promise I'm working on a craft project. It just will take me about a million hours to complete. I'll post a sneak peak soon, but for now I'll give you a hint. It involves about 30 skeins of yarn.

0 NBA Finals

Nick and I both love the NBA Finals.

But for very different reasons. 

He loves them because I make these:

(we use Buffalo Wild Wings Hot Sauces. Spicy Garlic is my favorite).

And I love the playoffs because I go shopping for Father's Day (and me) and get back just in time to catch the last 5 minutes.

Whenever I want to go shopping/or have gone shopping and spent too much money, I butter my husband up with wings. My mom always told me the way to a man's heart is through his stomach and I couldn't agree more. 

1 Poppy Seed Bread

I probably should not be sharing this recipe to the public,
 instead opening a bakery and just selling this bread,
because it is THAT good.

But I thought it was about time to share the love.

My mom made this bread all the time growing up and whenever she did we always would ask her if we were getting any. She would take it to friends, neighbors, even the dentist office. But luckily she always doubled or tripled the batch so that we would at least get one loaf.

I wouldn't mind being fat if it meant eating this bread all day long. 

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Poppy Seed Bread Recipe

2 1/3 cup Sugar

1 1/2 cup Oil

3 Eggs

Mix together and then add flour and milk mixture alternately

3 cup Flour

1 1/2 tsp. Salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 cup Milk

1 1/2 Tbsp. Poppy Seed

1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. Butter Flavoring

1 1/2 tsp. Almond Flavoring

Mix and pour into 2 (or more if smaller pans) greased  bread pans. 

Bake at 325 for 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

Baste sauce on while loaves are warm in pans.

Take out of pans when completely cool. 

Sauce:

1/4 cup Orange Juice

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

3/4 cup Sugar

1/2 tsp. Almond Flavoring

1/2 tsp. Butter Flavoring

Cook in a sauce pan on medium heat and stir until all the sugar is dissolved.

Enjoy!