2 tsp. butter flavoring (optional)
Bring all to a rolling boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat, but leave the pot on the burner until bubbling stops..
Every now and then I get a craving for chocolate and this is so fast and easy.
1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
Pinch salt
1/2 cup milk – I used skim and it was still good
1/4 cup chocolate chips (any kind you have on hand)
In a 2-cup glass measuring cup or microwave safe bowl, combine the cornstarch, salt and milk until smooth. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 45 seconds or until hot but not boiling add chocolate chips and stir. Cook 10-20 seconds longer till smooth when stirred. Cool (if you can wait). If you wait till cooled, you can top with whipped cream but I never make it that long.
This recipe was tested in a 1,000-watt microwave.
I’ve got some ginger in my fridge that needs to get used. I think I will try this.
The qualities of ginger can helps to fight spring colds.
Combine 1/2 cup of freshly grated ginger, 1 cup of cane sugar, and 4 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 9 minutes. Cool and strain.
To serve, add about a 1/3 cup of this ginger syrup to a chilled glass. Top with seltzer water and garnish with lime. Adjust proportions to taste. Serves 4 to 6. Refrigerate leftover syrup for later; the flavor intensifies.
Ruby Wells is a contributor to Yoga+ where I saw this recipe.
With the recent purchase of pineapples around Easter it brought to mind a trick I’ve been wanting to try.
I saw this idea in a Martha Stewart recipe years ago and filed it away. You dry thinly sliced pineapple and it ends up looking like flowers.
Here is a link to a recipe where I got this beautiful picture.
If you’re not going to make it to a Starbucks for a half price frappuccino May 6-15, then try this out at home.
1 1/2 C cold coffee
1/2 C whole milk
1/3 C granulated sugar
1 tsp chocolate syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp vanilla
3 C ice
Top with whipped cream or if you want it to be even creamier, add some whipped cream to your blender.
Blend coffee, milk, sugar, chocolate syrup and salt in blender on medium 15 seconds. Add the vanilla and ice and blend on high until smooth and creamy. I think it would be even better topped with whipped cream, but I didn’t have any on hand so I sprinkled it with chocolate powder. Yummy!
Ever start a recipe only to discover you’re out of brown sugar? Make your own…..
Add 1 tsp molasses to 1 cup sugar
for dark brown sugar add 2 tsp molasses
Mix till evenly distributed. I used a food processor.
*Disclaimer: I don’t own a kitchen torch (yet) so I had to use my husband’s shop torch which just about blew the sugar off before it could melt. Your brulees should look much prettier than the one I pictured.
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| Yummy cinnamon top and sides |
SUPER MOIST BANANA BREAD
Original recipe found on allrecipes
Tips
Buy the ripest bananas you can find and freeze them. I like to use thawed bananas because of the extra liquid that comes out after being frozen.
The secret of this incredible bread is dusting of the pans with cinnamon sugar and the sour cream in the batter. The sour cream makes it super moist. I used non fat and it still turned out great.
I use a piece of dry spaghetti to test if the bread is done.
I realize this makes FOUR loaves, but it is so good I never have a problem having too much. It freezes nicely and it seems there’s always a reason to have it on hand for neighbors and friends.
BANANA BREAD
1/4 C sugr
1 tsp cinnamon
This is what you will use to dust the pans and sprinkle remainder on top before baking
3/4 C butter
3 C Sugar
3 eggs
1 (16 oz) container of sour cream
6 very ripe bananas frozen and thawed
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking soda
4 1/2 C all purpose flour
1 C chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 300 degres
Grease four loaf pans and dust with the cinnamon / sugar mixture
Cream butter and sugar. Mix in eggs, bananas, sour cream and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix salt, baking soda and flour. Add dry mixture to wet mixture then add the nuts. Divide into prepared pans.
Bake 1 hour, until toothpick comes out clean
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| Super Moist |
I made this last night and it was really good.
2 tsp butter
1C barley
1 bay leaf
1 container of mushrooms (I used baby portabellas)
2 C dried mushrooms
3/4 tsp dried thyme (I used fresh from my garden)
4 1/2 stock
3 shallots or a medium onion
1/4 C parmesan (I used reggiano)
2T Parsley – chopped (I had some in my garden so just cut off a piece)
I had dried mushroom and fresh mushrooms. I soaked the dried mushrooms in 2 C water and used that water as part of my stock. I had 2 C frozen stock that I heated up and combined with the mushroom water after they were re-hydrated. I used about 1 1/2 c dried mushrooms. Strain the water or just use the top cause it gets sediment in the bottom. After the dried mushrooms were re-hydrated I blended them in my food processor to make a mushroom paste. I sauteed about 8 fresh mushrooms chopped up in a skillet with a little bit of butter.
Saute the shallots in butter, add the risotto and cook for a few minutes to warm up the grain and slightly toast it. Then start adding stock one cup at a time and stir every five minutes till done. I like mine a little bit chewy but cook to taste. At the end throw in 1/4 C parmesan and fresh parsley and whip it up with a wooden spoon.
I was surprised at how much I loved this dish. I will definitely make it again. It could easily be the main course of a meal with a nice salad and some crusty bread.
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