Warming A "Chili" Heart

Why not turn up the heat this Valentines Day and add a little spice to your sweetie's day.
Like they say everything is better with chocolate and this Chili is just added proof of that.
It really makes a difference in a profound way without that OMG someone dropped a candy bar in my Chili reaction. There is a depth and a mouth feel that is uniquely that of chocolate, couple that with all that savory and spicy...well it is just the perfect symphony to serenade your taste buds.
So on this Valentines Day, if it starts to get too Chili, just add chocolate. It will instantly warm the heart of that very special someone.


Chili Con Chocolate

2 lbs. of ground beef
2 (15 oz.) cans of kidney beans
2 (15 oz.) cans of tomato sauce
1 lg. onion, diced
1 lg. green pepper, diced
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
1/3 c. Chile powder
2 tbsp. of dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. prepared grated horseradish
1 Hershey's Special Dark Bar (1.45 oz.) or just use 1 tbsp. of unsweetened cocoa powder. I prefer the dark chocolate bar; you may also substitute your own favorite chocolate.
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground pepper

In a large pot sauté your ground beef until lightly browned (drain any excessive fat). Add in the rest of the ingredients, set the temperature to medium low and let simmer, covered for 1 hour.

This Post Just "Popped" Into My Mind.

Popcorn is one of those blank slate ingredients that allows your imagination to run wild. You can go sweet or savory; make it Mexican with a little chili powder or Italian with some garlic and basil. You can drizzle it with chocolate or caramel or add fruits and nuts and turn it into a trail mix. You can roll popcorn into balls or press into cakes, make it into clusters or just eat it loose out of bag, box or bowl.

Popcorn is so inexpensive; it's filling, loaded with fiber and for the most part very healthy depending on how we prepare it.

I don't believe that I have ever met anyone who doesn't like popcorn.....so get popping and start snacking!

Pizza Popcorn

1/3 c. butter

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. basil

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. onion powder

10 c. fresh popcorn

Melt butter. Add Parmesan cheese and seasonings. Pour over popcorn in shallow baking pan. Stir to mix. Heat in preheated oven at 300 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Popcorn Cake

1 Bundt pan full of popcorn

1 (12 oz.) jar dry roasted peanuts

1 (16 oz.) pkg. M&M'S®

1 (16 oz.) pkg. marshmallows
1 stick butter

Important: Spray all utensils with a non stick spray.

In a large mixing bowl, mix popcorn, peanuts and M&M'S®. Melt butter and marshmallows together over low heat. When completely melted, pour over popcorn mixture in bowl and stir gently. Pack in Bundt pan. Let stand for 10 minutes. Turn pan over and lift off. Cake should slide right out.



Chocolate Popcorn Clusters

8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1 tbsp. butter
2 c. popcorn
1 c. coarsely chopped nuts

Lightly oil cookie sheet. Melt chocolate and butter over hot water in double boiler. In large bowl mix popcorn and nuts, then pour melted chocolate over, toss. Spoon candy in clusters onto oiled sheet. Store in tightly covered container in cool place, layered by wax paper or plastic wrap.

Peanut Butter Popcorn

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. corn syrup (light)

1/4 c. peanut butter
4 c. popcorn, popped

Combine sugar and syrup in large pan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to full boil. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Mix well. Pour over popcorn and stir until coated.

Share The Sweets

It's that time of year when the candy and cookie making bug hits. I know every year I have these great delusions of all the varieties of candies and cookies that I am going to make to share with family and friends. I would love to actually do that and there have been times that I actually have but extra time is a rare commodity these days and so are the extra dollars to spend on the rising cost of ingredients.
That is why I am always happy to find recipes that don't take a lot of time and give you a great deal for very little money. It's nice to know that we can still have the pleasure of making and sharing homemade goodies with our family and friends. It is recipes like these that always seem to make the holidays that much sweeter!

Easy Butter Cream Candy

1 pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
4 c. confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
12 oz. chocolate chips, for coating candy

Beat cream cheese and butter in bowl until smooth. Blend in sugar and vanilla. Chill 1 hour - shape into 1 inch balls and chill overnight.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or use your microwave and dip each ball using fork or toothpick. Dip each ball in chocolate until completely coated. Place on wax paper, parchment or silicone sheets to set.

Place candy in an airtight container and keep refrigerated.

It's Crunch Time

Between Halloween and Christmas there was always a tremendous amount of candy making taking place among our family. Each family member seemed to have that one particular candy that was theirs and theirs alone. Aunt Mimi was famous for her chocolate covered almonds, Aunt Elsie, it was her honey fudge and for Aunt Jay it was always her peanut brittle. There was only one candy that it seemed everybody made, my Mother and Grandmother included and that was chocolate haystacks. You know the ones with the Chinese noodles stirred into melted chocolate then mounded by spoonfuls onto wax paper to look like little haystacks. We all loved those mainly for the texture more than anything else because the noodles remained crisp. Well here is the exact same recipe but instead of the Chinese noodles this one uses Grape-Nuts cereal. These give the candy a tremendous crunch which goes quite nicely with the smooth creamy chocolate.

Grape-Nuts Chocolate Drops

2 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 or 15 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 c. Grape-Nuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt chocolate over boiling water, remove from heat. Stir until smooth; add milk and blend some more. Now add your Grape-Nuts and vanilla, drop from teaspoons onto waxed paper, cool until firm.

Yield: 5 dozen candies.

Wake Up and Be Happy

These are like a beautiful dream that you never want to wake up from. Light fluffy layers of chocolate pancakes like gentle clouds glistening with the gentle dew of vanilla syrup cascading through the rivers of melted butter.........Hey! Wake Up! Sure it's a nice dream but why dream about them when you can actually be making them and eating them.

Chocolate Pancakes

2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk
4 teaspoon butter, melted
2 eggs
4-6 teaspoons cocoa
Chocolate chips, optional

Combine dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients and stir only until mixed.

Preheat a non-stick skillet until very hot, brush lightly with butter. Pour pancake batter onto hot skillet; flip when bubbles begin to form along edges. When lightly browned on both sides, remove pancakes and stack with pats of butter between each one.
Keep warm in oven until ready to serve.
Try serving these with this delicious vanilla syrup or any of your own favorite pancake toppings.

Vanilla Syrup:

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together until smooth

BananaLicious

My first tasty experience with a frozen banana was many years ago when I was vacationing as a child in Disney World Florida. To give you an idea as to just how long ago that was Epcot Center didn't even exist. While there visiting all the different attractions my aunt and I kept spotting these little carts along the way with a sign that read; frozen bananas on a stick. Well needless to say that perked our curiosity along with the fact that it was 90 degrees and the thought of anything cooling was very inviting. So my aunt and I took the plunge and each got one, they just looked like fun to eat. They were so pretty enrobed in all that chocolate and generous coating of chopped peanuts. The first bite was difficult as they were frozen rock hard. But once we succeeded we were in taste bud heaven. The crackle of the chocolate coating and the crunch of the peanuts were a delightful experience but the true star was that texturally amazing frozen banana. You would swear that we were eating high butter fat banana custard, it was rich and creamy just like ice cream without the drippy mess you would normally get with ice cream on a hot day.
Just recently a local ice cream parlor where we live started carrying frozen bananas dipped in chocolate and coated with various things such as nuts, sprinkles, crushed cookies and the other day they even had some coated with different types of cereal.
Soon the obsession crept in and we were going to purchase these little gems a few times a week until we realized it was taking a ridiculous toll on the pocket book.
That is when we decided that it would probably be easier and a lot less expensive to make these ourselves. It was a delicious decision and now whenever we open our freezer we know that there is something special waiting for us to enjoy.
Just have fun with these, they are so easy to make and keep for weeks in the freezer. The perfect treat for the entire family to make and enjoy together.

Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas

6 tbsp. butter
1-1/2 cups of semi sweet chocolate morsels
8 Ripe but not too ripe bananas
8 wooden sticks
Assorted coatings; Nuts, sprinkles, cereal, crushed cookies whatever you like it's completely optional because these taste just as good with the banana and chocolate alone.

Another tasty suggestion: split bananas lengthwise and spread a little peanut butter on flat side then put halves back together. Now you have a whole banana filled with peanut butter ready to dip in chocolate, these are really good!

Melt butter and chocolate together and simmer over low heat stirring until smooth. Pour chocolate mixture into a dish and set aside. Peel bananas; insert stick into end of banana. Immediately dip each banana into melted chocolate and coat evenly, then roll in your choice of coatings pressing gently into chocolate. Place on waxed paper lined tray and freeze until firm, about 2 hours, serve frozen. To store wrap each in aluminum foil and keep in freezer, these will keep for weeks if people can stop eating them long enough!

photo/ae/flickr

Have Fun, Just Remember

Happy Birthday America

Every year it comes around No individual party but one big bash Cook outs, time at the beach or lakes Fireworks to light up the sky Parades are held with buntings of Red White and Blue Men and women in uniform march in perfect lock step. Clowns and horses are all abound Children smile and wave the small flags given to them. This is a birthday for our Nation For on July fourth, Seventeen Seventy Six. We proclaimed our freedom to the small world then, that we wanted to become an independent and sovereign nation

Yet, this year we find that Freedom is not free. That our citizens will be far away so another country can be free for they will put their lives on the line for our ideals But they know they will be thought of by those at home For this is the Fourth of July for all to see

A land that knows its freedoms are not free

A land that does not forget our hard kept ideals

A land rich in historyHappy Birthday America

By Merrill Vaughan, Ret. USAF MSgt.

Copyright 2006

Reese's Peanut Butter Bars - an easy pass around dessert

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. smooth peanut butter

4 c. powdered sugar, sifted

1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs

6 plain chocolate Hershey bars

Blend butter and peanut butter in a large bowl. Work in the powdered sugar and cracker crumbs with a wooden spoon until combined thoroughly. Press into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Set aside. Melt Hershey bars (10-15 seconds in microwave), spread over peanut butter mixture. Chill until set but don't let get too cold or they will be too hard to cut. Cut into small squares.

Delicious! Tastes just like a peanut butter cup.

Photo/RG/Flickr

Fragole Pazzo

Isn't it funny how foods that other people grew up eating and loving sound weird but the foods we grew up eating and loving never do? If the food seems weird are the people who eat them and enjoy them just as weird? If that is the case, then just label me the weirdest person on the face of the earth; because I eat some pretty weird foods (my definition of weird is delicious by the way)! If you ask me the only thing that is weird is anyone who would short change themselves of trying something different from their "norm". One little taste that's all it takes, if you don't like it you never have to eat it again.......but if you do like it....
Well I guess that would mean that you are still weird only now you would possess the power to eat many more foods than you use to......how cool is that?!

Crazy Strawberries

2 tbsp. sugar
5 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. freshly coarse ground black pepper
4 c. ripe strawberries, stemmed and quartered (2 pt.)
Grated sweet chocolate for garnish (in a pinch you could just sprinkle on a few semi-sweet chocolate chips)!

In a bowl, combine sugar, vinegar, and pepper. Stir in strawberries and let them stand for 10 minutes, serve strawberries garnished with chocolate.

A Marriage of Taste

One Saturday during our weekly poker night my father brought a chocolate cheese cake that had blueberry topping. I remember thinking what an interesting combination; I had never thought to put blueberries with chocolate before. Well let me tell you all it took was one bite and I knew that this was a marriage made in heaven. I could not get over how incredible those two flavors comingled on my palate. Ever since then I have been trying to come up with different ways to bring these two meant to be ingredients together.

Blueberry Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

1 stick butter
1 c. sugar
2 lg. eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. sour cream
2 c. blueberries
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. chopped nuts
3/4 c. dark chocolate chips (whatever you prefer)

Cream together first 3 ingredients. Add vanilla. Sift and mix the dry ingredients together. To creamed mixture, add alternately with sour cream. (Save a little of the flour to coat the blueberries before mixing, so they will not sink to the bottom).
Prepare topping from the 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 cup nuts. Spoon 1/2 of the batter into greased Bundt pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the topping, all the chocolate chips and blueberries. Spoon in the remaining batter. Cover with the remaining topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes and cool.

photo/Lorilea/flickr

Shoes Are Not Fattening

Don't you just love those quick little nibbles we grab to eat in the car while we are in between shopping destinations? Somehow there is less guilt involved with this type of nibbling ritual. It may be due to the fact that shopping has the same physical benefits as any workout at any gym, with much less stress and far less persperation. Come on ladies, it takes between 40 to 60 minutes of cardio to get your heart pumping and only a mere glance at a pretty outfit or a stunning pair of shoes to do the exact same thing. So indulge in one of these chunky, buttery, chocolaty, nutty, crispy, chewy cookies in the car as I did without feeling guilty. All you have to do to burn it off is glance at a dozen pair of shoes and about six outfits! It's the most sensible way to keep the chunk in the cookie and away from your hips!

White Chocolate Chunk Macadamia Nut Cookies

2/3 c. butter (10 tbsp. plus 2 tsp.), at room temp.

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. packed dark brown sugar

1 lg. egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 jar (3 1/2 oz.) macadamia nuts, chopped coarse (about 3/4 c.)

2 bars (3 oz. each) white chocolate, chopped in 1/2 inch pieces

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Lightly grease two 17x14 inch cookie sheets. In large bowl of electric mixer beat butter, sugars, egg and vanilla at medium-high speed until fluffy. Reduce mixer speed to low, add flour, increase mixer speed gradually and beat just until blended. Stir in nuts and chocolate. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls dough 2 1/2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 1 sheet at a time 17 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned and tops look dry. Cool on sheet on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove to rack to cool completely.
Makes a little less than 2 dozen cookies

Why Fondon't When You Can Fondue!

Good Living is an act of intelligence,by which we choose things which have an agreeable taste rather than those which do not.

Brillat-Savarin


Everything I eat should contain either garlic or chocolate, but rarely both...... although the thought of garlic dipped in dark chocolate is beginning to peak my creative taste buds as I write this. I may just have to give it a try, in all honesty just how bad could it be.

There is a funny quote that says;" Forget love-- I'd rather fall in chocolate"!!! But I say;" Remember love....and fall in the chocolate together"! Whether you skinny dip, chunky dunk or slowly wade in the chocolate pool just enjoy your time together, happy valentine's day.

Dark Chocolate Plunge

8 ounces of really good unsweetened dark chocolate (if you choose to use an already sweetened variety of chocolate just omit the sugar in this recipe).
1 c. light cream

1 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine chocolate and cream in medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Add sugar and continue cooking until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into fondue pot or chafing dish. Serve warm with fondue dippers.

FONDUE DIPPERS:
In advance, prepare: angel food cake, strawberries, pineapple chunks, banana slices, marshmallows, biscotti, pretzels, potato chips.....the list is endless.

What's Inside Your Grandmother's Purse?

There were two types of cookies that always made there way home from a wedding in my grandmother's purse. The first one an almond paste cookie rolled in pignola nuts, sliced almonds or topped with a halved maraschino cherry. The second was that wonderfully spicy round chocolate gem known as The Italian meatball Cookie at least that is what we always called them as kids. They are more commonly known as; “chocolate pepper cookies or Italian Spice Balls”. You will always find these traditionally at Italian weddings but these are also a traditional cookie to be served during the holiday season. This cookie does have a lot of ingredients compared to most others but together they create a flavor that will keep generation after generation remembering and wanting more.

Italian Meatball Cookies

1 1/4 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
2 drops red food coloring
1 tsp. baking soda
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 & 3/4 c. cocoa
1 tbsp. orange rind
1 c. chopped nuts
3/4 c. sour milk
4 eggs
5 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. raisins, soaked in 2 tbsp. of warm water

Cream shortening, sugar and eggs and beat well. Add dry ingredients, orange rind and juice with milk and food coloring and mix well. Fold in raisins and nuts. Roll into walnut sized balls and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 370 degrees for 10 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool cookies and frost.

FROSTING: Beat 4 egg whites with 1 teaspoon cream of tartar until foamy. Add 1 pound confectioners' sugar. Add vanilla and beat well. Spread on cookies. Yield: 12 dozen.


SpartaSoap/Flickr

She's Got A Lot of Balls!

The first time I ever got tipsy I was the ripe old age of four. When I was little we would stop and visit friends and family during the day on Christmas Eve to spread and share some holiday cheer.
Apparently as it has been told to me over and over again throughout my life at one of the houses we went to I got into a batch of rum balls. I did not know that’s what they were; to me they were chocolate candy and very good chocolate candy at that. Everyone was so busy chatting that they did not notice this four year old covered in chocolate swaying and silly in the corner. I guess I had eaten quite a few and she had made them exceptionally strong not intending for a child to eat them. I slept very well that evening and well into early afternoon on Christmas Day. My families lecture about the effects of alcohol and eating so much candy ended in laughter. You see in order to explain why I had eaten so many I innocently said; “Because that lady had a lot of balls”!

Rum Balls

2 boxes (12 oz ea.) vanilla wafers, crushed
2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
2/3 cup light or dark rum (also great with bourbon or other spirit of your choosing)
2 cups light or dark corn syrup

Cocoa powder, powdered sugar, shredded coconut or jimmies for coating
Stir vanilla wafer crumbs, nuts, confectioner’s sugar and unsweetened cocoa. Stir in light or dark rum, corn syrup and citrons (optional) until well blended. Shape into 1 inch balls.
Roll in coating of your choice, makes 8-9 dozen.

Pudding Poke Cake

This time my Aunt made a “Poke Cake” using pudding instead of the gelatin. I have to say it was one of the moistest cakes that I have ever had, she did chocolate cake with chocolate pudding. I remember when I posted The Jell-O poke cake a few posts back it sparked a lot of memories for some. These recipes are just fun and meant to be shared.

Pudding Poke Cake

1 pkg. (2 layer size) cake mix (white, yellow or chocolate)

Topping:

2 pkgs. (4 serving size) Jell-O chocolate instant pudding and pie filling (may also be creative with different flavors)

1 cup confectioners' sugar

4 cups cold milk

Prepare and bake cake mix as directed on package for 13x9 inch cake. Remove from oven. Poke holes at once down through cake to pan with round handle of wooden spoon (or poke holes with plastic drinking straw, using turning motion to make large holes.) Holes should be at 1 inch intervals. Only after the holes are made, combine pudding mix with sugar in large bowl. Gradually stir in milk. Beat with electric mixer at low speed for not more than 1 minute. Do not over beat. Quickly, before pudding thickens, pour about 1/2 of the thin pudding evenly over warm cake and into holes (This will make stripes in cake.) Allow remaining pudding to thicken slightly, then spoon over the top, swirling it to "frost" the cake. Chill at least 1 hour. Store cake in refrigerator.

Playing around with contrasting colors can be fun too. Such as; white cake with chocolate pudding, chocolate cake with vanilla pudding or a real pretty one is white cake with pistachio pudding.

Another Blast From The Past

Here is another blast from the past; do you remember Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers? I hadn’t until our family kept reminiscing about things we use to make and eat years ago. It seems like all the recipes we grew up with as kids came from the back of a box or package of something. As we were talking we were remembering how much we enjoyed these recipes and wondered why we ever stopped making them. Most of these recipes were quite easy and affordable; I guess like with everything else things just get away from us. Maybe it is time to start making these recipes again and recreating some of those special times.

Famous Chocolate Refrigerator Roll

This chocolate cookie roll is frosted with whipped cream and may be made ahead of time and kept in freezer, just thaw about 30 minutes before serving.

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups heavy cream, whipped, or 1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (9-ounce) package NABISCO Famous Chocolate Wafers

Chocolate curls, for garnish

1. Stir vanilla into whipped cream or topping.

2. Spread 1/2 tablespoon whipped cream or topping on each wafer. Begin stacking wafers together and stand on edge on serving platter to make a 14-inch log.

3. Frost with remaining whipped cream or topping. Chill for 4 to 6 hours. To serve, garnish with chocolate curls; slice roll at an angle.