Just a very quick post today, in honor of World Nutella Day.
Last night Hubby made dinner, while I directed. My Medifast program has not arrived yet, so I’m actually eating in the meantime and Hubby’s doing the cooking, while my torn Plantaris heals!
After dinner, we took some of our Nutella, spread it in between two banana slices, wrapped in an egg roll wrapper and popped in the deep fryer -Â Yummy!
Then we spread some Nutella on an Egg Roll wrapper and took some of my Candied Orange Peels and placed them on top, wrapped and deep-fried them. They were my favorite — yummy, sweet and chewy!
There’s no recipe involved here – just get some Egg Roll wrappers and a jar of Nutella and experiment with your favorite fruits.
Yesterday’s post about Silpat got me thinking about one of my favorite cookies – I call them Choc-o-damias. They have a consistency of a super moist brownie – the chewiness comes from the chopped dates and the Macadamias give it a little crunch – They’re delicious!
use a good quality chocolate
macadamia nuts
beat the sugar and eggs
sift flour, salt and baking powder
melt chocolate with butter
add dry ingredients and the dates, chocolate chips and nuts
chocolate chips
Chewy Choc-o-damias
Chewy Choc -o-damia Cookies
.
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, broken in pieces
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup unbleached flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon ground espresso or finely ground dark roast coffee
1/4 cup macadamia nuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup dates, finely chopped, soaked for 15 minutes in 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line your cookie sheet with Silpat.
Melt butter in a non-stick saucepan over low heat, then add the chocolate, stirring until melted. Set aside and allow it to cool.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl or standing mixer, beat the sugar and eggs until thickened, about 4 minutes. Add the espresso, vanilla and melted chocolate – combine. Add the dry ingredients, macadamia nuts, chocolate chips and the soaked dates. Stir gently until a loose batter is formed.
Scoop heaping teaspoons of batter approximately 1″ apart on the lined cookie sheets. Top with a halved macadamia nut. Bake 7 to 8 minutes, until the tops are shiny. Let them cool on the Silpat.  Gently remove them with a spatula and place on a cooling rack. Cheers!
It’s December 12th – National Hot Cocoa Day, but that’s not why I made hot chocolate today….It’s cold and rainy here in LA and all I want is hot soup, hot chocolate and a warm fire!
Today’s blog is in two parts — the first is hot chocolate; the second is Churros, my favorite accompaniment with hot chocolate or hot cocoa.
A couple weeks ago, I wrote about La Tienda, one of my favorite online shopping sites. Besides their cazuelas, I’ve made many purchases from La Tienda and highly recommend them for any Christmas gifts you might want to buy for your “foodie friends”!
La Tienda sells a huge variety of food products, as well. I love using their Valor Chocolate a la taza for making hot chocolate. It comes out thick and rich. My two other favorite chocolates are made by Vosges and Burdick, but the Valor costs a bit less and is delicious!
I bought a churro pastry maker from La Tienda a while ago and I make churros in another one of my favorite things, my little Cuisinart deep fryer. Actually, this is also a great idea for a Christmas gift – one year, I bought them for several friends – who all LOVE using them!
I’ve fried churros in a skillet before, with varying results – not always great, but when I started making them in my Cuisinart deep fryer, they came out perfectly crispy every time!
In a deep saucepan, over low heat, melt the chopped chocolate – when using Valor Chocolate, 3 squares per serving, usually makes a thick hot cocoa. Slowly add the milk, sugar and cinnamon sticks and whisk until well blended.
Simmer on low heat until the cocoa thickens – usually about 15 minutes. Stir it occasionally. Serve with whipped cream or marshmallows. When I make this with churros, I serve the cocoa ungarnished.  Cheers!
I watched an episode of Oprah Winfrey last week, (I think it was a rerun) where she featured Serendipity 3′s famous “Frrrozen Hot Chocolate.” I wasn’t able to get them out of my mind – even with all the hullabaloo of Thanksgiving…my mind kept going back to “Frrrozen Hot Chocolate.”
Yesterday morning, I woke up, pissed off, after not being able to fit into my favorite jeans the day before, and vowed to get moving; to cut the fun stuff out of my diet and shed some of those Thanksgiving lbs…that lasted all of one day! Last night, after a dinner that consisted of Cabbage Salad (I kid you not), I could hold out no longer. I went into the kitchen and made two “Frrrozen Hot Chocolates” for hubby and me!
6 half-ounce pieces of a variety of your favorite chocolates
2 teaspoons store bought hot chocolate mix
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups ice
Whipped cream
Chocolate shavings
Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place it in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted. Add the cocoa and sugar, stirring constantly until thoroughly blended. Remove from heat and slowly add 1/2 cup of the milk and stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
In a blender place the remaining cup of milk, the room temperature chocolate mixture, and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Pour into a giant goblet and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Enjoy with a spoon or a straw. . . .or both!
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Just a very quick post today, in honor of World Nutella Day. 
Then we spread some Nutella on an Egg Roll wrapper and took some of my Candied Orange Peels and placed them on top, wrapped and deep-fried them. They were my favorite — yummy, sweet and chewy!
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