February 4, 2010
Quick and Easy Hot Chocolate
Snow makes me think of hot chocolate. You got out and play in the snow, then come in, get warm and enjoy a big cup of steaming hot chocolate! The thought takes me back to my childhood. It was just the way we did things.
There are many ways to make hot chocolate, and yes there is always instant, but really it's so much better when you make it yourself! With a few simple ingredients, you have a really fabulous hot chocolate in no time that really hits the spot on those cold winter days!
What You'll Need:
4 cups of milk (Note: I used skim, but you can use whatever variety you like, you could even use half and half or heavy cream if you just wanted to go all out.)
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1 cup of unsweetened cocoa, sifted
In a medium sized pan add milk, sugar and sifted cocoa and whip to mix. (Note: This is one of the few times you'll see me sift anything, but you really want your cocoa powder to be fine and not in lumps!)
Bring mixture to a simmer and then pour into cups.
Top with marshmallows or whipped cream and you've got the perfect cup of hot chocolate!
See how easy that was?
Notes: You can store leftovers in the fridge for several days and reheat when wanted. To make an adult version add a shot of whiskey or Irish Cream.
Posted by Dianne at 8:21 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
October 21, 2009
Caramel Apple Cider
I have a confession to make, and if you've been around Dianne's Dishes a while you may have heard me make this confession before, I'm not a fan of coffee. I love the smell of coffee beans and when it's ground, but the moment water hits it, it vastly loses its appeal to me. In fact when I was pregnant I couldn't stand the smell of brewing coffee the entire nine months, it made me nauseous. I don't like the taste of coffee and even if it is in infinitesimal amounts, like when it "enhances" the flavor of chocolate (don't even get me started on that!) I can taste the flavor, and it's a flavor that I just don't care for. I'm an avid tea drinker, mostly iced green tea, but even hot tea works for me as well. On top of not liking the flavor of coffee, it doesn't affect me one way or the other, so what's the point?
So why am I telling you that?
Sometimes, especially this time of year, you just want a hot drink, and sometimes tea is not what I'm looking for. Sure there is always hot chocolate, but sometimes that isn't quite what I'm looking for either. So what other options are there?
I may be one of the few people who frequents Starbucks who doesn't drink coffee. My standard order is a venti unsweet green iced tea. Plain, simple and delicious. Yes I grew up in the South, but no I do not care for sweet tea, and believe me growing up in Tennessee you would be amazed how many people take it personally that you don't want your tea sweetened. "Do you want artificial sweetener then?" they would ask and then be shocked when I said "No!" I like my tea straight up. I actually enjoy the flavors of the teas I drink. My standard order is what I order 9 out of 10 times. Occasionally I'll get the unsweet Passion tea, or I'll get a hot tea, but even in winter my normal order is still the iced green variety. But when I'm not in the mood for tea my two favorites of their hot drinks are their hot chocolates, and more often their Caramel Apple Spice.
If you've never tried an Caramel Apple Spice it's basically warm apple juice, with caramel syrup and whipped cream. It reminds me somewhat of hot apple cider, so I decided a year or so ago to play around with some apple cider and see what I could come up with. By pairing a few simple ingredients you end up with a fabulous fall treat that is fun to share. What's not to like about that?
What You'll Need:
1 cup of water
1 cup of natural brown sugar
1/2 gallon of apple cider (Note: It's really easy this time of year to find a fabulous, locally made apple cider.)
Mulling spices (Note: You can put the spices together yourself, or you can purchase them already put together. I normally us cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, cloves, etc. But this go around I got a package from Whiskey Island.)
1 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of organic cane sugar
In a small pot melt sugar in water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool. This will make a thin caramel sauce.
In a large pot place apple cider and mulling spices. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer covered for 30 minutes or so.
Just before you're ready to serve, whip the heavy cream with the organic cane sugar, until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
When you're ready to serve strain the cider. (Trust me, or you'll be picking out bits of mulling spice as you drink...Not that I'd know that personally or anything! ;oP) Place cider in a mug, drizzle in some of the caramel into the cup. Next top the apple cider mixture with a dollop of whipped cream, and then another generous drizzle of caramel syrup.
Serve immediately.
Notes: No notes for this one!
Posted by Dianne at 12:53 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
August 12, 2009
Cocktail Time! Frozen Blueberry Margaritas!
I love blueberries and Alexis does too. Sometimes though we don't eat them fast enough and I often end up with blueberries in the freezer to keep them from going bad. The frozen variety are perfect for blueberry sauce, muffins, blueberry cheesecake, blueberry ice cream or even to eat as a nice little frozen treat, but why not take them to another level?
A few weeks ago I decided to make some margaritas, but I didn't want to make just the general version. I thought about many things and finally I thought it might be nice to throw in some frozen blueberries and see how that would turn out. It turned out well! If you like blueberries and want a margarita with a twist then this is the drink for you!
What You'll Need:
2 cups of freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup of simple syrup
1 cup of triple sec
3/4 cup of tequila
2 cups of frozen blueberries (Note: These were local blueberries that I froze myself. In theory the ones you buy at the grocery store should work as well, though I haven't tried them.)
Organic cane sugar for rimming the glasses
Dump all of your ingredients into the jar of your blender and blend until mostly smooth.
I actually like little frozen blueberry bits in my drink, but if you want something a bit smoother then you can strain the mixture before putting it into the glass.
Wet the edge of your glasses and dip them into organic cane sugar. Pour the blueberry margaritas into the glasses and serve.
Notes: When I'm making a straight up margarita I prefer to rim the glasses with salt, but when it is a fruity version I prefer sugar.
Posted by Dianne at 10:58 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
July 14, 2009
Cocktail Time! Let's Make Lemon Drops!
Last week was one of those weeks. Most people I know were having that kind of week. I saw it with people I know here in Maryland, friends in other cities, people on Twitter/Facebook...The week was just off! Maybe it was the full moon? Maybe it was just a weird alignment of the planets? Who knows! But it was a long, long, long (and did I mention long?) week! On Friday night it was high time to make a cocktail (or two!) ;oP
One of my all time favorite drinks is a Lemon Drop Martini. Most of the time when I make cocktails (which sadly isn't often...The last time I made them was when I was at the beach a few years ago) I'll either make Margaritas or Lemon Drops. Friday was a lemon drop sort of night!
This concoction is the perfect, quick, no fail drink that comes out fabulously time and time again. Sometimes that's just what you need!
What You'll Need:
The juice of six lemons
1 cup of lemon or citrus vodka
1 cup of simple syrup
2 cups of seltzer water
2 cups of ice
Organic cane sugar (optional to rim the glasses)
In a glass pitcher stir together lemon juice, vodka and simple syrup until well mixed. Add seltzer and stir until incorporated. Add ice.
Wet the rim of your glasses and dip into organic cane sugar (optional). Pour drinks into the glasses and serve.
Notes: Someone on Facebook suggested doing this with limes. I'm totally going to have to try that next time!
Posted by Dianne at 8:23 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
January 27, 2009
Do It Yourself Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
I have to say I'm just not feeling winter this year. I mean I'm usually the winter is awesome girl, but this year not so much! If it would snow and actually stick around for a day or two, I might change my mind, but so far we've just had bitterly cold weather and a lot of ice. We're supposed to have some convincing snow over the next day or so, but who knows.It's snowing now and seems to be sticking around but for the most par it has just been super duper well, cold! And I'm just not feeling it! I'd love some spring like or fall like weather if it's not going to snow, but you can keep summer and you can keep this bitter cold!
I've got to go away - Baby it's cold outside
Oh sorry...I got distracted there for a minute! Am I the only one that breaks out into song? Digressing again...Let's talk some hot chocolate shall we?
The other day on Twitter FaceBook I posed the question wondering if I was the only one who frequented Starbucks who did not order coffee. Most of the time when I go I order an unsweet green iced tea. If I don't go with the iced tea, I sometimes go with hot tea if I'm cold. Occasionally however I just want something hot that isn't in the tea family, especially when it's so bitterly cold outside as it has been as of late. When I'm feeling the non-tea hot drink call I normally get a Caramel Apple Spice (which I've created at home too, but haven't blogged about...I'll have to do that sometime in the future!) because I had tried Starbucks' normal hot chocolate and wasn't all that impressed or now that there is a choice I'll sometimes get a Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate, which I do like.
When Starbucks came out with their Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate this year I was immediately intrigued, even though as I mentioned above I wasn't a fan of their regular hot chocolate and I tried one the next time Miss G and I took a spin through one of their locations. I loved it! The Barista that made it for me compared it to a melted Snickers bar in a cup and that pretty much summed it up! And I have ordered a few more over the next few months as the winter has worn on. Only once was it not that great, but for the most part I was highly impressed and my mind started working on how to make something similar at home. This is what resulted and trust me...It's good!
What You'll Need for the Hot Chocolate:
4 cups of milk or dairy (Note: I used skim milk, but you could use any type of milk that you liked or even half and half or heavy cream if you just wanted to go all out!)
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1 cup of cocoa (Note: This is the stuff like you bake with.)
In a medium sized pot whisk together milk, sugar and cocoa until completely incorporated. This may take a minute or two. Heat over medium heat until steaming, but not boiling, stirring occasionally.
Proceed to the step to bring it all together below.
What You'll Need for the Totally Cheating "Caramel":
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (Note: You can use regular or fat free.)
1 cup of natural brown sugar
(Note: This makes a very quick, very dulche de leche type caramel. But trust me you're the only really who will know!)
In a small pot over medium heat, melt brown sugar in sweetened condensed milk until smooth, stirring frequently. You can do this while the hot chocolate is heating...It's that fast!
What You'll Need to Put Together the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate:
Hot Chocolate (See above)
Totally Cheating "Caramel" (See above)
Marshmallows (Note: I chose to use marshmallows instead of whipped cream as Starbucks does, but you can use whipped cream instead if you prefer. The marshmallows were really fabulous though!)
Sea salt
In a cup add about 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups of hot chocolate. Top with 2-4 large marshmallows or a handful of mini-marshmallows. Drizzle some warm caramel over the top and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Serve immediately.
How easy is that?
Notes: If you aren't a fan of caramel you could drizzle it with hot fudge or melted chocolate instead for a double chocolate punch.
Posted by Dianne at 9:06 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
September 24, 2008
Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Today we're going to do a quick and easy post. Yesterday morning when I was slicing gluten free bread for Jamison's sandwich for lunch I sliced into my finger. I'll spare you the details, but needless to say typing is not that much fun right now! So this is going to be short and sweet. Let's get to it shall we?
What You'll Need:
1 frozen banana
1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter
1 cup of milk (Note: You can use cow's milk, almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, etc.)
Cut frozen banana into chunks. Dump everything into the jar of your blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Makes one large breakfast sized serving or two snack sized portions.
Notes: You could do this with any frozen fruit or any nut butter.
Posted by Dianne at 9:09 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
July 25, 2008
Blueberry Pomegranate Fizz
As I've mentioned before I love Izze sparkling juice, but between gas prices and rising food costs there isn't a lot of room in the budget for such luxuries anymore. That doesn't mean however that you can't make your own version for a fraction of the price! What's not to like about that?
A fruit fizz is a wonderful alternative to soda that is healthier too! So why not go all out and combine the juice of two super foods to make it that much better? The fruit gives the drink a natural sweetness, while the sparkling water gives it a fizzy burst. It's just perfect for a healthy treat on a hot summer day!
What You'll Need:
3 parts blueberry pomegranate juice
1 part sparkling water
Ice
In a large glass pour juice and seltzer over ice and stir to mix. Serve immediately.
Notes: There is no need to add sugar or anything to this mix as the juice is sweetened naturally, though some people do add extra sugar. You could make this a bit of an "adult" treat by adding in some rum or vodka. You could also do this with any other kind of juice that you like.
Posted by Dianne at 7:29 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
July 16, 2008
Strawberry Lemonade Punch
Normally for a birthday party or something of that nature I make Banana Punch. Banana punch was the go to recipe when I was growing up for parties, showers, etc. But this year for Alexis' birthday party I had a bunch of lemons and strawberries on hand, and in the spirit of not buying more stuff I decided to make something different and the results were stellar! You could even make this an adult punch by adding a little rum if you liked...The possibilities are endless! ;o)
What You'll Need:
6 cups of frozen strawberries
The juice of 12-14 lemons
4 cups of organic cane sugar
Seltzer water
Place frozen berries in batches of about a cup into a blender and blend until completely chopped. A few larger pieces here and there are not a big deal. Pour into a very large bowl. (Note: It would be MUCH easier in a food processor than a blender, but sadly I still haven't replaced my processor that died horribly. If you have a food processor then by all means use it instead! It will make the process MUCH easier and if you're using a food processor you don't even have to freeze the strawberries!)
Stir in lemon juice and sugar and let sit until sugar dissolves. Place into small airtight containers and freeze until solid.
Thirty minutes before you want to serve pull out one or two of the frozen containers and let thaw a bit. Place the still slightly frozen mixture into a punch bowl and cover with seltzer water and then serve.
Notes: You could do this with blueberries or peaches or pineapple or any other type of fruit that you like!
Posted by Dianne at 7:44 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
December 6, 2007
Hot Chocolate Gift Jar
Hot chocolate immediately brings to mind snow, warmth and the holidays! What better present to give than a jar of chocolatey goodness? Throw in some cookies and you could even leave out a cup for Santa! He'd really love that! ;o)
What You'll Need for the Jar:
1 quart jar
1 cup of powdered milk
1 cup of powdered cocoa
1 cup of powdered sugar
2 tablespoons of vanilla powder (Note: If you've never used vanilla powder before you use it just as you would the liquid equivalent. Take the link to get more info. You'll have to scroll down until you reach the product.)
4 tablespoons of organic cane sugar
Mix ingredients in a food processor or sift together and stir until completely mixed. Dress up the jar however you like, but be sure to include instructions on how to make the hot chocolate (see below).
To Make the Hot Chocolate:
Add boiling water to 2 or 3 heaping spoonfuls of hot chocolate mix to taste. Top with marshmallows or whipped cream or even just drink it straight up! For an adult kick add in some rum or Irish cream.
Posted by Dianne at 7:53 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
November 15, 2007
Thanksgiving Yummy: Maple Pumpkin Bread
Oh my what a day, what a DAY! I don't think I've made an entry this late in the day (or night as the case may be! ;o)) since I started Dianne's Dishes, but that's neither here nor there. Let's get on to the Thanksgiving recipe instead, shall we? ;o)
Even on Thanksgiving you've simply got to eat breakfast! Why not go with a pumpkin theme? Mmmmm Pumpkin! Maple Pumpkin Bread is just the thing to get the day started off on a holiday note. This bread is simple, quick and delicious! The best part is that you can make it ahead of time and simply enjoy a leisurely breakfast before all the joy and thankfulness! ;o)
What You'll Need:
3 cups of unbleached all purpose flour OR white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice mix
1 1/4 cup of natural brown sugar, divided
1/2 cup of maple syrup
2 eggs
1 cup of buttermilk
1 - 15 ounce can of pumpkin (Note: NOT pumpkin pie mix!)
1 1/2 cups of chopped walnuts
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds (Also know as pepitas)
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a large bowl mix flour through pumpkin pie spice mix, along with 1 cup of brown sugar and stir to mix. Add maple syrup through pumpkin and stir to mix thoroughly. Stir in nuts and pumpkin seeds until incorporated. Pour batter into 2 greased or sprayed loaf pans. Sprinkle the batter with 1/4 cup of brown sugar spread evenly between the two loaves.
Bake for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool to the touch before removing the loaves from the pans. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes: You could easily make this batter as muffins. They would most likely bake for 12-15 minutes or until they stick done. You could also add in a cup of raisins or use another type of nut. 2 cups of chopped apple would be a nice addition as well. You can serve it right out of the oven OR you can freeze it for up to six weeks and thaw before using. You can even top a slice with a little peanut butter...It sounds weird, but it's great so what are you waiting for? ;o)
Posted by Dianne at 9:56 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
October 18, 2007
Baked Pears with Goat Cheese and Honey
It's pear season! You've got to love Fall! Goat cheese and honey, meld together with the pears to makes a scrumptious taste combination. This is a simple, quick, delicious dessert that you'll love!
What You'll Need Per Person:
1/2 a pear with the core scooped out
1-2 tablespoons of goat cheese
Honey
Preheat oven to 375 F.
First you want to scoop out the core of the pear:
Next stuff the center with goat cheese:
Bake for 10-15 minutes until pear is soft and goat cheese is slightly golden.
Remove from oven and drizzle with honey. Serve immediately.
Notes: If you want to you could use blue cheese instead of goat cheese, but I'd omit the honey. Chopped pecans or walnuts would also be a good addition to sprinkle on top before baking.
Posted by Dianne at 9:56 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
September 14, 2007
Pumpkin Smoothie
It's amazing how much pumpkin three small sugar pumpkins actually put out! So that just encourages me to come up with new uses for pumpkin. This morning I was thinking about pumpkin and I wondered how a pumpkin smoothie would taste, so I whipped one up. If you like pumpkin then this little gem makes a great fall time breakfast or snack!
What You'll Need:
1 ripe banana
1 cup of cooked pumpkin
1 cup of milk (Note: I used EdenBlend's Rice Soy blend, but you can whatever type of milk you like.)
1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter
1 cup of ice
Dump all the ingredients into the jar of your blender and blend on high until smooth. Serve immediately.
Notes: If you wanted to add some cinnamon they that would be a great addition, but I'd leave out the peanut butter. Also I think the banana and pumpkin "sweetens" the smoothie without having to add any other sweeteners, but if you think it needs something more then I would go with either a tablespoon of honey or a tablespoon of maple syrup. I'ts nice to stick with natural sweetners and not processed ones.
Posted by Dianne at 7:49 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
July 17, 2007
Lemonade
What's better than a nice, big, cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day? The two go hand in hand!
What You'll Need:
1 1/2 cups of organic cane sugar
1 1/2 cups of water
9-10 lemons, juiced
More water to fill the pitcher
Heat sugar and 1 1/2 cups of water over medium heat until sugar dissolves and syrup forms. Remove from heat and let cool. In a gallon pitcher add lemon juice to cooled simple syrup and stir to mix. Fill up the rest of the pitcher with water and viola...Lemonade! Pour over ice and garnish with a lemon round if desired.
Notes: You can add in some lime juice instead of lemon for Limemade. You could also add in any other fruit juice you wanted for a lemonade combo deal (Watermelon Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, etc.)
Posted by Dianne at 2:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 10, 2007
Frozen Fruity Rum Punch
I still have some frozen Banana Punch concentrate in the freezer from Alexis' birthday party and I decided it would be fun to thaw some out and have a little fun with it...Add in a little rum and you've got a wonderful summer treat for the adults!
What You'll Need:
4 cups of Banana Punch concentrate, thawed until slushy
2 cups of ice
1 cup of dark rum
1 cup of ginger ale
Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.
Posted by Dianne at 7:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 18, 2007
Banana Punch
When I was growing up this was the go to punch for baby showers, bridal showers and parties. It's simple to make and it's delicious. It always gets raves! Try it at your next party and see!
What You'll Need:
5 crushed bananas
The juice of one lemon
4 cups of organic cane sugar
1 – 46 oz unsweetened pineapple juice
1 – 46 oz unsweetened orange juice
1 – 46 oz unsweetened apple juice
Ginger ale
Squeeze lemon juice over the crushed bananas. Mix together everything but the ginger ale in a very, very large bowl or in batches and freeze until solid. Take out of freezer about 1 hour before needed. Pour ginger ale over mixture in a large punch bowl and mix in a large punch bowl just before serving. As you use the punch you can keep adding more ginger ale and more frozen punch. Quick, easy and delicious!
Notes: If you can't get juices in the exact sizes don't sweat it, it will still taste delicious! As long as you have some amount near the above recommendations of each juice you're fine. You can't mess this one up...it's foolproof! Also don't sweat it if you can't find unsweetened juice. Just take out some or all of the sugar depnding on how sweet you like things.
Posted by Dianne at 1:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 27, 2007
Frozen Pineapple Margaritas
I love margaritas and I always like to try new renditions. Watermelon? Check! Strawberry? Check! Peach? Oh yeah!
This pineapple version is cool, fruity and oh so lovely. It's just perfect for a warm summer evening! If you like margaritas give this one a try...You won't be disappointed!
What You'll Need:
The juice of 12 limes
1 cup of pineapple juice
1 cup of simple syrup
1/2 cup of triple sec
1/2 cup of tequila
Ice
Dump all ingredients in the ingredients into the jar of your blender (add enough ice to fill the jar) and blend on high until smooth. Serve with a salted rim or even a sugar rim. Drink and enjoy.
Simple, easy and delicious!
Posted by Dianne at 12:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 12, 2007
Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Sometimes I like to make a smoothie for breakfast. I've seen a lot of smoothie recipes that call for sweeteners, but the reality is that natural sugars in the fruit are more than enough! Smoothies are fast, easy, healthy and delicious!
What You'll Need Per Person:
1 cup of milk (skim, soy, etc.)
2 strawberries, sliced
1 banana
1 tablespoon of ground flax seed
1 cup of crushed ice
Place all ingredients in the jar of you blender and blend until smooth.
Notes: You can use peaches or blueberries or any other fruit that you like. You can even use frozen fruit! You can also add in some yogurt if you like as well. It's another one of those recipes that you can play with and the possibilities are endless!
Posted by Dianne at 9:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 25, 2007
Dianne's Tropical Lemonade
I was reading the current issue of Cooking Light and they had a frozen lemonade made with coconut rum. The only problem is that I don't keep frozen lemonade concentrate on hand (high fructose corn syrup anyone?) and usually make lemonade straight from lemons. I decided that it had to be easy to make my own little concoction and this is what I came up with. It's fruity, tropical and oh so good!
What You'll Need:
The juice of 2 lemons
2 cups of water
1 cup of club soda
1/2 cup of coconut rum
1/2 cup of organic cane sugar
2 cups of ice
Sliced lemon for garnish (optional)
Mix lemon juice, water, club soda, rum and sugar in the canister of your blender. Add ice and blend until smooth. Serve with sliced lemons to garnish if desired!
Who says you can't be tropical in February? ;o)
Posted by Dianne at 10:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
