Tag Archives: chocolate

Knockoffs

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No, no,no – this recipe isn’t about handbags…or sunglasses…watches… or anything purchased from a sketchy vendor.

However, this is alllll about knocking off products that you love.

Lately, I’ve been alllll about Nature Valley’s Dark Chocolate Granola Thins.

Like…seriously obsessed.

Some have had issues with the chocolate melting….and unfortunate staining of clothes and papers…or getting all over keyboards, etc. I definitely experienced that my first go-around with this beauties…but a new home in the fridge keeps them perrrfect. Oh – and they come in peanut butter, too – haven’t tried those yet….

Obsessed.

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My biggest problem? Not enough in a box. :)

Sooo – I took to attempting my own variety.

I’ll be very honest – these don’t taste like NV Granola Thins…but they do taste good. That’s all that matters. Plus, they calm my salty, sweet and crunchy cravings allll in one lil’ bite.

I started with a (low cal) granola recipe – I halved the recipe – but kept the 2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey and omitted the cherries. I think next time around I’ve up the honey – just for the sticky-factor. Oh! almost forgot – I added 4 squares of honey graham crackers – crushed.

Once it is all mixed – I pressed it firmly into a lined pan and baked the granola at 275 for about 40 minutes….just kept an eye on it.

Once toasty – smother in dark chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt. 

Stick that beauty into the fridge to firm up – and then…uhh, attempt to cut.

Okay…this part was messy. I would classify these as…shards…of granola thins.

….like snowflakes…they each took on their own unique shape.

However – each is beautiful…and oh-so-delicious… in its own, special way. haha

Oh, and I walked away with a tupperware container full of these little beauties – as well as a bag of honey-vanilla granola (once I successfully collected the granola shrapnel from my counters).

Two for one – score!

Nature Valley Granola Thins – don’t worry – even with this snack, I’ll still being picking up a box the next time I’m in the store…I’m sure of it.

Repeat Repeat

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Hi boos! I’ve missed you guys. Lately – my eats have been fairly repetitive and simple as I really went off the wagon there for a little and was just feeling like crap. I wasn’t exercising nearly enough and there was way too much crapola in  my life.

While my meals have not been exactly exciting, I still have been having fun with food – and new obsessions have quickly crept into my life:

Popsicles. Obsessed. Who says you have to be 10 to enjoy these babies. Plus, the Goji White Grape flavor of the Edy’s Fruit Bars is amaaazing.

Jenna‘s baked beans have been a made at least three times. haha

Various chocolates – necessity. Ghiradelli’s Toffee Interlude is a new fave.

Plus – cold – but spicy – condiments have been on the menu.

I can just eat these pepper rings on they’re own. Crunchy, spicy, cold and salty = winnnn.

  • What foods or condiments have you added to your summer eating??
  • And what’s goin’ on in your world? It’s been forrrever.

Royally Sweet

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Ahh – okay, so the royal wedding was a week ago.

Yes, I was obsessed.

Kate looked gorgeouuus.

However, there was one part of the royal wedding that I was seeing everywhere, to0..

Wills’ choice of wedding cake – the chocolate biscuit cake.

Chocolate? Yum.

Tea biscuits (cookies)? Double Yum.

I didn’t set out to make it – but my mom showed up at my apartment with a box of tea biscuits, chocolate, and hazelnuts.

Destiny.

I did really want to make an entire cake…so I decided on making little cups.

First, nuked some semi-sweet chocolate in the microwave until it was mostly melted (5 blocks of Baker’s):

Then added around a tablespoon (maybe a little less…it was just guestimated) of butter and maybe a tablespoon of fat free half and half….nuked for about 10 seconds more, and then stirred it allll together into a beautiful ganache.

I managed to resist spooning this right to my face… amazing.

Then I crumbled the biscuits and added some hazelnuts – honestly, this was all guestimation, too -  maybe half of a package (1/4 of the whole box).

Then mixed in the chocolate and scooped the mixture into lined cupcake tins (this ended up making 6 perfectly).

Then I just let them set up in the fridge…

These were divine…rich and crunchy. Props to Wills for such good taste.

As Mary Poppins would say, “Practically perfect in every way.”

Bread & Chocolate

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Ahh – thanks for the support in regards to my less-than-regular posting schedule. This time of year – especially with graduation creeping up – has been all over the place! Plus…the weather has been phenomenal and sometimes…sitting at home in front of my computer just isn’t an option!

I DID, however, find my battery…weee!!

I now present to you the bread pudding that I made…and subsequently stuffed myself with….about a week ago.

Better late than never? :)

Adapted from Alton Brown’s Chocolate Bread Pudding

Ingredients

  • 2 large whole eggs
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup hot chocolate mix  (I used unsweetened Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa instead – about 3.5 Tbsp)
  • 4 cups half-and-half (We had fat free h&h and it was fine)
  • 2 ounces espresso, slightly cooled (I used about 2 oz of Kahlua instead)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
  • 18 ounces stale challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into 1/2-inch pieces (Used dark chocolate chips)

Directions

Place the eggs and yolks in the carafe of a blender and combine on the lowest speed for 30 seconds. Slowly add the sugar over 30 seconds, and then add the hot chocolate mix (or cocoa powder) and blend until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add the half-and-half, espresso (booze) and vanilla and blend until well combined, about 30 seconds.

Butter a 9 by 13-inch metal pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter and place the cubed bread in the pan. Spread the chocolate on top of the bread and slowly pour in the custard. Press down on the mixture with a spatula or the back of a spoon to thoroughly saturate. Cover and set aside at room temperature for 2 hours, or refrigerate for up to 8 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Bake until the internal temperature reaches at least 170 degrees F, about 45 minutes (took about 55 for me). Set the oven to the high broil setting with the oven door ajar. Remove the bread pudding from the oven. Pour the remaining melted butter into a spray bottle and spritz the top of the bread pudding. Return to the middle rack and broil for 4 to 5 minutes (Be careful…mine got a little too…”caramalized”). Remove to a cooling rack for 15 minutes before serving.

Snoopy & Woodstock wanted in on the Easter goodness

The toasty, chewy & gooey results:

Serve with some vanilla bean ice cream….

Divine.

It just kept getting better as it sat…dare I say it was best when it was microwaved and paired with (more) ice cream a few days later… chocolate.heaven.

It’s a Date

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Stuffed. Dates.

Glorious finger food.

A glorious, bite-size jewel of chocolate, peanut butter and date. Super simple -albeit slightly messy depending on the viscosity (or generosity) of your dollop of PB!

While, I have been making these – assembling should be the term, I guess – for a while now – I have yet to post on them! Again, I’m not sure of the origins of this little recipe, but I first saw it on Gabriela’s blog, and knew I had run to Trader Joe’s and pick up a big ol’ carton of Medjools and start assembling.

My assembly line goes like this: pit the date, stuff date with a few dark chocolate chips, cover the chocolate with PB (my new favorite is the chunky, salted Trader Joe’s kind!), and then of course…sprinkle with a few more bits of dark chocolate for good measure.

The result is absolute heaven – a sticky sweet treat that sticks to the roof of your mouth. It’s a small bite, but unbelievably satisfying.

I’m all ready to start experimenting with ‘stuffings’ – perhaps a nod to that raw chocolate, coconut cake is in order…simple and on a smaller scale?! :)

While it’s not an on-the-go treat, this is one I see having a long life in my kitchen.

  • What are some of your fave lil’ snackies?