Thick Italian Hot Chocolate

One day last week I was on Facebook, and I came across a picture of hot chocolate. The only reason it caught my eye is that the chocolate was very thick, and I have never seen hot chocolate so thick. My eyes widened and I almost started to drool when I had seen that pic, so I just knew I had to find the recipe. I told my best friend Cassandra about this recipe, and she is desperate to try it. So, I told her that I will make it for her during Superbowl weekend. There is a carnival in Venice, Italy, and it is one of the top drinks served there.  This recipe is great when it is cold outside, and you are sitting by a warm fire watching movies.     

Servings: 4

• 1 cup whole milk or 2% (which ever you desire), separated in 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup 
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 4 1/2 ounces high quality dark chocolate 70%, finely chopped
• About a cup of whipped cream, optional
• 1 1/12 Bailey’s Irish Cream or Kahlua, optional (if you like a little liqueur flavor)

Combine the 3/4 cup milk, cream and sugar in a saucepan and heat until it starts to bubble around the edges. While the milk mixture is heating, whisk together the 1/4 cup of milk and the cornstarch until it is smooth. Once the milk mixture starts bubbling around the edges, add the milk and cornstarch mixture to it and whisk until it's heated through. Add the chocolate and whisk together until it's smooth, hot and thick. Pour into mugs and serve with whipped cream. ENJOY! 

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Picture found on google

Vegetarian Recipes for Cooking Fanatic's Future?

   

       I have been wandering around on youtube watching cooking videos and I kept coming across vegetarian recipes. I have eaten vegetarian dishes before, and I do have to say that they are actually quite delicious! I always have a lot more energy after I have eaten something with a lot of veggies! Some people say that vegetarian dishes are bland, but they just have not tried to jazz them up. You can always find a way to spice up a vegetarian dish. Make it feel like fireworks are just going off in your mouth and your eyes are just saying "WOW!!!... I would love to have some more of whatever that is!" 

       I will be finding vegetarian recipes for future posts, but do NOT worry because I will still be posting about meat! I am a meat lover like a lot of people out there! When these new vegetarian recipes are posted they will be exploding with flavor, because I don't want people to get all upset that they worked so hard on their meal and then come to find out it tastes horrible. Do not worry I will make sure that the future will be filled with  wonderful and tasty foods!  

Christmas Dinner

       Every cook in the family is assigned with a dish to make for Christmas. I was not assigned with anything because I chose what I am going to cook. I am going to make a maple glazed stuffed roast pork. I found the recipe in a Kraft magazine about three years ago; I have wanted to cook that recipe since then. I told my family during Thanksgiving about the recipe, and they cannot wait to try it. Next Christmas, I have decided to cook a very traditional Christmas goose! Below, I have given you the recipe, but remember this recipe is from a Kraft magazine! 

Maple Glazed Stuffed Roast Pork 

What you need:

• 2 Tbsp. Butter
• 1 apple, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups hot water
• 1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for chicken
• 1 pork loin (2 lb.), butterflied
• 2 Tbsp. maple-flavored or pancake syrup
• 2 Tbsp. GREY POUPON Heart Spicy Brown Mustard
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary 

Make it:

• HEAT oven to 350ºF
• MELT butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add apples; cook and stir 3 min. or until crisp-tender. Add water and stuffing mix; cover. Let stand 5 min.; mix lightly. 
• SPOON stuffing mixture onto cut-side of meat to within 1/2 inch of edge. Roll up, jelly-roll fashion, starting at one short end. Place seam-side down, in roasting pan sprayed with cooking spray.
• BAKE 1 hour. Mix syrup, mustard and rosemary; spread over meat. Bake 20 min. or until meat is done (160°F). Let stand 15 min. before slicing to serve.

To learn more about this recipe or nutritional info, please click here.

New Changes

       As you can see I have changed the title and url of my blog. I did that because I need new changes in my life, but don't worry, I will still be blogging about healthy foods and ways here and there. I know I have not been posting weekly or monthly because I have been busy with school, and a lot of times it just slips my mind. I am apologizing for that and I hope you will love my future posts! 

P.S. I will be posting about what I am making for Christmas and after New Years I will be posting what I did for Christmas and New Years. The holiday post will come with pictures! 

Halloween Treats

Partying with your friends and family? Here are some good ideas for treats at the Halloween party! 

These are fun and festive treats everyone will love! I have seen these at parties before. Unique ideas for parties are great conversation starters! You will have fun making them and eating them while you party! 

1. Cookies                                           

2. Cupcakes              

  3. Pumpkin Pie 

           4. Halloween Candy                      

 5. Jello Shots                                      

6. Pretzel Spiders                           

 7. Meringue Ghosts 

*Photos were found on google. 

Olde Hikory Tap Room

Click here 

The Olde Hickory Tap Room has been in Union Square in downtown Hickory, North Carolina for probably  over 20 years. They make their own beer and all the food is from their own recipes. People who come to the tap room a lot have their own beer mugs that hang at the bar.

The food is extremely fresh. It's pretty much a pub. I just went there for the second time in my life (I know pretty bad because I live in Hickory and don't eat out much) and had ordered a portabella mushroom burger with their pub fries. Everything on my plate was extremely fresh and flavorful! The best non-meat burger I have ever had.

The two reasons I don't go there much is because they are always packed and I don't eat out much. If you are ever near Hickory, NC go check out the tap room because you will enjoy the history of downtown and the great food. You might even spot me somewhere downtown. There are great stores to visit as well.

Click on the link underneath the picture at the top to learn more about their great food, history, beer, and entertainment! 

Top Three Places To Get Fresh Food

There are many places near you to get fresh food. This post is about the top three places. The three places are farmers markets, produce stands, and your own garden! Buying food that has grown near by is more fresh and better tasting. Now, growing your own fruits and vegetables is different. When you grow your own you appreciate it more and it is the freshest you can get. You can find produce stands on the sides of roads every where!

Farmers markets are pretty much in every town and city. If you don't know where to find you local farmers market just ask around. You will get a great bargain on fruits and vegetables. Most of the time farmers markets are downtown.

Produce stands are piratically everywhere. You will see them on the sides of main roads, parking lots, and even back roads. There are normally signs before you actually see the produce stand and those signs will say a specific fruit or vegetable on them.






Having your own garden is the best I think. I actually have tomatoes and different peppers growing in the back yard. Next year I want to grow some purple Cherokee heirloom tomatoes. It is cheap, tastes better, you appreciate it more, all natural, and organic! One problem is if you are busy and does not ever have much time to water plants and feed plant then having your own garden would not be a good idea.