Category: Chocolate

Chocolate, Granola, Oatmeal, Oatmeal, Recipes, Strawberries, Valentine's Day

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Granola

traci

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I’ve been in the mood for homemade granola so I decided to experiment.  With Valentine’s Day approaching, I thought chocolate covered strawberry granola would be a great version.

Continue reading “Chocolate Covered Strawberry Granola” →

Chocolate, Cookies, Holiday/Christmas

Make Ahead Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

traci

IMG_1404We love chocolate chip cookies around here.  However, I’m not always in the mood to mix up a full batch of cookies.  Make ahead chocolate chip cookie mix to the rescue.  The dry ingredients are already mixed up so all you need to do is add the wet ingredients and mix.

Hint:  Use an electric mixer because it’s harder to mix by hand.  It’s doable just harder to get all the ingredients mixed together.
IMG_1397

IMG_1396

These can be stored for 3 months in an airtight container.  I used zippered storage bags.

Make Ahead Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

Adapted from Lauren’s Latest

IMG_1401Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
  • 1/2 c. brown sugar
  • 1/2 c. granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 c. chocolate chips

Steps:

  1. Mix all of the ingredients together in an airtight container.
  2. Store for up to 3 months.

Chocolate Chip Cookies using the Make Ahead Mix

IMG_1395 IMG_1393 IMG_1400

Stars of the recipe:

  • Make Ahead Mix
  • 1 stick softened butter (1/2 c.)
  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla
  • 1 Tbsp. milk
  • 1 egg

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Place all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  3. Mix together until well incorporated.
  4. Drop cookie dough by tablespoons onto a baking sheet.
  5. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes.
  6. Allow to cool for at least 2 minutes before removing it from the tray.
  7. Enjoy with a glass of milk, cup of tea, or a cup of coffee.

I got at least 36 out of my dough but the original recipe got 18 out of her mix.

Bread and muffins, breakfast, Chocolate, Ingredients, Recipes, Snacks

Chocolate Chip Muffins

traci

In August 2010, I posted a recipe for an All Star Muffin Mix.  With this cold weather, I’ve been baking more than usual.  Last night I decided to make a batch of it.  Then I asked the Imaginative One what he thought I should use as add-ins.  He suggested chocolate chips.

Once they were baked, the Imaginative One had 1 and the Wee One had 2.  I’ll say they were a hit.

I’m going to give you the recipe 2 different ways.  One using the All-Star Muffin Mix and one without the muffin mix.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

20140124-095131.jpg

Stars of the recipe:

  • 2-3/4 c. All Star Muffin Mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 c. melted butter (1 stick) – (Melt in the microwave for 1 minute.)  – Allow the butter to cool down before adding to the mix.
  • 1 c.milk
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 c. chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate chips but you can use semi-sweet chocolate chips.)

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
  3. Mix together until all the ingredients are well combined.
  4. Pour into a muffin sprayed down with cooking spray or lined with cupcake wrappers.  I put a 1/4 of a cup of batter in each cavity.
  5. Bake in oven for 20 minutes.
  6. Cool and enjoy!  (Store in an airtight container.)

Without the All Star Muffin Mix

Stars of the recipe:

  • 2 c. flour (all purpose or white whole wheat)
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 2-1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 c. melted butter (1 stick) – (Melt in the microwave for 1 minute.)  – Allow the butter to cool down before adding to the mix.
  • 1 c.milk
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 c. chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate chips but you can use semi-sweet chocolate chips.)

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients minus the chocolate chips.
  3. Add all the wet ingredients and chocolate chips to dry ingredients.
  4. Mix together until all the ingredients are well combined.
  5. Pour into a muffin sprayed down with cooking spray or lined with cupcake wrappers.  I put a 1/4 of a cup of batter in each cavity.
  6. Bake in oven for 20 minutes.
  7. Cool and enjoy!  (Store in an airtight container.)

Printable Recipe

Chocolate, DIY, Drinks, Ingredients, Recipes

Hot Chocolate Mix

traci

Here’s another easy gift idea.  Who doesn’t like a nice cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows?  Okay maybe someone who doesn’t like chocolate.  Since it’s winter, this is a nice gift to help the recipient of the gift warm up on those cold days.

Hot Chocolate Mix

Stars of the recipe:

  • 2 c. dry milk
  • 1/2 c. cocoa powder
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 1/2 c. non dairy creamer (I used French vanilla.)
  • optional:  mini marshmallows, mini candy cane, or chocolate chips

Steps:

  1. Combine all the ingredients except for marshmallows, mini candy cane, or chocolate chips.
  2. When ready to make a cup of hot chocolate, place 2 to 3 heaping Tbsps. of mix in a coffee mug.
  3. Pour 6 ounces of boiling water over the mix.
  4. Top with either chocolate chips, marshmallows, or mini candy cane.
  5. Enjoy!

If you want to make a Mexican hot chocolate, add 2 tsp. ground cinnamon to the mix.

If you are going to give it as a gift, place 6 Tbsp. of the mix in a bag and the marshmallows or chocolate chips.  If you are going to give a candy cane, tape it to the outside of the bag.  Place the instructions: combine 2 – 3 Tbsp. mix with 6 ounces of boiling water.

Printable Recipe

20131222-173336.jpg

20131222-173344.jpg

breakfast, Chocolate, Coconut, Ingredients, Oatmeal, Recipes, Snacks

Almond Joy Granola

traci

One of my favorite candy bars is Almond Joy.  This is a good thing on Halloween because the  boys won’t touch them with a 10 foot pole or if the Imaginative One is being his snarky self a 9 and 3/4 inch pole.  I get their Almond Joy candy bars on Halloween.  The combination of chocolate and coconut is pure heaven!!  🙂

My other favorite treat is granola either plain or with plain Greek yogurt.  So the combination of the taste of Almond Joy candy bars with yogurt is the best flavor combination at least it is to me.

Almond Joy Granola

Kiss My Broccoli

100_0611 100_0624

 

Stars of the recipe:

  • 2 c. quick oats
  • 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 Tbsp. coconut oil (I heated mine up in the microwave for a minute.  Then it smelled like paradise.)
  • 1/3 c. honey (Spray down your measuring cup with cooking spray first.)
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. almond extract
  • 1/3 c. shredded coconut (I used sweetened.)
  • 1/2 c. almonds – 1/2 whole, 1/2 slivers

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, cocoa powder, and salt.
  3. In a smaller mixing bowl, combine the coconut oil after it’s heated up, honey, sugar, and almond extract.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients over dry ingredients.  Mix until combined.
  5. Spread in a thin layer on a cookie sheet.
  6. Bake for 8 minutes, stir, and then bake for another 8 minutes.
  7. Take out of oven and let cool for 10 minutes.  Then add almonds and coconut.
  8. Store in an air tight container for 2 weeks.
  9. Enjoy by itself or over yogurt!

Printable Recipe

Chickpeas, Chocolate, Dessert, Dips, Gluten Free, Ingredients, Recipes

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

traci
IMG_4357
With chocolate cats ready to be dunked
IMG_4352
With chocolate cats ready to be dunked
IMG_4355
With chocolate cats ready to be dunked

 

I love chocolate chip cookies.  Actually I like most cookies.  You might say cookies are my weakness!  I mean dessert weakness.  This dip reminds me of a chocolate chip cookie .  Best of all you, you don’t have to bake cookies to get the deliciousness.  🙂

Now the question is, what should I dip into this yumminess!  I’ve been dipping chocolate cat cookies from Trader Joe’s.  Tomorrow I’m going to try dipping my sliced apples in the dip.  That sounds absolutely divine.

Side note:  Have you ever had someone obsessed with your food choices.  I eat in my classroom and have a limited time to eat.  Today I was running late getting to eat because I had to print some papers and then talk to two other teachers.  I was finishing my lunch when my four students came in for social studies.  They were intrigued with what I was eating.  They would have  been shocked to find out what was in the dip.  (My students have seen my lunches many times.  Fortunately most of the time it’s something fairly healthy.  This way I can be a good role model for them.  One is concerned that I don’t eat a lot of meat.  I eat meat but it depends on my mood whether I eat a lot meat or not.)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1-1/2 c. chickpeas or white beans (1 can, drained and rinsed very well)
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 c. nut butter of choice – I used almond butter.
  • up to 1/4 c. of milk
  • 2/3 c. brown sugar
  • 1/3 c. chocolate chips
  • 2 to 3 tsp. oats

Steps:

  1. Add the ingredients except for chocolate chips and milk to a good food processor.
  2. Blend the ingredients – streaming into milk until desired considency.
  3. Remove from food processor cup.  Mix in chocolate chips.
  4. Put in the fridge overnight.
  5. Enjoy with apples, graham crackers, or just eat by the spoonful!

Printable Recipe

Happy Eating,
Traci

Chocolate, Dessert, Imaginative one, Ingredients, Recipes, Snacks

Chocolate Chip Cookies

traci

I’ve been promising the Imaginative One homemade cookies all week.  However with the stress of not knowing exactly what my assignment is for the upcoming school year, I’ve been nursing a headache off and on all week.

Let me explain, I am an Intervention Specialist which is a fancy title for special education teacher.  Our middle school has an incredible amount of students who need services and I’m talking about those who were in the school district last year.  Plus who ever is new to the building.  It seemed like every time I walked by the office there was another parent registering their child.  Okay sometimes it was the same parent because I went past there within a five minute period.  So I’ve been two scenarios for next year.  Both are fine but one requires lesson planning for next week.  The other does not.  Do you see my stress?

So right now I don’t have a caseload (no one does).  Guess what?  I’ve decided not to stress about it because next week we are going to go over expectations, consequences, and the student handbook.  It will be okay!

Tonight I decided to bake the cookies because chocolate is good for you.  Right!?!  After I made these, the Imaginative One put his seal of approval on the cookies.  So they are that good!

1083449_10201980446056180_294754777_o (1)Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Stars of the recipe:

  • 2-1/8 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. table salt (I used sea salt and they turned out okay.)
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1-1/2 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled slightly (I did it for 1 min. and 15 sec. in my microwave.)
  • 1 c. packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 lrg. egg
  • 1 lrg. egg yolk
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 c. semisweet or milk chocolate chips (I used semisweet.)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda.  Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, cream the butter and both sugars together until well mixed.
  4. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla.  Mix well until the batter has lightened in color.
  5. Add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips at the same time.  Mix until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
  6. Form dough in tablespoon sized bowls and place on parchment or silpat lined cookie sheets.  (I sprayed my with cookie spray and it worked great.)
  7. Bake for 10 – 12 mins.  (I baked mine for 11 minutes.)
  8. Enjoy with a glass of milk, cup of tea, or cup of coffee!

Since  I used  cookie scoop for my cookies, I baked 57 cookies with the dough.

Printable Recipe

Avocado, Bananas, Bread and muffins, breakfast, Chocolate, Healthy, Ingredients, Recipes, Snacks

Double Chocolate Chip Muffins

traci

My absolutely favorite muffins are double chocolate chip muffins. When they bring in muffins to work, I gravitate to the double chocolate chip muffins. Usually they have a million bazillion calories in it though. I found a way to have my favorite muffin and still feel good about eating it.

The cool thing about these muffins are there is no eggs in them. You can lick the bowl clean without any worries about getting sick.

There are also surprise ingredients in it. If you didn’t tell anyone, they wouldn’t know it.

Double Chocolate Chip Muffins

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 2 ripe banana
  • 3/4 c. Sugar or 3/8 c. Truvia baking blend
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • <1 tsp. baking sod
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1/4 c. Light olive oil
  • 1 c. all purpose flour
  • 1 c. whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 c. cocoa powder
  • 1/2 c. Chocolate chips

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Line muffin tin with cupcake wrappers (12) or spray with cooking spray.
  3. In a mixing bowl, blend banana and avocado until pureed.
  4. Add sugar, lemon juice, and olive oil. Mix well.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
  6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix well.
  7. Fold in chocolate chips.
  8. Spoon mixture into tins or cupcake wrappers. (WARNING: The mixture will be thick.)
  9. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes.
  10. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Almond milk, breakfast, Chocolate, Dessert, Drinks, Ingredients, Recipes, Smoothie, Snacks, Spinach

St. Patty’s Smoothie (GF, DF)

traci

Yum! And healthy are 2 words to describe this smoothie.  Since I was going to be making the boys homemade “Shamrock” shakes, I made myself one of these instead.

This is another easy recipe to put together.  This recipe makes four servings.  I put the other three servings in the freezer so I can enjoy them later.  (They are already portioned out so all I have to do is pull it out of the freezer, thaw it out, pour it into a cup, and then enjoy.)

St. Patty’s Smoothie

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1.5 c. of unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 2 bananas
  • 1 cup spinach
  • 1 tsp. peppermint extract
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 c. chocolate chips

Steps:

  1. Place all the ingredients except for the chocolate chips in the blender.
  2. Blend until smoothie.
  3. Add the chocolate chips.
  4. Blend until the chips have been combined.
  5. Pour a fourth of it in a cup.  Divide the rest into 3 quart sized bags that have been labeled.  Place those 3 bags in the freezer for later.
  6. Enjoy the smoothie in the cup!

Printable Recipe