Creamy Crock Pot Hot Cocoa & Today's Brilliant Idea

 

This past weekend we threw a party for our daughter's 4th birthday; a "winter wonderland" party, to be exact.  What better to serve at a winter-themed party than hot cocoa? So, of course, I went straight to Pinterest to find a recipe (and the idea for the crazy-cute snowman cups pictured above)! Behold the richest and creamiest hot cocoa ever:

 

 

Creamy Crock Pot Hot Cocoa (adapted from multiple sources on Pinterest)

 

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

6 cups milk (I used 2%)

2 cups chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips - whoa!)

 

 Stir together the whipping cream, condensed milk and milk in a crock pot. Add chocolate chips, carefully, and stir with a whisk.  Cover and cook on low for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until hot and the chips have melted.  Serve warm with whipped cream or marshmallows, or both! We used French vanilla marshmallows shaped like snowmen - super decadent!

 

I doubled the recipe for the 30+ guests we expected to be at the party, and there was some left over; which led to Today's Brilliant Idea:

Frozen Hot Chocolate Popsicles!



 

And all I can say is "why didn't I think of this before?"

Crock Pot Weather

 

 

To say it's been chilly lately is quite an understatement! Blustery, winter weather definitely calls for some "crock pot" meals! Here's what we've been eating recently: Chicken and Biscuits and  Chicken Taco Chili - mmm!

 

 

 

 

Crock Pot Chicken and Biscuits (adapted from an unknown Pinterest source)

 

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used two huge ones)

1 can peas

about a dozen baby carrots, chopped

1 small can sliced mushrooms

2 Tbl. butter

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 can chicken broth

1 onion, diced

1 Tbl. dried parsley

 

Place chicken in crock pot.  Add the butter (right on top).  Pour on the cream of chicken soup. Pour in the chicken broth. Add the peas, carrots, mushrooms and onions. Top with the parsley.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours.  After the cooking time has elapsed, take a fork and break the chicken up into pieces.  

 

 

Bake some Bisquick biscuits (per instructions on the box) and ladle some creamy, chicken and veggie "sauce" all over broken-up biscuits...mmmmm! I thought it tasted like deconstructed chicken pot pie!

 

 

 

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili (loosely adapted from several Pinterest sources)

 

This is what I put together from items found in my pantry:

 

1/2 large onion, diced

15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (nobody wants purple chili...)

14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

15 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained

1/2 envelope taco seasoning (it's all I had)

10 ounce can green chile enchilada sauce

16 ounces chicken broth

ground cumin, to taste

cilantro (I used dried), to taste

 

Stir all these ingredients together and then set on top:

 

2 very large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

 

Let simmer on high for 4 hours, then shred the chicken with a fork. Let simmer about another hour.  Try not to eat 3 bowls full in one sitting.... :)

 

 

Today's Brilliant Idea

 

 

 

Tomato soup with cheese tortellini!

 

Pour your desired quantity of canned tomato soup into saucepan.  Bring to simmer. Throw in frozen tortellini. Continue to simmer until tortellini float to the top and are warmed through. Much more filling than tomato soup by itself, and pretty darn tasty, too!

 

 

 

 



Christmas Goodies...continued!

 

The last time I posted, I said there would be more goodies to come; so here are a few MORE things I made over the holiday season:

Gingerbread "dudes" with mini chocolate chip eyes. As I confessed in one of last year's Christmas posts, I don't make my gingerbread dough from scratch - I know, it's hard to admit...
 

 this year, my "helper" was in charge of the eyes...

I bought a fabulous new, hand-crafted copper deer cookie cutter from a small shop in Wisconsin and made some super cool gingerbread fawns.

I used this genius concoction to put spots on the deer - best idea ever!

My tiny "helper" and I (and my Mother) made a huge batch (as in four dozen cookies or so) of my Grandmother's infamous Date Pinwheel Cookies (see 12/18/11 post for recipe).

 

For Christmas dinner, I roasted two beef top round roasts (we wanted to make sure we had enough meat!) and oven-roasted some veggies (separately).  I combined diced red potatoes, diced sweet potatoes, baby carrots and diced onion in a big resealable bag and tossed them with olive oil and salt and pepper. I roasted them on a baking sheet at 350 degrees with the twin roasts for one hour, and then added sliced baby portabella mushrooms and roasted for another 30 minutes.  Next time, I think I'll roast the veggies at a higher temp so they get a bit softer.

 

Speaking of roasted veggies; I think I forgot to post a recipe for these yummy beans I made for Thanksgiving. Sooooooo good, I had requests for the recipe (sorry!) and there were NO leftovers! Here it is in all it's glory:

Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms, Balsamic and Parmesan (originally found at http://kalynsprintablerecipes.blogspot.com)

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced in 1/2-inch slices
1 pound fresh green beans
1 1/2 Tbl. olive oil
1 Tbl. balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbl. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Wash mushrooms, let dry and slice into 1/2-inch slices. Trim the ends of the beans off, and cut beans into bite-sized pieces.  Put cut beans and mushrooms into a resealable bag.  Whisk together the olive oil and vinegar and pour over beans and mushrooms. Squeeze the bag to coat.  Arrange on large baking sheet with lip and roast 20-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Today's Brilliant Idea

 

On a whim, I made french toast with egg nog - sooooo creamy and custardy! I added a few eggs and cinnamon too, but it was mostly egg nog. Super festive! Yum!

Bakin', Makin' and Decoratin'

 

 I'm baaaack! I've been soooo busy I just haven't had time to blog about it! It's been a flurry of activity at my house this holiday season; busier than usual, if you can believe that! First, I've been decorating up a storm, inside and outside:

My "helper" and I have been working in the kitchen a lot too, making a few goodies like:

 Chex Party Mix (of course),

 

Chunky Chocolate Jam Bars (see 9-6-11 post for recipe),

 

and Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark (new this year!) 

 

 

The recipe is super simple: line a jelly roll pan (or big cookie sheet with deep edges) with foil. Make a layer of mini pretzels.

 

Melt two sticks of butter in a saucepan. Add one cup brown sugar.  Bring to low boil, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens (I let it bubble for 5-7 minutes). Pour over the pretzels. Throw in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes.

 

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 cups chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate Ghiradelli chips - oh the decadence!). Pop back into the oven for a minute or two to get the chips all gooey and melty. Remove from oven and spread chocolate with a spatula.  Sprinkle generously with fairly coarse sea salt. Pop into the freezer for at least 2 hours (I let mine set overnight). When frozen, break into pieces with your hands and try not to eat it all!  I store mine in the fridge, because when the bark becomes room temperature, it becomes super sticky! Mere words cannot describe how good this is! Try it and see!

 

And of course, Regan and I have been making things! She is constantly asking to do crafts!  

 

We've created some cardboard gingerbread houses,

and some festive "who who" ornaments to give as gifts.

 

And, there's still a week until Christmas! Stay posted for yet more goodies!

 



Mmmm, soup!

 

In honor of today's first snow of the season, here's a yummy soup recipe for you: Macaroni and Cheese Soup! I made this specifically for my 3-year-old daughter, but I really liked it too! It makes a pretty hearty meal, especially the next day, when the pasta has absorbed a lot of the "soup".

I'm sure this is just one of MANY soup recipes I'll be sharing this winter!

 

 

Macaroni and Cheese Soup (adapted from www.skinnytaste.com)

 

4 oz  (or so) dry elbow macaroni 

1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced ( I used dried minced)
1 TBL butter
2 TBL flour
2 1/2 cups chicken broth 
1 cup lowfat milk
1/2 tsp dry mustard
salt and fresh pepper to taste
2 cups (about 10 oz) broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces (I used frozen)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
2 TBL parmesan cheese



Boil pasta, according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Chop onion, carrot and garlic. In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt  butter. Add chopped vegetables and sauté on low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add flour and fresh pepper to the pot and stir until smooth. Slowly add chicken broth, milk and dry mustard powder; whisking constantly. Set heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil. Cover and cook on low about 10-15 minutes. Add broccoli florets and parmesan cheese, and stir well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cook uncovered until broccoli is cooked, about 5 minutes or more to your liking.  Add cheddar, mixing well until cheese melts and immediately remove from heat. Add cooked elbows and mix well, adjust salt and pepper if needed. Eat right away so the pasta doesn't absorb all the broth.