Chocolate Caliente

I remember the first time I had Mexican hot chocolate. It was at my dear friend Martha's home when she asked me to stir the pot of chocolate that was on her stove. I took the whisk to the pot of creamy delicious dark elixir and as I stirred, I could smell the cinnamon and chocolate dancing together. After taking a sip of what I'd been stirring, I realized right then that I had been missing out on a truly unique cultural experience. Martha also liked to add coffee to her cocoa to make a delicious Mexican Mocha. Over the years, Martha taught me so much about her heritage and the art of Mexican cuisine and I am forever grateful for the time she spent with me, planting the seeds in me to learn more. Now that sugar is not my first go-to option, I have to change things up a bit - or should I say "spice" things up a bit. It's a challenge at times, but thanks to these memories, I have somewhere to start... I'm jus' sayin'!

Because I am now following a low glycemic lifestyle, I am constantly trying to take my favorite recipes and revamp them to work within my dietary framework. I searched the internet for a recipe for chocolate and came across this delightful recipe from "Chocolate Covered Katie". (If you have never seen her blog, I highly recommend it. She has lots of low-glycemic recipes for some favorite and traditional dishes and treats.) I added some flavors to this one to recreate that Mexican-flavored chocolate and because I can't have Stevia, I opted to use agave instead. It made for a softer, more "ganache" texture. When I made a batch using Stevia, however, it had much more of a crisp snap to it.

Low Glycemic Mexican Haute Chocolate Bars
Adapted from: Three-Ingredient Chocolate Bars: Chocolate Covered Katie

In a bowl combine the following:

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil (melted)
• 1/4 cup agave syrup
• 1 pinch of chipotle powder (depending on taste you can add more)
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

Pour into molds. I used a recycled plastic apricot container I got from Costco for the Stevia chocolate. For the agave, I used some vintage tart molds I sprayed with cooking spray. You could use any plastic candy molds.

Chocolate Drops made with Stevia

When I melted it to make my Mexican Haute Chocolate, I used 4 oz of the agave chocolate bar and 6 oz of Coconut Almond Milk. I brought it to a simmer and whisked it vigorously. I then poured them into mugs to serve.

Sticky Sweet Easter Treats

I was doing a Google search this morning to find a tasty way to use up some extra marshmallows I still had from a recent campfire s'mores night and I'm not sure if it's because Easter is around the corner or not, but up popped this recipe, a dozen different ways mind you. Now I know what your thinking "Why not make rice crispy treats?" Don't get me wrong - I grew up with those crispy little cereal delights - but I was looking for something a little different. Something equally easy but a bit more interesting. So after doing a little more research, I found that this recipe has been called many things, from Marshmallow Delights to Resurrection Tombstones. It's been around forever and apparently was taught in early Home Economics classes (but not in any I ever took, darn it!) So with Easter morning quickly approaching, I decided this would be a great recipe my daughter could make for breakfast while I'm prepping the ham dinner. Why I had never heard of these sticky, sweet little treats until now is beyond me. Thanks to my trusty internet connection, I'm laden with many versions of this simple and sweet breakfast treat. It's kind of a cross between a cinnamon roll and a sticky caramel bun. My kids have grown to the point that sleeping in may take precedence over egg hunts, but when it comes to a sweet tooth, well, that's just something we never outgrow... I'm jus' sayin'!

Here's what you need: Feel free to double - I'm just giving the basic 8 because the typical crescent roll dough comes in quantities of 8

8 marshmallows
1 can of crescent roll dough
1/2 cube of melted butter (may need more or less)
2/3 cup of sugar
1 tbsp. of cinnamon
cooking spray
muffin tin

Preheat oven to 350

Mix your cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and set aside. Melt your butter in a bowl and set next to the cinnamon sugar bowl. Unroll all your crescent dough triangles. Spray 8 muffin tins with cooking spray. Now your ready. Take one marshmallow and dip in melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar. Place marshmallow on a triangle and carefully wrap it up so that no marshmallow is showing. Now dip that little bundle in the butter and roll it in the cinnamon sugar (hey... don't roll your eyes at me. This is a special treat, remember?) Place the little bundle in a muffin tin. Continue with the rest of them. Now, before you bake them, PLEASE put a cookie sheet under your muffin tins. You will thank me later when you don't have to scrub that sticky molten marshmallow off the bottom of your oven, like I'm about to go do. Bake for 13-16 minutes or until golden brown.
CAUTION... As delicious as they smell, you may feel tempted to want to pop these in your mouth immediately. DON'T... Unless you plan on spending Easter morning in the emergency room for severe sugar burns on fingers and mouth. Give it 15 minutes to cool. When you open the bundle you will notice the marshmallow has disappeared (hence the empty tomb) and a sticky sweet mess that will make you sing Hallaluia! will come flowing out. I certainly would suggest serving some of those hard boiled Easter eggs along side just to give some balance to the sweet.
Enjoy!

If you would like to share the Easter story through the symbolism in these delights, here's your breakdown, as taken from this delightful blog: http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2009/09/marshmallow-delights.html

• Large Marshmallows - body of Jesus
• Melted Butter - oils of embalming
• Cinnamon & Sugar Mix- spices used to annoint the body
• Crescent Roll - the wrapping of Jesus’ body or the tomb
• Oven – the tomb
• Cavity in Bun – the empty tomb or the empty cloths

A Beautiful Day for a Southern Wedding

Last weekend, my family and I piled into the truck and took off to Bryan, Texas to attend a wedding. This roughly 2-hour road trip was an excellent way to trap our busy family in one place and have some fun conversations. As we were driving, I was reminiscing about the lovely bride and how her family had come into our lives. It's been 9 years since we left California and all of our family and friends to move to Austin, Texas. When we first moved here we literally knew not a soul. I had been praying that God would answer our needs and bring friends to my kids, especially our son who was leaving so many of his good buddies behind in California. So our first blessing was the family that moved in next door. I call this an absolute blessing because they had a son the same age as mine and they would be going to the same school together. Their lovely daughter (Janell, the bride) was the perfect babysitter for my daughter. Even though this family was only with us a few years - the Mom (Lisa) was a student at UT and was finishing law school - it was some of the best and most blessed filled years we've had. I have a handful of neighbors that I consider the best in the world - the ones you go to for more than just a cup of sugar.

We got to watch the bride grow from a sweet teen into a college student during our time as neighbors, but that was long enough to know this young lady was destined to be a woman after God's own heart. Seeing her at the wedding brought that full circle.

So many weddings, no matter how hot the day is, seem to be held outside in the lovely Texas heat. If this is your plan as well, be gracious on your guests and provide a fan so that they do not pass out and miss the ceremony. The fans at this wedding had dual purposes. They provided a bit of breeze as well as having the details of the wedding printed right on them (clever right?). As a foodie, I am always interested to see and try the variety of foods that are provided at weddings. This was no exception and I must say the food was delicious. I particularly enjoyed the wedding favor which was a favorite of the bride. They were little Pan de Polvo cookies (made in Kingsville, TX) and placed in delicate boxes with the traditional ribbons on top. We all enjoyed them so much that I decided to come up with my own version on the ride home. Mine are more of a cross between a snickerdoodle and Mexican wedding cake. But the effect I was trying to go for was a cookie that tasted like a churro. My cookies are light and cinnamon-flaovored, and a bit different than the usual Mexican wedding cake cookies.

This wedding had all the elements that a Southern Wedding should, even down to the Groom's father being the Officiant. The bride and groom read their own vows and my favorite line from the Bride to the Groom was (I hope I got this correct) "Thank you for teaching me to cook without a recipe." That stood out in my mind because I am a firm believer that learning how to cook and enjoying it, is truly a gift of Love, and what better place is there to say it. I'm jus' sayin'!


Thank you Janell & John for letting us share in this blessed occasion!



Churro Drops



1/2 Cup unsalted butter
1/2 Cup butter flavored crisco
2 Tbs. agave syrup
2. Cup flour
1/2 Cup of chopped pistachios
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

To roll the hot cookies in after baked: 2 Tbs. cinnamon mixed with 3/4 Cup sugar.

Preheat oven to 350`

Mix first 3 ingredients until combined and fluffy. Add the rest. Form 1 tsp. of dough into a ball and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 14 minutes. Take out and toss gently into cinnamon sugar mixture. let cool on a rack. These are very delicate, so keep in an airtight container up to a week.