Ultimate Hot Chocolate

So I think it's pretty safe to say we're in hot chocolate season, right? I mean, it's post-Halloween, verging on Christmas music season--it's time to whip out that Cocomotion and get snuggly as it gets cold outside!


So everyone has packets or cans of hot cocoa mix in their pantries, right? And there's totally nothing wrong with that. I have 'em, too. But what about when you want something extra special, decadent, and...wait for it...easy? This recipe is pretty darn simple--you hardly even have to measure anything and you can use your microwave if you want to.


I'm including two methods of making this hot chocolate: one if you have a hot cocoa machine and one if you don't. I honestly don't know WHAT is so magical about things like the Cocomotion or the Back to Basics Cocoa-Latte, but they somehow magically transform ordinary hot cocoa mix into something amazing. And this is all coming from me--Mr. Coffee isn't paying me a penny to say nice things (although he's more than welcome to if he so desires!)


So how do we do this? Remember Sara's Hot Fudge Sauce? Same basic idea here:


Ultimate Hot Chocolate
Recipe from Our Best Bites

2 1-oz. squares of unsweetened baking chocolate
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
4 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla


Method 1: Using a Hot Chocolate Machine

In your microwave or in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the chocolate and the sweetened condensed milk until the chocolate is completely melted (about 2-2 1/2 minutes in the microwave). Whisk together to combine completely and set aside.

Combine water, chocolate mixture, and vanilla in your hot chocolate machine and turn it on, according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Method 2: Using Your Stovetop

In your microwave or in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the chocolate and the sweetened condensed milk until the chocolate is completely melted (about 2-2 1/2 minutes in the microwave). Whisk in vanilla, combine completely, and set aside.

In a larger saucepan, bring 4 c. water to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate mixture.

Either way you make it, serve in mugs with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired. Serves about 6.

Variations:

Mexican Hot Chocolate: Add 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper in with the vanilla.

Mint Hot Chocolate: Replace vanilla with 1 tsp. mint (NOT spearmint) extract

Peppermint Hot Chocolate: Replace vanilla with 1 tsp. peppermint extract. Serve with a candy cane instead of a spoon to stir.

Almond or Hazelnut Hot Chocolate: Replace vanilla with 1 tsp. almond or hazelnut extract.

Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers

Have you ever seen our seafood section? It's pathetic. Thanks to Kate it has two fabulous recipes, but I'm no help at all. I hate seafood. I try so hard to like it, but I just don't. The smell triggers my gag reflexes and the texture of it in my mouth makes me want to heave. But you wanna know a secret? It has to do with those cheesy commercials for places like Red Lobster or Sizzler. You know the ones I'm talking about? Where they pour butter over lobster in slow motion and then you see the fried coconut shrimp bouncing onto the plate in crispy perfection? Well they make me hungry. I've always been intriged by the shrimp in particular thinking that fried coconut breading would be super good. The fact that it's covering shrimp is the only thing that shatters my 5 second daydream. So this little chicken number is my solution. It doesn't come with steak and an all-you-can-eat salad bar for $6.95, but it's dang good! And it's super family friendly too. The coconut adds a subtle sweetness, and you can just tell the kids they're giant chicken nuggets :)

If you're not familiar with Panko, it's a Japanese style bread crumb. I started using it in place of regular bread crumbs a few years ago and I just can't go back now. Panko makes everything SO light and crispy, you'll be amazed. Up until now I've always bought Panko in the Asian section of the grocery store. But I just found out that Progresso now makes Panko! I was so happy to see that because now you can find it next to the Progresso bread crumbs in the pasta isle. I tried the Progresso brand out with this batch and they worked beautifully. They're just as great as the Asian brand I had been using previously, and they even make an Italian seasoned one as well. At the end of this post you can enter to win some to try out for yoruself!

Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers
Recipe by Our Best Bites

12 chicken tenders (ya know, more or less...)
1-2 eggs (start with one and crack another if it runs out)
1/2 C flour
1 C sweetened coconut flakes
1 C panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp table salt
3/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (you can leave this out if you want to skip the spice for the kiddos)

preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Give coconut a rough chop so it's about the same size as the panko pieces


Combine it with Panko and spices in a shallow dish. Mix well to distribute all of the spices.


Place the flour in another shallow dish, and the egg in another. Give the egg a quick beating.

Working with one chicken tender at a time, dredge in flour...


then dip in egg...


And then finally coat in the coconut Panko mixture. Press in with your fingers to make sure the entire thing is well coated.


Place chicken tenders on a foil-lined baking sheet (for easy clean up!) that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. I give mine a teeny drizzle of olive oil on top to help them crisp nicely, but it's optional.


Bake in your 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until juices run clear. Try not to overcook them because chicken tenders go from perfect to overcooked really fast! If your tenders are on the small side, they could even be done in about 15 minutes so keep an eye on them. If they're big they can take more like 25. The coconut will be nice and golden and the panko crisp, but light in color still.


My kiddos think these are giant chicken nuggets so they dip them in ranch dressing (of course! What don't they dip in ranch?) or ketchup. My hubby and I like them in sweet and sour sauce. At some point I'll add a dipping sauce to this recipe, but I haven't perfected it yet!

Every time I make these I fantasize about putting them on this salad, in place of the Spicy Honey Chicken. I'm thinking that might be a great combo. Let me know if any of you try it. But they also make great appetizers or party food. Gotta love crunchy breaded chicken you can eat with your hands!








So how about a Giveaway today??! If you'd like to try out Progresso's new Panko bread crumbs then you'll want to enter. One winner will receive everything shown in this picture. A great half-sheet jelly roll pan (I LOVE that size pan, I use mine all the time), a measuring pitcher, a great slotted spoon and ladle, a box of Progresso chicken broth, and a box of Panko Bread Crumbs, and a recipe booklet filled with tons of great soups. Sweet, right?! To enter, head on over to our Facebook Page. If you're not a fan yet, make sure to join because that's where a lot of fun happens (like giveaways!!). Here is the link to the discussion where you can enter the giveaway. The winner will be chosen only from that facebook discussion and not from this post (but hopefully that doesn't stop you from commenting here!) I'll announce the winner on Friday so make sure to check back!
Giveaway sponsored by Progresso and Myblogspark.

Sunday Beef Stew

When I was a kid, I was a total book nerd (in all honesty, I'm still a total book nerd, although I no longer have hours and hours to hide with a book, at least not without feeling massive amounts of guilt). When I was 6 or 7, this was my favorite book in the entire universe:

If you're not familiar with it, it's about a family of orphaned children who find an abandoned boxcar and adopt it as their home. It was, like, the ultimate in playing house. I relished all the little details--dumpster diving for silverware and then scrubbing the rust off with sand, building a "swimming pool" in the creek by the boxcar, making a stew in the woods with beef and some garden vegetables. Looking back, when I read this book, it was the first time I was completely captivated by the story of food and cooking. I had never really eaten stew before (at least not stew that didn't come from a can), but I was completely taken with this idea of something wholesome and delicious cooked with something practical like baby garden vegetables and some meat bought after a hard day's work.

Fast forward a few years--after my mom died and my dad remarried, we did eat a lot of beef stew. In fact, this recipe was our standard Sunday dinner--everything would go into the Dutch oven and then into the oven before we went to church and when we got home 3 hours later, it would be ready. When we had it with whole wheat bread and butter and milk to drink, it seriously fulfilled my Boxcar Children vision of delicious wholesomeness.

I've changed the old standard a little--added some (a lot of) garlic, substituted V8 for tomato juice and beef bouillon instead of just salt. But really, it's all the same: something easy, nourishing, and delicious that just about everybody loves.

Sunday Beef Stew

Recipe from Our Best Bites

1 1/2-2 lb. lean stew beef, cut into even smaller bite-sized pieces (just pull out a pair of kitchen shears and cut anything that looks like you'd need to use a knife and fork on)

4-5 medium red potatoes, chopped

4-5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

2 onions, chopped

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

2 12-oz. cans or 3 c. vegetable juice cocktail (like V8 or even Bloody Mary mix)

1 10-oz. can condensed tomato soup

10 oz. water (just use the can from the tomato soup to measure)

1 tsp. basil

2 beef bouillon cubes (or 2 tsp. beef base)

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Now...this is super tricky. Preheat oven to 350. Combine ingredients in a large oven-safe pot that comes with an oven-safe lid.


Cook in heated oven for 3 hours. Remove from oven and serve. Awesome, huh?

You can also cook this in your slow cooker on low for 9-10 hours (or until vegetables and meat are tender) or on high for 5-6.

Serve with a loaf of French bread or homemade rolls and some honey butter.

Be sure to stick with us over the next few weeks because we have some fabulous Thanksgiving ideas coming up! Have a great weekend!

Easy Pumpkin Crumble

Remember the time I told you I didn't like pumpkin pie? Well I still don't. But I love this. Don't ask me why. It's basically pumpkin pie, but it's surrounded in crumbly-carby goodness. Because let's face it: crumbly-carby goodness makes everything better. I've made this for informal family gatherings as well as for Thanksgiving dessert. It's quick and easy (and no one has to know!)

Many of you are probably familiar with "Pumpkin Dump Cake" (which by the way is a horribly unappealing name for such a scrumptious treat!) If you're not then I can give you the recipe in about 4 sentences. Here you go:

1. Get a can of pumpkin (large or small depending on how thick you want it) and follow the instructions on the back of the can to make pie filling. Pour filling into a 9x13 pan.
2. Sprinkle one dry cake mix on top (yellow or vanilla).
3. Drizzle one cube of melted butter over the top.
4. Bake at 350 for about 45-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

You can use that trick for any sort of filling. Instead of pumpkin pie on the bottom, you can layer fruit, canned pie filling, etc. Just about anything. Good little trick to know.

Now let me share my version of this quick and easy dessert- just kicked up a notch. First I used part of the cake mix on the bottom of the dessert to create a little bit of a crust. For the filling, I used a recipe I think is much better than the standard back-of-the-can pie filling. Mine uses sweet and condensed milk to make it silky, creamy, and flavorful. And finally on top I added a touch of spice and some toasty pecans. When that all cooks up together it's one mighty fine dessert. And still incredibly easy! Even pumpkin pie haters like it! This shows up a lot at our table this time of year. It's a favorite for our weekly "Family Night". Maybe it will be for you too!

Easy Pumpkin Crumble
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 boxed yellow or white cake mix
1-2 sticks butter (see notes in instructions)
1 16 oz can pumpkin*
2 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t pumpkin pie spice
1/4 t ginger
1/8 t cloves
1/8 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1/3 C chopped pecans
1/2 t additional cinnamon for topping

*This makes a dessert about an inch thick or less. That's because I like a high topping-to-pumpkin ratio. If you'd like it thicker, use a large can of pumpkin and double the rest of the filling ingredients (Eggs, sweetened condensed milk, and spices). Leave the rest of the recipe the same.

Preheat oven to 350.

Place 2 C of the cake mix in a bowl. Cut in 3 T chilled butter. Just use your fingers to crumble the butter until it's in small crumbly pieces. Place mixture in a 9x13 baking dish and press flat with your fingers.

Mix pumpkin, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, and spices until smooth. Pour on top of the cake mixture in the pan.


Now take the rest of the dry cake mix and mix in 1/2 t cinnamon. Sprinkle it all over the top of the pumpkin mixture. Use a measuring cup so you have a rough measurement of how much you're putting on. Here's why:

Here's a little something I learned after making the dump cake a gazillion times. Cake mixes all have different amounts in them! Different brands, different flavors, etc. Each one is slightly different in volume. I found one mix to have almost double the normal amount. Measuring the amount of cake mix you're sprinkling on top will help you get the perfect topping ratio in the last step.

Next sprinkle on the chopped pecans. You'll have 3 distinct layers now:


Here's the trick: For every 1 C of cake mix you sprinkled on top, you'll need 3 T of melted butter. Drizzle it right on top.


That butter is going to combine with the cake mix and make magic in the oven. Pop it in your 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or so. A knife should come out without globs of pumpkin on it and the topping should be nice and golden.


You can eat it warm, at room temp, or chilled! My favorite is actually at room temp. Put a dollop of sweetened whipped cream on top. It's also great with vanilla ice cream.






In the mood for pumpkin? Here's some pumpkin surprises for you. Click on a link to see!

Pumpkin Yummy #1
Pumpkin Yummy #2
Pumpkin Yummy #3
Pumpkin Yummy #4
Pumpkin Yummy #5

Minestrone Soup

I don't know about everybody else, but after the week-long junk food bonanza also known as Halloween, my body is craving something a little more wholesome. Does anyone remember vegetables? Yeah, I know, it's been so long that I can hardly remember them...

Sara and I have talked a lot about finding "the one." For years, I searched for the perfect Minestrone recipe. Time after time, they all just came out pretty flavorless and a little bit flat, like they were just missing something. Finally, I tried the Minestrone recipe from this cookbook. And it was exactly what I was looking for. Wanna know what the secret ingredient is? Canned, condensed, cheap-o Bean with Bacon Soup. It's so diluted that you can't actually taste its Bean with Bacon-ness, but it adds a richness and slight smokiness to the soup that is fabulous.

Since I can't seem to make a recipe without tweaking, I added some zucchini and an extra can of beans. The zucchini addition is optional,

but I think the extra can of beans is important, especially since there isn't any pasta in this soup. Also, this soup is good the first night, but it is fabulous as leftovers. If there's any way to make this ahead of time, let it chill, and then re-heat it, I HIGHLY recommend you do that. It is THIS very thing that makes this a great freezer meal; just prepare the soup entirely, allow it to cool, and then freeze it in a freezer-safe container. When you're ready to eat it, just place the frozen soup in your Crockpot and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Minestrone Soup

Recipe adapted by Our Best Bites

1 lb. Italian sausage
1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves minced garlic

4 c. water
2 stalks celery, diced

2 large carrots, diced

1-2 small zucchini, quartered and chopped
1 can beef broth
1 10-oz. can bean with bacon soup
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes

1 can Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/8-1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Remove casings from sausage and crumble the meat. In a large soup pot, brown Italian sausage with onions and garlic. Carefully drain, if necessary. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, cover, and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and breadsticks or French bread.

Additionally, you can make this in a slow cooker. Just brown the sausage, onion, and garlic in a frying pan, drain, and then transfer to a slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and cook all day on low.