Easy chocolates.

Chocolate from Brazil. Moroccan flavors, and vanilla from Madagascar. Old men in robes with bad haircuts, deep in the heart of a monastery, with precious "dark gold". You know what I'm talking about, that super expensive, yet gloriously delicious chocolate bars that you get from the "foodie" store. Well, what if I said you can make your own concoctions, easily, with good ol' bulk chocolate chips from Sam's club. Try some of these recipes, you will feel like a master chocolatear. 

1 tbsp of butter

1 cup of chocolate chips, (I use nestle of Godiva) 

2-3 drop of peppermint oil

1/4 cup of chopped hazelnuts

melt the butter in a skillet on medium heat, then put the chips in, turn the burner down to med-low, and stir the chips continuously till melted, take off heat, and  add in the oil and hazelnuts. Put spoonfuls on a plate or in molds, (you can even get candy bar molds) and place in the freezer for 30 min to 1hr. 

I was in a hurry when I made these, you can make yours prettier. 

Follow recipe above, but remove the oil and nuts. Instead put 1 tbsp of fresh rosemary in the mixture, and on top put a couple of sprigs, and some coarse salt on top. 

Try putting some currents and cranberries in the mixture.

Make it feel authentic with some cinnamon and cayenne pepper. 

There are so many things that you can try, like adding some cocoa nibs, or coffee, whatever you want, go for it.

Neat video

I saw this on Martha Stuarts website, I think. I found it good for people on their way to living a healthier lifestyle.
Click on the link, and let me know what you think. If you want additional resources Just ask, I have plenty.
http://www.beyonddiet.com/bd/landing?food=avocado 

What I ate last week, and what I'm making this week.

 

Lemon meringue pie.
I made the actual pie for My boyfriends birthday, and made little pies for my dad a week later. In the big cup, I cooked the crust and crumpled it into the bottom, then put the custard on, then the meringue. This way you can torch it if you have a device for doing so, or just eat it right away so that the meringue doesn't go funky. I used Alton Brown's Recipe. Get the crust here and the filling/topping here.

Sunday before I started 7 I ate at a local Hospice restaurant, and let me tell you, It was delicious. I had a tomato basil quiche.
  Isn't it beautiful?

Yesterday for my first day of & I had oranges, all day till dinner, I had boiled gold potatoes, carrots, and broccoli. It tasted so good! So simple, but the flavors compliment each other so well. Unfortunately my camera is broken, so no pictures, but it was so pretty with all the different colors. Today I am making a potato carrot soup. Have a great evening!