Tag Archives: #chocolatefriendsoftenaciousm

Feb17

Chocolate Shoofly Pie

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Chocolate Shoofly Pie

Chocolate Shoofly Pie is a moist, delicious pie with a gooey bittersweet chocolate bottom to it. This is the most authentic in flavor that I’ve ever tasted. Serve this pie with homemade vanilla bean ice cream and a hot cup of coffee or tea, snuggled up by the fireplace with someone you love.

Ingredients

1 (9 inch) pie shell
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter flavored shortening
1 egg, beaten
1 cup unsulfured molasses
3/4 cup cold water
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a small bowl, mix together flour and brown sugar. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 1 cup of this mixture for topping the pie.
3. In a large bowl, combine egg, molasses, cold water, and remaining crumb mixture. Mix thoroughly. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water and add to molasses mixture. Mix well.
4. Spread chocolate chips across bottom of pastry-lined pie pan. Pour filling over chocolate chips. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over top.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until filling is set.

Feb16

Naeem Khan Fall 2014 RTW Collection

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Naeem Khan presented us with another elegant collection of red carpet ready dresses. The gowns and cocktail dresses were adorned with embellishments and consistent with the color palette of black, white, gold and silver.

It was difficult to edit down the looks from the 44 piece collection. Enjoy some of my favorites!

Naeem Khan Fall 2014 RTW Collection

Credit: Style Pantry

Feb16

Chocolate Napoleons Recipe

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Chocolate Napoleons Recipe

Ready for flaky layers of pastry overstuffed with a decadent chocolate filling? Good, because these Chocolate Napoleons are so delicious that you just might need to make more than one per person!

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min.
Bake: 10 min.
MAKES: 12 servings

Ingredients
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 cups cold milk
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
2 packages (3.9 ounces each) instant chocolate pudding mix
TOPPING:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Directions
On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry into a 12-in. square. Cut into twelve 4-in. x 3-in. rectangles. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 9-12 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. In a small bowl, whisk milk and sour cream until smooth. Add pudding mix; whisk for 2 minutes or until blended. Refrigerate for 5 minutes. To assemble, split each pastry in half. Spoon pudding mixture over bottom halves and replace tops. Combine confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth; drizzle over top. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Serve immediately.

Feb16

Sunday Reflections

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Here’s hoping that you all have a happy and inspiring week. La vie, le rire, et aimer
(live, laugh, and love)!

Luke 6:37-38
37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Forgive Others_Sunday Reflections

Feb15

Chocolate Crepes With Orange & Chocolate Sauce

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I am really loving the combination of chocolate and orange flavors lately. #chocolatefriendsofTenaciousM enjoy!

CHOCOLATE CREPES WITH ORANGE-&-CHOCOLATE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS
6 Tbsp pinch of salt
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp sugar
¼ cup pinch of salt
1 skim milk
2 tsp large eggs
¼ cup canola oil, divided
½ cup water

DIRECTIONS
1. To make crepes: Combine flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon oil and water in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour or for up to 24 hours.

INGREDIENTS
½ cup sugar
2 water
1 cup zest from 2 oranges, cut into very thin strips

DIRECTIONS

2. To make orange syrup: Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, add orange zest, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the syrup has thickened and the zest is tender. Several times during the cooking, brush the sides of the saucepan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water to keep sugar crystals from forming on the sides. Remove from heat and let cool.

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ Tbsp yogurt cheese (see Tip)
1 tsp confectioners’ sugar
vanilla extract
Chocolate Sauce (recipe follows)

DIRECTIONS

3. To make filling: Whisk together yogurt cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla in a small bowl until well-blended. Cover and refrigerate.

4. To cook and assemble crepes: If necessary, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water to crepe batter so that it has the consistency of light cream. Heat a small nonstick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles when sprinkled on the surface. Reduce heat to medium-low. Brush pan with a little of the remaining 1 teaspoon oil as needed to prevent sticking. Pour about 2 tablespoons batter on the skillet and swirl to coat the bottom evenly. Cook 30 to 40 seconds until the top of the crepe has a dull surface and the edges begin to curl. Flip and cook for 20 to 30 seconds, or until the crepe is firm. Remove to a plate and cover with a dry cloth. Repeat with remaining crepes. (The crepes may be stacked until served.)

5. Place a crepe on a dessert plate. Spread 2 tablespoons of filling across the middle. Fold in half and spoon 1 tablespoon Chocolate Sauce over top or beside it. Spoon 2 teaspoons orange syrup and zest over the crepe. Repeat with remaining crepes.

Tip: To make 1 cup of yogurt cheese, line a colander with a large cotton towel or double thickness of cheesecloth, and place the colander in the sink. Pour in 3 cups low-fat yogurt. After 15 minutes, transfer the colander to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours or overnight. Gathering the edges of the towel together, gently squeeze out any remaining liquid. Transfer cheese to a separate container. Refrigerate until ready to use. Keeps 1 week.

Feb14

Israeli Chocolate-Coated Orange Peels

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Often when you drop in at someone’s home in Israel, the hostess will set these out for guests.

Israeli Chocolate-Coated Orange Peels 2

3 oranges
2 cups sugar, plus extra for rolling
1 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
5 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, finely chopped, divided
2 teaspoons canola oil
Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Set aside.

2. Scrub oranges well, and cut in half. Scoop out the flesh and reserve for another use. Place the shells in a medium bowl and cover with cold water, keeping them under water with a small plate or lid. Let soak for about 4 hours or overnight, replacing the water once.

3. Cut each shell in half, and place in a large heavy saucepan. Add water to cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 15 minutes. Drain and repeat the process. When oranges are cool enough to handle, cut into strips about 1/4 by 2 inches. Return the strips to the saucepan, add sugar and 1 cup water.

4. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost gone, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Watch closely toward the end of cooking.) Add the lemon juice and stir to coat the strips. Drain the strips in a sieve. When they are cool enough to handle, spread on the prepared baking sheet.

5. Reserve 1/4 cup of the chocolate and place the remaining chocolate and the oil in the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water. Stir just until melted, remove double boiler from heat, then add the remaining chocolate, stirring until melted.

6. Roll each orange strip in sugar, then dip half of each peel into the chocolate and return to the baking sheet. Place in the freezer for a minute or two to let the chocolate set. Remove from the freezer and let them sit for several hours until they are firm.

Feb13

Chocolate-Filled Wontons

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These little treats look like traditional wontons. To achieve the look, fill wonton wrappers with chopped chocolate, fold in half and fry in oil. Dust with confectioners sugar if desired.

Chocolate-Filled Wontons 1

Yields: 24

Ingredients

24 wonton wrappers
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup(s) (3 ounces) finely chopped milk chocolate
2 1/2 cup(s) vegetable oil

Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Brush edges of each wonton wrapper with egg and place 1 teaspoon chocolate in center. Fold wrappers in half over chocolate and press edges firmly to seal. When oil is hot (an extra wonton wrapper should sizzle and float to top when added), fry wontons, four at a time, until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes, flipping occasionally.

Feb13

Over The Hump Old School Sound Check-The Stylistics

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Betcha By Golly Wow, and Happy Thursday!!

The Stylistics are a soul music vocal group, and were one of the best-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. They formed in 1968, and were composed of lead Russell Thompkins, Jr., Herb Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith, and James Dunn. Wikipedia

Feb13

E&B World Music Showcase – Gotan Project

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I was dining with friends at a restaurant in Chicago when I first heard Gotan Project. The restaurant had a Colombian-styled menu and atmosphere to match. A couple of tracks in and I was hooked. Enjoy!gotan_logo

Gotan Project is a musical group based in Paris, consisting of musicians Eduardo Makaroff (Argentine), Philippe Cohen Solal (French) and Christoph H. Müller (Swiss, former member of Touch El Arab).

Gotan Project formed in 1999. Their first release was “Vuelvo Al Sur/El Capitalismo Foráneo” in 2000, followed by the album La Revancha del Tango in 2001. Their music involves tango, but also uses elements such as samples, beats, and breaks. Live material was also broadcast on Gilles Peterson’s world music show Worldwide on BBC Radio 1 in May 2004. Philippe Cohen Solal has also released a DJ set: Inspiración Espiración – A Gotan Project DJ Set Selected & Mixed by Philippe Cohen Solal (2004). This album is a compilation of classic tangos from the likes of Aníbal Troilo, Ástor Piazzolla and Gotan Project remixes. The album also includes a bonus CD with the track “La Cruz del Sur” – which was meant to be included on La Revancha del Tango, but did not make the cut in 2001.

Eduardo Makaroff arrived in France in the early 90s to develop Argentine tango music, he performed with his band “Mano a Mano”. Christoph Müller and Philippe Cohen Solal formed a duo called Boys from Brazil.

The name of the trio is a play on the name of a famous tango compilation album that featured several American classical musicians who came together to record a tango album, originally released in 1982. This album, called the Tango Project, includes a rendition of Carlos Gardel’s and Alfredo Le Pera’s “Por Una Cabeza” which had been featured in movies such as Schindler’s List, Scent of a Woman and True Lies.

Credit: Wikipedia

Feb12

Chocolate Is My Kryptonite: Chocolate Baklava Recipe

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Too good to be true, right? I’ve been cooking for years, and baklava remains a favorite. I recently discovered a recipe that adds my chocolate and all is right with the world. Most folks find one piece of this rich dessert very satisfying, so this recipe feeds many people.

Chocolate Baklava

Prep Time: 20 min.
Bake Time: 50 min.
MAKES: 50 servings

Ingredients

1 package (16 ounces, 14-inch x 9-inch sheet size) frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1-1/4 cups butter, melted
1 pound finely chopped walnuts
1 package (12 ounces) miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

SYRUP:
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

1. Butter a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans. Unroll one package of phyllo dough; cut stack into a 10-1/2-in. x 9-in. rectangle. Repeat with remaining phyllo. Discard scraps.

2. Line bottom of prepared pan with two sheets of phyllo dough (sheets will overlap slightly). Brush with butter. Repeat layers 8 times. (Keep dough covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel until ready to use to prevent it from drying out.)

3. In a large bowl, combine the nuts, chocolate chips, sugar, cinnamon and lemon peel. Sprinkle 2 cups over top layer of phyllo.

4. Top with four layers phyllo dough, buttering each layer. Top with 2 or more cups nut mixture. Top with four layers phyllo dough, buttering each layer; top with remaining nut mixture. Top with the remaining phyllo dough, brushing each layer with butter. Drizzle any remaining butter over top.

5. Using a sharp knife, cut baklava into 1-1/2-in. diamonds. Bake at 325° for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, combine the syrup ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Pour over warm baklava. Cool completely in pans on wire racks.