Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Ok so if any of you love chocolate syrup as I do but don't like all the "stuff" they put in the store bought brand, here is a recipe (though not exactly healthy) that you make and you can pronounce everything in the ingredient list. Team it up with your homemade ice cream and yummo!!

If you substitute 1/2 n 1/2 or cream for the water, you end up with a hot fudge topping, but it won't keep as long in the fridge.

Chocolate Syrup

1/2 cup cocoa (I usually sift it for easier mixing)

1 cup sugar

dash of salt

1 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

Combine cocoa, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Add water, and mix until smooth. Bring to a boil, and allow it to boil for 1 minute - be careful it doesn't boil over. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool and refrigerate.

Enjoy!!!

Menu Plan Monday

Monday- Encharrito Casserole ( we haven't had this in awhile and it's being requested)
Tuesday- Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup (Easy Meal)
Wednesday- Chicken Wings with homemade baked fries and a green salad
Thursday- We are having a family of 10 over for dinner so I am keeping it simple and making Burgers on my George Foreman with celery salad and maybe potato salad.
Friday- Homemade Pizza!

To check out more menus head on over to I'm an Organizing Junkie!
Enjoy!

Protein Shake

Oh this is a good pick me up in the middle of the day!!

Ingredients.
1 frozen banana (freeze the ones that are getting too ripe)
1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
1/3 low fat organic milk
1 GIANT spoonful of peanut butter
4-5 ice cubes
1 scoop of whey protein powder (if you have it)

Directions:
Add all this to your blender and mix until smooth.
It's so yummy and half the fat of a Peanut Butter Shake.
Enjoy!!

Chicken Bryan

I am linking up with Life as Mom today for the Ultimate Recipe Swap. The theme this week is - Your Ultimate Favorite Recipe! I have many recipes that I love but this one tops them all. It's a bit more work then most but it's oh so good. If you have a recipe to share head on over to Life as Mom for all the details.

This recipe is well worth the effort. I usually make it for a special occasion or something because it's kind of a fancy dish. And really it's not that difficult to make.

Ingredients:

6 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 TBS. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

8 oz. goat cheese, (i buy the herb kind, it adds a nice flavor), soften to room temp.

Sun Dried Tomato Sauce

1 TBS butter

1 TBS finely chopped garlic

1 TBS finely chopped yellow onion

1/2 c. dry white wine

1/4 freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 TBS cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 1/2 c. finely sliced sun-dried tomatoes ,without oil( I find these already sliced in the fresh veggie area, they come in a bag)

1/4 c. fresh basil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp white pepper, ( I didn't have this so I just used black)

Directions:

Prepare the Sun Dried Tomato Sauce: Place butter, garlic, and onion in a large skillet over medium heat and saute until garlic and onion are tender and transparent. Add white wine and lemon juice. Increase heat to medium high and simmer to reduce by half. Reduce heat to low. Add cold butter one piece at a time. Add sun dried tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper and stir to blend ingredients. Set aside.

Prepare Chicken: Preheat grill, and brush chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill Chicken approx. 15-20 mins or until cooked through. Divide goat cheese evenly between chicken breasts, placing some on each breast for the last two minutes of cooking. Place cooked chicken on serving platter and spoon Sun Dried Tomato Sauce over chicken.*Note I generally make the sauce while the chicken is cooking.

This recipe will make your taste buds sooooo happy. I usually double the sauce recipe because my family loves it. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!!

YUMMO!!!

Homemade Play Dough Recipe

Who doesn't love to play with playdough? This is a quick and easy recipe to make your own. The colors are only limited to your knowledge of color combinations! The best part is is that you probably have all the things already on hand!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 C. Flour
3/4 C salt
1 1/2 C. water
1 TBS veggie oil
1/2 TBS. cream of tartar
Food coloring of choice or mix for more fun colors. A few drops goes a long way.

Mix all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium low heat, until dough comes away from edges of pan and becomes difficult to stir.In other words, it starts looking like playdough!
Remove from heat. Let cool until it can be handled.
Place on wax paper and knead 5-6 times.(This is very therapeutic!)
Store in airtight container.
Have fun!

Menu Plan Monday

Since I'm feeling a bit under the weather I'm going to try to make easy things.

Monday- Mexican Chicken in the crockpot
Tuesday- Spaghetti and Meat sauce
Wednesday- Crockpot Chicken Soup
Thursday- Organic Hotdogs and Salad
Friday- Homemade Pizza (hopefully I'll be better by then my family has been asking for this)
For more menus go check out I'm an Organizing Junkie!
Enjoy!

Healthier Blender Pancakes

I love pancakes! I have recently been learning about soaking grains and how much more beneficial they are for you and easier to digest.
I've adapted this recipe from a Sue Gregg Recipe. This is my version.

Ingredients:

2 c. buttermilk
2 TBS. coconut oil (if you can't find it Debra then use olive oil) ;)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. uncooked rolled oats
1 c. brown rice

1. Place this all in a high speed blender and blend at highest speed for 3 minutes. Less than that for a Vita Mix. I have a Vita Mix and I blend it for about 1 minute. Keep the cover on your blender and let stand at room temp for 12-24 hours. The longer the better.

In the morning preheat your "griddle" or "skillet" depending on where you're from, on medium high heat.
Just before cooking add the following ingredients and reblend for 1-3 mintus, until smooth.
2 eggs
2 TBS flaxseed (optional)

At the last few seconds add:
4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Then cook em' up and enjoy! It's a little bit of a different taste then pancakes made with flour but we really really like them. Remember I don't put anything on here we don't like.
ENJOY!

Menu Plan Monday

I thought for a change I would start posting my Menu's on my cooking blog instead of my main blog. It kind of just made more sense.
Monday- Shepherd's Pie
Tuesday- Hamburger Minestrone Soup and biscuits
Wednesday- Encharrito Casserole
Thursday- Homemade Pizza
Friday- It's the monthly fellowship night and we are to bring our favorite family dish, so I'm not sure what that is yet. We have so many!

For more yummy menu's go check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.
Hugs!