Starbucks Replacement Ideas – Hot Chocolate

Lately I’ve been trying to cut out my Starbucks habit.  And I’ve found some very yummy (and 10% of the cost) hot chocolate recipes!

Austrian Cocoa

Makes 3 servings:

  • 2 Tbsp cocoa
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 3/4 c boiling water
  • 2 1/3 c milk
  • 1 -2 sticks cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

  1. In saucepan, combine cocoa, sugar, and hot water.  Sir to combine.
  2. Add the milk and cinnamon sticks.
  3. Heat over medium low heat until just hot.
  4. Add vanilla.  Serve immediately.

This can be done in the microwave as well, if you use single servings, and heat the cocoa and sugar and water first so that it blends.  Then add the remaining ingredients and heat until hot.

Enjoy!

Baked Apples – Kids in the Kitchen!

A page from Medizinal Pflanzen (Koehler's Medi...So my daughter (9yrs old) has taken to baking (aka making a gigantic mess) in the kitchen.   And, with a lack of chocolate chips, cocoa powder, maple syrup, cream cheese, and half a dozen spices, what’s a girl to do?

We went for baked apples – in the microwave.

Per apple:

1.  Cut in half, and scoop out the core.(mommy’s job)

2.  Lay 2 halves flesh side up on microwavable dish.

3.  Sprinkle each half with 1 tsp brown sugar, sprinkle of cinnamon, and 1 tbsp raisins

4.  Microwave 2 minutes, checking every 30 seconds until soft & apple-sauce-like.

Yummy!!  It seemed like the perfect fall recipe to post today!

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Oriental Steak Strips

I love, love, love this dish!  Unfortunately, my crew isn’t as adventurous as I.  They were not sure about the raisins in with their meat, but you can’t knock it until you try it!

Recipe from Great American Recipes, altered to be gluten-free.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb thinly sliced beef round steak
  • 1 red pepper, sliced thinly
  • 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
  • 1 Tbsp margy
  • 1 Tbsp cooking oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup dry white wine, or beef broth
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • dash ground allspice, ground cloves, salt, pepper
  • 2 Tbsp dark raisins

Thickener:  1 Tbsp cornstarch, 2 Tbsp cold water

oriental-steak-strips

Directions

  1. Cut meat into 1/2-inch strips across each of the steaks.
  2. Heat butter and oil in pan, brown beef strips.
  3. Add sliced onion and pepper.
  4. Add the remaining ingredients to pan.  Bring to boil.
  5. Cover, reduce heat, simmer 45 minutes or until meat is tender.
  6. Remove cover.  Boil down 5 – 6 minutes.
  7. Mix cornstarch and water.  Add to pan while stirring.
  8. Heat through until cornstarch is transparent.
  9. Serve with hot noodles

My kids are LOOOOVING –

leftover rice for breakfast! Of course I serve it hot, with hot milk, raisins, cinnamon, and sugar, but eh! It’s a good use of leftovers. Toss in a little flax seed or brown rice and you have a great source of fiber too.