Figgy Brownies

On the Ides of March, in 2012, I went all out in finding a feast fit for a Caesar.

Along with the feast that included Easy Italian Butter Grilled Cheese Croutons (recipe HERE), I wanted to end the evening with a dessert.

I had seen recipes for Oreo-filled cookies & brownies. That's always a win-win situation for me! I wanted to try it, but my brainy-brain got working...and that can truly be frightening sometimes.

When I thought thru this whole feast, I really imagined figs being a part of the menu. Even though I had some filled with cream cheese & wrapped in bacon (recipe coming in a future post), I got the idea to surround a fig newton cookie in a brownie. Yum, right?

So...since it was earlier in my baking, and kind of in my early cooking stages, it's a very easy & cheater dessert!

Here's what I did:

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FIGGY BROWNIES

Ingredients:

Brownie mix (fave recipe or store-bought mix - I used a mix)
1 package fig newton cookies

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F or according to brownie package directions

According to package directions, prepare mix as stated OR mix up your fave recipe

In a baking pan or dish, which should be greased or sprayed with cooking spray, place about half the brownie batter in the bottom of the pan, evenly

Place fig newton cookies, side-by-side, in a single layer on the batter in the pan/dish

Cover the fig newton cookie layer, evenly, with the remainder of the brownie batter

Place in oven for the amount of time the brownie recipe or package directions calls for

Take out of the oven & allow to cool

Cut & serve

Yield: about 1 dozen

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Just a couple of notes:

1. These are very thick & heavy!

2. I used a dessert bar pan (aka - square cupcake pan). I place a spoonful of brownie mix in each opening, then the fig cookie, then another spoonful of batter. Then they are already separated out.


Even though I used these for the Ides of March, I sent a couple to my MIL & her hubby. They LOVED them!

Also, a song pops in my head:

*ahem*

"Bring me a figgy brownie! O, bring me a figgy brownie! O, bring me a figgy brownie,and bring one right here!

"I won't go until I get one..."(well, you get the idea)

So I figure these would work as a Christmas goodie, too!

ENJOY!

Autumn Water

I want to be clear when I say that I do not like the heat. Yes, summertime is a time off & to "enjoy" outside time...but the heat & sun are generally too much for me. My time of year is the fall. I love fall. The colors, the landscapes, the clothes, the smells...and the flavors!

As we are entering into the continued hot weather, we are supposed to be doing something very important for ourselves: HYDRATE! And I do mean hydrating with lots of water! I did already share one way to do that with flavored water...and it's delicious! (Lemon Cucumber Water recipe HERE) However, you gotta change it up from time-to-time...

I have seen a couple of "detox water" how-to's out there. It's generally an apple-cinnamon water (which is really good, by the way), but I like to bump it up a bit. I added a couple more flavors in there to boost up my  reminiscing of the fall season...all while staying cool & hydrated...and apparently "detoxed".

Here's what I did:

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Pictured:  pitcher of Autumn Water, water over ice in my cute cup,
Honeycrisp apple (big red one at the bottom), Granny Smith apple (the greenish one - just for variety),
Asian Pear (the ugly, yellowish, apple-looking fruit), ginger root & cinnamon sticks, plus green tea bags

AUTUMN WATER

Ingredients:
* 1 medium to large apple, cored & thinly sliced into discs (I used a Honeycrisp apple)
* 1 medium to large pear, cored & thinly sliced into discs (I used an Asian pear)
* 2 cinnamon sticks
* 2 inch ginger root, peeled & cut into chunks
* about 1 gallon of filtered or tap water
* ice cubes (optional)


Directions:
~ wash/rinse the apple & the pear, core both fruits, and slice thinly (I did horizontally for big, round discs)

~ rinse off the ginger root, pat dry & then carefully slice/peel the outer skin off the root until about a 1 x 2 inch piece is left (just smell the fresh lemony scent to it...yum)

~ in a 1 gallon pitcher (preferably with a slotted lid), place the ginger root, cinnamon sticks, apple & pear slices inside

~ fill the pitcher with filtered or tap water

~ add in ice cubes, if desired

~ place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour to let the flavors sit & steep (longer is better...like overnight)

~ enjoy often

~ repeat about 4 more times before discarding steeping contents


Notes:
= I used the Honeycrisp apple for it's natural "apple cider" flavor properties. You may use any apple you like. I plan on using our Golden Delicious apples from our back yard when they are ripe for the pickin'!

= I used the Asian pear since it was evenly large & round. It looks like an ugly apple but with dark pear coloring & texture. You may use any type of pear you choose. If I were choosing again...I might do a more traditional variety. I just think they have more flavor. I have done it that way before.

= Use this water when you make a cup of green tea & add some honey. SOOOOO yummy!!!!!

= Freeze the water in ice trays & let them melt into your iced tea: sweet or unsweet.

= Keep filling up that super fun, reusable cup/glass &/or awesome reusable water bottle! Keeps you wanting to hydrate while staying green by keeping waste out of the landfills.

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And you know what? In all of this...you are getting some of the benefit properties from the flavor steeping of the fruits & stuff.  So, drinking this one will help with the antioxidant, fiber, vitamin C...and I'm pretty sure a whole lot of other good-for-you stuffs from the ginger & cinnamon & fruits. But I just really love the flavor! Like...REALLY love the flavor!!!

I continue to play with flavored waters & will keep posting recipes throughout the summer to keep things fresh while keeping up variety. Especially while making use of the produce from farmers' markets while they are all in full swing & going strong!

Support your local farmers, people...if possible! And it's better for you, anyway. Or just hit the produce section of your local grocer.

Keep healthy & hydrated, people! And love every moment of it! And try not to consume tons of caramel with it...even though you might be tempted. Seriously.

And...HYDRATE-HYDRATE-HYDRATE!!

ENJOY!

Ground Beef Stroganoff

One of our favorite Hamburger Helper meals is the Beef Stroganoff. But as I began to try my hand at more cooking, while building our pantry, I had some egg noodles to use...so I thought I'd try my hand making my own.

I looked around, like on Pinterest, and began to figure out how I wanted to go about making this.

Now then, I usually use canned cream of mushroom soup (which I do include in the ingredients), but when I made it this time...I apparently already used them, or they disappeared. I'd already began making the meal, so I had to improvise a backup plan quick! So I faked a cream soup gravy for this time around. I have given the ingredients & directions to it, too.

Oh...I took pics along the way, too. So here is what I did:

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Ground Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 can cream of mushroom soup (or make *cream soup gravy)

½ C minced onion

2 T parsley

1 T paprika

½ C sour cream

4 C egg noodles

¼ C parmesan

¼ C milk

4 T butter

* Improvised Cream Soup Gravy

½-¾ C beef or chicken broth

½ C heavy whipping cream

½ C flour

4 T butter

1 T garlic powder

¼ t ground black pepper

pinch nutmeg

Directions:

Brown ground beef in a large skillet with the minced onion

Once browned thru, drain the meat & rinse

Place back into the skillet, set heat to Lo






~~ If making cream soup gravy, do so while browning the meat ~~

* melt butter in saucepan

* add in the flour to make rue

* add in broth & cream

* whisk until blended & bring to boil

* turn down burner temp, add in garlic, pepper & nutmeg

(I also added in the parsley & paprika here)

*stir often

Add milk, can soup (or cream soup gravy), sour cream, parmesan, paprika & parsley (if not added to cream soup gravy) to the skillet; stir & allow to simmer









In a large pot, make egg noodles to package directions; drain

When drained, melt the butter throughout the noodles

Combine noodles & meat mixture

Serve

Yield: 4

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So, my hubby liked the improvised sauce. The kiddos weren't as impressed...but they complain about anything they aren't used to. But my hubby is a big critic on about everything...so him liking this improvisation means it's a go again in the future!

Also, I double the recipe since we have a larger-than-4 family. (Not the cream soup gravy - I had to make it in a hurry based on the amount I was already making. If you want a portion that serves 4, cut the amounts in half)

We served it up with some Italian loaf bread. So good!

Let me know which way you went with it & what you thought!

ENJOY!

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Update:

OK...so this recipe has been my most pinned from this blog on Pinterest! So glad you all have enjoyed it!! Thank you SO much! And I've noticed it's because of my improvised cream gravy instead of canned mushroom soup. So glad this has worked out!

Well, I made it again with some changes that is just as tasty & even better for you!

I substituted in whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour, I dissolved a beef bouillon cube in water instead of chicken broth/stock, I used white pepper instead of black pepper, plain non-fat Greek yogurt for sour cream, then I added in a little bit of kale, rinsed & torn into tiny pieces when I added it to the cream gravy to wilt a bit. I was asked what the green stuff was...I told them it was really big parsley that is supposed to be in there. (Shhhh....don't tell them my secret!)

Oh...and it was still SO good!! Hope you enjoy this kick up in health benefits, too!!

Lemon Cucumber Water

"...'Tis the season for hy-dra-tion.
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la"

If you know of my friend, Katy, at I Want a Dumpster Baby (blog HERE; Facebook HERE), you will see she is great for encouraging others (along with reminding herself) to HYDRATE-HYDRATE-HYDRATE! I thank her for a lot of things...and this is only one of them. And I am thankful for it.

I have seen/read &/or heard about great ways to train the body & brain to hydrate the right way. WATER! Even though all liquid you put into your body somewhat counts, it's the water that is the absolute best! Though it's so refreshing in those times when you are parched, it can get tired & lifeless when you need to suck down 64 oz of it (or half your body weight in ounces...whichever...just drink it).

Now, I have heard using a fun &/or bold water bottle or cup/glass will encourage the eye to want it. You know: a visual cue. I've heard of folks who use a schedule to drink down the water & just force it. If that works for you...then whatever! Then, here's my current trick: surprise your taste buds. That's right! Make your mouth & belly WANT that water!

I know there are packets you can get to add to water bottles. But the Crystal Light (best of this bunch, by the way), Gatorade, Koolaid, Mio, etc. all add some extra chemicals & sugars that you want to stay away from! Tea is good for you...but don't do it all the time. SAVOR the tea! Coffee is my best kick start...but I know I need the absolute agua (yes, "water"...not vodka) into my body, too. But it's so hard for me!!!

Well...I discovered self-flavored water!! You get the refreshing water you need while having a hint of taste. And it's from fruits (mostly...sometimes veggies) that are so good for you! No adding a ton of extra calories & additives/preservatives. Just fresh water that my body does tend to want!!

Here's my new-found flavored water:

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LEMON CUCUMBER WATER

Ingredients:

~ 2-3 cucumbers (English or seedless variety), thinly sliced
~ 2 medium lemons; thinly sliced & deseeded
~ about a gallon of filtered or tap water
~ a few ice cubes (optional)


Directions:

* wash/rinse cucumbers & lemons before slicing
* thinly slice the cucumber & lemon
* make sure there are no seeds
* place the produce slices into a 1 gallon pitcher (preferably one with a slotted lid)
* fill the pitcher with water (add a few ice cubes if desired)
* place in refrigerator for a few hours (at least 1 hour)
* drink throughout the day
* repeat


Notes:

= If you make up the water before you go to bed at night, it will be ready to begin consumption the next morning

= The cucumber & lemon slices may be used about 4 times of filling the pitcher. After that, discard of the slices & begin with new ones.

= Save a slice of cucumber AND a slice of lemon to garnish your cup/glass with as garnish. *PRETTY*

= I used this water to make a few cups of hot tea with...and it is SO good!

= An idea is to freeze the flavored water in ice trays, then they will melt slowly into your water or unsweet iced tea! (Ok...I just heard all my southern sweet-tea drinkers gasp...I'm sure it's fine in your sweet tea, too.)

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I have seen on Pinterest where there is a "detox water", too. I have my own version of that, also, as a change up. I will cover it in the near future.

Also...if you use a reusable cup/glass or a refillable bottle, you're helping the environment, too!

Until then, and as Katy would say, "HYDRATE-HYDRATE-HYDRATE!" Oh...and love every bit of this refreshment in a fun &/or bold cup or bottle. Your body will love you back for it!

ENJOY!

Stuff in a Pot Soup

As I write this, it's spring, but chilly. It feels like a late November day rather than a fresh spring one! It's really a perfect day to pull out sweaters, boots, blankets, make hot chocolate (much like the Spicy Mexi-Cocoa version, right HERE), brew up some hot tea or keep the coffee going all day. Yeah...one of those kinds of days.

It's also a great day for soup! But since I wasn't prepared to make a soup any time soon, I had to make do.

My hubby & I go to the store on Fridays, and I am actually writing this on a Thursday. We don't have much laying around. And we don't have much for lunching, either. But I found enough leftover things around to throw a bunch of stuff in a pot to make a soup.

Here's what I did:

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STUFF IN A POT SOUP

Ingredients:

*About Anything Goes*

plenty of liquids: broth, stock, water & bouillon cubes; juice/tea 
vegetables: fresh, frozen, canned
protein: beans, meat pieces, mushrooms
starch: potatoes, rice, pasta
herbs & spices

In My Pot:

1 box vegetable broth
1 bag mixed veggies - frozen
1 can chick peas, drained & rinsed
leftover ham cubes
2 handfuls bacon bits
2 C hot brewed black tea
2 C hot brewed green tea
1/2 bag frozen hash browns
sea salt
ground black pepper
parsley
sage
rosemary
thyme
chives
minced onion
dill
marjoram
all spice

Directions:

Place liquid(s) of choice in a large pot, bring to a boil

Lower heat to mid-hi and add everything else, bring back to boil

Stir & let simmer for about 30 minutes

Ladle into a bowl, and garnish, if desired.
Balsamic vinegar, nuts, seeds, shredded cheese - it's even better when presentation is pretty...even if by yourself.

* I used toasted sesame seeds in the 1st bowl & parmesan "shaky cheese" for the 2nd

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Remember: my soup is gonna look different than yours! Mine won't even be the same next time around.

I literally used whatever I had here. 

Cans of veggies you were gonna use but didn't? 

Throw it in! 

Got too many cans or bags of veggies & don't know what to do with the overstock? 

Throw it in! 

Frozen veggies in the freezer that you forgot about? 

Throw it in! 

Leftover turkey, meatballs, pulled pork from a night or 2 ago & want to use it? 

Throw it in! 

Have spinach or kale that you need to use up? 

Throw it in! 

Got some seasonings that you got for a recipe & finding a reason to use it? 

Throw it in!

Just a little bit of apple juice or cider left & not enough for a full glass or cup?

Throw it in!

Potatoes still sitting there & don't know what else to do with them?

Cut 'em up & throw 'em in!

Seriously. A perfect soup to use up what you have, make a hearty meal, and still warm & comforting. Plus...you already have everything...so it's easy on the budget, too!

Throw it in!

So...what is your Stuff in a Pot Soup made from?

ENJOY!

Italian Butter Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Sticks

Back on April 12th (aka - "National Grilled Cheese Day"), I decided to make grilled cheese for dinner. But, in my mind, of course, it needed some 'umph'.

Now then, I love making & eating my Italian Butter Grilled Cheese (Croutons) (click HERE for recipe). Did I say "love"? Cuz I really meant...LOVE!

So I made the sandwich version, but did this, too:

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ITALIAN BUTTER PEPPERONI PIZZA GRILLED CHEESE STICKS

Ingredients:

Italian Bread, sliced (you may use regular sandwich bread)
mozzarella &/or provolone cheese, slices - 2 slices per sandwich
pepperoni slices
Italian butter (link for making in directions, below)
cooking spray
marinara sauce for dipping

Directions:

See HERE to follow Italian Butter Grilled Cheese  & Italian Butter directions. I set the oven on 425 degrees F this time. Liked it much better!

In sandwich assembly, I used 1 slice mozzarella & 1 slice provolone. I placed a layer of sliced pepperoni between the 2 slices. (each sandwich, depending on size of bread slices, used 4 to 6 pepperonis)

Place sandwiches on a baking sheet or jelly roll pan in a single layer & place in the oven.

After 3-4 minutes, flip the sandwiches & then place back in the oven for another 3 minutes.

Take out of the oven then use a pizza cutter & cut each sandwich down the center lengthwise to create a "stick".

Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

I made 10 sandwiches/ 20 sticks

** Notes:

*be sure to spray cooking sheets well with cooking spray so melted cheese won't stick to the pan.

* I used olive oil cooking spray & also love using Hormel turkey pepperoni!

* can also be made in the skillet

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This went over pretty well in our house! We served it with a side salad, too. YUM!

ENJOY!

Easy Croutons

Oh man! You have that loaf of bread that didn't quite get used! Now what?

WAIT! Don't throw it away! Read what to do with that stale bread here!

Bread is an odd commodity around our house. Either everyone wants sandwiches, so we run out quickly...or...we stock up just to be left we 2 loaves of uneaten bread. Go figure.

I hate wasted food. Hate is a strong word...and that's why I'm using it. Wasted food makes me cringe. So it was very difficult for me to throw out full loaves of bread...or even 5-10 pieces that didn't get used. So what is one to do with a ton of leftover bread?

MAKE CROUTONS!

That's right, I repurpose the bread. So...here's what I do:

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EASY CROUTONS

Ingredients:
~ slightly stale sliced bread - not moldy
~ cooking spray
~ seasonings of choice:
(Italian seasonings; salt & pepper; Scarborough Fair - aka Simon & Garfunkel: parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme; cinnamon & sugar; etc.)

Directions:

* Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

* Cut the slightly stale bread slices into 16 cubes, each; you can remove crusts first, if preferred

* liberally spray jelly roll pan/lipped cookie sheet with cooking spray

* place bread cubes in a single layer on the cooking sheet

* take cooking spray & spray the tops of the bread cube layer

* sprinkle with seasoning (blend) of choice evenly over the sprayed bread cubes

* place in oven for about 10 minutes until golden brown

* remove from oven & allow to set for 2-5 minutes, and then turn over all croutons for a couple more minutes before removing from baking sheet

* you store the croutons in an airtight container at this point

OR

* place croutons in a large bowl for 8-14 hours to air dry for crunchier croutons

* be sure to store in an airtight container for about 1-2 weeks

~~ If Italian Butter is the variety of choice, use THIS RECIPE HERE, minus the cheese and substitute the actual olive oil for olive oil cooking spray in the technique listed above.

Now ready to serve in soups, salads or whatever you want or need to use them for!

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My youngest is a big fan of croutons and gets super excited when he sees I'm making some! The rest of the family really likes them, too.

ENJOY!

Rudolph Nose Candy

This past Christmas, since my family decided to indulge in more holiday treats of their choice, I decided to dive into making some of the treats any given family member selected...and then some!

I found a recipe for a very simple candy to make: Reindeer Noses. This past year was the 1st time I'd ever heard of or seen them...but they seemed to be everywhere! And since the seemed so easy, I thought of adding them to my foodie repertoire.

Now I have seen several version of this. But they all involve a small pretzel base (preferably round), a small milk chocolate candy (I've seen Hershey Kisses/Hugs & Rolos used), and then a topper of sorts - like a single M&M, a candy corn or pecan. I have seen them used & posted for all kinds of holidays, too...

But this time...I wanted to make the Christmas ones! But I ran into a couple of problems when I went shopping for ingredients:

1. I couldn't find the holiday M&M's. I really wanted a lot of red.
2. I couldn't get a hold of any round pretzels.

*sigh*

So I had to make due...and had to get my brainy-brain working quickly.

After some quick thinking...here's what I came up with:

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RUDOLPH NOSE CANDY

Ingredients:

~ small pretzels
~ 1 bag of Rolos
~ maraschino cherries, halved

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Either coat cookie sheet (preferably one with a lip around the edges) with cooking spray OR cover cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Cover the cookie sheet with a single layer of small pretzels.

Set a Rolo on top of each pretzel.

Place in the oven for about 3-5 minutes.

While the Rolos are still warm & squishy, quickly place a cherry half on top of each Rolo & smash it down.

Let the candy set for about 10 minutes to cool & set up.

Carefully remove each "nose" candy from the baking sheet & place on a serving plate or platter.

Store in a air-tight container.

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These are so easy! Even the kiddos can help you make them!

Plus...this version of the candy is sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy, chocolaty, fruity...and so darn adorable! My family could not stop eating these! They went very quickly. Even after 2 or 3 batches...they didn't last very long at all.

For some different options, you could use about any variety of Hershey's Kisses or Hugs, Reece's mini peanut butter cups, or a Dove Promises variety.

As for how long to store them for...I don't know. They didn't last long enough for me to figure it out!

ENJOY!

Quick Cilantro Lime Black Bean & Corn Salsa

OK...after having put out there a recipe for Taco Mac (recipe HERE) in time for Cinco de Mayo, that looks like a big cop out. As I was just giving another variation for families, we really are planning a Cinco de Mayo fiesta!

Now then, I wanted to make sure we had Cilantro Lime something...cuz...YUM! And we won't have enough room to make the Cilantro Lime Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Tea (recipe HERE). Bummer. Instead, I decided to make a salsa. Some of the stuff I had on hand, and it's really cheap to make!

Now then, I know fresh everything is better, but sometimes it doesn't always go that way. And I was looking into a lot of different salsa recipes to see what I could throw together. So here's what I ended up doing with some things on hand:

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QUICK CILANTRO LIME BLACK BEAN & CORN SALSA

Ingredients:

~ 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
~ 1 small can whole kernel corn, drained
~ 1 can Southwestern seasoned white corn, drained
~ 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes (I had a garlic version on hand)
~ 1 can cilantro lime Ro-Tel
~ 2 C diced bell pepper (I had frozen strips on hand)
~ 1/4 C cilantro
~ 1/4 C lime juice
~ 2 T parsley
~ 1 T chives
~ 1 T extra virgin olive oil
~ salt &/or black pepper, to taste


Directions:

In a large bowl, place all the ingredients & mix together

Serve or place in refrigerator until ready to use

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Like I said, I had a lot of this stuff on hand already. Something you can make in a bind...just throw things in. You can add diced onion if you have it, too. If you have fresh ingredients...even better. Just note that I used dried cilantro, parsley & chives; I also used bottled lime juice. If you have fresh-squeezed lime & fresh herbs & veggies...that's a bonus!

Sometimes, you just gotta use what you have in the pantry. Can't wait to serve my salsa at our buffet fiesta!

ENJOY!

Taco Mac

OK, with Cinco de Mayo right here upon us, I thought I'd give another quick & easy recipe that our family loves to eat on a "Taco Tuesday" rotating menu schedule.

Of course, we enjoy tacos...and then we add nachos to the mix, too. I'll show you how I do my taco/nacho meat in this recipe...so give me a moment. We also have grilled Mexican chicken in the mix. The chicken is my hubby's deal.

We were getting the Hamburger Helper version of Taco Mac for a little while...but my hubby had faith in me that I could just make it on my own. Isn't that sweet of him? He's started having faith in my cooking! That's a big deal since he did all the cooking for years.

So, here's what I have done for my quick, cheap & easy dish that even my kiddos love:

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TACO MAC

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
3 heaping T minced onion
1 envelope taco seasoning (I use McCormick's Original)
1/4 C salsa or picante sauce (I like using Pace picante)
1/2 C water
1 box mac and cheese (we use Kraft's whole grain variety) *to package directions
1/4 C shredded cheese

Directions:
~ in a skillet, brown ground beef & minced onion; drain & rinse

~ place back into the skillet, add salsa/picante sauce, water, taco seasoning (this is my taco/nacho meat)
~ add the cheese sauce ingredients (from mac & cheese & box directions), and shredded cheese to skillet

~ as the meat mixture simmers, make the macaroni in a pot until tender & al dente, drain (DO NOT RINSE)

~ mix the macaroni & meat mixture together

~ serve

Yield: about 4

Notes: 
* Once in a while, I like making tortilla bowls to serve the taco mac in (as pictured, above); I got a Perfect Tortilla set, and love it! Or you can certainly serve the Taco Mac with tortilla chips, too.

* You can make your own mac & cheese recipe if you don't want to use a box version. My kids don't like the homemade stuff...cuz they're weird. It's also really cheap to just pick that stuff up from the store. But if you make your own, you can certainly decide which noodles to use!

* I double the recipe above. This feeds all of our mouths, and gives us some leftovers...sometimes.

* This can be topped with lettuce, tomato, onion &/or sour cream, too.

* Just for a fun & more grown up kick...add some cilantro &/or lime to the mix. YUM! (or even a tequila shot...whatever)

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Now then, I want to apologize to my Mexican friends who are cringing that I would put this down for Cinco de Mayo. It's all extra cheesy & Americanized. I realize this. But Americans use about any excuse to pretend to be cultured for the sole purpose of partying & drinking.

But if this doesn't set well with you for Cinco de Mayo or Dios de los Muertos (aka - Day of the Dead) or even the actual Mexican Independence Day on September 27th, you can always try the Cilantro Lime Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Tea (click HERE for recipe) instead! You can always have the Taco Mac any time! Well...the soup, too.

However, you could certainly enjoy a Spicy Mexi-Mocha (Mexi-Coco) (click HERE for recipe). That's based on more authenticity.

Even though this dish probably won't be a part of our Cinco de Mayo fiesta...this one is super kid friendly, and is a regular part of our dinner menu a couple once or twice a month.

ENJOY!

Spicy Mexi-Mocha (Mexi-Cocoa)

I love me my coffee. I love me some chocolate. I love me some Mexican food...Americanized or not. And I started diving into researching some Mexican culture when I was totally drawn into the Day of the Dead celebrations.

It was terribly exciting for me to find out that hot chocolate was go-to beverage in Mexico! So I came across a lot of different recipes for coffee & hot chocolate. I love me a good mocha...and I tend to cheat a mocha often. I will add an envelope of hot chocolate to my coffee. And it suffices. Perfect? No...but it is easy & I will drink it!

After I found these different recipes, I came up with my own easy & spicy Mexi-mocha concoction & would like to share it with you...

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SPICY MEXI-MOCHA

Ingredients:

1 C brewed coffee
1/4 C milk
1 envelope hot chocolate mix
1 T vanilla extract
2 T brown sugar
1 t ground cardamom
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t ground cloves
pinch ground cayenne pepper
pinch chili powder
2 T honey
1 T granulated sugar

Directions:

* Once brewed, pour about a cup of coffee into a large mug.
* Place the contents of the hot chocolate into the coffee, then stir to dissolve.
* Add the milk, and stir.
* Add all the other ingredients, stir very well.

Top with a dollop of whipped topping & maybe sprinkle some cocoa or cinnamon for garnish. (the above picture has whipped topping & a sugar/cocoa/coffee bean mix from a grinder)

Serve.

** Makes 1 serving

NOTES: If you want an iced version, make sure the brewed coffee is chilled first, dissolve the hot chocolate mix in hot milk, and be sure to add plenty of ice and enjoy it from a larger glass!

If you want to leave out the coffee & make it the MEXI-COCOA, replace the coffee with boiling water or hot milk. BAM! Spicy Mexi-Cocoa!

A small splash of orange extract/flavoring or a tablespoon of orange juice gives a nice twist to this drink, too...hot or cold! You can also add some ground anise seed or a small splash of it's extract for a little more licorice...if that's your preference.

You can also put all of this (minus whipped topping) into a jar or bowl with a lid, shake it up & then strain into a mug or glass if you don't want the seasoning sediment. Then you can add the whipped topping...

Once in a while...if I have it on hand...I really love adding a square of Lindt Chili Dark Chocolate & allow it to melt in there, too. Seriously! YUM!! (like I did just this morning)

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See? Just in time for Cinco de Mayo! Or the actual Mexican Independence Day on September 16th...or on Day of the Dead on November 1st-2nd.

Oh...and I like to make this from time-to-time...just because. It's that yummy!

ENJOY!