White Chocolate Latte

A special treat for that very special person in your life.......YOU! This is a recipe for White Chocloate Latte that you will adore, especially if you enjoy white chocolate. It only take a few minutes prep time and the taste is sensational. So grab your quilt and your favorite book, and get ready to sit in your comfy easy chair or on the sofa to enjoy your latte. Don't you just love the latte mug set in the above photo? Here is the recipe!

2 cups milk

1 cup half-and-half

2/3 cup white chocolate chips

2 tablespoons instant coffee granules or expresso

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

whipped cream

cinnamon sticks

In a saucepan, stir together the first 4 ingredients over low heat until white chocolate melts. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts; pour mixture into 4 mugs. Top with whipped cream and garnish with cinnamon sticks.

Join the world of Latte Lovers and Latte Artists.

Here are some excellent links.

Wikipedia: Caffè Latte

Latte Art

How To Make Latte Art

Video: Latte Art

Latte Art 101

World Of Latte Gallery

Latte Art Photo Album

Chocolate Hazel-Nut Ravioli

Photo By echoleigh

Chocolate-Hazelnut Ravioli

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Show: Everyday Italian

Episode: I Love Chocolate

Ingredients:

16 wonton wrappers

1 egg, beaten to blend

1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)

Vegetable oil, for frying

16 fresh mint leaves

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Granulated sugar, for dredging

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Place 1 wonton wrapper on the work surface. Brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with egg. Spoon 1 tablespoon of chocolate-hazelnut spread into the center of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper diagonally in half over the filling and press the edges of the wrapper to seal. Place the ravioli on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers, egg, and chocolate-hazelnut spread. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Add enough oil to a heavy large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350 degrees F.
Working in batches, carefully add the ravioli to the hot oil and cook until they are golden brown, about 45 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Then, transfer the cooked ravioli to another baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while frying the remaining ravioli. (The fried ravioli can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool them completely, then cover and refrigerate. Before serving, place them on a baking sheet and rewarm in a preheated 375 degrees F oven just until they are heated through, about 7 minutes.)
Spray the top side of the mint leaves very lightly with nonstick spray. Working with 1 leaf at a time, dredge the coated side of the leaves in sugar to coat lightly.
Arrange 2 fried ravioli on each plate. Dust the ravioli with powdered sugar. Garnish with the sugared mint leaves and serve.

The Leftover Queen

Whether you are seeking ways to serve up some rather ordinary leftovers and turning them into a visual feast for the eyes and the soul, or looking for some other mouth-watering recipes to reward you long overdue palate, then look no further and take some special time to visit

The Left Over Queen

Jenn's brilliant Blog is chocked full of all kinds of wonderful delights including a Pantry and Herb Garden with some superb and very selective information for every individual who enjoys spending time in the kitchen. I especially enjoy having the convenience of a Food Safety Section available on Jenn's Blog....it is so perfect if you would like to know more about food handling and storage. Jenn also has a wonderful Forum available on her Blog....a great way to communicate with other Food and Culinary Bloggers and to share our love of cooking. Best of all is Jenn's absolutely fantastic Foodie Blog Roll. What a great way to have just heaps of other Food Blogs available at your fingertips. With Jenn's permission I have added it to my own Blog here for easy access to so many other Blogs. You can find it in my right hand sidebar, and you can contact Jenn on her Blog if you wish to add it to your Food Blog too. It is an excellent blogging tool for all food bloggers.

Thanks so very much for inviting me to your Foodie Blog Roll Jenn!

A Reese's Moment

Even a squirrel knows that a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup can't be resisted. Well I love them also but unfortunately they are not available here in New Zealand as far as I can find. I already have a food wish list made up for the next time I go back to visit my family in New York, and a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup is on top of the list next to a huge bag of Cheese Doodles, a New York Pepperoni Pizza, a bottle of Black Cherry Soda, a New York Bagel and my list goes on.

Well yesterday I found a yummy looking recipe for homemade Peanut Butter Cups and I just have to make them soon. I also searched the Internet and found heaps of recipes using Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, so once I become proficient with the following recipe I will have to start trying some of the other recipes I Googled!

Here is the recipe!

Reese's Peanut Butter Bars

Yield: 10-12 servings

2 sticks (1 cup) margarine melted

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

12 oz milk chocolate (chocolate chips or chocolate bar works good)

Line a 9x13" pan with parchment or wax paper.
Mix 2 sticks of butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and graham cracker crumbs. Spread mixture on the bottom of the pan.
Melt chocolate and spread over mixture in pan. Let set in a cool place. Remove from pan and cut into desired shapes.

Melting Chocolate:

You can melt the chocolate either in the microwave or in a double boiler.

In a Microwave Oven

Place coarsely chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe container and microwave at MEDIUM (50 percent power) for 1 1/2 to 4 minutes, until the chocolate turns shiny. Remove the container from the microwave and stir the chocolate until completely melted. Stir milk and white chocolates after about 1 1/2 minutes. Because of their milk proteins, they need to be stirred sooner than dark chocolate. (If overheated, these chocolates may become grainy.)

In a Double Boiler

Place coarsely chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water. Melt the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove the top part of the double boiler from the bottom.

Reeses Official Web Site

Information About Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

Chocolate Muffins With Hot Chocolate Custard

I have always been a great fan of muffins and usually resort to making my standard cranberry-orange muffins whenever I have the opportunity as they are my very favorite, but I have been longing to try this recipe I found from the May 2007 issue of Good Food Magazine for Chocolate Muffins With Hot Chocolate Custard. A very simple recipe for a dessert that will surely delight.

For The Muffins:

100g self-raising flour

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

50g golden caster sugar

100ml skimmed milk

1 egg

2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing

For The Hot Chocolate Custard:

2 x 150g pots low-fat custard

25g dark chocolate, chopped

Heat oven to 170C/fan 150C/gas 5. Brush 6 holes of a muffin tin with a drop of oil. Sieve the cocoa into a large bowl, then add the rest of the dry ingredients. Stir to combine, then make a well in the centre. Beat the milk, egg and oil together in a jug, pour into the well, then stir quickly to make a batter. Spoon into the muffin tin, then bake for 15 mins or until risen and firm to the touch. Heat the custard in the microwave according to instructions, or in a pan, then tip in the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth. Turn the puddings into bowls and pour the custard over.