Tag Archives: chocolate

September 18, 2015 · 2:11 am

Kristina Knight: Chocolate Strawberry Smoothies

Kristina Knight in the house! I’m so excited y’all. I’ve known Kristina since we were both debut authors in 2012. She was releasing What a Texas Girl Wants, the very first book in her Texas Wishes series, and well, I live in Texas and… Friendship! So of course Kristi showed me up by bringing something delish that’s also healthy.  Chocolate and strawberries. Make sure and scroll past the recipe to check out The Anthem Series which include her latest book Start Me Up!

Kristina

The days are getting shorter and cooler here on the North Coast, but I’m still craving one of my summer favorites: smoothies! RadioMan and I made mudslides (natch) and last week he created a Snickers Smoothie which was *so* good, but my go-to this summer has been Chocolate Strawberry. I’m not sure what happened with our local farmers, but their strawberries this year have been to die for. I’m going to be in serious withdrawal in a couple of weeks, but for now I’ve got fresh strawberries so let’s give this recipe a try!

Chocolate Strawberry Smoothies Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie Recipe

1 Cup Fresh strawberries – if you can freeze them overnight, even better, they’ll act as ice!
1 Cup 2% milk – or whatever style of milk you prefer
1/2 packet Carnation Instant Breakfast, either the milk chocolate or dark chocolate. Your preference!
2 Scoops protein shake powder – I use Pure Protein Vanilla Continue reading →

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March 27, 2015 · 12:03 am

Maggie Le Page: Life’s Uncertain. Eat Dessert First

Maggie Le Page is here today. With ice cream. And chocolate. And a motto after my own heart.

Oh, and a giveaway! Make sure to comment below to enter and don’t forget to check out her latest book, The Trouble with Dying. I’m told it has nothing to do with ice cream and chocolate, but I plan to enjoy it, nonetheless.

Maggie:

I live in New Zealand—y’know, that cute little country people think is part of Australia; where Kiwis, jandals, and rugby fanatics abound. And ice cream.

Oh, the ice cream. Creamy, delicious, one-scoop-is-never-enough, ice cream.

Summer ended here last week. I know it because my fingers and toes are suddenly cold. And suddenly we were all pining for hot chocolates instead of beer, roast dinners instead of barbecues, heat pump instead of air conditioner, puddings instead of ice cream.

Okay, maybe not the last one. Where there’s a Le Page there’s always a tub of ice cream. Summer, winter, rain or shine, you won’t go short of a bowl (or tub) of ice cream in our house—and if you do, it’s an all-out emergency.

Because when winter sets in, we add a special ‘extra’ to our bowls of ice cream: my grandma’s hot chocolate sauce. {swoons}

Grandma Maggie, after whom I was named, passed away a few years ago but her hot chocolate sauce lives on (as do the hips that come with said sauce). It’s so easy to whip up, uses everyday ingredients, and is ready to serve in less than two minutes. It suits my chaotic life perfectly.

Grandma Maggie was forever telling me, “In your mouth for a moment; on your hips for a lifetime.”

And I always responded with, “Life’s uncertain. Eat dessert first.”

Because, actually, life is uncertain. That’s what my latest release, The Trouble With Dying, is all about. And that’s what Grandma Maggie’s Hot Chocolate Sauce is all about, too. So keep reading, because today I’m giving you the opportunity to taste both!

BOOK GIVEAWAY! Maggie is giving away five free digital copies of her latest release, The Trouble With Dying, to five lucky commenters. To be in to win, answer this question:

Do you have a family recipe that’s been passed down the generations? What is it? Dare you to share!

Maggie's Homemade Chocolate Sauce

Maggie says sorry. She’s not a great photographer. That’s why she sticks to writing.

Recipe: Maggie’s Hot Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients

This is for two people – double/triple/quadruple for more people (or serious piggy factor LOL)

½ Tablespoon butter

½ Tablespoon sugar

½ Tablespoon Golden Syrup*

½ Tablespoon water

½ Dessertspoon cocoa

Few drops of vanilla essence Continue reading →

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March 6, 2015 · 12:55 am

Valentina’s Brownies with Chilies Recipe

Four days until the release of A Taste of You, and I brought you a tasty treat – Valentina’s brownie recipe!

Brownies with Chilies

Brownies with Chilies

“Did your mama help you make these?”

“Well, I started with one of her recipes,” Valentina admitted, “but I changed it. And she suggested the chocolate, but she let me make a bunch of batches one day so I could try different kinds and taste them all at once. We labeled everything and made notes.”

“What chocolate did you use?”

 “Bittersweet. I kept the wrapper so I can remember the name when we go to the store.”

 “And the peppers?”

 “Serrano. I made some with chipotle, too. Jalapeño was too hot if it wasn’t chopped really fine, and I like the little pieces of pepper.”

 “Your mother let you dice the peppers?”

“I can’t use the sharp knives unless she is with me. She has to stand with me and watch, not just be in the kitchen. Is it any good, Uncle Garrett?”

Valentina puts chopped chilies in her brownie – which is something I love. You can add chilies to almost any brownie recipe. In addition to the little kick of heat, they really enhance the chocolate flavor.  I have two go-to brownie recipes. This recipe makes a rich, fudgie brownie. Like Valentina, I usually put serrano peppers in mine and I like bittersweet chocolate.

BROWNIES with CHILIES RECIPE

Ingredients:

Continue reading →

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