Balsamic Chocolate Truffles
adapted (just barely) from Krissy’s Creations

Place the chopped chocolate and heavy cream in a medium bowl.  Place the bowl over a pot of lightly simmering water and melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. I had a really hard time with this, but eventually it worked! Pour the melted chocolate into a small, shallow bowl, and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Transfer the bowl of chocolate to the refrigerator to cool until it has hardened, about 1 hour.  Remove the chocolate from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature until it is easily moldable. Place the cocoa powder in a small bowl.  Using a cookie scoop, scoop rounds of the chocolate into the palm of your hands.  Roll the chocolate into a round ball.  Place the chocolate ball into the cocoa powder and roll it around to completely coat it.  Repeat with the remaining chocolate. These truffles keep best in a sealed container in a cool area.  If left at room temperature, the truffles could soften.  You can also keep them in the refrigerator and then allow them to sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving. Krissy got this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis on Food Network.

These truffles were amazing! I was a little bummed that I could not taste the balsamic that much, so I might add more next time. I want to make more truffles, any other flavor suggestions?

Most weeks, we like to write posts ahead of time to keep ourselves sane and make sure our posts have had a second set of eyes look over them. This week hasn’t been one of those weeks for me. I waited until the last minute to get to my “sip” for our sips and sweets month of recipes. I had it all planned out, though. I was to make the hot chocolate shot I pinned a while back.

Let me paint a picture of my Wednesday night: I just got home from a long shopping trip that was mildly successful. I needed that shot ASAP. Even if it was just a Wednesday night. So I pulled together the ingredients and got to work, singing this (shots shots shots shots!).

Then I hit a snag with the ingredients. Butter, check. Ice cream, check. Chocolate, check. Where was the alcohol that I so desperately needed wanted? Scroll down the blog page — nothing. Then I scrolled up. I was reading a family food blog. (Que a DJ scratch, “Shots” song has been replaced with dead silence and me with a stank face.) This blog apparently thought it normal to put little bits of hot chocolate into shot glasses to serve to … children? I can see how an unknowing person might think little glasses are for little people, as in kids. As a child, my dad collected shot glasses and honest to goodness, I had no idea they were for alcohol. More like a Big Gulp for Barbie. But the majority of the population would agree that if you call something a shot, put it in a shot glass — it should have some alcohol in it.

Anyway, I’m using humor to mask my disappointment at my failed recipe and my failure to not adequately plan ahead. This recipe isn’t bad necessarily, but it wasn’t what I wanted to make. Next time, I’d probably just do a mix of Kahlua, vodka, cocoa powder and whipped cream.

Mocha Hot Shot
adapted from hot chocolate shot

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup java chip ice cream
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 2 oz. vodka
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

On low heat, melt butter, ice cream, brown sugar, cocoa powder and instant espresso powder in a small saucepan and whisk until smooth. Add water — may need more or less depending on desired consistency — and vodka and whisk until smooth again. Melt chocolate ships in small shallow bowl and coat shot glass rim evenly. Pour mixture into the garnished shot glass. Makes 2-3 shots. Bottom’s up.

• Ho Ho Home Movie Magic: The Foster family decided to skip Christmas cards and make videos each year instead. This has to be one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen. I just love the idea! Although I can only imagine how much time and effort went in to creating this. Found via Making it Lovely.
  
  Jingle Bells – Christmas Video Greeting 2011 from Jared Foster on Vimeo.
• This car is famous! Have you ever heard of Down East Basics? It’s a cute clothing store (with no locations near me, unfortunately) that recently asked my dad if they could use his classic woodie car for their catalog photo shoot. The catalog turned out so cute and I love the vintage outdoorsy style that they chose.
• Santa’s Sweet Tooth: Did you all leave out cookies for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph? I actually still do. This year I may up the ante and give him a Santa brownie that really shows my appreciation.
  
• Bocce in the Dark: Have you played bocce ball before? It’s been called Italian bowling and it can be played on the grass or on a court. Fun fact: I play in a league in the spring and summer. It’s casual competition and a whole lot of fun. This glow in the dark bocce set would be so fun to play in the warm summer evenings. If only we had a yard… Found via Cup of Jo.

Alrighty, I’m back to working on some more Christmas decorations and getting annoyed by the “car as a gift” commercials. I just don’t get them. Uh, hello, if he buys you a car, it’s most likely coming out of your pocket! I digress…

I actually kicked their recipe up a notch by dipping the cooled meringues into melted Andes mint chocolate candies (and when those ran out, I used dark chocolate and mint chips).

Chocolate Dipped Star Mint Meringues
via Better Homes & Gardens

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine egg whites, cream of tartar, peppermint extract, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

With a clean small paintbrush, brush stripes of red paste food coloring on the inside of a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch open star tip. [Note: Make sure that you use a pastry bag or a Ziploc. I started with a parchment triangle and it DOES NOT WORK! Take my word for it.] Carefully transfer meringue into the bag. Pipe 2-inch stars 1 inch apart onto prepared cookie sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1-1/2 hours or until meringues appear dry and are firm when lightly touched. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Meanwhile, prep for chocolate dipping by lining two cookies sheets with wax paper.

Once cool, melt Andes Mints or chips until smooth. I melted them in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring often. Dip each merirngue into the chocolate and set onto the wax paper to dry. You can keep these at room temperature for three days, or frozen for up to three months.

These are great when paired with a delectable Cafe Godiva (recipe next week)!

I brought these to our family Christmas party on Sunday, and unbeknowst to me, I was continuing in a long line of meringue makers in Matthew’s family. I was glad to carry on the tradition, even if I just learned about it! Have you ever made them? Any tips to share?

My cookies didn’t turn out nearly as cute as Dana’s, so be sure to head on over to see how amazing they can truly be.

Double Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Cookies
By Dana Made It

1/2 Cup (1 stick) Butter
1/2 Cup Vegetable Shortening
3/4 cups White Sugar
3/4 cups Brown Sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
2 cups Flour
3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Salt
2cups choc chips
1 1/2 cup pomegranate arils

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixer, cream together butter, shortening, sugars, vanilla and eggs. Beat on medium-high for three minutes. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Combine it with the butter mixture and mix till everything is incorporated. Add the pomegranate arils and chocolate chips. A few seeds may burst while mixing but that’s fine.

Scoop the dough into 15 small balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes (10 mins was perfect in my oven). And you have tasty rich cookies! Makes 2-3 dozen.

Enjoy!

This is Ashley and me at Foodbuzz enjoying some gin. We’re both gin fans, by the way, she more than I though.

It all started out with a BART ride into the city. While not the most glamorous mode of transportation — very much the opposite, in fact — it is more fun when you try to get artsy, err, BARTSY photos with Instagram. I’m a little bummed that we forgot to take pictures of us fist pumping. Next time, for sure.

I’m not a huge coffee fan, but after all the raving over Blue Bottle I decided to have some. The verdict? My cappuccino was great,  I’m not sure that I am enough of an expert to say if it was better than something else. Maybe I should have ordered my usual mocha to pass judgement. Again, next time.

You can’t go wrong with a breakfast sando, which was fried egg, bacon and cheese on an awesome roll. The view wasn’t shabby, either.

As we meandered through the farmers market, we found these flavored sugars. I remembered these from the last time I went. So interesting! I liked the lemon verbana flavor the best.

We were glad to stumble upon the Frog Hollow Farm stand to find their amazing pears. Sure, they’re stinkin’ expensive, but when in Rome…

Have you heard of a meat cone? You know, different meats in a snack-sized cone? Well, now you do. Didn’t eat these myself and don’t think I really want to.

This contraption stopped us — and a few other gals — dead in our tracks. This guy had a half of a huge wheel of cheese and held it under a heater, where it would get nice and bubbly. He then scraped it off with a knife onto some toast. A-maz-ing. I need one of these at home.

I was excited to stop by Miette for some macarons, since they’re famous now and Ashley and I didn’t get any macarons at Foodbuzz (not that I’m bitter … OK I totally am). The hazelnut flavor was just OK, the chocolate lavendar was far superior. Yet, these were really chewy. Aren’t macarons supposed to be light and airy, and a bit more crunchy? Jillian definitely wins this battle of adorable French confections, in both the flavor fun and overall quality categories.

And, just for fun, I found what a I want for Christmas:

Ignore my apparent buckteeth…

I had so much fun and can’t wait to go back! What did you all do this weekend?

Autumn Leaf Cupcakes
via Betty Crocker

• 1 box Devil’s Food Cake mix, prepared with the water, vegetable oil (or applesauce) and eggs as described on box
• 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips, Melted
• 1/2 cup Butterscotch Chips, Melted
• 1 container Chocolate Frosting

Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake cupcakes as described on box. Use cute fall colored baking cups. Once baked, cool for 10 minutes in the pans and then completely on cooling racks (about 30 minutes).

While those bad boys are baking, mark an eight inch square on wax paper. Place spoonfuls of the chocolate and butterscotch on waxed paper. Try to alternate, so you can swirl together with a spatula for a marbled effect. You can spread it almost to the eight inch square. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, until firm.

Remove from refrigerator and let stand for about five minutes, just long enough to get a little soft. Use small leaf and acorn cookie cutters to make cutouts. I found the leaves would stay in the middle of the chocolate, once cut. Use a small knife to remove the excess chocolate and then transfer the leaves onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate another five minutes or so, to make sure they are firm.

Frost cupcakes and garnish with cutouts. Serve and enjoy! Try not to eat too many in ones sitting!

Major note: Use chocolate chips, not candy melts. Candy melts are softer and will not harden enough. Your “leaves” will not come out of the cookie cutters in one piece and I can almost guarantee anger in your kitchen. That and having to remake your leaves with actual chips. Not like I’m speaking from experience or anything.

I am pretty happy with the results, except for a minor issue – the second picture is actually of cookie dough! The pin said fudge, and linked to a recipe, but it was actually cookies that were so thick!

This funfetti fudge was easy to make (only 5 ingredients) and looks gorgeous!  My sprinkles are bigger than hers, but I am totally okay with that!

The second batch was candy corn fudge, the one where the thinness of the fudge really made a difference…

You can see how TINY the little candy corns are. They are maybe one inch tall, and I expected them to be one and a half or two. After cutting two rows of “candy corns,” I realized that it was too much effort, not what I wanted, and much easier to just cut squares.

The bright colors are fun, though!

Thanks to Katie, Sherry, Ana, and Erin for hosting this fabulously fun time! And yes, our fudge was tasty. And yes, I did pass the cold on to my hubby who is now out cold on the couch!

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

• 4 Eggs, beaten (or Egg Beaters, to be safe)
• 2 cups Sugar
• 6 2/3 cups Evaporated Milk (4 – 13 ounce cans)
• 1 1/2 cups grated Milk Chocolate (or mini chocolate chips)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Peppermint extract
• Green Food Coloring

Gradually add sugar to the eggs.  I suggest using a stand mixer because you need to beat until stiff.  If you have three kids wanting to work on something, just let them use an electric mixer and switch off holding it!  Once stiff add milk, chocolate, extract, and food coloring.  Pour into ice cream maker and freeze.  You can add the chips about halfway through.  I actually used a mixture of mint and chocolate chips and chopped them up.  Very good!  Also, make sure to use peppermint extract and not mint.  The mint extract is more spearmint and gives your ice cream a weird taste (but I am totally still eating mine that was made with the mint extract, so it’s not that bad)!

One taste of this ice cream and I am right back nannying those three sweet kiddos!  Are there any foods that can bring back a summer memory like that for you?

Irish Cream Ice Cream

• 2 cups Whipping Cream
• 2 cups Half and Half
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup Bailey’s (you can easily make your own if you don’t have any in your cupboards)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. It took a little over an hour in mine.  I usually leave it in the freezer for awhile before serving, this keeps it from being too runny!

What other ice cream flavors do you want to see?  Are you looking forward to the rest of Abundant Crop: Ice Cream?