Warm Up with a Decadent Cup of White Hot Chocolate

February 22, 2015 (Sunday)

Creamy and Decadent White Hot Chocolate!

It's been unusually cold all across the country this past week, so I thought I'd share a delicious recipe that is sure to warm you up and drag you out of the winter doldrums.

Everyone loves a great cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter day, but for those who don't like chocolate (yes, these people do exist) or who are looking for something a little more upscale, white hot chocolate is the perfect solution.

While this is definitely a treat that will warm even the most die-hard chocolate connoisseur, you can be sure that everyone from the kids to grandma will love it. A piece of biscotti on the side and you have a sure-fire way to melt away the winter blues.

Rich and Creamy White Hot Chocolate

Makes enough for 2 to 3 cups


Ingredients

1/2 cup white chocolate chips (make it a quality brand)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups half-and-half
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• In a medium size saucepan, add white chocolate chips and heavy cream. Warm slowly over low heat until the chocolate melts. Be sure to keep the heat low, white chocolate can easily seize up or burn if it gets too hot.
• Stir in the half-and-half and vanilla and warm until heated.
• Top with whipped cream.
• Serve immediately.

I hope you have a relaxing and happy Sunday. Stay warm!

Debbie

Convert Those Recipes Easily with a Convenient Kitchen Conversion Chart

Have you ever wondered how to convert a quarter of a cup of sugar into tablespoons? Maybe you're trying to increase or reduce a recipe and you don't want to worry about the guesswork. Here's a convenient chart that will give you the conversions you need to adapt any recipe.

Hope this helps!

Debbie

Raspberry Lemonade Punch

February 13, 2015 (Friday)


Are you planning something special for Valentine's Day? Thankfully, it falls on a weekend this year and I'll have more time to spend with the kids. We'll make some treats, enjoy some time together and sip our favorite holiday drink - Raspberry Lemonade Punch!

This punch is so easy to make that even the kids will be able to do it. Of course, it looks great as the bubbles form a fun pink froth on the top and the flavor is wonderful. I'm sure this is something your entire family will enjoy.





Ingredients:

1 -12 oz can frozen pink lemonade concentrate (I like to use the raspberry-lemonade concentrate)
4 cups raspberry sherbet
12 oz. Sprite, 7-Up or other lemon-lime soda

Directions:
Make the lemonade according to the directions on the container. Mine called for 36 ounces of water. Place 2 cups of lemonade and 2 cups of raspberry sherbet in the container of your blender. Blend for only a few seconds to combine the ingredients. If you have a larger blender, you could use 4 cups of the lemonade and all 4 cups of the sherbet, but it was too much for my blender.

Pour the lemonade - sherbet mixture into a clear glass and top with some of the lemon lime soda.

It makes a very pretty presentation and the flavor is incredible!

I'm hoping to find the time to make some Sweetheart Cupcakes for tomorrow. They're the perfect treat for Valentine's Day. They are pretty, pink and filled with a scrumptious cream filling ... what's not to like?! If I get a chance to make them I'll take some pictures and post them later.

Try this easy Raspberry Lemonade Punch and let me know what you think!

Debbie

Valentine's Day Robots

Are you looking for a fun craft idea for the kids? My girls made these to give to their friends on Valentine's Day. They used white duck tape for the eyes and got pretty creative with the expressions. You could use googly eyes, but we didn't have any on hand. The mouth is drawn with a red sharpie.

They chose Reese's Peanut Butter hearts for the front, but if you have someone who is allergic to nuts, you can easily find chocolate hearts without the peanut butter.

The Valentine's Day Robots were assembled with a hot glue gun. It only takes a small dab of hot glue to attach the arms and we found it works best if you glue the arms pointing upwards, then when you turn your juice box around, the arms hang a little away from the body.

Here the girls used pudding cups, but you could easily substitute applesauce for a healthier version. If you're giving these as class treats, you might want to attach a wrapped plastic spoon to the back of the robot.

Have fun!

Debbie

Strawberry Jell-O Parfait

Strawberry Jell-O Parfait

Here's a great idea for a Valentine's Day Treat

This is an easy dessert that looks very impressive, but it takes only minutes to prepare. You can even use sugar-free Jell-O and fat-free Cool Whip to make a light and refreshing treat that is easy on your waistline.

Of course, this recipe uses strawberry Jello, but you could just as easily substitute other colors for your holiday themes. Red and blue for the 4th of July or Memorial Day. Green for St. Patrick's Day and red for Valentine's Day or Christmas.

With such an elegant presentation and no fuss preparation, you can make this for any day of the week. Have fun and experiment with your favorite flavors.


INGREDIENTS
1 - 3-oz package strawberry flavor Jell-O brand gelatin
2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup thawed Cool Whip whipped topping
strawberries for garnish, optional


DIRECTIONS
Prepare gelatin according to the directions on the package. Chill until it is just starting to thicken. Set aside 2/3 cup of the Jell-O. Add sliced strawberries to remaining gelatin; then carefully spoon into 4 to 5 glasses. Place the glasses at an angle in a pan (I used a couple of loaf pans). Chill glasses until the jello is set.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl fold whipped topping into the 2/3 cup of gelatin that was set aside. Spoon topping mixture into the glasses of jello. Chill. Garnish with a little whipped cream and strawberry slices.

Hope you enjoy!

Debbie

Yummy Breakfast Pizza

Breakfast pizza is always a crowd pleaser and is an easy breakfast to get on the table. It's so simple to make and you can vary the ingredients to suit the likes of your family.

It's warm, filling and can even be taken on the run during one of those hectic mornings where nobody has time to sit down for a leisurely breakfast.


Here I've made a classic hash brown and sausage pizza and topped it with shredded cheddar cheese and egg. Absolutely delicious!

Another variation that my family loves is to use bacon instead of the sausage and a combination of cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Of course, the possibilities are endless. I have some kids who won't eat onions, so I usually saute up a little onion and put it on only one of the breakfast pizzas. You can also saute some peppers, add mushrooms or even make the entire pizza vegetarian. I love those recipes where I have so much flexibility!

If you plan ahead, you can even make an extra breakfast pizza for the freezer. Once the pizza has cooled, slice it and wrap individual slices in foil. Freeze. You'll have a fast breakfast that even the kids can quickly warm up in the microwave. Take it on the run or relax on a lazy weekend morning.

Ingredients

1 lb bulk pork sausage

1 cup frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

Mushrooms, peppers, onions, olives, etc., optional

1 cup shredded Cheddar or Mozzarella cheese

5 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dash of pepper

Pizza Crust

1 packet active dry yeast

1 cup very warm water

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2-1/2 cups flour

Pizza Crust Dough:

Warm water to approximately 105 - 115˚ F (should feel very warm, but not hot). Place water in a large bowl and stir in the yeast until it dissolves. Mix in the sugar, salt, oil and flour. Beat vigorously for about 20 strokes. Add a bit more flour if the dough seems too sticky. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for about 5 minutes.

While the dough is resting, brown the sausage in a heavy skillet. Crumble and cook until the sausage is browned; drain.

Saute onions, mushrooms, peppers, if using. Set aside.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs. Whisk in milk, salt and pepper.

You're now ready to assemble your breakfast pizza!

Lightly grease a large pizza pan or cookie sheet.

Spread dough evenly onto pan, making a slight lip around the edge. Remember, you're going to be pouring on the whisked eggs, so you want to create an edge that will hold in the liquid.

Spoon the sausage over the crust. Add onions and other toppings of your choice. Carefully pour egg mixture over the pizza. Layer on hash browns and finish with a layer of grated cheese over the top. Your pizza is ready for the oven!

Bake in preheated oven, 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve hot.

*I use a large pizza pan and get 8 generous slices.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Please let me know if you have any favorite combinations!

Debbie

Smooth, creamy and so delicious!

It's Monday morning, the start of another busy week. Fortunately, my kids aren't big on a huge breakfast when they first wake up. Saturday's and Sunday's are when we typically make more elaborate breakfast fare, like roasted potatoes, eggs and homemade fluffy waffles topped with pure maple syrup. Yum!

Of course, that doesn't mean I don't want my kids to start their day with something delicious and nutritious. A popular option around here is yogurt. Top it with fresh fruit, honey and wheat germ, Muesli, granola or just eat it plain, it's always delicious.

It seems like the price of yogurt has been steadily climbing, even when it's on sale, those little yogurt cups can add up. I guess that's the cost of multiplying everything times 5! Anyway, in an effort to save money and ensure we have fresh yogurt without all the added sugar and artificial colors, I started making my own yogurt several years ago. You won't believe how incredibly simple it is to make and you can easily experiment with different flavors as well as different types of milk. Whether you use rice milk, almond milk, whole milk, 2% milk or soy milk, the end result is always delicious.

I usually make plain yogurt with no sweetener as well as vanilla (for the kids). For the vanilla yogurt, choose a good quality pure vanilla extract and the sweetener of your choice. You can use sugar, stevia, honey ... whatever you like.

You're going to need a yogurt starter for your first batch, but after you've made your own, simply hold back a few tablespoons of your homemade yogurt to use in your next batch. You can buy yogurt starters online or you can simply purchase a good quality plain yogurt at the grocery store. Be sure to read the label and choose a brand that has active yogurt cultures.

There are some great yogurt makers you can buy. They come complete with jars, timer and a warming element to keep your yogurt at the right temperature, but you can also easily get by without any special equipment. I use glass jars, a heating pad, kitchen thermometer and our old camping cooler. Nothing fancy is necessary.

All you'll need to make your own homemade yogurt is a few simple tools and the following ingredients:

• milk of your choice (organic, almond, soy, whole, 2%)
• dried or powdered milk
• sugar
• honey
• yogurt culture
• pure vanilla extract

Once you've tried making your own yogurt, you'll never go back to store bought!

For the complete recipe and step-by-step directions, visit DebbieNet.com

Debbie

Sunday Morning Blueberry Pancakes

Find the recipe here

It's another beautiful morning in the Tampa Bay area and with the Sunday morning comics spread out on the floor and blueberry pancakes on the griddle, life seems pretty good in our neck of the woods.

While we have plenty of friends and family up north, we're relaxing in the beautiful sunshine that keeps us here in Florida. The sun is out and a little nip is in the air, so delicious blueberry pancakes are a perfect choice to get our day started.

We have a friend who owns a couple of blueberry farms, so every year we pick massive amounts of blueberries. We eat them fresh, dehydrate some, bake treats, make syrup, jelly and simply can and freeze some for use throughout the year. They're great in blueberry pancakes, muffins and one of our favorite summer treats -- smoothies! Well, I guess smoothies aren't a summertime treat, we eat them all year. Homemade yogurt, a little honey and delicious fruit. Simply wonderful and a healthy snack for the kids. Anyway, I digress. As I'm making breakfast, I notice we're nearing the end of our blueberry supply, so we're definitely happy that blueberry season is just around the corner!

These fluffy blueberry pancakes are quick and easy to make and the best part is, you can use fresh, frozen or even dried blueberries and they turn out perfect every time. If you choose to use frozen blueberries, you don't even have to wait for them to thaw, just pop them in frozen. This makes having frozen berries on hand extremely convenient. And, in case you didn't know, blueberries are packed with antioxidants, making them one of nature's superfoods.

Give these pancakes a try. I guarantee your family is going to love them! If you have a favorite blueberry recipe, please share it in the comments section below. We'll soon be up to our ears in blueberries and it's always great to have a new recipe to try.

Debbie

Welcome to my blog! My name is Debbie and I have been cooking and creating new recipes for more than 40 years. I have always had a keen interest in cooking and as a child I was glued to Saturday afternoon PBS broadcasts of some of the leading chef's of the day. From Julia Child and Jeff Smith to Ming Chow, Jacques Pepin and Sarah Moulton, great chef's have always fascinated me.

Of course, today, with the Food Network and the cooking channel, there is even more opportunity to expand my repertoire and glean new ideas for family favorites. Unfortunately, I'm finding that a lot of what's out there is now leaning more towards reality TV and less towards actually cooking and teaching, but it's a great way to glean new ideas and transform these ideas and recipes into dishes my family will enjoy.

I owned a catering business for several years and hosted many parties and events for family and friends, but today I primarily enjoy cooking for my 5 kids and showing them the fun and excitement of trying new dishes. Whether it's Vietnamese Pho Ga or homemade chips and cheese, we've found that cooking together is not only a great way to bond as a family, but it offers us an exceptional way to try many new things, even on a budget.

Several years ago I started a cooking website, DebbieNet.com, this is where I have posted many of our favorite recipes and will continue to update this site with even more delicious dishes on a regular basis. My girls are turning into wonderful cooks themselves and I have even dedicated a section of my site to kid-friendly selections.

One unique focus I have tried to implement into my website is an easy to follow format with detailed pictures and instructions. With step by step photos and valuable information to help you succeed, I know you'll find it easy to whip up something delicious.

Please visit me on DebbieNet.com and check out some of my family's favorite foods. If you have something you would like to see featured, don't hesitate to ask and be sure to leave feedback and let me know what you think of the recipes you try. Feedback is always appreciated and I'm always here to answer your questions

Happy Cooking!.

Debbie