Homemade Chocolate Syrup

When I think of chocolate milk, two things come to my mind.  The first is the giant container of Nestle Nesquik chocolate powder that lived in the kitchen cupboard while I was growing up.  Not only did that chocolate powder get stirred into milk, but was often sprinkled, quite liberally, on top of vanilla ice cream.  The second is the number of times (which may be countless at this point) my kiddies have talked my husband into buying them chocolate milk at the gas station or grocery store (I don't think they have to do too much talking into).  When my now nine year old was in preschool, I would drop him off at school and he would tell me to have Dad pick him up.  He was smart and knew if Dad picked him up; it meant a trip to the gas station on the way home was far more likely than if I picked him up.  

Not long ago, I came across a recipe for homemade chocolate syrup and decided to change it up a bit.  I made it healthier by using honey and agave instead of white sugar.  Whenever I can change something we are eating (or in this case drinking) for a healthier version, that my kiddies like even better than the not so good stuff, I say it’s a win all around.  This chocolate syrup makes chocolate milk that is chocolaty, not as super sweet as Nesquik, and is very easy to drink really fast with a straw, especially when it is icy cold.  Needless to say, this past week, we've been drinking a lot of chocolate milk around this house of mine.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup cold water

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup agave

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1/8 teaspoon salt (heaping)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan whisk all of the ingredients together until there are no lumps.  Bring chocolate mixture to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat and simmer until chocolate syrup has slightly thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.  Pour into a glass mason jar and let cool to room temperature; cover and refrigerate.  Stir a spoonful or two (maybe three or four) into a cup filled with milk and ice and stir vigorously.  Drink and enjoy! 

*You could use all honey instead of the 1/4 cup agave.  My honey has a stronger honey taste and I wanted to tone it down by using some agave.  I added the extra 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup for a little extra sweetness, but could easily be left out.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

This recipe for taco seasoning from Joy the Baker is so great because as long as you've got a spoon and spices, you can make your own taco seasoning in minutes.  I love that you can play around with the recipe (or spoonfuls) to make a taco seasoning that is just right for you.  I also love knowing exactly what went into my taco seasoning.  I can actually pronounce the names of everything and I like that.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

2 spoonfuls chili powder
1 spoonful ground cumin
1/2 spoonful sweet paprika
1/2 spoonful smoked paprika
1 spoonful dried oregano
1 spoonful garlic powder
1 spoonful onion powder
Half a spoonful coriander
Half a spoonful salt
Quarter to a half spoonful crushed red pepper flakes

Toss spices together.  Store in a jar.

*In the original recipe it calls for 1 spoonful of paprika instead of a 1/2 a spoonful of sweet and smoked paprika.

Recipe slightly adapted from Joy the Baker

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

I hate (that may be a strong word, but it's true) most bottled ranch dressings.  For as long as I can remember, my Mom and Grandma have used the Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch packets to make ranch dressing and so when I make ranch, that's what I have always used.  About a month ago, I decided to make my own ranch dressing (actually Guy Fieri's ranch dressing) for a loaded baked potato pizza we were having for dinner.  It was so flavorful and yummy that I may have a hard time going back to my stand by ranch packets (except for when we eat taco salad with Nalley Chili, anything else wouldn't seem right).

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4-1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons chopped chives
2 or 3 garlic cloves, grated with a microplane

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and blend well with an immersion blender (or blend all ingredients in a blender).  Blend it just enough to blend the ingredients well, but not well enough that there are no signs of any fresh herbs being in the dressing.

Recipe adapted from Guy Fieri's Buttermilk Ranch Dressing recipe

Granola-Crusted Nuts

Thank you Smitten Kitchen (I think)!  These granola crusted nuts are sooo good and sooo addicting!  I am eating them by the handfuls (and so is the rest of my little family).  I have thrown portion control (let's be truthful, I'm not that great at portion control to begin with) out the window and I may end up eating the entire pan!

Granola Crusted Nuts

3/4 cup old-fashion rolled oats

1/4 cup shredded or flaked unsweetened coconut

2 tablespoons pepitas, or another nut or seed of your choice

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg white

1 tablespoon water

2 cups walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a food processor, pulse oats, coconut, pepitas, sugar, cinnamon and salt in short burst until the mixture is very well chopped but not powdery.  In a large bowl beat egg white and water until frothy.  Add nuts to bowl and coat them very well, using a few more stirs than will seem necessary because if the egg doesn’t get into the craters of the nuts, no granola will stick there.  Pour oat mixture into bowl and very gently fold it together with nuts, so that it just barely sticks.  (Just a few folds will do, too much stirring and the granola coating will fall off the nuts.)  Spread nuts and granola on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Sprinkle any granola mix leftover in the bowl over the nuts.  

Bake for 20-25 minutes (I kept mine in closer to 25 minutes), moving nuts around just once in the baking time.  Transfer pan to cooling rack and let nuts cool completely there.  Once cool, break up any nut clusters and place mixture in container or eat.

Recipe slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen