Hot Cocoa

Mmmmmm. Hot cocoa. Is there anything that warms the heart and body better on a cold winter day than hot cocoa? I got this recipe off a Nestle Toll House cocoa box and saved it because it is awesome! My daughter off begs me to make this cocoa, but it's so simple she could actually do it herself.

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa (sifted)
4 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
dash of cinnamon (if desired)
whip cream or marshmallows to top

Sift cocoa and mix with sugar in medium saucepan.

Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of milk and blend to make a smooth paste.

Add remaining milk and stir/whisk until combined.

Warm over medium heat, stirring constantly until desired temperature is reached. Do not boil milk.

Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract and cinnamon if using. Top as desired, and enjoy!

Cranberry Relish

With my cranberry phase in full swing last month, I decided to offer to make the cranberry relish for Thanksgiving. I found several recipes, and decided to try this one I found for Cranberry Sauce on Pinterest with only a few minor tweaks. Even though I don't care for sweet meats or vegetables, which means there's no way in the world I'll put cranberry relish on my turkey, this sauce did taste quite delicious all on its own. The spices were very subtle, and the apple gave a nice contrast to the tangy cranberries.

2 12-ounce bags fresh cranberries
Zest and juice from two navel oranges
1 tart apple, peeled, cored and shredded
2-3 cinnamon sticks
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp dry ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp dry cardamom
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds



In a medium sauce pan, bring all ingredients to a boil.



Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until thick. Stir often.

Remove the cinnamon sticks from the mixture. Stir in pomegranate. Pour into a serving dish and refrigerate to chill, at least 4-6 hours.

Zimtsterne

While I haven't quite perfected this recipe, I've decided to go ahead and share it for one of the Soldiers I work with. His wife is always on the lookout for gluten-free recipes, and this one definitely fits the bill. The cookie reminds me of my childhood in Germany. It's an almond-based cookie that is slightly sweet with just a touch of lemon and cinnamon. The cookie is called Zimtsterne, literally translates to "cinnamon stars." I made this batch a wee bit thick, and a maybe a wee-bit dry, but even so, they were quite delicious! This isn't the easiest recipe I've blogged, but it's not super difficult, so don't be afraid to try it. I found this version of Zimtsterne on Pinterest, of course.

2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more for rolling
10 ounces sliced almonds, with skin, (for finely grinding)

5 ounces sliced almonds
1 1/4 tsps ground cinnamon
3 large egg whites, room temperature
2 tsps finely grated lemon zest

Sift the confectioners' sugar.

Put 1/2 cup of the sifted confectioners' sugar, 10 ounces (3 heaping cups) of the almonds and all the cinnamon in a food processor. Process until the nuts are finely ground, with just a few larger pieces.

Whip the egg whites in a large, clean bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until they hold soft peaks, about 1 minute.

 

Gradually add the remaining confectioners' sugar while whipping, until the whites are thick, creamy and somewhat stiff, about 2 minutes more. Set aside 2/3 cup of this meringue for topping the cookies.

Fold the ground almond mixture and the lemon zest into the remaining meringue to make a stiff dough.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Lay a sheet of parchment or waxed paper on the work surface and lightly dust with confectioners' sugar. Turn the dough out onto the dusted paper, flatten and dust with more sugar as needed, and then lay another sheet of parchment or waxed paper on top. Roll the dough between the papers until it is about 1/4-inch thick.

 

Flip the dough over and gently peel off a sheet of the paper. For ease when cutting, lay the paper back on the dough, flip again and gently pull off the other side of the paper so that the dough is fully released from it.

Cut cookies with a 3-inch star cutter and place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. (Excess dough can be rerolled.)

 

Use a small spoon, brush or offset spatula to spread the reserved meringue over the top of each cookie, taking care not to let the meringue drip over the sides. Press or sprinkle remaining sliced almonds in a decorative pattern into the meringue.

Bake cookies until bottoms are light golden brown and meringue is set and crisp, about 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the oven door to release heat and dry cookies out in the oven for 10 more minutes.

Busy baker's tips: The dough can be frozen between the sheets of paper for up to 2 weeks. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 10 days.