PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE

We upheld our annual tradition of picking out our Christmas Tree with long time friends and their family, and hot chocolate.
This year I experimented with Peppermint Hot Chocolate - some of the kids loved it and others didn't care for the flavor.
I lined the cups up along the back of the car and divided the chocolate among them. I had loaded up my basket with various adult beverages (peppermint schnapps, Godiva chocolate liqueur, creme de cacao and Kahlua were what I had in the liquor cabinet) so the parents could adjust the drink to their liking.
This will be the perfect accompaniment to the ice and snow forecast to come through over the next couple of days.

cups filled with Peppermint Hot Chocolate lined up along the back of the car

PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE

1/2 cup cream
2 cups whole milk
4 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
whipped cream and candy canes to garnish if desired

Whisk cream and milk in a medium saucepan over medium high heat, bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate, whisk until smooth. Whisk in extract. Divide hot chocolate among mugs, top with cream and garnish with candy canes if desired.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, December 2008
www.bonappetit.com/recipes‎

MANGO LASSI

When we are out enjoying the Fayetteville Trail System, we pass by a gift shop that used to be my daughters favorite tea room and lunch spot, the chosen place for every special occasion.
After months of her asking to see inside, we finally had a free Saturday, and a mother-daughter date was set. The store was delightful, filled with gorgeous things and the owner every bit as lovely as her store. After loading the car with our purchases, and since we were already out and about, we called into a flea market I had driven past many times, and although curious, hadn't yet found the time to stop into and shop.
While my daughter selected a Cookbook, I found a funky purse I couldn't live without.
Once home, she searched the pages and chose an Indian inspired yogurt based drink, as the first recipe she wanted to make from this book. We had all the ingredients ready, so when she came out to the kitchen bright and early, seeking breakfast, we started measuring, pouring and mixing.

MANGO LASSI

2 mangoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup ice cubes
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/4 teaspoons rose water
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and process on high speed until very smooth and frothy, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Emerils, There's a Chef In My World, 2006
www.goodreads.com › Food And Drink › Cookbooks‎

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER SMOOTHIE

During one of my many visits to Crystal Bridges, I dined in their wonderful restaurant, Eleven, then, allowed my guest to leisurely enjoy the magnificent art collection, while I retired to a comfy chair to lose myself in my book.
However, through the din, I distinctly overheard several different people ask what a "smoothie" was, after they read the nearby coffee bar menu. I was rather surprised, and wondered if Smoothies were a relatively new development. Upon researching the history of this blended beverage, I learned that they were originally sold in Health Food stores in the 1930's, inspired by concoctions from Brazil, and, it would seem, increased in popularity throughout the decades in direct relation to an emphasis on healthy eating (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoothie).
My Daughter loved this Chocolate Peanut Butter version, and by adding skim milk and fat free Greek yogurt in combination with the fruits, it stays true to its healthy origins.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER SMOOTHIE

1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 frozen sliced ripe banana (I would recommend peeling and slicing before freezing)
1/4 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 cup Greek yogurt

Place all of the ingredients in a blender, process until smooth.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, July 2003
www.cookinglight.com/static/pdfs/2003annualindex.pdf