Category: Food

Food

Chocolate Lava Cakes

meghanewhite

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Have you ever had this delightful treat? What appears to be a regular chocolate cake is actually filled with a surprise of warm melted chocolate that comes flowing out like lava. It’s probably one of the funnest desserts to eat. It’s an experience that I highly recommend.

I have ordered lava cake at restaurants, and always assumed they were complicated to make. I was wrong. These little cakes are so incredibly good, and so easy to whip up, literally. Use a whisk for everything, no mixer is required. 

Make them ahead of time, and pop them in the oven whenever you are ready for an amazing chocolate dessert. Chocolate lava cakes would be great for Valentine’s Day, or any special occasion. These chocolaty molten filled goodies will make any ordinary day extraordinary.

Happy Eating!

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

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Chocolate Lava Cakes

Yield: 4 cakes

Required equipment: 6 ounce ramekins

Ingredients

4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup flour

For ramekin prep:

1 tablespoon butter

cocoa powder for dusting ramekins

Optional toppings for the lava cakes:

powdered sugar

fresh berries

vanilla ice cream

whipped cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°
  2. Butter each ramekin and dust with cocoa powder.
  3. In a medium size bowl place the stick of butter with 4 oz. of chocolate. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Continue heating the chocolate and butter for 30 second intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir between each 30 seconds. Don’t overheat. Chocolate can easily burn.
  4. In a separate medium size bowl whisk the eggs and egg yolks. Whisk in the vanilla.
  5. Whisk the melted chocolate into the eggs.
  6. Whisk the powdered sugar and flour into the chocolate mixture until combined.
  7. Evenly divide the batter between the four ramekins and place on a baking sheet.
  8. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the sides are firm. The centers will be soft.
  9. Let the cakes sit for 1 minute. Turn the ramekins over on dessert plates to release the hot cakes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

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Use good chocolate. I love to use Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate baking bars. They are 4 ounces, and can be found at any grocery store. You can use regular chocolate chips and the cakes will still turn out good, but better quality chocolate improves the taste by a lot. 

Use room temperature eggs. Let your eggs sit out for a bit before you start preparing the cake batter. You will get better volume in your eggs which helps make a light fluffy batter. 

Use salted butter. I use salted butter for all of my baking. If you prefer unsalted butter, just add a pinch of salt to the batter.

Lava cakes can be reheated. Heat leftover cakes in the microwave for 30 seconds to get that yummy lava flowing again. Or, place in a 350° oven on a baking sheet upside down for 10 minutes.

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Food, mustard seed sentinel

Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef

meghanewhite

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Do you love Chinese food? My family sure does, and this broccoli beef  hits the spot for those takeout cravings without breaking the bank. You don’t have to stand over a skillet to make this winning recipe. A little bit of prep, and everything goes into the slow cooker to do all the cooking. Four hours later you have a satisfying meal ready to eat. 

The beef is tender, and the broccoli is perfectly cooked in this tasty dinner. The sauce has a nice blend of savory with a touch of sweet. Add some rice, and you have a gratifying meal. Broccoli beef is a delectable dish your whole family will enjoy. 

Happy Eating!

For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16 

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Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef

 

Yield: 4 servings

 

Ingredients 

1.5 – 2 lbs. sirloin steak, sliced thin

1 cup beef broth

½ cup low sodium soy sauce

½ cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

4 cloves of minced garlic

1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger 

2 crowns of broccoli cut into florets

4 tablespoons cornstarch

4 tablespoons water

sesame seeds for garnish 

 

Instructions 

  1. In a slow cooker, whisk together beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. 
  2. Add thinly sliced steak. Toss to coat meat. 
  3. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
  4. After 4 hours mix water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add cornstarch mixture to the beef and stir to combine. 
  5. Add the broccoli and stir. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. 
  6. Serve over white rice. Garnish with sesame seeds. Enjoy!



Notes 

Thinly sliced chuck roast works well too.

Slice meat against the grain.

 

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For this recipe and more go to Mustard Seed Sentinel, Meghan’s Corner at the link below. 

https://www.mustardseedsentinel.com/post/meghan-s-corner-slow-cooker-broccoli-beef

 

Christmas, Food

Hot Chocolate Bombs

meghanewhite

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Hot chocolate bombs are the bomb. Pun intended. These gorgeous spheres of hot cocoa goodness explode with marshmallows and chocolate when hot milk is poured over them. It’s satisfying to watch the chocolate melt and reveal all the deliciousness from inside the bomb. 

I’m late to the game with this fun treat. Hot chocolate bombs are so 2020. I say better late than never. I love trying new things, and I was determined to make these bombs. It was trial and error for me. I made some mistakes with my first batch, and improved my technique with my second go round.

I am not an expert on making hot chocolate bombs. I am a complete novice. If I can make them, you can make them too! The one thing you absolutely need is a silicone mold. I got mine from Amazon. There are ways to make bombs without molds, but I don’t have experience with that. I’m sharing the simple way I made them.

Hot chocolate bombs are delicious. The milk makes the cocoa extra creamy and flavorful. They make lovely homemade gifts. Who wouldn’t enjoy a ball of chocolate filled with hot cocoa and marshmallows that you made for them? Hot chocolate bombs are a fun unique treat to make and share. Make some today!

Happy Eating!

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4

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Hot Chocolate Bombs

Yield: 3 hot chocolate bombs (2 ½ inch sized)

Equipment

silicone 2 ½ inch semi sphere mold

parchment paper

pastry brush 

latex gloves (optional)

saucepan

heat proof bowl

cupcake liners

rubber spatula 

measuring cups

measuring spoons 

Ingredients

6 ounces chocolate almond bark

3 tablespoons hot cocoa mix

¾ cup mini marshmallows

sprinkles, crushed candy canes, chocolate chips (for filling)

3 cups hot milk for serving

Instructions

  1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave, or use a double boiler. 
  2. Add one tablespoon of the melted chocolate to each silicone sphere. Use the back of a spoon to spread the chocolate evenly in each mold, or use a small brush to paint the chocolate in the mold. Another method is to take the silicone mold with the melted chocolate and rotate it around until each sphere is evenly coated. Then place the mold upside down on parchment to let the excess chocolate run out. 
  3. Place the chocolate filled molds in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.
  4. Repeat the process with one more layer of melted chocolate. Place in the refrigerator for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. 
  5. Carefully remove each sphere from the silicone mold.
  6. Heat a small teflon coated pan over medium heat for a couple minutes. Take the pan off the heat. Place each sphere on the surface of the warmed pan for a few seconds to smooth out the edges. This will help when you seal up your bombs.
  7. Using a measuring cup, place one chocolate sphere on top to hold it in place as you fill it. Add 1 tablespoon of hot chocolate mix in the sphere. Then add about ¼ cup of mini marshmallows. You can also add crushed candy canes, or sprinkles. Just keep the edges clear so you can seal up your bomb.
  8. To seal the hot chocolate bomb heat the small frying pan again, just enough to warm it. Place the chocolate sphere in the pan for a few seconds and then carefully place it on top of the filled sphere. Gently press down to seal the edges. Put the completed bomb on the backside of a muffin pan to let it set up. Muffin pans turned over are great holders for hot chocolate bombs.
  9. Decorate with drizzled chocolate and sprinkles.
  10. Heat 1 cup of milk just until hot, not boiling. Place one bomb in a large mug. Pour hot milk over the top of your hot chocolate bomb and watch it open up with marshmallows. Stir and enjoy!

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Storage of Hot Chocolate Bombs

Keep your bombs in an airtight container at room temperature. They last for several weeks.

Use Gloves

To keep fingerprints off your chocolate use latex gloves when handling your chocolate bombs.

Tips on Chocolate

Baking chocolate bars, and chips can be used. These will need to be tempered.

The easiest chocolate to use is compound chocolate (almond bark, chocolate candy melts). You just melt the compound chocolate in the microwave, or in a double boiler and it’s ready. No tempering. 

How to Temper Chocolate

Microwave the chocolate for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between. Do this several times. It should be mostly melted, but there will still be pieces that are unmelted. Take it out of the microwave and stir until smooth and melted. To test if your chocolate is tempered pour a small amount of chocolate on a piece of parchment and place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes. If it’s shiny and breaks in half easily, it’s tempered. If it’s soft or dull it’s not tempered. To fix this, add a bit more chocolate and stir until it’s melted, or re-heat for a few seconds in the microwave until melted and smooth.

How to Use a Double Boiler

Place a small heatproof bowl filled with chocolate over a simmering pot of water. The bowl should not touch the water, but fit over the opening of the pot. The steam will melt the chocolate beautifully. Stir as the chocolate begins to melt until smooth. 

I hope you make these fun, yummy hot chocolate bombs. 

Merry Christmas!

All photos by Meghan E. White. 

Christmas, Food

Russian Tea Cakes

meghanewhite

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When I was a kid my mom called these delightful little cookies snowballs. It’s a cute name that perfectly describes these bite sized treats. Years later I was given this recipe for Russian tea cakes, and I’ve been making them ever since.

These are a favorite of my family at Christmas time. With a few simple ingredients you’ve got a wonderful buttery, crunchy cookie. They look so festive, like snow. A perfect holiday goody.

Walnuts add a delectable crunch. I highly recommend toasting the walnuts. This will add another depth of flavor to the tea cakes. Savory nuts and sweet powdered sugar come together perfectly in Russian tea cakes. These marvelous cookies will make a lovely addition to your holiday desserts.

Happy Eating!

For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11 

 

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Russian Tea Cakes

 

Ingredients

1 cup softened butter

½ cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ¼ cups flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cupped chopped walnuts

2 cups of powdered sugar for rolling the cookies

 

To Toast Nuts

  1. Preheat oven to 350°
  2. Spread nuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. 
  3. Toast until browned. Keep a close eye on them as nuts can burn easily.

 

Instructions 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°
  2. Line baking sheets with parchment, or leave them ungreased.
  3. In a medium sized mixing bowl use a hand mixer to cream butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla thoroughly.
  4. Add the flour and salt. Mix until combined.
  5. Stir in the chopped walnuts.
  6. Cover and chill the dough for 20 minutes, or up to overnight.
  7. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place on a baking sheet.
  8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. In a small bowl place the 2 cups of powdered sugar.
  10. While still warm, roll the cookies in powdered sugar.
  11. Cool the cookies, and roll one more time in the powdered sugar.

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Notes

  • Pecans, and almonds can be used. 
  • Russian tea cakes can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 months.
  • Coat with powdered sugar before serving.

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Food

A New Cookbook!

meghanewhite

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I am excited to tell you about this brand-new cookbook! Simply Cooking is written by friend, and fellow author, Sharon Connell. These are tried and true recipes from over fifty years of cooking. It’s got everything from desserts to dinners. 

Simply Cooking has easy to follow directions for favorites like Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cake and Swedish Meatballs. Yum! The cookbook is large like a workbook. Sharon even added a section on each recipe to make your own notes about changes you’ve made.

Simply Cooking is for the every day home cook like you and me. It’s user friendly, and filled with some fantastic recipes that you will absolutely want to make for your friends and family. 

As a bonus, a few of my recipes are in here as well as another author. Along with Sharon’s wonderful recipes there are cooking and household tips. There is also an index section where you can easily look up a recipe.

I love the layout of this cookbook. I love cookbooks. I cook a lot, and this one has a great format. All the cooks out there will appreciate this wonderful gem, Simply Cooking. 

You can choose the Kindle version or the paperback. I have both, and they are fantastic. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers Simply Cooking is free!

Simply Cooking would make a great gift, or add it to your collection. I love getting new cookbooks because that means new recipes to try. This is my favorite kind of cookbook since the cooking has been done in a real kitchen, with real results, over many years. These are winning recipes.

Happy Cooking!

Love you all,

Meghan