Orange Dark Chocolate Pancakes

Wow! That's all I can say. I loved these pancakes! I found them at Baking Serendipity. My favorite part is that they are whole wheat and healthy, but you would never know because they taste SO good. Not that "healthy" doesn't taste good. :)

Orange Dark Chocolate Pancakes

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup milk
zest 1 medium sized orange
1/4 cup dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. In a separate bowl, beat egg, orange juice and milk. Add to dry ingredients and mix to incorporate. Fold in orange zest and dark chocolate. 


Spoon batter onto a hot, greased griddle or large skillet. Flip when the edges begin to dry, cooking evenly on both sides. Serve with maple syrup.

Note: I found that the batter was a little thick. I thinned it with some water until it looked like the right consistency. But if it happens again, I am going to use orange juice...I was lazy, my family was hungry, and I didn't want to juice another orange. The end result was great (even though I used water), but I think it would have been even better if I added more orange instead.

Ham and Bean Soup

I am putting this on here because of a request from my mom. We love ham beans here, and it's so easy and simple to make I've never really thought about putting it on the blog. But...just for you mom!

Ham and Bean Soup

6 c. water
5 c. dried navy beans, soaked overnight and drained (if you forget to soak them over night, put them in a pot boil for 10 mins and leave it to sit for an hour.)
1 ham bone, or 1lb of ham
2 c.  frozen corn
1 large jalapeño, chopped (you can remove the seeds and the membrane, but I am lazy and like it more spicy so I don't.)
1 onion, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in the crock pot. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or until beans are tender. Sometime during the last hour take the ham bone out and let it cool. Trim the ham off the bone and put the ham back in the pot. Toss the bone. Yummy!

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

This is a favorite around here. I probably make it about once a month. It's so delicious!


Broccoli and Cheese Soup

4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 lbs. broccoli (stems and all) chopped
2 carrots, peeled, and chopped
(I sometimes add about 1/2 of a chopped onion)
4 c. water
4 tsp. chicken bouillon
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream
Cheese, to taste (I use about 1 cup)
Parsley, to taste (I use about 2 tsp...maybe a tbs.)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

In a large pot, layer potatoes, broccoli, and carrots, adding 1 tsp. bouillon and a little salt between each of the layers. (If you forget to do that, you can always add it in with the water.) Add the water and parsley, cover, and boil for about 20mins. or until the broccoli is soft, but not mushy. Remove from heat. Mash with a potato masher until mostly smooth, but with some chunks. Add chicken soup, sour cream, and cheese. Stir.

Recipe adapted from: The Family Dinner Cookbook

Mint Chocolate Delights

I was in the mood to bake this evening. I bought some of Nestle's Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels during the Holidays with the intention to make something yummy. I never did. So I thought I would use them today. I got the recipe from the back of the bag. They are delicious!

2 c. flour
2/3 c. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. butter
2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 2/3 c. Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels (I am pretty sure these were a seasonal thing, but I am sure there are mint chips available at any time of year. You could just do half mint and half semi-sweet.)

Preheat oven to 325*F. Combine flour, cocoa, soda, and salt in a small bowl.  In a large bowl beat butter, sugars, and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by well-rounded tablespoons onto baking sheets. Bake 11-13 mins. or until cookies are puffed and centers are set. Cool for 2 mins on pan, and then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Chicken Jambalaya

I have been wanting this recipe for forever! It was one of the first dishes that I ever ate with my husbands family (back before I was even thinking about being a part of his family). It's delicious, and here's proof!

Heather had three servings! THREE!!

Quick Chicken Jambalaya 

1 lb. chicken breasts, skinned, boned and cut into chunks
1/2 lb. smoked sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup rice, uncooked
1 can chicken broth
1 can french onion soup
1 4 oz. can mushrooms
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 dashes Tabasco
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. Tony Cachero's Creole seasoning (or any other creole seasoning works fine too)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl then pour into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 60-75 minutes, stirring occasionally.