Warm Winter Beverages

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Kellie

It’s officially a month past Christmas, but I’m still enjoying the contents of my Christmas stocking–especially the warm winter beverages.  Here are two of my favorites:

Tea pigs come in a variety of flavors.  So far I’ve tried the lemongrass tea, and have enjoyed its light, refreshing flavor with a touch of honey.  It is different from other teas I have on hand, so it has been a nice change of pace.

A Hot Chocolate Stick really looks like a delicious block of chocolate on a stick, rather than something to make a cup of cocoa with.  I’ll admit, I was tempted to just eat the chocolate, but I behaved myself and heated milk to mix this up properly.  The results:  a very dark, not-too-sweet cup of hot chocolate.  (Sorry, I drank half of it before I realized I hadn’t taken a picture of the hot chocolate itself, so I decided not to include a photo of the mixed hot chocolate.  I don’t know if that is a statement about the quality of the product, or my serious chocolate addiction?)

Now I’m somewhat inspired to try a recipe I found for homemade hot chocolate sticks that I found on a a blog called Cake or Death?

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Chocolate Cookies with a Kick

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Kellie

This year, for the holidays, I made only one batch of sugar cookies.  Instead of using the traditional recipe, I made a few modifications which included adding cocoa, ground cinnamon, ground chipotle, and ground cayenne to the batter.  These cookies had a sweet and spicy flavor that made them interesting and satisfying without overindulging.

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Garbanzo Bean Chocolate Cake

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Kellie

Not too long ago I was looking for a gluten-free dessert recipe, and stumbled upon this one…  I wasn’t sure how the cake would turn out without any flour, and without any butter or oil in the batter, but I liked the idea of using a healthful ingredient instead of butter and oil.  To give it a little extra kick, and as an attempt to mask any garbanzo bean flavor that might be evident in the end product, I sprinkled a little ground cayenne, ground chipotle, and a ground cinnamon into the batter.

The texture was moist and brownie-like despite the fact that I baked it for about ten minutes longer than the recipe called for.  I did have some difficulty getting it out of the pan due to its being so moist, and the center of the cake was a little damaged as a result of this.  To help it out cosmetically, I made a half batch of cream cheese frosting and sprinkled the top lightly with a blend of cayenne and cocoa powder.

All in all, this is a recipe I will definitely be using again!  Both the cake and frosting were easy to make, and the end results were delicious!

Garbanzo Bean Chocolate Cake Recipe

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

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Habanero Dip

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Kellie

My experience with dip mixes is that they’re usually good, but not usually as spicy as they should be.  Habanero dip SHOULD be pretty spicy, and Winterport Co. has the right blend!

When I prepared this dip, I followed the directions on the package and found, to my surprise, that it was actually a little too spicy for me!  I simply added the rest of the sour cream to the mix (a total if 16 oz.), pretty much doubling the amount of dip we would have for veggies.  The end result was a very spicy, flavorful dip that lasted most of the week and motivated us to eat a few more vegetables each day.

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Cake Balls

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Kellie

I’ve been seeing recipes for cake balls, special devices to make cake balls and cake pops, and have been interested in making them for a while.  While I still have not gotten around to making them myself, I did receive a lovely package of them as a Christmas gift.

These might be better described as cake truffles–very moist cake filling with a smooth chocolate coating.  The red velvet variety made for a nice festive holiday treat, though I must say I am partial to the double chocolate!  These were a huge temptation in our fridge for as long as they lasted…

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Happy New Year!

Posted on January 1, 2012 by Kellie

For Christmas we received a bottle of alcohol removed Champagne; perfect for New Years Eve!  Thanks again, Katie & Tim!

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Norway Winter Farmers’ Market

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Kellie

A couple of weeks ago we visited the Norway Winter Farmers’ Market for the first time.  I was impressed with the variety of products offered at a somewhat small farmers’ market, and was thrilled to find Christmas gifts for a few of the people on my list, which shall not be mentioned at this time for obvious reasons…

In addition to getting a little Christmas shopping done, I bought some lovely locally grown veggies and fruit, and thoroughly enjoyed what I will refer to as THE BEST CINNAMON BUN EVER.

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Pop Shoppe Diner

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Kellie

We have walked by the Pop Shoppe Diner on several occasions, usually in the afternoon on a weekend when they have been closed.  Last weekend we decided to take a walk out for Sunday brunch, and found the Pop Shoppe to be open.

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Alternative Adult Beverages, Part 2…

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Kellie

With the holidays just around the corner, Martinelli’s sparkling cider usually makes it to the table.  It is now available in a few blended varieties including pomegranate, grape, and cranberry.  The grape blend, shown below, is nice with cheese and crackers and I recently enjoyed the cranberry blend with squash lasagne.  The tartness of the cranberry blend would be a nice addition to Thanksgiving dinner as a wine substitute.

Another beverage that has recently gotten my attention is Izze Sparkling Juice.  While it’s not super low in sugar, it really doesn’t have any more sugar than regular juice.  I have tried several flavors, and so far grapefruit is my favorite.

This time of year hot tea is a nice option, and my favorite these days is Stash’s Lemon Ginger, which I have been enjoying in the morning as a coffee substitute.  Stash also makes decaf chai, which is great with a little honey and heavy on the skim milk for a little protein and calcium.

Both are perfect for sipping on while reading a good book, or while working on a sewing project…

Nike running shirt, and a pair of jeans--before...

 

and after!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Adult Beverage Alternatives…

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Kellie

I love a glass of red every now and again, or a seasonal microbrew by the campfire, but there are times when these beverages just aren’t appropriate or healthful choices…  In my search for interesting, not-too-sweet adult beverages of the non-alcoholic variety, I have found some decent options.  So far my favorite is Q Ginger, which I found at Morning Glory Natural Foods in Brunswick, Maine.

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