Recipe: Swank Chocolate Martini

I was staring at the beautiful chocolate martini from my last post and I thought I should probably share the recipe, just in case any readers are interested in trying it out.

I have no problem giving credit where credit is due :)... I nabbed this recipe from Swank Martini's website. Here it is:

6 parts vodka
1 part chocolate liqueur
Chocolate curl

Combine vodka and liqueur in a mixing glass with ice cubes and stir. Strain into a cilled cocktail glass and garnish with chocolate curl.

Easy and delicious!

I found the picture when I was surfing the net for a buddy's upcoming b-day gift. I wanted to get her some cool martini glasses... swank martini definitely has some neat stuff! Here's the site: http://swankmartini.com/

Happy surfing!

Recipe: $$Money Saving Banana Coconut Muffins$$

I love many things in life... I'm pretty sure that somewhere up in the top 20 are muffins and money, which is why I think these banana muffins are a real treat.

Being a native of South Florida really influenced my taste for food and I can't think of a single tropical fruit that I don't totally appreciate. Bananas and coconuts are by far two of my favorites. My issue is that I buy bananas and coconuts all the time and then I never use them. They sit on my counter until they get old enough for me to feel that it's a risk to eat them and I end up throwing them away, which is not only a waste of food, but a waste of money. Since I usually have flour, sugar, baking powder, milk and eggs in my house at all times, I consider this a pretty affordable recipe... usually all I really have to "buy" are the bananas.

**TIP: Now, when I buy coconuts, I immediately shred them and seal them in an air tight container and stick it in the fridge (it lasts a lot longer that way). You can also buy the bags of shredded coconut, which last FOREVER, but I like to use the milk for chicken marinades, so I usually buy the whole coconut.

I included a picture of the bananas w/ the muffins so the optimum "age" could be seen... I like to use them before they get too ripe, but if you use them when they are not ripe enough they won't give you the maximum flavor.

I didn't put the coconut in the recipe, because really it's optional... but it is delicious with a bit of coconut in the mix. You can also chop macadamia nuts and add those to give it an extra "tropical" flair.

Enjoy!

And, as always, comments are welcome and appreciated!

What you'll need:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil

## DO NOT USE PAPER BAKE CUPS ##

Preheat oven to 400°. In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center. Combine egg, milk, and oil; add all at once to flour mixture. Add 3/4 cup (or more... the more the better, in my opinion!) mashed banana to flour and egg mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Lightly grease muffin cups; fill 2/3 full. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans; serve warm. Makes 10 to 12 muffins.

Recipe: Marmie's Famous Chicken & Dumpling Soup

Ok, so I realize that the picture above might not look very appetizing (and that it's probably blurry because my current digital camera is not the greatest), but let me assure you that this soup is DELICIOUS!
This is my mother's - or "Marmie," a'la Little Women, as my best friend refers to her - homemade chicken and dumpling soup.

I moved out of the house when I was 21, but whenever I see my mom and I get a dinner request in, it's almost always for this soup. This is so incredibly filling, I can usually only eat one or two bowls. It's convenient because it tastes great even after freezing, so you can make a huge pot and freeze the rest for later. As if all that weren't enough to try it, this soup is incredibly affordable to make.

I know that there is some great debate about how Northerners and Southerners prepare their dumplings, and I'm not exactly sure of the outcome of said debate, but my favorite thing about this soup is DEFINITELY the dumplings. We don't use noodles (not that there's anything wrong with noodles, yum!), we use the flaky biscuits from Pilsbury.

Enjoy!

What you'll need:
2 to 3 chicken breasts (you can sub for dark meat if you prefer)
10 teaspoons of Chicken Bouillion (I use the granules, but the cubes are fine)
10 cups water
1/2 a large bag of frozen mixed vegetables
1 package of Pilsbury buttery biscuits (the exact kind doesn't matter, just what sounds good to you)

Instructions:
Place water (10 cups) in a pot with chicken fully submersed. Add bouillion. Boil the chicken in the water until thoroughly cooked through. Lower heat to a mid simmer. Shred chicken up with a fork, it should fall apart easily. Add the frozen veggies and stir occasionally until they are tender. Cut four of the biscuits into small cubes, add the other 4 whole into the soup. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until biscuits look firm and "unmushy," :P. They won't look cooked, but they will be ready when they take on a firm look.

Feel free to leave me any comments, let me know how it came out if you make it, or leave me some ideas on variations!