Chocolate Cake Martini

Welcome Back!  We've been on hiatus for a few weeks, just because life got a little busy for Mary and me at the same time.  So, I thought I would welcome everyone back with a cocktail.  Plus, it's Mary's birthday, so what's better than a Chocolate Cake Martini for your birthday drink?!?  

I started making these a few years ago, and like to have them on special occasions.  With the Holidays coming up, this would be a great drink for when you get together with your friends and family!  Some people like to have them for dessert, but I think they are perfect for any time.

It's an easy recipe, but looks so impressive!  Here's what you need:

- Vanilla Vodka
- Frangelico Liquor
- Irish creme
- ice cubes
- chocolate syrup

Directions:
Add 1 oz each of the Vanilla Vodka and the Frangelico, and 1/2 an oz of the Irish Creme into the martini shaker with several ice cubes.

Shake until the outside starts to get cold - 4 - 6 shakes; and put to the side.

Get your martini glass and drizzle chocolate around the inside of the glass.

 

Give the martini shaker another shake and remove the top lid and pour the martini into the prepared glass.

Step back, admire your work and take a drink...Enjoy!  

Cheers!

Dee

Waffles Wonderful Waffles!

Wonderful Waffles!  

I used to buy lots of frozen waffles, until I finally got smart and asked for a waffle iron so I could start making my own.  I experimented with a lot of recipes and if you've made waffles before, you know that the recipes make a lot of batter. The batter can store in the refrigerator, but if you are like me, you don't have time every morning to make fresh waffles.  So, now I make batches on the weekends and freeze them; so on weekday mornings I just have to pop them in the toaster and then I'm ready to head off to work!

You can do so many things with waffles...like top them with peanut butter and banana or strawberries; or make a sandwich out of them with egg, bacon (or sausage) and cheese; or break them up and use as a topping on an ice cream sundae!  The options are endless...don't you want to go make some now?  Yum! 

As I said before, I've been messing around with a lot of recipes, and have found what I think is the best recipe.  It's a little sweet, but is also made with some wheat flour and soy milk, so they are a little more healthy.  Go get your waffle iron, and try out this recipe and freeze what you don't eat that morning, and you'll have breakfast (or snack) for the rest of the week!

Healthy Whole Wheat Waffles
Mix the following items together with a whisk in a large bowl... I like one with a spout so it is easy to pour onto the waffle iron.

2 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup butter (melted)
1 cup vanilla flavored soy milk  (if you don't have soy milk, you can use regular milk for the entire 1 3/4 cups of milk for the recipe, but the soy milk helps add sweetness to the waffles.)
3/4 cup milk
2 T granulated sugar
1 T brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 t. salt

Mix all the ingredients together with a whisk

Pour batter onto heated waffle iron

Tip - pour the batter into the middle portion of the waffle iron, and then use a rubber spatula to push the batter out to the edges of the iron.

Once you have the batter spread out, close the lid and cook until your waffle iron ready light turns green.
 

There are a lot of options you can do to add flavors to your waffles, such as add a mashed banana to the batter, and make some banana pancakes (that's right Jack Johnson!).  Or my favorite, is to add some chocolate chips to the batter to add some chocolatey goodness!  This is a good basic waffle recipe that you can try a variety of waffle flavors with.  

Good breakfast!
Dee