Chocolate

Salted Caramel Lava Cake

Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you’re around someone you really love/like/think is funny today. If not, then I hope you’re around some chocolate, carbs, or better yet, this Salted Caramel Lava Cake.

Lava cakes are the most 90s dessert in the world, pretty sure they were served at restaurants (high and low) during the time I was wearing Doc Martens, listening to Gwen Stefani, watching Singled Out and writing angsty poetry in my bedroom.

This version has a modern twist. There’s a secret salted caramel in the center that oozes out when you cut into it. It’s rich, decadent and so very appropriate for today…and beyond!

Go over to Etsy’s blog for the full recipe! XOXO to you!

Salted Caramel Lava Cake

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This is the cookie version of a trust fall.

You know, those trust falls you supposedly did at summer camp with people you only knew for three days.

Why would I trust someone I barely know to catch me?! Whatever. Actually, I went to summer camp and never did trust falls. But movies tell me that’s what kids did during summer camp so I dunno…

I did, however, go to a tennis summer camp in the mountains of California and for some crazy reason we were allowed to drive jet skis by ourselves at age nine. Age nine!!!

Back to curry in cookies.

This cookie is cool and weird and spicy and sweet.

I get a lot of good inspiration and ideas from all of the ice cream I eat. A few months ago I had chocolate soft serve ice cream with coconut curried flakes (Instagram evidence: here) on top. The combination was unreal, interesting and when I thought about it, made total sense. Curry and coconut go together in a savory way so naturally. And chocolate is a no-brainer of a pairing with coconut, so putting them all together just works! I turned that weirdo ice cream combination into a delicious weirdo combination of a cookie.

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There are two things–no wait, three things you should know about me:

1. I cry during every episode of Parenthood.

2. I love to take secret, sneaky pictures of strangers doing strange things in public.

3. I sometimes eat cupcakes with a fork. Like Elaine’s boss in Seinfeld.

What do we think of people who eat things like cupcakes, French fries, candy bars and snow cones with a knife and fork? Are they dumb? Or just plain sophisticated? I vote BOTH.

Last week I combined numbers two and three and took a picture of a stranger eating a chocolate chip cookie with a fork and knife. He was out in public TOTALLY SHAMELESS. I took a sneak pic and thought about putting it up on Twitter, but then felt guilty. Here’s this guy doing a very private thing out in public and I’m about to take a picture and laugh at him to my internet friends. So I didn’t.

These cupcakes are delicious. Weirdly delicious. Fork and knife totally optional.

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Have you ever had a psycho boss?

Straight out of college, I got my first big-girl job and was super pumped about being a grown-up with health insurance and a 401-K. What I didn’t plan on, was having a sort of psycho (but very nice!) boss who had trouble managing stress. (Maybe you can relate…?!)

My boss’s stress quickly became my stress (not healthy, btw). To help, we would do something very logical/normal: stress eat chocolate. It would happen pretty much daily, post lunch at around 3pm.

I’m convinced that 3pm is the hardest time of day. It’s right after lunch, lethargic feelings linger, you’re sort of ready for the day to be over…yet you have to push through to get the end of the day. Ugh.

So, we would take a 15 minute break and brew really good green tea and drink it with dark chocolate. Pretty much heaven.

I no longer have a psycho boss, but I still enjoy my late-afternoon breaks. I’ve recently become obsessed with green tea lattes. To make: add about a teaspoon of matcha powder to a saucepan with about 1 cup of milk, and heat until warm. (The green hue is both pretty and scary, eh?!)

I’m so into the combination of this drink with dark chocolate (in this case I ate Ghiradelli’s Intense Dark chocolate which is 86% cacao). Swoon-worthy.

As most of you know, my coffee addition situation is a little scary. I’ve been trying to limit myself to one cup a day, but in times when I’m weak and desperate, I’ll have two cups.

And OMG is coffee amazing with chocolate. It’s a logical pairing. They play off of each other’s flavors so well.

I generally drink my coffee without sugar so I tend to go for a sweeter chocolate and one with nuts. The one pictured is a dark chocolate with hazelnuts throughout called Hazelnut Heaven. The name is very appropriate.

Most nights, especially when I’m tired, I definitely don’t have the energy to make dessert. Maybe it’s a spoonful or two of some ice cream in the freezer. And sometimes it’s a bit of cheese and chocolate. I know some of you might be like, chocolate and cheese?!? Weird! But it’s actually amazing.

This is a gooey cheese similar to brie called D’affinois. It’s creamy, salty and light. With a slightly sweeter dark chocolate (like this Twilight Delight – 72% cacao) its tastes is similar to, say, a chocolate cheesecake.

Add a glass of pinot noir in the mix, give me some trashy TV, and BOOM: end of day relaxation session.

{This post is brought to you by Ghirardelli Intense Dark™ Chocolate}

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Pretzel Chocolate Pudding Piiii-aaaahh.

Sometimes when I say “pie” in my head, I actually say it in Paula Deen’s voice and say “piiiii-aaaahh.” I have no idea why. Mainly because when I’m all by myself saying things in other accents entertains me more than not. Also, Paula Deen’s voice is kind of hilarious. I used to think she was faking it…that was until I met her a few years ago for a job I was on and it was then when I realized that she’s totally real. Everything. It’s not an act. She’s a woman obsessed with butter and mayonnaise and putting a hamburger in between two doughnuts. I dunno…all I can say is that in real life she’s Paula…which is both relieving and scary all at the same time.

Back to piii-ahhh…I had been dreaming of some sort of pretzel crust for months. I’m obsessed with all things salty at the moment. I have no idea what’s wrong with me. First, there was the giant peanut butter thing with big flakes of sea salt on top; then just a few days ago there were salty vanilla cookie things. Though a little random, I think this recent, little obsession is proving to be delicious.

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Tart

Holy wow! You lovely people read from all around the globe. I had no idea. How special. How awesome. Thank you thank you! I made you something kind of ridiculous. Think of it sort of like a thank you in form of chocolate and peanut butter. Best kind of thank you!

I’ve had this idea to make a gigantic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup for a long time. I don’t eat a lot of candy. I don’t, but OMG do I love peanut butter cups. They’re my weakness when I go to the movies, but I never buy them because it makes me mad that they’re like $4 at the movie theater and $1 at the drug store. WHY? Movie theater prices are like mini-bar prices but less exciting. No turn down service. No housekeeping. LAME.

So, sometimes I sneak them in my purse. Sometimes I might even go to Chipotle before and sneak in a burrito. So what, who cares?!

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OMG coffee, I love you.

Raise your hand if you go to sleep dreaming about the next morning’s cup of coffee…

Raise your hand if you’re sort of a snob about coffee (and you don’t care who knows it)…

Raise your hand if you love coffee in baked goods…

If I were you, my hand would’ve been raised for all 3. What if coffee didn’t exist? What a sad thought. I was never one of those kids that didn’t like coffee. Pretty sure I was born loving it. In Latin culture it’s common to give kids a cup of café con leche early on. I think I had mine before the age of 10…and I loved it. I loved it so much that I wasn’t allowed to drink coffee at all until I was about 16. My parents didn’t want to stunt my growth. Turns their efforts were useless since I’m positive that I was destined to be the 5’1″ that I am. SADFACE!

Whatever. What’s awesome now is that I get to drink it all I want. Yay for being an adult!

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Look at that muffin on its side! I dunno know why I did that. Cute? Weird? Who cares…it’s just a muffin being a rebel.

Orange and chocolate really have their moment during the month of December. Such a classic little holiday pairing. Like sequins, tights and red bows. So very Christmas. Well, we’re a few months past glittery lights and the mere thought of Christmas gives me a headache, but I’m still digging this marriage.

I played around with some scones of the same ilk back in the day and can’t really get the match out of my head. I figured I needed to implement this duo into a new breakfast food: muffins.

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I’m doing a little series with Kin Community and I figured I’d share the first (of six!) video that was all about me making a recipe inspired by one of this year’s Oscar best picture nominations. I picked Hugo because the thought of making something inspired by my favorite movie this year, Tree of Life, seemed complicated and depressing. If you’ve seen Tree of Life, you know what I mean. Good gracious…that movie made me hate/love life (in a good way!). Hugo, however, was pretty adorable. I figured crepes would be cool, even though there’s really no eating in the movie–you know, ’cause they’re poor street children; so this recipe is probably what they wish they could eat. That’s kinda sad! Anyway, Hugo is a good movie–it’s Scorcese’s old man film. I totally dig it. So here you are…Chocolate Banana Bourbon Crepes.

P.S. Isn’t it weird hearing bloggers’ voices for the first time. I read so many blogs and obviously read all of their writing in my own head-voice, so it’s always super weird hearing their voices. Hope it’s equally as strange for you to hear mine. :) xo

(Recipe after the jump!)

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Winner Update! The random calculator chose number 47, which was Misie! Her suggestion for a cozy meal:

Thanks everyone for playing!
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I. Can’t. Get. Warm.

Yesterday I spent most of the day on the couch–under a pile of blankets–contemplating if I should turn on the heat or not. I didn’t.

Saturday night I spent 2 hours watching Hugo (so beautiful–especially in 3D!) just straight freezing.

Friday was the last day I was warm. I was in sweats and colorful socks, baking up these scones (and various other treats!); which lead me to the realization: If it’s cold out, head to the kitchen. Grab your baking sheets, pre-heat your oven. You’ll be warm in no time. Guaranteed.

Now, let’s talk scones!! And this giveaway!!

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