that resolution

Dear Mom,

So the resolution for healthy eating is going great!  We just finished a very healthy lemony spinach salad with white beans and tuna...  So since we've been so good, its time for dessert!  (Well at least we tried to be healthy.)

I came across this recipe the other day when I was completely out of any thing for dessert except for a bag of chocolate chips. Although I have been known to just sit down with a bowl of chocolate chips and a spoon, I decided to try to find something to do with them other than cookies (or said spoon).  I've had these types of cakes many times before and I always assumed they were difficult to make.  Not only are they not difficult, they're ridiculously easy to make, and most of the ingredients you'll have in your pantry.  With Valentine's Day on the way, if you're cooking at home, this would make a wonderful and easy ending to a romantic meal.

molten chocolate cakes

1 cup chocolate chips
10 tbs butter
1/2 cup flour
1-1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbs orange liquor or bourbon (optional)

Preheat oven to 425F.  Grease 6 oven safe custard cups.

Melt the chocolate and the butter together in the microwave and stir until smooth.  In a separate bowl whisk together flour and powdered sugar.  In another bowl whisk together the eggs, vanilla and liquor.  Add the flour mixture slowly to the chocolate, stirring until somewhat combined (it will be pretty thick).  Add the egg mixture and stir until mostly smooth. 

Divide batter among the 6 prepared custard cups.  Bake in the oven for 14 minutes (they should look slightly set on top).

what resolutions?

Dear Kristin,

Last week was community soup night at one of our local libraries. This is a fun night where people gather at the town park pavilion, bringing with them crock pots full of homemade soup. I decided to fill my 1970's vintage crock pot with chicken taco soup. After a quick rubber band fix by your dad to secure the top, I was good to go. Bread, dessert and beverages are provided by the library, and since the pavilion comes complete with a cozy fireplace, it makes for a nice evening of recipe sharing and post-holiday gossip.

Speaking of post-holidays, we are two weeks into the New Year. How are your New Year's resolutions holding up? If you are like me, you find that your resolutions are growing thin, and instead of blatantly eating beer and cookies (as in your last post), you find yourself looking for subversive ways to incorporate these indulgences into your diet. For example - I did keep my resolution to eat more fat free yogurt, complete with probiotics to aid my digestive process; however, this step in the right direction was foiled as I succumbed to the dark side and found myself dipping cookies into said-same yogurt. (Well, the cookies were getting a little stale, after all!)

As for the beer? Chicken taco soup to the rescue! This recipe calls for a bottle of your favorite brew, allowing you to have your hops while telling yourself that at least you are getting a healthy serving of veggies and low-fat protein!

 crocked chicken taco soup

1 large or two medium onions, largely diced
1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (16 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 c. beer
1 (22 oz.) can diced tomatoes (with green chilies if you like it spicy)
1 (1.25 oz.) packet taco seasoning
2 large or 3 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

optional toppings:

shredded cheddar or mexican blend cheese
sour cream (light is okay)
crushed or broken tortilla chips

Place onion, drained beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer and diced tomatoes in slow cooker. Stir in taco seasoning. Add chicken breasts, submerging them until just covered by vegetable mixture. Set slow cooker on high and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook and additional 5 hours.

Remove chicken from slow cooker and allow to cool until it is easy to handle. Shred chicken, and add back to the slow cooker. Continue cooking for 1 to 2 hours.

Serve soup topped with shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.

comfy's notes: This makes a very thick soup mixture - almost thick enough to qualify as a stew. It could probably be made more soup-like with the addition of chicken or vegetable stock. I usually use a dark beer. I think this soup could easily be adapted into a stove-top friendly version by dicing the raw chicken, thus reducing the cooking time.