Truffle Madness

With Finals Madness and Travel Madness draped over us, there is only one solution to the problem: Chocolate and everything that has to do with chocolate! and Kettle corn! I made little thank you gifts for my committee members for all their awesome help while i was running around like a chicken cut off to submit my fellowship application. Of course, Hobby Lobby and all its greatness was having this awesome 50% off sale on all the Christmas and holiday goodie containers and tins.



Truffles
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp granulated sugar
12 oz dark chocolate
1 T butter

• Chop the chocolate into small pieces
  
• Heat cream and sugar and butter until it reaches a boil
• add to chopped dark chocolate and stir until melted
• split the batch in half and add a cinnamon and cayenne pepper to one and leave the other
• cool in the refrigerator until solid
• when cooled, roll the truffles into balls and dust with cocoa powder or toasted chopped walnuts
  

Dusted with Cocoa Powder

Rolled in toasted nuts

kettle corn

1/3 c veg oil
1/3 c sugar
1/2 cup raw kernels

• Heat the oil in a large pot, throwing in a few kernels
• when the kernels pop, add sugar and raw kernels
• shake gently over high heat, removing from heat frequently to prevent burning
• when popping stopps, sprinkle with sea salt and cayenne pepper
  

the popcorn has got to be one of my favorites. it's definitely going to be made frequently.

Pumpkin Bread

With two cans of pumpkin left over after thanksgiving, and my burning desire to bake things rapidly dwindling, i didn't know what to do. Luckily my friend C happened to get her hands on this lovely pumpkin bread recipe and shared the wealth. It's a little modified from the original version, but it's still delicious none the less! I started by halving the recipe because i wasn't sure what i would do with two loaves. the result: a deliciously moist, light and flavorful pumpkin bread with a yummy crusty top and amazing chunks of dark chocolate!

Pumpkin Bread (recipe for 2 9in loaf pans)

1 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 beaten eggs
1 can (15oz) pumpkin or 2 cups real pumpkin
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped chocolate

extra brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon for sprinkling

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Chop the chocolate and walnuts, and toast walnuts until warm. (they burn easily so make sure to stop the toasting before they turn all smoky and burnt)
• Mix oil and sugars in a large mixing bowl
  
• Add pumpkin puree until combined and add in the eggs one at a time
• In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients
• Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Add the chopped chocolate and walnuts
• Pour into a greased loaf pan
• Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon topping on top of the loaf
• Bake for 50-60 min until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  
• You can also bake these in little muffin tins. If this is the case, line muffin pan with paper cups or grease it well. Pour the batter in and top with sugar cinnamon mix. Bake at 350 for 20 min until toothpick inserted comes out clean
  

no pictures today.. i was too busy rushing to bake this so i could devour it. and then after it came out of the oven, i couldn't hold myself back enough long enough to take pictures of it... so instead the only thing left is crumbs and melty chocolate-y stains on my plate, hands, and lips.

I ended up baking the full batch a second time, making one loaf, and a bunch of muffins. You can't get sick of this... i have probably eaten some every day for a week now. do it. it makes a lovely toasty breakfast with coffee.