Creamy Hot Chocolate - MERRY CHRISTMAS

Do You Want To Build A Snowman? =)

I have seen this picture on pinterest and thought it so cute. I also was able to use my currently favorite Minnie Mouse cup which has exactly the right size for it. You can use any kind of winter drink that would taste good with marshmallows, but make sure that the cup is not too small and that the drink is a little creamy so that the snowman will not sink :)

Ingredients

• 0.3 l milk
• 0.1 l vanilla milk
• 0.25 heavy cream
• 1.5 tbsp nesquick hot chocolate powder
• 1 tbsp chocolate flakes
• 3 large marshmallows (or a few more to try out)
• 4 pretzel sticks (as arms/legs)
• 1 candy corn or sour worm (or similar for the nose)
• chocolate sauce (or nutella to paint the face)

Prepare:

1.  Prepare the snowman before you heat up the milk as it takes some time. Use one pretzel stick to join two big marshmallows (the body). Then stick to short pretzel sticks in the bottom part of the body as legs, and two short sticks on the side of the top body part as arms. Paint three little spots on the body with the chocolate sauce or nutella as buttons of the snowman. Then prepare the head. Stick the candy corn or similar in the marshmallow head and paint two eyes and a mouth with the chocolate sauce.
2. Pour the milk and vanilla milk in a large cup. Add the chocolate poweder to the milk mix and stir. heat up in the microwave for 2 minutes, but don't boil. Whip the cream till stiff. Fold it under the warm milk. The cream will make the surface of the drink stiffer, so that the snowman will swim on it and not sink. Sprinkle with chocolate flakes. 
3. Now, carefully place the body of the snowman in the milk. Add the head so, that it rests on the edge of the cup. Enjoy :)

 

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Vegetarian Gumbo - It's Okra Time

I once had the pleasure to experience Louisana's authentic Creole cuisine. It is supposed to be a blend of different influences such as French, African, Spanish and more. For me, the food is just unique and delicious - jambalayas, gumbos, crawfish, dirty rice and beans, etc. Back in Portland we had this one restaurant, the Montage, that also offered Creole and Cajun cuisine. I really liked this place because, first, they offered vegetarian jambalayas and gumbos which is pretty rare as the original dishes always have some andouille sausage or shell fish in it, and second, they wrapped the leftovers in tin foil and formed cute little arrangements such as swans, giraffes, and even more manly ones such as swords.

Of course, at some point, it was time for me to try to cook my own Gumbo. As I am not a big fan of andouille sausage or shell fish, the common ingredients of a gumbo, I made it vegetarian with lots of different kinds of peppers, celery, red beans and okras :) You can use any kind of peppers, but be careful to make it not too spicy. Peppers I have already used include fresh bell pepper, pablano pepper, serrano pepper, cayenne peppers, jalapenos just to name a few.

Ingredients:

• 5-7 tbsp oil
• 1/4-1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
•  2 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 onion - diced
• 1 green bell pepper - chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper - chopped
• 1 stalk celery - sliced
• 2 small peppers (e.g. serrano peppers) - sliced
• 1 pablano pepper - chopped
• 1/4 cup sliced jalapenos
• 4 tbsp fresh parsley - minced
• 2 - 2 1/2 cups white wine
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1-2 cups okra
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 cans red kidney beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp salt
• black pepper and cayenne pepper (to taste)

 Serve with:

• rice
• corn bread

Preparation:

Note: This is no fast dish! Preparing the roux takes some time and afterwards, the gumbo needs to cook for an hour.

1. Prepare the Roux - The roux is a mix of fat and oil and is used to thicken sauces. For my gumbo, it is the base and gives it its flavor. You can create a roux very fast, but you can also prepare it slowly and it can take forever. I am honestly not sure which way is better, but you need to be careful not to burn it if you go fast... Add the oil and flour to a pot and slowly heat it up on medium/low heat. Stir. It should not be too liquid or too dry and crumby. When you stir the mix, it should create ridges that slowly melt away. Add flour or oil if needed to create such a consistency. Keep stirring the mixture till it turns slightly brown. Do not burn it, be patient. It is ready when it is milk chocolate brown. 
2. Add the paprika seasoning and stir. Then, add the liquid smoke, garlic, onion, bell peppers, celery, the rest of the peppers (serrano, paplano, jalapenos, etc.) and the parsley. Stir everything. Cook till the onions turn slightly translucent. 
3. Now, add the white wine and vegetable stock and mix everything till the roux is completely dissolved. The soup will look brownish from the roux. Add the okras, this will thicken the soup even more. Add the red wine vinegar, kideny beans, diced tomatoes.  Stir everything.
4. Bring to a boil and let cook for about 1 hour. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste. Serve with rice and corn bread.

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