Easy Chocolates or Truffles

"Marry me, Juliet, you'll never have to be alone.  I love you, and that's all I really know.  I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress, It's a love story, baby just say yes."  ~Love Story by Taylor Swift
Yep, I think that's my very, very favorite song e.v.e.r!  :)  And here's another idea for treats to make for your sweetie or kids for Valentine's Day!  It's just under a month away, and these are easy to make for someone special or with someone special!  :)

 Easy Peasy Chocolates or Truffles:

4 oz. Chocolate* (chips or bars, your choice)

14 oz. Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Vanilla optional (1-3 t.)

Toppings like....coconut, chocolate jimmies, sprinkles, non perils, cocoa powder, etc...
Optional:  Mini cupcake cups

*Add more chocolate (3 c. choc. chips according to this) if you are making truffles so they will set up nicely.  
(I used 4 oz. of 85% cacao Lindt Chocolate and it was just perfect for the chocolates I made!)

 These are the toppings I used for my chocolates. As you can tell half are V-day themed and the others aren't.  

 Mini cupcake cups.  These came in super handy, but you don't have to use them...it just makes it much less messy and more professional!  :)

1.  Start out by slowly heating the chocolate and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan.  Stir frequently.

2.  Once it is all combined and melted, mix in vanilla if you'd like.  Then pour into another dish and refrigerate for 1-2 or so hours.

Transferring chocolate from pan to dish...yum... :)

 3.  Once the chocolate is chilled, you can scoop it out by the spoonful and roll in toppings...

 Be sure to have fun while you are doing this...

 Don't take yourself too seriously either....

 After all, it's ok if the sprinkles get a little mixed up... :)

 These are going to taste chocolaty and amazing!  :)

 4.  Arrange on a platter/plate and then place in the fridge for another hour or so.  (Don't they look so cute and Valentinezy?!  (Yep, I like to make up words...)

Then...you can dig in and enjoy.  Or give them as gifts.  :)

Chocolate Fondue

Who doesn't love chocolate?  Especially rich, warm, dip-able chocolate?  Yum.  I just made this for the dessert to our early Valentine dinner of cheese fondue last night.  The cheese fondue was a big hit, but so was this!   :)

Chocolate Fondue
4 oz.  Chocolate (Semi-Sweet works best)
1/2-1 c. Whipping Cream
Dip-ables -- Strawberries, Marshmallows, Orange slices, Graham Crackers, etc...

1.  Start out by placing 1/2 c. whipping cream in a pot.

 2.  Chop up the chocolate, and then place in the pot too.

 3.  Slowly heat the cream/chocolate mixture until it is melted and well combined.  If you'd like it thinner add more whipping cream.

4.  Carefully pour the chocolate into your fondue pot and serve with the dip-ables!

 Some action photos from last night....Yum.  It was gooooood!  :)  Another thing I can't wait to have again!

"I....will always love you"  Dolly Parton

Cheese Fondue

Here's a classic recipe for cheese fondue.  It's perfect for dipping french and multigrain bread pieces in!  I just got a fondue pot for two last weekend, and I was super excited to try it out!  :)  Just in time for Valentine's Day too!

Cheese Fondue
1 c. White Wine
5 oz. Gruyere Cheese, diced or shredded
6 oz. Swiss Cheese (Emmental), diced or shredded
3 T. Whipping Cream
2 T. Corn Starch
Dash of Pepper
Garlic (optional)
Breads (French, etc...) Cubed

Get you fondue pot (or bowl) ready!

 1.  Bring the wine to a simmer.

 Be sure your cheese is ready!

 2.  Add the cheese to the simmering wine.  (Don't let the cheese mixture boil though!)

 3.  Stir the cheese and wine until they are combined....

 At this point you can preheat the fondue pot by lighting the candle underneath.  You can also quickly (but carefully) slice the garlic and stick it in the bottom of the fondue pot, if you'd like! 

 4.  Now stir together the whipping cream and corn starch.  Then stir that mixture into the cheese mixture.  It will help the cheese to thicken as well as combine completely with the wine.  See how beautiful it looks now??  Yum!

 5.  Carefully pour the cheese into the pot and serve!  Enjoy!!!!  It was to die for!  Creamy, smooth and cheesy.  Yum.  

 Dip your bread cubes into the fondue with your fondue forks.  They'll look something like this...

 Here's a fun series of photos of the fondue dipping process.  :)

Enjoy!  It's just delicious!  :)  In fact, it was so good that I can't wait to have it again!

"You are his cheeseburger, his tasty cheeseburger."  ~Veggie Tales

My Mom's Meatloaf

"I would do anything for love, but I won't do that." ~Meat Loaf

This may come as a shock to my readers, but one of my favorite foods in the entire world is meatloaf.  Specifically my Mom's meatloaf.  :)  It's just fantastic.  The texture is perfect, the flavors are great and the glaze is what makes it completely to.die.for!  So, when I was asked recently for a meatloaf recipe, I had to check with my Mom first before posting her recipe.  Of course she said I could, so here it is!!  Enjoy!!! :)  I'll add pics when I make it next, k?  :)

My Mom's Meatloaf
1.5 lbs. Ground Beef
1/2 c. Cracker Crumbs
2 Eggs, beaten
1 - 8oz. Can of Tomato Sauce
1/4 c. Onion, chopped
2 T. Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 t. Salt
Dash of Thyme
Dash of Marjoram

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Combine all ingredients and mix well.
3.  Shape into a loaf and place in a 12 x 7.5 x 2 inch baking dish.  (Or larger)
4.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 1.5 hours.
5.  After baking 1 hour, glaze meatloaf with a mixture of 1 T. Corn Syrup and 2 T. Ketchup.  Bake an additional 15 or so minutes. (5 could be optional, but if you ask me, it's the best step!)  :)

Enjoy!!!  :)

One Year Blogiversary!

Can you believe it?!?!?!  I can hardly believe it's been one year since I started this cooking blog!  :)  So let's sing.... Happy Blogiversary to you, Happy Blogiversary to you, Happy Blogiversary dear ADM.  Happy Blogiversary to you!  And many more. :)

365 Days.

278 Posts.

157 New Recipes.
3 Giveaways (Easybag, Apron and NC)

Wow.  That makes me tired just looking at it.  ;)  Just kidding!  Anyway, it's been a great year!  And now, more than ever, am I super glad I started this endeavor!  I can't believe in a year I only came up with that many recipes though...I guess that still averages out to one every 2-3 days though.  And I am only one woman.   :)

I have a few goals for this blogyear!


1.  Continue to provide you, the readers, with quality recipes that I create in my own kitchen.
2.  Tie music into every post!  After all, I did name it "A Delicious Melody".  (Did you like the song at the beginning of this post? hehe :)
3.  Become a better food photographer.  (You may have noticed that I've already made some headway in this area in the last few weeks. :)
4.  Have more giveaways, providing you more chances to get great items like this one that's coming up as soon as I get my 100th follower on facebook, twitter and blogger combined!  :)

I want to thank all my readers for making this possible.  I would love it if you'd give me more feedback when you try my recipes, and ideas for new recipes!!  A special thanks to my Mom for encouraging me to start and keep up with this!  And a special thanks to my hubby for being the "taste tester" and encourager every step of the way too!  :)  I couldn't have done this without you two beside me!

fb and mini giveaways

Hey!  You may have missed out on my first facebook mini giveaway tonight. That's probably because you aren't a fan of A Delicious Melody on facebook yet!  So, be sure to find ADM on facebook and "like" it so you don't miss out again!  :)

The mini giveaways will be sponsored by me, the foodie at adeliciousmelody.com; and I am going to try to giveaway small items that are from North Carolina.  So I can give y'all a little taste of NC!  Sound good?  :)

Chocolate Crescents

Do you want some ideas for chocolaty treats for Valentine's Day coming up?  or Do you need a quick, yummy dessert that will be pretty much guaranteed to please?  Look no further than this then!  Chocolate and sweet pastry....how can you go wrong?  Especially if it only takes a couple minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to bake?!?!?!  :)  So yeah, did I mention these are super yummy and super easy?!  Read on...  :)

Chocolate Crescents:

Refrigerator Crescent Dough (Pillsbury's is best)

Chocolate (bar, chips, etc...)

1.  Open the crescent package and get out the dough.  Separate the triangles and lay them out on a baking sheet.  (Lined or not, but I recommend lining or greasing it.)

2.  Now, moment of truth.  If you are using a candy bar or squares of chocolate you'll have to melt it.  But if you are using chips you can just go ahead with this step, which is spreading the chocolate evenly over each triangle.

3.  Then roll up each triangle from the wide end to the tip.

4.  Bake them for about 10 minutes at 350degrees. 

And enjoy!!!!!   Yummy!  And beware of the chocolate, it will be hot right out of the oven!  :)

Split Pea Soup

Have you ever had split pea soup?  I'm not sure I ever had until today.  I've been hearing people talk about it a lot lately, and I found out that it's my hubby's favorite soup.  So, naturally, when I found a great deal on bulk split peas at a {somewhat} local food co-op, I had to get a couple pounds!  So, there I was with lots of peas and a desire to make soup! :)  I poked around a bit for recipes, but most of them either looked not so appealing and/or had pork in them.  :(  So...I made my own, and wowsers, I love the way it turned out!  I also got the idea from my Mom to put a scoop of brown rice in the middle of each bowl as you serve it!  Yum!  So there it's a complete meal, and a healthy one!! :)

Split Pea Soup:

1 lb. Green Split Peas, rinsed (Don't pre-soak)

1 T. Butter/Olive Oil

1 T. Salt

1 c. Onion, diced

2 Cloves of Garlic, minced

2 Carrots, diced

2-4 Stalks of Celery, diced

1 T. Cracked Pepper

3 c. Chicken Broth (or Veg. Broth)

3 c. Water

optional:  Brown rice, cooked

1.  In a large pot saute the garlic and onion in the butter.  Add salt to help draw water out of onions.

2.  Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.

3.  Let boil for about 5 minutes.  Then turn down to a simmer for about 2 hours or until the peas are tender.  (Check the pot every half hour or so to ensure there is enough liquid to cook the soup, as you may need to add more depending on the temp, etc.)

4.  Soup will be rather thick, so in order to have a thinner soup you may add additional water until it is to your desired consistency.  I for one liked the thicker consistency especially to support the rice....so experiment for yourself!

5.  Serve warm, and I highly recommend adding about a 1/4 c. scoop of brown rice to the center of each bowl of soup before serving!  

Yum!  Enjoy!!

Yep.  Yum.  And super, duper healthy!  And hubby and I both love it.  Can you beat that?  :)

  Yields 4 servings.  This would freeze really well too, just fyi!  :)

French Bread

Whether you like french bread for garlic bread, fondue, french bread pizza or anything else, this recipe is sure to please!  :)  It's really not too hard either!  So, now it's easy to have fresh french bread at home, anytime!

(I've also included a few serving suggestions below the recipe. :)



French Bread:
1 pkg. Yeast
1/2 c. Water (lukewarm)
1/2 c. Milk (lukewarm)
1 T. Oil
1 t. Sugar
1 t. Salt
2.5-3.5 c. Flour

1.  In a mixer (or mixing bowl if mixing by hand) combine the yeast, water and milk.

2.  Add the sugar, salt and oil to the yeast mixture.

3.  Add 1/2 c. of flour at a time, mixing in between, until a ball of dough forms.

4.  Let dough rest for about 10 minutes.

5.  Knead dough until it is easy to work with.  Preheat oven to 350degrees.

6.  Then form into a long log and let rest in warm place for about 10 minutes.

7.  Stretch log out some more and place onto a greased and/or lined baking sheet.

8.  With a sharp knife gently put a few slices (that don't go all the way through) diagonally on the top.

9.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.

10.  Enjoy!  :)  

And here are a few serving suggestions....

Cheesy Garlic Bread (this bread, butter, garlic powder and mozzarella)

French Bread Pizza

Fondue   :)

 

Funnel Cakes

You can always seem to find these everywhere the summer.  From the State Fair to the Beach, and everywhere in between.  People love these little (or big) fried treats!  Well, here's a way that's not too hard to do them at home!  :)

If you made the banana fritters from yesterday's post, you may have leftover batter that would be great for these too!

Funnel Cake Batter:

1 egg

1/2 c.  Flour

2 T. Sugar (Granulated or Confectioners)

3-4 T. Water

Sugar for dusting 

Oil for frying

1.  Start by heating the oil in a small sauce pan.  You only need about 1/2" oil in the bottom of the pan.

2.  Whisk together the egg, flour, sugar and water until well combined.

3.  Once the oil is hot, you can test it with a spoonful of batter.  Notice how quickly it cooks it and flip over.

4.  To make the funnel cakes, just drizzle about 2 T. of batter into the hot oil.  Once the bottom is cooked (it will be quick!) flip over so the other side can cook.  

5.  Remove from the pan and set on a plate covered with paper towels.  Like so.

6.  Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the batter is gone.  You can get creative with shapes of the funnel cakes too!

7.  Dust with sugar and serve!  

Enjoy!  :)

Banana Fritters

Have you ever had a banana fritter?  They are SO good.  And super easy to make!  :)  It's kind of funny really...I've made these, oh, lots of times in the past 2-3 years.  And I just found out tonight that this is the first time my husband has ever had one.  Whooopps....I guess I must only make them while he isn't around or something...weird.  (But funny.)  Anyway, I'll have you know these have now gotten the hubby seal of approval too!  :)

Without any further adieu (did I even spell that right?) I give you the recipe...

Banana Fritters:

Oil (for frying)

1 Egg

1/2 c. Flour

2 T. Sugar (Granulated or Confectioners)

2-4 T. Water

1-3 Bananas (Green or Yellow ones, NOT brown!)  :)

1.  Start out by heating the oil in a small sauce pan.  You just need 1/2" or so in the bottom of the pan.

2.  Whisk together the egg, flour, sugar and water.  If you'd like a runnier batter add more water, if you'd like it more stiff add less.  I like to add 3 T. :)

3.  Slice up the bananas.  You can do this however you like, but I like to cut them in half then in quarters.  Like this... 

 4.  Once the oil is hot enough for fryin' up some goodies.  Dip a banana in the batter, and gently place it in the pan.  I recommend testing with just one banana until you can tell just how long each one will take to cook.  They really don't take long at all, btw.  :)

 5.  Carefully repeat step 4 until all the banana fritters are done!  

Once the fritters are done I like to place them on a paper towel lined plate to get the excess oil off.

 Serve them while they are still warm and enjoy!  You can dust the top with sugar if desired.

 Yum.  :)

If you have leftover batter make some funnel cakes with it.