Pots de Creme

This simple dessert will be a staple in our house from now on. We can't describe how amazing and easy they were to make (and eat). Thanks again to The Pioneer Woman for the recipe!

Here's what you need:
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 eggs (let sit on the counter for a few minutes to let them warm up)
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
8 oz. HOT coffee (decaf or regular)

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1-2 Tbsp sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)

Here's what you do:
Start by putting the chocolate chips in the blender.

Crack the eggs over the top. Add the vanilla extract and salt.

Put the lid on the blender and blend this mixture until the chips start to break apart.

Pour the coffee through the lid while the blender is on. 

Portion into individual cups and chill in the refrigerator to chill for 3 or 4 hours.

Now for the whipped cream topping... Put the bowl that you'll be using in the freezer for a few minutes to rapidly cool it. Once it's cooled, add the heavy cream and sugar to the bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Since this is a rich dessert, we only add 1 tablespoon of sugar to the whipped cream. 

Top the jars with the whipped cream. 

Enjoy!

Pickled Red Onions

If you've never had pickled onions, you're seriously missing out. We're not sure if there's anything better to put on a taco. This recipe is extremely simple, which instantly made it a favorite of ours.

Here's what you need:

3/4 cup white vinegar

3 Tbsp white sugar

Pinch of salt

1 Bay leaf

5 allspice berries

5 whole peppercorns

1 large onion

Here's what you do:

Peel you onion and cut in half. Cut into half-moons and put into a canning jar.

In a small saucepan, heat the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.

Once the mixture comes to a boil, pour into the jar with the onions. You might want to use a funnel.

Pop on the lid and put in the refrigerator to cool. 

Enjoy!

Knife Care

We've discussed the need for having a good set of knives in your kitchen. Now, let's discuss how to properly take care of them.


1. DON'T PUT THEM IN THE DISHWASHER! Wash your knives by hand, making sure that the blade is away from you at all times. And, please don't toss them in the dish water so that you then have to root around in soapy water to find them, all the while cutting yourself in the process.


2. Wash and dry your knives immediately after use. It will maybe take you 2 minutes to clean and dry your knives right away. First of all, you don't want anything to get stuck to them. The likelihood of you cutting yourself goes up with the amount of stuck on food. Also, don't leave your knives in a dish drainer to dry. Dry them with a towel and put them away. You have less chance of accidentally cutting yourself.


3. Sharpen them! Before you start your chopping, swipe the knife a couple times over the sharpener. You want to make sure your blade is up to the task. Be sure to always sharpen with the blade away from you. Our block has a sharpener built into the block, so there's no chance of cutting yourself. You don't look as cool when you're using it as you would with a traditional sharpener though. 

We also just purchased the Wusthof Precision Edge 2-Stage Knife sharpener and have been pleased with it. We just run the knives through it a couple of times before we get started and things are much easier!