Inspirations by D

White Hot Chocolate

We had guests arrive by surprise a couple of days ago, but it was much to their surprise that we had our roof replaced during their stay. I wish we had known that they were coming, then we could have changed the repair date. Can you imagine the chaos that was going on at our house, mostly outdoors?
Oh it was musical with the bang, bang here, and the cong, cong there, magical I tell ya,
I thought that the ceiling was going to fall on our heads.

Our guests were staying over for two nights, so I tried to make their stay as comfortable as possible. I managed to make everything comfy & cozy to make them feel at home. I also decided to make a decadent drink for us all and since we all love chocolate, I made it extra special. I decided to make my hot chocolate "white chocolate" instead of dark chocolate and boy was it ever good.

If something in this big wide world can be referred to as 'perfection in a glass', then it must be this white hot chocolate drink.

Oh the thoughts of a crackling fire on a cool breezy night holding this warm and delicious delight.
Oh cool air come soon!

Ingredients:

3 cups half & half or light cream

2/3 cup white baking pieces or chopped white chocolate baking squares.

1 3 inch piece of cinnamon stick

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Ground cinnamon (optional)

Whipped cream (optional)

This drink is so easy to make, but I must warn you, it is rich. If you are looking for something that is not as rich, I would add less white chocolate to the recipe and for those who prefer slim and skinny drinks, I would substitute the half & half with fat free half and half or skim milk. So are you ready? Here is what you do:

In a medium saucepan combine 1/4 cup of the half and half, the baking pieces of chocolate, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir over low heat until baking pieces are melted. Add remaining half & half. Cook and stir until heated through. Remove from heat. Remove and discard cinnamon stick. Stir in vanilla and almond extract. If desired add whipped cream and cinnamon to top it off. Enjoy!

Linking to:
Craftberry Bush
Home Stories A 2 Z
Tip Junkie 10/2
The 36th Avenue 9/27
SITS Girls
Crystal and Co.#63
Crazy for Crust
I Should be Mopping the Floors #35

Blackberry Cobbler

This is the easiest blackberry cobbler ever! This is truly delicious!
I found this recipe in Southern Living a few of years ago and I've been making this dessert ever since. Share this dessert with your family and friends the next time you want to entertain.

I'm all about simple, so this is a lovely fit to my simple lifestyle, fresh fruit and 5 easy ingredients.

Ingredients:

4 cups of fresh blackberries

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

1 large egg

1 cup of sugar (if you like it extra sweet, add more sugar)

1 cup of all-purpose flour

7-8 tablespoons of butter

Whip cream (optional)

Garnish: fresh mint sprig

Preparation:

Preheat oven 375 degrees. Place blackberries in a slightly greased 8-inch square baking dish, sprinkle with lemon juice. Stir together egg, sugar, and flour in a medium bowl until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle over fruit.

Drizzle melted butter over topping. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes.

Serve warm with whip cream and garnish with fresh mint sprig, if desired.

{TIP}For a cute presentation, bake for the same amount of time 6 (8oz.) ramekins
on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet as I did above and serve cute individual servings.

Serves 6
Enjoy!

DIY: Felt Leaf Garland

There’s a wonderful world of possibilities in the world of felt. I created a home accent garland with some felt sheets, blending seasonal colors and shapes. This is great for kids' playrooms or just to decorate around the house. My inspiration came from a Pottery Barn catalog.
Let me show you how I made this garland.

Materials