A Mexican Holiday with Tamales de Chocolate y Nuez

Written by Vianney Rodriguez –

Please enjoy today’s guest post by Vianney Rodriguez of Sweet Life.

Today I want to share a Holiday that is very dear to my heart, Dia de Los Muertos know as Day of the Dead. A Mexican holiday that focuses on honoring the departed, their memories and how they have touched our lives. Our family celebrates this yearly tradition with a week long celebration of honoring our loved ones with a family altar. In our altar we place favorite family photos of our departed, papel picado, candy skulls, flowers and personal mementos. We celebrate with the dishes that pay homage to their memory.

My grandfather loved tamales of every kind with any filling. He would enjoy them fresh from the pot piping hot or grilled in their husk until crispy over a warm comal for breakfast. Today I want to honor him with a sweet tamale de chocolate y nuez. A chocolate based masa with a hint of chile and lightly sweetened with piloncillo. Filled with pecans and chocolate chips these tamales are almost as sweet as my grandfather, almost. Enjoy!

Tamales de Chocolate y Nuez

Ingredients for 18 tamales:

• 18 corn husks
• 2 cups masa harina, Maseca
• ⅓ cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground chile ancho powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 ¾ cups warm milk
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup piloncillo, grated
• 3 tablespoons warm milk
• Filling
• 1 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Prepare the corn husks: Place corn husks into a large heatproof bowl or stockpot. Cover the husk with enough boiling water to cover. Place a heatproof plate on the husks to keep them submerged. Soak for 1 hour.

In a large mixing bowl stir together masa harina, baking cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, chile powder, and salt. Slowly add warm milk and beat until all the liquid is absorbed and semi-firm dough forms; remove dough shape into a ball and cover with lightly damp paper towels, set aside. In the same mixing bowl cream the butter and piloncillo until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula occasionally. Add masa harina dough to the mixer with creamed butter/piloncillo mixture. Continue to beat the dough, adding the warm milk one spoonful at a time to create soft creamy dough. If the dough is too wet beat in one tablespoon of masa harina at a time, you do not want your masa too crumbly. The chocolate masa will be the consistency of a brownie batter.

Spread chocolate masa about 1/2 inches thick on corn husk with spoon, leaving about ½ inch border along the sides and 2 inch border along the top and bottom of husk. Sprinkle with pecans and semi-sweet chocolate mini morsels and fold sides until they just overlap, fold narrow end under using the husk to press dough over filling. Place tamale folded side down and repeat. You can use thin strips of corn husks to tie the tamale together, although this is isn’t necessary. 

Place the tamales in a large steamer upright. Fill the pot of water with only enough water to touch the steamer, about 2 inches. The water should not touch the tamales. Lay a damp cloth over the tamales and cover with lid. Keep the water at a low boil, checking the pot occasionally to make sure the water doesn’t boil away. Add more water as needed. Steam the tamales for 45-55 minutes.

Tamales are done when the inside pull away from the husk. The tamale should be soft, firm and not mushy.

Link:

• Sweet Life
• NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa
• NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels

More Tamales:

Zucchini & Corn Tamales	Nicaraguan Sweet Tamales

Green Monster Avocado Pie

Written by Ericka -

Please enjoy today’s guest post by Ericka Sanchez of Nibbles and Feasts.

This Halloween, treat your ghouls and goblins with this decadent Green Monster Avocado Pie. “Avocado pie?” you ask? Yes! Don’t be skeptical; trust me. You’ll be glad you did.

The avocado is such an important element in this recipe because it creates a creamy, smooth and silky consistency. Hints of citrus, sweetened with La Lechera Sweetened Condensed Milk complete this fun dessert. Plus it’s GREEN and oh so delicious! Perfect for a conversation starter at your next Halloween party.

This just keeps getting stranger. Let’s talk crust.

Everything is better with chocolate so chocolate chip cookie bar dough from Nestlé Toll House had to play an important role in this green monstrosity. Cookie dough as pie crust? Why not? Don’t be scared.

The combination of textures and flavors balance out perfectly, creating a devilishly tasty dish that will be haunting you year-round.

Happy Halloween!

Green Monster Avocado Pie

Ingredients for 8-10 servings:

• 1 package (11.5 ounces) NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough, softened
• 2 medium avocados, pitted, peeled and chopped
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 can (14 ounces) NESTLÉ LA LECHERA Sweetened Condensed Milk
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• pinch of salt
• Whipped cream for garnish (optional)

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.

PRESS 20 squares of cookie dough* onto bottom and up side of prepared pie plate.

BAKE for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown; flatten down with back of spoon to form pie shell. Cool completely on wire rack.

PLACE avocados and cream cheese in large mixer bowl; beat on medium speed until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk, lime juice and salt; beat until creamy. Pour into cooled cookie crust. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface of pie; refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Links:

• Green Monster Avocado Pie
• Ericka’s Blog Nibbles and Feasts
• NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough
• NESTLÉ LA LECHERA Sweetened Condensed Milk

Related Recipes:

Pumpkin Chocolate Brownies	Strawberry Avocado Bliss

Pumpkin Spice Panna Cotta

Written by Paula -

Please enjoy today’s guest post by Paula of Bell’alimento.

Panna Cotta is one of my favorite desserts. It’s my go to entertaining dessert because it’s SO easy and can be made WELL in advance of your event. I’m on a mission to let people know how ridiculously easy this classic Italian dessert it to make at home. It’s not just a restaurant dessert. Nope. You can pull this little beauty together in less than 15 minutes active working time and for WAY less than what it will set you back in those fancy schmancy restaurants.

Panna Cotta is Italian for cooked cream. You can take a very basic vanilla panna cotta recipe and turn it into just about any flavor your heart desires. The flavor possibilities are truly limitless. Not to mention the presentation possibilities. If the idea of un-molding panna cotta scares you more than creepy Halloween costumes, then no worries.  Just serve it in pretty glasses. Crisis averted.

Speaking of Halloween and all things pumpkin, we’ve put together sugar and spice and everything nice to make this Pumpkin Spice Panna Cotta. We love it and think you will, too.

We’ve substituted half of the cream with 1 cup Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Flavor NESTLÉ COFFEE-MATE Liquid Coffee Creamer! See, you can use creamer for more than your coffee!

Next time you’re looking for a quick and easy dessert perfect for fall, try Our Pumpkin Spice Panna Cotta.

Pumpkin Spice Panna Cotta

Ingredients for 6 Servings:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 envelope (7 grams) unflavored gelatin
• 3 tablespoons ice cold water
• 1 cup Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Flavor NESTLÉ COFFEE-MATE Liquid Coffee Creamer
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• Orange slices (optional)
• Crushed gingersnap cookies (optional)

Directions:

SPRAY six 4-ounce ramekins or custard cups with nonstick cooking spray.

SPRINKLE gelatin over water in a small bowl; let stand for about 5 minutes or until softened.

WHISK Coffee-mate, cream and pumpkin in a 2-quart saucepan; cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until warm. When warm, add gelatin mixture to Coffee-mate mixture; whisk until gelatin is completely dissolved.

POUR mixture into prepared ramekins or custard cups. Refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours.

SERVE in ramekins topped with orange slices and crushed cookies. Or, to unmold, run a small knife around inside of each ramekin, then dip ramekin bottoms in hot water for about 15 seconds and pat dry. Place dessert plates over ramekins; invert and shake gently to loosen.

NESTLÉ COFFEE-MATE Holiday Flavors are available late September through early January each year.

Links:

• Pumpkin Spice Panna Cotta
• Paula’s Blog
• LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Flavor NESTLÉ COFFEE-MATE Liquid Coffee Creamer

Related Recipes:

White Chocolate Caramel Panna Cotta

Simple Tiramisu

Baked Banana Boats & Granola: Raisinets Snacks for Kids

Written by Brandi -

Please enjoy today’s guest post by Brandi of Bran Appetit.

If you’re anything like me, snacks get boring after a few weeks. I tend to find one thing that I love, bring it to work every day, and after 2 weeks of eating the same thing every afternoon, I don’t ever want to see it again. I’m always looking for new ideas to throw into the rotation, and these banana boats are my new favorites.

Bringing a plain banana is fine, but stuffing it full of nuts, coconut, and dark chocolate Raisinets puts it over the top. The best way to make these is to bake them, but if you want to make a quick version at home for a snack or dessert or in the office, just wrap them loosely in some paper towels and microwave them for about a minute until everything is warmed and the chocolate is starting to melt.

Baked Raisinets Banana Boats

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 bananas
• 3/4 cup NESTLÉ RAISINETS Dark Chocolate or Milk Chocolate-Covered Raisins
• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts (chopped)
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.SLICE each banana lengthwise, leaving the peel on to keep the banana together.DIVIDE Raisinets, macadamia nuts, coconut and salt between each banana, stuffing the mixture into the middle of each banana.

WRAP each banana with a piece of foil, making sure to not wrap too tightly. Leave top loose so foil doesn’t touch ingredients inside of banana. Place on baking sheet.

BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through. Remove foil: serve warm.

A few months ago, Raisinets were a treat I ate by themselves. That’s not a bad thing, but I had never tried mixing them into my favorite recipes to make a twist on a classic.

And then I fell in love with the Dark Chocolate Raisinets. Have you tried them yet? You’ll be addicted after the first one, too. As much as I wanted to just sit and enjoy them on their own, I decided to throw them into my favorite quick and easy granola recipe with some unexpected spices and dried fruit.

This granola is absolutely perfect for a quick snack or served with milk or yogurt for breakfast. The best thing about this granola is that it’s quick to make and it’s easy to customize.

Get the recipe for Stove Top Spiced Raisinets Granola here.

Links:

• Baked Raisinets Banana Boats
• Stove Top Spiced Raisinets Granola
• Watch the Raisinets drama on YouTube

More Raisinets recipes:

Spicy Sweet Raisinets Popcorn

Iced Cranberry Raisinets Cinnamon Rolls

No-bake Dessert: Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse Pie with Mocha Drizzle

Written by Milissa -

Please enjoy this guest post by Milisa Armstrong of Miss in the Kitchen.

Chocolate pie is my favorite kind of pie but I don’t make it very often. Traditional chocolate cream pie takes a little time in the kitchen and then about 4 hours of chilling time. It is so hard for me to wait 4 hours for pie!

Today I’m sharing my new favorite chocolate pie with you. It is ready to eat in less than 20 minutes and you don’t even have to turn the oven on. It’s rich and decadent and the mocha drizzle gives it a little extra kick. I think chocolate and coffee were made for each other.

This is a perfect no-bake summer dessert. Just a few zaps of the microwave to melt the chocolate so you have very little cooking time and no heating up your kitchen. Plus it uses just a few simple ingredients that you likely have on hand. Now that’s hard to beat.

My family has a scale to help me measure the success of a new recipe. It ranges from okay, to good, to really good, and best thing I ever ate. This pie garnered the best thing I ever ate category!

Whether you serve this pie as a weeknight dessert or at your next neighborhood barbecue, it is sure to be a hit.

Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse Pie with Mocha Drizzle

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, divided
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cups NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, divided
• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• prepared chocolate crumb crust
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder

Directions:

BEAT 1 1/2 cups whipping cream with electric mixer until it starts to form peaks. Add powdered sugar, slowly beating until incorporated. Stop mixer and scrape down sides if necessary. Pour whipped cream into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator.

PLACE 1 cup morsels and 2 tablespoons whipping cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM-HIGH (80%) power for 20 seconds; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until chocolate is melted and smooth.

PLACE cream cheese and melted chocolate in mixer bowl; beat at medium speed until well combined. Add vanilla extract and mix until combined. Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture until well combined and no white streaks remain. Pour into prepared pie crust.

PLACE remaining 1/2 cup morsels, remaining 1 tablespoon whipping cream and espresso powder in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM-HIGH (80%) power for 20 seconds; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until chocolate is melted and smooth. Pour into small, resealable plastic bag; clip the corner off the bag. Drizzle over pie.

REFRIGERATE for 10 minutes or until mocha drizzle has set.

Links:

• Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse Pie with Mocha Drizzle
• Get a Toll House coupon
• Miss in the Kitchen

Related Recipes:

No-Bake Sweet & Salty Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars

No-Bake Dark Chocolate & Mint Cheesecake

Summer Grilling Recipe: Tangerine Adobo Chicken

Written by Ericka -

Please enjoy this guest post by Ericka Sanchez of Nibbles & Feasts.

Planning a family reunion this summer? Then a “parillada” (barbecue) needs to happen. It’s the perfect time to bond with your loved ones, enjoy the beautiful weather and reflect in the great outdoors.

We are at the peak of barbecue season and I took advantage of this time to invite my family over and prepare a batch of my younger sister’s famous Orange Tangerine Adobo Chicken a la parilla. I had been pleading with her to reveal the sweet, savory and spicy marinade recipe to me because everyone loves the flavor and it tenderizes the chicken beautifully. I promised her that if she shared her recipe with me, I would invite the family over and attempt to make this delicious family meal for everyone to enjoy.

With that promise, she did and I was delighted to have all the ingredients needed in my kitchen. There was no need to go out and buy costly marinades when I could make my own. The preparation was simple and the chicken marinated overnight as we hardly slept in anticipation.

The next day, when the chicken was cooked and gave it its last sizzle, we wrapped the juicy meat in warm corn tortillas, topped it with pico de gallo and devoured this newly inducted Meals.com family favorite until it completely disappeared.

Tangerine Adobo Chicken

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 4 cups Orange Tangerine Flavor NESTLÉ® JUICY JUICE® All Natural 100% Juice
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon MAGGI Seasoning Sauce
• 2 tablespoons chipotle chiles in adobo sauce from a can, chopped
• 8 chicken thighs (bone-in)

Directions:

HEAT Juicy Juice and sugar in a large saucepan; whisk until sugar is completely dissolved. Whisk in seasoning sauce and chiles; cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat; let cool.

PLACE chicken thighs in a large freezer bag; carefully pour in Juicy Juice mixture. Seal; refrigerate for 12 hours.

PREHEAT grill or broiler.

GRILL or broil chicken for about 7 minutes on each side or until no longer pink in center. To test, pierce a thigh with a knife and if juice is clear, the thighs are cooked.

Links:

• Orange Tangerine Adobo Chicken
• Nestlé Juicy Juice
• Maggi Seasoning Sauce
• Nibbles & Feasts

Related Recipes:

Turkey Enchilada Stack

Barbeque Chicken Drummettes