Frozen Hot Chocolate

What is a perfect dessert for hot a summer day?? Frozen hot chocolate sounds good to me. My sister tried it and raved about it so I thought I'd give it a shot while we were in the middle of our heat wave this past week. It was amazing!!

Ingredients
3 tbsp sugar
1 packet hot cocoa mix
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
1/3 cup choclate chips
1 can evaporated milk (divided)
5 cups ice cubes (may need more)
Whipped cream
Chocolate sauce
Chocolate shavings/mini marshmellow bits

Directions:
In a saucepan over low heat melt chocolate chips, butter, sugar and cocoa mix.

Once it has melted, add 1/2 cup of evaporated milk. Stir until mixed well. Cool - I actually put the mixture into the freezer to cool down quicker - I have very little patience for chocolaty goodness.

Once cool, add 2 1/2 cups of ice, 1/2 of the chocolate mixture and 1/2 of what is left of the evaporated milk. Blend until smooth.

Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream and drizzle with chocolate sauce. Next, put your feet up and crank the AC!

Open Face Breakfast Sandwich

I came across this recipe in The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food From My Frontier (pg 12, Make-Ahead Muffin Melts). I love this because you can do all of the prep the night before and the only thing left is to spread the mix on the english muffins in the morning and bake.

Of course, I changed a few things to suit our tastes (less worcestershire/dijon/eggs; more cheese/bacon) and they still turned out delicous and I can't wait to make again.

Ingredients
1 lb bacon
*6 hard boiled eggs (peeled/chopped)
2 cups (or a bit more) shredded colby jack cheese (or whatever your favorite is)
1 cup mayo
1/4-1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 dash worcestershire sauce
6-8 english muffins (halved)
Salt and pepper if needed

Directions:
Hard-boiled eggs:
Put eggs in a sauce pan and add water until they are covered. Cover the pan and bring eggs to a rapid boil (turn the heat on high from the get-go). Remove the pan from the heat (but keep covered) and let sit for 20 min. After 20 minutes, drain the water and put the eggs in a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes. Take them out and let them air dry. Place in fridge until ready to use or eat.
While making the hard boiled eggs, start to fry the bacon to your desired doneness. Let cool, then chop. Once the eggs have cooled, peel and chop them.

In a bowl add one cup of mayo, cheese, eggs, bacon, mustard, garlic powder and worcestershire sauce and mix together. Once this step is done, you can store in the fridge until you're ready to make them. If you're ready now...

Split the english muffins in half and spread the mixture on each half. Top with extra cheese and then pop under the broil for a few minutes. I used the broil setting on our toaster oven and it worked perfectly.

Once cheese is melted - Enjoy!

The MN Zoo

On Memorial Day Joe and I took Mateo to the MN Zoo because we were given free passes by some friends so we thought why not.

When I first moved to MN nine years ago, I went with Aunt Susie, Uncle Scott, Josh and Sammie and it was ok. Now, granted, I grew up going to the Milwaukee County Zoo which ranks right up there with the San Diego Zoo in my opinion so I have high standards.

So, what has changed in 9 years at the MN Zoo? Not much. My biggest issue is that you can barely see the animals and they have one animal - seriously - like a lion, a bear - it's just not worth the money in my opinion. I'd rather go to Como Zoo in St Paul (which is the "free zoo" - they ask for a donation - like $2 or something really small) now that is the place to go.

The highlight of the Zoo was the Dinosaur exhibit that we made an extra $8 to see - that made the whole experience. And do you know how cool my kid is? While the 4 and 5 year old boys were screaming and crying about the dinosaurs, my little guy would roar right back - it was beyond cute. So, here is our day in pictures.

See? 1 bear...

Digging for bones

1 warthog

1 cheetah...the animals are so lonely!

Had Mateo not pointed out the "baaaybbbiees"

we would have missed them

1 tiger

I'm glad we had the free passes because from now on, we'll stick with Como Zoo or the Milwaukee County Zoo when have WI visits.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

We are suckers for any dip that involves massive amounts of cheese. I found this recipe for a cheesy artichoke dip a while ago and it has been my go-to dip. I made it for Christmas Eve and Uncle Artie LOVED it - and that my friends - is HUGE if you know my uncle.

This past week I found this recipe on the Pioneer Woman blog and thought since it's Father's Day weekend, I'd make it for Joe. What intrigued me about this recipe is that she calls it "the best" and it has no mayo or sour cream so I was a bit skeptical. This is definitely more labor intensive than the cheesy artichoke dip but I like Pioneer Woman's better, and of course Joe liked the other one better so maybe for Christmas Eve this year I'll have to make both and take a poll.

I did switch a few things with the Pioneer Woman's recipe and when I make it again I'll be adding about 1/2 tsp of onion salt too. So, if anyone makes this recipe - throw in the 1/2 tsp onion salt. And one more thing, bump up the 1/4 tsp of cayenne to 1/2 tsp as well.

And on one final note, if you love to cook and have lots of time, the Pioneer Woman's blog is a must to follow (I'm not being compensated for this, I just really love her that much! - in a non-creepy way). I just purchased her latest cookbook and I cannot wait until fall - we'll be eating well at the Falbo house.

Enjoy!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:
6 tbsp butter (divided 3 and 3)
3 tbsp flour
1 jar artichokes (she calls for 2)
1 bag spinach
1 1/2 cups milk (Calls for whole but I used 2%. I also added another 1/4 cup after the cream cheese was added)
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup feta (I don't like it but use it - you can't tell)
1/2 block monterey jack cheese (I added)
1/2 block pepper jack
1/2 cup parmesan (finally grated is what I used)
4 tsp minced garlic (or about 4 cloves minced)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I'd do 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp onion salt (not in the original recipe)
Paprika (my addition as well)
Tortilla chips, naan bread, pita bread/chips, veggies - just something to dip

Artichoke, spinach and 3 tbsp of butter not shown - also,

ignore the crock pot - that was for something else :)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400
Melt 3 tbsp butter in a pan
Add 4 tsp minced garlic - let cook for 1 or 2 minutes
Add bag of spinach and cook until it wilts and place in a strainer. Before removing from the pan, squeeze the spinach with tongs so the extra butter stays in the pan
Drain artichokes and rinse with water
Add to the pan the spinach was just in and cook until colored - 3/4 minutes
Remove from heat and place on cutting board. Turn off heat on pan
Chop artichoke and spinach and put in baking dish

Grate pepper jack and monterey jack cheeses. Set half aside.

Add 3 tbsp to pan that spinach/artichokes were cooked in
Add 3 tbsp flour and whisk

Slowly add 1 1/2 cups milk and combine
Add cream cheese and whisk continuously (this is where I had to add the other 1/4 - but add slowly -  you may not need it all)

Add feta and parmesan
Continue whisking
Add 1/2 monterey and pepper jack cheese.
Add cayenne pepper and onion salt

Whisk until smooth and then add to baking dish. Stir really, really well to make sure it is combined. Add the rest of the pepper/monteray jack blend. Top with a little paprika.

Bake uncovered at 400 for 15 min or until the top is brown and bubbly. OR you can cover the dish, pop it in the fridge and bake it later on.

Memorial weekend fun

For the past couple years we've headed to ET for Memorial weekend. We arrived in town late Thursday night and in true Nana and Papa fashion, they had all of Mateo's out and ready to go. Needless to say it was a late night because Mateo HAD to make sure all his toys were accounted for.

This year marked Amy and some others having a garage sale at Nana and Papa's. ET holds a city-wide (read 'village' for city) every memorial weekend so while Amy was busy selling, Joe and I were busy shopping. We actually didn't have as much luck as last year but that was ok considering Mateo didn't really need anything.

Nana got to spend some time with her boys (Mateo and Cash) and was in heaven. I was left alone with both boys for 5 minutes and my son saw the weakness and took full advantage. Needless to say there will be no baby #2 until Mateo either a) learns to listen (I know, I know - stop laughing) or b) get a couple years older.

Saturday we walked to the square for the brat burger thingy (the correct term is escaping me right now) and ate and listened to some music. We stoped by Uncle Mike and Aunt Ginger's on the way back and then hung out at nana and papa's the rest of the night.

Sunday we headed back to MN. It was a quick few days and I got a lot of Cash time, but not a lot of sister time so that can only mean one thing. Mateo and I will be headed back to ET in late July. And because I have the cutest boy and nephew in the world...here are some pictures of the weekend!

Yeah - Mateo's a weasel - poor Cash!

Ahh yes, that is my son!

Eating with big boys

The most handsomest nephew in the world!

Nice to meet you, I'm your Aunt Brooke

Last weekend Mateo and I finally got to meet Baby Cash!! All of us were supposed to go the weekend before but Taye got sick and Joe wasn't able to switch his days off so it turned into a mam/son road trip. We were given a portable DVD player that goes around the headrest and man that is the GREATEST invention ever.

We got into ET on Thursday night and the Smith family was at Nana and Papa's. When I picked up Cash, I thought I was going to break him. He was 3 weeks old and he was so light and teeny and snugly. Papa was holding Cash and we brought Mateo over and he was so flippin' sweet and gentle. He'd pat Cash's foot and say "baaayyybee."

Basically the Smith family spent all weekend at Nana and Papa's so Mateo and Cash had a lot of cousin time. I've promised Cash that as soon as he's old enough, I'll hold Mateo down so he can give him a few whacks to make up for this weekend. Some of Mateo's "pats" were a bit forceful :).

Excuse my hand but that was one of the "forceful" pats :)

On top of getting to meet Baby Cash, we also got to meet Baby Tanner!! Mateo didn't know what to think with all these baby boys as he's surrounded by little girls at daycare. I'm trying to win the lottery so we can move back to ET so Cash, Mateo and Tanner can take their dads and grandpas hunting :) Speaking of hunting....Papa got a turkey!!!

We'll be back (all of us) in ET for Memorial Day and I can't wait to get more 1:1 Auntie Brooke and Baby Cash time!!!

Mateo - Eighteen months

Holy man I can't believe that my baby is really no longer a baby but a crazy little boy. And he is ALL boy. The kid never slows down which results in his little body going faster than his little legs can keep up...or maybe the other way around - hence lots of trips and falls and he gets right back up without even flinching.

He eats anything and everything and for the past few days refuses to eat if Joe tries to feed him because he wants to do it himself. So, Joe and I have to sit back and cringe as spoon fulls of food fly through the dining room but for the most part, Mateo does really well getting the food in his mouth.

He talks and talks and talks although we still can't really understand what he's saying. If he's in the mood he'll repeat some words but he has to be in the mood. Every now and then I'll get a little finger poking me in the eye saying "EEEYYYEEE" and then he points to my nose and says "nooooooose" which is adorable.

I have to say, I absolutely love this age. I love the discoveries that he is making like rocks and dirt don't taste very good. The fact that the hamper can be knocked over, turned on its side and then climbed on. Same thing for the rocker toy he has. How his tool box can (when turned over) gives him the boost he needs to climb on the couch or how the bottom ledge of the coffee table is a good place to get a boost onto the other couch.

Joe and I look at each other at least once a day and can't believe what a little boy he is and we just try to savor every second because it goes by so incredibly fast.