Peppermint Eucalyptus Whipped Body Butter

Mm! Be still my heart. Cocoa butter has the most amazing, slightly chocolate aroma. It's also quite beautiful in its own dusty, jagged way. So natural and pure. 

The main ingredients of this body butter are cocoa butter, shea butter, and coconut oil. 

The butters and oil all melted together.

The essential oils I used have a calming effect on the mind and a cooling effect on the skin. A small amount of avocado oil is added for it's hydrating and nutrient rich properties. It also supports skin elasticity. 

After cooling for a few hours, the mixture is whipped until very light in color and almost double in volume. And there! A wonderfully luxurious natural body butter :) I don't there's much that can beat that. 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut oil 

3 TB Shea butter

3 TB cocoa butter

1/2 TB carrier oil (I used avocado oil)

3/4 Tsp castor oil (I used avocado oil)

6 drops eucalyptus essential oil

4 drops peppermint essential oil

Melt the coconut oil and butters in a bowl in the microwave for 15 second intervals. Try not to overheat them. Add the oils and the essential oils and mix well. Refrigerate the mixture until it's cool but still soft. It will become very firm if cooled for too long. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy and put in a container for use! Enjoy! 

Beer Battered Fish

I love all edible sea creatures. Scallops, crabs, lobster, shrimp, squid, clams, mussels, and then there's fish. So many kinds of fish! Salmon is my favorite, although sea bass ranks right up there too. Thing is, they are both VERY expensive, usually. So then we must go with the cheaper fishies for supper; tilapia and cod for me! Tilapia is always cheaper than cod, but cod is still not as expensive as the others.

This amazing dish uses cod, although any thick white fish may be used. I especially love cod for its meaty texture and mild flavor. I have been wanting to make this meal for SO long... I really don't know what held me up! It may have been the idea of the mess it'd make, and yes, I made quite the mess. Just be sure to not use a shallow pan to fry the fish in cause the oil will go everywhere! I think I was also scared of failure! I mean, I've made things before that required deep-frying and they turned out horribly. Cooked too fast, cooked too slow, burnt or soggy. Frying is hard work! But I did it. And I am glad because it was wonderful! The crust is so so flavorful and just thick enough. Fish was perfectly cooked when it turned golden brown, and my family gobbled it up! I was originally planning on making just two servings for my hubby and I, but ended up making the whole batch for everyone. It does take awhile since it must be fried in batches, but if you have company to chat with while doing it, it goes by quite wonderfully :) I bought two pounds of fish and there was more than enough batter for it all! Only thing was that I had to keep adding flour to the baking pan with flour for the third coating, but it turned out perfect anyway. I love this so much and although I won't be making it often for it's lack of health benefits, I will make it again! Enjoy.

Beer-Battered Fish
Ingredients:
2 1/2 quarts vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
Table salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 lb 1-inch-thick cod fillet (or other thick white fish, such as hake or haddock) cut into fried-fish-like strips (about 3oz each)
12 oz beer, cold

Instructions:
Heat oil in a large dutch oven (at least 6 or 7 quart-capacity) over medium-high heat until it reaches 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a triple-layer of paper towels and set aside. Set a wire rack over another baking sheet and set aside.
While the oil heats, whisk the flour, cornstarch, cayenne, paprika, black pepper, and 2 teaspoons salt together in a large bowl. Transfer 3/4 cup of the flour mixture to a rimmed baking sheet. Add the baking powder to the bowl and whisk it into the flour.
Dry the fish then roll it in the flour on the baking sheet, tapping off the excess flour before letting the pieces rest on the wire rack. Stir in about 3/4 of the beer into the bowl with the flour mixture until it is just combined – it should be lumpy. Add more beer, a tablespoon at a time and whisking after each addition, until the batter runs from the whisk in a thin stream and leaves a faint trail across the top of the batter.
Dip each piece of fish in the batter to coat completely, allow the excess to drip off, then roll them again in the flour on the baking sheet. The fish should be completely covered in flour.
Fry the fish in two batches so as to not over-crowd the pot. You’ll probably need to turn the heat up to high in order to keep the temperature up – it will drop fast after you start frying the first batch. Fry the fish for 6 to 8 minutes until golden brown. Transfer the cooked fish to the baking sheet with the paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining fish.

Note: I made oven fries to go along with the idea of fish and chips but with less fat. I cut up 7 medium potatoes into fries, tossed them with olive oil, salt, pepper, cayenne, and garlic powder, and laid them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment. I roasted them at 425 for 45 minutes and they were perfect! I definitely recommend these. And just eyeball the seasonings, that's what I do :)

URL to article: http://smells-like-home.com/2013/03/beer-battered-fish/

Mocha Chocolate Chip Pancakes

This may sound odd... But I kinda have a strong love of making pancakes for my sweet boyfriend. I just think of him, and pancakes, and I have to make them for him! Maybe it's because pancakes are such a warm comforting food. And they always make me happy when I eat them, so I want them to make him happy too? I don't know! I don't really feel this way about pancakes and anyone else... Lol. I also know that I cannot make them for him, or myself, TOO often. They aren't the healthiest food. I must resist! But they're definitely worth the splurge on occasion :) Our last splurge consisted of these mocha chocolate chip pancakes. They are SO good! I was weirded out by the idea of using ground coffee instead of instant coffee, but it worked great! The chocolate chips add the perfect touch to break up the coffee flavor and make them rich. These are easy to make, satisfying, and definitely a treat. Enjoy!

Mocha Chip Pancakes with Espresso Syrup

For the Espresso Syrup:

1 cup corn syrup

2 oz. (a double shot) hot espresso

For the Mocha Chip Pancakes:

1 cup flour

1/3 cup malted milk powder

3 Tb. ground coffee (not instant)

3/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 Tb. melted butter

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Heat a griddle, or non-stick skillet, to medium-high.

In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients and whisk to blend.

In a smaller bowl, whisk the milk, egg, and vanilla until frothy.

Add the milk mixture to the dry mix and whisk until smooth. Last whisk in the melted butter.

Allow the pancake batter to rest for 3-5 minutes before cooking, to thicken. It should be so thick that it barely pours.

Once the griddle is hot, stir in the chocolate chips.

Make one pancake as a test-batch to ensure your heat in accurate. Use a 1/4 cup scoop to ladle the batter onto the griddle. Spread into a circle. Cook for 1-3 minutes per side. Flip when small bubbles rise to the top of the batter. If the pancake turns dark too quickly, lower the heat.

Makes 8-10 pancakes.

Source: http://www.rachelcooks.com/2012/07/22/mocha-chip-pancakes-with-espresso-syrup/

Beer Bread

I love bread. This is a good thing obviously, since that means I can make bread, but it's also a very bad thing... For my hips! Oh, and was this bread dangerous. Yikes. I could not stop eating it. I literally had no control around it! Just kidding, kinda ;) It's a sweeter bread, not too sweet, and deliciously buttery. It's amazing, pretty much. And the fact that it is so so easy makes it only better! It requires one bowl, throw in a bottle of beer or soda, and bake it up with some butter on top! It's perfect for when the bread drawer is somehow empty before you realize it. It's also a nice change since my family eats the same Italian rolls from the same bakery every.single.day. I really love this recipe and I'll be making it often. Enjoy! :)

I loved watching the bubbles!

Homemade Beer Bread

3 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (12-ounce) bottle beer

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 5" x 9" loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside. 

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Add beer and mix until combined (Dough will be sticky). Place dough into loaf pan. Pour melted butter over top of loaf.

Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 50-60 minutes, or until top is golden brown and toothpick comes out clean from center. 

Serve warm or cold.

Source: http://www.shortstopblog.com/2009/10/homemade-beer-bread.html

Beer Braised Irish Beef Stew with Colcannon

Oooh yes... Looks rich, huh? It is. This dish was amazing! It completely surpassed my expectations, considering the short list of ingredients for a stew. I made this meal since St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow, and my family has never actually celebrated it! We aren't Irish... But we can still honor St. Patrick :) I also wanted to make Irish food since I never have before, and my mate's grandparents are really big on the holiday and Ireland, so I thought I should try to incorporate it into my life somehow as well. Honestly, this is the best beef stew I have ever had. And I've had many. The colcannon is basically mashed potatoes with tender sliced cabbage and salty bacon bits mixed in. It is perfect with the stew! 

This dish doesn't take very long to make. The most time-consuming part is when it's in the oven. I took quite some time trimming and cutting the meat, as there was a good amount of fat. I love how it goes in the oven twice, 45 minutes at a time, since it gave me time to clean the dishes and do other necessary things, lol. This dish is very filling so while you may want to load it up on your plate, I'd suggest to wait and get seconds if you're still hungry. I made Irish soda bread to eat with this dish and it was so good! I'll share that recipe as well. Enjoy! :)

Beer Braised Irish Beef Stew with Colcannon 

Makes 8 servings

Irish Stew:

 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

 1 (3 pound) beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

 1 cup coarsely chopped onion

 1 cup coarsely chopped carrot

 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle dark beer

 2 bay leaves

 1 teaspoon dried thyme

 1 teaspoon salt

 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

 2 cloves garlic, minced

 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Calcannon:

 3 slices bacon

 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage

 1/4 cup milk, warmed

 2 tablespoons butter

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until very hot, and brown the meat in 2 batches, stirring to brown the cubes on all sides. Return all the meat to the Dutch oven, sprinkle with flour, and stir lightly to coat the meat with flour. Stir in onion, carrots, dark beer, bay leaves, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cover.

Place the Dutch oven into the preheated oven, and cook for 45 minutes; uncover, stir the stew, and cook until the beef is very tender and the liquid is reduced by half, about 45 more minutes.

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

About 30 minutes before the stew is ready, make the colcannon: Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.

Place the cabbage into a microwave-safe bowl, and add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave on High for about 2 1/2 minutes; uncover (watch out for steam) and stir the cabbage. Cover and microwave for about 2 1/2 more minutes, until the cabbage is slightly tender but not mushy. Drain excess liquid, and set the cabbage aside, covered.

Place the potatoes into a large bowl, and add milk, butter, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Beat the potatoes with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Stir in the cabbage, crumbled bacon, and parsley until well combined.

To serve, place a scoop of colcannon onto a plate, make a hollow, and fill with braised beef stew.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Beer-Braised-Irish-Stew-and-Colcannon/Detail.aspx

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

I love granola bars. I eat them quite often, almost daily! They're chewy and satisfying, and can even cure my sweet tooth cravings! I've eaten almost every granola bar out there. Chewy brand bars are great, but they're so tiny. I love Clif bars, but they can get quite expensive... Sometimes, all you need are some simple homemade granola bars. These turned out awesome. I used whole wheat flour in place of the white flour, though in the future I will only use half, as it has quite a distinct flavor. I can only imagine how much more delicious these will be next time! My dad went crazy for these, ate three within ~10 minutes! I don't blame him. They are sweet, but most of that sweetness comes from the wonderful bursts of chocolate from within. This recipe is SO EASY. And it bakes within 18 minutes! These also hold their shape, unlike some granola bars that crumble as you eat them. I will definitely make these again and again and again :) Enjoy!

Homemade Granola Bars

2 cups quick cooking oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 chocolate chips

1/2 cup wheat germ (I used flax meal. Great source of fiber!)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup honey

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, raisins,  salt, and cinnamon in a bowl, making sure to beat the brown sugar lumps into submission. Combine egg, oil, honey, and vanilla in a small bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mix it all up, and dump it into a greased 9×13 inch pan. Using a greased spatula, or a wet spoon, spread it into an even layer.

 Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Cool pan on a wire rack, and when it’s all cooled off, you can cut it into whatever size bars you like. 

Source: http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2009/06/homemade-granola-bars/ 

Mongolian Beef

It's hard for me to find a food that I really don't enjoy. I've tried so many Chinese dishes, except for this one. That is, until I made it myself! I had actually never heard of this dish before coming across it on this blog, but I'm sure glad I did. This is one of my favorite Chinese entrees that I can make at home. The sauce is absolutely amazing. I can't stop thinking about it! It has a slight spice from the pepper flakes, although if you love heat you may want to add more, or even double it! It's sweet and savory and Mmm, perfect! It's also ridiculously easy to make which is always a plus. I definitely recommend everyone try this dish, and let me know how it turns out! Enjoy :)

I used cubed steak because I think it is more tender than a flank steak would be. Try whatever you prefer!

Here's the beef when the sauce is added. 

I let it all cook and reduce for about 10 minutes at medium heat. 

Mongolian Beef

1 lb of flank steak or cube steak, thinly sliced crosswise

1/4 cup of cornstarch

3 teaspoons of canola oil

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger (about 1/2 inch piece)

1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 -3 large cloves)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 large green onions, sliced

Rice, for serving

Instructions

For the meat, make sure the steak slices are dry by patting them with a paper towel. Slice them into strips, then add the cornstarch to the beef. Place the slices in a strainer and shake off excess corn starch. Begin to cook the rice while you prepare the rest of the meal.

For the sauce, heat half of the oil in a large wok or pan at medium-high heat and add the garlic and the ginger. Immediately add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar and pepper flakes. Cook the sauce for about 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl. Don’t worry if the sauce doesn’t look thick enough at this point. The corn starch in the beef will thicken it up later.

Place the meat in the same pan, add in the rest of the oil if needed, and cook, stirring until it is all browned (this is a quick thing). Pour the sauce back into the wok/pan and let it cook along with the meat.

You can cook down the sauce to reduce it to thicken or leave it thinner. Add the green onions on the last minute so the green parts will stay green and the white parts crunchy. Serve it hot with rice. Serves 2.

Source: http://crepesofwrath.net/2009/02/09/mongolian-beef/