Recently, my time has been consumed with building a Halloween costume for Eric.  I went and bought three yards of furry fabric yesterday and it came all rolled up like a huge carpet. Apparently, I know nothing about sewing, although I do own a machine.  So, I picked up my furry carpet roll, topped it with a Viking hat and headed over to Tracy’s across the street to confer on said costume.  I think we have a plan and it will turn out well.  After our little tete a tete, I hauled my furry Viking friend down the street (while the neighbors looked on and hollered “trick or treat” at me) and came home to make dinner.

It was an easy dinner.<

Remember the lettuce cups?  Well, there was so much filling left over I decided to make faux pho.  It has been so cold here in Atlanta that we needed some warming up.  I’m almost embarrassed to tell you how simple it was.  But I will.

Take one large container of chicken stock
One half onion
Carton of mushrooms
Leftover lettuce cup filling
Ramen Noodles
Olive Oil

Slice onions and heat up a tablespoon of olive oil in large pot. Put onions in pot and let them brown. Then add the mushrooms and let them cook down.  Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then add the noodles – don’t let them cook for too long or they will get mushy. Pour into a bowl. Gobble down like wild badgers.

One photo today:

Hot! Hot! Hot!

Feel free to go ahead and doctor it up with your favorite spices. I chose red pepper flakes and chili powder.

Since we are talking about cold weather fare, let me share the recipe for hot chocolate that Eric made for me this past Saturday. It was so good.  He put his spin on it, but the basic recipe comes from the side of a box of Hershey’s Cocoa. Love those Hershey folks.

Eric’s Twist on Hershey’s Favorite Hot Cocoa

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 Hershey’s Cocoa
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups milk
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
dash salt
cloves
cinnamon stick
nutmeg

1. Mix sugar, cocoa, spices and salt in saucepan; stir in water
2. Cook and stir over medium  heat until mixture boils; boil and stir 2 minutes
3. Stir in milk and heat. DO NOT BOIL (sorry for the hollering)
4. Remove from heat, add vanilla
5. Strain before serving to get out cloves and cinnamon stick

It is the best hot chocolate ever.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post. It is going to be a doozy. Pinky swear.

Warm your tummy and you warm your soul.

xoxo, Patti