Almond Roca

Since I’m not a huge lover of sweet things, most of the things I make during the Twelve Days of Treats end up being given away.

But this is a treat that I made sure to gobble up plenty of.

Not only is almond roca one of my all time favorite sweet treats, but this was one of the best almond rocas I had ever had.

Eat your hearts out roca lovers. This bad boy is the bee’s knees.

And so freaking easy to make.

So easy that Joe Cool over here got to chill in his shades while helping out. 

You will need…

1 cup roasted and salted almonds, chopped

1 cup butter (2 sticks) plus 1 tablespoon

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup semisweet chocolate

Start by using buttering a 7 x 11 inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter.

Then, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.

When the butter has melted add in the brown sugar and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium and boil, stirring often until the temperature has reached 300 degrees F. You will need to use a candy thermometer (you can buy them cheap at the grocery store). If you reach 320 degrees F it will not harden so be very careful.

Pour half the almonds into the buttered pan then pour the sugar mixture over the almonds.

Pour the chocolate over the almonds and butter and sugar mixture and allow it to melt for about 3 minutes.

After the chocolate has begun to melt, use a spatula to spread it out evenly.

Top with the remaining almonds and put in the refrigerator for an hour.

When the roca has completely hardened, chop with a knife and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Almond Roca

1 cup roasted and salted almonds, chopped

1 cup butter (2 sticks) plus 1 tablespoon

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup semisweet chocolate

Start by using buttering a 7 x 11 inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter.

Then, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.

When the butter has melted add in the brown sugar and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium and boil, stirring often until the temperature has reached 300 degrees F. You will need to use a candy thermometer (you can buy them cheap at the grocery store). If you reach 320 degrees F it will not harden so be very careful.

Pour half the almonds into the buttered pan then pour the sugar mixture over the almonds.

Pour the chocolate over the almonds and butter and sugar mixture and allow it to melt for about 3 minutes.

After the chocolate has begun to melt, use a spatula to spread it out evenly.

Top with the remaining almonds and put in the refrigerator for an hour.

When the roca has completely hardened, chop with a knife and serve. 

Dark Chocolate "Almond Joys"

Last night was my favorite night of the year. The annual Samuels family holiday party.

And oh what a holiday party it was.

As usual there was great food, great drinks and a ridiculous amount of singing and dancing.

I would like to point out that our holiday parties are never advertised as a party that you would dance at. But every year with out fail, at a certain point in the night a switch turns on and everyone starts singing into wooden spoons and paper towel holders and dancing like a crazed dance troop. Usually right after some sort of group shot.

The rest of my weekend is going to be spent recovering from all the fun and dancing and shots.

Part of my resting is making yummy things.

Like these little tasty suckers.

You will need…

2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

8 ounces sweetened condensed milk

Pinch of salt

Roasted salted almonds

16 ounces good milk or dark chocolate, chopped

Start by combining the coconut, condensed milk and salt in a bowl. Make sure it is completely combined.

Pop it in the fridge and let it refrigerate for 20 minutes. Just till it is hard.

While the mixture is cooling, place a metal bowl in a large pot of gently boiling water and add in the chopped chocolate.

Use the double boiler to melt the chocolate until it is smooth.

After the coconut has cooled and hardened, remove it from the fridge and use your hands to roll coconut balls and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Place and almond in the top of each ball, pressing it gently into the coconut.

Freeze the balls for 7 to 10 minutes.

When the chocolate is melted and the balls have been in the freezer, use 2 spoons to place the balls in the chocolate and roll them around until they are completely covered.

Place them back on the sheet and allow the chocolate to harden.

Serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Dark Chocolate "Almond Joy"

2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

8 ounces sweetened condensed milk

Pinch of salt

Roasted salted almonds

16 ounces good milk or dark chocolate, chopped

Start by combining the coconut, condensed milk and salt in a bowl. Make sure it is completely combined.

Pop it in the fridge and let it refrigerate for 20 minutes. Just till it is hard.

While the mixture is cooling, place a metal bowl in a large pot of gently boiling water and add in the chopped chocolate.

Use the double boiler to melt the chocolate until it is smooth.

After the coconut has cooled and hardened, remove it from the fridge and use your hands to roll coconut balls and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Place and almond in the top of each ball, pressing it gently into the coconut.

Freeze the balls for 7 to 10 minutes.

When the chocolate is melted and the balls have been in the freezer, use 2 spoons to place the balls in the chocolate and roll them around until they are completely covered.

Place them back on the sheet and allow the chocolate to harden.

Serve.

Gruyere Baked Broccoli and Cauliflower

Lobotomy success!!!

My minor procedure went off with out a hitch yesterday and today I woke up feeling like a million bucks.

After reflecting on the whole experience, I came up with one conclusion.

I now have a full understanding of how people become addicted to painkillers.

The procedure I had was MINOR. I was only out for about twenty minutes and have minimal pain.

But somehow, I left the hospital with a prescription for thirty high dose ibuprofen pills and thirty Vicodin tablets.

That is a LOT of pain pill power. When in reality, I probably would have been good with one of each. Since that is all I’ve taken and now I feel fine.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to develop ANOTHER habit.

For now, I’m sticking with food.

And this perfect option for a Thanksgiving side dish. 

Or just a Tuesday side dish.

You will need…

1 large head of broccoli, chopped

1 large head of cauliflower, chopped

4 tablespoons butter

¼ cup flour

2 cups whole milk

2 cups shredded gruyere cheese

½ cup almond slivers

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F.

Then fill a large pot with about ½ inch of water and heating it over medium heat.

Add the broccoli and cauliflower to the pot and steam the veggies for 3 to 5 minutes. Just until they are barely tender.

Drain the water and add the veggies to a large oven safe dish.

In a saucepan, gently melt the butter.

Slowly stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until completely combined.

Cook the butter and flour mixture for 2 minutes, but be careful not to burn.

Add in the milk and cook for an additional 4 to 6 minutes until the milk begins to thicken. Stirring regularly.

When the milk has thickened, remove the heat and add in 1 cup of the cheese.

Stir the cheese until it has completely melted into the milk.

Season with the salt, pepper and cayenne. Stir well and pour over the veggies.

Top the veggies with the slivered almonds and the rest of the cheese.

Pop the dish in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, till browned and bubbly on the top.

Let it cool for about 10 minutes and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Gruyere Baked Broccoli and Cauliflower

1 large head of broccoli, chopped

1 large head of cauliflower, chopped

4 tablespoons butter

¼ cup flour

2 cups whole milk

2 cups shredded gruyere cheese

½ cup almond slivers

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F.

Then fill a large pot with about ½ inch of water and heating it over medium heat.

Add the broccoli and cauliflower to the pot and steam the veggies for 3 to 5 minutes. Just until they are barely tender.

Drain the water and add the veggies to a large oven safe dish.

In a saucepan, gently melt the butter.

Slowly stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until completely combined.

Cook the butter and flour mixture for 2 minutes, but be careful not to burn.

Add in the milk and cook for an additional 4 to 6 minutes until the milk begins to thicken. Stirring regularly.

When the milk has thickened, remove the heat and add in 1 cup of the cheese.

Stir the cheese until it has completely melted into the milk.

Season with the salt, pepper and cayenne. Stir well and pour over the veggies.

Top the veggies with the slivered almonds and the rest of the cheese.

Pop the dish in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, till browned and bubbly on the top.

Let it cool for about 10 minutes and serve hot. 

Arugula Salad with Peaches and Raddish

This weekend I took on my final wedding cake dry run.

My last chance to learn something about decorating a cake before I make the official cake of matrimony.

And I did learn something very important. I needed to throw out my current decoration game plan and come up with something way WAY easier. Something where it intentionally looks messy. 

I finally feel better about making the cake for someone’s big day, but I don’t feel good about all the frosting I ate during this cakes production.

So I decided to cleanse myself with a light and tasty salad.

You will need…

 4 cups arugula

3 ripe peaches, pitted and thinly sliced

5 radishes, sliced very thin

¼ cup toasted almonds (raw is fine too) slivers

¼ cup peeled pecarino romano cheese (use a vegetable peeler)

¼ cup olive oil

2 lemons juiced

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining the arugula and radish in a bowl or on a platter.

Then, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and sugar. Season it well with salt and pepper.

Drizzle the dressing over the arugula and radishes and toss well.

Top the salad with the peaches, almonds and cheese.

Toss again and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Arugula Salad with Peaches and Raddish

4 cups arugula

3 ripe peaches, pitted and thinly sliced

5 radishes, sliced very thin

¼ cup toasted almonds (raw is fine too) slivers

¼ cup peeled pecorino romano cheese (use a vegetable peeler)

¼ cup olive oil

2 lemons juiced

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining the arugula and radish in a bowl or on a platter.

Then, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and sugar. Season it well with salt and pepper.

Drizzle the dressing over the arugula and radishes and toss well.

Top the salad with the peaches, almonds and cheese.

Toss again and serve.