Easy Mexican Hot Chocolate

I remember watching a chef prepare Mexican hot chocolate on a cooking show when I was a child and I just knew it was something I would love.  That memory stuck with me until I moved into my first apartment years later.  You can imagine my delight the first time I found the chocolate disks at the grocery store.  The rich chocolate-cinnamon flavor combination has been a favorite of mine ever since.  If you've never tried it, I urge you to give it a go.

Start by gently heating milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat. 

Add one disk of mexican hot chocolate (I used this one).  

I like to chop it up a bit to speed the melting process along.

The disks contain roasted chocolate, sugar, cinnamon, and sometimes nuts and other spices.  Mmmmm.

Add the Mexican chocolate to the milk and whisk it constantly until completely melted.

If you want to be super authentic, use this traditional Mexican tool to froth the liquid.

That was easy!  Now pour into mugs and enjoy.

Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• mexican hot chocolate https://amzn.to/3Ht2BfC

• stainless saucepan https://amzn.to/2YNNvNZ

• mexican hot chocolate frother https://amzn.to/44hTCsn

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Easy Mexican Hot Chocolate

makes 3-4 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 cups whole milk

• 1 disk mexican chocolate, cut into chunks

• optional whipped cream or marshmallows for garnish

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, warm milk and chopped chocolate together, whisking constantly, until the chocolate melts completely. Pour into mugs and enjoy.

Note

• Traditionally, Mexican hot chocolate is frothed with a Molinillo.  I don't have one so I just serve with a dollop of whipped cream or marshmallows.  

Spanish Quinoa

Hi Everyone.  It's time for this month's Secret Recipe Club, where each month, a group of bloggers are assigned a blog, and we get to choose a recipe from that blog to feature on our own blogs, then we all reveal our assigned blogs on the same day.

This month I was assigned the blog:  2CookinMamas by Linda and Christina, a mother daughter blogging team devoted to making nutritious family-friendly foods, including many gluten free recipes.     

Linda and Christina have so many wonderful recipes on their blog, choosing just one to feature here was not an easy task.  I was hoping to find a new quinoa recipe to try and I was delighted to find not one, but ten - Quinoa Spinach Cakes, Quinoa and Roasted Broccoli Salad, Quinoa Stuffing, and more.  My selection:  Spanish Quinoa, a healthy take on spanish rice.  It was absolutely delicious and I will most definitely be making it again and again.  Excellent recipe, ladies!

Drain the canned tomatoes and chiles, reserving the juice.

There's a lot of flavor in that juice.

To the reserved juice, add enough chicken stock to equal 2 cups of liquid. 

Heat a little oil in a large skillet.

Saute the onions and peppers in the oil.  Season with a pinch of salt.

Mmmm!

The peppers and onions are done.  Look at all the wonderful fond in the bottom of the pan.  Fond = flavor!

Next I added the tomatoes and green chiles.

Give everything a stir and make a little well in the center.

Add the chili powder.

Stir well, sauteing that chili powder to "bloom" the flavor.

Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin which can taste bitter or soapy.  Rinsing easily removes the saponin.  Even if your quinoa claims to be pre-rinsed, play it safe and rinse it anyway.

Back to the recipe, add the reserved canned tomatoes and green chile juice mixed with chicken stock.

Give everything a good stir. 

Bring to a boil.

Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• braiser https://amzn.to/2SPd6lO

• mesh sieves https://amzn.to/3fCDbP5

• quinoa https://amzn.to/2SQXXjX

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Spanish Quinoa

makes 4 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 3/4 cup chopped onion

• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

• pinch of salt

• 10 ounce can diced tomatoes

• 4 ounce can green chiles

• 2 teaspoons ground chili powder

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed

• 2 cups chicken broth (try my homemade)

Directions

1. Drain canned tomatoes and green chiles, reserving liquids in a 2-cup measure; add enough chicken stock to equal 2 cups.

2. In a large skillet, saute onions, peppers, and salt until onions are translucent and starting to caramelize, about 5 minutes.

3. Add canned tomatoes and green chiles; stir for a minute or two; add chili powder and saute for 30-60 seconds.

4. Add the quinoa and chicken stock mixture; stir well to combine.

5. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve.