CHOCOLATE POWER BARS

I will not deny it, I am a lover of chocolate.  In the past year I have resorted to satisfying the chocolate urge with eating a Dove dark chocolate but these bars are even better and there is no sugar!  You do need a food processor to make them.
Here’s the ingredients:  Almonds, Cocoa  Powder, Whole Dates, Vanilla, Stevia, Agave, Craisins and Coconut.


Start by putting 2 1/4 cups of almonds into the food processor.  I use the raw almonds, not the salted and roasted ones.  You can roast them in the oven for 5 minutes if you want, just make sure you let them cool completely before processing. 

Add 1/2 cup of coconut flakes or unsweetened coconut.

And 1/4 cup cocoa  powder.

Blend until combined and coarsely ground.  It should look like this.  Not fine ground but with some chunks.

Next we add the dates.  The recipe calls for 15 but I usually throw in a couple extras because I love dates!    Use the whole dates that are pitted of course.  I tried the chopped ones one time and it was a big mistake!

Process again until the dates are chopped up.

Add one Tablespoon of vanilla and 10 drops of stevia.

Now put in 2-3 Tablespoons of Agave.  You could also use honey if you don’t have any agave.  I use the 3 Tablespoons because it makes them a little gooier, chewier, which is how I like them.

Blend again until it all starts sticking together.

Dump in 1/2 cup of dried cranberries and just pulse a few times to combine them into the mixture.

Grease an 8 x 8 glass pan.  I like to use coconut oil because I love the taste of it.  Otherwise use some butter.  Either way make sure you grease it generously.

Press the mixture into the dish and freeze for one hour, just until firm. 


Cut into small squares.  Store them in the refrigerator and eat them when you need that chocolate fix. 



CHOCOLATE POWER BARS
2 1/4 cups Almonds, (or pecans)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup cocoa  powder
15 whole pitted dates
1 Tablespoon vanilla
10 drops Stevia
2-3 Tablespoons Agave
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Blend almonds, coconut and cocoa powder in a food processor until combined and coarsely ground.  Add dates and process again.  Process in vanilla, stevia and agave until well combined.  Pulse in cranberries.  Press mixture into a well greased  8x8 glass dish.  Freeze for one hour until firm.  Cut into squares.

Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.  Philippians 2:14-15

MOCHA PUNCH

This punch is a tradition for our Christmas celebration.  It is cold and creamy and bursting with chocolate!  I doubled it because a single batch isn’t enough for our group. 

Start out with 1 1/2 quarts of water in a kettle.  Add 1/2 cup instant chocolate drink mix.

Add 1/2 cup of sugar

And finally add 1/4 cup of instant coffee granules.  Don’t make a mistake and use coffee grounds!  You need instant coffee granules.

Stir this all together and put on a medium / low burner.  Do not bring to a boil.  We just need to heat the water and dissolve the ingredients.

Remove from the heat and let it cool down.

Pour into a glass jar and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the punch.  I made this three days ahead of time.  This looks like a big jar but remember I was doubling the recipe so I have twice as much here as you would have. 

About half an hour before you want to serve the punch, scoop 1/2 gallon of vanilla and 1/2 gallon of chocolate ice cream into a large container.

Pour the drink mixture over the ice cream.  I asked this tall dark assistant to help me since I couldn’t pour and snap pictures at the same time.

And begin stirring.

And stirring every few minutes, breaking up the chunks of ice cream.

Until it looks like a chocolate shake.  You can serve it right from this container or dump it into a pretty punch bowl.

Dump in the whipped cream and stir.  You can use it to garnish too but I just dump it all in. It just makes the punch that much more creamy.

Ladle into cups and serve. 

For the adults, add a Tablespoon of Kahlua and it makes quite the yummy drink. 

MOCHA PUNCH
1 1/2 quarts water
1/2 cup instant chocolate drink mix
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup instant coffee granules
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
1/2 gallon chocolate ice cream
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
Put water into a large saucepan.  Add drink mix, sugar and coffee.  Heat until ingredients are dissolved.  Do not boil.  Let cool and then cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.  About 30 minutes before serving, spoon ice creams into punch bowl.  Add drink mixture and stir until ice cream chunks are gone.  Garnish with whipped cream.
Makes about 5 quarts of punch. 

The Law of Use
For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.  Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.  Matthew 25:29

FANNY FARMER FUDGE

I started using this fudge twenty some years ago. We had a cookie/candy exchange at our church and Deb B. brought this fudge. It is so smooth and creamy and very simple to make.

The ingredients are things I usually have on hand. Evaporated milk, sugar, semi-sweet chocolate chips, vanilla, butter and nuts.

So many have asked where Hannah has been. She is back and cooking up a storm. Pour the can of milk into a large saucepan.

Add 4 1/2 cups of sugar

Mix together and bring to a boil over medium heat.

While that is cooking, chop up a cup of nuts. I have fallen for macadamia nuts. They are sooooooooo good. You could also use walnuts or pecans.

Next you need to prepare your pan. Grease the pan first.

Press a piece of parchment paper onto the greased pan.

Then smear butter over the parchment paper. After this picture, I was really trying to remember whether Hannah had washed her hands or not. Oh well, too late now.

By now your milk/sugar should have boiled for 10 minutes. Watch this closely and keep the heat as low as possible or it will boil over and it really makes a mess if that happens.

Remove the pan from heat and add a stick of butter.

And 3 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips

And a teaspoon of vanilla.

Now start stirring and stirring

Keep stirring, it still isn’t ready.

When it leaves ripples while you are stirring, you know it is ready.

Dump in the nuts and stir.

Now pour onto the pan and spread to the edges.

YUMMY!!!!!!!!! Pop it into the refrigerator until cooled and firm.

Hannah was giving Chloe a taste of the fudge and of course Chloe bit her finger.

Remove from pan and place on a cutting board.

Someone was sampling!!!!!!!!!!

Cut into little one inch squares.

I like to layer them between waxed paper and freeze.

FANNY FARMER FUDGE

12 oz can evaporated milk

4 1/2 cups sugar

Combine in a large pan and bring to a boil over low/medium heat.

Prepare pan.

Boil for 10 minutes and remove from heat.

Stir in:

1/2 cup butter

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

Stir until thickened.

Add 1 cup chopped nuts

Pour into prepared pan and cool. Cut into squares. Freezes well.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. I John 1:5-7