Chocolate Rum Truffles

Dusted with cocoa powder

These rum balls are made with store-bought brownies. So easy and yummy! Perfect for Christmas parties, they would make a nice little gift for your friends and family. Sorry kids, these are not for you!

Store-bought brownies

Coconut infused rum adds nuttiness.

Chocolate Rum Truffles

8 oz. store-bought or leftover brownies 
4 oz. chocolate
Cocoa powder for dusting
1/4 cup rum, I used coconut rum, but you can use dark rum if you have it.

Use a sorbet scoop, it's easy.

Melting chocolate with a homemade double boiler.

They didn't come out as smooth as I hoped.
They needed to be in freezer a little longer, I think.

In a bowl, crumble brownies and add rum. Mix well until it forms a sticky paste. Using a small sorbet scoop (about 1 inch), make little balls and place them on the plastic lined plate. Put them in the freezer for 20 minutes. Take them out and roll them in your hand to make them smooth. Return them to the freezer. Chop the chocolate with a knife and melt it using a double boiler. Take the rum balls out of the freezer and roll them around in the melted chocolate using two forks. Drain it slightly and place them on the plate again. After the chocolate hardens, dust them with cocoa powder. You can refrigerate them until ready to serve.
Recipe adapted from Foodwishes.com.

Ganache like filling inside

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Gold Disc Necklace

As I promised in the previous post, I have made a necklace using the same 14K gold discs. These discs sit on the collarbone and catch the light around your neck as you move. If you'd like, you can layer this necklace with another necklace of your choice for a more interesting look. It's almost like an enhancer that way, but it certainly holds up on its own.

With the earrings

14K gold discs and chain

Read about the gold disc earrings here.

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Gold Disc Earrings

A new pair of earrings! Just in time for the holidays. They are 14K gold and have an understated but elegant feel to them. I am contemplating on making a necklace to go with them. Maybe someone special will get them for Christmas! Wink, wink!

6mm gold filled discs

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Chicken and Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto

Dollop of pesto on the soup

Sometimes I have the hardest time coming up with something to cook. I don't want anything too big that would make me feel bloated, I don't want anything too complex. But I want something simple that's nourishing and flavorful. A warm bowl of chicken soup and a piece of bread might be just what I need. It's an ultimate comfort food.

Fresh pesto

Chicken And Spinach Soup With Fresh Pesto

2 chicken breasts
5 cups chicken broth
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed
1/2 cup carrots or red peppers, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp marjoram
6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

For pesto:
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup lightly packed basil leaves
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Make a paste in food processor, add some water if needed to make it smooth

Simmering away...

With 2 tsp of olive oil, brown chicken breasts, carrots and/or red peppers. Add chicken broth, marjoram and garlic. Bring to boil. Take chicken out and cut them into bite sizes. Toss in beans, cut chicken and spinach and cook until all flavors marry. Add a dollop of fresh pesto before serving. Enjoy with your choice of bread.
Recipe adapted from Delish.com.

Fragrant soup with fresh basil

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