Fran's Chocolates...

might be my hands down favorite chocolate in the entire world. And that is saying a lot because I have quite a sweet tooth.

What about Fran's is so enticing? A bite of smooth caramel surrounded by milk or dark chocolate. The best part about it though is the sprinkling of gray or smoked salt on the very top. The saltiness against the buttery caramel and rich chocolate is divine. Gray Salt Dark Chocolate Fran's are my favorite.

They make wonderful gifts, but these heavenly chocolates aren't cheap: a box with 7 chocolates cost $12; 20 is $25. They are worth every penny though, and are much more a chocolate to savor than devour.

And they give a free sample at their store locations in Bellevue, University Village or downtown. Now that's what I call ending on a sweet note!

Fran's Chocolates - www.franschocolates.com
1325 1st Ave
Seattle, WA 98101
Hours: Monday - Saturday 9:30am-7pm, Sunday 10am-5pm

Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips...

Peanut butter meet chocolate. You're going to love each other.

Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips
slightly adapted from Martha Stewart's Peanut Butter Cookies recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips*

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix sugar, brown sugar and butter with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add egg, then vanilla and finally peanut butter. Add flour and baking soda until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Leave about an inch and a half between the cookies. Bake for 7 minutes. Pull cookies out and lightly press crisscross fork patterns into the cookies. Bake for an additional 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

*Mini chocolate chips are my new best friend. Sure, they don't give you that single bite of melted chocolate, but they are good when using two different flavors like peanut butter because they compliment without overwhelming.

These cookies are seriously crumbly and sugar. Disclaimer though: you won't be able to stop at just one!

Send a S'more...

America's favorite campfire treat: the s'more. Sticky, gooey marshmallow combined with warm, melted chocolate inside a crumbly graham cracker sandwich. Delicious and very simple.

When I received a s'more in the mail last week, it instantly brightened my day. I had never seen or heard of anything like it. A little note accompanying the package directed me to the "Send a S'more" site - www.sendasmore.com

From the site, you can send an individually wrapped s'more to friends and family with everything they need to make the campfire treat: ingredients and a candle. Include a personalized note or let your identity remain a mystery. But rather than sending someone a congratulatory card or note of thanks, why not send a s'more? Or like my admirer did, why not send it just because?

Trust me; it will mean so much s'more : )

Happy St. Patrick's Day!...

May your day be filled with an abundance of frothy Guinness drinks, a little luck o' the Irish and the color green : )

Fish Tacos...

When I lived in San Diego, there was a little thing called Taco Tuesday. In Seattle, not so much. But Taco Tuesday was amazing: two dollars or less for a taco of your choice plus deals on margaritas and Mexican beer.

These tacos may not be two dollars or less, but they are delicious-

Fish Tacos (for two)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound white fish (such as cod)
• 4 tortillas
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese
• 1/4 head of cabbage, chopped
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 cup Pico de Gallo (or you can make your own- see below)
• juice of 1 lime
• salt and pepper to taste

Season fish with salt, pepper and juice of one lime. In a greased pan cook the fish on medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning half way through. The fish should be flaky. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine cabbage with Pico de Gallo and sour cream until mixed. Divide fish among the tortillas and put a large scoop of the cabbage mix on top. Add a sprinkle of shredded cheese and enjoy! You can also add avocados or guacamole.

Pico de Gallo Recipe (from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse)
Combine all ingredients in a bowl:

• 1 1/2 cups seeded, diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1 tablespoon diced jalapenos
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Juice of 2 limes
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, plus extra for garnish
• Salt and pepper

I know it's not Tuesday, but tacos are a good meal any day of the week!

“Cooking is like love; it should be entered into with abandon or not at all” -Harriet Van Horne

Have you ever forgotten the eggs in a recipe? Or how about put in baking soda when it called for baking powder? Put too much water or oil in a batter, forgotten to grease a cooking sheet, or put a dish in the oven without preheating?

These things are going to happen occasionally, but the beautiful thing and hard part about cooking is that no one dish ever turns out the same. You can cook a recipe a thousand times and still some little part of it will be different.

So next time think about adding a little something too it. Needs a little sweetness? Add some sugar. Want more flavor? Pick your spice. Don't be afraid to experiment.

You might just discover your epicurean side too.

Chicken and Veggie Pizza...

never was so easy.

Should this even be considered a recipe? So simple, very forgiving, and you can make it your way. This is a great weeknight dinner.

Chicken and Veggie Pizza

Ingredients:  (Ultimately whatever you want)

• pizza dough (frozen or refrigerated; I prefer Pillsbury)
• pizza sauce (marinara sauce works too)
• shredded cheese
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 can of black olives
• 1 jar of quartered marinated artichokes, drained
• cooked chicken, diced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook diced onion on medium-low heat. When onion is soft, add artichokes and tomatoes, cooking for about 2 more minutes. Roll out pizza dough on a greased cookie sheet. Spread pizza sauce on top. Add layer of shredded cheese. Add cooked veggies, olives and chicken. Sprinkle another layer of shredded cheese on top. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

This recipe is fantastic if you have leftover chicken from something- I actually used some leftover chicken from fajitas.

And there you have it: pizza made deliciously easy. It's not delivery and it's not DiGiorno!