Warm & Wonderful: Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate is, without a doubt, a classic winter comfort food. Warm and wonderful, a hot mug of chocolatey goodness will warm up your hands and your heart. Hot chocolate is truly an experience, not just a beverage.

Hot chocolate was first enjoyed by the Mayans and Aztecs. It was introduced to Europe by early explorers who visited Mexico. Hot chocolate is now enjoyed worldwide. 

My classic recipe for hot chocolate is made from shaved or finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate. It is a smooth and mellow delight that tastes great on its own or topped with whipped cream. Add flavour extracts for a tasty twist. You can find my recipe here: Cupola Corner’s Classic Hot Chocolate

This winter, I decided to try some new hot chocolate recipes. After some online research, I came up with my new “Favourite Five” hot chocolate recipes. I still love my own personal recipe, but these tasty versions add some variety to the hot chocolate experience.

Some of these recipes have been edited to reduce the fat and carbohydrates. I have also provided measurements for a single serving, or in the case of the crock pot recipe, two servings. I have included nutritional information for each recipe. Links to the original sources are also included.

1. Maple Hot Chocolate by Today’s Parent 

• With a subtle hint of maple, this low carb option is a tasty treat. 

2. Best Hot Chocolate by Bon Appetit 

• A super chocolatey traditional recipe. 

3. Peppermint Hot Chocolate by No. 2 Pencil  

• A wonderfully, smooth and lightly minted delight. 

4. Decadent Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate by Sally’s Baking Addiction  

• Delicious! Smells great all day. 

5. Blackberry Hot Chocolate by Little Sugar Snaps  

• Smooth on the palate with the light, delicate sweetness of blackberries.  

A new hot chocolate recipe is a great reason for inviting a friend over to help you taste test. Provide a variety of toppings, such as, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, mini marshmallows, sprinkles, crushed candy cane and chocolate, strawberry or caramel sauce. Get out some nice mugs and enjoy good company and great hot chocolate.


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Game On: Coffee Table Olympics

With the Winter Olympics in full swing, many of us have become arm chair Olympians as we watch our favorite athletes strive to be “Faster, Higher, Stronger”. While enjoying the spectacular events and scenery in PyeongChang, why not dig out some board games and organize your own in house Coffee Table Olympics?

Board games give your brain a Faster, Higher, Stronger workout. Playing board games exercises memory and cognitive skills and can help reduce cognitive decline. Exercising your brain will help it to stay fit and to become even stronger.

Board games are a great way to spend quality time with family and friends. Hosting a Coffee Table Olympics will build social and emotional bonds with a shared experience that is fun and entertaining.

Playing board games can lower your blood pressure, reduce stress and boost your immune system. Those brain chemicals that are stimulated during play don't just impact your brain. Both your mind and your body will benefit from the workout.

There has been lots of research, both scientific and archeological, about board games. Board games are even studied in relationship to A.I. (artificial intelligence). You don’t need a degree or a research grant, though, to enjoy playing or benefiting from playing a board game. All you need is a board game!

Planning your Coffee Table Olympics doesn’t actually require a lot of planning. It’s as easy as gathering up some friends or family, opening the box and getting started. Snacks are optional, but encouraged. If you’re into party planning, the possibilities are endless. You could set up multiple games and rotate players to new games with new players. You could even have people dress up as a board game character or to reflect the theme of a board game. Lots of fun!

So what are you waiting for? Your brain wants some exercise. Get fit. Get “Faster, Higher, Stronger”. Game on!


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Lavender Love

I love lavender. I love the fragrance of lavender when I prune my plants in the spring. I love the wonderful smell of lavender when I gather a bouquet from the garden. I love that I can still smell lavender on my hands hours later. I love the scent of lavender as it permeates the house while in the dehydrator. I love the lavender potpourri that sits by my bedside all winter long. Lovely lavender. Lavender love.

Not everyone loves or even likes lavender. It has a strong smell that lasts a long time, and it just doesn't suit everyone's olfactory palate. Blending lavender with other botanicals can tone it down enough to make friends with those who don't like it as a stand alone fragrance.

Lavender has been around for over 2500 years and is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean area. Lavender oil is extracted from the plant through a distillation process. The oil has been and continues to be used medicinally and also for therapeutic purposes. The scent of lavender is used as a sleep and relaxation aid. Lavender is even used in cooking.

I started growing lavender many years ago. I grow munstead and hidcote, both of which are types of English lavender. Both grow well with little care. Both have a strong fragrance...great for potpourri. Hidcote has darker flowers. Lavender is ready to harvest in late June or July. You may also get a very small harvest later in the summer. Lavender needs to be pruned. It is very forgiving and can be pruned any time after flowering up until mid spring of the following year. I prune my plants in early spring. Flowers develop on new growth. Pruning helps to keep woody growth under control.

I used to dry my lavender on lines that my husband had strung up in the basement from the exposed floor joists. With this method, you use an elastic band to hold bunches of lavender together and then you hang them over the line. It takes about two to four weeks for the lavender to dry. As I gradually accumulated more lavender plants, I ran out of room and was unable to dry my full harvest on the lines. I bought a food dehydrator and have never looked back. In the dehydrator, lavender will dry in under a day.

I use my dried lavender primarily for potpourri and sachets. There are lots of things that you can do with lavender. Lavender cookies are yummy. I made a very tasty lavender jelly this past summer. I’m hesitant to make lavender body scrubs because I’m somewhat concerned about sending the lavender buds down the drain and through the plumbing system. I absolutely love my lavender eye pillow. Lavender lemonade sounds delicious and I will try that next summer.

Lavender is truly amazing. If you’ve got a garden, why not plant some lavender and get some lavender love of your own? You'll be happy that you did!


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“Jar”spiration: The Miniature Marvel of Terrariums

Gardeners can get really impatient this time of year. Your garden is sleeping peacefully, but you are not. If you have the indoor space and are able to start seedlings, your inner gardener can be somewhat assuaged. The rest of us read about gardens and overwater our indoor plants.

This winter, I got inspired by a really cool looking jar and I decided that a terrarium would be the perfect activity for a cold winter day. It turned out that I was right!

My miniature marvel has inspired me and I am already planning terrarium gifts for a multitude of occasions in the coming year. I’ve been visiting second hand stores for jars and reading up on suitable plants for terrariums.

Creating your own terrarium is a relatively easy task and it’s a great activity for all ages. Here are the basic steps for making a terrarium...

• Start with a clear glass jar that is big enough to hold the layers of planting material and the plants. If you are making a closed terrarium, your jar will need a lid. A wide mouthed jar makes planting easier. 
• Place a layer of washed 1/4” decorative stone in the bottom of the jar. Marbles, beach glass or aquarium gravel will also work. 
• Then, lay down a thin layer of washed activated charcoal followed by a thin layer of sphagnum moss. The charcoal layer will help to filter the air in the closed environment and the moss will help to prevent the soil from settling down into the stones. Use gloves when handling the sphagnum moss.
• Next, add two to three inches of soil, depending on the size of your jar. Use potting soil that is for indoor plants. If you are planting African violets, use African violet potting soil.
• Place your plants in the terrarium and firmly press the soil around them. 
• Add small decorations or accents, if you wish. 
• Water lightly and cover with the lid. 

A closed terrarium only needs to be watered every few weeks/months. An open terrarium will need watering more frequently. If the soil gets dry, water sparingly. Keep your terrarium out of direct sunlight or it will become a solarium and you’ll bake your plants. Condensation is a necessary part of the water cycle that occurs inside your closed terrarium. If a lot of condensation forms on the inside of the glass, you have over watered and you will need to tip the lid for a day or two to let the excess water evaporate. Remove dead or damaged leaves from your terrarium.

There are lots of options when it comes to choosing plants for your terrarium. African violets, begonias, peperomias and ferns are great choices, but many other types of house plants can also be used in terrariums. Succulents and cacti should only be used in open terrariums.

The Spruce has a great page in their container gardening section called “Getting Started With Terrariums”. It is an excellent resource with lots of ideas and suggestions.

If you get inspired and want to try something different, you may want to have a look at Tovah Martin’s book, The New Terrarium: Creating Beautiful Displays for Plants and Nature. It’s filled with amazing photos, great ideas and lots of excellent information about creating and caring for terrariums.

Making a terrarium is not only a great activity for a cold winter day, your finished miniature marvel is also good for your health. All of the traditional benefits of having plants in your living or work space can also be attributed to your terrarium...stress reduction, improving mental focus and lowering blood pressure. If you're looking for a winter pick-me-up, a terrarium might be just what the doctor ordered. How could enjoying nature inside not be good for you?

It also turns out that terrariums are trendy. Yes, indeed, they are back in a big way and these are not your '70s terrariums. It seems that I'm not the only one who's experienced "Jar"spiration. Terrarium parties and Terrarium Nites are very popular. From millennials to baby boomers and beyond, terrariums are providing an opportunity to be creative with new and interesting materials in new and interesting ways.

You don't, however, have to be on trend to make or enjoy a terrarium. Check your basement, under the kitchen sink or in the back of your closets and cupboards. You've probably got a glass jar somewhere in your home that would make a great terrarium. Get it out and get busy. It's time for you to experience "Jar"spiration and the miniature marvel of your very own terrarium.


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Winter Day Wonder: Simmering Citrus Potpourri

Doors closed. Windows closed. We don’t normally batten down the hatches or board up the windows when winter arrives, but we do our best to ensure that the cold stays outside. When winter weather keeps us indoors, we end up living in an environment with minimal air exchange. The air that we breathe can get stale and sometimes even stinky. It’s time to give the air in your house a fresh new smell!

Citrus is my scent of choice for a winter air freshener. It smells clean, lifts the spirits and just smells happy. A simmering potpourri is the perfect solution for stale winter air. Mix up the ingredients, simmer throughout the day and enjoy the lovely fragrance. I use a small crock pot, but a pot on the back of the stove will work nicely. If you are using a pot on the stove, you will need to add water throughout the day.

Give my recipe a try, or mix up something with your own favorite scents.


Simmering Citrus Potpourri:

Mix the ingredients in a small crock pot. Heat on high until simmering and then turn down heat to low for the rest of the day.

• 1 small or medium orange, sliced
• 1 or 2 lemons, sliced
• 1 tablespoon dried peppermint leaves or sprig of fresh peppermint or few drops of peppermint extract, or combination thereof
• cinnamon stick, optional
• 2 cups of water

Enjoy your own winter day wonder today!

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