Chocolate Overload

Now that Christmas is over, it's time to move on to other things. 

 I've put away the Christmas stuff.

I'm always glad to get Christmas boxes crammed back into the depths of the basement and go back to my normal chaos.

We've been enjoying our lazy holiday break, entertained by Makayla, who showed us the correct way to wear Megan's earrings. 

We've read every book in the house a hundred times.

Most of all, Hailey and Makayla have been loving all the extra attention provided by Aunt Ashley and Uncle McKay.

Or as Makayla would say "Ash-we and LaLa".  Not sure where she got LaLa.  I'm afraid for the time Ashley and McKay leave.  I fear the weeping and wailing and gnashing of little teeth that I'll be enduring from two little people.

Please notice Makayla's thick, flowing pigtails.  It's not easy to get all that hair into an elastic.


We've also been working hard to keep our blood sugar levels at crazy levels.  Tonight I made food to help with that project.

 Rocky Road Ice Cream

   2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Table salt
5 large egg yolks
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate (at least 60% cacao), chopped and melted
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1/3 cup mini marshmallows
1/3 cup toasted chopped pecans
1/3 cup bite-size chocolate chunks

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In a medium saucepan, mix 1 cup of the cream with the milk, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Warm the cream mixture over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and tiny bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan, 3 to 4 minutes.
Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with several inches of ice water. Set a smaller metal bowl (one that holds at least 1-1/2 quarts) in the ice water. Pour the remaining cup of cream into the inner bowl (this helps the custard cool quicker when you pour it in later). Set a fine strainer on top. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl.
In a steady stream, pour half of the warm cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling.
Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heatproof rubber spatula until the custard thickens slightly (it should be thick enough to coat the spatula and hold a line drawn through it with a finger), 4 to 8 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should read 175° to 180°F at this point. Don’t let the sauce overheat or boil, or it will curdle.
Immediately strain the custard into the cold cream in the ice bath. Stir in the melted chocolate and cocoa powder.  Cool the custard to below 70°F by stirring it over the ice bath.
Refrigerate the custard until completely chilled, at least 4 hours. Then freeze the custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Fold the marshmallows, pecans, and chocolate chunks into the just-churned ice cream, transfer to an air-tight container, and freeze for at least 4 hours or up to 2 weeks.

 
 I've never been a huge chocolate fan, and this is the first chocolate ice cream I remember making.

I think we all pretty much agreed it was a bit of a chocolate overload.  Not to mention that one serving has 470 calories.  Fortunately, one serving also has 2 grams of fiber, so it's all good.

The problem with chocolate is that it's messy.

 Don't tell Amy how Hailey and Makayla's new Christmas clothes got all grungy and stained. 
I'll repent later.

Speaking of repenting, I hear my future calling.....