Salted Chocolate Milk

I got this recipe from my May 2011 Food Network Magazine. They created this recipe in response to an episode of Modern Family where Manny wanted his chocolate milk with a pinch of salt in it. This afternoon i was craving chocolate milk and decided to try it. It was delicious!

1/2 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Water
1/3 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Kosher Salt (I used fine sea salt)

Make the chocolate syrup:
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Let cool completely.

Spoon about 2 1/2 Tablespoons of the chocolate syrup into the glass. Add 1 1/2 cups milk and agenerous pinch of salt. Stir until syrup and salt dissolve.

Groundhogs Day 2011

Eat your heart out 'Cupcake Wars'... I felt obligated to top last year's cupcakes so I went searching the internet for ideas and came up with this... -->

I made cupcakes using a box cake mix mixed with a can of pumpkin puree and a few tablespoons of water.

While they were cooling I unwrapped a package of Almond Joy candy bars. I found it easiest to use the end that did not have the nut. I used two dollops of white icing for the eyes, topped with a mini chocolate chip. If i could have found mini brown M&Ms at the store I would have been able to use them for the cheeks but they didnt have any SO i used the bottoms of regular chocolate chips (i cut the tips off). A little pink icing for a nose and more white icing made the teeth. The ears are also mini chocolate chips.

I cut a slit in the cupcake and pushed the Groundhog in. Then i iced it with "snow" aka white frosting and added crumbled chocolate graham crackers to simulate dirt.

It took me most of the evening to make them but they were a huge hit at work.