Thick Italian Hot Chocolate

First of all--I'm aware it's March and spring is technically here (although, it is March-you never know. It snowed yesterday.) and I'm sharing a hot chocolate recipe with you. BUT I just want you to know that if you serve this room temperature or chilled in a small bowl or ramekin, it's essentially like a chocolate pudding or mousse or pot de creme. So it's a very versatile dessert that can be sipped warm or eaten chilled with a spoon! It's the perfect March dessert, really, you're prepared for whatever the weather decides to do!

Also...Easter is coming up. And I think if you served this "hot chocolate" chilled in pretty glasses or ramekins they'd be a pretty impressive holiday dessert. Just sayin'.

Now that we're done discussing the fact that this hot chocolate doesn't have to be hot chocolate....let's talk about it as hot chocolate. I tend to love most Italian style things--I love traditional Italian style pizzas (Neapolitan specifically), gelato, and pretty much all things I've been exposed to. So it shouldn't be a surprise that I'm 1000% on board with their way of doing hot chocolate--which is thick chocolatey indulgence style. Seriously...border-line pudding. Which I adore.

Is it the same as the Max Brenner's Italian Thick Hot Chocolate I so miss? 

No. It is actually thicker. 

Is this my favorite hot chocolate I've ever made? 

YES!

It's rich, and decadent, and thick, and pretty much insanely chocolety and perfect in every way.

In my ever so humble opinion.

Weekly Meal Plan Menu (March 21-27, 2016)

 Ummmm how is it almost Easter??? INSANITY! If you're anything like me then you always have some trouble figuring out what to make prior to the holidays. Sooo this meal plan will REALLY help out with that! Enjoy my lovelies xoxo

This week’s meal plan was brought you to by:

Foodtastic Mom | The Spiffy Cookie | Big Bear's Wife | The Pajama Chef | Pies and Plots | The Cooking Actress

Something Saturdays (3/19/16)

at Salt and Smoke with my bestie

I'm back! I had the most wonderful time in St. Louis with my best friend, Alex, and her boyfriend-Mike. I arrived Saturday and we had a delicious dinner at Pastaria (hiiighly recommend the fried risotto balls and the Canestri Cacio E Pepe). Sunday, we checked out the Delmar Loop and had my favorite meal of the trip at Salt and Smoke. Everything we had was so so delicious (I got a super amazing brisket sandwich) and we were full all day. We had some time to kill at that point so we checked out the Missouri History Museum and saw the loop, and then we went to see Beauty and the Beast (stage musical) at The Fabulous Fox Theatre (loved it!) Monday, Alex and I visited the Cahokia Mounds, St. Louis Science Center (and we discovered it's more for children), and then we grabbed lunch at The Schlafly Tap Room (the best part were the fries and truffle aioli! They also have a bunch of their own beers available, which is cool.) Then we checked out historic St. Charles, including the Lewis and Clark Boat House and Nature Center (Lewis & Clark left from St. Charles so it was like a little museum about their expedition). St. Charles had a bunch of adorable shops and things but Alex and I especially liked Kilwins (I loooved their almond toffee) and di Olivas (an olive oil and balsamic tasting emporium--Alex ended up buying a bottle each of their Tuscan Herb olive oil, Margarita Balsamic, and Strawberry Fields Balsamic). We went back to Alex's place for a little bit to see Mike off (he had to fly to Cleveland for work) and then after a little relaxation we went to PW Pizza for dinner. We split a pizza-one half was the "Wolf" for Alex and the other half was Margherita for me. It was my kind of pizza-so so good! Tuesday (my last day), we started out day with Vincent Van Doughnut--and I can say the Chocolate Salted Caramel Doughnut is def. the best, and they were absolutely some of the best doughnuts I've had. Then we spent most of the gorgeous day at the St. Louis Zoo (so fun!) and had lunch at a nearby Irish pub called Seamus McDaniel's. And the rest of the day I just binge-watched The Jinx with Alex and enjoyed my remaining time with my best friend. <3