Morticia's Morbid Morsels Recipes

Baking recipes and other offerings to satisfy every palate.  Natural bodycare recipes and ideas, too!

Dark Chocolate

Those of you who know me also know I have a long and healthy relationship with chocolate, especially the dark variety.  With Valentine's day here, I figured this was an appropriate post!  In my quest to eat healthier and drop a few pounds I have found the need to cut all soy out of my diet.  Unfortunatley that cuts out a bunch of my chocolate, too!  After searching the internet I have finally found my own personal "Chocolate Nirvana" and here it is for you to enjoy:

1 cup (measured, not by weight) cocoa powder (organic and non-dutched preferred, but good ol' Hershey's will do in a pinch!)
1 cup (measured, not by weight) cocoa butter (again, preferably organic)
2 tsp. vanilla extract or flavoring of your choice
1/2 cup or more honey (add to your sweetness preference)

In a double boiler, or bowl over pot of boiling water, melt cocoa butter over LOW heat until melted.  Add honey to dissolve and melt into cocoa butter slowly.  Next, add cocoa butter and vanilla or flavoring of choice.  Mix well and until smooth.  Pour into molds or into baking dish and let set.  You can also refrigerate for a few minutes to speed up the process.  Remove from molds and enjoy!

Gomez received some of these wonderful morsels and a card to mark the day!

Many thanks to www.wellnessmama.com for this recipe!  It is simply the best I have tried to maike at home!

Homemade Vanilla Extract - posted October 25, 2012

Have you seen the price of Pure Vanilla Extract lately?!  Wow!!  To help with all of your baking needs, here is a simple and very inexpensive way to make your own at home.  Vanilla beans can be expensive, but I found some on a decent sale at my local grocery store.  You can also buy them bulk online to save even more!  Beware, though!  It takes 6-8 weeks to extract, so be patient.  The end result is worth it!  I plan on giving this as gifts this Christmas.

You will need:

Jar or bottle to hold 1 pint of liquid
1 pint vodka, rum, brandy or cognac (at least 40% alcohol by volume)
2 vanilla beans

Method:

1.  Making sure jar or bottle is clean, fill with liquid of choice from list above.
2.  With a paring knife, carefully cut a slit all along beans without cutting it in half.  Leave all the tiny beans inside.
3.  Place both beans in jar/bottle.  Label with contents and date to decant.
4.  Shake jar daily.
5.  In 6-8 weeks decant into decorative bottle, if giving as a gift or simply remove beans from jar.
6.  Enjoy your homemade vanilla extract!

Olde Tyme Congestion Remedy

My paternal grandmother used to make a concoction similar to this.  While suffering a bout of bronchitis I made it with a couple of my own tweeks and it had me feeling better in no time!  It really knocks out the chest congestion.

1 lemon wedge
couple rings of white onion
couple slices from a clove of garlic
generous tablespoon honey (add this to your taste)
a sprinkle or two of ground ginger
boiling water

To make a batch to add to water and use as you go, put all ingredients in saucepan with 1 cup boiling water, stir until honey dissolves and let simmer several minutes.  It should reduce some and when it is cooled, strain into airtight container and store in fridge for up to a few days.

To make in a mug to drink right away, add all ingredients to large mug, add boiling water to fill mug.  Let steep several minutes, until at a comfortable temperature to drink.  Sip until gone.

You can drink this as often as needed.  It is not the most appetizing taste sensation, but it works really well!

My sister-in-law made some homemade dog treats and our pack loved them so much she gave me the recipe!

Auntie Mouse's Dog Treats

1/2 cup rolled oats
2 cups whole wheat flour
1cup peanut butter
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
water as needed, if too dry

Mix all ingedients together and roll out dough to about 1/8"-1/4" thick.  Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters or cut into squares or triangles.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Your pups will thank you!

When I made these I used a bone-shaped cutter and gotr about 30 treats.  Next time I will double or triple the batch as they were gone fast!

Simple Cellulite Scrub

1/2 to 1 cup warm coffee grounds
enough olive, almond or other natural oil to make a paste
20 drops juniper berry or other essential oil of choice

Mix all together in plastic cup to form a paste.  Stand in empty bathtub (this can get messy :-)) and rub on desired areas, ie., hips, thighs, buttocks, abdomen, in a circular motion, moving toward the heart.  Rinse in shower with warm water.  Follow with a bath infuse or not with instant or brewed coffee and soak for 20-30 minutes.  After bath, apply firming body lotion.  Enjoy!