Chocolate and what ails you

It's Mother's Day weekend so I thought I would introduce a famous writer mom, Marie de Rabutin-Chantal of France, who wrote her daughter for three decades in the 1600s.  When her letters were published, people fell in love with Rabutin-Chantal's advice, her wit and her humor. What a writer! What a woman! What a mother! But I think she was beloved because of this quote:         

If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you. But you have no chocolate! I think of that again and again! My dear, how will you ever manage?

Marie knew chocolate is a healing food and a fuel for the imagination! Things haven't changed much over a few centuries.

With my allergies, I was told to stay away from Oreos, Hersheys Kisses and chocolate cake. Sniff.  The withdrawal was horrible. My craft suffered. Man O suffered. But I have found a way to stay sane and keep chocolate on hand, no matter the season. My cherished Southern Living hot fudge sauce recipe became the foundation for my emergency supply.
  

Here are easy steps to making sure you have chocolate on hand. Be sure to have quart size baggies or jars to store the mix in. Listen to Marie. Think like Scarlett. You can always double, triple or quadruple the recipe to have plenty on hand!

Emergency Chocolate Craving Mix:
1 cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

2 Tablespoons flour (I use potato or tapioca starch to be gluten free)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix well and put in a small plastic bag for the next chocolate emergency.  If doubling or beyond, it is best to mix up the basic recipe multiple times and bag individually. 

Sometimes a girl's gotta have some chocolate - Carrie Underwood

For chocolate sauce:

Put a bag of mix in a small pot.
Add 1 tablespoon butter (or coconut oil).
Gradually add 1 cup boiling water and stir until smooth.
Bring mixture to a boil and boil for two minutes.
Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Serve hot over ice cream or cooled over fruit. Store leftovers in fridge and reheat when needed.

Microwave method: Put ingredients in a 4 cup bowl or measure, stir in boiled water, stirring until smooth. Cook on high for 2 minutes, stopping to stir half way through, making sure to scrape bottom. Add vanilla.  

All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!  ~Charles Schulz

For fudgy gluten-free brownies:

Follow above steps for chocolate sauce.


Let mixture cool to room temp.

Beat in two eggs. 



Mix 1 cup almond or coconut flour with one teaspoon baking powder, then add to other ingredients. (You can also add one cup gluten-free baking mix and omit the baking powder if the mix already includes it.)

Pour in greased 8X8 baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Let cool completely.    

Go forth and enjoy!