Chocolate

Chocolaty Toasted Almond Ice Cream

What You Need:

6 T of cold water

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

3 C of milk

3 C of sugar

1/4 t of salt

3 eggs, lightly beaten

7 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted

4 C of heavy whipping cream

2 t vanilla

1 C slivered almonds, toasted

How to Make It:

Pour the cold water into a small mixing bowl.

Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let stand for at least 2 minutes.

Pour the milk into a heavy saucepan and place over medium heat.

When the milk reaches 170 degrees whisk in the sugar and salt.

Stirring continuously, cook the mixture until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Place the eggs into a small mixing bowl.

Pour 1/4 C of the hot milk into the eggs and whisk until well combined.

Pour the egg mixture into the pan with the hot milk, whisking as you pour.

Place the heat on low and stirring constantly cook the custard about 5 minutes or until it coats the back of a metal spoon.

Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the gelatin mixture until completely dissolved.

Blend in the melted chocolate.

Quickly cool the custard in an ice water bath for 5 minutes.

Stir in the whipping cream and vanilla until well blended.

Press plastic wrap onto the custard surface and chill the custard overnight.

Fill the ice cream maker cylinder 2/3 full of mixture and freeze according to manufacture’s directions.

Stir in the toasted almonds and allow the ice cream to ripen at least 2 hours.

Makes 2 quarts

When adding nuts to homemade ice cream be sure to always follow the directions on the recipe. If nuts or fruit are added to soon they become hard and loose their flavor.

Chocolate

Double Chocolate Toffee Ice Cream

What You Need:

1 C of sugar

1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder

2 C whipping cream

1 C of milk

1 t vanilla

1/8 t salt

3/4 C chocolate covered toffee candy, chopped

How to Make It:

Place the sugar and cocoa powder in a large mix bowl and toss to combine.

Pour the whipping cream and milk into the bowl.

Add the vanilla and salt and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Pour the mixture into the freezer canister.

Freeze according the manufacturer’s directions.

Stir in the toffee pieces and allow the ice cream to ripen 4 hours.

Makes 8 servings

A great way to serve this ice cream is in a chocolate dipped cone. Place a 1/2 C of semisweet chocolate pieces in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate at 70 percent power or medium high heat for 1 minute. Stir and continue microwaving for 1 to 3 minutes or until the chocolate is smooth. Dip the cones into the melted chocolate about 1/3 of the way up the cone. If the chocolate is too thick, stir in 1 t of melted shortening. Place the cones top side down on wax paper until the chocolate is set.

Chocolate

The Art of the Easter Egg Hunt

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Do you know there are many different ways to conduct an Easter Egg hunt? As a young child growing up, my parents used to add fun new twists to our Easter Egg hunt each year and some of them have become fond memories. Today, we often do the same with our children as well. If you’re looking for a fun twist for your Easter Egg hunt this year, here are a four great versions we have tried in the past.

The Easter Bible Verse Hunt:

This version works best with older children and teens who can read and decipher clues well. The year that we did this, the older teens were paired up with one of the smaller children. Then, each “team” was given an envelope with a Bible verse in it. The verse was a clue to the location of the first treat and the next clue. After 4-5 clues, the last clue took us to the biggest treat: a large Easter basket for each of us.

Putting together the clues may seem like a lot of work at first, but it’s actually fairly simple. A verse about rocks told us to look in the rock garden. A verse about sleeping would mean to look in your bedroom. If your children are a little younger, you could help by highlighting the portions of the verse that are most important to finding the location.

An Easter Treasure Trail:

This version is perfect for very small children/toddlers. When our eldest was 18 months old, we greeted her on Easter morning at her crib with a basket. Leading from her crib was a trail of mini Easter eggs. She took the basket and followed the trail, putting the eggs in her basket as she went. The trail led through the house and ended behind the couch where a bigger treat was waiting.

When laying out your treasure trail, keep your child’s attention span in mind. Some children will follow the trail for quite a while before getting bored, others may need something shorter or more broken up. Perhaps a series of smaller prizes along the path where they can stop and enjoy if they wish?

An Easter Scavenger Hunt:

A scavenger hunt is another fun variation and it can be modified to suit any age. For older children, a written list of items to collect will work. For younger children, a sheet with pictures of the different treats they need to find may be a better choice. A very simple version would have children look for specific colors: 1 red egg, 3 blue eggs, etc.

For those who, like us, add other items besides chocolate eggs, your list might include a chocolate Easter bunny, a skipping rope, a chocolate bar, a crème egg, a small toy, etc. Items are hidden at random throughout the specified area and make sure children understand not to remove items that are not on their own list.

The Easter Challenge:

The Easter challenge is a fun party game version of an Easter egg hunt that older children and adults will love. Instead of hiding candy eggs, you would hide small plastic eggs. Inside each egg would be a task that has to be completed. Sing a song, recite a verse from memory, jump on one foot for 10 seconds, draw a picture, etc. After each task is completed, the child receives another treat for their basket. Make sure to keep a camera on hand to capture all of the fun.

So, as you’re dyeing your Easter eggs and planning your egg hunt, take one of these suggestions – use as is or improve upon it – and make it a wonderful Easter egg hunt.

Chocolate

What’s In Your Easter Basket? 10 All Time Favorite Candies

Every candy lover has a favorite. It could be a yummy chocolate anything or maybe even a fruit flavored something but one thing is for sure: If you are giving an Easter basket this year then you probably have an idea of what favorite candies you will be searching for up and down the aisles at your local store.

However, if you haven’t yet thought about what to put in your Easter baskets (and even if you have) then we’ve compiled a list of 10 all time favorites for your consideration.

Jelly Beans – Whether or not you actually eat them, with approximately 14 billion sold each year, you probably expect them in your Easter basket. An Easter candy staple since the 1930’s, these fruit flavored sugary beans now come in almost any flavor imaginable thanks to the Jelly Belly Company.

Chocolate Bunnies – If you love chocolate, then you love your chocolate bunnies. Solid, hollow, milk or dark – ears or feet first – all that matters to you is there is one located somewhere in your Easter basket. A chocolate bunny is chocolate –‘nough said.

Peeps – A marshmallow confection in a rainbow of pastel colors for spring, Peeps is an Easter basket mainstay. Take your pick – yellow, pink, lavender, blue & green ; bunnies, chicks, tulips, eggs in orange cream or you can decorate your own and a personal favorite –a yellow chick inside a chocolate egg (yep, I said chocolate).

Chocolate Candy Bars – Your favorite every day candy bar just became your favorite Easter candy bar all dressed up for the holiday. Virtually anything the Nestle, Mars or Cadbury companies make is put on offer for Easter. Kit Kat does bunny ears while Snickers, Almond Joy & Milky Way all offer egg shaped confections.

Cadbury Crème Eggs – Hershey’s manufactures & sells Cadbury in the US but reserves sales of the Crème & Caramel Eggs only for the Easter season. If you’re not familiar with the crème eggs, they are a yummy concoction of a thick milk chocolate shell with white & yellow fondant cream inside mimicking the egg white & yolk. They are a sticky sweet treat for the season.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg – What more do you have to say. There’s peanut butter in the chocolate and chocolate in the peanut butter – like the old advertisement says. Made by the Hershey company and slightly larger than a regular peanut butter cup the Reese’s peanut butter egg never fails to impress. Make sure to put in more than one.

Robin Eggs –Tasty, egg shaped, malted milk candy in a pastel colored candy coating Robin Eggs are a nifty treat for your taste buds. Several companies make similar candies and some even have great flavors like strawberry milkshake. They are sometimes packed in tiny egg cartons to add to the Easter theme.

Pez – Each year Pez comes out with a new Easter themed dispenser for their timeless candy. This would be a perfect addition the your favorite collector’s Easter basket.

M & Ms – Along with themed dispensers, M & M candies put on their Easter best for the season. They even offer personalized candy if you order from their website so put on your favorite bunny suit and upload that photo to create your Easter candy surprise.

SweeTart Eggs – Shaped like chicks, ducks, bunnies & eggs, SweeTarts are just like you remember from your childhood. Slightly sweet – a little tart and if you eat too many you just might get sick. They haven’t forgotten chocolate lovers either. If you look really hard you just might be able to find a hollow chocolate egg with SweeTart candy inside.

Now that you have a few ideas of what to put inside your Easter basket you just have to decide what shape your basket will take and if you’ll use plastic or edible Easter grass. Yep, there is such a thing.

Chocolate

Apple Butterscotch Delight

What You Need:

1 (4 oz.) pkg. instant butterscotch pudding

1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple in juice

1 C dry roasted peanuts

2 sweet apples, chopped

1 (8 oz.) container whip topping, thawed

How to Make It:

Place the pudding into a mixing bowl.

Add the can of pineapple with the juice and stir until completely combined.

Stir the nuts into the pudding mixture.

Blend the apples into the mixture until well combined.

Fold the whip topping in until combined and smooth.

Serves: 4

Grapes and marshmallows can be added to this recipe for a special treat. If butterscotch pudding isn’t your favorite; try vanilla, chocolate, lemon or any flavor that’s at the top of your list.

Chocolate

Valentines Day Cake Balls

Valentines Day Cake Balls

Ingredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package strawberry cake mix + cake mix ingredients
1/2 – 1 (16 ounce) container prepared cream cheese frosting
1 – 24 oz block vanilla flavored almond bark &
milk chocolate flavored almond bark
(I use Plymouth Pantys almond bark from Walmart)
Icing paste or candy coating paste
sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the cake mix according to package directions using any of the
recommended pan sizes. When cake is done, crumble while warm into a large bowl,
and stir in the frosting until well blended. Melt vanilla coating in a glass
bowl in the microwave on the DEFROST selection or in a metal bowl over a pan of
simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Use a melon baller or small
scoop to form balls of the cake mixture. Dip the balls in melted candy coating
using a toothpick or fork to hold them. Place on waxed paper to set. Roll in
sprinkles or leave plain. I tinted the vanilla coating pink and swirled dark
pink over that. For the chocolate covered strawberry cake balls, I dipped them
in chocolate and swirled dark pink on top of that.

Variation to Recipe

* This recipe is for Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake Balls & Strawberry
Cheese Cake.

There are a ton of different cake mixes on the market. The possibilites are
endless on mixing cake mix flavors and frostings. Just use your imagination.

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Chocolate

Peppermint Swirl Hot Cocoa

Ingredients:

1/3 cup of chocolate chips
4 cups milk
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 peppermint stick

Instructions:

Place the chocolate chips in a sauce pan. Pour the milk over the chocolate. Place the pan on medium low heat and cook stirring constantly until the chips just begin to melt. Add the cocoa powder and sugar. Stir until incorporated into the melting chocolate. Dump in the peppermint extract. Turn the heat to medium high and stirring continuously cook the mixture until it begins to boil and the mixture is smooth. Pour into warm mugs and garnish with a peppermint stick.

Chocolate

Who Doesn’t Love Free Chocolate?

Sorry to tempt you, when I’m sure you are all resolute on a new diet, but Godiva stores are giving away free samples. How could I resist?

The in-store sampling event is going on all month long.

1/2 - 1/4:
Chocoiste (Cherries, Pecans, & Cashews)
Real dried cherries coated in dark chocolate

Whole pecans coated in praline and then in milk chocolate

Whole cashews coated in milk chocolate

1/9 – 1/11:
Chocoiste (Cherries, Pecans, & Cashews)

1/30 - 2/1:
Mousse

A light milk chocolate mousse filling covered in a dark chocolate shell

Light strawberry mousse covered in a dark chocolate shell

Hazelnut and milk chocolate blended together into a light mousse, enrobed in milk chocolate

2/6-2/8

Mousse

In moderation, dark chocolate is actually very healthy for you.  According to Dirk Taubert, MD, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Cologne, Germany, dark chocolate can actually help lower high blood pressure (source).  The antioxidant properties can boost your immune system (source),  and just make you feel good!  Just remember: Moderation!  Don’t go crazy with those samples, and stick to the dark chocolate.

Visit the Godiva Website for the location nearest you.

Chocolate

Mom’s Island Treasures

I made these today and everyone LOVES them, SO yummy. I didnt have coconut but they were delicious without it.

Mom’s Island Treasures Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 7/8 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Beat in the egg then stir in the vanilla. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients. Mix in the chocolate chips, coconut and pecans. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place the cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate

Dove Hair Care Sample

Choice of a free sample of Theraphy system either Dove Shine Theraphy or Dove go fresh energize

http://www.dove.us/#/haircare/free_sample.aspx