Monday, November 28, 2011

5 Healthy Valentine Snacks You Can Make For Your Sweetheart

Valentine's Day doesn't have to be just about roses and boxes of chocolate. You can surprise your sweetheart with some healthy valentine snacks this year that not only good for him or her, but also delicious. Here are five healthy snack ideas that are perfect for Valentine's Day.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Chocolate Christmas Cookies

Combine ripe strawberries with dark chocolate for a healthy, yet indulgent Valentine snack. Start with large, ripe strawberries. Melt some dark chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave. Dip the strawberries halfway into the dark chocolate. Allow the excess chocolate to drip off, and then place them on some wax paper to allow the chocolate to harden.

Heart Shaped Grilled Cheese Sandwich

For these cute grilled cheese sandwiches, layer a piece of low fat cheese between two slices of wheat bread. Use a large heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut the sandwich into a heart. Spray a hot pan with a non-stick cooking spray and add the sandwich. Grill it until it is golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted. These sandwiches are a perfect snack on their own, or serve them with a cup of tomato soup for a light lunch.

Cupid's Arrows

This snack also makes an attractive appetizer. Start by washing some grape or cherry tomatoes and cutting some low-fat mozzarella cheese into cubes. Thread them on some kabob sticks, alternating the tomatoes and the cheese. Lay the "arrows" on a platter and drizzle with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar to finish off. Even cupid could not resist this Mediterranean inspired snack.

Valentine's Day Smoothie

This very-berry and pink smoothie makes a great midday snack or even a filling breakfast. Start by adding some low-fat strawberry to your blender. Toss in some frozen berries (we like strawberries) and a frozen banana if you'd like. Add a little orange juice and blend on high until well mixed. Pour the smoothie into tall glasses and top with a little low-calorie whipped topping, a strawberry and a Hershey's kiss.

Jello Hearts

These jello hearts are always a favorite with the kids. Prepare a package of strawberry yellow according to package directions. If you'd like, you can fold in a few finely chopped strawberries at the end. Pour the jello mixture into a baking dish and allow it to harden. Use heart shaped cookie cutters to cut hearts out of the red yellow mixture. Top each heart with half a strawberry (cut lengthwise).

5 Healthy Valentine Snacks You Can Make For Your Sweetheart

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Sunday, November 27, 2011

Chocolate Candy Recipes

Finding A Genuine Chocolate Candy Recipe

We have all enjoyed eating chocolate candy, right? I believe we have even watched documentaries on how it is done, and maybe visited a factory, like Hershey's, and seen it done. But, have we ever used a chocolate candy recipe ourselves and actually made our own? It is often said that those old time granny recipes are the best place to find good make it yourself chocolate candy recipe.

Chocolate Christmas Cookies

To find a chocolate candy recipe, you can pick up any cookbook, or one specific for just dessert and confections. Hershey's has one just for that. I bought one for my wife for Christmas. You may even have an old passed down from generation to generation cookbook with chocolate candy recipes no one has ever heard of.

The internet is another form of obtaining really good chocolate candy recipes. I know, I have looked. Whether it is on someone's personal blog, or listed from a major manufacturer, there are plenty of resources right on the web. Also, another web trick. If you want to find other listings that are not showing up immediately in the search engine, go to google images. Seriously, type in what you are looking for and listed below the image is the site or site listings for, in this case, chocolate candy recipes.

Your family and friends, or co-workers on the job, a teacher at school are all great sources for obtaining a top quality chocolate candy recipe. Some of them have been doing this sort of thing for years, and are quite the confectionist. Ok, here is a recipe from a 50 year old cook book my wife owns.

Chocolate Coconut Drops

They have:
Melt over hot water, 2oz. of chopped up unsweetened chocolate (you can do this in a sauce pan as well on low heat)

Stir in:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 lb. coconut, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Drop by teaspoons onto baking sheet. Place in pre-heated oven at 350°. Once in turn off oven. Leave in for approximately 15-20 minutes, until chocolate candy has glazed appearance. Remove and cool.

Chocolate Candy Recipes

Article written by Joseph Young, http://www.chocolatecandylovers.com

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Christmas Movies

Just the word Christmas movies reminds us of all the fun-filled holidays, turkey meals, family time and what not. That is the time when kids get to eat as much cookies as they want, all mischief by them goes unnoticed and even adults have fun. The only time in the year where we get to see all our relatives and friends in one place. And should never forget the glee and fun we share when we open our gifts. Anything as outrageous as a BMW car to something as humble as a sweater is looked upon with the same happiness. So what do we do once we gather as a family....what else, we watch a Christmas movie.

Christmas Movies

Christmas Cookies

It's a wonderful life, released in 1946 is a classical movie which sure kindles up the holiday spirit. The story revolves around Bailey, a tough-luck guy who is struck in a town he wishes to escape. On a Christmas night, while he tries to commit suicide he meets an angel who shows him the world which is filled with happiness. And the climax is amazing, which many of the modern movies now are missing.

A Christmas story,released in 1983, is a one of the all time favorite Christmas movies in which Ralphie Parker longs for a Red Rider Rifle. All the other characters also make a lasting impression on you. Like Ralphie mom who happens to be caring and affectionate and she reminds us of our own mother. Ralphie's friend Peter Billingsley portrays the childhood innocence effortlessly. This movie is a treat if you like slapstick comedy. Even if you don't, please do watch this movie and for sure you will fall in love with it.

The Polar Express, released in 2004 has a firm place in Christmas movies as all the scenes in the movie cry out Christmas for loud. It is based on the book in the same name and boy it's amazing how the movie has outdone the book. The pinnacle of the movie is when Santa arrives, it just makes you spell bound. St.Nick is played by Tom Hanks (Oh! yes...of course he has played many other characters in the same film). Just watching the movie at any time of the year will make you yearn for Christmas.

The Muppet's Christmas Carol, released in 1992 has a firm and undeniable spot in all time favorite Christmas movies. Michael Kane plays as Scrooge and Kermit,the frog is his assistant. The movie has wonderful songs and rekindles the Christmas spirit. Also it has lot of laughs and is an ideal movie to watch with kids.

The Santa Claus, released in 1994 features Tim Allan who happens to kill Santa accidentally and is forced to take Santa's place. Though he has initial grudges, he learns to love being Santa. He even puts on weight and grows a beard. Tim looks the part ans never fails to entertain you. Though the sequels are not as good, this movie is a one of the good Christmas movies you can watch during Christmas.

Watch all the Christmas movies and have fun, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

christmas movies 2011

Christmas Movies

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Thursday, November 24, 2011

French Toast for Christmas Morning

Ingredients:

1/2 (1 pound) loaf French bread, cut diagonally in 1 inch slices

Christmas Cookies

4 eggs

1 cup milk

3/4 cup half-and-half cream

1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon and 1-1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup

Directions:

Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange the slices of bread in the bottom. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour over bread slices, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The following morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup; heat until bubbling. Pour over bread and egg mixture.

Bake in preheated oven, uncovered, for 40 minutes.

Christmas is a time for family and friends. The traditions you create or pass down to your children now will create lasting memories for years to come. This recipe for French Toast can become one of your family traditions everyone looks forward to year after year.

Here are a few Christmas Eve traditions for your family.

Attend Church - Many churches hold special services on Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of Christ. Bring your family to church to the special Christmas Eve service. Take this time to remember and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas or go on Christmas morning to really feel the true meaning of the holiday.

A Festive Home - Is your home in the Christmas spirit? Light cinnamon- or cookie-scented candles throughout your home. Decorate with ribbons and bows. Make simple swags and table centerpieces with baskets of cinnamon-scented, wax-dipped pinecones. Add single strands of clear bulb lights to your mantle. Simple touches create a warm, holiday environment for your family.

Visit Family - If you have family to visit, plan your trips for Christmas Eve. Bring your gifts to deliver to friends along the way. Many families travel during the holiday season, so remember to drive with caution.

Christmas Cooking - Get your family involved in the Christmas cooking. Make candy and cookies with your children. Have them roll the dough, or cut out the cookies, even young children can help. Christmas cooking is always a fun thing to do on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Walk - Bundle everyone up and go for a walk or drive around the neighborhood to look at the lights. Children love looking at Christmas lights and this will really set the festive mood for the holiday... and don't forget the hot chocolate when you get back home!

Tell a Story - Set the mood for Christmas on Christmas Eve, gather everyone around your cozy living room, light the tree, serve some hot chocolate or eggnog with a few Christmas treats and tell a special Christmas story. You can tell the story of the meaning of Christmas or a story about Santa for younger children. You can even sit around and talk about the meaning of Christmas, the upcoming year or everything you have to be thankful for.

Enjoy this special time with your family and remember that you're creating life-long memories for your children... make it special.

French Toast for Christmas Morning

Joy Alderson writes custom articles for an online marketing company.  Call today to receive a FREE website marketing strategy for your small business ( http://BusinessMediaPublishing.com ).

Christmas Snowball Cupcakes

Ingredients for cupcakes:

1-box Chocolate cake mix

Chocolate Christmas Cookies

3-ounces Cream cheese, cut into 24 cubes

½-cup Water

2-large Eggs

⅓-cup Vegetable oil

½-cup Sour cream

¼-cup Finely chopped pecans

Ingredients for frosting:

2-large Egg whites

7-ounces Marshmallow cream

½-cup Sugar

1-teaspoon Raspberry extract

2-cups Coconut, shredded

2-tablespoons Water

1-cup Colored sprinkles or red sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Place 24 regular size muffin cups with paper cupcake cups. Beat cake mix, water, oil, sour cream and eggs with electric hand mixer in a large bowl on low speed for 30 to 45 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on medium speed for another minute.

Spoon cake batter into paper cups. Place one cream cheese cube in the middle of each cupcake and press down into batter, the top of the cream cheese will be visible.

Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until done. Check by inserting a toothpick into the cake part in between the cream cheese and paper cup, the toothpick should come out clean. Take cupcakes out of pan to cool for about 30 minutes before frosting.

Mix sugar, water and egg whites in a 2-quart saucepan. Cook over low heat, continuously beating with electric mixer at high speed until soft peaks are formed, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add marshmallow cream; beat until stiff peaks are formed. Remove saucepan and beat in Raspberry extract.

Spread frosting evenly over cupcakes; sprinkle each with a tablespoon of coconut and top with ½ teaspoon of sprinkles or red sugar over each cupcake. Serve right away or store in refrigerator.

Serves 24

You can find this recipe and much more at Cristie's Cookin. Be sure to submit your favorite recipe for a chance to win a free "Gotcha Covered" apron. Need a great gift? Check out Cristie's newly released novel "11.11.11" by TJ Stokes.

Christmas Snowball Cupcakes

Cooking lessons for Cristie began at 8 years old with the best teacher in the world -- her Mom! Later, she cooked for the restaurant the family owned, and her love of the "trade" has grown ever since. Cristie's creative cooking has continued for over 40 years. Her creations can soon be on your kitchen table. Check out Cristie's books at http://www.cristiescookin.com and http://www.tjstokes.com

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Gift Ideas For Christmas - 5 Awesome Christmas Gift Basket Ideas

People really enjoy getting gift baskets. I guess it's because a gift basket is really a "goodie basket" that's filled with all sorts of items that make someone happy to receive it. Gift baskets have really evolved since the old days of the fruit basket. While fruit baskets are still popular (especially for the health conscience), there are a wide variety of things that is now acceptable to put into a gift basket.

Today, gift baskets often have themes, meaning that the contents are narrowed down to a specific category. A food themed basket can contain anything from organic tea to wine and cheese. It can contain nostalgic candies or different kinds of brownies. The first thing you should do when deciding to give someone a gift basket is to pick out a theme that you think that person will like.

Chocolate Christmas

Whether you make the gift basket yourself or buy it from a specialty store, you'll find that half the fun is deciding what type of basket to get. And, keep in mind that gift baskets aren't just for ladies anymore. A gift basket can be given to men and couples as well. If you decided to give everyone on your list a gift basket, it would make your Christmas gift giving really easy.

Here's some examples of themed gift baskets:

Chocolate Lover Basket - for anyone on your gift list who loves chocolate, this is a no-brainer. As a chocolate lover myself, I know my eyes would pop open if I received a basket filled with chocolate candy bars, chocolate fudge, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate truffles, chocolate malt balls, chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate covered dried fruit and packets of cocoa hot chocolate.

Tailgate Party Basket - sports fans love to snack before and during a game. This basket can contain items like, snack chips, pretzels, peanuts, cashews, pistachios, cheese crackers, soda crackers, cheese dips, brownies, cookies, cheeses, salami and a colorful chip and dip tray.

Wine and Cheese Basket - if you know that someone enjoys wine, then this will be a gift basket that they'll love. Select two bottles of different wine from any vintage. You might select a bottle of Red, Merlot, Rose, Port, White Zinfandel or White wine. Then add several hard and soft cheeses, some nice crackers, wine stoppers and a corkscrew.

A Taste of Italy Basket - many people love Italian food so this is a nice idea and something a little different. This basket could include items like: all natural dried pasta (regular, whole wheat, spinach, etc.), extra virgin olive oil, two jars of premium pasta sauce, a jar of sun dried tomatoes, cheese straws, balsamic vinegar, garlic bread sticks and grated Parmesan cheese.

Spa Day Basket - many people could use a relaxing break but can't get away to a real spa. This basket will provide them with everything they need to enjoy a relaxing homemade spa vacation. It can include items like: bubble bath, bath salts, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, high quality skin moisturizer, back scrubber, plush towel, plush slippers, scented candles and a relaxing music DVD.

Gift Ideas For Christmas - 5 Awesome Christmas Gift Basket Ideas

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Monday, November 21, 2011

The Candy Shop War - A Book Review

The old saying "too much candy can be bad for your health" rings true in this fast paced, action packed story. Nate and his family are new in town which means a new school and new friends. Nate is not too happy about this but the three young friends he makes will soon become the type that last forever. One warm afternoon on the way home from school, the four young kids decide to try out the new candy shop. However, they are short on money and are in hopes the owner will give them a sample. Belinda White, owner of the Sweet Tooth Ice Cream Candy Shoppe, offers free candy if they will perform odd jobs around town. Not only is the candy free it's magical too!

What kid can resist magical rock candy to fly through the air and jaw breakers to become unbreakable? Throw in a little shift changing and talking animals and you have all the ingredients for a wild adventure. Soon Nate and his friends; Summer, Trevor and Pigeon discover the real cost of this addictive candy. Belinda White's true identity as an evil magician unfolds and Nate and his friends try to turn her own power against her. It takes all the wit and imagination the quartet can conjure up with a little help from Mr. Stott the ice cream truck driver who has some magical tricks of his own. The mystery deepens and doesn't stop until the last piece of candy has been eaten.

Chocolate Christmas

This magical fantasy story will make any 8 - 12 year old turn their imagination up a notch or two. New York Times bestselling Author Brandon Mull travels the country visiting schools, promoting literacy and sharing his message that "Imagination can take you places." Mull teaches lessons with all his stories by adding a reading guide at the end of each book. Questions like "Between Nate, Summer, Trevor, and Pigeon, who would you most want as a friend? Why?" and "What is the best approach for handling bullies?" are designed to stimulate the readers' deductive reasoning skills.

The Candy Shop War is published by Shadow Mountain.

The Candy Shop War - A Book Review

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Saturday, November 19, 2011

White Chocolate Raspberry Cookie Recipe

The white chocolate raspberry cookie recipe combines the magical duo of white chocolate and raspberries. Truly out of this world! A great one for that special Valentine!

Ingredients

Chocolate Christmas

4 ounces white baking bars or white chocolate baking squares, chopped.

4 ounces white baking bars or white chocolate baking squares, melted

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Topping:

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

3 ounces white baking bars or white chocolate baking squares

1/2 teaspoon shortening

Hardware

Large bowl

2 x 1-quart saucepan

Cookie sheets

Mixer

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Step 2: Lightly grease a large cookie sheet.

Step 3: Coarsely chop 4 ounces of white baking bars; set aside.

Step 4: In a 1-quart saucepan, melt 4 ounces of white baking chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly; set aside to cool.

Step 5: In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer set on medium-high speed for 30 seconds.

Step 6: Add sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined.

Step 7: Beat in eggs and melted baking bars until combined.

Step 8: Beat in as much flour as you can with mixer. Stir in remaining flour with spoon.

Step 9: Stir in chopped white chocolate baking bars.

Step 10: Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets.

Step 11: Bake 7-9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let cookie set for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling surface.

Topping:

Step 1 Just before serving, in a 1-quart saucepan melt jam over low heat. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of jam over each cookie.

Step 2: In another 1-quart saucepan, melt 3 ounces white baking chocolate squares and 1/2 teaspoon of shortening over low heat until smooth and creamy.

Step 3: Using the tines of a fork, drizzle white chocolate over cookies. Let stand until set.

Makes 48 cookies.

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White Chocolate Raspberry Cookie Recipe

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For cookie baking tips and a wide selection of recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/

Monday, November 14, 2011

Five Ways to Use a Custom Candy Bar Wrapper

Do you have someone in your life that is impossible to buy for? Do you struggle trying to find a unique gift for them when the holidays or their birthday rolls around? If this sounds familiar, you may want to consider giving them a bar of their favorite chocolate wrapped up in a personalized wrapper. There are many occasions when such a gift would be ideal, including:

When a new baby arrives. So many people rush out to get flowers when a friend or relative has a baby. Granted flowers are lovely and can brighten up a new mom's day, but why not give her something sweet to eat? A candy bar with a custom candy bar wrapper is so much fun. You can have the new baby's stats put on it including their name, the date of their birth and their weight and height. If you really want to make the new mom's day, find an image of her pregnant and put that on it too. She'll really get a kick out it. Not only will she treasure the custom candy wrapper, but she'll love the chocolate too.When a young adult is set to graduate. Graduation is the highlight of a young person's life. It's a huge accomplishment and the graduate deserves a gift. Giving them a custom candy bar wrapper with the details of their graduation is special. You can also include the names of all the schools they've attended and perhaps an image of them taken way back in preschool. When a couple is celebrating an anniversary. Anniversaries are often forgotten, but they shouldn't be. Staying married in today's unpredictable world is a great accomplishment. If you have a couple in your life who is celebrating an anniversary soon, create a custom candy bar wrapper for them. Naturally you'll want to include an image from their wedding day along with your best wishes. A perfect accompaniment to this is a personalized bottle of wine.When a person is celebrating a monumental birthday. Aging isn't always fun, but that doesn't mean that birthdays can't be. With a custom candy bar wrapper a person can enjoy turning 50 or 60-years-old. One fun way to dress up a wrapper like this is to use an image of the person as a baby along with a recent one. They are sure to laugh when they see it and there's no reason why they can't nibble on the chocolate treat that is hiding under the wrapper.When late October rolls around. Halloween is the spookiest night of the year. It's also the one day of the year when kids can eat as much candy as they like. Creating custom candy bar wrappers to give to local ghost and goblins is fun. Add some images of skeletons, witches and boogey monsters. You can also include a riddle or two for fun. There's really no end to the fun you can have with candy bar wrappers. Do it for friends and family or consider opening your own home based candy bar wrapper business. Either way, enjoy it and use your imagination!

Chocolate Christmas

Five Ways to Use a Custom Candy Bar Wrapper

Gillian Reynolds has been a party planner for over 15 years. Candy bar wrappers are the new trend in party favors. They are inexpensive, easy and so much fun. To find out even more ways to use custom candy wrappers, including how to start a custom candy wrapper business visit Candy Bar Wrappers!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Making Chocolate Covered Strawberries at Home!

People live very fast paced life today. Everyone is busy with their respective goals and jobs. To keep healthy you need to cultivate good habits. Exercise should be a part of daily routine. A person who does not have sufficient time for exercise during the weekdays must try to make up during the weekends.

Eating healthy food is important for keeping fit. Various kinds of diet programs are followed by people and stress is laid on healthy eating. Avoiding high calorie food and junk food all the time makes you crave for unhealthy food. What to do in this type of situation? Well, the answer lies in balancing your diet with different types of food items.

Chocolate Christmas

Eating fruits and vegetables helps a lot in maintaining our health. There are loads of delicious fruits like apples, orange, pear, melon, litchi, and strawberry which can be included in the daily diet. Similarly eating fresh vegetables regularly helps a lot in keeping healthy. Managing the diet with a judicious mix of fruits, vegetables and high fiber foods go a long way in keeping a person fit.

It is better to make your daily food interesting by varying it to make it appealing and tasty. You can make chocolate covered strawberries at home using simple ingredients. It is very easy to make them. You need to have the white chocolate, normal dark chocolate and some strawberries with their stems intact. Melt both the chocolates in separate bowls by placing them in hot water. You can melt them in a microwave oven too. Ensure that the syrup is smooth by mixing it well. Dip the strawberries in the syrup by holding it from the stem, shake to remove excess syrup and put it on a parchment paper to dry. Repeat this process with all the strawberries. Dip a fork in the white chocolate syrup and apply a little of it to the chocolate dipped strawberries.

There are various other methods of making chocolate covered strawberries. You can make it bi-color with equal portions of white and brown chocolate or make it totally white. There are many options available and you can make it according to your liking. Covering the strawberries with chocolate makes them tastier and they get used up pretty soon. If you do not wish to make them at home, then you can buy then readymade from the many stores which stock them.

Chocolate covered strawberries make an excellent gift which can be given to all. This is a suitable gift for all from kids to the elderly. They can also be included in wine baskets. Many wine baskets contain gourmet chocolates. If you wish to make an unique basket for your friends or relatives, you can select suitable brands of wine and put these chocolate dipped strawberries with them. Your friends will truly love and relish them.

This type of strawberries can be used even at small gatherings at your place or during festivals when the extended family gets together. You can serve them during your kid's birthday party too and all your little guests will savor them. This can serve as a healthy snack between meals and you can rest assured that your kids are eating healthy fruits.

Making Chocolate Covered Strawberries at Home!

You cannot go wrong with chocolate covered strawberries because chocoloate is generally loved by everyone. You can also pair your strawberries with wine gift baskets, as unique gifts for the upcoming holiday season. GiftbasketSearch.net and TheBasketSpot.com provides beautiful and visually appealing gifts, that your everyone loves.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Chocolate Treats to Enjoy - Amish Chocolate Toffee Bars and Triple Chocolate Clusters

We always have people wanting more chocolate recipes. (It's so good to know I am only one of many chocoholics.) So here are more chocolate delights just for you. Choices include Amish Chocolate-Toffee Bars. These bars, in true Amish tradition, are simple but delicious three layer bars that are easy and quick to make. If you prefer candy, try the Triple Chocolate Clusters. These candies are clusters of various chocolates and coating over nuts and pretzels. Oh, go for it! Make them both.

AMISH CHOCOLATE TOFFEE BARS

Chocolate Christmas Cookies

CRUST:
1 cup flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix above ingredients and press into a 9 x 6-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

FILLING:

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter

Boil brown sugar and butter in a saucepan for one minute. Pour over the baked crust.

TOPPING:

1 cup pecans
1 cup chocolate chips

Sprinkle the pecans over the top of the filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and while still hot, sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and spread to smooth. Cut into bars when cooled.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CLUSTERS

2 (4-oz each) white chocolate bars
1 cup milk chocolate morsels
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups broken pretzels

Melt the white chocolate, milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate together in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. When chocolates are completely melted and blended, stir in the pecan pieces and pretzel pieces. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto lightly greased waxed paper. Chill in the refrigerator at least one hour. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Yield: approximately 3 dozen

You can make a firmer candy by using 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels and leaving out the milk chocolate and white chocolate.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Treats to Enjoy - Amish Chocolate Toffee Bars and Triple Chocolate Clusters

For more candy and cookie recipes visit my blog at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com
For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Halloween Costumes, Treats, and Candy Trivia

Trick or Treating, going from house to house to ask for gifts, seems to have started in England, where peasant children dressed up as prisoners to beg for coins or treats in remembrance of Guy Fawkes, who was drawn and quartered after attempting to blow up British government offices. Halloween did not become an American Hallmark holiday until the 20th century. It evolved from children going next door for a treat, to parents driving around carloads of children looking for choice neighborhoods to load up on loot.

Average sales for Halloween candy in the USA are around 2 Billion dollars per year. One quarter of all the candy sold each year is purchased between September 15 and November 10.

Chocolate Christmas

The most popular candy treats to receive are chocolate candy bars with Snickers being number 1. Snickers was named after the Mars family horse.

Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in the US. They debuted in 1896, introduced by Leo Hirshfield of New York, who named them after his daughter's nickname, "Tootsie."

The average American household spends about each year on Halloween candy.

20 million pounds of candy corn is consumed each year. October 30th is National Candy Corn day. A cup of candy corn has fewer calories than a cup of raisins.

The original Hershey's chocolate bar was introduced in 1900.

In 1920 The Baby Ruth candy bar is first sold, named for President Grover Cleveland's daughter - not the famous baseball player.

Dubble-Bubble was invented in 1928.

The 3 Musketeers bar was introduced in 1932 and each package had three pieces of candy nouget flavored vanilla, strawberry and chocolate.

Tootsie Roll Pops are introduced in 1931 and were widely advertised as the lollipop that offers two candies in one - flavored hard candy on the outside and chewy Tootsie Roll center inside.

The 5th Avenue Bar was created by William H. Luden, the man perhaps best known for his cough drops. It was made from layers of peanut butter crunch coated in milk chocolate.

Hershey's Reese's Pieces bite-size candies are introduced in 1978 and four years later soared in popularity because of the blockbuster movie E.T.

Bobbing for apples may have originated from the harvest festival that honors Pamona, the goddess of fruit trees.

A popular Halloween drink in 18th century Ireland was "lambs-wool," which consisted of roasted, crushed apples mixed into milk.

William W. Kolb invented the red candy apple in 1908. He sold the whole first batch for 5 cents each and later sold thousands yearly. Soon candied apples were being sold along the Jersey Shore, at the circus and in candy shops across the country.

Caramel apples are more popular in much of the United States, with candy apples unknown in some regions.

Halloween Costumes, Treats, and Candy Trivia

If you've enjoyed all the trivia nuggets preparing you for Halloween, you'll love the unique costume ideas you find at Donnie Darko, Costumes Ideas, and Unique Costumes Davy Jones Mask! Why settle for the same old costumes everyone else has seen before.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Neighborhood Christmas Celebration - Those Neighborhood Parties Demand Original Gifts

Every year about this time, our neighborhood gets together to do a gift exchange, enjoy Santa Claus, and share some Christmas Goodies. But this year, we decided it should be different. Along with the usual celebration, goodies, and gifts, we decided to share our holiday festivities with others.

Cookie Exchanges:

Chocolate Christmas Cookies

We all brought our usual seven dozen cookies but we wrapped them in packages of six cookies each, plus a small gift for a child. We each took home seven packages of six cookies and the other seven packages of cookies we normally would have taken home went into the box of goodies we shipped to "others".

There were seven cookie exchanges in our neighborhood this year.

Stocking Stuffing Crafts Night:

Again, we each brought our usual number of gifts, plus one small gift for a child. Everyone brought seven stocking stuffers, plus four more. These could be anything. But most of us made our stocking stuffers. Things like winter crocheted or knitted caps, scarves, book covers, tote bags, or bookmarks were poplar. We filled up seven extra stockings!

Those seven extra stockings were put in our gifts for "others".

Santa Claus Night:

This was the most fun night of all. Besides our own children, we were asked to bring three extra children (no kidnapping allowed, but we could invite children who weren't privileged). Those extra cookies, stockings, and gifts collected at other events were used to give the extra children (and parents who were willing to come) gifts.

Santa had all the gifts to give out, and everyone received gifts from the bag.

Amazingly, we sang carols most of the evening, shared spiced cider and cookies, and celebrated around the Christmas tree, with friends, family, and some new folks I'd never met before. The true joy was watching children carry out a gift they hadn't expected to receive as if it was the most precious thing they'd ever received.

Neighborhood Christmas Celebration - Those Neighborhood Parties Demand Original Gifts

Are you ready to plan a Neighborhood Celebration?

It isn't difficult, and you can even create your own activities and plan. Visit my website at http://janverhoeff.com for more information.

Friday, November 4, 2011

A Reason For the Season - Christmas Eve

One of the most significant aspects of Christmas Eve is religious in nature. Attending Midnight Mass or earlier church services is mandatory for many Christians. This is even so for people who aren't regular attendants at church during the rest of the year. Evidence of the importance of Christmas church services can be seen in the overflow of congregations at the churches.

Many churches also have an added service earlier in the evening to accommodate the 'extras', and for individuals like the elderly who would prefer a service that is earlier than Midnight Mass.

Christmas Cookies

The day before Christmas is filled with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation in most families. There's anxiety at putting all the final plans and finishing decoration touches in place and getting all the necessary shopping done. There's also much anticipation about all the merriment and excitement of Christmas day.

Children are often barely able to control themselves as they think about the Christmas gifts they hope to receive. They may try to stay up through the night to catch Santa Claus at their tree, or they may just be too excited to sleep.

Christmas Eve is also important for the simple reason that in ancient cultures and customs, a holiday or other celebrated day really starts from sundown of the day before the actual day that is celebrated. Therefore, festivities for Christmas Day really begin on
Christmas Eve.

Another important aspect of Christmas Eve celebrations is related to retail operations. On the day before Christmas, stores make a last ditch effort to push sales of Christmas and other merchandise. There often are special promotions last-minute advertised to capitalize on late, desperate Christmas shoppers and other impulse buyers. This last effort is also aimed at increasing sales for the Christmas period.

Food plays a big role in making Christmas Day special and much of its preparation often begins on Christmas Eve. Poultry and other meats are often prepared by letting them stand in a mixture of various herbs and spices, puddings and pies are baked on Christmas Eve, as well as a fresh batch of gingerbread and other cookies and treats. The scents and flurry of activity related to all these preparations also help to
make Christmas Eve a memorable day on its own.

Some stores will remain open late, even up to midnight or just before midnight. Macy's department store in New York City, which bills that particular store branch as the world's largest, stayed open until midnight on Christmas Eve of 1867 for the first time. Christmas Eve culminates the single biggest shopping season, which started the day after Thanksgiving, for retailers.

Christmas Eve is also important for the traditions associated with it. It is the night when parents have to play the role of Santa Claus and sneak toys and other Christmas gifts under the Christmas tree to the absolute delight and surprise of children who awake on Christmas morning to find the presents.

The idea of Santa Claus coming descending chimneys on Christmas Eve to leave gifts for good boys and girls was made popular by a poem, attributed to Clement Clarke Moore. In that poem titled 'An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas, ' which Moore wrote in 1822 and which is now popularly known as 'Twas the Night Before Christmas,' Moore described Santa Claus as 'a right jolly old elf' who went from house to house with his sleigh pulled by reindeers flying through the air to deliver Christmas presents to all the girls and boys who had been well behaved.

A Reason For the Season - Christmas Eve

Hooray for Christmas! One of Laura's favorite subjects in magazines, websites, and personal consultations. Laura has also written on a variety of other decorating and family topics for the past 11 years. For more ideas and inspiration on Christmas tradition decor, check out Country Christmas.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Beaded Christmas Ornaments

Want to know how to make beaded Christmas ornaments this season? You can make unique beaded Christmas ornaments that can accessorize your xmas tree and create a unique masterpiece that will awe your family. Not only that, creating custom beaded ornaments for your xmas tree is a creative project your entire family can join in on.

Christmas Tree

Chocolate Christmas

The Christmas tree is the lasting symbol of the holidays, and who doesn't sigh with warm feelings when thinking of the smell and memories it brings with it. Decorating your xmas tree is a family favorite and the end results of a creative tree is truly magnificent. Creating beaded ornaments for your tree can create a truly unique end result that you will be proud to call your own.

Beaded Ornament Patterns

The great thing about making beaded ornaments is that you are not left in the dark, as there are tons of bead patterns available online that detail from start to finish the creative process. You can browse the ornament patterns online if you wish and then when one catches your fancy you are ready to dig in. The patterns will typically outline the types of beads that you will need to buy and the colors to achieve the design. Don't be afraid to deviate from the pattern, use it as a guideline and trust your instincts to make a truly unique ornament.

Types of Christmas Ornaments You Can Make

There are a variety of ornaments that are relatively easy to make. With glass beads, wire, and a fun design you can creating your traditional dangling ornament, a mesh tea ball ornament, a snowflake ornament, candy cane ornaments and more... The stitches typically are not difficult and the glass beads are cheap to buy and you can try out a few different types without risk. Ornament beading is not difficult and you will be able to include your kids in the process, creating both beautiful tree accessories and memories. So if you are looking to make beaded Christmas ornaments this season, get started, you will surprise yourself with the unique majesty you create.

Beaded Christmas Ornaments

Feel the satisfaction of making beaded ornaments using quality Bead Supplies, patterns and more.

Check out the free beading patterns and Glass Beads today!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Christmas Gifts For Your Mom

The most important gift for any occasion is to show your mom or grandmother how much you care.

Start planning early, especially if you want to give a homemade gift. And don't forget the holiday, so your gift arrives late. That's a real no-no.

Chocolate Christmas Cookies

Here are 10 gift ideas, and some of these cost nothing at all except your time and love.

Create something. Create a special poem, song, painting, drawing, collage, beaded jewelry, or knitted scarf.

Craft stores are treasure troves of possibilities. For example, decorate an ornament or fill a small sleigh with dried or silk flowers.

Make it with love, because there is no greater force for good in the universe.

Express your love in a letter. If you cannot do any of these things, write a heartfelt letter. It does not have to be long. Think of a special time you shared with your mother and write about that. Perhaps it was baking cookies together, learning how to ride a bike, or the time she came to the school play and sat in the front row to see you. Be specific and authentic. You don't have to be a great writer. Just tell her it meant a lot to you.

Do something for Mom. Volunteer to do something that you know tires your mom. Offer to babysit younger children so she can have a day off. Clean the attic or garage. Do your assigned chores without asking. If you are on your own, cook a meal for mother or the family and deliver during the busy holiday season so she can relax. Clean up afterward, too.

Do something with Mom. It can be as simple as strolling through a mall to see holiday decorations and stopping for hot chocolate or lunch together.

A visit to a museum or a musical performance is another option. Many churches and schools have free or inexpensive Christmas music. Go together and make it Mom's special day.

Go ice skating or sledding or visit a park. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

Transform a treasured photo. Does your mother have a special photo she treasures? Perhaps it is a picture of her own father or grandmother. Maybe it is a picture of her with her best friend when she was a child.

Or perhaps you have a photo of the two of you together that you love.

Have it blown up and frame it. If you own a photo printer and good photo editing program, you may be able to do this yourself.

If you have a a little skill, you also may be able to remove imperfections, crop the photo to make it more interesting, enhance the colors, or add a fancy tint.

Frames are not expensive. Try a discount store, drug store, or even a resale shop.

Fill a mug with a treat. Upscale discount stores, department and drug stores often have a wide selection of mugs at this time of year.

Many have a holiday theme. Fill the mug with whatever your Mom loves, such as chocolate, tea, or coffee. Buy the very best you can afford. It's better to give a little bit of a luxury item than a lot of something that is low-quality. After all, your Mom deserves the best.

Help her get organized. The datebook selection is wide at this time of year. Another item that can help Mom get organized may be a calendar that can be wiped off, found in office supply stores. This can be posted in the kitchen or used at work.

A label-maker is a more expensive choice but can make organizing fun.

This is another opportunity to be of service and do something for Mom. Offer to clean the refrigerator or pantry or to straighten the kitchen drawers.

Pamper her with aromatherapy. If mother enjoys aromatherapy, find a soothing and pleasant natural oil to add to her collection. These are usually sold at natural foods stores. Lemon balm, eucalyptus, and lavender are soothing and relatively inexpensive oils.

You also might get her started on aromatherapy by purchasing a small burner or even an electrical burner, which is safer.

Indulge Mom with a small luxury. If you see something small that is beautiful and can afford it, it may be just the right gift for your mother.

Items that come to mind are a hand-made chocolate Santa, an elegant Christmas ornament, a snow globe, a small glass figurine, or a Swarovski crystal to hang in a window that will make rainbows dance on the walls all year long.

You are going for the "ahhh" factor here. Your intuition will tell you if Mom will love it, and your wallet will tell you if you can afford it.

Find a fabulous laptop or netbook skin. Older women, believe it or not, love making their electronics look special. These plastic covers are useful, too, because they protect the cover.
Prices range from .50 to .

In summary, the most precious gifts you can give your Mom are your love and appreciation. The things you buy to express this are relatively unimportant by comparison. With a little imagination and enough time to plan, you are sure to find the perfect Christmas gift for mother.

Christmas Gifts For Your Mom

Enid Sefcovic, Ph.D.
Editor, Fashion After 50
http://www.fashionafter50.com

Founder of FashionAfter50.com - a site for fashion and expressing your inner self for the over-50 woman. Discover your inner fashion goddess by taking the free fashion archetype quiz. Find out how to fit pants, stretch your wardrobe dollars, look your best at any age, and much more.