Tag Archives: chocolate

Simple Homemade Halloween Treats

You can claim that they are homemade, but these treats don’t take nearly the time or effort to create, thanks to good ol’ fashion ingenuity. In my opinion, busy home cooks should never feel guilty for using store bought donuts or frosting instead of the made-from-scratch versions. If you have the time, energy and desire to make the following items from scratch, by all means, have at it. However, if you are working under time constraints and still want to design an elaborate Halloween party buffet then consider the following time saving recipes: MUNCHABLE MONSTER EYES Ingredients: Glazed donut holes … Continue reading →

Autumn Recipes: X is for X-shaped Chocolate Cookies

Yeah, I know, it’s not very autumnal. But you try coming up with foods that begin with the letter X and then combine them to create an edible creation. There was xanthareel, a yellow eel used in medicinal foods, and xanthan gum, which is produced from the fermentation of corn sugar (it’s commonly used as a thickener in foods such as yogurt, sour cream and salad dressings), but neither struck me as the basis for family-friendly recipes. So, I got a bit creative and went for another interpretation: X-shaped treats. The following recipe for playful chocolate cookies molded in the … Continue reading →

Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

Not all birthdays are celebrated with cake. Just ask my mom. She hasn’t commemorated her birthday with cake for as long as I’ve been alive. Rather, on her special day she requests Banana Cream Pie… and not just any Banana Cream Pie. Each fall my mom celebrates another year on earth with at least two slices of Mile-High Banana Cream Pie with an Oreo Cookie crust. Yes, it’s as decadent as it sounds. In honor of my mom’s upcoming birthday I thought I would share the recipe for her special pie. I’d love to say that it is an ancient … Continue reading →

Special After School Treat—Chocolate Pizza

You survived the send off and now you only have a few more hours before the first day of the new school year ends. That’s more than enough time to whip up these special treats. Growing up my mom would always have a tasty homemade treat waiting for us when we got home from the first day of school. My brothers and I would join my mom at the kitchen counter; chow down on our ooey-gooey goodies and share details of our first day back at “prison” (my youngest brother’s nickname for school). If you want to welcome your children … Continue reading →

The Cost of Chocolate Candy is Rising Again

Those sweet treats are going to be costing you just a bit more very soon. I know that I am paying attention to this one, since my family has a “wicked” sweet tooth for Dove dark chocolate. We stock up on the stuff when we have coupons and there are sales, but the little wrapped squares tend to go very quickly unless we conserve and dole them out carefully. After recent announcements by some chocolate candy manufacturers, we may just have to do with less or without. Mars, the maker of Dove chocolate, as well as Snickers and M&Ms has … Continue reading →

Removing Stubborn Chocolate Stains

If you spill something on a piece of clothing or the carpet, there is an instant sense of dread. You may rinse the stain and then hope it comes out in the wash, all of the time knowing that the garment is probably ruined and ready for the trash, or that you’ll have to rearrange your furniture to cover the spot on the rug. But don’t worry. There are some tried and true methods for removing some common and stubborn stains. Try these solutions first, before you think about giving up hope. Around here chocolate is equally likely to wind … Continue reading →

Family Travel: Sweeten Up Your Summer Vacation

Forget about the kids, for chocoholic parents, a trip to Hershey’s Chocolate World is a dream come true. The sweet treats that await you at the sumptuous property are seemingly endless. Imagine snapping your family’s Christmas card photo beneath a streetlamp fashioned like a Hershey Kiss or snacking on samples from the two-million-square-foot Hershey Factory, the largest chocolate plant in the world. If your stomach is rumbling just thinking about the fun you would have it’s time to stop smacking your lips and get into gear to take in the attractions. Timing is everything when visiting the park. Hershey may … Continue reading →

Make a Watermelon Ice Cream Cake and other Cool Summer Treats

My preschooler loves strawberries. But, she’ll gladly gobble up watermelon when it’s around. During the summer months I try to keep as much of the refreshing fruit around as possible. When I was a kid my brothers and I would rock, paper, scissors for the last piece of watermelon, yet I know there are many people who don’t particularly care for the juicy summer fruit. Fortunately, your family doesn’t have to love watermelon to love this next recipe. They’ll have to tolerate the sight of it, but they don’t have to enjoy the taste. That’s because the recipe doesn’t call … Continue reading →

Kids in the Kitchen: Sweet and Simple Strawberry Treats

Thank goodness for strawberries. When she was a baby the sweet red fruit was one of the only all-natural snacks my young daughter would willingly devour. Three years later strawberries are still on the top of her “Favorite Foods” list and being able to pick our own at a local farm has become an annual family tradition. We headed out on our latest strawberry picking adventure a couple of weeks ago and per usual it was… well, eventful (as are most outings with a preschooler). This year the crop was plumper and juicer than ever. We picked 10 pounds worth … Continue reading →

Ready, Set, Grill—-Marinated Steaks and Chocolate Burritos

This is it. For the past few days I have been posting some of my family’s all-time favorite grill recipes. Chicken, shrimp, steak… you name it and we’ve probably tried to grill it in years past. But today is the day that I finally reveal what we will be grilling up this Memorial Day. I’m combining two of my favorite ingredients—-balsamic vinegar and rosemary–to make a killer marinade for steaks. It’s so simple and so incredibly delicious I wouldn’t be surprised if you decide to make it a summer staple. I will be topping our steaks with some sautéed mushrooms … Continue reading →