What does your favorite candy say about you?
*Deep Sigh* I don’t know how I didn’t know about this, but June was National Candy Month — A recent survey found that 86% of American teenagers reported eating candy each week, and 21 percent said they eat candy every day. And get this, Americans eat 11.7 pounds of chocolate each year. But chocolate does more than tickle your taste buds. The chocolate-covered candy you love to gobble reveals the real you says psychologist Jane Whitrel. See where you fit in among the chocoholics by choosing the flavor you adore.
- Cherry — You’re an enthusiastic person who grabs life with both hands. But do try to curb your impatience.
- Orange — You’re a brainiac who’s totally focused on the task at hand. Learn to juggle more than one project and you’ll soar.
- Fudge — A bright-eyed charmer who attracts people by the carload, you need to become more flexible when things change.
- Hazelnut — You’re a healer who wants to nurture anyone in your orbit, but you can be too shy to reach out. Relax and interact.
- Coconut — Your vivid imagination makes you a creative whirlwind. You must make the effort to handle everyday tasks too.
- Coffee — You’re a powerhouse who thrives on getting the job done, and you seldom takes time to relax. Recharging your batteries is good for you.
- Strawberry — You are a giver who never fails to be there for your friends and family. Just don’t forget to nurture yourself as well.
- Lemon — You are so concerned with the feelings of everyone else that you often short-change yourself. Do what makes you happy.
- Peppermint — You are a futurist who always has an eye on a goal you’ll reach tomorrow. Meanwhile, the present is passing by unnoticed. Pay attention to today.
Banana Split Parfait
justfoologFor a natural, healthier version of the banana split, I first whipped up some sugarless vanilla cream, then added it to a jar with layers of fresh strawberries and bananas, and crushed walnuts. Finally, I topped it off with homemade chocolate sauce made from cocoa powder, vanilla paste, milk, and a just a bit of powdered sugar.
Ingredients:
Whipped cream:
One cup heavy whipping cream (36%-40% milk fat content)
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 tsp of vanilla extract)
1/2 tsp corn flour
Chocolate Sauce:
3 tsp cocoa powder
4 tsp milk
2 tsp powdered sugar
Just a little bit of vanilla paste or vanilla extract
Layers:
One cup of sliced strawberries
One cup of sliced bananas
1/2 cup of crushed walnuts
Process:
1. Whip up sugarless vanilla cream and refrigerate until using (click here for instructions)
2. In a small bowl, add cocoa powder and milk. Mix well with a spoon, until smooth. Add in vanilla paste and powdered sugar, and mix again until smooth.
3. Layer jar with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, walnuts, strawberries, bananas, and whatever other ingredients you would like to add. To re-create the Dairy Queen banana split, add pineapple too.
Notes:
- Hershey’s Chocolate Sauce - aka Hershey’s Corn Syrup Sauce - is more sugar than chocolate, so I highly recommend making a healthier, homemade version.
- This parfait would be delicious with vanilla ice cream too, but I chose whipped cream in order to cut the unnecessary sugar out. And since whipped cream has a lot more air whipped into it than ice cream, you will naturally eat more fruit and nuts than the fatty cream.
Gone Fishing ~ How To "Catch" Gumdrop Crabs and Fish Cupcake Toppers
So summer is definitely here, according to the outdoor thermometer that is currently reading 96.6 degrees. I’m a mess in the heat. Crabby (oh, hey, that’s a good word considering this post), irritable, complainer of heat I am. Griper of A/C turned up too high. Groaner at the hair frizzing humidity, the sweat causing blazes, the… I could go on ’til Fall.
But I digress from gumdrops and cupcakes. I made these crab and fish cupcake toppers for my demo and book signing last weekend, and they seemed to be such a hit, I thought I’d share the how-tos with you.
To frost the cupcakes, I just filled a decorating bag fitted with a size “1M” tip with blue frosting and piped swirls. For the sandy cupcakes, I frosted the cupcakes with brown frosting and dipped the tops in light brown sugar. Then I topped with candy and instant beach scene.
how to make gumdrop crab and fish cupcake toppers
you will need*:
large gumdrops (2 red for each crab and 1 of any color for each fish)
rolling pin
1 1/2-inch oval or circle cookie cutter
scissors
Twizzlers Pull n’ Peel licorice
candy eyes
light corn syrup
*Find the cookie cutter in the craft store or cake decorating store, likely as part of a set. Find candy eyes in the craft store, or, find them online.
to make the crab
Roll out two red gumdrops on a piece of wax paper dusted with granulated sugar. Use more sugar as needed to prevent sticking. Cut out two red ovals.
Snip 6 pieces, about 1 1/2-inches long, of red licorice from the Twizzlers. Smush them into the top of one gumdrop oval, using dabs of light corn syrup if needed to stick.
Top the gumdrop and licorice with the other gumdrop oval and smush a bit. Add two candy eyes on top, using dabs of light corn syrup as glue if needed.
to make the fish
Roll out a gumdrop on wax paper dusted with sugar just as you did for the crab. Use scissors to cut out a fish shape (or, if you have a mini fish cutter, even better, I just don’t have one. I don’t think. I probably do somewhere.). Add a candy eye, using a dab of light corn syrup as glue if needed.
To put the fishy on a pole, I threaded an embroidery needle (or any needle with a large eye) with a piece of baker’s twine, pushed through the fish and tied a knot, then tied another knot around the end of a lollipop stick.
