The Trials and Tribulations Out Of The Kitchen

I have been missing in action for a while...and feeling 'half-baked'.
From the very beginning I have dealt with ongoing issues regarding my webserver and developer. I have spent months negotiating and trying to come up with ways to remedy this. I suppose ever the optimist, things have a way of taking care of themselves...the server went under and took everything (my site) with them.

I am now in the process of setting up a new webpage, in the meantime Carol's Candies is still fully operational.

Please go to :Carol's Candies Myspace
Or call: 631-806-9753 to place an order

Yom Hashoah

Tonight begins Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.
And today I share this post with My Dear Friend.

The full name of the day commemorating the victims of the Holocaust is "Yom Hashoah Ve-Hagevurah"--literally the "Day of (remembrance of) the Holocaust and the Heroism." It is marked on the 27th day in the month of Nisan--a week after the seventh day of Passover, and a week before Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day for Israel's fallen soldiers).

Since the early 1960s, the sound of a siren on Yom Hashoah stops traffic and pedestrians throughout the State of Israel for two minutes of silent devotion. The siren blows at sundown and once again at 11:00 A.M. on this date. All radio and television programs during this day are connected in one way or another with the Jewish destiny in World War II, including personal interviews with survivors. Even the musical programs are adapted to the atmosphere of Yom Hashoah. There is no public entertainment on Yom Hashoah, as theaters, cinemas, pubs, and other public venues are closed throughout Israel.

My family lights six candles to remember the six million.


Yom Ha Shoah



Yom Hashoah


Some Wonderful Holocaust Links:

Yad Vashem: The Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Anne Frank Online

Ghetto Fighters' House

Amcha: Israeli Institute for Holocaust Survivors and the Second Generation

March of the Living

About The Holocaust

Holocaust Education Center

Holocaust Guide


Then and Now Slideshow




Today's News

Starve a Cold & Feed a Fever

What a month it's been...My house (& me in particular) got hit with a good dose of the flu which is funny in hindsight because this is the first year I got the flu shot! Which brings me to my point..The one thing I can never get straight is that old expression we've all heard, you know...Starve a Cold and Feed a Fever or is it Starve a Fever and Feed a Cold...I can never quite get it right but that could just be because I love to eat and the idea of starving does not sit well with me. So having been hit with a really bad flu season in my house (not to mention me personally) I have gathered together some of my favorite sick (& well) recipes:




Mommy's Chicken Soup (my kids can't get enough of this)

Ingredients:

* 1 whole (3-4 pounds) chicken (any fresh chicken will do)
* 1 medium turnip quartered
* 3 ribs of celery with leaves halved
* 12 parsley stems
* 2 large carrots quartered
* 2 large onions quartered
* Kosher or coarse salt
* Salt and pepper to taste


Clean the chicken and discard giblets or any other presents you've been given in the cavity. Salt the entire chicken inside and out liberally with kosher or coarse salt . Let the chicken stand for 35 minutes.


Wash salt from chicken and place in a medium to large stockpot. Cover chicken with turnip, celery, parsley, carrots, onions.
Cover with 4 or 5 quarts of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat,
then immediately reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for 1-1/2 to 2
hours, occasionally skimming the foam from the top.


Remove the chicken to a large platter when it is still firm and not falling apart. Remove the meat from the chicken and save for the soup and chicken salad . Then take the bones and return them to the pot and simmer for one more hour.



Strain the soup
into a large bowl and discard everything in the strainer keeping the carrots and celery to add back to the soup later if you like. Refrigerate
long enough to allow hardened fat to form on surface, then simply
remove the fat. Bring back up to heat with salt and pepper to taste.



Hint: You can add more vegetables at this point or start the process again with another chicken for a really rich broth.


Toast is another comfort food when I'm sick and while you can get creative with the toppings some of my favorite toasts are "french" :-) Here are some of those recipes as well...




French Toast

* 4 eggs
* 1 teaspoon sugar, optional
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup milk
* 10 to 12 slices white bread
* butter
* maple syrup or other syrup



Break eggs into a wide, shallow bowl or pie plate; beat lightly with a fork. Stir in sugar, salt, and milk.


Over medium-low heat, heat griddle or skillet coated with a thin layer of butter or margarine.

Place the bread slices, one at a time, into the bowl or plate, letting
slices soak up egg mixture for a few seconds, then carefully turn to
coat the other side. Soak/coat only as many slices as you will be
cooking at one time.

Transfer bread slices to griddle or skillet, heating slowly until
bottom is golden brown. Turn and brown the other side. Serve French
toast hot with butter and syrup.
..Cinnamon French Toast

Ingredients
Salted butter

Sourdough bread slices

Vietnamese cinnamon (sometimes called Saigon cinnamon)
Sugar
Preheat the oven broiler. Microwave the butter on High (100 percent
power) just long enough to soften, but not melt; a stick takes 15 to 20
seconds. Smear the butter on one side of each piece of bread; you need
only a thin coating, or alternating thin-thick dabs.
Dust with cinnamon, preferably in a mottled pattern, rather than
evenly. Finish by layering the sugar on top, about ½ to 1 tablespoon,
depending on the size of the bread slice. Place under the hot broiler.
Remove when the tops are sizzling and the edges of the crust are one
step away from burning. Serve with hot chocolate.



For the kids, big and little....
French Toast Sticks
Ingredients:

* 3 eggs
* 3/4 cup milk
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 4 slices bread, each cut, lengthwise, into 4 pieces
* Sugar
* Cinnamon
* Maple syrup


Melt butter in skillet. Mix eggs, milk and vanilla in bowl. Beat well,
soak slices of bread. Brown the soaked bread in skillet. Sprinkle with a little sugar and cinnamon and serve with maple syrup.

Enjoy and stay well!!! I know I plan on it...

The High Of Low Tech

Nostalgia is creeping in...happens to me every winter. Some people get cabin-fever, I get these flashbacks from scenes of the 60's and 70's. I think it has to do with remembering snowy winters, hot chocolate and mini marshmallows and commercials that weren't high tech.

So I give to you low tech:



Almond Joy




Cracker Jacks









It's A Gum...No It's A Candy!!

Who didn't love Farfel The Dog?
N-E-S-T-L-E-S
Nestles makes the very best...

Lifesavers

Toostie Pops

And finally a jingle I still can't get out of my head!

Once upon a time there was an engineer
Choo Choo Charlie was his name, we hear.
He had an engine and he sure had fun
He used Good & Plenty candy to make his train run.
Charlie says "Love my Good & Plenty!"
Charlie says "Really rings my bell!"
Charlie says "Love my Good & Plenty!"
Don't know any other candy that I love so well!

Living La Vida Cocoa

The Good Life, The Sweet Smell Of Chocolate
(guilt free indulgences)






Aquolina started with Pink Sugar, a wonderfully sinful vanilla perfume. I had my doubts when they came out with Chocolovers. Well I couldn't have been more wrong. This is subtle and sexy, hints of chocolate, patchouli, orange and vanilla.





By Demeter A whole line of home, bath and body fragrances inspired by fabulous candy scents!! And the prices are just great. There's all kinds of specials on the site.





From The Merry Chocoholic facial products, home products, she is a chocoholics heaven!! Don't forget her to check out all her categories, this store has it all...



Chocolate Mint Soap, Chocolate Cupcake Soap, Bonbons and Pudding, Oh My!! Feto Soap is good clean fun!! Trust me, these definitely look good enough to eat!




What can you say about a company that calls themselves Hard Candy ? You know you just look delicious wearing makeup by made by them!! This stuff is great, and the selection is wonderful.





You know that commercial where the woman pretends she has been baking all day? Well, here's your chance to make the house reflect your personality!! Southerner Candles has some of the best scents I have seen anywhere, & their packaging is fabulous!

From Pajama Gram... Just in time for Valentines day!



The Kama Sutra Chocolate Lovers Paintbox From Brides Village. Valentine, Anytime?






A solar powered calculator that looks like a bar of chocolate, smells like a bar of chocolate! Sort of makes balancing the checkbook less tiresome... From The Happy Woman

And finally




After all this reading, and all the shopping...what better way to soothe away the stress than a Chocolate Spa Neck Pillow? The warm moist heat feels amazing, the subtle fragrance is relaxing, and you feel like you've just indulged without even feeling guilty!!

Happy Shopping, and of Course, Happy Valentines day!!

Valentine's Day Slideshow

Valentines Day is almost upon us...Diamonds may be a girls best friend, but CHOCOLATE is the universal word for AHAVA (LOVE)!! So I suggest, spread some chocolate lovin' around today!

Making The World A Kinder Gentler Place

My theory is world peace could probably be accomplished if we just sat down with a nice big box of chocolates!

So here's my contribution to making the world a kinder Gentler place:





Crockpot Chocolate Cake
Nothing could be simpler for the working Mom/Dad, I love this because there is no sitting and timing involved.

Ingredients
1 pkg. chocolate cake mix
1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding
4 eggs
1 cup water
2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions: Combine cake and pudding mixes in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, beat eggs and water. Add sour cream and oil and continue to beat until smooth.
Pour into a Crockpot coated with vegetable spray. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Makes 8-10 individual servings, which can be topped with whipped cream and strawberry sauce.





Chocolate Pudding Cake

1 package chocolate cake mix
1 large package (6 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup water
1/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 container chocolate frosting
pink and red sprinkles

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, water, oil, and eggs. With an electric mixer, beat the mixture for 2 minutes. Grease (take butter and smear it over the bottom and sides of the pan) and flour (put about 1/4 cup of flour in the pan after you've greased it and shake it around, covering the bottom and sides completely) a 9 x 13-inch pan. Pour the mixture into the pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until cake tests done (put a toothpick in the center and when it comes out without anything on it, it's done). Allow to cool for 30 minutes to an hour and then frost with the chocolate frosting. Shake the red and pink sprinkles evenly over the top of the cake for added Valentine's Day decoration.





Fudge Cookies

2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 square semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup milk

3 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup shredded coconut

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, butter, chocolate, and milk. Stir almost constantly. When mixture starts to boil around the edges, start to stir it constantly. Allow the mixture to boil for one minute. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the oatmeal, pecans and coconut. Drop the mixture by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets covered in waxed paper. For an added Valentine's Day touch, put a candy heart on top of each one. Put in the refrigerator to set until hardened (overnight works best). Be sure to store them in the refrigerator.





One to do with the kids...
Valentine Fluff

1 can cherry pie filling
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (12 oz.) container Cool Whip
Pecans (if desired)

Mix all ingredients together and chill (Both You & The Fluff, tell the kids to go & play)






White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake Recipe

Crust:
1 1/2 c. chocolate cookie crumbs
1/3 c. margarine or butter, melted

Cake:

1/2 c. raspberry preserves
1/4 c. water
4 8oz. packages of cream cheese
1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. sour cream
2T vanilla
5 eggs
4 oz white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 475°F, fill a large pan with about 1/2 inch of water, and place into the oven while it preheats. Ideally this pan will be big enough to fit your springform (cheesecake) pan down inside.

Combine raspberry preserves with water in medium bowl. Microwave for 1 1/2 min. on high. Stir until smooth. Strain with cheesecloth to remove seeds. Let strained preserves cool in the fridge.

Mix cookie crumbs and butter in a bowl. Line the bottom and sides of a 9 in springform pan with parchment (or waxed) paper. Using the bottom of a drinking glass (or a large serving spoon) press the crumb mixture flat into the bottom of pan and about 2/3 of the way up the sides. Wrap a large piece of foil around the bottom of the pan to keep the cheesecake in the water bath.

Combine cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. mix until smooth and creamy. Whisk eggs and add to cream cheese mixture. Mix until just blended.

Sprinkle 4 oz white chocolate into bottom of crust (I usually put enough chips to get a solid layer). Pour 1/2 of cream cheese filling into crust. Drizzle raspberry preserves over entire surface of filling. Use a butter knife to swirl preserves into filling. Be careful not to cut into the crust, and don’t blend too much. You are trying to create ribbons of raspberry. Pour the other 1/2 of the filling into the crust over the raspberry preserves.

Place cheesecake in water bath in preheated oven. Bake 12 min at 457° F then turn oven down to 350°. Bake 50-60 minutes or until the top of the cheesecake turns tan.

When you take the cheesecake out, it will be puffed up high, and then collapse to about 1/2 the height. This is normal, don’t panic.

Chill 4 hours before serving.





Last But NOT LEAST

Kiss Me Quick Mousse

36 Hershey's Kisses
1-1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons cherry brandy liqueur
8 drops red food color
1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled

Remove wrappers from chocolate pieces. Combine marshmallows and milk in small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

Pour 1/3 cup marshmallow mixture into medium bowl; stir in brandy and food color, if desired. Set aside. To remaining marshmallow mixture, add 36 chocolate pieces; return to low heat, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.

Beat whipping cream in small bowl until stiff. Fold 1 cup whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Gradually fold remaining whipped cream into reserved mixture. Fill 4 parfait glasses about 3/4 full with chocolate mixture; spoon or pipe remaining mixture on top. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or until set.

Garnish with additional chocolate pieces or fresh strawberries, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Have A Delicious Valentines Day!!
Please let me know how the recipes turn out if you try them!!

More Reasons To Eat Chocolate

Fabulous News For A New Year My Dear Friends!!


10 Reasons To Eat More Chocolate

You might think chocolate is sinful, but it's a lot better for you than you think. In fact, it has been used for hundreds of years by medical professionals to cure ailments such as tuberculosis, gout, fatigue, diarrhea, weak digestion, hemorrhoids, low virility, and shortness of breath.

Recent nutritional research has identified many health benefits of chocolate. After reviewing these studies, I came up with the following ten reasons why you need to consume more chocolate.

1. Reduces high blood pressure - flavonoids in cocoa (procyanids) help balance blood pressure and reduce blood clotting. Researchers from Germany's University Hospital of Cologne found that cocoa consumption lowered blood pressure by an average of 4.7/2.8 mm Hg. The New York Times reported that dark chocolate is almost as effective at lowering blood pressure as common antihypertensive drugs.

2. Improves blood flow to brain - a University of Nottingham professor found that drinking cocoa drinks rich in flavanols improves blood flow to key areas of the brain for two to three hours. Flavanols in the cocoa drink are a key ingredient of dark chocolate. Professor Macdonald's study also suggested that cocoa flavanols in chocolate may enhance brain function to help fight sleep deprivation, fatigue, and the effects of ageing.

3. Boosts mood - MSNBC reported that caffeine and other chemicals in dark chocolate can improve your mood and ease premenstrual symptoms. Mark's Daily Apple wrote that the chemical phenylethylamine in chocolate has been found to trigger feelings similar to "falling in love."

4. Prevents cell damage and 5. Improves blood sugar levels - Lisa C. Cohn, R.D., President of the Park Avenue Nutrition Spa in NYC, wrote that flavonoids in pure dark chocolate are responsible for these added benefits. Cohn said, "if you're going to indulge on Feb. 14 or any other day, go for the purest dark chocolate you can find. That's the kind loaded with flavonoids…"

6. Reduces risk of heart attack - a researcher from the John Hopkins University School of Medicine said that eating a few squares of dark chocolate every day may reduce your risk of dying from a heart attack by almost 50%. The study found that blood platelets clotted slower in people who eat chocolate.

7. Helps ease chronic fatigue syndrome - a study found that adults with chronic fatigue syndrome who eat 1.5 ounces of 85% cocoa dark chocolate were less fatigued after they eat chocolate.

8. Raises HDL cholesterol and lowers LDL cholesterol - a Penn State study found that diets high in cocoa powder and dark chocolate (with high flavonoid content) are related to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels when compared with diets low in flavonoids such as tea, wine, coffee, and onions.

9. Improves processing of blood sugar - an Italian study found that dark chocolate consumption increased the body's metabolism of blood sugar and may reduce the risk of diabetes.

10. Eases a persistent cough - a UK study found that theobromine, a component in cocoa, may be more effective as a cough medicine than standard drug treatments. The research showed that "theobromine acts on the sensory nerve endings of the vagus nerve, which runs through the airways in the lungs to the brain."

Many chocolates can be high in calories, sugar, and saturated fat. To maximize the health benefits of chocolate, avoid eating processed chocolate products that have refined sugar and milk fat.

Instead, choose the purest dark chocolate you can find - the more raw and unprocessed, the higher the flavonoid content. The best dark chocolate to eat has at least 60% cocoa solids.

Enjoy!!