For the Love of Chocolate
For the Love of Chocolate.Almost everyone loves chocolate. In a recent study conducted by the Chocolate Manufacturers Association, chocolate was ranked as America's favorite flavor. Of course, the love of chocolate is not unique to modern society. As far back as 2000 years ago, the Mayans created a drink from crushed cocoa beans and referred to chocolate as "food of the gods."Chocolate might even be good for us! Some medical studies have indicated some health benefits associated with eating chocolate. According to Larry Graham, president of the American Cocoa Research Institute (ACRI), chocolate is very high in antioxidants.
In fact, it contains one of the highest levels of antioxidant compounds that can be found in any food and may reduce the risk for coronary heart disease. Subjects in a study conducted at Pennsylvania State University experience higher HDL, "good," cholesterol levels when they included small amounts of chocolate in their diets. Experts have concluded that eating chocolate might increase endorphins, "feel-good" chemicals in our brains, and lift our moods. Chocolate also contains several important minerals and is a major source of copper in our diet.So go ahead, indulge that craving. Enjoying chocolate in moderation, as part of a sensible diet, is not only tasty, it's good for you too.Here are some recipes to help you get your chocolate fix:ULTIMATE BROWNIES1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine 2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 4 eggs 3/4 cup cocoa 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Heat oven to 350?F.
Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.Place butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 to 2-1/2 minutes or until melted. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Blend in cocoa.
Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat well. Stir in milk chocolate chips and nuts, if desired. Pour batter into prepared pan Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.
Makes about 36 brownies. DECADENT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened2 1/2 cup confectionary sugar 1/2 cup cocoa1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream 1 tablespoon coffee liquer (such as Kahlua)* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, very finely chopped*may substitute 1 tablespoon chocolate extract Cream butter in large bowl. Combine confectionary sugar and cocoa. Add alternately with cream, coffee liquer and vanilla to butter. Blend well.
Chill until firm. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in semi-sweet chocolate until coated. Chill until firm. Makes about 36 truffles..
Sherri Allen is the editor of an award-winning website devoted to topics such as family, food, garden, house&home and money. For free articles, information, tips, recipes, reviews and coloring pages, visit http://www.SherriAllen.com/Gardening - For the Love of Chocolate - New Specialty Nursery Grows "Chocolate" Plants
Imagine a garden filled with chocolate ? chocolate mint; chocolate columbine; chocolate morning glories; chocolate nasturtiums; chocolate daylilies; chocolate foxglove; chocolate sunflowers and much more.Imagination becomes reality this spring at Chocolate Flower Farm where owners Marie Lincoln and Bill Schlicht specialize in growing unusual, rich, dark plants that add a spot of drama and exotic beauty to the garden.
Not just chocolate colored plants but plants in shades of maroon, purple and black and even several plants that smell like chocolate such as Chocolate Cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguiness), Chocolate Flower (Berlandiera lyrata) and Chocolate Vine (Akebia quinata). What came first, the chocolate or the flowers?
"Our nursery is named after Bill's love of chocolate and my passion for gardening.
I already was partial to dark plants and had quite a collection of them in our gardens, thus we combined our two passions and named our farm Chocolate Flower Farm.
Chocolate > Gardening - For the Love of Chocolate - New Specialty Nursery Grows "Chocolate" Plants
Mother's Day Encouragement
As a young mother, author Louise Bergmann DuMont was disheartened every time she encountered the neighborhood Super-Mom. It was obvious that word ?perfect' in no way described her own life and mothering skills. In Faith-Dipped Chocolate: Rich Encouragement to Sweeten Your Day, Louise exposes the sweet bits of wit and wisdom that grew from her personal foibles and failures. Mothers of every age will laugh, cry and take to heart the victories and disappointments Louise shares."Motherhood is like a wonderful roller coaster ride. Even as you hear the clickety-clack of the chains that are taking you to the top of that first hill, you know you're going to scream all the way down the other side.
You aren't the first or the last to sit on that ride. There are others whose hearts race with the thrill and whose stomachs lurch with the discomfort that comes only with motherhood. Is it worth it?
Absolutely. That's why so many of us come back for more!" ~ Louise Bergmann DuMontFaith-Dipped...
Chocolate > Mother's Day Encouragement
Would you like S'more? - Cooking S'mores Indoors
The best part of camping has nothing to do with being outside. Think back to the last time you slept in the woods and you will agree with me. Take away the mosquitoes, the unexpected rainstorms and going to the bathroom in the bushes and what's left? Not much you say? Well then you forgot the best part because nothing is more fun about camping than making s'mores. If you don't have time for camping anymore but melted chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers still sounds tempting, don't worry. We'll show you three ways to skip the great outdoors and cook up some s'mores in the comforts of your own home.A great way to cook s'mores indoors is to use the Casa Moda S'mores Maker.
It's a lot like cooking smores outdoors. The S'mores Maker replaces the campfire with a sterno and instead of passing around the bag of marshmallows, there are neat places to stack all of your ingredients. The Casa Moda S'mores Maker is great for those of us who are trying to set a mood. There are people...
Would you like S'more? - Cooking S'mores Indoors
Chocolate > Would you like S'more? - Cooking S'mores Indoors
Tickle Your Senses With Yankee Candles!
How many of us remember as kids creating our own candles from our broken crayons?
We'd have mom or dad help us melt down the crayons on the stove, throwing in every color of the rainbow.
Then we'd carefully pour the melted wax into old cardboard milk cartons.
But, how many of us were able to turn the fun of creating candles at home into a profitable money-making business?
Well, Mike Kittredge, founder of Yankee Candles did just that!
In 1969, when he was 16 years old, Mike melted down his old crayons to make his mom a candle for Christmas.
His neighbor liked it so well, that she bought it from him.
He then had enough money to buy wax to make both a candle for his mom and one to sell.
This was the beginning of a bright future for Yankee Candles.Today, Yankee Candles are the #1 selling brand in the United States.
The "Housewarmers" are Yankee Candles most popular candle.
They vary in size from votives...
Chocolate > Tickle Your Senses With Yankee Candles!
Forevergreen Launches a Mission Standing in the Drift
(ContentDesk) December 19, 2005 -- Forevergreen, a twenty first century company
doing small random acts of kindness, launches a mission "standing in the drift.""Standing in the drift" refers to standing for the things you want most for humanity in spite of the direction in which the world may be moving. The drift is all the things that could prevent you from accomplishing what you want. Turn on the television and you see war, murder, drugs, hate. Like all currents, it flows downhill to the darkest capacities of the human spirit. For all companies, this drift is a constant tug towards corruption, fraud and dog-eat-dog ethics.
ForevergreenWe're not kicking and screaming when we find ourselves drifting downward towards spiritual oblivion. It is quite comfortable, for nothing other than the fact that we have so much company drifting along with us. But how irresponsible is that? Safety in numbers is an illusion on this raging river. Forevergreen Launches a Mission Standing in the Drift
Chocolate > Forevergreen Launches a Mission Standing in the Drift
TheCafeGuide.com - Great Resource To Finding Unique Cafes
Coupons will soon be online offering discounts and free beverages to many of the cafes in your city. The cafes featured include reviews describing coffee beverages, food, clientele, and ambience, along with their hours and location. Http://www.TheCafeGuide.com website is full of information about coffee, tea, chocolate and more. An online resource to the world's top cities, created for locals and travelers who are looking for the best and most unique cafes where they can enjoy a relaxing time away from the office or a place they can meet friends or business associates. Offering Coupons for Free Coffee and other beverages.
These coupons can be printed by anyone at home or in their offices and redeemed at the participating cafes in their home city or in cities around the USA, Canada or worldwide.And if you are wondering just where to get the best latte in another country, and you don't want something more unusual, check out...
TheCafeGuide.com - Great Resource To Finding Unique Cafes
Chocolate > TheCafeGuide.com - Great Resource To Finding Unique Cafes
What is Search Engine Optimization and Why Do I Need It?
Purchasing web design service is confusing with all of the different buzz words floating around. In an earlier article I discussed the differences between custom web design and web design based on templates. Another service being pushed by many web developers is search engine optimization (SEO). It has become a huge field in the last few years despite the fact that many purchasers of web development services are not clear on what it is or why they need to consider it in the making of their site. What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?Nearly every internet user finds new web sites using a search engine such as Google, Yahoo, or MSN.
You go to their site, type in what you are looking for and usually find it in the top two or three results. What goes on behind the scenes of every internet search involves complex software intelligent enough to figure out which pages are the most relevant to your search. If you are looking to buy a product online, you will search for the product...
What is Search Engine Optimization and Why Do I Need It?
Chocolate > What is Search Engine Optimization and Why Do I Need It?
Always Tired? No Pep or Zing? Tap Into Breakfast Smoothies!
I'm 40-something years old, and for 40-something years breakfast has been a pain. Some of my earliest memories are getting ready for school with my mother insisting I eat a bowl of cereal. It just never interested me. Once high school started I was skipping breakfast and grabbing two apples on the run for lunch. All my life breakfast simply wasn't something I got interested in or thought about until I made this discovery...Someone introduced me to the most amazing concept for breakfast.
By now I was well entrenched in not taking time over the first meal of the day (and sometimes the second meal), so anything that captured my attention was going to have to be fast, no fuss and delicious to warrant any of my attention.Instead of cardboard cereal and bland milk, it's possible to start the day with power packed, nutritious, energizing and best of all, yummy smoothies. Smoothies have been around for ages, but I had never twigged they make a great start to the day. Imagine the delight...
Always Tired? No Pep or Zing? Tap Into Breakfast Smoothies!
Chocolate > Always Tired? No Pep or Zing? Tap Into Breakfast Smoothies!