Chocolate page

Dessert Parties

Dessert Parties

by: Amanda Baker

Dinner parties are a hot trend and a great way to get together with all of your friends. But do you and your friends have a serious sweet tooth? Do you get more enjoyment out of the desserts than dinner? Why not host an evening dessert party? A dessert party can actually be hosted any time of the day, but a late evening party is typically best.

With desserts, the tiny touches really do completely the big pictures. For instance, doilies on dessert plates when serving a fine piece of cake is a beautiful touch. A nice espresso goes well with pastries.

If have a tasty pound cake and want to make it look beautiful when serving? Use wine or champagne glasses and a flavor or two of ice cream to serve desserts a la mode. Serve flavored coffees and teas with some fresh fruit. All by itself, it can serve as a dessert. Just don't forget the decaf! Frozen desserts are a great idea for an unexpected get-together. Most of the fancier desserts can be frozen and thawed in warm weather for only about an hour.

Need a quick cake decoration? Keep some butterscotch, chocolate, and caramel sauce on hand. Nice thin swirls of a flavored sauce across the dessert plate works especially well with a nice torte or cheesecake. Mini chocolate chips are fabulous when coupled with fresh raspberries and a rich chocolate cake.

Any particular season coming up? A seasonal dessert leaves a great impression on your guests.

Chocolate-coated strawberries are an ideal dessert party treat. You can begin with a carton of large ripe strawberries with stems. Melt two to three large dark or milk chocolate bars per carton in the microwave, in a pyrex measuring cup. Be very careful not to burn the chocolate. Hold strawberries by the stem, dipping them one by one into the cup. On a large plate coated with wax paper, rest the strawberries (which should only be dipped just over halfway) and chill for about forty-five minutes. Serve with Columbian coffee or a designer coffee drink. If you're crafty with drinks, you could concoct a drink specifically for your event!

Always pre-slice cakes, but serve to guests one at a time. Do not have the cake already on a dessert plate, unless the event is directly after a dinner.

Dessert parties are becoming more popular and a little more sophisticated, so soft lighting, candles, and appropriate music are a must. Remember not to serve pies, as they are informal and casual and interfere with the class and mystique of a dessert party.

About The Author

Amanda Baker writes for All Things Pondered: http://AllThingsPondered.com.

Unique Wedding And Shower Candy Favors With Personalized Candy Wrappers

Unique Wedding And Shower Candy Favors With Personalized Candy Wrappers

by: Chris Robertson

One of the hottest wedding and shower favor ideas these days is candy. Personalized candy wrappers with your name and wedding details offer an alternative to the traditional tulle and ribbon wedding candy, the ubiquitous Jordan almond. Whether you choose a bar of Belgian chocolate wrapped in embossed foil or a chocolate candy rose with a personalized ribbon and tag, personalized candy favors are the kind of sweet treat that guests love to take home.

Most companies that offer personalized chocolate candy wrappers give you a wide variety of styles and kinds of candy to choose from. A particular favorite with many brides are miniature 1-inch square chocolate candy. Bright foil candy wrappers are stamped with brides, grooms, wedding bells and doves to further the happy couple?s wedding theme. Full size candy bars with personalized wrappers average about $1.75 apiece. For a bit less, you can have your name and wedding date imprinted on Hershey?s miniatures like Krackel, Hershey?s Special Dark candy bars and Mr. Goodbars. A package of 100 miniature candy bars costs about $50.

There?s more to personalized candy wrappers than wedding bells, though. How about a chocolate or bubblegum candy cigar to announce the birth of a new child? You can purchase chocolate cigars with personalized candy bands or wrappers in ?It?s a Girl? pink and ?It?s a Boy? blue from any supplier of personalized candy bars. Nearly any occasion can be marked with personalized candy favors or gifts. Whether you?re looking for candy shower favors or unique, personalized fund raising candy, personalized candy wrappers could be just what you need.

Some of the more unique candy favor ideas that we?ve seen are outside the realm of personalized candy wrappers though. One of the most adorable is the bubble-gum buddy bride and groom. Using a full size gumball for a base, the maker uses royal icing to form clothing and features on two of the cutest little wedding favors that can grace your wedding tables. Other candy favor ideas take their cue from the season of the year. Miniature wreaths made of starburst peppermint candy are perfect party favors for the office Christmas party, for example, and candy corn makes great candy fillers for wedding and shower favors at Autumn weddings and parties.

Finally, any wedding favor that can be made with candy Jordan almonds can also be made with the quintessential romantic candy of all time ? candy hearts. Whether you choose foil-wrapped chocolate hearts or candy conversation hearts for a more whimsical look, how can you go wrong? Candy hearts and romance just belong together ? naturally.

About The Author

Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. Majon International is one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business resource web site at: http://www.majon.com.

To learn more about subjects like candy please visit the web site at: http://www.majon.com/directory/Food/

For more information and informative related articles and links about this subject matter and content, please visit Majon's Food directory: http://www.majon.com/directory/Food.

Unique Mother's Day Gift - No More Flowers and Chocolate

Unique Mother's Day Gift - No More Flowers and Chocolate

by: William Jacobson

With Mother?s Day approaching fast, it?s time to begin thinking about how best to express how much Mommy Dearest means to us. If you?re like most, Mother?s Day has become a routine that consists of a greeting card, a bouquet of flowers, and a phone call to say "I love you". And though mom surely loves the sentiment, perhaps 2005 should be a year when you put a bit more creativity into your gift idea.

How about giving the gift of art? Several businesses across the country create one-of-a-kind, stylish, and sentimental works of art from customers? photographs, often for a price less than what you?d pay for a mass-produced department store print.

Here are just a few examples:

What mom wouldn?t want pictures of her kids? Have a baby picture or a photo of siblings playing made into an oil painting;
Have a picture of mom from when she was younger made into a stunning watercolor portrait;
Have a pastel or charcoal sketch made form a photo of the family on vacation;
Have an ink drawing made of mom?s house and garden;
Feeling bold? Have a close-up shot of mom?s face made into an Andy Warhol style pop art.

The process couldn?t be simpler. You place an order from the company?s website. Typically you can choose from various styles of artwork and even provide special instructions just as you would if you were buying expensive commissioned artwork. Then you send the company your photograph(s). You can upload or email a digital photo, or you can send printed photos by mail. Within a matter of days, a custom work of art will be created from your photograph. Some sites allow you to view a proof of your artwork online so you can request changes. Once you are satisfied, the artwork will be shipped to you.

Prices and quality vary, so be sure to compare once you know what you would like. Some of the companies below (ezPortrait and myDaVinci) offer artwork that is created completely by hand (typically by using low-cost yet qualified artists who live in other countries), while the others utilize primarily digital technology.

Although all of the companies below offer artwork done in an "oil painting" style, many offer far more variety. Check out the unique contemporary styles like "Modern Outline" and "Ghost" that Pictoart offers. Photowow offers a couple fun "Comic" options. These more abstract and whimsical styles provide an artistic alternative to the standard impressionistic oil painting and may look more at home in modern d?cors.

Some customers like to play a role in selecting colors and composition for the final artwork. All of the services below will be happy to take into account any special requests, so you can be sure the finished work of art will complement mom?s sofa fabric. In addition, with the exception of Canvas on Demand, all the services provide a digital proofing process that allows customers to preview the artwork and request changes before the final artwork is shipped.

Prices will depend on whether the art is created on paper or stretched canvas, which style is chosen, and how large the final work is. It seemed that all of the services reviewed use professional quality materials, including acid-free paper and archival-quality gicl?e printing processes.

Be sure you fully understand the guarantee and return policy before placing an order. Being able to view a digital proof before your order is shipped provides quite a bit of peace of mind that what Mom gets will be something she loves. However, it?s good to know that you can get a refund if you aren?t completely satisfied once the art arrives at your door. While both Canvas on Demand and Pictoart provide full 30-day money back guarantees (minus S&H), myDaVinci will only provide store credit. Photowow states that it will provide a full refund if you return your item within 10 days of receipt, but another page on their site also indicates that the "design" portion of their fee is not refundable. Both ezPortrait and Photosyrup had unclear or nonexistent policies regarding customer options for refunds once the proof is approved and the product is shipped. If you?re worried, be sure to ask before placing an order.

Here is a summary of six popular services that create artwork from photos (listed in alphabetical order):

Canvas on Demand www.canvasondemand.com

Products: Framed and unframed stretched canvas; 8"x10" up to 24"x36"

Styles of Artwork: Oil Painting

Turnaround Time: 4-5 days to completion

Online Proof: No

Guarantee: 30 day 100% refund (minus S&H)

Prices: $60 to $200; additional fees for adding brush stokes and retouching; $15-25 for S&H

Baseline Price*: $193 + $25 S&H

Comments: Limited product choices, straightforward ordering process (some order form and shopping cart errors encountered)

Overall Rating**: 3 out of 5

ezPortrait www.ezportrait.com

Products: Unframed stretched canvas and art paper; 12"x16" up to 24"x36"

Styles of Artwork: Oil Painting & Pastel/Charcoal

Turnaround Time: 12-14 days to proof completion

Online Proof: A digital photo is emailed to customer for approval

Guarantee: Refund if customer is not happy with online proof

Prices: $200 to $400 for portraits with one person; additional fees for additional people; free standard shipping; $30 priority shipping

Baseline Price: $400 + $30 S&H

Comments: These works are done completely by hand, simple ordering process, specializes in portraits

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5

myDaVinci www.mydavinci.com

Products: Framed and unframed stretched canvas and artist paper; 8"x10" up to 36"x48"

Styles of Artwork: Over 20 styles including: Oil Painting, Watercolor, Pencil, Pop, Caricatures, Etching

Turnaround Time: 14-21 days (depending on style chosen)

Online Proof: Yes, but may cost extra for some products

Guarantee: 30 day 100% refund for store credit only

Prices: $50 to $600 for portraits with one person; additional fees for additional people; free standard shipping on some products

Baseline Price: $500 + $18 S&H

Comments: Many works are done completely by hand, many styles to choose from, ordering process and prices vary by artwork style making it more difficult to determine price or compare options

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5

Photosyrup www.photosyrup.com

Products: Unframed stretched canvas and artist paper; 12"x12" up to 24"x36"

Styles of Artwork: Pop, Oil Painting, Collage

Turnaround Time: 5-10 days to proof completion

Online Proof: A digital photo is emailed to customer for approval

Guarantee: No policy provided

Prices: $120 to $215 for portraits with one person; additional fees for additional people

Baseline Price: $200 + $9 S&H (standard shipping)

Comments: Must create account before placing an order, no clear refund policy, shipping fees not listed until order fully entered

Overall Rating: 2 out of 5

Photowow www.photowow.com

Products: Framed and unframed stretched canvas and artist paper; 11"x14" up to 48"x60"; additional products like mugs, pillows, shirts, etc.

Styles of Artwork: Over 20 styles including: Pop, Collage, Oil Painting, Comic, Watercolor

Turnaround Time: 7 days to proof completion

Online Proof: A digital proof is viewable on their website for customer approval Guarantee: 10 day 100% refund; however, order cancellation fees may apply

Prices: $140 to $550; additional fees for additional people for some styles; fees for design, print, and canvas stretching

Baseline Price: $389 + $34 S&H

Comments: Many styles to choose from, straightforward ordering process, fees for additional options cause prices to increase quickly

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Pictoart www.pictoart.com

Products: Framed and unframed stretched canvas and artist paper; 4"x6" up to 30"x60"

Styles of Artwork: 14 styles including Pop, Oil, Watercolor, Etching, Cutout, Ghost, Sketch

Turnaround Time: 3 days to proof completion

Online Proof: A digital proof is viewable on their website for customer approval

Guarantee: 30 day 100% refund (minus S&H)

Prices: $50 to $370; no additional fees for multiple people or different styles; $8 to $40 for S&H

Baseline Price: $369 + $39 S&H

Comments: Many styles to choose from, straightforward ordering process; clear pricing for all products and shipping

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

This year, rather than sending mom a bouquet of flowers, how about sending her a beautiful painting of flowers from her garden! So round up a few great photos and give the gift of art. Not only will it make her wall look good, it?ll make you look good too.

* For effective comparison, a baseline product was chosen that all six services offer: A 24"x36" unframed work of a single subject done in an "oil painting" style and created on stretched canvas. USPS Priority shipping (or equivalent) was chosen.

** Ratings are on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 = poor, 3 = fair, 5 = excellent.

About The Author

William Jacobson - Freelance Writer and Thoughtful Son

The Health Aspects Of Chocolate

The Health Aspects Of Chocolate

by: Elli Potrelli

Chocolate is relaxing. It?s calming. It soothes our nerves and makes us feel good. And we often think of it as a sinful indulgence. But it doesn?t have to be. If you choose your chocolate wisely, you can enjoy it without the guilty feelings we normally associate with it.

What Are the Healthy Aspects of Chocolate?

By eating small amounts of the right chocolate, you will enjoy the many health aspects of chocolate. Chocolate contains high levels of potassium and magnesium, as well as vitamins B1, B2, D and E. If that?s not reason enough to reach for a daily dose of chocolate, consider that it can also lower blood pressure and prevent arteries from hardening, therefore protecting the heart.

Has Chocolate Been Wrongly Accused?

For the most part, chocolate has been wrongly accused. New studies are finding that common beliefs about the effects of chocolate are not true after all. While we used to associate chocolate with acne, researchers have now dismissed a possible link between the two. While some people avoided chocolate because of the caffeine level associated with it, we now know that a small serving only contains as much caffeine as a cup of decaffeinated coffee. Does chocolate really cause migraines? Well, only if consumed in large amounts. Again, moderation plays a big role here.

So before you reach for a Hershey bar of a Snicker?s, consider that the chocolate you eat should contain 70% cocoa. This can be found specifically in dark chocolates. You should invest in a quality dark chocolate and eat it in small amounts every day to see the health benefits. Make sure you enjoy each bite and let it melt in your mouth. It will have the same effect as the recommended single glass of wine per day.

What Kind of Chocolate Offers The Most Health Aspects?

True cocoa is the best chocolate to eat for health reasons. Not only will it satisfy your sweet tooth, but it will also provide health aspects beyond what many of us dreamed possible. The recommendation is to eat two small squares of chocolate per day. We?re not talking about a typical candy bar here. Dark chocolate contains higher levels of cocoa and lower level of milk and sugar.

Choosing Wisely

The best varieties of chocolate are more expensive and are dark or bittersweet. Good chocolate should only have a few ingredients on the contents label. In addition, you can buy organic chocolate or make your own homemade chocolate with a cocoa base.

Healthy Chocolate Snacks

There are some easy ways to get in your daily dose of heart-healthy chocolate. Try a steamy cup of hot cocoa, fruit dipped dark in chocolate, chocolate covered almonds or eat the squares of chocolate by themselves.

Chocolate in Moderation

Hearing that chocolate has health aspects does not mean we can load up our grocery carts with chocolate bars though. It is important to adhere to the daily-recommended dose since it is high in calories. Moderation is a key factor here. Balance your caloric intake with a variety of other heart-healthy foods and reach for the dark chocolate as a cure for your sweet tooth sparingly.

About The Author

Elli Potrelli - The latest work of Elli can be found at: http://www.chocolatelisting.com/

Butter Cream Icing Recipes

Butter Cream Icing Recipes

by: Michael Leembruggen

Recipe 1

1 ? cups of different types of vegetable shortenings

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons flavors (colorless)

2 pounds of confectioner?s sugar

? to ? cup of water or milk (water is a good choice, but milk goes well with lavender color)

Combine all the shortenings, flavorings, and salts thoroughly. Add the powdered sugar. Slowly add water and gently mix all the ingredients until well blended. You will notice that after 2-3 minutes, the mixture will become creamy.

Notes:

a) Try to keep the amount in exactly the same quantity as mentioned above. If you introduce lots of variations, you may not get the desired butter cream icing.

b) If you want to make your icing thin, add three to four big spoonfuls of corn syrup.

c) If you want to make chocolate butter cream, all you need to do is add ? cup of cocoa powder or three one ounce chocolate squares, mixed with one to two tablespoons of milk, to the other ingredients and proceed to mix well.

Recipe 2

? cup vegetable shortening

? cup of soft butter (you can add margarine also)

4 cups of confectioner?s sugar

2 tablespoons water (milk)

? teaspoon almond, for flavor

A dash of salt

Mix the shortening, butter, and almond. Add confectioner?s sugar and gently mix by hand. Continue to add other ingredients and mix quickly, for six to seven minutes.

Here, too, you can add ? or 1/3 cup of cocoa powder to make chocolate butter cream.

If the icing is quite thin, you may add more powdered sugar, and in case you find it stiff, put a few drops of water or milk into it.

Recipe 3

Butter cream icing, which has a snow-white appearance as well as a yummy taste, is the best choice for frosting a cake. This so-called ?snow white butter cream? is mostly used for decorating wedding cakes or any flat-surfaced cake and for making nail flowers. Remember to dry the flowers uncovered for at least a day. Flowers like apple blossoms or drop flowers are ready for use after four to five hours of air drying.

The good thing about snow-white butter cream is that it does not need refrigeration to become consistent and boasts a delicious taste as well. Here?s a recipe for this delicious icing:

2/3 cup of water

4 tablespoons of meringue powder

12 cups confectioner?s sugar

1 ? cups vegetable shortening

? teaspoon salt

? teaspoon almond (for flavor)

? teaspoon vanilla (for flavor)

? teaspoon butter (for flavor)

Combine water and meringue powder in a bowl and mix it fast. Next, add four cups of confectioner?s sugar, one at a time. Mix the sugar at fast speed and lower the speed with each addition. Add the shortening, remaining sugar, salt, almond, vanilla, and butter, and mix them gently.

Note: All of the above butter cream icings are easy to make and yummy to taste, you can make all of them at one time and determine which one best suits the different designs on your cake.

About The Author

Michael Leembruggen

You can find more great cake decorating information at http://www.cakedecorating-secrets.com.

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies

by: Stephanie Foster

"There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love chocolate, and communists." - Leslie Moak Murray

I can't help but love that quote. When I was a kid, my grandpa always called any store bought cookies that somehow made it into the house "Commie cookies." For him, it was Grandma's homemade cookies or none at all.

There's just something special about homemade cookies, especially chocolate chip cookies, so far as I'm concerned. It's a great family activity, something even children can help with, and everyone loves eating the results.

Here's an easy recipe for chocolate chip cookies I think you'll enjoy:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 package butter pecan, chocolate chip, chocolate fudge, devil's food, German, chocolate or yellow cake mix

1/2 cup butter or margarine -- softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 (6 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)

Heat oven to 350?. Combine half of the dry cake mix , butter, vanilla and eggs in large bowl and mix until smooth. Stir in remaining cake mix, nuts and chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are set (centers will be soft). Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

About The Author

Stephanie Foster is the owner of http://www.gimmechocolate.com and offers a range of gourmet chocolate products as well as chocolate recipes on the site. For more recipes, please visit http://www.gimmechocolate.com/recipes/.

Christmas Recipes: Edible Gifts. No.4 of 8 ? Chocolate Truffles

Christmas Recipes: Edible Gifts. No.4 of 8 ? Chocolate Truffles

by: Paul Curran

Christmas recipe makes: 2 dozen

Calories per truffle: 65

Preparation time: 30 ? 60 minutes

Cooking time: 0 minutes

Suitable for freezing

Christmas recipe ingredients:

Truffle Mixture:

chocolate, bitter, plain or milk 225g (8 oz)

double cream, 75 ml (3 fl oz)

brandy, 75 ml (3 fl oz)

or rum,orange liqueur, coffee liqueur, coconut liqueur

Rolled Truffles:

cocoa powder

chopped nuts

coconut, dessicated or grated

chocolate vermicelli or grated choclate for rolling

Dipped Truffles:

chocolate, plain, milk or white (350 g (12 oz)

or mixture of all three

Suitable for freezing.

Christmas recipe instructions:

1. Truffle Mixture: Add the cream to grated chocolate and melt in a bowl over water at boiling point, stirring until smooth. Allow to cool and thicken.

2. Add your alcohol of choice and whisk until the mixture is strong enough to stay 'up' when a strand of mixture is pulled up by the whisk. Then put the mixture into a shallow tin (covered) and cool till firm.

3. Rolled Truffles: Place teaspoonful size amounts of truffle mixture onto a tray sprinkled with cocoa powder and roll into ball shapes. Alternatively you can substitute the cocoa with grated chocolate, chopped nuts, coconut, or chocolate vermicelli. Cool in a refrigerator for at least two hours.

4. Dipped Truffles: Roll the truffle mixture into 2.5 cm (1 inch) size balls and freeze overnight until rock hard. [If you wish you could push some edible decor into the balls before cooling, such as nuts, ginger or cherries.]

5. Prepare some melted chocolate over water at boiling point. If you can, check the temperature is in the range 46-49 degrees centigrade (115-120 F) or for white chocolate, 43 degrees centigrade.

6. Taking two or three truffles at a time, use cocktail sticks to dip them into the melted chocolate before placing them on non-stick paper. Transfer to a refrigerator for cooling for at least two hours to harden. Repeat for the remaining truffles.

7. Present the truffles in paper cases and store in boxes. Keep in a refrigerator for up to ten days.

About The Author

(c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at http://www.gifts-for-christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including collectibles, russian gifts, cookies, jewelry.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated.

?Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Reminds Us to Set Boundaries for Children

?Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Reminds Us to Set Boundaries for Children

by: Nicky Vanvalkenburgh

Have you seen Roald Dahl?s ?Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?? Watching the movie recently caused me to think about boundaries, and how children desperately need them.

To recap the movie, Willy Wonka is a famous candy maker who opens his doors to the five lucky children who have found his Golden Tickets inside chocolate bars. When Charlie and the other children go inside the secluded factory, they see many amazing things. However, one by one, the children's bad behavior and personality flaws (caused by a lack of boundaries) gets them into trouble.

A boundary is nothing more than a limit. Boundaries force children to develop self-control, abide by rules, and conduct themselves in an orderly way. We tell our children not to touch the hot stovetop or electrical outlets. These are safety rules. We should also confront our children when they?re being rude, disrespectful, selfish, or angry?before things get out of hand. When there are no boundaries, children do whatever they want, whenever they please. It is a downward spiral, as ?Charlie in the Chocolate Factory? shows.

In the movie, the children with winning tickets (except Charlie) were raised by permissive parents who didn?t have the heart to set boundaries. Veruca gets whatever she wants by yelling. Mike is addicted to TV, and his parents don?t have the guts to turn it off. Augustus is addicted to food, and has a double chin to prove it. Rounding up the bunch is Violet, who is cut-throat competitive about everything from karate-kicking to gum smacking,. Yes it?s fictional, but ?Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? a telling tale about the consequences of not setting boundaries for children

As a parent, it isn?t easy being the disciplinarian. It?s no fun constantly reprimanding our children. Yet this is exactly what is needed for our children to develop emotional hygiene. As a parent, you are in a position of authority. Take authority over your child?s temper tantrums, refusal to cooperate, eating too much junk food, and other misbehavior. Clearly explain what is appropriate and what isn?t. Set boundaries and enforce them.

Ultimately, boundaries make children feel safe. From a child?s perspective, life is unpredictable and sometimes overwhelming. When we set limits, children understand what is expected of them socially, emotionally and physically. When children are conditioned to behave properly, this behavior eventually becomes automatic and natural. In the long run, your discipline will pay off. Your children will learn what is expected of them and act accordingly.

The best time to start setting boundaries is when children are at least two, three or four years old. Your boundaries should include simple instructions about safety (such as ?look both ways before you cross the street?) and guidelines for proper behavior. As toddlers, children can be taught to control their temper, not to throw things, to share their toys, take turns, and so forth.

All children yearn to feel safe. They want to know what?s expected of them. When we set boundaries, we enable our children to be happy, emotionally stable and well adjusted. Like Charlie in the movie, our children will have the best possible start in life when we set boundaries and enforce them.

About The Author

Nicky Vanvalkenburgh writes about practical coping strategies for empowered living. Check out her website at http://www.20minutestolessstress.com/.

Prepare A Romantic Dinner At Home For Valentine's Day

Prepare A Romantic Dinner At Home For Valentine's Day

by: Christine Steendahl

Remember those pre-child days when you would go out to a fancy restaurant or spend the weekend at a romantic get-away to celebrate Valentine?s Day? That may not be an option this year, but you can still enjoy a romantic dinner with your spouse. Here are a few ideas on how you can easily create a romantic Valentine?s Day dinner at home.

Creating The Menu

This is the perfect time for some ?Grown-up? food. Cook a separate dinner for the kids or order in some pizza. Let the kids eat an early dinner and then send them off to play, or watch a movie while the two of you enjoy your meal. If your children are really young, you may want to put them to bed before you sit down for your Valentine?s Day dinner.

Cooking a restaurant inspired meal doesn?t have to be complicated. Pick up some mini-quiches in your grocers frozen food section and bake them up as an appetizer. For a first course pick up a can of gourmet style soup that you just need to heat up. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and some fresh herbs for visual appeal.

Choose a main dish that you can prepare ahead of time, so you can enjoy the evening. Good choices are baked salmon or chicken. Just place either one in a baking dish, add whichever marinade you prefer and refrigerate. When you are ready just bake it until it?s done. Serve with mixed greens and fancy store-bought vinaigrette. Grab French bread, or fix some wild rice.

Dessert could be anything from cheesecake with fresh fruit, to chocolate dipped strawberries to chocolate mouse that you can make ahead and refrigerate. Or serve assorted cheeses with a nice glass of red wine.

Setting The Scene

Set the table with a tablecloth, cloth napkins and candles. Take out your good china and crystal. Since dinner will be just for the two of you, you don?t have to worry about damaging any of your special tableware. Now is the perfect time to enjoy all these fancy goodies you received as wedding gifts.

Take the time to dress up, and do your hair and makeup. I feel sure you spouse will appreciate it and you will feel like you are actually going out. For even more fun get ready in separate rooms and ask your date to come pick you up.

Turn down the lights and light the candles. Play some soft, romantic music, or some songs that have special meaning for the two of you. You never know, with the right music, your romantic Valentine?s Day dinner may end with some slow dancing in your dinning room.

Staying in doesn?t mean you can?t have a wonderful romantic Valentine?s Day dinner. You never know, this may turn out to be the most romantic Valentine?s date yet.

About The Author

Christine Steendahl Is The Founder Of Dine Without Whine ? Your Number One Online Source For Affordable And Family Friendly Weekly Meal Planning. Eliminate The Dinner Hour Stress And Re-Discover The Pleasure Of The Dinner Hour! For A Free Sample Menu And Grocery List Visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/info.

Why Do We Love To Eat Chocolate?

Why Do We Love To Eat Chocolate?

by: James McDonald

Do you ever wonder why we love chocolate so much? The answer may seem as simple as because it tastes good, but there may be more to it than that. There are actual studies to back up some of the physical effects you can experience while eating certain kinds of chocolates. The stimulation your body gets provides a pleasant feeling to your taste buds, making you always come back for more.

Chocolate is known to be a mild mood elevator, stimulating brainwaves and pushing your stress levels down. This is probably why alot of people will stuff themselves with sweets when they are angry or upset. Little do they know it, but they are actually helping themselves out by eating chocolates. When your stress levels lower, you become more relaxed which in turn is beneficial to your health.

Chocolates also raise antioxidant levels in the blood, which in turn help fight any foreign bodies that can cause illnesses. With healthier levels, you are much less likely to come down with viruses or other things that could affect you at various times of the year.

And of course there is the benefit your taste buds feel when consuming your favorite candy bar or other chocolate treat. Eating sweets just puts you in a better mood, keeping you in touch with the child within. Whether it is peanut butter flavored chocolates, chocolate covered raisins, or creamy white chocolate you will be experiencing utter satisfaction when you indulge yourself. It's hard to explain, but only true chocolate lovers will understand this.

Giving the gift of chocolates is a very rewarding experience. You know that the person who receives it will enjoy it many times over and be grateful with every savory bite. There is a tremendous variety of gifts today, from chocolate flowers to boxed treats. And many are low priced making them an even more attractive option. Several companies specialize specifically in this area, personalizing and shipping items direct for you.

One thing to remember though is that there are some negative effects on your body, should you consume it often. There are generally high levels of sugar in chocolates, mainly due to the other ingredients that are added. Too much sugar will result in extra calories and fat which can lead to higher cholesterol if you don't regularly exercise. One of the largest problem plaguing our society today is obesity. Eating too much chocolate will put you in this category and increase your risk for serious health problems.

So the next time you are enjoying your favorite candy bar or talking to a fellow chocolate lover, you can ponder why it is you love eating it so much. The simple answer is the taste, but you now know that there is much more to it. There are even some physical reasons for this, almost forcing your body to eat it. And fortunately for you the chocolate choices are endless.

About The Author

James McDonald writes for www.findsweetsonline.com where you can find Homemade Gourmet Chocolates and many other types of candy to satisfy your sweet tooth.