Spring Chocolate

Having brought a new cookie mold pan I ventured into making chocolate candies with it. Its a Wilton "Easter" cookie sheet pan but it is so Spring looking I could not resist trying it out to see if I could make chocolate candy bars from it. The sheet has flowers, rabbits, eggs, watering can, chicks, a lady bug all the right combo's for 'jumping into Spring'. Melting the white chocolate and mixing it with Oreo cookies crumbs then pouring very carefully into the molds. After a short time in the fridge to let the candy set I brought the sheet out and tapped gently and ... It worked! Perfectly molded candy bars. Showing the design of each making my little ole heart sing with joy. The cookie sheet makes 12 different shapes. Plenty of candy to go around a family of four. The group of 12 candy bars weighs in at just over One Pound. I know my little dessert tester in San Francisco will be enjoying these treats! He called when I sent the first group of White Chocolate down to him and he said to quote him "You got a winner here - I want to purchase a bunch of these - make them up and send me a bill so I can mail you a check!" I had to laugh...you don't charge Parents for anything! I am more than happy just mailing my sweets to him for testing them out and for making him have a special day of joy.

Making Marshmallows

I only recently learn how to make home made marshmallows. Now I can't get enough of making them! I love just stirring the sugar mixture on the shop, its relaxing. Then when it is ready pouring into a bowl to cool slightly and then using the electric mixer to beat into white yummy fluff. To me it is magical that each batch turns into a pan of fluffy marshmallows. I've been sending the test samples off to a special man in my life. My partners father. He lives in California, tells me he isn't a real judge of what is good or bad if cooked, but swears he loves these treats he is getting & they are the best he has ever had, then in the next breathe tells me he Has to excerise extra hard now to maintain his high school weight. LOL for a man who is 86 years old he is in excellent shape! He was the high school PE teacher and coach for several sports before he retired. He is slender and just as cute as he can be. I just tell him if he wants just toss the treats in the trash it won't hurt my feelings or share with all his buddies down at the YMCA swimming hole that he goes to 3 times a week. He has called a couple of times now when he runs out of fresh Marshmallows and makes up some funny excuse and then I know its time to make a new batch and mail them out. Friday I made a batch of Anise flavored marshies. The ones I test tasted where really good! Soooo I know Dad will love them. I'll be adding them to my shop tomorrow. Pop on over to my Etsy shop and place your order

Oh I'm dancing for pure joy! I'm toooo excited - I can hardly type. My shop is the featured shop at Lollishops.com! Yes me little ole baker girl of gourmet homemade sweets and treats. OMG Front page. Okay my shop is: http://www.lollishops.com/coveredinchocolate If you get lost just click on my shops banner and it will take you right back to my shops yummie treats. Go on over take a look...order up something for the family or just for yourself. Put in message to me "Featured seller March 5 - 7" and I'll double your order as my celebration gift to you and ship your treats right off to you"

Baking Mistakes

Yes every now and then I do create a ugly or a monster that just won't go away. Most of my dessert I truly love to bake and can not wait to eat them. Last week I tried some new baking pans for brownies. I wanted to become the brownie queen. I desired to amaze my customers. I wanted them to be so delighted they danced in the streets. I thought oh these pop brownie pan would be perfect for me...brought it. Not cheap either folks...stirred up a quick batch of brownies, spooned the mixture into the silcone pop pan (does 8 at a time and takes 35 minutes to cook) Then waited and waited for cooling so I could get these little brownie pops out onto the cooling racks. They do come out easy; once I learned the popping trick of pushing from the bottom. Once on cooling rack they sorta look like a mound of science gone bad. Just totally weird looking. So I though okay its just me, I am old fashion in what things baked should look like - must get with the times. Told myself to buck up and frost those mounds. Frosting idea went to another corner of my mind very fast. Do you wonder how your brain works some days? I do. My brain seems to be on another planet on rare moments like this: Decided instead to dip in chocolate and make them look pretty for a little girls birthday party. My creation of ugly ---> I found pink chocolate coating over a chocolate brownie is not so pretty. Even after putting sprinkles all over it. Maybe some little girl will jump for joy but not this big girl. I will admit I did taste and they were lovely, its just not my cup of tea for that vision in my mind.

Just call me chicken...

Wings, thighs, breast. Roasted, fried, broiled, baked, and even B.B.Q Any the the above cooking methods are good. Some fix one way are healthier for you than others. We eat lots of chicken. I only like the white meat, although I will eat most chicken pieces except for maybe legs. Legs don't appeal to me. Legs are for kids not adults LOL. My mom made the best fried chicken when I was a kid. I never learn how to really do 'fried chicken'. Sorta fell into that same grouping as pie crusts. I can't make a homemade pie crust to save my soul. And I remember when I first was married and did the ole Shake & Bake chicken...omg that haunts me to think of that gross faked fried chicken. All other cooked items I excel at, so why not fried chicken or pie crusts? Guess everyone needs an item that just isn't for them to cook. I do an awesome BBQ chicken, my roasted chicken is next to heaven, and my crispy chicken broiled is also a favorite. My chicken dinner: Roasted Breasts with French Grey Salt and spices. Bone in, and with the skin left on chicken truly is the tastiest. But boneless and skinless is healthier. And we all know fried chicken is "death". Spices add so much to any cooking Be brave and try all kinds! I also love chicken with India spice theme!

Candy Making Day

Friday I worked with chocolate. I was in the candy making mood. It's one of my more fun things to play with. Melting the chocolate, pouring into molds, waiting for it to firm up and then releasing the candy from the molds to see how they turn out is well worth it all! White chocolate with oreo cookie bits was the major project winner of the day. The first picture is my 4 pack Candy Bars, which will really appeal to the adult in all of us. Then the really fun summer time 'Sea Shore Lollipops' which brings out the child in all of us. Tasting the sweets after dinner was wonderful. I'm a true white chocolate lover...I'll pass over milk or dark chocolates in a flash if white is anywhere near. After dinner I ate the seahorse lollipop. YUMMMMMMMMMYYYYY! Thats the great part of making your own - so fresh and even if this sounds like bragging and it is - Homemade is totally good. Dang Good! I will be selling both items in my shops. http://www.lollishops.com/CoveredinChocolate and of course http://www.CoveredinChocolate.etsy.com Blog followers get a 10% discount just mention you are on my blog as a follower in your note to seller, I'll check you name and revise the invoice for you! Simple and easy. I love things that have no fuss!

Angels in my Garden

Angels are everywhere. Some folks believe - some folks don't. Either way is fine with me. The angels you see on Victorian cards are endearing, the full drawn angel with white flowing wings are beautiful. And the statues of angels seen in various country gardens are delightful. I know I have a whole lot of angels watching over me - it's a full time job keeping me in line and keeping me safe. Here is my version of angels: http://www.lollishops.com/node/12856 Just too darling! Drop by the shop today and order. Yes what the angels are gathered in IS white vanilla chocolate. Yes you can eat that Jewel Box! I'll will be selling the Chocolate Jewel Box shortly...we are working on the fine details of the flowers and design; when you work with melted chocolate it can wreck havoc on another color in the design when you pour additional chocolate onto the first colored chocolate. Practice makes perfect - I want the Chocolate boxes to be perfect! But then again it is so much fun to eat the practice pieces Over the weekend we will be adding a bunch of new products! We also are working on a Business Website of our very own. If you are wanting to check it out here is what we have so far: http://coveredinchocolate.food.officelive.com Let me know what you think. Still have to add pages of products, pricing, shipping and more but will give you the Professional Business Look that is a goal of mine.

Chocolate Dipped Apples

Lollishop Love Dipped Apple - just looks so pretty pink & white chocolates, then Rocki Road...a lots of yummies on this one! My dipped apples will only be available thru Lollishops! http://www.Lollishops.com/CoveredinChocolate Buy any three apples and save $5.00 on the total purchase price - 3 apples for $28.00 plus shipping of only $9.30 for all three (a savings in indiviual shipping of $18.60) Super great deal! Okay off to do more baking and play in the snow!

Cookie CONTEST- Cookie CONTEST - Cookie CONTEST

Name the Cookie! January 30th - February 8th Visit either of my shoppes: http://www.coveredinchocolate.etsy.com http://lollishops.com/CoveredinChocolate Read over the description of the “Unnamed Cookie” Then enter a comment on either of my blogs What YOU would name this cookie! Remember have fun, keep it “PG”, be creative, and this cookie is in the classification of monster size cookies so keep that in your mind as you type the winning name! On February 10th I will announce the winner! The lucky winner will win a box of Six (6) monster cookies sent with my thanks for naming the ‘unnamed cookie’. The winning cookie name will be selected by votes through Lollishops Merchant Group. Good Luck and get those names in now!

Does Size Matter?

Does a small dainty cookie appeal to you or does that monster chocolate chunk with M&M's make your mouth water up? As an online business I find decribing a cookie rather hard. Displaying a cookie so a person understands that it's bigger than a normal size cookie - okay whats normal size you ask? Recipes have certain standards. Normal size cookies are to me about 1 1/2" to 3" inches. This would cover say a Swedish Tea Cake (round) to a chocolate chip cookie (flat) Standard drop by teaspoon on to cookie sheet. Big size cookies to me go 2 1/2" to 4". Standard drop by tablespoon/two tablespoons onto cookie sheet. Then monster size cookies anything over 4". Most of my monster cookies are about 5"-6" inches. Standard drop by ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup onto cookie sheet. Then each size will also vary a tad in cooking time. Bar cookies also have different sizes. Just about any baked good can come in all shapes and sizes. This is a new cookie in my monster size that will be added to my shoppes later today: AND This cookie also needs a name! Tomorrow my post will be a contest to name this cookie. Stay tune for details posted tomorrow!

Amaretto Silk Orgasm Cookies

Visit me at either of my Gourmet Shoppes! http://www.CoveredinChocolate.etsy.com http://www.lollishops.com/CoveredinChocolate I'll be adding these cookies to my shop later today! OMG never in my life have I enjoyed baking a cookie more! My preferred nut is Pecan, but almonds grounded to tiny tiny gains add a whole new meaning to nuts in cookies. Then a big splash of Amaretto Liqueur (did I say big ... I mean huge) When you order your "Amaretto Silk Orgasm Cookies" mention my blog with blogspot or indiepublic in the message line and I will send along Two Chocolate Moose Lollipops as my gift to you!

Baking for Profit

"Spiced Chocolate Pecan Bars" just about to cut and add to my online shops! I'm setting goals for 2009. I love to bake. By this year's end I will have a real brick and glass shop that is primary my baked goodies and will also carry products from other handcrafters! I have two venues I sell my baked Gourmet Edible Desserts at. I ship priority mail...4 cupcakes can weight a pound and you want them fast! I am a vendor at Etsy and Lollishops. Visit either shop and I do allow drooling while looking at my baked creations! http://www.CoveredinChocolate.etsy.com http://www.lollishops.com/CoveredinChocolate I do catering, custom orders, and offer private teaching classes for learning or improving cooking/baking skills.