Holiday season is here, Or as I'm fond of calling it -- CANDY SEASON.
It starts with Halloween and ends with Easter. November and January are lighter months, but the other months make up for it.
And, of course, I make candy.
How can you make candy without tasting the product?
You can't. Though I don't usually eat a whole piece of the final product, I do take a destroyed one (usually cracked in the freezing process), cut it open to see how the filling holds in the candy, how it looks against the chocolate coat, and then taste a sample of the piece to decide how the flavors meld together.
--this last step is how I decide what type of chocolate covers the filling. If my filling is tart (Limoncello, Key Lime, Bronx Cheer {raspberry}), or pepperminty, and I know it will stand up to the dark chocolate flavor, then I will mold it in dark chocolate. I tend to mold Cup 'o Joe in white chocolate, because who doesn't like vanilla cream flavor in their coffee? Almost all the other flavors I make will go in milk chocolate--the velvety creamy texture combines well with all the other flavors.
And it's not just the fact that candy will be laying around the house for the next few weeks, waiting for Halloween, plus the post-Halloween extras.
--I make a point of having hubs hide the six MONGO-sized bags of candy from Sam's Club, but if he can't hide it, I make a point of 1) NOT OPENING IT, or in a moment of weakness when I open it, I make a point of 2) barely slicing open the end and using my heat sealer to cover the evidence.
Yeah, this old dog has some tricks.
The toughest part of this season is what I like to call the HIBERNATION EFFECT.
With less sunshine, we tend to become sluggish, lethargic, eat comfort food to excess, and not really care about our health. Who wants to exercise?
Only those freaks who live to exercise, that's who.
Okay, I like to walk outside. When it's spitting rain, or the wind is blowing at 50 mph from the north, and it's in the 40's or lower, I don't particularly like to walk on those days, but I still do it.
It's a habit. And a good one. So I'll keep doing it. . . though I might change the time of day until after the watery sun warms the land just a little bit.
And I hate going to the gym more than I hate freezing my butt off in the nasty weather!
It's a tough time of year when it's dark when we go to work and dark when we get home. We put on our sweats, yoga pants or fuzzy jammies with the expandable waists and go to town in the pantry while we watch TV, or play video games, or sit and read in the evening .
Tis is the season of soups, stews, and all sorts of casseroles. The urge to bake luscious desserts, or just a batch of cookies, is upon us, as the heat from the stove provides comfort along with the food that warms our tummies.
The key to surviving the season is to have a PLAN.
Plan to eat all five servings of fruits and veggies daily. With the modern convenience grocery stores, there is no excuse that you can't get fresh fruit and veggies . . . unless you live in the boonies. A fresh salad before dinner will help fill you up.
Plan to drink plenty of WATER. This is tough since we don't think to keep hydrated in winter, but your skin will thank you. Here's my trick to drinking water on my walks: I fill my aluminum water bottle with HOT tap water. Mile one, the water is very warm, but cools enough by miles two through four to comfortably drink. The container holds 3 cups of water, which is half of the recommended daily amount of fluids.
Plan to make time for exercise. Look, just parking at the back of the parking lot and walking into the grocery store is better than nothing. Walk around your house. Walk the mall a few times before you shop. If you have a second story in your house make a point of walking upstairs to go to the bathroom. Every little movement is better than none at all.
And the biggest challenge of the season is PORTION CONTROL. If you haven't been practicing this little beauty, now is the time to start. I know you want another bowl of stew or soup or another scoop of that chicken enchilada casserole, but do you really NEED it? Are you hungry? Or did it just taste so good that you just want more to satisfy the pleasure center of your brain? Wait a few minutes before you head to the kitchen for seconds. Drink some water. Enjoy family time. Or get more of that lovely green salad instead. Do anything to get past the few minutes of wanting something, but not needing it.
Another trick is to use a ladle that has four or eight ounces marked. Use this to measure your amount of soups or stews. I know WW sells scoops that have specific amounts marked. Buy a set. Oh, and when you measure, don't make it a HEAPING scoop. We're talking level scoop. Use a knife to level it off if you can't trust yourself.
I know the food tastes good--that's what got us into this weighty predicament--but you need to have control over the food, not vice-versa.
This is a challenging season. I know you can do it, because I'm right there with you.
And the sun is up enough for me to change and go on my walk.
Later, Peeps!
Showing posts with label candy making. Show all posts
Showing posts with label candy making. Show all posts
9/17/13
Candy update
Yesterday, I decided to finish making the last of the fillings that I would need for candy making. I was running low on Strawberry Margarita and Cherries Jubilee, and I needed to rework Midnight Magic and Mango Madness. Two days in the freezer and they still didn't harden up enough!
As I thawed the cherries in some Cherry Pucker, I look in the fridge for the cream.
Out of cream.
Oh, yeah, we used virtually all the milk and the cream to make ice cream on Saturday.
I needed the cream, so I trundle, okay DRIVE, to the grocery store.
I also forgot that Monday mornings were Mom's-day-at-the-store-with-their-little-ones. Now I don't have a problem with the little ones, but I DO have a problem with clueless moms!
--Get off your D#$M cell phone and pay attention to your toddler who is trailing four car lengths behind you in the parking lot.
Look, I don't want to lecture parents on their parenting style, but PLEASE watch your little ones.
Hold their hands when you walk through parking lots. Too many drivers drive too fast through most parking lots. Holding your child's hand will make you more of a visual and united force. Heck, my daughter is almost 13 and we still walk across a parking lot as a united force. Visibility out a rear view mirror is limited and not all cars have backing cameras. I don't know how many times "I" was almost backed into--and I'm a 5'1" adult, not a 3-foot ankle biter!
Anyway, cream bought. No children were injured. And I returned home to work on my fillings.
While the cherries were melting I decided to find a way to thicken the mango and blackberry fillings without adding more white chocolate. If you remember, the white chocolate tends to be cloyingly sweet and overpowering, so I wanted to thicken it without adding too much chocolate.
I pull out the handy-dandy file drawer of useless information in my brainpan and found a tried-and-true way of thickening liquids--cornstarch. . . and lemon juice.
One spoonful of cornstarch and juice from 1/2 lemon, mixed together into a slurry and then added to the heated filling. Heat and stir for a minute or two. Then turn off. I added a little more white chocolate and then poured it into a Ziploc freezer bag. As it cooled, it thickened. And I knew it would work.
Why lemon juice instead of water?
The lemon juice cuts the white chocolate flavor and brightens the fruit flavor. The key is not to use too much. And 1/2 lemon seems to work nicely.
Why do I care about how thick it is?
Have you ever bitten into a chocolate bonbon and had it goo all over your face? So not cool. I want my fillings to be hard enough to hold their shape, but soft enough to be delicious, and tasty enough to differentiate the various flavors of the fillings.
As I've mentioned in the past. I want my candies to be savored, enjoyed, not gobbled down without tasting them.
Now, I have to walk off all the 'tasting' that I've been doing over the last few days!
Later, Peeps!
12/12/12
Weighty Wednesday --Story of the Peg-legged Chicken
At yesterday's Weight Watcher meeting, I lost a pound . . . and over the past two weeks, I made 60 POUNDS of candy. How on earth did I lose weight while around all that candy?
Actually, it's easy.
I have to have enough candy to pack into 50 boxes, which means I can't eat it . . .now.
The problem will come when I finish packing the boxes and there are 'extras'. You always have to make extras for the ones that break and leak, though I have to admit I'm not being a perfectionist about the quality of the candy--small bubbles or cracks will be present. I'm not selling them for a living, so I'm allowed a few flaws. If you don't like it, then don't eat my candy!
So how did I manage to lose weight after being around chocolate for the last two weeks?
Just the chocolate smell was beginning to be a turn off, plus I was so sick and tired of dealing with the stuff that I was just glad to wash it down the drain.
This is a normal phenomena. Just ask anyone who works in a hamburger joint, ice cream parlor or any food service type job. The more you are around the food product the less you want to consume it.
But let's say you are making candy and you haven't been so lucky. You consume a pound of peanut brittle while you're making it or whatever. This was actually confess in my WW meeting by a lady who has been at goal for over 30 YEARS!
Remember--just because we are at goal doesn't mean we don't stumble.
We stumble, but it usually only happens in one instance and not continually.
We've been playing at this game for long enough to know our faults and to know how to get right back on track. It doesn't mean we don't have food issues, we just know how to acknowledge and brush past them.
This lady knew what she had to do and she did it. Now, she didn't approach it quite like I would have, but it worked for her. She simply decided that she'd consumed enough calories/points for the day and didn't eat anything else.
I would have approached it with 'Simply Filling' items, because I know the carbs from the candy wouldn't hold me. Remember the Simply Filling items are fat free dairy products, fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins. Yes, whole grains should be in there, but I tend to retain water when I eat those products so I omit them. Bad Margaret.
The other evening, after I cleaned up the candy mess and took my daughter to swim practice, we came home about 8 PM. I had eaten some fruit at 5 PM before swim practice and was ready to eat my arm off. When I started trolling for food--carbohydrates mainly, see, it does happen to all of us! -- I realized I had been missing something from my diet during the past few days.
Protein.
I'd been getting dairy proteins, but not meat. Luckily, or unluckily for the chicken, I had purchased a rotisserie chicken from Sam's Club that day, intending to have a family meal the next night. Well, let's just say that chicken went to the table missing one leg. Yep, I ate it. Ate it right off the bone, leaving the leg intact to the body.
Hubs wondered what happened to the scrawny leg.
I had to confess.
Many times we are so busy thinking about getting all our fruits and veggies into our diet that we forget an important component--PROTEIN. Protein takes longer to digest which means it keeps us fuller longer, plus giving us energy and the ability for our bodies to perform certain functions. Though I don't recommend eating protein that late at night, I'm glad I did.
Because if I hadn't realized that I needed protein, I would have eaten three times more food and calories trying to find something to satisfy my cravings.
I don't think I would have had this flash of insight two months ago, much less at the beginning of my weight loss journey. It took time. It took dedication. It took the ability to look past the immediate gratification, to find the need.
Balance is the key. Keep in mind all the food groups, and no, chocolate isn't a food group. Sorry.
Tip for the day:
Keep hydrated. In the winter, we don't exhibit thirst the same way we do in the summer and tend to forget to drink lots of water. Your skin will thank you.
Later, Peeps!
Actually, it's easy.
I have to have enough candy to pack into 50 boxes, which means I can't eat it . . .now.
The problem will come when I finish packing the boxes and there are 'extras'. You always have to make extras for the ones that break and leak, though I have to admit I'm not being a perfectionist about the quality of the candy--small bubbles or cracks will be present. I'm not selling them for a living, so I'm allowed a few flaws. If you don't like it, then don't eat my candy!
So how did I manage to lose weight after being around chocolate for the last two weeks?
Just the chocolate smell was beginning to be a turn off, plus I was so sick and tired of dealing with the stuff that I was just glad to wash it down the drain.
This is a normal phenomena. Just ask anyone who works in a hamburger joint, ice cream parlor or any food service type job. The more you are around the food product the less you want to consume it.
But let's say you are making candy and you haven't been so lucky. You consume a pound of peanut brittle while you're making it or whatever. This was actually confess in my WW meeting by a lady who has been at goal for over 30 YEARS!
Remember--just because we are at goal doesn't mean we don't stumble.
We stumble, but it usually only happens in one instance and not continually.
We've been playing at this game for long enough to know our faults and to know how to get right back on track. It doesn't mean we don't have food issues, we just know how to acknowledge and brush past them.
This lady knew what she had to do and she did it. Now, she didn't approach it quite like I would have, but it worked for her. She simply decided that she'd consumed enough calories/points for the day and didn't eat anything else.
I would have approached it with 'Simply Filling' items, because I know the carbs from the candy wouldn't hold me. Remember the Simply Filling items are fat free dairy products, fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins. Yes, whole grains should be in there, but I tend to retain water when I eat those products so I omit them. Bad Margaret.
The other evening, after I cleaned up the candy mess and took my daughter to swim practice, we came home about 8 PM. I had eaten some fruit at 5 PM before swim practice and was ready to eat my arm off. When I started trolling for food--carbohydrates mainly, see, it does happen to all of us! -- I realized I had been missing something from my diet during the past few days.
Protein.
I'd been getting dairy proteins, but not meat. Luckily, or unluckily for the chicken, I had purchased a rotisserie chicken from Sam's Club that day, intending to have a family meal the next night. Well, let's just say that chicken went to the table missing one leg. Yep, I ate it. Ate it right off the bone, leaving the leg intact to the body.
Hubs wondered what happened to the scrawny leg.
I had to confess.
Many times we are so busy thinking about getting all our fruits and veggies into our diet that we forget an important component--PROTEIN. Protein takes longer to digest which means it keeps us fuller longer, plus giving us energy and the ability for our bodies to perform certain functions. Though I don't recommend eating protein that late at night, I'm glad I did.
Because if I hadn't realized that I needed protein, I would have eaten three times more food and calories trying to find something to satisfy my cravings.
I don't think I would have had this flash of insight two months ago, much less at the beginning of my weight loss journey. It took time. It took dedication. It took the ability to look past the immediate gratification, to find the need.
Balance is the key. Keep in mind all the food groups, and no, chocolate isn't a food group. Sorry.
Tip for the day:
Keep hydrated. In the winter, we don't exhibit thirst the same way we do in the summer and tend to forget to drink lots of water. Your skin will thank you.
Later, Peeps!
12/10/12
Candy Stats
Yesterday evening, I finally finished making candy!! YAY!
Maybe I better qualify that statement: I finished making molded chocolates that will be given away as gifts. Talk about a back-breaking labor of love.
I want to make peanut brittle, pecan brittle and walnut brittle. No, they don't have the same base sugar ingredients. Would you want to eat a pecan brittle with the foamy brown peanut brittle sticky stuff? I wouldn't. The sugar base for the other two brittles needs to be clearer without the addition of baking soda. I thought I'd like to play with a maple extract in the walnut brittle.
And I haven't made polar bear poop or reindeer poop yet. Hm, just noticed I don't have Reindeer poop in my recipes--it's made with a peanut butter filling dipped in chocolate.
If you want any of these recipes, you can click this link: Foodie Friday (or look at Foodie Friday on my blog header), scroll down to candy, and pick the link that interests you. I checked all the links in September so they should work. Please let me know if one is broken.
So what did I actually do for the last two weeks?
I molded roughly 1344 pieces of candy (give or take 30 pieces), made two batches of sea salt caramels, two batches of toffee, two batches of Margaret's Decadent fudge, one batch of Lemon Fudge with shortbread crust, one batch of Aftershock caramels (cinnamon-chipolte).
When you realize most molds hold only 8 slots, I went through the process a mind-numbing amount of times!
Now the time has come for me to figure out how to fit them into their boxes.
Hand-dipped chocolates:
Buttery Pecan Toffee (coated in milk chocolate and dusted with ground pecans)
Turtles (singles and doubles)
Sea Salt Caramels (dipped in milk and dark chocolate)
Aftershock Caramels (dipped in milk chocolate with dark chocolate zigzag)
Fudge:
Margaret's Decadent fudge (mistletoe foil)
Lemon fudge with shortbread crust (green foil)
Soft caramels:
Buttery caramel (daisy mold)--good old butter and sugar!
Chambord berry caramel (heart with flower mold)--Chambord and raspberries
Bananas Foster caramel (triangular mold)--Bananas and rum
Grand Marnier caramel (divided square mold)--Grand Marnier and oranges
White chocolate based fillings (clockwise from the top):
Maple walnut (maple syrup)
Key Lime (limes and Tanqueray gin)
Gingerbread (ginger root and vodka)
Strawberry Margarita (strawberries, lime & tequila)
Peppermint Schnapps (Rumpleminz schnapps)
Chambord (Chambord and raspberries)
Grand Marnier (Grand Marnier and oranges)
Limoncello (limoncello and lemons)
Cranberry Cosmo (cranberries and vodka)
Grapefruit Cuervo (center)
Dark chocolate based fillings (clockwise from the top):
Whiskey toffee (exactly how it sounds :-P)
Buttershots (butterscotch)
Frangelico (hazelnut)
Black Forest (cherry chocolate)
Grand Marnier (orange)
Amaretto (almond)
Barenjager (honey)
Porto (port wine)
Rum Raisin (rum and raisins, of course)
Kahlua (white pyramid in center)
Why did I choose some fillings to be made with white chocolate versus dark chocolate?
Dark chocolate has a very strong flavor on it's own, it would simply overpower the other flavors. The flavors made in dark chocolate enhanced the flavors without overpowering either the chocolate or the flavor. They work together to form an enjoyable combination.
And here you have the final result. One pound of candy that took me HOURS, DAYS and WEEKS to make. Only a select few, okay, 50 people (family, hub's coworkers, teachers, friends), are given my candy, and I suspect only a handful of those people know how much work that goes into making them.
Later, Peeps!
Now, I have to pack 49 more boxes. Ugh! I'll probably post the chocolate molding tutorial next Monday.
Maybe I better qualify that statement: I finished making molded chocolates that will be given away as gifts. Talk about a back-breaking labor of love.
I want to make peanut brittle, pecan brittle and walnut brittle. No, they don't have the same base sugar ingredients. Would you want to eat a pecan brittle with the foamy brown peanut brittle sticky stuff? I wouldn't. The sugar base for the other two brittles needs to be clearer without the addition of baking soda. I thought I'd like to play with a maple extract in the walnut brittle.
And I haven't made polar bear poop or reindeer poop yet. Hm, just noticed I don't have Reindeer poop in my recipes--it's made with a peanut butter filling dipped in chocolate.
If you want any of these recipes, you can click this link: Foodie Friday (or look at Foodie Friday on my blog header), scroll down to candy, and pick the link that interests you. I checked all the links in September so they should work. Please let me know if one is broken.
So what did I actually do for the last two weeks?
I molded roughly 1344 pieces of candy (give or take 30 pieces), made two batches of sea salt caramels, two batches of toffee, two batches of Margaret's Decadent fudge, one batch of Lemon Fudge with shortbread crust, one batch of Aftershock caramels (cinnamon-chipolte).
When you realize most molds hold only 8 slots, I went through the process a mind-numbing amount of times!
Now the time has come for me to figure out how to fit them into their boxes.
 |
| Hand dipped chocolates |
Buttery Pecan Toffee (coated in milk chocolate and dusted with ground pecans)
Turtles (singles and doubles)
Sea Salt Caramels (dipped in milk and dark chocolate)
Aftershock Caramels (dipped in milk chocolate with dark chocolate zigzag)
 |
| Fudge and caramels |
Margaret's Decadent fudge (mistletoe foil)
Lemon fudge with shortbread crust (green foil)
Soft caramels:
Buttery caramel (daisy mold)--good old butter and sugar!
Chambord berry caramel (heart with flower mold)--Chambord and raspberries
Bananas Foster caramel (triangular mold)--Bananas and rum
Grand Marnier caramel (divided square mold)--Grand Marnier and oranges
 |
| White chocolate based fillings |
Maple walnut (maple syrup)
Key Lime (limes and Tanqueray gin)
Gingerbread (ginger root and vodka)
Strawberry Margarita (strawberries, lime & tequila)
Peppermint Schnapps (Rumpleminz schnapps)
Chambord (Chambord and raspberries)
Grand Marnier (Grand Marnier and oranges)
Limoncello (limoncello and lemons)
Cranberry Cosmo (cranberries and vodka)
Grapefruit Cuervo (center)
 |
| Dark chocolate based fillings |
Dark chocolate based fillings (clockwise from the top):
Whiskey toffee (exactly how it sounds :-P)
Buttershots (butterscotch)
Frangelico (hazelnut)
Black Forest (cherry chocolate)
Grand Marnier (orange)
Amaretto (almond)
Barenjager (honey)
Porto (port wine)
Rum Raisin (rum and raisins, of course)
Kahlua (white pyramid in center)
Why did I choose some fillings to be made with white chocolate versus dark chocolate?
Dark chocolate has a very strong flavor on it's own, it would simply overpower the other flavors. The flavors made in dark chocolate enhanced the flavors without overpowering either the chocolate or the flavor. They work together to form an enjoyable combination.
And here you have the final result. One pound of candy that took me HOURS, DAYS and WEEKS to make. Only a select few, okay, 50 people (family, hub's coworkers, teachers, friends), are given my candy, and I suspect only a handful of those people know how much work that goes into making them.
Now, I have to pack 49 more boxes. Ugh! I'll probably post the chocolate molding tutorial next Monday.
12/3/12
Candy Making
Hey, All!
Sorry I don't have a whole lot of stuff to tell you, but I've been busy making candy this last week. I'm about 2/3 of the way finished, but still have a few days of candy making to do.
I've made 2 batches of MAG's Decadent Fudge, and wrapped the pieces in foil one batch of Sea Salt Caramel (dipped in dark chocolate), Aftershock cinnamon caramel. Of the molded truffle filled chocolates, I've made:
Maple Walnut, Strawberry Margarita, Cranberry, Limoncello, Whiskey Toffee, Amaretto, Rum Raisin, Porto, Grand Marnier, Key Lime, Frangelico, Gingerbread, Grapefruit, and Peppermint Schnapps.
I did take pictures for a tutorial Margaret-style, but I haven't had a chance to download them to even see if they are usable. I'll download them and then, hopefully, I'll have a chance to organize them into something to blog about next week.
Okay, I just looked at them. They're so-so. I have all the kitchen lights on and they still look yellowy and dim, but the ones with the flash are washed out. Seriously, I don't know how the Pioneer Woman does it!
During this process, I had to take Tuesday off--Weight Watchers, lunch with my 91-year old mom (we hung out and chatted until her dentist appt.), took her to the dentist, picked my daughter up from school, fix dinner and then off to dry land and swim practice. The only thing I accomplished on Tuesday was crocheting.
Then on Thursday, I had to hit the liquor store. I knew I was running out of some flavors and had to make some new truffle fillings. AND more than $222 later, I was home making flavors--Amaretto, Frangelico, Grand Marnier, Gingerbread, and grapefruit. The grapefruit one was supposed to have Blue Curacao in it, but when I added a small amount to the concentrated red-orange of the grapefruit-tequila combo, it would have turned into something totally gross. Who wants to eat a gross brown mess?
Yes, the gingerbread is kinda a gross brown color, but it tastes like gingerbread, while the grapefruit combo wouldn't have fit that look AT ALL!
Now, I have a decent size bottle of Blue Curacao and no idea how to use it!
Anyway, I have four flavors to mold today: Chambord (raspberry), Buttershots (butterscotch), Black forest (cherry), Barenjager (honey). The only filling in this batch made with white chocolate is the Chambord. I should have enough of the fillings for the molds, but you never know with some of the deeper molds, but I have supplies to make more if I need to.
These four will keep me busy most of the day after my walkies. I need to make at least 50 candies of each flavor and the molds only make 8 candies each. Let's do the math: I need to make at least 7 batches for a total of 56 candies. Extras always need to be made to account for breakage, leakage, and taste-testing. Now we take those 56 candies and multiply it by 4 flavors, which equals 224 candies.
It takes me roughly, 30-45 minutes to make one batch of candies.
In theory, I should finish them in 4 hours, but that doesn't take into account the trimming of excess chocolate, or putting them in paper cups. Trimming can take up to 2 hours on 224 candies, depending on the shape of the mold and how messy I am.
Just reading about this is giving me a headache! I finished watching all the Harry Potter movies last week. I think I'll watch The Mummy 1 & 2. I need a little Brendan Frasier to get me though.
After I finish the molded chocolates, I'm still not finished. I have the Buttery Pecan toffee (dipped in chocolate and coated with ground pecans), Turtles (caramel coated pecans dipped in chocolate), Sea Salt caramel (this time dipped in milk chocolate), Grand Marnier caramels to mold, regular caramel to mold, cherries Jubilee caramel and a mixed berry caramel to mold. I also thought I'd make a Kahlua filling--which is ANOTHER molded chocolate!
I'm already running behind today, so I'd better get a move on!
Later, Peeps!
Sorry I don't have a whole lot of stuff to tell you, but I've been busy making candy this last week. I'm about 2/3 of the way finished, but still have a few days of candy making to do.
I've made 2 batches of MAG's Decadent Fudge, and wrapped the pieces in foil one batch of Sea Salt Caramel (dipped in dark chocolate), Aftershock cinnamon caramel. Of the molded truffle filled chocolates, I've made:
Maple Walnut, Strawberry Margarita, Cranberry, Limoncello, Whiskey Toffee, Amaretto, Rum Raisin, Porto, Grand Marnier, Key Lime, Frangelico, Gingerbread, Grapefruit, and Peppermint Schnapps.
I did take pictures for a tutorial Margaret-style, but I haven't had a chance to download them to even see if they are usable. I'll download them and then, hopefully, I'll have a chance to organize them into something to blog about next week.
Okay, I just looked at them. They're so-so. I have all the kitchen lights on and they still look yellowy and dim, but the ones with the flash are washed out. Seriously, I don't know how the Pioneer Woman does it!
During this process, I had to take Tuesday off--Weight Watchers, lunch with my 91-year old mom (we hung out and chatted until her dentist appt.), took her to the dentist, picked my daughter up from school, fix dinner and then off to dry land and swim practice. The only thing I accomplished on Tuesday was crocheting.
Then on Thursday, I had to hit the liquor store. I knew I was running out of some flavors and had to make some new truffle fillings. AND more than $222 later, I was home making flavors--Amaretto, Frangelico, Grand Marnier, Gingerbread, and grapefruit. The grapefruit one was supposed to have Blue Curacao in it, but when I added a small amount to the concentrated red-orange of the grapefruit-tequila combo, it would have turned into something totally gross. Who wants to eat a gross brown mess?
Yes, the gingerbread is kinda a gross brown color, but it tastes like gingerbread, while the grapefruit combo wouldn't have fit that look AT ALL!
Now, I have a decent size bottle of Blue Curacao and no idea how to use it!
Anyway, I have four flavors to mold today: Chambord (raspberry), Buttershots (butterscotch), Black forest (cherry), Barenjager (honey). The only filling in this batch made with white chocolate is the Chambord. I should have enough of the fillings for the molds, but you never know with some of the deeper molds, but I have supplies to make more if I need to.
These four will keep me busy most of the day after my walkies. I need to make at least 50 candies of each flavor and the molds only make 8 candies each. Let's do the math: I need to make at least 7 batches for a total of 56 candies. Extras always need to be made to account for breakage, leakage, and taste-testing. Now we take those 56 candies and multiply it by 4 flavors, which equals 224 candies.
It takes me roughly, 30-45 minutes to make one batch of candies.
In theory, I should finish them in 4 hours, but that doesn't take into account the trimming of excess chocolate, or putting them in paper cups. Trimming can take up to 2 hours on 224 candies, depending on the shape of the mold and how messy I am.
Just reading about this is giving me a headache! I finished watching all the Harry Potter movies last week. I think I'll watch The Mummy 1 & 2. I need a little Brendan Frasier to get me though.
After I finish the molded chocolates, I'm still not finished. I have the Buttery Pecan toffee (dipped in chocolate and coated with ground pecans), Turtles (caramel coated pecans dipped in chocolate), Sea Salt caramel (this time dipped in milk chocolate), Grand Marnier caramels to mold, regular caramel to mold, cherries Jubilee caramel and a mixed berry caramel to mold. I also thought I'd make a Kahlua filling--which is ANOTHER molded chocolate!
I'm already running behind today, so I'd better get a move on!
Later, Peeps!
10/1/12
An Oxymoronic Idea
For the last couple of weeks, I've been in a quandary.
I didn't want to write on my two new stories, nor did I want to write on my weight-loss project, I simply made candy. Taking recipes that I found and changing them up a bit.
And it wasn't until I was commenting on Marilyn Pappano's blog--re: a typical day in the life of an author--that it struck me. . .
I write a blog on Wednesday's about health, weight-loss and general exercise, while on Friday's I write a post about food, more specifically--making candy.
I thought it was kind of funny in an oxymoronic sort of way.
Here I am, your basic schlub who lost 45 pounds touting the benefits of good health and exercise, while I crave making candy. I really, really enjoy the creating process of candy making. Numerous writing friends have suggested that I write a non-fiction book about my weight loss, while others have mentioned that I need to write a cookbook about making candy.
Well, I have zero platform for either of those endeavors. I'm not some exercise guru like Jillian Michaels, nor am I a candy/cake diva like Kerry Vincent (she's a hometown gal, so I feel I must throw her name around!), BUT what if I found a way to combine the two.
Wouldn't that be a laugh?
So I mentioned it in a tweet that I had this thought while on my daily walkies . . . and I actually had a few people mention that they would buy the book.
Cool!
I have lots of material from my blogs, but it will take some time to make it a cohesive type of book.
So if y'all have any suggestions for chapter titles and their contents, I'm all ears.
I've only thought about one chapter idea--The Fudge Factor--yes, the recipes would be fudge, but the chapter topic would be how we try to cheat ourselves on our weight-loss journey.
All I have to say is that blogs are easier to write since all I have to do is brain dump a single topic. Writing coherent chapter from a bunch of brain dumps is harder to organize!
So sayeth the writer of the Virgo sign, whose mission in life is efficient organization!
Chat with y'all later, I have some blogs to organize!
Later, Peeps
I didn't want to write on my two new stories, nor did I want to write on my weight-loss project, I simply made candy. Taking recipes that I found and changing them up a bit.
And it wasn't until I was commenting on Marilyn Pappano's blog--re: a typical day in the life of an author--that it struck me. . .
I write a blog on Wednesday's about health, weight-loss and general exercise, while on Friday's I write a post about food, more specifically--making candy.
I thought it was kind of funny in an oxymoronic sort of way.
Here I am, your basic schlub who lost 45 pounds touting the benefits of good health and exercise, while I crave making candy. I really, really enjoy the creating process of candy making. Numerous writing friends have suggested that I write a non-fiction book about my weight loss, while others have mentioned that I need to write a cookbook about making candy.
Well, I have zero platform for either of those endeavors. I'm not some exercise guru like Jillian Michaels, nor am I a candy/cake diva like Kerry Vincent (she's a hometown gal, so I feel I must throw her name around!), BUT what if I found a way to combine the two.
Wouldn't that be a laugh?
So I mentioned it in a tweet that I had this thought while on my daily walkies . . . and I actually had a few people mention that they would buy the book.
Cool!
I have lots of material from my blogs, but it will take some time to make it a cohesive type of book.
So if y'all have any suggestions for chapter titles and their contents, I'm all ears.
I've only thought about one chapter idea--The Fudge Factor--yes, the recipes would be fudge, but the chapter topic would be how we try to cheat ourselves on our weight-loss journey.
All I have to say is that blogs are easier to write since all I have to do is brain dump a single topic. Writing coherent chapter from a bunch of brain dumps is harder to organize!
So sayeth the writer of the Virgo sign, whose mission in life is efficient organization!
Chat with y'all later, I have some blogs to organize!
Later, Peeps
2/27/12
Touching Others
I will be the first to admit that I live in my own little world, a vacuum if you will. I do my thang. I do family stuff. I'll post to my goals groups. I'll help friends out if they are in need for a shoulder to cry on, to critique, to gritch about life in general. I belong to the PTA, but I'm not really 'active' unless someone calls for help. I do know the word NO and I know how to use it.
But last week, I had a few surprises. None of them were big surprises, but each one of them touched me.
1) My friend Cyndi sent me 21K on her new story to critique. Now, Cyndi writes contemporary cowboy stories, romances along the lines of Harlequin. I don't read these stories on a regular basis, but I do enjoy Cyndi's stories. Imagine my surprise when I saw my name, MAGS.
Recently, I've been calling myself Mags when I comment on blogs, post to my goals group, or whenever. This isn't unusual since I tend to add an "s" to other peoples names as a term of endearment (Jods, Megs, etc) if it works with their name.
So when I come across this secondary character's name in Cyndi's manuscript, I laughed out loud. Mags in her story is an older woman, secretary to a lawyer who delightfully banters with the hunky cowboy hero. Trust me, this made my day! I sent Cyndi a quick IM and she told me she had forgotten she put my name in there and would take it out if I was upset--Heck, NO! Again, funnly as H3LL!
2) My friend Jody has been around for decades! We met at KJM Stables--at the time she had Quincy and I think I had Princess, but the Abe monster brought us closer together. We lost touch when she moved to Califorinia, but managed to find each other again about five years ago. Jody is an uber-talented struggling artist who has found her groove and is catapulting her horse cartoons into the spotlight. Check her out on Misfit Designs Facebook page or CafePress.
Jody has been in my cheering section from the first time I started to write middle grade novels. In fact, Jody was the one who gave me Kyte's name. It was her Dungeons & Dragon's persona, so she connected with Kyte on the visceral level. She was one of the first people to read GNOME and her words of praise helped me realize that this was the writing path I needed to travel. Fast forward--we were emailing each other last week or the week before and she sent a note along the lines of "expect something in the mail". Okay, I was excited because she recently sent me a Mac & Jill coffee mug and I LOVE IT!
It wasn't a Mac & Jill mug. Instead, it said, "oh, fizznuts!" I died laughing!! I'd take a picture, but I'm currently using this mug while I'm typing this. If you havn't read my stories--and trust me, I will NOT take offense if you haven't!--but since Kyte is an 11-year-old, she doesn't curse. I don't want her to curse, it's not in her to curse, but when things go awry she has to say something! My daughter used this term, I don't know if she made it up or read it somewhere, but I took it.
And it tickled Jody's quirky side, thus the coffee cup. :-) Yes, it really does make me smile.
3) If you've read this blog through any Christmas holiday, you'll know that I make candy--LOTS OF IT. It's a very lonely, time-consuming, back-breaking and laboreous process. Virtually all the candy is given away to my hubby's peers and employees. I never see their reactions. Oh, I hear about some of them, but maybe only 2%. It's one of those thankless jobs that I like to do because it makes me happy. Anyhoo, we were at a going away party for my husband's boss and I was approached by one of the wives. She told me that they FIGHT over the candy. "What??" Yes, my secret hidden smile popped out right about then as I got all warm and glowy. And then she wondered if I took special orders. Again . . . "What?" Turns out she's thinking about giving my candy to their daughter's swim coaches at the high school awards banquet. Too Kewl! I doubt if it will happen because it would probably be too pricey for them to afford. I did price it out since I am donating 5 one-pound boxes to Brenda Novak's For the Cure Auction to benefit Juvenile Diabetes in May. It would cost me close to $18 just in supplies to make the candy and that doesn't count my labor.
But again, it was nice to get that feeling of touching someone else's life even through my candy.
4) One of my writer friends, Karin Tabke, posts on a group blog, MURDER SHE WRITES. These ladies write romantic suspense. I've been reading the blog almost from the inception. Periodically, they will add new writers and one or two will have to drop out due to obligations, but they always have something fun to talk about. About a couple of weeks ago, they released an anthology called GUNS AND ROSES. An anthology is a book of short stories. Many times they will have to have a key ingredient to link the stories, this time each story had to have a gun and a rose. Period. I was reading away and then I start reading Karin's story. Imagine my surprise when I come across the name of the police dispatcher--MAGS. Yep, me again. I sent Karin a note, and while she didn't confirm or deny it, she did mention that she had to cut many of Mags scenes, but she would have more air time in another story. I hope Mags is a quirky character who has tons of idiosyncrisies!
So even though we don't realize it in our every day grind, we do touch other people's lives. You never know who you might touch or bring a smile to their face simply by sending them a {hug}, or the words you write or by showing them a little of your heart. Think about it and don't be stingy, we only have one life to go around, so make it a good one!
Later, peeps!
But last week, I had a few surprises. None of them were big surprises, but each one of them touched me.
1) My friend Cyndi sent me 21K on her new story to critique. Now, Cyndi writes contemporary cowboy stories, romances along the lines of Harlequin. I don't read these stories on a regular basis, but I do enjoy Cyndi's stories. Imagine my surprise when I saw my name, MAGS.
Recently, I've been calling myself Mags when I comment on blogs, post to my goals group, or whenever. This isn't unusual since I tend to add an "s" to other peoples names as a term of endearment (Jods, Megs, etc) if it works with their name.
So when I come across this secondary character's name in Cyndi's manuscript, I laughed out loud. Mags in her story is an older woman, secretary to a lawyer who delightfully banters with the hunky cowboy hero. Trust me, this made my day! I sent Cyndi a quick IM and she told me she had forgotten she put my name in there and would take it out if I was upset--Heck, NO! Again, funnly as H3LL!
2) My friend Jody has been around for decades! We met at KJM Stables--at the time she had Quincy and I think I had Princess, but the Abe monster brought us closer together. We lost touch when she moved to Califorinia, but managed to find each other again about five years ago. Jody is an uber-talented struggling artist who has found her groove and is catapulting her horse cartoons into the spotlight. Check her out on Misfit Designs Facebook page or CafePress.
It wasn't a Mac & Jill mug. Instead, it said, "oh, fizznuts!" I died laughing!! I'd take a picture, but I'm currently using this mug while I'm typing this. If you havn't read my stories--and trust me, I will NOT take offense if you haven't!--but since Kyte is an 11-year-old, she doesn't curse. I don't want her to curse, it's not in her to curse, but when things go awry she has to say something! My daughter used this term, I don't know if she made it up or read it somewhere, but I took it.
And it tickled Jody's quirky side, thus the coffee cup. :-) Yes, it really does make me smile.
3) If you've read this blog through any Christmas holiday, you'll know that I make candy--LOTS OF IT. It's a very lonely, time-consuming, back-breaking and laboreous process. Virtually all the candy is given away to my hubby's peers and employees. I never see their reactions. Oh, I hear about some of them, but maybe only 2%. It's one of those thankless jobs that I like to do because it makes me happy. Anyhoo, we were at a going away party for my husband's boss and I was approached by one of the wives. She told me that they FIGHT over the candy. "What??" Yes, my secret hidden smile popped out right about then as I got all warm and glowy. And then she wondered if I took special orders. Again . . . "What?" Turns out she's thinking about giving my candy to their daughter's swim coaches at the high school awards banquet. Too Kewl! I doubt if it will happen because it would probably be too pricey for them to afford. I did price it out since I am donating 5 one-pound boxes to Brenda Novak's For the Cure Auction to benefit Juvenile Diabetes in May. It would cost me close to $18 just in supplies to make the candy and that doesn't count my labor.
But again, it was nice to get that feeling of touching someone else's life even through my candy.
So even though we don't realize it in our every day grind, we do touch other people's lives. You never know who you might touch or bring a smile to their face simply by sending them a {hug}, or the words you write or by showing them a little of your heart. Think about it and don't be stingy, we only have one life to go around, so make it a good one!
Later, peeps!
12/3/10
From Reading to Candy Making
Sorry, I'm a little late today. Originally I was going to compare two authors, but I started reading another book and my thoughts about those previous authors flew out of the sieve that is my brain in December. Though I might write about it later. Okay, I'll be the first to admit that the 1992 Mary Balogh book, A CHRISTMAS PROMISE is supreme!! I bawled my eyes out, clutched the book to my chest and sighed. That's what romance writing is all about!
I decided for the good of all to take off the month of December. My poor little mind is chocked full so much extraneous information that it would be counter-productive to try to write--though I would if I had a contract deadline hanging over my head.
I don't. So I won't write.
I don't know about y'all, but I have Christmas decorating, shopping, wrapping and making candy on my mind.
Speaking of making candy. I decided what I was going to make this year--and yes, it will be less than I made the last few years. I pulled out my order slips from the previous years and checked them to see how much chocolate I need to order. I order Merkens chocolate from Country Kitchen SweetArt. Merkens chocolate is already tempered and it has a good flavor and texture. It's the best stuff out there if you ask me. The problem is that the prices have seriously increased for a pound of chocolate. In 2006, it was $2.95 per pound. In 2007-2009, it was $3.25 per pound. And this year, $3.60 per pound. *ouch*
So this year, I'm making peanut brittle, turtles and an Old English Toffee made with pecans. These I'll bag up separately and then put them in a clear Christmas bag. I had bought these bags over the years and haven't used them, so this year is the year to use up the supplies I already have.
Then comes the filled candies. Last year, I had bought the wrong sized boxes, 1/2 lb size instead of the 1 lb size. We ended up buying tins at Hobby Lobby, since it was too late to order the boxes. Oops. Which means I have 30 1/2 lb boxes sitting in the box with my candy molds. These boxes hold maybe 8 candies without crowding. Which means, I'm only making 8 filled candies . . . from a list of 18 truffle and caramel fillings that I've invented.
I immediately scrubbed my caramels. Not that I don't like caramels--I do--and I'm the Queen of having the perfect color on my caramels, but because they are a little more temperamental when filling the candies. They are a little more liquid and when I put the chocolate bottom on the candies--the chocolate is heavier and it sinks into the caramel. Temperamental.
I think I have the list of truffles that I want to make. The first four are made with white chocolate and the last four are with a milk chocolate base.
Lime Gimlet
Limoncello
Chambord
Peppermint Schnapps
Black Forest (w/kirshwasser)
Whiskey Toffee
Grand Marnier
Now, I'm having a problem figuring out my last flavor and need your help. Should I make:
Rum Raisin
Frangelico
Amaretto
Please comment and let me know which one sounds the most interesting.
Thanks!
I decided for the good of all to take off the month of December. My poor little mind is chocked full so much extraneous information that it would be counter-productive to try to write--though I would if I had a contract deadline hanging over my head.
I don't. So I won't write.
I don't know about y'all, but I have Christmas decorating, shopping, wrapping and making candy on my mind.
Speaking of making candy. I decided what I was going to make this year--and yes, it will be less than I made the last few years. I pulled out my order slips from the previous years and checked them to see how much chocolate I need to order. I order Merkens chocolate from Country Kitchen SweetArt. Merkens chocolate is already tempered and it has a good flavor and texture. It's the best stuff out there if you ask me. The problem is that the prices have seriously increased for a pound of chocolate. In 2006, it was $2.95 per pound. In 2007-2009, it was $3.25 per pound. And this year, $3.60 per pound. *ouch*
So this year, I'm making peanut brittle, turtles and an Old English Toffee made with pecans. These I'll bag up separately and then put them in a clear Christmas bag. I had bought these bags over the years and haven't used them, so this year is the year to use up the supplies I already have.
Then comes the filled candies. Last year, I had bought the wrong sized boxes, 1/2 lb size instead of the 1 lb size. We ended up buying tins at Hobby Lobby, since it was too late to order the boxes. Oops. Which means I have 30 1/2 lb boxes sitting in the box with my candy molds. These boxes hold maybe 8 candies without crowding. Which means, I'm only making 8 filled candies . . . from a list of 18 truffle and caramel fillings that I've invented.
I immediately scrubbed my caramels. Not that I don't like caramels--I do--and I'm the Queen of having the perfect color on my caramels, but because they are a little more temperamental when filling the candies. They are a little more liquid and when I put the chocolate bottom on the candies--the chocolate is heavier and it sinks into the caramel. Temperamental.
I think I have the list of truffles that I want to make. The first four are made with white chocolate and the last four are with a milk chocolate base.
Lime Gimlet
Limoncello
Chambord
Peppermint Schnapps
Black Forest (w/kirshwasser)
Whiskey Toffee
Grand Marnier
Now, I'm having a problem figuring out my last flavor and need your help. Should I make:
Rum Raisin
Frangelico
Amaretto
Please comment and let me know which one sounds the most interesting.
Thanks!
11/29/10
*sigh* First Holiday Wave Down and a Gazillion to go . . .
Wow, I don't know about you all, but we hit the ground running last week. Some recipes worked, some didn't. Some will be placed in the 'keeper' file, while others will be burned. But I have to admit that no matter how things turned out, it was fun.
After all the family gatherings, visiting, cooking, wine imbibing, it was odd when we were left to our own devices on Saturday. I didn't feel good (weird weather and residual cold), so hubster went outside to rake up a few leaves . . . nine bags later, the yard is almost ready for the winter season. We've had a few cold snaps, but not all my perennials have died back. One or two more freezing days should take care of them and I'll pull them up. I still need to plant about three flats of pansies, one flat would be used exclusively to replace the bunny eaten ones.
No one is really ready to pull out Christmas stuff, though hubster did put up the outside lights last Wednesday (it was really warm--72 degrees). If we don't do anything else we need to get the Advent calendar out. The kidlet opens a door each night and gets a toy, treat, ornament, etc. Thank goodness, I bought a few things ahead of time, though we have been known to raid her Halloween candy for goodies.
We need to make a Christmas card list, brainstorm Christmas presents (I get a new set of car tires --woohoo! . . . not), and decorate. I usually make filled candy, but right now, I'm wondering if it's worth the trouble. Oh, some people appreciate it--in fact, they've dragged out their tins from last year in hopes I'll make them some--but I doubt if anyone realizes how much money, time, energy, and back breaking work really goes into the process.
I guess this is the downer before the artificial Christmas spirit high. I'll get in the mode, but right now, I'm just glad my family is relatively healthy and happy. Maybe I need to read a few more Christmas books and turn on the iPod to Christmas carols.
And I haven't touched my novel in over ten days. Maybe I need to get it out and reread the last few pages to figure out where I took a wrong turn. Until later . . .
Write on!
After all the family gatherings, visiting, cooking, wine imbibing, it was odd when we were left to our own devices on Saturday. I didn't feel good (weird weather and residual cold), so hubster went outside to rake up a few leaves . . . nine bags later, the yard is almost ready for the winter season. We've had a few cold snaps, but not all my perennials have died back. One or two more freezing days should take care of them and I'll pull them up. I still need to plant about three flats of pansies, one flat would be used exclusively to replace the bunny eaten ones.
No one is really ready to pull out Christmas stuff, though hubster did put up the outside lights last Wednesday (it was really warm--72 degrees). If we don't do anything else we need to get the Advent calendar out. The kidlet opens a door each night and gets a toy, treat, ornament, etc. Thank goodness, I bought a few things ahead of time, though we have been known to raid her Halloween candy for goodies.
We need to make a Christmas card list, brainstorm Christmas presents (I get a new set of car tires --woohoo! . . . not), and decorate. I usually make filled candy, but right now, I'm wondering if it's worth the trouble. Oh, some people appreciate it--in fact, they've dragged out their tins from last year in hopes I'll make them some--but I doubt if anyone realizes how much money, time, energy, and back breaking work really goes into the process.
I guess this is the downer before the artificial Christmas spirit high. I'll get in the mode, but right now, I'm just glad my family is relatively healthy and happy. Maybe I need to read a few more Christmas books and turn on the iPod to Christmas carols.
And I haven't touched my novel in over ten days. Maybe I need to get it out and reread the last few pages to figure out where I took a wrong turn. Until later . . .
Write on!
12/9/09
Blog Delayed
Sorry--
but today's blog will be delayed. I'm right in the middle of making massive amounts of candy and I want to get it finished! I'm shooting to have a blog about Monthly, Weekly and Daily goals up on Friday!
Thanks for your patience!
Write on! Or in my case--Make Candy!
. . . today's chores: make three kinds of fudge, make six different types of filled candies {(fillings already made) Filling candy molds takes a special kind of patience--trust me}, trimming aforementioned candies and putting in little paper wrappers that LOVE to stick together!
but today's blog will be delayed. I'm right in the middle of making massive amounts of candy and I want to get it finished! I'm shooting to have a blog about Monthly, Weekly and Daily goals up on Friday!
Thanks for your patience!
Write on! Or in my case--Make Candy!
. . . today's chores: make three kinds of fudge, make six different types of filled candies {(fillings already made) Filling candy molds takes a special kind of patience--trust me}, trimming aforementioned candies and putting in little paper wrappers that LOVE to stick together!
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