Universal Florida Rides -- Universal Studios

Today, I'll explore the other Universal Park --Universal Studios Florida

This is the entrance to the second park.

Here's the map.

 

I tried to find a nice current map from Google, but was unable to find one. So this is just a camera shot from the map I picked up this last summer. Sorry about the folds and glare, but at least it's the most current map.

 

Okay, the entrance is at the bottom left corner of the map, and through the large arches pictured above. 

 

As in the other park, the map is broken down into sections, but I'll simply work my way, clockwise, around the map. This park has tons of shows that we never bothered to see. I'll post them on the list, but if they aren't rides, they don't exist.

 

Just kidding. They exist, but we don't bother with them.

 

Many of the show attractions have Express Passes, which allow a ratio of so many express pass holders versus standby. The more crowded it is, the worse the ratio is for the standby patron. Many times even with the Express Pass, it would take 30 minutes before we even got to the door to get into the queue.  

 

Disclaimer: I am simply trying to give the blog reader an idea of what to expect from these various rides. If you have a health issue--I am not a doctor, nor do I play one here on this blog--please follow your physician's advice and use your best judgment

 

PRODUCTION CENTRAL

 

Despicable Me Minion Mayhem -- Express pass -- DO NOT MISS This 3-D ride is too much fun. This space used to house the Jimmy Neutron ride, the benches are the same, but the story is different. There are about 4 rows of benches with 4 sections that seat 4-6 people per section. There are also seats at the very front that do not move with the action if you have health issues.

Shrek 4-D -- Express pass -- This is an auditorium sort of seating, with the action happening with each seat. There are stable seats in the front, just ask an employee.

Hollywood Rip Ride RockIt! -- Express pass -- Singles line -- Must put loose articles in lockers. This ride looks far worse than it is. The idea of going straight up and then straight down is terrifying, but it isn't that bad. I will mention that I did feel like I would slip out of the lap bar when it was heading straight up. Don't forget to choose your music!  It's a long coaster ride, but it's broken up into a couple of different sections--which gives you a 'breather' before the next drop. 2013 was the first year they had the Express Pass line open, and it went fairly smoothly. In the past, we would just hit the singles line and meet up at the picture/video area after the ride.

TRANSFORMERS: The Ride--3-D -- Express pass -- DO NOT MISS! Use your pass if you have one or go during early admission. We rode this ride three times before the park 'officially' opened. 3-D with a little 4-D water sprinkling you. Each car seats eight, four in front, four in back. Front is the best! The cars spin, jerk and careen in various patterns according to what is on the 3-D screen. The front has the best view, but it doesn't have any neck support. The back seat has better support. You can brace yourself against the seat, but if you've never ridden it you can't anticipate the direction it will go next.

NEW YORK

 

Twister...Ride it out -- Express pass -- We did this one a few years ago. Nope. Got nothing. I can't remember much about it. I think you stand while stuff happens in front of you, and you will get a little wet . . . but don't quote me.

Revenge of the Mummy -- Express pass -- Singles line -- Must put loose articles in lockers. DO NOT MISS. If you can go through the regular line, without waiting for forever, do it. Some of the pre-ride stuff is fun to see. This is a rollercoaster. Forwards, and backwards, with fire, scarabs and an evil mummies. This has some jerking, like most rollercoasters, but it does have a good lap bar and neck support. The lap bar was super tight, so if you over tighten it, it will get tighter as you ride the ride.  

The Blues Brother's show -- Never saw it. Street show

Delancey Street Preview Center -- Never saw it Review and rate shows under consideration

 

SAN FRANCISCO

 

Beetlejuice's Gravyard Revue -- Express pass -- Never saw it. The map calls it a Rock-n-Roll spooktacular.

Disaster! -- Express pass -- Saw this one a long time ago. I can't remember much about it. I think it's a tram ride similar to the one at Disney Studios.

 

As you walk from Disaster around the lake to MIB, there is a wall on your left. This section will eventually connect to Islands of Adventure, via the Hogwarts express train , to Universal Studios park. What the station theme will be in this park is anyone's guess.

 

WORLD EXPO

 

Fear Factor Live -- Express pass -- Never saw it

Men in Black Alien Attack -- Express pass -- Singles line -- Must put loose articles in lockers. MIB training. Cars seat three in front, three behind. You shoot at aliens and earn up points. The cars spin and move. This can be rough on you if you do have a bad neck or back, even with the high seat backs.

The Simpson's Ride -- Express pass -- DO NOT MISS. You will be directed to a holding room for eight people to watch the pre-ride show. Eight people per car, four in front, four in back. You place your loose belongings on the floor next to the walls as the car rises up into the air. All around you is a movie screen as you experience the Simpson's Ride.

*Kang & Kodos' Twirl 'n' Hurl -- coming soon! It looks like an octopus ride, with cars that spin on the end of the tentacles.

 

This whole section between The Simpson's Ride and the Animal Actor's is now Simpson themed. There's Moe's Tavern, Duff brewery, Taco's from Bumblebee Man, Lard Lad donuts, etc. Spend some time and enjoy!

 

WOODY WOODPECKER KIDZONE-- IMO: this entire section needs overhauling. Very few people go here and it's outdated.

 

Animal Actors on Location -- Express pass -- Never saw it

A Day in the Park with Barney -- Express pass -- Never saw it

Curious George Goes to Town -- Never saw it

Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster -- Express pass -- kiddie coaster, never rode it.

Fievel's Playland -- Never saw it

E.T. Adventure -- Express pass -- Ride your bicycle to save ET and see his home planet. Cute, if you saw the movie, but your kids/grandkiddos won't get the references.

 

Don't miss the Party Zone-- at the end of the lake, the road splits with the left taking you to Terminator and the right taking you to Transformers. Throughout the day, there are short shows in this Party Zone. We've always managed to see the Despicable Me characters, but there's also HOP, SpongeBob, and Dora & Diego.  

 

HOLLYWOOD

 

Universal Orlando's Horror Make-Up Show -- Express pass --  Never saw it Sounds interesting though since I've been watching Face Off on the ScyFy channel.

Terminator 2 :3-D -- Express pass -- Part movie, part show, action moves through the audience. Set show times. It's good, but if you have other things to do, then don't waste your time.

Lucy - A Tribute -- Never saw it

Studio Brass Band -- Never saw it Street show

 

And that's it for today's blog!

 

I'll work on the Disney Parks next!

 

Later, Peeps!

Weighty Wednesday -- Finding the STOP button

When I went on vacation at the end of July, my weight loss efforts went on vacation, too. . . for over six weeks.

Oh, I've been tracking, and measuring, and eating all my foods on my healthy guidelines for the last few weeks, but I couldn't figure out what was wrong.

It wasn't until this last Saturday at lunch that I figured it out.

Stock Photo

Copyright : amasterpics123 

I had lost my STOP button.

In fact, I was about to go all crazy person on my hubs when he offered to finish my gyro and I 'growled' at him. Three small bites later, I handed him a piece with two large bites left containing tons of meat. . . .

And had this revelation.

I think Americans have been trained to stop eating when they feel full. Well, the problem is that your brain waves are a little behind the times when they signal you that you are full and you end up in the 'feeling stuffed like the Thanksgiving turkey' full.

I know I've mentioned this before, but it's okay to leave food on your plate. Don't force yourself to finish eating it because there are starving children in ______ (fill in the blank). There will always be starving children somewhere and your food waste isn't going to feed them.

When I'm eating all my healthy guideline foods, I tend to have lots of WW points left at the end of the day, but when I'm not eating my healthy guideline foods, I use up my WW points around noon. The healthy guidelines are basically drinking 6 glasses of WATER, eating 2 servings of fat free dairy, 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, and lean protein. In other words, refined carbs such as sugar and flour products tend to use up your daily WW points.

In my WW weekly, I was reading a small blurb by the guy who does the fitness part of the pamphlet. It was quite enlightening. He had commented that on his tracker, he had gone over on his daily points a couple of days the previous week. When he started investigating as to why, he realized he'd been eating a muffin instead of the potato chips he really wanted.

Here's the enlightening part:

The muffin cost him 16 WW points, whereas if he had eaten the potato chips he would have only used 4 WW points!

Proving that you need to use your point calculator and not assume that one food is automatically less than another product.

You know about assuming things, right?

You make an ASS out of U and ME = ASSUME

Just something to think about.

Later, Peeps!

Universal Florida Rides -- Islands of Adventure

Islands of Adventure

FYI: This park contains the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

If you are coming from the Universal parking garage and through City Walk, this is the first park you will see as you walk straight to the gates. If you are arriving via water taxi, you will have to go to your right and around the lagoon to get to the gate.

Disclaimer: I am simply trying to give the blog reader an idea of what to expect from these various rides. If you have a health issue--I am not a doctor, nor do I play one here on this blog--please follow your physician's advice and use your best judgment.

To refresh your memory, here is a copy of the map. The entrance is at the bottom of the map, and I'll start my ride tour with Marvel's Super Hero Island and move about the map in a clockwise manner.

MARVEL SUPER HERO ISLAND

The Incredible Hulk Coaster -- Express pass -- High speed coaster, once the cars leave the boarding area, it will shoot onto the track. Shoulder harness-type security and you can brace your feet against the flooring. Loose articles will fly away unless secured. This coaster has some serious G's as I have blacked out more than once on this ride, but only for a second or two. Loops, corkscrews and high drops.
Storm Force Accelarton -- Express Pass -- think Disney's spinning Teacups as each pod rotates while the entire floor rotates. The faster your child turns the wheel, the faster you go. Those with weak stomachs are advised to sit this one out.
Doctor Doom's Fearfall -- Express Pass -- Even with the Express Pass, you can wait upwards of 30 minutes for this ride. It's a fun dropping type of ride. Actually, it's the anticipation that gets you before it shoots you into the sky. The view is wonderful. Though it drops you a couple of times, it isn't that bad.
The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman-- Express Pass -- Use your pass if you have one. 3-D with a little 4-D water sprinkling you. Each car seats eight, four in front, four in back. Front is the best! The cars spin, jerk and careen in various patterns according to what is on the 3-D screen. The front has the best view, but it doesn't have any neck support. The back seat has better support. You can brace yourself against the seat, but if you've never ridden it you can't anticipate the direction it will go next.

TOON LAGOON

Me Ship, The Olive -- interactive play area. You can squirt water at the people on the Bilge-Rat Barges. Hubs and kidlet played here. I sat and waited.
Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges -- Express Pass -- I would call this a basic round raft ride, but there's nothing basic about it. Waterfalls, rapids, and drops are just a few surprises you will get in this river raft. YOU WILL GET SOAKED. Pack extra clothes accordingly. Near this ride, there are 'dryers' to dry you--for a price, of course. If the janitorial service catches you trying to dry off in the bathrooms, they will kick you out of the bathroom. Yeah, been there done that.
Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls -- Express Pass --YOU WILL GET SOAKED. Pack extra clothes accordingly. This was one of the best water flume rides I have ever been on! It's big drop is sizeable, which makes it extra fun!

JURASSIC PARK

Pteronodon Flyers -- this is really a kiddie ride. Each flyer seats two. If you are taller than 56", you will need to be accompanied by a kid. It was okay, not worth the long wait in line.
Camp Jurassic -- large playground. If you let your kids loose in there, either go with them or make certain they know where to meet you. It's confusing and easy to get lost  as there are different exits.
Jurassic Park River Adventure -- Express Pass -- water raft ride through Jurassic Park . . . .and escaped dinosaurs. One big drop at the end. You will get wet, but not necessarily soaked like the rides in Toon Lagoon. It was an okay ride. The problem is that many of these rubber rafts tend to leave you smelling 'sour'. Many times, we'll give a ride like this a miss just so we don't smell sour all day. If you've never ridden it, then ride it, but be prepared for the stink.
Jurassic Park Discovery Center -- Interactive play area. Universal is trying to 'teach' park patrons. We don't want to be taught, we want rides to ride! Though we did 'grow' our own dinosaur once. There is NEVER a line unless it's from people escaping the Florida heat.

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey -- before entering this ride, you MUST put all loose articles, bags, etc. into a free locker. Though there isn't an Express Pass for this ride, there is a single rider queue (hidden unless you know where to look!) If you are staying onsite at a hotel, use the early entry time to blow through parts of this line. You must stand in line to ride this ride at least once! The standby queue takes you through Hogwarts: Professor's Sprout's classroom, Dumbledore's office, Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and various other corners of Hogwarts. You see status of the founders, the House points counter, various talking pictures, etc. When you use the single rider path, you miss the best part of the castle! The ride itself seats four across, with a shoulder harness to keep you in place. Keep it snug! The ride takes you through a visual journey, where you experience flying, dragons, and the dark forest. Though the car rotates forward, backward, and side to side, you are strapped in pretty well. It is a dark ride and might scare some riders who have not seen any of the first four movies. A DO NOT MISS RIDE!
The singles rider line is to the left, through an open door and up about 3 or 4 stairs. It is almost directly across from the doorway leading from the lockers. If you pass a cast member, you have gone too far.
Flight of the Hippogriff -- Express Pass -- Kiddie rollercoaster that takes you to Hagrid's home and by the Hippogriff nest. Only way to see inside the hippogriff nest is to ride the ride.
Frog Choir -- in a courtyard on the way to the Harry Potter Ride--check times for show
Triwizard Spirit Rally -- in a courtyard on the way to the Harry Potter Ride--check times for show
Ollivander's Wand Shop -- though this isn't on the list of attractions, it is a not-to-be-missed show. The line forms quickly since only a limited number of people can be allowed into the shop for each show. A kid is picked out of the audience to portray Harry Potter. Of course, it exits out into the gift shop. :-)
Honeydukes -- Mmmm candy . . .
Three Broomsticks and Hog's Head Pub -- The Three Broomsticks serves breakfast and lunch--pretty much all day. It's an experience just to sit in the main room and look around. If you want to look around, be prepared to eat as they won't let you inside without ordering food. Hog's Head Pub is adjacent to the Three Broomsticks, but there isn't much seating since the restaurant "reserves" numerous tables. I don't like this practice AT ALL! The Pub offers non-alcoholic beverages, including butterbeer along with real beer--which is pretty tasty.
Dragon Challenge -- Express Pass -- formerly known as Dueling Dragons. Shoulder harness, dangling feet, each row seats four. The rollercoasters haven't changed, but the path to the ride has been embellished with Harry Potter stuff, namely the flying car. There's either the red or blue dragon to ride. Both rides are different. They used to send them off in tandem, so you criss-cross with the other coaster, but the last two years, they didn't time them. Normally, we like to ride in the back of the coaster, because it feels faster, BUT the front row of this ride is pretty cool! It has enough speed that you don't feel like you're waiting for the rest of the cars to catch up before you start. And with no track below your feet, it's totally fun!

THE LOST CONTINENT

The Eight Voyage of Sindbad Stunt Show -- Express Pass -- check times for the show. We haven't watched this in years, but I seem to remember a lot of standing, which didn't do my back any favors.
The Mystic Fountain -- squirts the clueless . . . or children.
Poseidon's Fury -- Express Pass -- guided tour. Tell you the truth, we never did this attraction. If we did, it was forgettable.

I hate to say it, but this area is dying just like the Jurassic Park section. They need to come up with a big ride to rejuvenate it. There is a restaurant called, Mythos, but we've never eaten there.

SEUSS LANDING

The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride --Express Pass -- Four seats per car, two front, two back. Sort of tight due to it being a kiddy ride. It's fun to do since it takes you above the walkways, but if there is a long wait you can skip it without missing anything
Caro-Seuss-el -- Express Pass -- merry-go-round. 'nuff said.
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish -- Express Pass -- wet interactive play area. We started to do this one, but as soon as we got squirted, we quit not in the mood to get wet. Probably lots of fun for the little tykes. Bring extra clothes.
The Cat in The Hat -- Express Pass -- ride the couch car through the story. This one was killer on my neck with all the spins, jerking and other stuff. There's a lap bar, but that's it. And since it's a couch, there is no upper back support. Fun, but painful.
If I Ran the Zoo -- interactive playground.

And that's it for today. I'll put together the rides from the Universal Studios park on Thursday!

Later, Peeps!

Universal Florida Wrap-Up

Yes, I know I promised to post this blog last month, but life, school, and Canada have managed to get in the way.

I might be repeating some things, but sometimes the information bears repeating.

Stay on property. -- I know these hotels are very expensive, easily triple the amount you would pay at an off site hotel, but currently, you have a couple of advantages:

• Express Pass -- This is VERY advantageous during the busy times of the year, namely when school is out of session, forcing parents to take their kiddos on vacation during peak holiday season. If you go during peak season, these passes are so worth it. Many of the large rides will have wait times of 60-120 minutes, while the Express Pass will dramatically shorten the wait time as you will be prioritized before any of the standby patrons. The price of the Express Pass varies depending on the typical attendance need.
•   Very busy holiday season = very costly Express Pass. During peak season, it could cost upwards of $120 per person for a 2-park unlimited Express Pass, multiply that by the members of your party. . . let's say 3 = $360 you would pay ON TOP OF YOUR PARK ADMISSION. Whereas, if you stay at one of the three big onsite properties, paying around $400-500/room, but you have FREE Express Passes, then it's a better overall deal than staying off site at a cheaper hotel where you have to pay for the Express Pass plus parking!
• Now, the Express Pass won't get you into every show or on every ride, but it does work for the majority of the attractions, with the exception of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Ollivander's Wand Shop Show. BUT this brings me to my next advantage,
• Early Entry -- Yep, if you stay in the on site hotels you are given early entry into both theme parks. The parks vary as to the days they open early. During peak season, both parks opened early on the weekend, but one or the other on the weekdays. Plan accordingly.
• The reason you want the early entry is to get into line for Harry Potter or Ollivander's. . . or in the case of a new ride, for example: TRANSFORMERS. True, you are fighting everyone else for a place in line, but no matter how many people there are, you still beat the hideous crowds during the middle of the day waiting in a two hour line.
• Marking off the Harry Potter section of the map before the rush at 10 AM is wonderful for those of us who hate crowds. You can also make a reservation for breakfast at the Three Broomsticks, but I would advise you to ride the ride first, simply because eating first will put you right back into the crowded lines.
• Transportation to the parks --There are boats that take you back and forth to City Walk, which is on the opposite side of the lagoon from the theme parks. Again you have to hoof it about 5 minutes to even get to the park gate. The Hard Rock Hotel is the closest hotel to the parks, so if you want to walk, stay there. Though we did walk from the Portofino Bay hotel, and it wasn't that bad of a walk-- 15 minutes winding through some gorgeous gardens -- BUT you need to take into account that you will be walking and standing much of the day. If you aren't in very good health or shape, then you might want to take the boat. They also have rickshaw bikes. The peddlers work for tips, so be generous, especially if you pack the rickshaw full of people.
• Soft Openings -- Many times if you get to the gate 15 minutes prior to the park opening, you will be let in. BUT that is simply to allow you to walk to the attraction you want to ride. The rides will not start until the true park opening.

Health Warnings (this goes for the Disney Parks, too):

This is the warning sign for the Harry Potter ride

• Virtually every single ride will post some sort of health warnings. If you are . . . blah, blah, blah, . . . do not ride this ride. This sort of statement is used to 'legally' cover themselves. Since I'm not a lawyer, I do not know if these warnings really work. Probably, if you, with various health issues, knowingly go on a ride that states it can cause X, and you ride it, resulting in X issues, then you are a moron. Whether or not you can collect money from your injuries is unknown.
• I could probably be considered a moron because I knowingly rode many, many rides that stated do not ride this ride if you have neck or back issues.
• BUT in my defense, I had previously ridden all the rides--other than TRANSFORMERS--many, many times in the past 10 years.
•  I knew what to expect from each ride.
• Respect the signs. If you are unsure, then ask a trusted loved one to ride the ride and report back to you, or ask a cast member. Sometimes they can help you decide simply by stating if it is or isn't like another ride you've already ridden. For example: Spiderman is very similar to Transformers, which is similar to The Simpsons in terms of ride car and movement.
• Some of the rides have an intense G-force, while other rides will jerk the car you are riding around. Some rides have lap bars--causing issues with pregnant or obese people, while other rides have shoulder bars, which prevents obese or those who are too short to ride.
• Since I had neck issues, I made sure that I made a point to keep my head against the back of the ride for support, literally pushing myself back into the seat. It kept my head from bobbling around.
• Believe it or not, the rollercoasters were the least of my worries. Rollercoasters have high backs for support, and they push you back into the seats.
• The worst ride for me at UF, with my neck issue, was The Cat in the Hat. You got it. A kiddie ride hurt my neck more than any other ride.

Tomorrow, I'll break down the rides.

Later, Peeps

Foodie Friday -- Dark Chocolate Whiskey Caramels

First, I want to let y'all know that I'm working on my Universal Florida/Disney World wrap-up. I thought I could get the Universal one written and posted yesterday, but there is simply too much information. I'll be working on it this weekend and will start posting the blogs on Monday.


That said, I've also been making caramel . . . and receiving various "I hate you!" comments on Facebook when I post my innocuous comments like:

Mmmmm . . . making Dark Chocolate Whiskey caramels . . . with sea salt . . .

How is it my fault that everyone starts drooling?

Originally, I found this recipe on Epicurious.com, but as y'all know me, I made a few changes. Most of the time I like to look at recipes for the 'backbone' ingredients and then I mess with it.

Dark Chocolate Whiskey Caramels with Sea Salt

2 cups heavy cream
11 oz. bitter- or semi-sweet chocolate (I used a mixture of Ghiradelli and Nestles morsels)
1 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey (corn syrup)
1/4 cup Devil's Cut whiskey (water)
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbls. butter, cut into cubes
Flaky sea salt

Press parchment into 8-inch square pan, folding excess in the corners. Spray with cooking spray, set aside.

In small saucepan (2 quart size), heat cream until simmering, turn off and add chopped chocolate. Let stand a minute for the chocolate to melt, then stir to incorporate.

In a very large saucepan (4 quart), bring sugar, honey, whiskey, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat until the mixture reaches 255 degrees on a candy thermometer, or until it becomes a nice golden brown, stirring occasionally to incorporate the sugar on the sides of the pan, about 15 minutes.

 Slowly add the chocolate/cream mixture to the caramelized sugar, mixture will bubble vigorously. Cook, and stir often until mixture reaches 255 degrees on a candy thermometer (15-30 minutes). Add butter, stir until melted. Pour into prepared pan.

After cooling 10 minutes, sprinkle sea salt on surface. Allow to cool until solid, 4-6 hours.

Tips & Tricks:

• You can use corn syrup instead of honey, actually corn syrup was called for in the recipe.  I prefer honey because it adds an additional level of flavor to the end product
• I used the whiskey instead of the water. I don't think there was much of an enhancement, so I might double the whiskey next time. The excess liquid will evaporate leaving more of a flavor punch
• I followed the two pan method the first time I cooked this recipe, but I want to make it using only one pan. I'll have to let you know how it goes.
• I probably won't use the Nestles morsels again. They didn't really melt into the cream and it wasn't until the temperature became really hot did they actually melt. Something about the way Nestles' processes them to keep their integrity while baking in cookies.
• Of course, they suggest 'fine-quality', but we all know that's hokum. You don't have to spend a ton of money just to make caramel! I happen to have the Ghirardelli for my fillings, but try Baker's chocolate or another comparable product.
• I did use parchment paper in my 8-inch square pan, but you can use foil. Try to get a heavier gauge of foil as it makes peeling it off the caramel easier.
• No matter what you use to line your pan--butter it or spray it with PAM or something of this kind to make it easier to remove.
• I 'know' how other recipes tell you to use a wet pastry brush to brush down the sides of the pan, or do not scrape--THIS IS CRAP! You do NOT have to do this if you stir to incorporate the sugar that forms on the sides as you heat the mixture. I always scrape down the sides as I cook and I haven't had a crystallization problem yet. You just have to keep doing it throughout the cooking process.
• When bringing the caramel up to temperature, the texture will change from loose open bubbles to lava burping. Keep stirring to keep it from burning.
• Be careful: Caramel at this stage is like napalm when it hits your skin--it will attach and keep burning. If you get spattered by caramel, place under cold water to melt the sugar off. Do not try to 'peel' the caramel from your skin . . . been there, done that!
• I just used my salt grinder, which has sea salt in it, to evenly add a little salt to the top of the candy
• I tend to make my caramels and then freeze them until I'm ready to dip them. So, 1) remove from pan, 2) sample a small corner as you 'square' it up, 3) if the texture is right--firm, but still chewy, then tightly wrap in plastic and place in freezer bag, 4) place in freezer. When you are ready to make the candy, thaw overnight on counter.

Enjoy!

Later, Peeps!

Weighty Wednesday -- Recommit

I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that I've managed to gain ten pounds since right before I went on vacation--IN JULY!

It's true.

But I hope this is 'new' fat and not 'permanent' fat. A couple of the ladies in my WW meeting yesterday coined this term. One tends to shed 'new' fat more quickly than the permanent kind.

What is 'new' fat?

The overindulgence of a weekend, or an event, in other words, a recent acquisition.

Whereas permanent fat has had a chance to get comfy and make itself at home.

Yeah, I think that's the type of fat I've managed to acquire.

I might have gained the ten pounds in the last eight weeks, but I've actually been fighting my pissy attitude since last Christmas.

Remember last week's blog, Weighty Wednesday -- Believe?

Well, I believed I didn't need to follow the program.

I believed I could do it on my own.

I believed I knew all the 'tricks'.

I believe I'm an idiot.

Look, I'm just like you, talking the talk, but not walking the walk.

Just because I made it to my goal and manage to stay there for awhile doesn't mean this journey is over.

It will never be 'over'.

Well, it's time I recommit to my health.

I don't like the way my stomach feels when I sit and the fat rolls over the other fat rolls to warm them up.

I don't like the way my shorts fit with the pockets of the flat front shorts poke out from under my shirt.

I don't like the way I look naked in front of a mirror.

If I don't like myself, why would anyone else like me? Right?

To that effect, I'm recommitting to my journey, my weight-loss journey.

I'm measuring, weighing, and tracking my food.

I don't expect to be back at goal weight by next week, but I DO expect to feel better and regain my positive attitude.

Are you willing to join me?

It really isn't that hard.

It jus takes a little commitment and hard work.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Later, Peeps!

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!