Chocolate

The Gift of Gratitude

Nov 13th, 2012
by Wendy.
No comments yet
Share

by Nicole

Mick Jagger sang it: “You can’t always get what you want.” But it seems you’ll be a lot better off if you want what you’ve got.

I recently read a study that claimed the happiest people aren’t necessarily the richest, thinnest or even most popular. These researchers found that the happiest people are–wait for it–the most grateful. Sure, I thought, if I were happy all the time, I’d be grateful too. But that’s not the case: these folks are happy because they’re grateful. In other words, the gratitude came first and happiness followed. Go figure.

It’s an oddly simple idea, and one I’ve been using on my children for years without even realizing it. Whenever they’re agitating for the newest, better, more expensive toy or gadget, I remind them to take a moment to be grateful for what they have. Of course, the message often goes unheeded, but there’s a nugget of wisdom in there that I can certainly use. (more…)

Sweet Memories

Sep 26th, 2012
by Wendy.
No comments yet
Share

by Nicole

My grandfather adored his chocolate.

Maybe it was growing up near Hershey, Pennsylvania, or perhaps his years of getting by with less during the Depression, but PopPop ate chocolate every chance he got. He loved it all—creamy milk chocolate, with or without nuts; semi-sweet in cookies or straight from the bag; and his absolute favorite, dark chocolate.

Some of my most cherished childhood memories were the nights we’d stay up late with PopPop, watching TV snuggled on the couch in my grandparents’ cozy den. After my grandmother had gone to bed, he’d turn to us kids and say, “Hey, how about some of that candy?” This was code for us to go searching for the goods.

In those days, my grandmother had a habit of buying beautiful boxes of chocolate, waving them under my poor grandfather’s nose then making them disappear. He’d have us dig through cupboards, ransack drawers and rummage through closets until we unearthed her stash. Naturally, we enjoyed our sweet spoils all the more thinking we were getting away with something…but I’m pretty certain my grandmother knew exactly what was going on. After all, she kept buying more chocolate. (more…)

And . . . They’re Off

Apr 16th, 2012
by Wendy.
No comments yet
Share

By Nicole

After three years, two months and 12 days, my eldest is—finally—out of braces. He’s done his time…expander, headgear, top and bottom braces and two rounds of elastics, but his teeth are now absolutely perfect! And it was all worth it. The poor kid inherited every last one of my orthodontic problems, so what could I do? I hauled him to the endless appointments (I lost count at 25) and forked over enough cash to pay for a grand tour of Europe. (Bon voyage, Doc!)

I also nagged him, month in and month out, to brush and floss. Happily for him, he also inherited my strong enamel, and skated through without a single cavity.

As any mom of a kid in braces will tell you, we wage constant war on sticky foods.  As I’ve said before this guy is already a picky eater, so his choices were pretty limited.  Lucky for both of us, he never had to give up one of his favorite snacks: popcorn. Over the years, he’s happily munched it by the bowl…sometimes seasoned with his favorite romano cheese, other times tossed in butter or just straight up plain and yummy. It’s been one of his favorite go-tos that didn’t damage all the hardware or deposit sugar in those hard to reach places. Plus, popcorn is a whole grain food with fiber, which makes it a healthful snack choice for a growing kid. (more…)

A Tasty Tea Party Tradition

Mar 5th, 2012
by Wendy.
1 comment
Share


By Nicole

The other day I went up to the attic to look for a suitcase. While I was moving things around I came upon a stack of boxes delivered to me after my grandmother died last year. We were close and her death was a huge loss for us. Honestly, it’s been difficult to unpack those boxes. But on top of the pile I spied a treasure from my childhood: a pretty little china set that my grandmother used to throw tea parties for my sisters and cousins.

I had almost forgotten.

I’m lucky. I had my grandmother for many years—well into adulthood. She saw me finish college, marry a great guy and have three incredible children. She had time to know my kids, each of them, as individuals. And of course, they adored her.
(more…)

Warming Up with Popcorn

Jan 30th, 2012
by Wendy.
No comments yet
Share

My house is being invaded by hungry snowmen.

I’ve got three rotund figures on my front porch, draped in ice. They’re all snow, head to toe. But instead of carrots and raisins for faces, these guys have features that look suspiciously like my children’s.

It’s been a long afternoon of snow forts, snowball fights and fashioning the perfect snowman, and my kids need a warm up—fast!

As soon as they shed their layers—and an avalanche of slush—all over my front hall, the kids make a beeline for the kitchen. It’s the coziest room in the house, and they know exactly what will be waiting: mugs of hot cocoa and a big bowl of Cinnamon Chocolate Popcorn. (more…)

A Taste of Fall

Oct 3rd, 2011
by Wendy.
3 comments
Share

Pumpkin Pie Spice Popcorn Bark

How did it get to be October so fast? The fall season definitely sneaked up on me this year. Look around. The unmistakable trademarks of fall are suddenly everywhere. The temperature is shifting, the leaves are changing, and the sound of school buses punctuate the morning air. Soon I’ll be seeing pumpkins on the neighborhood stoops and that will no doubt be followed by other fun fall decorations—gourds, ghouls and goblins galore.

The enticing aromas of fall are also unmistakable. Apple cider, gingerbread cookies and pumpkin pie all get their flavor and fragrance from what are commonly referred to as “warm spices.” Warm spices are known for their strong and fragrant aromas and include cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom. Blends of these spices are mixed together and sold as pumpkin pie spice, gingerbread spice and garam masala. Spice blends are less expensive than buying the spices individually, and I always keep them on hand. (more…)