I am a former science teacher so I know all about the food groups and proper diet but as a chocolate junkie, I have always struggled with the fact that chocolate was put in the fats category. The fat category should be reserved for yucky stuff which chocolate is clearly not! Plus, dark chocolate, my personal favorite has been found to have many health benefits. I don't know which federal agency spent the money to find that out but they could've just asked any woman at a certain time of the month! I'm sure a good piece of dark chocolate has kept me from committing murder both at school and at home!
If you stuggle with your weight and have set your new years resolution to get your eating habits under control this year, I have a few pointers that may help you. Remember, I'm not a doctor, I just used to play one at school! Everyone would bring their medical problems to me. I would cringe when someone would say, 'could you look at this and tell me what you think!' I would always say, see the doctor and tell your parents. I figured I couldn't get sued with that response! I also look at life with a little satirical humor, so don't get bent out of shape here...get in shape! Ha!
1. Do not eat standing up or in the car! We as a society tend to eat on the go, so we don't really taste our food. This quick eating fools our bodies into thinking that we really didn't eat. If you are really hungry, find a table to sit down at and eat.
2. Eat what your body craves. If all you really want is mashed potatoes, don't make fried chicken, corn and hot rolls. Just eat mashed potatoes. Ask a pediatrician, a two year old will eat what their body needs. That's why some days all they eat is corn, the next day meat. Get in touch with your body.
3. When your stomach is growling you are losing weight. I heard that on a talk show years ago and it completely changed my atitude about hunger. Americans think it is a bad thing when our stomachs growl. We rush to fill it with whatever we can find at the moment even if we really don't want it. Wait it out to see what you are really hungry for or eat something that once grew in the garden!
I'll post more tomorrow, I think those three are enough to think about today!
Remember to bless someone today, even if they don't know you did it!
A journal of recipes and ideas to help readers laugh a little at everyday things and realize just how blessed they are!
Showing posts with label chocolate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chocolate. Show all posts
Monday, January 4, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Fantasy Fudge Recipe
Here's the recipe I promised yesterday, the stuff in parenthesis have been added by me! To make fudge that isn't runny, use a candy thermometer. I could never make it well until I started using thermometer because I would get in a hurry and my hand would start hurting from all that stirring!
If you've never used a candy thermometer before, you will clip it onto the inside of the pan. Make sure the bulb is not sitting on the bottom of the pan and when you stir, don't hit the bulb. Identify where the target temperature is located on the temperature scale before you start so you don't go over temperature!
You're going to want a medium sized, heavy bottom sauce pan because as it boils it will move up the pan sides and you don't want to clean this off your stove! Some people butter the sides of the pan to prevent this but I don't.
Fantasy Fudge- makes a 9x13 pan
3 Cups sugar
3/4 Cup butter (use the real stuff, if you're going to make fudge, do it right!)
2/3 Cup evaporated milk (this is not found by the regular milk, it is in a can in the baking aisle)
1 regular bag chocolate chips (if you really want to go all out, use dark chocolate)
1 jar marshmallow cream (the small jar, I believe it is 6 oz)
1 teas. vanilla
1 Cup chopped nuts (I use pecans but you use what you like)
Before you start, move the phone, your glass of iced tea, and anything else you think you'll need for about 10 minutes because you'll be in one spot while stirring for that long. Trust me, I've learned the hard way!
Bring the butter, sugar and milk to a boil. Be sure to stir all the time or the sugar will burn and you'll end up pouring it all out in the trash! Once it begins to boil, keep it at rolling boil (that's a continuous boil) for about five minutes until the candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees fahenheit.
When the proper temperature is reached, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips, marshmallow creme and the nuts if you want them. Continue stirring until all the marshmallow creme and chocolate is melted in the butter mixture.
Pour into a greased pan. If you like really thick slabs of fudge, use a 9X9 pan. I use a 9x13 pan because I like it to be about an inch thick.
After you've poured it all out into the pan, be sure and lick the spoon, spatula and all the utensils clean! You want to make sure the kids are occupied during this time so you get it all to yourself! They will look clean after you're finished but they really do need to be washed through the dishwasher to be sanitized!
Let it cool for about an hour then cut into 1 inch squares putting half of them into a smaller container. The rest put in that cupboard above the fridge so you don't have to share! Never eat the last piece until you have made replacement fudge because in January in Oklahoma you never know when the next ice storm/blizzard will hit and you will be stuck in your house with your entire family for days on end, you will thank me for this piece of advice!
Remember, never eat fudge while standing! It should be savored, allow it to melt partway in your mouth before you chew. It is a slow down moment!
Sometimes the greatest blessing we can receive is when we bless someone else even if they don't know it!
Have a great day!
If you've never used a candy thermometer before, you will clip it onto the inside of the pan. Make sure the bulb is not sitting on the bottom of the pan and when you stir, don't hit the bulb. Identify where the target temperature is located on the temperature scale before you start so you don't go over temperature!
You're going to want a medium sized, heavy bottom sauce pan because as it boils it will move up the pan sides and you don't want to clean this off your stove! Some people butter the sides of the pan to prevent this but I don't.
Fantasy Fudge- makes a 9x13 pan
3 Cups sugar
3/4 Cup butter (use the real stuff, if you're going to make fudge, do it right!)
2/3 Cup evaporated milk (this is not found by the regular milk, it is in a can in the baking aisle)
1 regular bag chocolate chips (if you really want to go all out, use dark chocolate)
1 jar marshmallow cream (the small jar, I believe it is 6 oz)
1 teas. vanilla
1 Cup chopped nuts (I use pecans but you use what you like)
Before you start, move the phone, your glass of iced tea, and anything else you think you'll need for about 10 minutes because you'll be in one spot while stirring for that long. Trust me, I've learned the hard way!
Bring the butter, sugar and milk to a boil. Be sure to stir all the time or the sugar will burn and you'll end up pouring it all out in the trash! Once it begins to boil, keep it at rolling boil (that's a continuous boil) for about five minutes until the candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees fahenheit.
When the proper temperature is reached, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips, marshmallow creme and the nuts if you want them. Continue stirring until all the marshmallow creme and chocolate is melted in the butter mixture.
Pour into a greased pan. If you like really thick slabs of fudge, use a 9X9 pan. I use a 9x13 pan because I like it to be about an inch thick.
After you've poured it all out into the pan, be sure and lick the spoon, spatula and all the utensils clean! You want to make sure the kids are occupied during this time so you get it all to yourself! They will look clean after you're finished but they really do need to be washed through the dishwasher to be sanitized!
Let it cool for about an hour then cut into 1 inch squares putting half of them into a smaller container. The rest put in that cupboard above the fridge so you don't have to share! Never eat the last piece until you have made replacement fudge because in January in Oklahoma you never know when the next ice storm/blizzard will hit and you will be stuck in your house with your entire family for days on end, you will thank me for this piece of advice!
Remember, never eat fudge while standing! It should be savored, allow it to melt partway in your mouth before you chew. It is a slow down moment!
Sometimes the greatest blessing we can receive is when we bless someone else even if they don't know it!
Have a great day!
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