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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MakeItAMovieNight #CollectiveBias
Mr. L&C and I don’t get to the movies often, now that we have a toddler. We love having fun movie nights at home after she goes to bed. I love creating a theme around our movies, and Hotel Transylvania 2 was the perfect time to create some fun concession-style treats with a twist.
I love all types of popcorn, especially the sweet-salty combination, and chocolate covered popcorn is always a welcome treat. Mr. L&C and I like different kinds of chocolate and candies, so I customized our bark. I spread M&M’S® Chocolate Candies over all the chocolate, and sprinkled unsweetened coconut flakes on his portion. Mine was a bit more colorful, with sprinkles and candy eyes. It was boo-tiful! (see what I did there?)
Coca-Cola is always part of our movie nights out, so I grabbed a 6-pack from Walmart, while I was gathering the rest of the ingredients for our monster munchies! Coca-Cola Floats, Coca-cola Cupcakes, and even Coca-Cola Pulled Pork are also fun ways to incorporate your favorite drink for a movie night in!
Grab your own copy of Hotel Transylvania 2 for a fun date night and you can get a $10 movie code by email (While supplies last. Limit 1 per person). Here’s how:
Buy all four of the following participating products in 1 transaction between now and 2/2/2016.
– Hotel Transylvania 2
– Orville Redenbacher Popcorn
– Milk Chocolate and Peanut M&M’S® Chocolate Candies and
– A Coca-Cola 6-pack
Snap a picture of your receipt and visit uploadreceipt.com/movienight to submit your receipt by 2/9/2016.
I have never made pignoli and now I can cross them off my baking bucket list. Do you have one of those? A list of things you want to cook or bake? I have a huge list and love crossing off items, like these pignoli.
Most of the recipes I have encountered use almond paste as the main ingredient. I love using pine nuts in savory recipes, like pesto and hummus. Cookies with pine nuts are so delicious and have such a great flavor. I opted to dust it with powdered sugar, because it not only looks beautiful, but gives it an extra little sweetness.
There is a very well known Italian bakery that doesn’t use almond paste, and I eventually want to try their recipe soon. For now, I baked this version and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
By adapted from TasteofHome.com
Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!
As a new year begins, people are starting fresh after a holiday season filled with family and fun. A lot of folks also choose to give back during the holiday season. Whether you volunteer, donate food, time or money, every little bit is worth it.
The Foundation sends care packages to caregivers all across the country, they sponsor “Stay Glam” nights at salons welcoming loved ones in for a night of pampering, and their greatest accomplishment is giving grants to caregivers who are forced to leave their jobs to care for a sick loved one.
A caregiver can be a spouse, parent, brother or sister who is caring or has cared for someone who is struggling with a long term illness. Their goal isn’t to cure cancer, but instead to give hope and a little boost to the people who need it the most.
The Cocktails & Chemo Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations, not just monetary, are always helpful and you can find out how to help here. There is also a great option to donate through Amazon Smiles. Simply go to Smile.Amazon.com and choose Cocktails and Chemo Foundation. A portion of your Amazon purchase, at no additional cost to you, will be donated to the Foundation.
Most people would think of yeast when it comes to cake. Hopefully this cake will change your mind. It is absolutely delicious, and you get a lot of rum! Baba au Rhums are usually made in individual servings, but I decided to make it as my bundt cake this month. Don’t forget to enter in my Red Star Yeast Bread-Baking Giveaway at the end of the post. There are some awesome goodies in the prize package!
Sometimes fruit is added, like currants or rum-soaked raisins. I decided to not add fruit, but instead add vanilla bean paste. Vanilla is one of my favorite flavors and I loved the addition of it in this cake. Seeing all the little flecks of vanilla seeds makes it extra special. Vanilla also pairs great with rum. I used the darkest rum I had, which I think makes all the difference.
When making the syrup, you might think it is too much, but believe me, the cake will soak it up. You can use less syrup if you want, because the rum in this cake definitely gives it a kick. It was quite fun making a yeast cake as opposed to a cake with regular leavening agents. After the first rise, the cake was about halfway up my pan. When I checked on it after the second rise I was so happy because the cake was all the way to the top. It really is fun working with yeast and watching it happen right before your eyes.
Baba au Rhum
Slightly adapted from Red Star Yeast
Click here for a printable recipe
Baba au Rhum Ingredients:
– 3 cups Unbleached Bread Flour
– 2 packets Active Dry Yeast, about 4 & 1/2 teaspoons
– 1/4 cup Water
– 1/2 cup Milk
– 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
– 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon Salt
– 4 large Eggs
– 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
– 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
– 1 cup Dark Rum
– 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
– 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Baba au Rhum Directions:
1. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 1 & 3/4 cups of the Flour and all of the Yeast, and blend briefly to incorporate.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the Water, Milk, Butter, first measure of Sugar and Salt, while continuously stirring, to 120F-130F. The temperature is important so as not to kill the yeast. Please make sure you have a working and calibrated thermometer.
3. Pour the liquid into the flour, then add the 4 Eggs. Mix on low for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides, then mix on high for 3 minutes. Add in the remaining flour and mix on low to combine.
4. Take out the paddle and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it rise about 30-45 minutes or until it has doubled in volume.
5. Use baking spray to grease the insides of a bundt pan. Once the cake has doubled, pour it into the bundt pan, spreading it out evenly, and covering with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with baking spray. Let it rise a second time for about 30-45 minutes or until it has doubles once again in volume.
6. Near the end of the second rise, heat the oven to 350 degrees. One thing to note, make sure you use the lowest rack in your oven so the top of the cake does not burn. Bake the cake for 25-35 minutes or until it is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. If you need to, you can cover the top with foil after 20 minutes of baking if it starts to brown too much.
7. During the last few minutes of baking, make the rum simple syrup. In a small saucepan, heat the Rum and Sugar until the sugar completely dissolves, stirring frequently. Pour the syrup into a measuring cup with a spout then add the Vanilla Extract and stir.
8. Poke the bottom of the cake with a skewer, then turn the cake out onto a stand or plate and pike the entire top and sides of the cake also with a skewer. Very slowly, pour the rum syrup over the cake, making sure it soaks in. If the syrup pools, let the cake soak it up before serving.
Don’t forget to check out all of the wonderful Boozy Bundt Cakes this month!
Interested in learning more about us?? #BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the BundtBaker home page here.
If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com. If you are just a lover of Bundt baking, you can find all of our recipe links by clicking our badge above or on our group Pinterest board.
Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!
Tickets for the event can be purchased HERE. Please be sure to get them as soon as possible, if you’d like to attend, because they sell out every year.
Sponsored by Park Square Homes and Dr. Phillips Hospital, the event is Sunday, November 8th from 1:00 pm-4:00 pm at the Dellagio Town Center. Tickets include food, wine, and beer, as well as entry into the silent auction with amazing items to bid on, including gift certificates, hotel stays and theme park admissions. This year’s wine sponsor is Cooper’s Hawk and Orlando Brewing is sponsoring the beer at this year’s event.
The list of 20 local restaurants is amazing. Bravo Cucina Italiana, Rocco’s Tacos, Morton’s The Steakhouse, Maggiano’s, Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion, Vines Grill and Wine Bar, Dragonfly Sushi, Ocean Prime, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, Pammie’s Sammies, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, Stefano’s Grill, Whole Foods, Bone Fish, The Whiskey, Dexter’s, Peperoncino Cucina, Big Fin Seafood Kitchen, Fusion 360 Grill & Bar, and The Melting Pot will all be showcasing their delicious creations.
100% of all funds raised from the Taste of Dr. Phillips goes back to the community for the following charities or organizations: A Gift for Teaching, Adopt a Precinct, Arnold Palmer Gold Invitational Tournament, Josh the Otter, Christmas for the Kids, Dr. Phillips High School Projects & Programs, Four Way Test Essay Contest, Give Kids the World, Dr. Phillips Library Author Series, Salvation Army Bell Ringing, YMCA of Dr. Phillips, Wine and Dine on the 9 (API), Birdies BBQ & U (API), and Dr. Phillips Little League.
Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!
Disclaimer: I am being provided 2 media tickets in exchange for covering and promoting the event. Photographs from ATasteofDrPhillips.com. This event is for guests 21 years of age or older. Please remember to bring a government issued ID with you to enter this event.
Ice cream and I had a love-hate relationship for a while. During middle school I became lactose-intolerant. I loved ice cream, and dairy in general, but couldn’t eat it. I knew it would make me sick, but ate it anyway. When I became pregnant with #ToddlerLnC, I craved ice cream and frozen yogurt through all nine months. I gave in to my cravings, didn’t get sick, and was able to actually enjoy ice cream after so many years. After #ToddlerLnC was born, I was worried that I would need to give it up again, but somehow my body changed and I can eat it all again. I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am that I can have a Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Float and not worry about the consequences after.
Be sure to check out this list for the next store demo on June 20th, where you can sample some Blue Bunny ice cream too. At home after the demo, I let her try some of my Blue Bunny Mini Swirls Ice Cream Cone and she loved licking the ice cream. They are the perfect little treats for me to share with her.
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #AvengersUnite #CollectiveBias
I wasn’t a big comic book fan growing up, and it wasn’t until Mr. L&C, my then boyfriend, got me hooked on all things MARVEL. He worked at a comic book store, regularly read comics and we shared our love of the MARVEL movies: Iron Man 1, 2 & 3, Thor & Thor: The Dark World, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America: The First Avenger & Captain America: The Winter Soldier and The Avengers.
To celebrate the upcoming movie, I hosted a MARVEL’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron party and was able to purchase my party items at Walmart. My friends and I are kids at heart, so they definitely loved dressing up in the MARVEL masks and accessories.
Don’t forget to check out Super Heroes Assemble which is available in the iTunes and Google Play store! With Super Heroes Assemble, turn your phone into a portal to exclusive Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron content. Keep up to date with the latest movie and behind-the-scenes action. Plus, scan Avengers displays at Walmart and Walmart.com to become your favorite Avenger, explore a Hulkbuster training facility in a cool 360 degree interactive space and to bring Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron characters to life with augmented reality.
Even Baby L&C, who wore the Hulk’s signature colors, got in on the fun and loved playing with Thor’s Hammer. Mr. L&C dressed like Captain America, and I wore Iron Man’s signature red and golden yellow colors.
I wanted to create something original for my party and thought a fun backdrop would be great. Mr. L&C and I created a color-blocked wall featuring the MARVEL heroes. We used their signature colors, logos, emblems and pictures and it turned out awesome!
The squares are 12×12 scrapbook paper that I attached print-outs to with double-sided tape. Those squares were then arranged and taped from behind using packing tape. This backdrop is so awesome, I think we are going to keep it hanging up for a while!
Food is always a huge part of my parties – I’m Italian and love to feed people! I used some Avengers party plates and cups we found at Walmart, which went perfectly with all the decorations. We had subs, pasta salad and veggies with hummus. The real treats were the Captain America Gelatin Dessert Cups, Hero Cupcakes, and Hulk Punch.
The dessert cups are perfect for a MARVEL party and can also be used for a patriotic party for Memorial Day or the Fourth of July. The Hero Cupcakes were a mix of chocolate and vanilla, and the frosting was colored like Captain America (red, white and blue), Iron Man (red and yellow) and the Hulk (green and purple).
The Hulk Punch had the perfect green glow for my MARVEL party. It tasted delicious and has Ginger Ale, Pineapple Juice and Lime Drink Mix in it.
Most of our friends had seen the Iron Man and Thor movies, so we opted to watch Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Of course, we had to have snack food, so I purchased some Avengers branded Dr. Pepper Cherry, Cheez-Its, Doritos and Kellogg’s Fruit Snacks.
Everyone enjoyed the food and movie. We all can’t wait to see the new MARVEL’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron in theaters on May 1st!
I have showed you how we are preparing for MARVEL’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron release with my party plan! What are you planning to do with your friends and family?
Captain America Gelatin Dessert Cups
A Love and Confections original recipe
Click here for a printable recipe
Yield: 25-30 mini dessert cups
Captain America Gelatin Dessert Cup Ingredients:
– 1-3 ounce box Berry Blue Gelatin Dessert
– 6-8 ounces Whipped Topping
– 1-3 ounce box Cherry Gelatin Dessert
– Plastic Dessert cups
Captain America Gelatin Dessert Cup Directions:
1. Prepare the Berry Blue Gelatin Dessert according to the package directions. Divide it evenly among 25-30 small dessert cups using a small ladle. Let it set in the refrigerator a minimum of 3 hours.
2. Place whipped Topping into a piping bag and pipe a thin layer on top of the solid blue gelatin in the dessert cups. Using a spoon or small offset spatula, smooth the layer so it completely covers the bottom blue layer and there are not holes. Freeze the dessert cups for 1 hour, or until the Whipped Topping is firm.
3. Prepare the Cherry Gelatin Dessert according to the package directions. Carefully divide it evenly among the dessert cups using a small ladle. Let it set in the refrigerator a minimum of 3 hours before serving. Enjoy!
Hulk Punch
Adapted from Betty Crocker
Click here for a printable recipe
recipe can be doubled for larger parties
Hulk Punch Ingredients:
– 1 cup Granulated Sugar
– 1 package Lime-Flavored Unsweetened Drink Mix (.13 oz)
– 4 cups warm Water
– 23 ounces Pineapple Juice
– 2 cups chilled Ginger Ale
Hulk Punch Directions:
1. In a large pitcher, stir together the Sugar and Lime Drink Mix. Add in the warm water and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Add in the Pineapple Juice and Ginger Ale and stir to combine. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving. If necessary, stir again right before serving.
Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!
Thank you David, Jessica, Doug, Theresa, Josh, Tyler, Jordan and Laura for joining in on the fun – hope you had a blast celebrating The Avengers with me!
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DelimexFiesta #CollectiveBias
Homemade Guacamole and Cilantro-Lime Crema are the perfect additions to any fiesta. I love different toppings and dips for taco bars. The more the better, because I can mix and match and choose which topping goes best with a certain dish. Taco bars are a great option when feeding a crowd, especially for parties during college basketball season, because there are so many options for guests to choose from. Queso and salsa are a must, but homemade guacamole is the best. Also, if you want to try something different with your tacos, Cilantro-Lime Crema is the way to go.
For future taco night or basketball parties, Delimex Taquitos, Tacos and Tamales will probably make an appearance. Since college basketball is on television, it’s fun to watch, but sometimes I miss the games while cooking dinner. I made some Delimex Tacos and Taquitos and they cooked in less time than it took me to make both the guacamole and crema. They can easily be found in your local Walmart frozen food section. Delimex even has a coupon that you can print through April 7th, for $1 off any two (2) Delimex Frozen Taquito products (excluding frozen fruit taquitos) at Walmart.
Click for link to coupon |
My family and I love “Mexican Miercoles” – we did “Taco Tuesday” before it was a thing, and gave it a cooler name. 😉 Whether we went out to our favorite Mexican restaurant, or stayed in and cooked, it was all about being together. The guys would sometimes grill the meats, we made homemade fillings and side dishes, but one constant was guacamole! My Uncle makes THE best guacamole, and this recipe is adapted from his.
I decided to try something new for a topping and came up with the Cilantro-Lime Crema. We love cilantro-lime rice and I often make it when we have taco night, so that’s where the flavor profile came from. Cilantro and lime are great together and with the Greek Yogurt and Sour Cream, it blends perfectly. I will definitely be making some more tacos and salads soon, so I can have more of this delicious crema.
Delimex made taco night a breeze. I shared some of my favorite recipes and I’d love to hear your favorites. Be sure to check out more delicious recipes at Kraft.com and head to Walmart to grab some game-day Delimex!
Homemade Guacamole
Adapted from a Love and Confections family recipe
Click here for a printable link
Homemade Guacamole Ingredients:
– 2 ripe Haas Avocados
– 1 medium Tomato, diced and seeded
– 1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed Lime Juice
– 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
– 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
– 1/2 teaspoon Salt
– 1 tablespoon finely chopped Cilantro
– a few dashes of Hot Sauce (optional)
Homemade Guacamole Directions:
1. Slice the Avocados in half and remove the pits. Using a spoon, scoop the avocado meat into a medium bowl. Dice the Tomato and add it into the bowl, making sure to discard the seeds, otherwise your guacamole will be too watery.
2. Add in 1 tablespoon of Lime Juice, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Salt, Cilantro and Hot Sauce. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the ingredients together. You will want a chunky guacamole, so these tools are the best for that and not a food processor.
3. Serve immediately. Guacamole is best when served right after making, but can be refrigerated up to 8 hours. It will start to darken in color, so make sure to press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to help prevent oxidation. Enjoy!
Cilantro-Lime Crema
A Love and Confections original recipe
Click here for a printable link
Cilantro-Lime Crema Ingredients:
– 1 cup Greek Yogurt
– 1/2 cup Sour Cream
– 1 teaspoon chopped Garlic
– 2 tablespoons finely chopped Cilantro
– Juice and Zest from 1 Lime
– 1/4 teaspoon Salt
Cilantro-Lime Crema Directions:
1. Using a stand blender or immersion blender, combine all the ingredients until completely mixed. Keep refrigerated until needed. Can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Cilantro-Lime Crema is great for topping tacos, salads and grilled meats. Enjoy!
Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!
The sun warmed us as honeybees flew near and we picked and ate blueberries off the bush. We rode around in a John Deere and learned about blueberries and blueberry farming for hours. We ate more blueberries. We tasted homemade Blueberry Orange Blossom Honey and a variety of Blueberry Jams. We ate some more blueberries, and planned what we would create with our haul. A truly wonderful Spring day…
A few local Food Bloggers and I recently went and took a tour of Lake Catherine Blueberries. I have been blueberry picking before and wait for blueberry season every year. I met one of the owners at a local farmer’s market and inquired about the farm. I can definitely say it was a great experience. The owners are incredibly nice and immensely knowledgeable. They welcomed us onto their farm and into their lives. Please read to the end for information on their grand opening celebration and a coupon for blueberries!
I love seeing where my food comes from and interacting with local farmers and producers. We learned so much about blueberries that our tour lasted about 5 hours. The quality of Lake Catherine Blueberries is incomparable to what is found in the grocery stores.
Most grocery store berries are over 26 days old due to the nitrogen displacement of oxygen for transport from South America. The use of nitrogen as a non-chemical method of food preservation is gaining acceptance in the food industry because it expands the availability of perishable items. Most fruit in grocery stores have had this nitrogen preservation. Lake Catherine Blueberries are picked fresh and sold in season – when the fruit is at its best.
The variety of blueberries depends on the climate. Blueberries need a specific number of cold hours each Winter to regulate their growth, known as chill hours – one hour of time with the temperature between 32 & 45 degrees F to set buds. If a blueberry bush doesn’t receive enough chill hours in the Winter, the buds might not open evenly, or at all, in the Spring.
Lake Catherine Blueberries grows 2 different types of berries appropriate for Florida chill hours, Emerald and Jewel. Emeralds are large, mildly sweet berries and Jewels are large, slightly tangy berries. They have these two different varieties for cross-pollination purposes – which creates more seeds.
For pollination, Lake Catherine Blueberries uses both Honey Bees and Bumble Bees. Their honey bees also make amazing Blueberry Orange Blossom Honey that they sell at the Farmer’s Markets and during u-pick season. Florida produces 20-25 million pounds of blueberries per year and Lake Catherine hand picks about 10,000 blueberries per day.
During blueberry season, Lake Catherine is open daily from 9am-5pm. Check out the Lake Catherine Blueberries Facebook Page for weather conditions and updates before you visit. They also encourage you to eat the berries right off the bush, so you can decide which type you like best. Come back on Sunday to see one of the desserts I made with Lake Catherine Blueberries!
This coming Saturday, April 20th, Lake Catherine Blueberries is hosting a Grand Opening Celebration for the season. There will be live entertainment, face painting, pony rides, hay rides and a barbeque, in addition to some wonderful u-pick berries. They will also be selling their jams, cobblers, syrups, honey and other Lake Catherine Blueberry products. Just remember that they do not accept debit or credit cards at this time, so please have cash. Below is a coupon for $2 off one pound of blueberries. Tell them Terri from Love and Confections sent you – you will love it.
Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!