Pecan and Chocolate Chip Pie

1 refrigerated ready-to-bake pie crust (from a 15-oz box of 2) or one prepared pie crust
1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp stick butter, melted
11⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
1⁄2 tsp salt
6 oz (11⁄2 cups) pecan halves, 1⁄2 cup chopped
Serve with: Kahlua Whipped Cream (recipe follows)Place oven rack in lowest part of oven. Preheat to 350°F. Fit crust into a 9-in. pie plate. Crimp or flute edges.Scatter chips evenly in crust. Whisk syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, salt and 1⁄2 cup chopped pecans in a large bowl until well blended. Pour evenly over chips. Arrange pecan halves on top. Cover crust edges with foil.Bake 50 minutes, or until crust and pecans are browned. 5. Cool completely on a wire rack. Kahlua Whipped Cream:
Beat 1⁄2 cup heavy (whipping) cream and 1 Tbsp until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted.

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Don't Feed your Dog Chocolate!

Yep, we have all heard this one before. This is just a reminder.
Here is why you should not serve your dog chocolate.

Chocolate contains thobromine, which is a stimulant found in the cocoa bean.

Symptoms of toxicity include vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, hyperactivity, increased heart rate, increased urination, muscle twitching, and muscle twitching.

All of these symptoms can eventually lead to hypothermia, seizures, and even death.

If your dog does eat chocolate, call your vet.

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Great Chocolate Quotes

The 12-step chocoholics program:
NEVER BE MORE THAN 12 STEPS AWAY FROM CHOCOLATE!
Terry Moore
Stress wouldn’t be so hard to take if it were chocolate covered.


I could give up chocolate but I'm not a quitter.

Put the chocolate in the bag and nobody gets hurt.

A day without chocolate is a day without sunshine.

Life without chocolate is like a beach without water.

I have this theory that chocolate slows down the aging process.... It may not be true, but do I dare take the chance?

“There is good sex and there is bad sex but chocolate is always chocolate.”There are four basic food groups-milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles.


Man cannot live on chocolate alone; but woman sure can.


The taste of chocolate is a sensual pleasure in itself, existing in the same world as sex... For myself, I can enjoy the wicked pleasure of chocolate... entirely by myself. Furtiveness makes it better. Dr. Ruth Westheimer

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.”Chocolate is nature’s way of making up for Mondays.

There’s more to life than chocolate, but not right now.

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Chocolate Designs

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Chocolate Couture

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Chocolate on blood pressure

Small amounts of dark chocolate "efficiently reduced blood pressure," report the researchers, who included Dirk Taubert, MD, PhD, of Germany's University Hospital of Cologne.

Taubert's study included 44 adults aged 56-73 in Duisburg, Germany.

The 24 women and 20 men had mild hypertension or borderline blood pressure that fell just short of hypertension. These people were otherwise healthy and were not taking blood pressure drugs or nutritional supplements.

Taubert's team of researchers split participants into two similar groups.

One group got 30-calorie daily doses of dark chocolate for 18 weeks. The researchers checked the amount of cocoa in the German chocolate bars.

For comparison, the other group got a similar daily dose of "white chocolate," which doesn't contain chocolate liquor or cocoa.

Both groups got the same instructions: Take your chocolate dose two hours after dinner, don't change your normal diet and fitness habits, and keep a diet and exercise diary.

By the end of the study, those eating dark chocolate lowered their systolic blood pressure by nearly three points and their diastolic blood pressure by almost two points, on average.

Systolic blood pressure is the first, or top, number in a blood pressure reading. Diastolic blood pressure is the second, or bottom, number in a blood pressure reading.

Blood pressure didn't budge for better or worse in the white chocolate group.

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Sugar Free Chocolate Cake

SUGAR FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE
3 eggs
1 c. natural applesauce
1 tbsp. chocolate extract
1 tbsp. butter flavoring
4 pkgs. lite hot chocolate mix
1 c. oat bran
1 c. oat flour
1 tsp. baking powderMix all ingredients together in bowl by hand with a fork. Let mixture stand in bowl for 5 to 10 minutes. Spray baking dish with lite cooking spray. Pour mixture into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until done. Do not overbake or it will become too dry. Keep cake refrigerated.

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Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
• "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.


"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

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Yes, there is a reason why females crave chocolate.

Acute monthly cravings for chocolate amongst pre-menstrual women could be explained by chocolates rich magnesium content. Magnesium deficiency exacerbates pre-menstral tension. Before menstruation the hormone levels of progesterone are high. Progesterone promotes fat storage, preventing its use as fuel; elevated pre-menstrual levels of progesterone may cause a periodic craving for fatty foods. One study even reported that 91% of chocolate-cravings associated with the menstrual cycle occurred between ovulation and the start of menstruation. Chocolate cravings are admitted by 15% of men and around 40% of women.

Fyi- Cravings are usually most intense in the late afternoon and early evening.

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Cherry Chocolate Dr Pepper???

Wow. Just announced this morning. Can we handle it?

This will be the third flavor extension in the brand's history. This new beverage combines the taste of Diet Dr Pepper with a sweet cherry and wonderful chocolate. The best part about Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper is that it has zero calories and zero carbs.

Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper is the perfect indulgence for the holidays ... zero calories, zero carbs, zero guilt, and all the flavor of Dr Pepper," said Andrew Springate, vice president of marketing for CSAB. "Based on consumer response, we expect Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper will have a strong and devoted following." Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper is only available for a limited time. Texas- based Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (CSAB), a subsidiary division of Cadbury Schweppes plc . CSAB is one of the largest producers of teas, juices and soft drinks in the Americas with a brand portfolio that includes Dr Pepper, 7UP, Snapple, Mott's Apple Juice, RC Cola, A&W Root Beer, Sunkist, Canada Dry, Hawaiian Punch, Schweppes, Diet Rite, Clamato, Mr & Mrs T's Mixers, Rose's, Mistic, Yoo-hoo, Orangina, IBC, Stewart's, Nantucket Nectars and other well-known consumer brands. For additional information, visit http://www.cadburyschweppes.com/csab.

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Psychological effects from chocolate

The idea is that chocolate can lead to a feeling of general euphoria which many believe is an important health benefits of chocolate. Theobromine, the primary alkaloid found in cocoa and chocolate chocolate's mood-elevating effects. Tryptophan is an amino acid that is a precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in regulating moods.

Caffeine exists in chocolate in very small amounts. The amount of caffeine in chocolate is roughly 6 mg per ounce compared with 100–150 mg of caffeine in a cup of coffee.

Aphrodisiac effects may be associated with the pleasure of consumption. Also serotonin and other chemicals found in chocolate, such as phenethylamine, can act as mild sexual stimulants.

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Taking care of chocolate

Ideal storage temperatures are between 59 to 63 degrees (F) with a relative humidity of less than 50%. It is best to store chocolate away from other foods as it can absorb different aromas.It is best to store chocolate away from the sun. Storing chocolate in a freezer can cause a shift in its makeup and make it appear as if there is a white crust. This should not affect the taste, however.

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The Caco Bean

The cacao bean grows on the cacao tree. The first step in chocolate production is to harvesting these beans. The beans are cut open, the pulp is removed, and the husks are discarded or used for other purposes. The pulp and the seeds are mixed and then left to ferment for up to 10 days. The beans are then cleaned, roasted, cracked and blown. The end result is a chocolate liquor. This liquuor is then poured into a mold, where it hardens into blocks of dark, unsweetend chocolate

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Brief History of Chocolate

We all love chocolate but, did you know that chocolate is actually a general term used to describe a number of items made from the cacao bean? As we know it, the name “chocolate” is used to describe that sweet confection made from cacao with sugar added.

The term chocolate is used to describe a number of raw and processed foods that are produced from the seed of the tropical cacao tree. This seed is native to lowland tropical South America, The cacao seed has been cultivated for three millennial in Central America and Mexico, with its earliest documented use around 1100 BC.

The actual word "chocolate" comes from the Aztecs of Mexico, and is derived from the Nahuatl word xocolatl. Xxcolatlnis a combination of the words. Xocolli, means "bitter", and atl, which means "water". This is because the Aztecs associated chocolate with Xochiquetzal, the goddess of fertility.

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