Fancy Gourmet Dessert Cakes

The small wonders that make a holiday complete are so under spoken and yet so powerful. I was looking around the room the other evening and took note of all the little decorative touches I’ve added for the holidays. I suddenly realized, colorful and joyful surroundings can lift the spirit no matter how difficult life can get, and it does it, so subtly, that sometimes I don’t even notice my cares lessening.

As a teen, my Mom told me that if things got tough and I couldn’t change them, then I should change something in my environment and add something nice to look at. I of course shrugged it off, but now as an adult, I see that once again, she was right.  

What I do is simple stuff. For instance, I try not to hang the same holiday pieces in the same places every year and I always try to use different methods of decorating. This year I am using sheer ribbon with a glittering gold finish, and draping it along the walls with grand bows to accent the main points of the room. I am also hanging clear lights along the walls to pick up the colors of the glittering ribbon. It adds a very magical holiday feeling to the house.

For relaxing enjoyment, I sit back with a nice cheesecake sampler; cut up a few bite size pieces and turn up the holiday music. I focus on one of the nice decorations poised in my living room and poof; my worries vanish for a minute or two. For me, one minute makes a big difference.

Our society celebrates lots of holidays. Each season provides an opportunity for honoring, celebrating and decorating. There is always some way to brighten up our surroundings and distract ourselves from the every day grind.

In my opinion, we should give ourselves the best chance that we can to enjoy our moments. There really is nothing to lose but monotony and sadness.

Written by Delightful Biteful

I was sitting back with my cup of coffee, planning the events of the season. We have a globe of people in one country and so much has combined to create some neat holiday traditions. In review, I notice the activities throughout the years have had some variations but always with the same goal in mind; to build up the human spirit and reflect on our humanity. At least this is what I hope for.

This year Thanksgiving is celebrated on November 27^th. The festive celebration was declared a national holiday by President Lincoln. The first Thanksgiving Day was celebrated in 1621 at Plymouth, Massachusetts by the Plymouth Pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower in 1620. The early celebrations lasted for days and consisted of people from different areas and included guests among the Wampanoag Indians.

Turkey, being a Native of North America was decidedly the bird prepared for the great holiday feast. It is reported that turkeys get very nervous around the holiday season. The original cornucopia was made from a curved goat’s horn stuffed with various fruits and corn maze. Included in the celebration was Squash used widely for its traditional value and its particular good taste during the autumn season.  

Pumpkin pie is thought to have evolved from settlers who filled their hollowed pumpkins with milk and spices to create delicate gravy. Pumpkin pulp was later appreciated for its rich taste and when mixed with sugar and milk made a tasty seasonal dessert.

When planning your Thanksgiving feast it is always a safe bet to serve the traditional foods so that all of your guests know what to expect. Some wonderful side dishes to complement your dinner can be creamed spinach or asparagus with hollandaise sauce. Other sides to consider are banana walnut bread or corn muffins. You can always order online if you don’t feel that ambitious in the kitchen.

Some safe dessert choices alongside pumpkin pie are cheesecake, streusel or a decedent chocolate dessert. Don’t forget the assorted nuts, fruits and chocolates.

Written by Delightful Biteful

The beginning of the year’s festivities begins with Halloween, where spooky tradition takes precedence over the mundane.

Let’s start with “Trick or Treat”. During the Dark Ages once per year, the Catholic Church, deemed it permissible for beggars to beg for food in exchange for prayer. Over the course of time, it evolved into an American tradition where participants playfully threatened to play a trick on anyone who denied requests for treats.

One thing is for sure, the scary movies shown leading up to the holiday bring more excitement to the occasion. The stress that culminates from dealing with witches and goblins all year long, leads to a strong desire for thrills, sweets and parties.

Here are a few quick costume ideas that you can use if you are on the spot and need to think fast. Make use of any household makeup that you have around. Smear mascara under your eyes and mess red lipstick around your lips, put lots of mousse in your hair, wear a ripped tee-shirt, and instantly you are transformed into a punk rocker, mind you, this works for girls or guys. Great props to use are tobacco pipes, hats, flour (for the zombie look), gauze (for the mummy look) and band-aids (for the dull razor look).

 Have a Happy Halloween!  

Written by Delightful Biteful 

I remember as a child, having the treat of picking apples and pumpkins, all the while looking at the bright colors of fall and feeling the crisp, seasonal wind begin to blow. When I grew older, I settled in the big city. It was exciting but a little dreary during the change in season when the skies grew darker and the evening came earlier. No more apple trees and pumpkin patches to rely upon.

Adding color to my surroundings was the answer to the conundrum I found myself in. So I looked to the autumn leaves which always cheered me up and found a solution; I decided to make an autumn wreath. When I learned about some basic tools that can be used to make a wreath, I realized that it wasn’t going to be that hard . All I needed to do was utilize my dusty imagination. The foundation of a wreath can be created with a circular cardboard cut out with another circle cut out evenly inside of it, about 3 inches down. The cardboard between the outer edge and the beginning of the inner circle would be the area for laying down the dried flowers and artificial leaves. I received a tip from a friend to cover the cut out with a colored spray paint that coordinated with the flowers and leaves I was going to use. I bought some potpourri with large dried flowers and used glue to place the dried flowers onto the board one by one. In between the flowers about 2 inches  apart, I added some artificial autumn leaves. I was careful to cover all of the cardboard and to make sure the glue was as inconspicuous as possible. I will say, that after a couple of hours, the project did take on the look of an autumn wreath. A wreath can be any size you want and over the years I’ve used all kinds of flowers. I will recommend dried sunflowers, mini carnations, raffia and baby’s breath. Thin ribbons and bows can be attached too.

According to wikipedia:
Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile liquid plant materials, known as essential oils (EOs), and other aromatic compounds from plants for the purpose of affecting a person’s mood or health. Scientific evidence is weak and preliminary but mildly encouraging for a limited number of claims.

I believe that it is good for one’s health and I believe that aroma triggers a natural response, and that a pleasant smelling environment usually indicates a sound and peaceful state of affairs. The effectiveness of aromatherapy may be connected to man’s development, as fragrant flowers, food, and beverages, signaled to the mind that all of the basic needs were being met and so created a feeling of calm. Friends of mine swear by the power of the nostrils and after a few vivid odor experiences, I realize that pleasant smells do have an impact on my psyche.

I myself find my mood improving whenever there is something pleasant in the air. When cooking a fine meal, I perk right up as my nostrils alert my hungry stomach that a nice mouthful is on the way. So, I have found a little trick to improve my health, using aromatherapy. It started after I’d actually gotten full on the smell of a good supper. Sound crazy? Well I’m not the only person that’s had that experience. My mind had become convinced that I had already eaten. I want to add that it was due in part, to thirst. Thirst can trick the stomach into thinking that it is hungry. Try quenching your thirst while cooking and see if it satisfies your hunger at all. I suggest this for folks on a diet, because I have cut down on my food portions with this method, and still get to enjoy the meal, and that has been very therapeutic. By the way, this works for dessert too!

Happy Aromas To All!
Written by Delightful Biteful

The inevitable settling of falling leaves and gloomy skies calls for a slice of Apple Anni or some Strawberry Pound Cake. A little piece of Ambrosia Chocolate Torte has also been known to sooth the nerves for all of us. I serve sparingly to keep the calories down.

I can not remember an autumn season that hasn’t been filled with scary movies and that special intensity that the earlier sundown brings. A nice beverage for the cooler weather is a fresh cup of hazelnut coffee. I find it is the perfect topper to a roasted chicken dinner. There are some special touches which I like to add such as a dollop of heavy whipped cream with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a biscotti cookie on the side. It’s a quick pick me up while I survey my garden and watch my favorite flowers die.

Wishing you happiness amidst the falling leaves.

Written by Delightful Biteful

I hear folks speak about their holiday season as though it were predictable and repetitive. I have made every effort to re-define my holidays. For instance, I do not serve the same food every year. Although turkey is the traditional main course for Thanksgiving, I like to change off to duck, game hen, or lamb. There are so many tasty recipes online like Recipe Zaar and Recipe Land. I always cook a trial meal before I use it for the holiday. The trial starts about 2 to 3 months before the holiday, so I am prepared in case the new dish doesn’t work out. I try new salads during lunch and try different desserts after regular meals (dessert is always my favorite).

For more variety, I try to expand my musical repertoire. There are so many holiday songs to choose from. I used to think there were only about five. For absolute convenience, XM radio has quality musical programs for the season and you don’t have to purchase a string of CDs or go ripping tunes all over the web.

For decorum, I like to use different themes such as: traditional, with golden lighting and rich dark colors, an exotic theme with bright colors like fuchsia and tropical blue, or art deco with silver and red or blue coloring. I have seen some beautiful art deco pieces on Kyle Design’s web site. I try to use my imagination without going overboard.

Last but not least, I check out the fashion and buy something festive to wear for the holidays. I try to pick something out for each member of the family too. I stay away from flashing lights and goofy eyes peering up from fuzzy slippers. The key to holiday happiness that has always worked for me no matter what’s happened throughout the years has been to take quiet time to be glad, if for nothing else but the moment. A nice egg nog and a gaze at the twinkling lights make everything alright for awhile.

And we’re off to the races!
Written by Delightful Biteful

If you’re like me, you might have had little luck keeping plants bright and prosperous in the house. I have found after countless “botanistic” deaths that three plants can handle the indoor environment; Spider Plants, Herbaceous Plants, and some Ferns (Ask about them at your plant store).

It is always surprising to me how relaxing plant life can make a room. They are a kind of plant pet and I seem to have developed a relationship of sorts after tending to them over time. I have found that too much watering is an instant killer. Keep a close eye on the moisture in the soil. If you let it build up, they can develop a fungus or they will simply drown. I water my indoor plants every three to four days depending on the heat and humidity.

Having a gathering in the family room can seem a little mundane without some plant life. Strangely enough beverages are more refreshing, it may be due to the carbon dioxide rush since plants actually breath. The party keeps it’s spruce (no pun intended) when adding a few fresh flowers to a spider plant or fern. I place them carefully between the leaves or on the branches and try to keep the shape proportionate.

I would also like to stress, that since so much of the greenery is being chopped down; more plant life anywhere can help the environment. I am not a big environmental junkie or anything, but I have noticed that the air has gotten stuffy, thick and definitely less fresh without the beautiful trees that we used to have here in Fort Lauderdale.

So here’s to more life at home!

Written by Delightful Biteful

I was walking down the street the other day and I noticed that the holiday decorations are already going up. The fact is, that I don’t care. They are so pretty to look at, and with the economic crunch, my appreciation for colorful distractions has increased.

Friends of mine have mentioned that they are watching their budget, I said to my pals, worried about food prices, to get out the wok. Nothing like some stir fried veggies to keep the body healthy and the wallet fat. Less meat in the diet never hurt anyone. I have done that in my struggling years along with buying large quantities of food and storing it carefully and it worked like a charm. I did not feel like I had to pay so much attention to the budget because I was always ahead of the game and less stressed out.

Now back to the holiday decorations, it seems that they are effective as I am already making out my gift list and deciding on some new decorations. Careful spending does manage to leave me with extra money to spend, I just need to remember that things can always be worse and I need to be considerate of my needs first. After that, I go to town and decide what kind of foods to prepare, and activities to anticipate.

Frankly, it’s been a long hot summer and I’m looking forward to a slice of pumpkin pie and some hot apple cider. In any case, we’re coming down the stretch and the leaves are getting ready to fall from the trees. Yippee!

Written by Delightful Biteful