My Chocolate Fantasy

You have your favourite cake; perhaps you have several. Have you ever wondered where yours fares on the top ten list of homemade cakes? Read on and find out.

1. Mile High Chocolate Cake.

For chocolate lovers this is the ultimate cake recipe. It consists of four dark chocolate layers with milk chocolate filling. It is rich and decadent and easy to make.

2. Fresh Coconut Layer Cake

Vanilla cake layers brushed with a syrup made from coconut water and sugar make for a moist and delicious cake. The frosting includes fresh toasted coconut for the most intense flavor.

3. Rum-Scented Marble Cake

Everyone likes a little rum, and finding some in your cake is always a nice surprise. This bundt cake has a choclate center flavored with rum, guaranteed to please.

4. Persian Love Cake

This is a cake to be remembered. Combining a lemon-cardamom chiffon cake with saffron and rose scented whipped cream, it also has pistachios and candied rose petals for a stand-out middle eastern effect.

5. Semisweet Chocolate Layer Cake with Vanilla Cream Filling

This moist dark chocolate cake has a delicious fluffy cream filling, reminiscent of Oreos or Hydrox cookies. Complete with a chocolate ganache, it is chocolate cake at its creamiest.

6. Mixed Berry Chiffon Cake with Almond Cream Frosting

Sometimes berries make for the finest dessert, especially when they’re in season. Excellent for a summer outing, this cake is filled with almond custard and raspberry preserves and crowned with a multitude of fresh berries.

7. Twelve Layer Mocha Cake

If you like a little coffee with your cake, here is a great recipe. With espresso soaked spongecake, hazelnut meringue, chocolate souffle’ along with coffee and mocha buttercreams, it may not be the easiest cake to make but it is well worth the effort.

8. Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cake with Cream Cheese and Butterfinger Frosting

The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is a favorite with many people. This cake uses golden brown sugar for an extra burst of flavor. And the vanilla cream cheese frosting is to die for.

9. White Chocolate Layer Cake with Apricot Filling and White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

You cannot have a top ten cake list without a white chocolate one making a showing, and this one is a real winner. Using apricots when they’re in season adds to the flavor. Walnuts pressed into the frosting make an ultimate finish.

10. Cherry-Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake

A variation on the familiar Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, this creation utilizes a more rustic flair. It is cooked in a skillet then turned out onto a serving platter, exposing caramelized sugar and fruit. A little balsamic vinegar on the side turns up the taste to a new level.

These are only ten of many favourite cakes from around the world. You can find a multitude of cooking websites that will list other cake recipes and cake baking products. However, the ones listed here can be completely satisfying in your hunt for the best homemade cakes to be found.

Gourmet cakes are baked sweet foods designed elegantly in classic style. It comes in round shapes, having different assortments and designs. Gourmet cakes are often served in celebrations, special occasions and festivities.
Gourmet cakes are both sophisticated and delicious. They can be birthday cakes, wedding cakes or holiday cakes. It is a great gift for any type of occasion.
Most common flavors:
• White Cake
• Marble Cake
• Cheese Cake
• Spice Cake
• Raspberry Cake
• Banana Cake
• Chocolate Cake
• Strawberry Short Cake
• Sour Cherry Cake
• Carrot Cake
• Raspberry Cake
• Lemon Cake
• and Zest Orange Cake
One can choose from the cake fillings available in cake stores like:
• Natural Preserves
• Fresh Fruits
• Bavarian Cream
• Fudge Filling
• Chocolate Mousse
• Chocolate Ganache
• Pineapple Charlotte
• Pear Mousseline
• Cannolis Filling
• Cream Cheese
• Mocha
• Cream Cheese
• Raspberry Mousse
Gourmet cake icings depend on the artistic design. Most ingredients they use would include the following:
Whipped Cream:
This is a non-dairy product which has a light kind of icing. It is not that sweet.
Butter Cream:
This is made from starch, having real unsalted butter.
Ganache
It has a rich chocolate taste. It can be melted into an icing and poured on a butter creamed iced cake.
Rolled Fondant:
This is a smooth looking sugar paste that can be rolled to cover butter cream cake.
Different Types of Gourmet Cakes:
Cheesecakes are made of cream cheese, cottage cheese and ricotta. It has a little flour component. Different flavors and toppings include key lime, strawberry, mango and kahlua. Cheesecakes can be decorated on top with fruits or nuts.
Rum or brandy cakes are a flavorful blend of sweetness and crème sherry subtle.
Muffin cakes have a tendency to dry out fast. It is much heavier as compared to other conventional cakes. Tea and coffee are good complements of banana or plain vanilla muffins. Muffins are usually served in tea parties.
Meringue cakes are good for formal occasions. It is made of fruit or ice cream.
Angel food cakes are fluffy and light because of beaten egg whites. It is recommended to dieters because the cake does not contain fat. Angel cakes can be drizzled with fruit sauce.
Chocolate cakes are the all-time favorite of adults and children alike. Different variations have come out such as:
• Chocolate raspberry
• Chocolate butter cream
• Chocolate hazelnut, etc
This cake is perfect for all occasions.
Coffee cakes are a smooth blend of chocolate, coffee and cream. It is ideal for a family gathering or tea party. This can be blended with walnut, banana and almonds. This cake is perfect to eat with hot tea or ice cream.
French pastries or gateaux are prepared with exotic and colorful flavors. Tarts are filled with cream, fresh strawberries and other fillings. Black forest and gateau Basque are one of the well-loved wonderful dessert cakes.
Some of the well-loved cakes are:
Red Velvet Cake – This is a smooth southern classic cake that is also one of Oprah’s favorites. It has a mild chocolate flavor, having a rich shade of red. Red Velvet Cakes are topped with frostings of thick cream cheese, making it more moist and delicious.
Chocolate Satin Cake – This cake is a two layered dark and moist chocolate filled with rich satin smooth ganache frosting. The sides are designed with chocolate crumbs.
Banana Split Silk Cake – It has caramel and roasted walnuts topped with dark chocolate ganache layers. It also has a white chocolate strawberry silk, white chocolate banana silk and strawberries on top.
Mocha Hazelnut Truffle Cake – This cake is an ultimate chocolate dessert. It is completely flourless and not too sweet. It is decorated with chocolate ganache and bordered with rosettes.
Best seller gourmet cakes include:
• Black Forest
• Chocolate Chip Cake
• Carrot Spice Layer Cake
• Chocolate Truffle
• Cappuccino Cake
• Strawberry Short Cake
• Chocolate Mousse
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Torte

We enjoy camping and hiking during the Summer season here on the East Coast 4-6 months of every year. As seasoned campers, we prefer to make our own snack mixes to take along.All of these recipes are easy to make. If you are going camping, store the snack mixes in plastic containers. If you are going hiking, you can place the mix into a plastic zipper close bag. You will want to make sure that you keep the moisture out.Mountain Trail Mix1 cup pumpkin seeds1 cup raisins1 cup salted peanuts1 cup small pretzel sticks1 cup plain M&M’s chocolate coated candies1 cup oyster crackers1 cup sunflower seedsUsing a large bowl, combine all of the above ingredients together in the order that they are listed. Store mixture in airtight containers. This recipe will make seven 1 cup servings.Tangy Nut Mix4 cups salted roasted peanuts1/3 cup barbecue sauce2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheesePreheat oven to 300 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine nuts and barbecue sauce, stir until coated. Spread mixture onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until nuts are dry. Place on waxed paper to cool. Once cool, store in an airtight container.Savory Pretzels2 bags broken salted pretzels1/2 lb. butter, softened1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce1 envelope onion soup mixMelt butter in your microwave. In a medium-sized bowl, combine soup mix and Worcestershire sauce. Pour mixture over pretzels and mix well. Cover and let stand until all of the liquid is absorbed, stirring every once in awhile to coat mixture. Place pretzels pieces in a warm 250 degree oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The longer you bake them, the crunchier the pretzels will be. Once cool, store in an airtight container.

Most people love eating sweets. This is why chocolates are a booming biz and have continued its prominence through time. If you know your way into making chocolate, you might as well earn from the process. It is easy to market such treat because you will find people who love it anywhere you go. All you need to remember now is how you will be able to market your products the right way and the most beneficial towards your end. The Four Ps of Marketing Consider this strategy when you are on the planning stage of your sweets biz. If you are just starting out and just want to make extra income through the product that you will also enjoy, here’s a brief explanation of this concept. Product The first P is the product. You have to know your product well, in this instance, your chocolates. To be able to tell people good things about what you are selling, you must know first and foremost everything about it. Yes, it is a good idea if you will take time to research about the scientific background of this treat. But you can also just focus on what you want to sell. You may want to focus on chocolate cakes. Or how about chocolates in gift baskets? There are many options that you can try for such reason. Place Where are you located? Who lives in your neighborhood? And how often do you think they will buy? You have to think about those things to be able to plan out accordingly what will be a big hit for these people. You must give them what they are looking for. You must present them with new ideas that you are very sure that they will like. It is a good thing that you are from the area. You no longer have to resort on hiring people to do a market analysis to know who these people are. Just spread your wings and increase your public relations. This will also increase the probability that these people are going to buy from you. Price You must offer your products at rates that your target market can afford. To decide easily about this matter, you must study your direct competitors. You no longer have to hire someone to do this. All you need is to buy their products to know about their pricing. You must not be too far away from their strategies. People are looking for quality products at rates they can afford. So the best thing that you can do is to give them what they are looking for. Promotion Your biz, however small it is, will not survive without venturing into promotions. As a startup of a small business, you can start the buzz about you through word of mouth. To achieve this, you must first come with a very good product. Give those out to people the first few days. If you are confident with what you are selling, for sure, people will also like it. They will be your good source of free advertising. Turn your hobby of making chocolate into a fun-filled and profit generating venture. Consider the abovementioned in starting up your biz. Create a noise for yourself and establish your name in the industry. In time, you will find your niche. You never know, your hobby can turn into one money-making road to your own success.

Halloween is a fun holiday celebrated on the night of October 31st. Children will dress in their favorite costumes and go trick-or-treating for candies.  These activities can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain, which was a celebration of the end of the harvest season.  The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31st, the boundary between the alive and the dead disappeared, and the dead became dangerous to the living by causing problems such as sickness or damaged crops.  Costumes and masks were worn at the festival to mimic the evil spirits to placate them.  Because of the origin of this holiday, traditional characters for Halloween celebratons include ghosts, witches, vampires, bats, black cats, goblins, skeletons, and pumpkin-man. Halloween gifts often include one of these characters. This article provides some gift ideas for your trick or treaters.

1. Jack-O-Lantern gift basket:

Jack-O-Lantern is the symbol of Halloween. Hence most Halloween gift basket have a Jack-O-Lantern pail filled with treats and games.  One popular gift basket is filled with candy corn (popular Halloween candy), Reese’s, M & M’s, gummy worms, caramel corn, pumpkin carving kit for making Jack-O-Lantern, flash light for safety during trick-or-treating. and a plush black cat dressed as a witch,  This gift is a must have for Halloween. 2. Boo Gift Box:Gather all your neighborhood witches for a fun-filled night with yummy treats in this gift box. Delivered by Witches Poos favorite black cats, these scrumptious Halloween favorites include Witchie Poos black cats pops, candy corn, Witchie Poos poison popcorn ball, M & M’s, mini Reeses peanut butter pumpkin, Nerds candies, sweet tart candies, buttery microwave popcorn. This gift box ensures a fun-filled night for neighborhood kids.

3.  Candy Bouquet:

You can indulge your goblins with a Halloween candy bouquet while they listen to scary ghost stories. This gift box contains fruit flavored Halloween shaped marshmellows, M & M’s, mini Hershey chocolate bars, mini Butterfinger bars, mini Reese peanut butter pumpkins, swirl pops, and a happy Jack pumpkins with Halloween pops, friendly ghosts chocolate cream lolipops, and Happy Halloween pick.

4.  Candy Cake:

This candy cake is a ghastly collection of candy pumpkins, chocolate fudge filled ghosts, Twix bars, Reese’s Halloween pumpkins, Halloween miniature chocolates, ghost peeps, candy corn filled coffin, and miniature Hershey’s candy bars.

5.  Hexes and Potion Gift Box:

Every little witch dreams of creating hexes and potions. Fulfill their wish with this Potions & Hexes Gift Box. Inside the black gloss gift box are microwave popcorn, potions bottle with nerds, miniature Hershey bars, Reese’s peanut butter cup, 2 bags of fun shapes Jacks & Bats pretzels, marshmallow ghosts, halloween candy corn, microwave popcorn, and popcorn ball.

6.  Care Package:

For young adults away from home in the military or in college, you probably want to send them a care package. This care package in a black gloss gift box.with a 14″ plush cat in a pumpkin outfit delivers lots of all-American favorite Halloween treats (Trick or Treat bag filled with candy corn, Hershey’s chocolate ghosts, microwave butter popcorn, Reese’s pieces, peanut M & M’s, Reese’s peanut butter filled pumpkin, and foil wrapped candies). Send the Halloween Care Package to those you care about!

7.  The Singing Count:

For your little goblin, delight them with a friendly little plush Count that sings the Monster Mash and groves down to the classic tune. This gift is appropriate for young children.

8.  Halloween Candles:

The Halloween Trio Candle set consists of an owl, a witch, and a Jack-O-Lantern, each stand on a black metal plate.  This gift will bring a festive glow to your spooky decorating theme.  You can also give them as party favors or hostess gifts. They are the perfect addition to any collection. The candles have a forest musk fragrance. 

9. Boo Activity Bag:   Halloween is about fun activities.  Send all the ghouls and goblins in your clan this fun filled activity and treats gift bag. This fun fabric bag carries hand-held brain twister games, Squishy fun ball, relaxable smiley face ball, creepy crawlers gummi candies, Halloween bats and pumpkins pretzels, candy corn, chocolate bars, marshmallow ghost peeps, and more. It is a great for tweens and the “Big Kids”

In summary, Halloween is a holiday for fun activities and candy treats.  Send a gift basket, candy bouquet, care package, gift box, or activity bag to your favorite trick-or-treaters.  They will always remember the fun and love that you provide.

Kate S is the CEO of Gift Basket for All, LLC. You can visit her site, http://www.giftbasketforall.com, for gourmet gift basket, anniversary, new baby, birthday, corporate, get well, sympathy gifts.

For product information on Halloween gifts, visit:http://www.giftbasketforall.com/halloween-gift

Halloween is a fun holiday celebrated on the night of October 31st. Children will dress in their favorite costumes and go trick-or-treating for candies. These activities can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain, which was a celebration of the end of the harvest season. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31st, the boundary between the alive and the dead disappeared, and the dead became dangerous to the living by causing problems such as sickness or damaged crops. Costumes and masks were worn at the festival to mimic the evil spirits to placate them. Because of the origin of this holiday, traditional characters for Halloween celebratons include ghosts, witches, vampires, bats, black cats, goblins, skeletons, and pumpkin-man. Halloween gifts often include one of these characters. This article provides some gift ideas for your trick or treaters.
1. Jack-O-Lantern gift basket:
Jack-O-Lantern is the symbol of Halloween. Hence most Halloween gift basket have a Jack-O-Lantern pail filled with treats and games. One popular gift basket is filled with candy corn (popular Halloween candy), Reese’s, M & M’s, gummy worms, caramel corn, pumpkin carving kit for making Jack-O-Lantern, flash light for safety during trick-or-treating. and a plush black cat dressed as a witch, This gift is a must have for Halloween.
2. Boo Gift Box:
Gather all your neighborhood witches for a fun-filled night with yummy treats in this gift box. Delivered by Witches Poos favorite black cats, these scrumptious Halloween favorites include Witchie Poos black cats pops, candy corn, Witchie Poos poison popcorn ball, M & M’s, mini Reeses peanut butter pumpkin, Nerds candies, sweet tart candies, buttery microwave popcorn. This gift box ensures a fun-filled night for neighborhood kids.
3. Candy Bouquet:
You can indulge your globlins with a Halloween candy bouquet while they listen to scary ghost stories. This gift box contains fruit flavored Halloween shaped marshmellows, M & M’s, mini Hershey chocolate bars, mini Butterfinger bars, mini Reese peanut butter pumpkins, swirl pops, and a happy Jack pumpkins with Halloween pops, friendly ghosts chocolate cream lolipops, and Happy Halloween pick.
4. Candy Cake:
This candy cake is a ghastly collection of candy pumpkins, chocolate fudge filled ghosts, Twix bars, Reese’s Halloween pumpkins, Halloween miniature chocolates, ghost peeps, candy corn filled coffin, and miniature Hershey’s candy bars.
5. Hexes and Potion Gift Box:
Every little witch dreams of creating hexes and potions. Fulfill their wish with this Potions & Hexes Gift Box. Inside the black gloss gift box are microwave popcorn, potions bottle with nerds, miniature Hershey bars, Reese’s peanut butter cup, 2 bags of fun shapes Jacks & Bats pretzels, marshmallow ghosts, halloween candy corn, microwave popcorn, and popcorn ball.
6. Care Package:
For young adults away from home in the military or in college, you probably want to send them a care package. This care package in a black gloss gift box.with a 14″ plush cat in a pumpkin outfit delivers lots of all-American favorite Halloween treats (Trick or Treat bag filled with candy corn, Hershey’s chocolate ghosts, microwave butter popcorn, Reese’s pieces, peanut M & M’s, Reese’s peanut butter filled pumpkin, and foil wrapped candies). Send the Halloween Care Package to those you care about!
7. The Singing Count:
For your little globlin, delight them with a friendly little plush Count that sings the Monster Mash and groves down to the classic tune. This gift is appropriate for young children.
8. Halloween Trio Candle Set:
This candles set consists of an owl, a witch, and a Jack-O-Lantern, each stand on a black metal plate. This gift will bring a festive glow to your spooky decorating theme. You can also give them as party favors or hostess gifts. They are the perfect addition to any collection. The candles have a forest musk fragrance.
9. Boo Activity Bag:
Halloween is about fun activities. Send all the ghouls and goblins in your clan this fun filled activity and treats gift bag. This fun fabric bag carries hand-held brain twister games, Squishy fun ball, relaxable smiley face ball, creepy crawlers gummi candies, Halloween bats and pumpkins pretzels, candy corn, chocolate bars, marshmallow ghost peeps, and more. It is a great for tweens and the “Big Kids”
In summary, Halloween is a holiday for fun activities and candy treats. Send a gift basket, candy bouquet, care package, gift box, or activity bag to your favorite trick-or-treaters. They will always remember the fun and love that you provide.

The Yuletide season has just set in and the mood is that of a merry one as people are busy planning out the perfect way to celebrate their Christmas. Personally speaking, the magic of the occasion never ceases to fill me with the same feeling of goodwill and blissful merry making as we happily indulge in more than just decorating the Christmas tree. Singing carols at friends’ places are always there, although it always seems like doing a new thing every time. The real attraction, however, is provided by the assortment of several well dressed cakes to mark this auspicious occasion. And talking about cakes, you don’t need to squeeze out time from your busy schedule to bake them either, as you can easily shop for celebration cakes over the Internet or at stores.

It is really amazing how times have changed, and all for the better of course. Although replacing the older method of baking cakes frantically, this new trend hasn’t replaced the custom altogether. While shopping for gifts to give out to friends and family, you can visit a bakery and order from some of the most attractive cakes baked ever. Things which could have been quite a challenge for you are now possible through a string of celebration cakes that come in all kinds of flavours and toppings for a real treat.

To add to the sparkle that is set through brightly decorated lights and a richly adorned Christmas tree, you would obviously want the food to be equally special. With celebration cakes, you can now have all that you could have desired. You can go for cakes with figures of Santa or the baby Jesus carved on the top. You can choose between options like chocolate cakes with rich fillings, lemon drizzle cakes with butter cream fillings, maderia sponge cakes and so on.

All that you need to do to fill your Christmas with these celebration cakes is to simply order over the Internet and receive the same through courier.

Are you looking for ways to save this holiday gift-giving season? With your children’s teachers, neighbors, doctors, and even loving grandparents – your gift list just keeps growing. This year give the gift that keeps on giving, without blowing your budget. Homemade goodies reserve a special place amongst the array of store bought gifts. Fruitcake isn’t the only food worth giving this season. One of my favorite gifts to give are quick breads. Too busy to cook around the holidays? No problem – quick breads are easy to make and can be made ahead of time and frozen.I promise, Chocolate Zucchini Bread is one of my absolute favorite nutritious-and-delicious quick breads, so don’t let this combination startle you. Easy Cranberry Yam Bread is another family favorite that gets requested every year!   Also, make the bread in different size loaf pans to give an assortment of different type breads—or maybe you need just a little something for a present.Another great gift idea is my yummy Snack Mix. So easy to whip up, I often find myself craving the combination of this sweet and salty treat. You can use red and green M&M’s to get into that festive holiday spirit. Fill decorative containers with the Snack Mix and this fun gift becomes functional as they have the container to use forever. The holiday season is often thought of as a season to splurge. Give your wallet and your waistline a break with these holiday favorites. By adding a personal touch to your next holiday gifts you can let your gift-giving list grow without worry. These delicious homemade recipes are the perfect economical gift everyone will enjoy – with a trim and terrific twist.  Visit www.hollyclegg.com or thehealthycookingblog.com for more recipes.Chocolate Zucchini Bread This delicious chocolate bread gets extra moisture and nutrition from unassuming zucchini. Chocolate lovers will be delighted.16 servings/serving size: 1 slice1 cup all-purpose flour1/2 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour1/4 cup cocoa1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon baking powder1 cup light brown sugar2 large eggs1/3 cup canola oil1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini1/2 cup chopped walnuts1/4 cup skim milk1. Preheat oven 350° F.  Coat 9×5x3-inch nonstick loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.  2. In bowl combine flours, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder.  In medium bowl, mix brown sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla until blended. Stir in zucchini and walnuts.  3. Using third of flour mixture each time, add flour mixture alternating with milk to zucchini mixture, stirring lightly after each addition just until moist.4. Transfer batter to pan, bake 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.  Do not overbake. Nutrition information per serving: Calories 177, Calories from Fat 72, Total Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 27 mg, Sodium 108 mg, Total Carbohydrate 24 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugars, 14 g, Protein 3 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 fatTERRIFIC TIDBIT: In quick breads, replace up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour – an easy way to add more nutrition to the bread and enhance the nutty flavor.Easy Cranberry Yam BreadCream cheese gives this incredible, yet easy, bread a rich flavor packed with the natural sweetness of yams and a burst of cranberries. It will top your quick bread list. Toss in some pecans for added flavor and crunch.Makes 16 slices1 (8-ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened1 cup sugar1 (15-ounce) can sweet potatoes (yams), drained and mashed2 eggs11/2 cups biscuit baking mix1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 cup dried cranberries, or 1 cup chopped fresh cranberries1. Preheat oven 350°F. Coat 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. 2. In large mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in sweet potatoes and eggs. Stir in biscuit mix, cinnamon, nutmeg, cranberries until just blended. Transfer to prepared pan. 3. Bake 45 minutes – 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes before serving.Nutritional information per servingCalories 189, Protein (g) 4, Carbohydrate (g) 31, Fat (g) 6, Calories from Fat (%) 26, Saturated Fat (g) 3, Dietary Fiber (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 37, Sodium (mg) 231 Diabetic Exchanges: 1.5 starch, 0.5 fruit, 1 fat Quick TipMini loaves of quick bread make wonderful homemade gifts. Make ahead, wrap in plastic wrap, place in zipper-lock bags, and freeze until ready to give. Snack MixHere’s an easy recipe that makes a great snack mix any time of day. Sweet and salty mixes are always a great combo and this mix is addicting!Makes 20 (1/2-cup) servings3 tablespoons sesame oil3 tablespoons honey1 tablespoon soy sauce1/2 teaspoon garlic salt1/2 teaspoon onion powder4 cups crispy wheat cereal squares6 cups mini pretzels1 cup soy nuts1 cup dry roasted peanuts1 cup candy-coated chocolate pieces1. Preheat oven 250°F. Whisk together sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, garlic salt, and onion powder. 2. Toss together cereal squares, pretzels, soy nuts, and peanuts in large bowl. Drizzle oil mixture over cereal mixture, tossing gently to coat. 3. Scatter mixture on foil-lined jelly roll pan, bake 25 minutes, stirring often to prevent too much browning. Turn off oven and let cereal stay in oven 1 hour to continue crisping. When cool, toss with chocolate candies. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.Nutritional information per servingCalories 242, Protein (g) 8, Carbohydrate (g) 32, Fat (g) 10, Cal. from Fat (%) 37, Saturated Fat (g) 3, Dietary Fiber (g) 3, Cholesterol (mg) 2, Sodium (mg) 400, Diabetic Exchanges: 0.5 very lean meat, 1 starch, 1 other carbohydrate, 2 fat

Cake decorating Halloween themes can be a blast. The cake actually has become an essential part of our celebrations today. May that be a birthday, wedding, anniversary, homecoming party or a house warming ceremony, with the festive food you will find a decorated cake on the dining table. So when it is Halloween time you will find a cake to match the festivities.

The tradition of Halloween dates back thousands of years to Celtic rituals. People believed that on once a year the human world and the other dark world of the spirits and ghosts overlap. It is possible for the spirits to return to earth. The date was fixed as October 31.

In the olden days the Celts celebrated their new year on November 1. Which was a official day marked as the end of summer and beginning of cold and dark winter in Ireland.

Over the years two Roman traditions were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration. The first tradition was commemorating the dead and the second was to honor the Roman Goddess of fruit and trees called Pomona.

The modern day celebration of Halloween is the mixture of the ancient beliefs and now it is celebrated to have fun.

The surrounding imagery for Halloween is a mixture of old customs and traditions and of course American filmmakers and graphic artists. They have come up with amazing characters. The common theme is dark and mysterious. It also involves skeletons, ghosts, mythical monsters. Bats, Owls and crows along with haunted houses and pumpkin men, black cats are very common things that are associated with Halloween.

All of these things are to be found on a cake decorating for Halloween. The house is decorated to resemble to the haunted house or for Dracula’s castle and the cake is decorated with spiders, black cats or bats.

You can get cake toppings with figures associated with Halloween. The figures could be that of Grim Reaper, or Halloween witch. You can have fun with these cake toppers. Cake decorating Halloween can be a family fun activity. If your children can join to decorate the cake the entire family can have lots of fun.

You get many more things to decorate your Halloween cake in the market. Few of them are Halloween Skeleton and hands that you can stick on the cake. You get some spooky looking rings that can be placed on the cake to add to the spirit of the season.

3D Halloween Luminaries Picks can add another dimension to your cake. The predominant color of the season is orange and black. If you have black icing on the cake and it is a chocolate cake and if you stick orange illuminated sticks on the cake it will really blend in with the atmosphere of Halloween.

Cake decorating Halloween can be a fun filled activity for the entire family and it can be a very enriching experience for all the members of the family.