My Chocolate Fantasy

We all know that the way to a woman’s heart is through chocolate. And chocolate treats that you make yourself is sure to win her heart this Valentine’s Day. These three chocolate baking recipes are simple ones to make that hardly take any time at all. She will love the fact that you took the time to make something yourself. It always means more to get something that you have made for her than something you bought.

Chocolate Creams

1 package (8 squares) semi-sweet chocolate squares

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup butter

1 3/4 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

finely chopped pecans

In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate squares with the butter over low heat. Take it off of the heat and add in the confectioners’ sugar, cream and vanilla. Chill in the refrigerator until it holds together when shaped (about 1 hour). Form into balls and roll them in the pecans. If you want to take a little more time to make your Valentine’s Day treat even more special, shape the dough into hearts and put red and pink sprinkles on them. Make sure to store them in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Pudding Cake

1 package chocolate cake mix

1 large package (6 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix

1 cup water

1/4 cup oil

4 eggs

1 container chocolate frosting

pink and red sprinkles

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, water, oil, and eggs. With an electric mixer, beat the mixture for 2 minutes. Grease (take butter and smear it over the bottom and sides of the pan) and flour (put about 1/4 cup of flour in the pan after you’ve greased it and shake it around, covering the bottom and sides completely) a 9 x 13-inch pan. Pour the mixture into the pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until cake tests done (put a toothpick in the center and when it comes out without anything on it, it’s done). Allow to cool for 30 minutes to an hour and then frost with the chocolate frosting. Shake the red and pink sprinkles evenly over the top of the cake for added Valentine’s Day decoration.

Fudge Cookies

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 square semi-sweet chocolate

1/2 cup milk

3 cups oatmeal

1/2 cup pecans

1/2 cup coconut

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, butter, chocolate, and milk. Stir almost constantly. When mixture starts to boil around the edges, start to stir it constantly. Allow the mixture to boil for one minute. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the oatmeal, pecans and coconut. Drop the mixture by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets covered in waxed paper. For an added Valentine’s Day touch, put a candy heart on top of each one. Put in the refrigerator to set until hardened (overnight works best). Be sure to store them in the refrigerator.

Valentines Day is on February 14th. It is a special day to express our love to the special person in our lives. You can do this by sending your love a Valentine gift.  This article provides ideas on Valentines day gifts.

a. Valentine Gift Basket:    Valentine baskets are great gifts for your sweetheart. A popular basket comes with a beautiful arrangement of delicacies for an evening of romance and dining, accented with roses and completed with massage oil and votive candles. Inside the wicker basket are chocolate covered cherries, shortbread cookies, Mia Amore pasta, sun dried roasted tomatoes, chocolates, cheese, and a hard cover book of romance. This romantic gift is ideal for sharing with your special someone, and will create Valentine memories you two will always hold dear.

b. Valentine Gift Pail:   Alternatively, you can send a message of love with an unique red gift pail, wrapped around by the long arms of a charming bear couple.  The teddy bears are embroidered with the saying “I love you this much!” They are stuffed with hugs and good wishes and surrounded by sweet treats of chocolate covered cookies, Ghirardelli squares, old fashioned fudge, chocolate hearts, and Jelly Belly beans. Thia gift pail can be sent to your boyfriend or girl friend.

c. Valentine Gift Tower:   A popular gift tower consists of a soft and cuddly plush bear with a three-piece tower of sweets, including milk chocolate pretzels, white frosted pretzels and milk chocolate Ghirardelli squares. This is a wonderful gift to express your love to friends, family and special loved ones.

d. Valentines Gifts For Him:For your boyfriend or husband, you can send him a gift basket with a love message envelope. He can open the envelope and enjoy the romantic treats. He will find an adorable teddy bear holding a heart filled with his favorite truffles and a lovely Champagne candle, and many other sweet treats, … and a love coupon book. This would be a great basket for your Valentine.  e. Romantic Gift Basket – Valentines Gifts For Her:   You can win over your lover’s heart by sending her a romantic gift basket.  A popular basket consists of a beautiful gold chest filled with romantic candle gift set, frosted glass votive candle holder, sensual chocolate body paint, assorted chocolate, almond body butter massage lotion, and a Love and Romance book from the heart. She will be impressed with your elegant taste when you send her this romantic gift basket.  f. Romantic Massage Gift Basket:   A romantic massage will be treasured by your valentine. She will long remember the special treats in this lovely basket: massage oil, an acrylic massager, a massage booklet. chocolates, cookies, and a chocolate fondue kit to say I love you in good taste.

g. Spa Gift Baskets:   Spa gifts are designed especially for women.  Rejuvenate someone special with a gift hamper full of relaxing spa products, including body butter, an enchanted CD of soft piano and string music, cucumber moisturing body lotion, moisturizing body gel, terry cloth makeup and shower headband, vanilla herbal lemon tea, and terry cloth bath slippers to make her feel special. When the bath and body products are gone, she can use the handy hamper with lid for storage. Treat your sweetheart with this revitalizing gift.

h. Chocolate Bouquet:   This chocolate bouquet consists of 6 full size milk chocolate bars that create a “vase” while 20 fun size chocolates of assorted varieties make up a bouquet. This unique gift can be sent to chocolate lovers of all ages.

i. Valentines Gift Basket For Kids:   This children’s basket is filled with fun activities and treats to eat. Your little valentine will find a teddy bear with heart patches, coloring book, candy filled potion bottle with mini message, bubbles, candy bracelet, 3 marshmallow cream heart, checkers game set, marshmallow heart peep, gummy treats, Hershey Kisses exchange bag, and candies.  j. Red Roses:   Fresh, stunning and fragrant red roses will sure delight your sweetheart. Send these roses by themselves or send them to accompany other gifts.  In summary, express your love to someone special with a Valentine gift.  You can choose from Valentine gift basket, Valentine gift pail, gift tower, romantic gift basket, romantic massage gift basket, spa gift baskets, red roses, and Valentines basket for kids. Send Valentines day gift to your love, and show him or her how much you care this Valentines Day.

Kate S. is the CEO of Gift Basket For All, LLC.  You can visit the website giftbasketforall.com for their extensive collections of gift baskets.  If you are looking for Valentines gifts, you can browse at Valentine Gift and Valentines Day Gifts.

Gift Ideas for Valentine’s day 2010Valentine’s day is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending cards, flowers, sweets and gifts.The holiday is named after two Early Christian martyrs named Valentine, one of them was buried in Rome on February 14 269 A.D.Gradually, February 14 became the date for exchanging love messages and St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers.With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, now is the time to begin planning that special gift for that special someone in your life. Those of you who hate shopping in stores will appreciate these Internet sites with great Valentine’s Day gifts.Here are some great ideas and links to some of the creative Valentine’s Day gifts that can be purchased online.

Personalized Gifts

The simplest way of turning any gift into a personalized gift is by giving it a personal touch like a photo, monogrammed initials or engraving names.

Personalized Valentine’s Day gifts are the perfect gift to show him or her how much you love them.

Is your significant other into art? If so, you can surprise him or her with the KISS Portrait. Your lips will become fine art and a constant reminder of your love. You’ll get a lip-print collection kit featuring a M.A.C VIVA GLAM Lipstick and plenty of KISS image sheets so you can capture the perfect image. Then you’ll choose the combination of color, style, size and frame.

The KISS Art Portrait will come printed on archival quality canvas, ready to be granted to your love one.

Does your sweetheart like to read a lot? You may choose the Inspirations© Personalized Heart Bookmark. Engrave her/his first name on the center of the silver heart crown and he/she will enjoy it when reading page after page, book after book.

Romantic giftsTo set the mood for romance, it’s all about the little details.If you’re planning to spend a romantic Valentine’s Day at home, you can create inner warmth and a romantic candlelight glow in your bedroom or bathroom with Floating Heart Candles. Light the candles and place them in your tub or a bowl for a romantic presentation. Have a glass of wine and some Sweetheart Berries to nibble on by the side of the bed or bathtub. You can also increase the intimacy of your bedroom with “My Heart Beats for You” Couple Pillowcases as an addition to your pillow talk with your loved one.Sweet giftsFor some of us Valentine’s day doesn’t seem complete without something sweet to go with it. The Chocolate of the Month Club is the perfect gift for anyone who loves chocolate! Each month they’ll get a new, 1-pound selection of gourmet chocolates made with only the finest, all-natural ingredients and shipped fresh from specialty chocolate makers nationwide.For a chocolate fondue, have the sofa pulled up in front of a roaring fire and use the Heart-Shaped Fondue for Two to add sweetness to a romantic evening with your significant other! Useful giftsFor many of us, the best things we were given were the practical things that we could use every day. The Double Umbrella is a perfect gift for couples who can’t stand the thought of having two separate umbrellas when walking in the rain. The Floating Red Heart Bookends Set will definitely add some love to your loved one’s library. They’re meticulously handcrafted out of precious alabaster in Volterra, Italy, and have a luxurious feel that matches their striking looks.In just 90 seconds, you can bake heart shaped waffles with the WafflePro Heart Waffle Maker, worth waking up for on Valentine’s day morning and every morning after that.Jewelry

To spark up your Valentine’s Day celebrations Jewelry gifts are a great option. The artist who made the Candy Girl necklace believes that “When you’re wearing candy, you’re having fun.”

This candy necklace cast from original candy pieces is just like the real thing except that it’s made of silver and bronze. This gift will be a significant combination of your love, sweet and fun feelings for your loved one. The Precious Hearts Birthstone Earrings are an understated symbol of love she can wear with anything while holding a special meaning to her always.

Does your man like to wear jewelry? If so, surprise him with a new piece of jewelry. Perfect enamel heart cufflinks in deep Valentine red, set in a sterling silver frame. Engrave the back for subtle personalization and to commemorate the event.

While it may remain difficult for you to think of the perfect gift for your honey, these gifts can be a starting place for your search.For more exceptional and unique gift ideas for Valentine’s day visit  Gift-ideaz.com.

Valentine Caramel Chocolate apples might seem, at first blush, like an unusual Valentine’s Day treat, but consider them for just a moment and you’ll realize how appropriate they are. During this annual festival of high-calorie treats, what better way to say “I love you” than with a delicious caramel treat, with a healthy, fresh apple inside?Your significant other will be speechless with surprise when you present him or her with their own Valentine Caramel Chocolate apple, from Swiss Maid Fudge. This nostalgic childhood treat may be a tad unconventional, but it’s more than capable of melting a heart.Swiss Maid Fudge, maker of Valentine Caramel Chocolate apples and other candies and treats, is a Wisconsin-based confectioner, family-run for two generations. They distinguish themselves from other makers of Valentine candies in their commitment to traditional candy-making methodologies. When you order a Valentine Caramel Chocolate apple (or any other product) from Swiss Maid, realize that you’re receiving a product that was prepared according to the same methods and specifications employed in Europe decades ago. This means that copper kettles, open gas fires, and iron stoves are all to be found in Swiss Maid’s kitchens.Swiss Maid is also committed to using only the best, all-natural ingredients in all its products, including its Valentine Caramel Chocolate apples. They use the best one-hundred percent Wisconsin sweet cream butter, the heaviest cream, pure chocolate and real vanilla to make chocolates and candies that taste just as they should. Boxed chocolates from the supermarket can’t approach the degree of authenticity possessed by Swiss Maid Valentine Caramel Chocolate apples, and other products.Swiss Maid doesn’t only sell Valentine apples dipped in caramel and chocolate. They offer a wide variety of candy-coated apples, to suit every taste. Their Cinnamon Apple Pie apple wears a delectable coat of cinnamon-dusted caramel and white chocolate. Their Rocky Mountain apple mixes buttery caramel and milk chocolate with chunks of white chocolate and fresh almonds, for a rich, chunky eating experience, with a fresh, juicy center.Peanut Caramel apples add crushed bits of peanut to a coating of plain caramel, while Pecan Caramel apples substitute crushed pecans. The Valentine Caramel Chocolate apples themselves consist of a Granny Smith apple dunked in caramel, then white chocolate, and coated with white and pink sprinkles, for a holiday-appropriate splash of color.Though Swiss Maid is located in Wisconsin, they accept online orders for their Valentine Caramel Chocolate apples and other products, and will ship Continental U.S. Swiss Maid always ships freshly-made products, right from their kitchens, and so when you order your Valentine Caramel Chocolate apple from out of state, do so in the knowledge that the apple you receive will still be as fresh as it was when Swiss Maid packed it up.Swiss Maid Fudge is a Wisconsin based maker of Valentine Caramel Chocolate apples and other fudge and candy products. For more information, visit SwissMaidFudge.

It is almost a cliché about chocolate and Valentines Day. Heart shaped boxed filled with chocolate candies line the shelves of every store from gas stations to major department stores. So how does a guy give chocolate to his leading lady without it looking like he fell into the old cliché?
There are so many things that you can do to be creative with chocolate to impress your wife or girlfriend. One way would be to take her out for dinner at a fondue restaurant where they offer romantic dinners for couples with the dessert being a delicious chocolate fondue with scrumptious things to dip into it. Some will even have choclolate fountains, where the centre piece of your table is a fountain of molten chocolate, which you can dip wafers or fruit in to. Add a bottle of bubbly to the end of the meal with the dessert and you will be sure to score big points.
If you do not want to go that extravagant you can do u a delightful dinner at home and add in some chocolate covered strawberries for dessert while sipping her favorite cocktail by candlelight. Women love to be pampered and what better way to make her feel that way then to serve her a dinner that you cooked yourself complete with a mouthwatering chocolate dessert.
There are plenty of other chocolate gifts that you can get that are quite different then the usual heart shaped box of chocolates. There are decedent chocolate covered cookies that you can get for her. Make sure that you know what her favorite flower is and have a bouquet delivered with the unique chocolates and she will be swept off her feet. If you really want to add a personal touch to this scenario then hand deliver the whole package to her at work or where ever she may be that day.
Women appreciate the small things or the little things as some say. If you pay close attention to the things that she likes the most, you can make her have the most memorable Valentines Day ever. What woman doesn’t love chocolate? Just add a little flair to the chocolate that you choose to make it more special to her then the same old heart shaped box of chocolates. You can even order your own custom made M-n-M’s with your own words printed right on them. That is a special treat for anyone to get. Just imagine the look on her face when she opens up the M-n-M’s and sees that they all have her name and yours with some personal messages spelled out in the pieces of candy. Many chocolatiers will sell such personalised gifts, and you’ll be surprised how easy it is to come up with something unique this way.
You can have a great Valentines Day and not have to spend a fortune. Just be a little creative with what type of chocolate and flowers that you pick for your girlfriend or wife. You do not want to buy the same old gift that everyone else is buying.

When it comes to temptation, nothing packs a punch like chocolate. For centuries, chocolate has been loved by the people of the world, from drinking it in cocoa to eating it in bars. So what is a woman who wants to lose weight supposed to do about the delicious box of chocolates she receives from her true love?

If you enjoy your chocolate in moderation and cut back on other calories throughout the day to compensate, you’ll be fine. Think of moderation as one or two truffles. Period. Not one or two truffles a day for the entire month of February. Now for many women trying to lose weight, having a pound of chocolate on the kitchen counter will not work. The temptation is far too overwhelming. So here’s some advice about what to do with your chocolate love gifts:

1. Eat only dark chocolate. Give all your milk and white chocolate pieces away to your skinny friends. Enjoy dark chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa. Research shows that flavonoid-rich foods like dark chocolate may keep high blood pressure down and decrease your risk for heart disease. So as long as you’re indulging, make it dark chocolate.

2. Give yourself a chocolate allowance. Enjoy 2000 calories worth of chocolate throughout your Valentine’s celebrations, or have five pieces of chocolate, or one piece of cake. Decide beforehand what you are going to do. Indulge all at once by ordering that rich cake for dessert on Valentine’s Day or savor your chocolate over a longer period of time (like one piece of chocolate, five days in a row). But after you have your allowance, you are done. Finished. Just like when you were a kid and your parents gave you a dollar a week, once the dollar was spent, you didn’t have money to buy anything else.

3. Get creative with the leftovers. Chances are you’re going to have some chocolate left after you’ve had your allowance. You can wrap chocolate pieces and give them away to your friends and neighbors with notes of appreciation. Or if your truffles came from your husband who doesn’t really want to see his hard earned money going to buy chocolates for the neighbors, you can put the chocolate in the freezer and have a celebration when you hit your goal weight.

4. Ask your family for help. Tell your husband you would love to get some chocolate for Valentine’s Day but just a little bit. Ask for something without calories like flowers.

When you focus on the true source of love in your life, the chocolates you see lining the supermarket shelves will take a backseat this Valentine’s Day. Be moderate with chocolate but lavish in showing love to your friends and family!

Today’s Action Step: What will you do to indulge smart this Valentine’s Day?