Archives for July 2017

Almond Joy Coconut Macaroons

July 30, 2017

Crunchy, chewy, nutty and chocolate-covered Almond Joy Coconut Macaroons taste just like the beloved candy bar and are an easy treat to make.

Almond Joy Coconut Macaroons from LoveandConfections.com

Almond Joy Macaroons combine the taste of my hubby’s favorite candy bar and dessert – coconut macaroons. These cookies are chewy, crunchy, sweet and have just the right amount of chocolate for a scrumptious bite.

Coconut macaroons are always a hit in my family. There are so many coconut lovers, including my husband and my dad. The moment Mr. L&C heard I was making Almond Joy Coconut Macaroons, he kept asking when the photographs would be done so he could dig in. My dad did pretty much the same, trying to sneak some before they had been dipped in chocolate.

These aren’t your ordinary coconut macaroons. They are reminiscent of Mr. L&C’s favorite candy bar – Almond Joy. I wanted to create the same flavor profile with a twist. Sliced almonds are chopped and incorporated into the macaroon mix, baked, dipped and drizzled in chocolate, then topped with more almonds. Talk about a delicious creation! Let’s just say these Almond Joy Coconut Macaroons didn’t last too long.

Click here for the FULL RECIPE:

Almond Joy Macaroons

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

I have an ongoing relationship with Dixie Crystals as a recipe developer and brand ambassador. I receive product, coupons and/or compensation for posts featuring their products. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Love and Confections possible. As always, all opinions are my own.

Tangerine Sweet Tea

July 16, 2017

Tangerine juice brightens the traditional sweet tea and gives it a fun, southern, summer flair.

This recipe is sponsored by Dixie Crystals

Tangerine Sweet Tea from LoveandConfections.com

Sweet tea is a staple in the South, and I am a Southern girl at heart. Give me biscuits, gravy and a tall glass of sweet tea and I am a happy girl! Traditional sweet tea is given a refreshing fruity twist with tangerine juice. Being from Florida, we have a lot of beautiful citrus available and adding fruity flavors to drinks is always fun.

Depending on the fruit, tangerines can be sweet or slightly tart. I created a sort of tangerine syrup with tangerine juice and sugar, to sweeten my tea. If you can’t find fresh tangerines, check the refrigerated juice section of your grocery store for tangerine juice. If that isn’t available, clementines and oranges are other good options.

Don’t forget to garnish with some fresh citrus slices, mint and fun straws. I have a large collection of straws that I am always adding to. I find them in craft stores, party stores and online. I think they really make a festive drink display and are great for parties or cocktail bars too. Hope you have a delightful day and have a glass of Tangerine Sweet Tea to sip on. Cheers!

Click here for the FULL RECIPE:

TANGERINE SWEET TEA

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

July 15, 2017

Rich chocolate cookies, maraschino cherries and creamy chocolate ganache combine in a delectable treat – Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies from LoveandConfections.com

I am a big cookie fan. I like all types, from cut out sugar cookies to biscotti and everything in between. As soon as I saw this recipe for Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies, I knew it would be an instant hit with my family.

This is such an easy recipe and perfect for when you want a delicious chocolate cookie. I love maraschino cherries, but usually only use them for sundaes and pineapple upside-down cakes. I never thought to use them in a thumbprint-style cookie. They add just the right amount of sweetness and love the color too.

Now, let’s talk about the chocolate ganache drizzle. This is seriously delicious! I love how creamy and sweet it is. The recipe says to use semisweet chips, but I think you can get away with dark chocolate chips too, since the sweetened condensed milk is so sweet. Just thinking about these chocolate cookies make me want to whip up another batch again.

Some of my favorite kitchen tools are my dishers, or ice cream scoops. I rarely use them for ice cream though. They come in so many different sizes and are perfect for portioning out batters. I use them for cookies, cupcakes, pancakes, macaroons, and even meatballs. It’s great because everything you make is uniform and cooks more evenly. I usually use a size 40 (purple) or 30 (black) disher for cookies, depending on how big I want them to be. Here’s some links to a few of my favorites – they are Amazon affiliate links, which means if you purchase them, at no additional cost to you, I receive a portion of the purchase.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

By Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
Published 07/15/2017

Rich chocolate cookies, maraschino cherries and creamy chocolate ganache combine in a delectable treat.

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Maraschino cherries, no stem and blotted dry
6 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons reserved maraschino cherry juice, optional

Instructions

Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, and set aside. Heat oven to 350F.
Cream together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then beat in egg and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Slowly add to butter mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix until just combined. Using a small cookie scoop, shape cookie balls then place on cookie sheets. Using the scoop, spoon or your fingers, make a slight indentation in each cookie then place a cherry into each cookie ball.
Bake for 8-11. Remove cookie sheets from oven and allow cookies to rest for 5 minutes before placing them on wire racks to cool completely
While cookies are cooling, combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a small saucepan on low heat, whisking constantly. If needed, add reserved cherry juice to thin our chocolate. Drizzle or pipe over cooled cookies. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: 28-35 cookies

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Strawberry Peach Pound Cake Trifle

July 11, 2017

Homemade pound cake, strawberries, peaches and a vanilla cream filling make this trifle over-the-top, refreshing and easy to make for any summer gathering.

This recipe is sponsored by Dixie Crystals

Strawberry Peach Pound Cake Trifle from LoveandConfections.com

Trifles are such a fun Summer dessert where many flavors are delicious. Strawberries, peaches, vanilla cream filling and homemade pound cake is a great fruit-filled and creamy combination. There really is no right or wrong way to make a trifle and you can pick and choose what fruits, cake and fillings you want. You can even go one step further and do a chocolate trifle with cookies or brownies – now that sounds delicious!!

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Key Lime Strawberry Poke Cake

July 6, 2017

Homemade vanilla poke cake with key lime and strawberry fillings and topped with whipped cream is a taste of the tropics at home. Tart and sweet combine in a delicious and fun summer treat.

This recipe is sponsored by Dixie Crystals

Key Lime Strawberry Poke Cake from LoveandConfections.com

Poke cakes are so fun and festive. They can be as easy or intricate as you like, but any way you make it is delicious! Key lime and strawberry are such a great flavor combination. Add a homemade vanilla cake and you will have an amazing dessert!

Poke cakes are usually made with a box mix, packaged gelatin and frozen whipped topping. This cake is much better. I created a key lime filling that is tart and sweet and perfect. Strawberry topping is one of my favorite things ever! It spreads on top of the cake and key lime filling for a fantastic pop of color and delicious strawberry taste. I use a similar strawberry filling for my Chocolate Covered Strawberry Bars too!

Creme Chantilly tops off this dessert and it so easy to make, you’ll wonder why you even buy the frozen stuff. Make sure you have enough limes and strawberries set aside for garnish. I hope you enjoy my Key Lime Strawberry Poke Cake and have a sweet day!

Click here for the FULL RECIPE:

KEY LIME STRAWBERRY POKE CAKE

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Easy Toddler Fairy Garden #SnackSnapShare #SnackStories

July 3, 2017

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SnackSnapShare #SnackStories #CollectiveBias

Fairy Gardens are an easy and interactive DIY to get your toddler outdoors this Summer and help ignite their imagination.

Easy Toddler Fairy Garden from LoveandConfections.com #SnackSnapShare #SnackStories

Even before having my little one, I have loved the idea of fairy gardens. They can come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you prefer rustic, traditional, or anything in between, there is a fairy garden for everyone – including toddlers. When we play outside, I always remember to bring extra water and have snacks handy, like Cape Cod® Potato Chips and Snack Factory® Pretzel Crips®.

Fairy gardens are the perfect Summer project for little hands. With parental help, a fairy garden can be created very easily and supply endless hours of fun. I decided on getting a few pre-made fairy elements and mixing with live plants for our outdoor garden. Nowadays you can find almost anything in craft stores or online for fairy gardens.

We went to the local craft store and local hardware store for our supplies. I already had potting soil on hand from my herb garden, but if you don’t, you will need to purchase some of that as well. My daughter had fun picking out some small plants and flowers for her garden. The fairy house was a surprise and I added it while she napped, telling her that a fairy moved in while she was sleeping.

I will eventually drill a small hole in the house and get an LED candle or small light strand for nighttime. When it gets dark, my daughter can watch for when the fairy comes home and the lights turn on. She hasn’t met her fairy yet, but every day we talk about what she might look like, and what her name is. It is great for little imaginations. We are also practicing our math skills by counting the teeny mushrooms and stone walkway. I am definitely going to continue adding to the garden, maybe even make another one for a second fairy soon and enjoy more family time outside, playing in the dirt and using our imaginations.

Easy Toddler Fairy Garden

Supplies:

1 wide pot with drainage holes, if using live plants

potting soil

gloves and trowel

greenery & flowers

fairy house

vase filler or stepping stones

mini mushrooms

optional additional accessories and lights

Fairy Garden Assembly

Gather all your supplies and prepare a work space.

Fill pots halfway with potting soil. Read directions regarding sunlight and spacing for your plants and plant them accordingly. Fill in remaining area with soil.

Place pot where you’d like the garden to stay and water briefly so soil compacts a bit.

Decide where you’d like the fairy house placed so it will not get in the way of plant growth.

Arrange vase filler, or stepping stones, to create a path for the fairy.

Accessorize with miniature mushrooms on florist wire, or other miniature furniture and lights.

Enjoy your very own fairy garden!

I can’t remember how long ago I was introduced to Cape Cod® Potato Chips by my dad, but they have been a family favorite for a long while. I didn’t even realize how many flavors there are now. Original and Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper are my favorites, and I want to try the Waffle Cut varieties, Infused Mediterranean, and limited editions like Roasted Black Garlic. With so many variations for snacking with Cape Cod® Potato Chips, there really is a flavor for everyone and every occasion – from sharing together during family time to parties, barbecues and cookouts all Summer long. My toddler is learning to “share” but it is sometimes a back and forth struggle. She has no problem sharing snacks though.

If I were to enter, I’d definitely use this photo of some of my favorite Summer snacks – Cape Cod® Potato Chips, Snack Factory® Pretzel Crips® and ice cold lemonade!

Snack Better Together Sweepstakes

#SnackSnapShare #Sweepstakes (5/30 to 7/25)

Enter the sweepstakes by sharing snack stories and submitting photos of you, your family or friends in snacking moment using hashtag #SnackSnapShare
(1) Grand prize- $10,000 cash prize for a family vacation of the winner’s choosing.
(8) Weekly Winners- One weekly winner will win a year’s worth of snacks so they can continue to share the love all year long.
(57) Daily Winners- winners will receive a $50 prepaid Visa gift card to stock up on snacks at their favorite retailer

I hope you have an enjoyable Summer outside with family and friends, playing, building fairy gardens and sharing delicious snacks together! Don’t forget to enter the sweepstakes above!

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!