I’ve eyed the container of Emerald Cocoa Roast Almonds every time I’ve gone down the snack aisle at Sam’s Club. During my most recent trip at the beginning of this week, however, I buckled and picked one up.

It’s not that I didn’t want to try them, it’s that I’m always wary of purchasing a big container of something I haven’t tried before. What if we absolutely hate them? That $10 could have easily gone toward something else and I’d kick myself for having wasted it.
In this case, though, the $10 on the 38oz container was not wasted. As you can …read more

I had never heard of M&M’s mini baking bits until just a few years ago when we went out of state to visit family. My niece bought a bag so our kids could make cookies, and I remember wondering why a bag of regular M&M’s wouldn’t work just as well.

Once we opened the bag I realized why. The M&M’s baking bits are about half the size of the regular-sized milk chocolate M&M’s. The smaller size means there are more of them, and it makes it easier to stir them into dough without having them break apart, thus losing the fun …read more

Around here, August wouldn’t be August without a chocolate zucchini cake. I first got the recipe from my best friend’s mom, when my friend and I were just in high school. She had made it one weekend when I was staying over and humored me by giving me the recipe.

I have definitely put it to good use over the years, and when my grandpa had the chance to try some at one family function or another, he requested it for his birthday in August, and then every August thereafter.

Though he passed away just a few years ago, I still …read more

This week’s Chocolate Zen is a “Chocolate Bumpy Cake,” which is a chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting dipped in chocolate ganache.
Sadly, there’s no indication where flickr user flirtykitty bought it, though!

[images: flickr]

This week’s chocolate zen is a batch of chocolate peanut butter chip cookies I made last night.
I added some chopped walnuts to them and I might need to send the rest in to work with my husband tomorrow — these things are dangerous!

Today’s a chocolate cake kind of day!
[image: flickr]

After last week’s Ferrero giveaway and the discovery that they’re now making a dark chocolate treat, I’ve kept my eyes open for them!

Sometimes you just need to go all out!
A homemade chocolate brownie topped with ice cream, sprinkles and chocolate syrup.
[image: flickr]

This week’s chocolate zen is a chocolate cake from flickr user david nikonvscanon. It looks amazing!

Like I said, there was some chocolate action happening in my kitchen this weekend! Yesterday I made a batch of Coconut Swirl Brownies that I linked to on Saturday.
They turned out beautifully, but there are a few changes I’m going to make next time, because there will definitely be a next time!
The condensed milk and coconut were a little understated. To pick it up a bit I think I’d probably mix in an ounce or two of softened cream cheese with the milk and coconut mixture, and I’d add some chopped walnuts to the whole thing. I think I …read more