Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Holidays’ Category

Inspirational Thoughts for the New Year

Posted in Community, Helping Others, Holidays, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 1, 2013| Leave a Comment »

DSC03095

#1 – A New Year
A new year is unfolding – like a blossom with petals curled tightly concealing the beauty within.
Unknown 

#2 – The End and the Beginning
For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
T.S. Eliot

#3 – Room By Room
We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives . . . not looking for flaws, but for potential.
Ellen Goodman

#4 – Look Inside
Carl jung quote

#5 – Resolve to Keep Happy
Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.
Helen Keller

#6 – Be at Peace
Be at Peace not in pieces

#7 – How to Live
We live in deeds, not years; in thoughts, not breaths;
In feelings, not in figures on a dial.

We should count time by heart-throbs. He most loves
Who thinks most – feels the noblest – acts the best.
Philip James Baile

#8- Do You Have Any Idea?
lives you touchedFrom the TUT Adventures Club

#9 – A New Book
We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.
Edith Lovejoy Pierce

#10 – I Know Something Good About You

Wouldn’t this old world be better
If the folks we meet would say –
“I know something good about you!”
And treat us just that way?

Wouldn’t it be fine and dandy
If each handclasp, fond and true,
Carried with it this assurance –
“I know something good about you!’

Wouldn’t life be lots more happy
If the good that’s in us all
Were the only thing about us
That folks bothered to recall?

Wouldn’t life be lots more happy
If we praised the good we see?
For there’s such a lot of goodness
In the worst of you and me!

Wouldn’t it be nice to practice
That fine way of thinking, too?
You know something good about me;
I know something good about you.

Author unknown

 #11 – Change Your Programming

"change your programming" inspiration

#12 – Becoming
There is no such thing as a “finished” person; whatever your circumstances are, it is your challenge to keep asking yourself the tough question that will move you forward in your life. What I’ve discovered is that joy isn’t waiting on the other side of that process; joy is that process . . . The greatest joy lies not in simply being but in becoming.
Oprah

May 2013 bring you abundant joy!

With much gratitude,

Linnell

Read Full Post »

Friday’s Fresh Five! (12/21/12)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Gift Ideas, Helping Others, Holidays, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 21, 2012| 2 Comments »

kids in Santa hats
Eleven years ago my husband and I took our kids for their annual holiday portrait. Getting them attired for this event was never an easy task, especially the older they got. As we sat and waited for our turn at the photo studio, my family watched other portraits being taken. By the time the photographer called our names, my kids were more than ready to go home. The photographer must have read “Photography Poses 101” or something like that, because he put my kids through the normal repertoire of poses and then uttered, “Okay, you’re done.” That’s when my oldest son said, “Can we get in that?” For an hour he’d been watching little kids being photographed with all sorts of props, but one prop, in particular, caught his imagination – a large plastic pair of Santa pants. The photographer paused to think about the question for a minute. I could tell he thought this prop was only for little kids, but he finally said “Okay.” My three kids voluntarily donned Santa hats and giggled as they crammed into the pants. The boys laughed while they pulled Santa’s suspenders over their shoulders. Everyone in the studio stopped to look at them and we all laughed at the silly sight. What a joyful moment it was and I remember it like it happened yesterday.

#1 – 82 Blessings
Children embody hope, unconditional love, and wonderment. Because children are gifts to be cherished and they are our gifts to the world, we need to nourish them and care for them physically and emotionally.  From the blog Finding Joy comes a list of 82 Blessings for Kids. Read the entire list for the children in your life and for the child in you.

#2 – Looking for Butterflies
butterfly In an article titled Finding Joy, author Karen Kleiman, MSW, LCSW, based her essay on the saying, “Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over . . . it became a butterfly.” Although she writes articles on healing postpartum depression, her words and the saying apply to anyone coping with issues. She writes about looking for the “butterflies” in life: What is a butterfly? It’s a moment of pure joy. It’s an instant in time when everything feels right. It’s a thing or a look or a feeling, a sense or an energy that grabs us from behind, often when we are not looking. Most of the time, it is fleeting. Sometimes, it rests right in front of us. We cannot see it if we do not look for it. If we aren’t mindful, we will miss it; it will be gone. If we find it, it’s exquisite.

#3 – Finding Joy In My Kitchen
white chocolate popcorn White Chocolate Popcorn, anyone? This and other tasty edible gifts can be found via links from the blog Finding Joy In My Kitchen.

#4 – Enjoy the Moment and the Music
No hip hop dancing was performed during this flash mob in Sabadell, Spain. More than 100 members of symphonies and choirs participated in this event which has been called by some people, “The most beautiful they have ever seen.”

#5 – Be Joyful
“Now and then it is good to pause in our pursuit of Joy and just be Joyful.”
Anonymous

Have a joyous holiday!

Read Full Post »

A Trio of Dips for Crudites

Posted in Holidays, In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 18, 2012| 1 Comment »

crudities with dip Instead of serving a tray of high-calorie appetizers at your next party, how about presenting a beautiful platter of fresh crudités? Boring, you say? Not if you serve the crudités with a variety of interesting dips! Don’t be fooled by the simple list of ingredients in the Herb Dip; the fresh herbs really shine in this easy and delicious recipe. Tempt your guests with the cooling flavor of lime juxtaposed against the heat of chilies in the Chili-Lime Sour Cream Dip. Last, but certainly not least, the Peanut Sauce is sure to be a crowd favorite – what’s not to like about peanut butter with a little attitude?

Herb Dip
Recipe by Ina Garten

Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 scallions, white and green parts, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Place the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, scallions, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and blend. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 2 cups

Linnell’s Notes:
Due to the cream cheese, this recipe produces a thick dip. To further cut calories, you could experiment with low-fat versions of the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise. For best flavor, though, you’re going to have to leave some fat in the recipe!

Chili-Lime Sour Cream Dip
Recipe from Better Homes and Garden

Ingredients:
One 16-ounce carton of sour cream
Two 7-ounce cans of diced green chilies, drained
1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup jarred salsa
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon mild or hot chili powder
2 teaspoons finely shredded lime peel
1/2 teaspoon salt
Bottled hot pepper sauce to taste

Directions:
In a large bowl combine sour cream, chilies, cilantro, salsa, garlic, chili powder, lime peel, salt and bottled hot pepper sauce. Cover and chill overnight.

Makes 3¾ cups

Linnell’s Notes:
The level of preferred heat can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the amounts of chili powder and hot pepper sauce. Also, the type of salsa you use, will affect the heat of the dip. Chilling the dip overnight allows the flavors to meld.

Peanut Sauce
Recipe originally from Sunset Hors D’oeuvres Cookbook

Ingredients:
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons chili sauce or ketchup
1/2 – 1 teaspoon soy sauce, to taste

Directions:
Mix ingredients until well-blended. Serve with raw vegetables (cucumber, jicama, bell pepper, carrot and celery)

Makes 3/4 cup

Linnell’s Notes:
After tasting this at one of her parties, I begged my friend Tina for this recipe. Because it’s a crowd-pleaser, I double or quadruple this recipe when I make it!

Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Friday’s Fresh Five! (12/14/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Gift Ideas, Helping Others, Holidays, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Pets, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 14, 2012| 1 Comment »

dog in raincoat One step out of the front door, one downward dour look, and one step back into the house – I could tell that no amount of coaxing was going to persuade my 14-year-old dog to go for a walk in the rain. Inside, he looked at me with pleading old eyes, as if to say, “I’m not going outside, Mom. The rain is one thing, but this silly raincoat is another! How embarrassing to be seen like this!” Even though I thought he looked cute, I relented and we headed to the backyard instead.

#1 – Dog Love
man and his dog Humans and dogs share a special bond. This series of photos titled, “Let’s Take A Minute To Appreciate Our Dogs” proves that point. Seeing these photos will tug at your heartstrings and make you smile.

#2 – Gifts that Give Back
Giving gifts that give back is a win-win situation. There are websites that organize lists of charities, so all you have to do is purchase a gift card from one of the sites, give it to someone, and let the recipient choose which charity to donate to. So whether the recipient’s worthy cause supports education, animal rescue, or food for the hungry, etc., you’ll both feel good about the gift. Here are a few sites worth checking out:

Network for Good

Donors Choose

Greater Good

#3 – Samsuta Candles
samsuta candles Seeing this photo of a DIY Samsuta Candle and reading the easy directions, I eyed the bag of freshly-picked Samsutas sitting on my kitchen counter. I can only imagine what a wonderful aroma this candle must release as it burns. Honestly, I haven’t had a chance to make one yet, but it’s definitely on my “to do” list.

#4 – Rockwell’s Inspiration
Norman Rockwell inspiration Have you ever wondered what or who provided the inspiration for some of Norman Rockwell’s paintings? Take a look at The Photographs Behind Norman Rockwell’s Iconic Paintings and then compare them to the images of the paintings. It’s interesting to notice what he added or changed along the way.

#5 – Within Each of Us
“There is within each one of us a potential for goodness beyond our imagining; for giving which seeks no reward; for listening without judgment; for loving unconditionally.”
― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Enjoy your weekend!

Read Full Post »

Ravioli Casserole

Posted in About me, Holidays, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 11, 2012| Leave a Comment »

ravioli casserole

Looking for something tasty and hearty to take to a holiday potluck? Well, consider yourself “potlucky” that you found this recipe! Like a lasagne, this casserole has layers of meaty tomato sauce and shredded cheese, but magnificent rows of cooked raviolis replace the lasagne noodles. My two guest taste-testers gave this casserole a two-thumbs up and even took some home as party favors.

Lisa’s Ravioli Casserole
From Paul & Phil’s Potluck Cookbook

Ingredients:
9 oz. fresh or frozen raviolis
1 lb. extra-lean ground beef
Salt, garlic, ground black pepper, and Italian seasoning, to taste
1 – 26 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce
2 cups shredded cheese (mixture of mozzarella, Romano and Parmesan)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Boil 8 quarts of water and cook raviolis according to package instructions. Drain them.

3. While raviolis are cooking, brown hamburger with the spices. Drain fat from meat. Stir in spaghetti sauce and set aside.

4. Spray a large casserole with nonstick spray. Layer meat sauce in the bottom of the dish. Place a few raviolis on top of the sauce. Put another layer of sauce on top of the raviolis. Sprinkle a layer of cheese on next. Continue to layer the ingredients with final layer being cheese.

5. Bake for 45 minutes or until the cheese is slightly browned and bubbly.

Serves 4-8

Linnell’s Notes:
1. This recipe creates a good casserole. Nothing exotic, though. The great thing about this recipe is its adaptability. The next time I prepare this casserole, I will use more interesting tasting ravioli (I used cheese ravioli the first go-round) and add some sweet Italian sausage to the ground beef mixture for more depth of flavor. Chopped spinach (defrosted and squeezed dry), chopped mushrooms, diced green peppers, chopped onions, and a can of diced tomatoes would also enhance the flavor of this recipe. Oh, and maybe a little wine, too . . . .

2. I doubled the recipe and it fit nicely in a 9 by 13-inch pan.

3. Instead of placing “a few raviolis on top of the sauce” as the recipe states, I layered the  raviolis in rows to cover the sauce (approximately 4 raviolis across and 6 raviolis long). This way every person is guaranteed to get his share of ravioli!

Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Friday’s Fresh Five! (12/7/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Gift Ideas, Helping Others, Holidays, inspiration, Photography, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 7, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Close up of frog

Photo by Linnell Chang

He: It’s late. Are you coming to bed?
She: In a minute.
He: What are you doing?
She: Taking pictures of a frog.
He: A frog? Where? It’s one o’clock in the morning!
She: Yeah, well, when I was checking the door to see if it was locked, I noticed a frog stuck to the glass. It’s not everyday you can see the belly of a frog up close!
He: I should have known better than to ask you what you were up to!

Opportunities to learn something new present themselves everyday, all day long. It’s easy to ignore or dismiss these moments because we live busy lives and because we take the world around us for granted. So the next time you see something you take for granted – a frog on a window, an autumn leaf on the ground, a candle burning, etc., ask yourself these classic questions: why, when, what, where, and how? For example, how is a frog able to cling to a smooth surface? Why do some autumn leaves turn yellow, some orange, and some red? When a candle burns, where does the wax go? Whether we take the time to observe, study, or investigate depends on our willingness or receptiveness to learn. Don’t forget . . . the more you know, the more you grow.

#1 – Sharpie Art
Sharpie decorated mugs Isn’t it time you learned that Sharpie pens are not just for writing? Take a look at these 20 Sharpie Projects Perfect for the holidays! You’ll be surprised with what you can create with a Sharpie pen!

#2 – Santa Hat Pretzels
Santa Hat Pretzels Looking for an easy-to-make holiday treat? Make these cute Santa Hat Pretzels. Simple, clever, and no baking required!

#3 – Ink and Water

Alberto Seveso

Part of the A Due Colori Series by Alberto Seveso

In the hands of an average person, mixing ink and water together spells out one big mess, but in the hands of Italian artist Alberto Seveso, these two elements create something beautiful. Click here to see more of his intriguing work.

#4 – Random Acts of Kindness
random acts of kindness When we truly open our eyes to the world around us, we take down our blinders and open our hearts, too. It’s been awhile since I’ve posted about random acts of kindness, so when I saw these 16 Unbelievable Acts of Kindness, I knew I had to share them with you. They’ll restore your faith in mankind and propel you to do something kind for someone else.

#5 – Just For Today

Just for today, I will not be angry.

Just for today, I will not worry.

Just for today, I will be grateful.

Just for today, I will do my work honestly.

Just for today, I will be kind to every living thing.

The Five Reiki Principles by Dr. Mikao Usui

Learn something new this weekend!

Read Full Post »

A DIY Holiday Project: Fishy the Snowman

Posted in Art and Crafts, Creativity, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 4, 2012| 1 Comment »

Fishbowl Snowman
Something’s fishy about this snowman. What is it? Look closely. He’s made out of fishbowls! But don’t overlook his other adorable snowman qualities: fluffy, white, cotton ball innards; a black top hat sprinkled with snow, coal-black button eyes; a cute, orange, golf tee nose; and a warm plaid scarf. A set of “Mr. and Mrs. Fishy the Snowman” will soon be ready for my son and daughter-in-law’s first Christmas together as a married couple. How appropriate for a couple who had a “fishy” wedding!

Some of the materials you’ll need:
Fishbowl snowman materials Cardboard
Black felt for hat
Ribbon for hat
Wired ribbon for scarf
Glue
2 Fishbowls – the neck of the smaller one must sit inside the opening of the larger one
Embellishments – buttons, golf tee, pony beads, Christmas decorations, etc.
Glitter paint
Cotton balls, marshmallows, or popcorn for filling

Instructions:
1. For top hat, cut one piece of cardboard 4 inches by approximately 12½ inches; roll and glue together to make a chimney. Glue felt on chimney. Cut both a piece of cardboard and a piece of black felt into a circle the diameter of the chimney. Glue felt circle to cardboard circle and then glue circle to top of chimney. I used black mat board for the brim and a heavy black card stock for the chimney portion of the hat. You can use a tin can as a guide to wrap the cardboard around when forming the chimney part of the hat and for tracing the top cover/circle of the chimney.

2. For the brim, cut out a round piece of cardboard with a 7¼-inch diameter; cover with felt on both sides. Glue chimney to brim. Let dry. Paint splotches of glitter paint to resemble patches of snow. Circle the hat with a length of ribbon; tie or glue the ends together. Decorate it with a Christmas pin or a holiday decoration.

3. Wash and dry the fish bowls. Glue the buttons on for the mouth, eyes, and the snowman’s buttons.

4. Glue on the golf tee nose. I did not have a short orange golf tee, so I lightly sanded a natural wood one and used a paint pen to color it orange. If you don’t have golf tees, you can also glue a stack of four orange-colored pony beads together to use as a nose.

5. Fill bowls with whatever stuffing material you are using. Place the small fishbowl on top of the large one. The necks of the fishbowls should fit inside each other well. If your set of fishbowls don’t nest securely, you can try using clear packing tape to temporarily adhere them together. I wouldn’t permanently glue them together, though, because at some point you may want to change out the stuffing.

6. Cut a length of wired ribbon and tie the scarf just as you would tie your own scarf. Arrange the ends of the scarf in a “flowing” manner.

7. Glue the hat to the snowman’s head.

Linnell’s Notes:
The fun thing about this snowman project is that there are many ways to personalize it. Decorate it anyway you want and fill it with whatever you want. Fishy the Snowman will bring holiday cheer to your home or to your dining table!

Update: Mrs. Snowman is finished. What a cute couple they make!
DIY Mr. and Mrs. Fishy Snowman

Happy Holidays!

Read Full Post »

Fall Fruit Salad

Posted in About me, Health, Holidays, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 26, 2012| 1 Comment »

Fall Fruit Salad

“Healthy” and “holiday” are words rarely used together, especially when describing food. Trying to plan healthy meals during the holidays can be quite a struggle, right? Well, not necessarily. This past Thanksgiving, I served my family a visually appealing, texturally satisfying, and heart-healthy salad. Not only did this salad splendidly highlight fall fruit, such as persimmons, Asian pears, pomegranates, and ruby grapefruit, it was served with a delicate, FAT-FREE, slightly sweet and slightly tart salad dressing! This salad has it all: gorgeous to look at, easy to prepare, and a delight to eat!

Fall Fruit Salad
Recipe from November 1995 issue of Sunset Magazine

Ingredients:
1 to 2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 firm-ripe Fuyu persimmons (1/2 lb. each)
2 ruby grapefruit (1 lb. each)
1 Asian pear (about 3/4 lb.)
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 to 3 cups frisée, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup pomegranate seed
Salt

Directions:
1. In a 6- to 8-inch frying pan over medium heat, frequently stir pine nuts until pale gold, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour from pan.

2. Rinse persimmons, then trim off and discard leaf tops. Slice persimmons crosswise into thin rounds.

3. With a knife, cut peel and white membrane from grapefruit. Holding fruit over a bowl, cut between segments and inner membrane to release fruit into bowl. Also squeeze juice from membrane into bowl, then discard membrane.

4. Rinse pear and discard stem. Cut fruit crosswise into thin rounds, right through center seeds. Coat pear slices with grapefruit juice.

5. Mix 3 tablespoons grapefruit juice (reserve remainder for other uses) with lime juice, rice vinegar, and honey.

6. Line a salad bowl or individual plates with the frisée. Arrange pieces of persimmon, pear, grapefruit on the greens; sprinkle fruit with pomegranate seed and pine nuts, then moisten with the grapefruit-lime dressing. Add salt to taste.

Serves 6

Linnell’s Notes:
1. Fuyu persimmons are the round, squat persimmons that can be eaten while they are firm, unlike the elongated and pointed Hachiya persimmons, which must be eaten only after the fruit has ripened to a soft and somewhat squishy state.

2. Besides a light sprinkling of salt, I also sprinkled some fresh ground pepper on each plated salad.

3. Keep an eye on the pine nuts while toasting them. They contain a high level of oil, so they will burn quickly!

4. My family is not a big fan of frisée, so I substituted fresh green curly-leafed lettuce.

5. It is easier to peel the grapefruit, if you first cut off the top and the bottom peel. This will give you a flat surface when you stand the grapefruit on the cutting board.

ENJOY!

Read Full Post »

Friday’s Fresh Five! (11/16/12)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Gift Ideas, Helping Others, Holidays, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 16, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Bartlett Pears

Photos by Linnell Chang

“No two are alike,” I think to myself as I study a trio of Bartlett pears sitting on my kitchen counter. Their rosy-hued coloration, their skin texture, and even their stems are all a bit different. Wanting to capture their unique beauty, I get my camera out. Some 50 photographs or so later, I remind myself how thankful I am for the invention of the digital camera. To be able to shoot photo after photo, without concern for cost, helps this amateur photographer fulfill her desire to capture the beauty found in simple things. Looking at objects through the camera lens provides me with perspectives that I might not normally have. There’s an honesty in what the camera lens reveals as it frames the art existing in everyday objects.

#1 – A Few More Ideas
Colander as a planter Simple objects can be transformed into wonderful gifts. In these economically-depressed days, it is more important than ever to be creative. With the holidays right around the corner, here are a few more creative ways to reuse things. From Earth911 comes this article on 100+ Ways to Reuse Thrift Store Finds. Remember, it’s the thought behind the gift that matters.

#2 – Free Thanksgiving Printables
Decorate your your home and Thanksgiving table with homemade decorations and special touches. It’s easy with the help of FREE printables. Here are just a few that I found:

Cupcake holders and toppers at Fleece Fun
Thanksgiving free cupcake printables

“Thankful” dessert flags from Pizzazzerie
Thanksgiving Dessert Flags

Large and small place cards at Gwenny Penny
Thanksgiving place cards Small thanksgiving place cards

Turkey place card and treat boxes at Spoonful
Thanksgiving place card and treat boxes

#3 – Don’t Forget . . .
While thinking about all that you are thankful for, don’t forget to thank yourself. Everyone’s list of self-thanks is different, but here are a few examples: thank yourself for all of your accomplishments – whether great or small; for staying true to yourself no matter what; for having a kind heart; for taking care of your body; for nurturing your spirit; for staying positive in difficult situations, etc. Along that line, Pick The Brain: Grow Yourself  has a read-worthy article titled, “7 Steps to Positive Self Talk.”

#4 – Learn
Watching this video whet my appetite and made me think of the words from young Oliver Twist, “Please, sir, I want some more.” In this case, I’m not literally referencing food, but the hunger to learn and to do more. Watch it and see if you don’t have the urge to go out and learn something new!

#5 – No Two Alike
“There are something like eighteen billion cells in the brain alone. There are no two brains alike; there are no two hands alike; there are no two human beings alike. You can take your guidance and instruction from others, but you must find your own path.”
– Joseph Campbell

Make this weekend unlike all others!

Read Full Post »

Chocolate-Pomegranate-Ginger Bark

Posted in About me, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 13, 2012| 2 Comments »

Chocolate-Pomegranate-Ginger Bark Candy

The intensity of bittersweet chocolate mixed with the spicy zip of candied ginger tantalizes my taste buds beyond delight, but the bursts of fresh, tart, pomegranate juice in my mouth sends them into pure ecstasy. This confection combines few ingredients to create a depth of flavors you’d not expect from such a simple recipe. Individually, each ingredient is potent enough to stand alone, but when combined, they deliver an incredible treat. Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate, zingibain-rich ginger, and antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice give impressive reasons to eat this candy. Too bad I had to force myself to sample so many pieces to write this review!

Chocolate-Pomegranate-Ginger Bark
Recipe from Oct/Nov issue of Fine Cooking Magazine

Ingredients:
10 oz. bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao), broken into 1-inch pieces
1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds (from 1 large pomegranate)
1½ Tbs. minced candied ginger
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt

Directions:
1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or waxed paper.

2. Put the chocolate in a wide, shallow, microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high until it just starts to melt, about 1 minute. Stir with a spatula until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth, heating in additional 15-second increments if necessary.

3. Gently stir half of the pomegranate seeds, the ginger (break up any clumps with your fingers), and the salt into the chocolate.

4. Scrape the chocolate mixture onto the baking sheet and spread it into an 8×10-inch rectangle.

5. Sprinkle the remaining pomegranate seeds evenly over the top, pressing them into the chocolate.

6. Refrigerate until fully set, about 30 minutes.

7. Break the bark into chunks with your hands (be careful not to crush the seeds), and serve. The bark will keep, refrigerated, for up to 5 days.

Serves 6

Linnell’s Notes:
1. Obviously, the better quality chocolate you use, the better tasting bark you’ll have.
2. To open up a pomegranate see the instructions in my “Linnell’s Notes” section of my post Brussels Sprouts Roasted on the Stalk. The pomegranates I had were huge, so I used more pomegranate seeds than called for. The next time I make this recipe (and I will be making this again), I will cut back on the amount of pomegranate seeds.
3. I minced a little bit of extra candied ginger to sprinkle on top of the bark.
4. You might be considering omitting the salt from this recipe, but don’t! I think the salt adds a good counterbalance to the other flavors.

Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »