Chili & Chocolate Party 2011

Saturday (April 30th) I attended Linda Connors annual Chilly & Chocolate Party in Round Lake, New York. It’s always a good time watching all the entries nervously standing close by their latest creation trying to get an ear shot of what people are saying. If I’m honest, I have to admit being one of those eager to hear what the word is. I’ve got my ears stretched as far as they go trying to hear whether or not people are liking my wonderful entry.

I’ve never entered a chili, but have always enjoyed taste testing them all. This year was no exception and I tried almost all of the samples. Unfortunately some people don’t realize they’re supposed to take a SAMPLE so everyone can have a taste. You have some people piling their bowls full of their favorites. Not cool since the person who made the one(s) being gobbled up will be missing out on possible votes from those not lucky enough to have tried theirs. Next year I think I’ll suggest servers and volunteer to serve.

I’ve only entered a chocolate desert one time before this year’s contest and won 1st place for presentation. That was a few years ago so I thought I’d enter again this year. After throwing around a few ideas I finally settled on a dessert I felt would just be a dessert to throw on the table. Better to have as many desserts as possible to vote on, so off to Price Chopper I went shortly after 3:00pm. After grabbing different things in the store here is what I came up with.

Love In a Bowl

I’m cutting down the amount I made since it was for 75 people.

Ingredients

2 One Quart Container Large Fresh Strawberries (More if you want and as ripe as you like them.)
2 Cans Pineapple Chunks (I used Dole but you can use any that you like.)
1 Large Bag Chocolate Chips (I used Toll House)
1 Chocolate Cake (Your choice how you make the cake — from scratch or a box.)
1 Quart Heavy Cream
3 — 4 tsp Confectioners Sugar
3 — 4 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions

Prep

• Drain 2 cans of pineapple well and freeze 1 can of pineapple chunks on wax paper or in a bowl until firm. (If in a bowl, stir often.)
• Bake cake according to directions and set aside to cool completely. Once completely cooled — IMPORTANT TIP - I use the cake to hold my frozen pineapple chunks I have on toothpicks and I’ve dipped in chocolate. Once the chocolate is set,  I put the chocolate covered pineapple chunks in a bowl and place in the freezer until I’m ready for them.
• Break cake into 2″ — 3″ pieces.
• 1 quart of strawberries — remove stems and cut  in half. Set aside.
• 1 quart of strawberries — wash and let dry completely.
• Put heavy cream carton and bowl in the freezer for 15 or 20 minutes.

Whipped Cream

• Pour heavy cream into chilled bowl.
• Add confectioners sugar and vanilla.
• Use a whisk or electric mixer to beat (low setting to start increasing speed gradually.)
• Beat to desired peak.
• Put in fridge to keep cool and stiff.

Chocolate

• Melt chocolate over double boiler — stirring frequently. (I use a Pyrex bowl over a pot of boiling water then turn the heat to just below medium.)
• Keep on low heat.

Building the Love

• Whipped Cream — spread a thin layer on the bottom of the dish.
• Layer of cake.
• Dip strawberry slices in chocolate and stick to the side of the dish. I left about 2″ between each.
• Layer of whipped cream.
• Layer of cake.
• Layer of whipped cream.
• Dipped strawberry slices stuck to the side of the dish.
• Scattered layer of frozen pineapple chunks (no chocolate)
• Layer of cake.
• Layer of whipped cream.

Topping Off the Love

• Line the top with chocolate dipped strawberries as you would like.
• Scatter chocolate covered pineapple chunks as you would like.

Ok, now. Get a big spoon, a bowl, a and a small spoon. Scoop out some love from one bowl and drop it in another. Enjoy!

Do you have a favorite chocolate recipe you like? Don’t be rude! Share it with us!

I am guilty.

–verb (used with object)

1. to pay no attention or too little attention to; disregard or slight: The public neglected his genius for m any years.

2. to be remiss in the care or treatment of: to neglect one’s family; to neglect one’s appearance.

3. to omit, through indifference or carelessness: to neglect to reply to an invitation.

4. to fail to carry out or perform (orders, duties, etc.): to neglect the household chores.

5. to fail to take or use: to neglect no precaution.

–noun

6. an act or instance of neglecting; disregard; negligence: The neglect of the property was shameful.
7. the fact or state of being neglected: a beauty marred by neglect.

According to Dictionary.com…

It is what I have done here.

Photo
Historic Barn Conversion

Good news!

The Twitter Dinner Party Recipes will continue soon!

Look for more recipes from your favorite Twitter Folks tomorrow!

I’m sitting here writing an article and just happen to have the Dr. Oz Show on. Not something I watch normally and I don’t really remember how my TV ended up on that channel. Oh well, any way, someone I know…and absolutely NO ONE in my family… has REALLY smelly feet, so when Dr. Oz said something about how to stop smelly feet…my ears honed right in and picked up on it!

First Dr. Oz explained why people get smelly feet.
More information is available at the Dr. Oz Show.

He said it’s the 3 S’s.

Sweat

Socks

Shoes

The spiral looking sweat glands (Dr. Oz referred to them as coiled circular glands…and btw, these are 4 feet long!) under the dermis pushes sweat up and out of a pore. The sweat is clean and scent free when it comes out. It’s when the sweat mixes with bacteria located in the sock and shoe that it becomes stinky.

Tea Bag It!

One thing Dr. Oz said to treat a set of stinky feet is to soak it in tea for 30 minutes. Yep, tea. Tea has this thing in it called tannic acid that breaks down and kills the bacteria. After about 1 week of soaking your feet daily, the stink will be all gone and then you can just use this as a prevention and on an as needed basis.

Antiperspirant? Seriously?

The second thing Dr. Oz said was to use an antiperspirant on your feet! But not just any applicator will do, it needs to be the roll-on kind. While demonstrating on an audience member’s foot he said deodorant will NOT work and it MUST be antiperspirant. If you’re not sure on the difference, deodorant masks a smell and antiperspirant prevents the sweat that can cause that odor!

Another thing Dr. Oz brought out to help stinky feet, was medicated antiperspirant pads to rub onto the areas that perspire too.

Some of the things that can cause stinky feet to be stinkier…black beans, garlic, and asparagus (those of us who eat asparagus would probably say, “duh”). Oh, and beer…my deepest sympathies to the beer lovers out there.

I have no first hand knowledge if these work, but really wish I had known about them a long time ago. I plan to pass this info along and make the recipients of this very valuable advice report back to me on the success or lack there of. I’ll keep you posted.

If anyone knows if this works, let me know.

Now, go grab a beer and get to brewing that tea!

~~~

Photo Credits:
nayrb7 (Flickr)
moposshow (images/stinky_feet.jpg)
HautFingerspitze (Wikimedia Commons)

DAWN HOWE
CANCER TREATMENT FUNDRAISER BENEFIT

OCTOBER 10, 2009
(Saturday)
9:00am — 12:00pm

ROUND LAKE FIREHOUSE
ROUND LAKE ROAD, ROUND LAKE, NY
(Northway — Exit 11)

Dawn Howe, 41 years old, graduated from Shenendehowa High School in 1987 and has been healthy all her life. Dawn is a God fearing woman and a loving mom of 3. Shes undergoing alternative cancer treatments not covered under her insurance and needs our help to keep up her fight.

Day For Dawn at Trick Shots (Clifton Park, NY)

Cancer is such an mean and ugly disease. It doesn’t discriminate against who it attacks; young or old, white, black or yellow, not even male or female. It just doesn’t care. It latches on with such a fierceness; it’s a hateful, brutal disease.

Dawn is a single mom of three kids; she’s a beautiful lady inside and out. Dawn is bravely taking on the fight of her life and has more courage than any person many of us will ever know. Her cancer started as cervical cancer and she beat it. Everyone was so happy for Dawn. A short time after, the doctors told Dawn the cancer was back and had spread to her lymph nodes along with other parts of her body. Dawn is now in the fight of her life battling stage IV cancer and needs our help.

Cancer treatment is very expensive and traveling to it can be a very costly too. Imagine it is your family member and you are there when they tell them “Yes, there is treatment available. Only, not for you. You don’t have enough money to go to the treatment or to get the treatment. I’m sorry. Now, please go over there and die quietly.”

Please open your heart, dig deep into your pockets, and give generously to help Dawn get the treatment she needs. She just wants to live so she can be with her children and meet her grandchildren one day.

Your Generosity Would Be Greatly Appreciated

NO AMOUNT IS TOO SMALL

• Make your check/money order payable to:
  Dawn Howe’s Benefit Fund
  7 Compton Road
  Clifton Park, NY 12065
• Any Local Key Bank
  ~~~~~
  Checks payable to:
  Dawn Howe’s Benefit Fund at Key Bank
  1541 Crescent Road
  Clifton Park, NY 12065
  ATTN: Kristen Church, Assistant VP
• PayPal (log in to your PayPal account)
  Fund Email: HelpDawnFight@lindacarmical.com

Leave a comment for Dawn. I’ll make sure she gets it.