Bliss Candies November NIBBLER, monthly subscriptions, and gift certificates!

For those of you who have been waiting, the November NIBBLER sampler box is now up for sale! The theme for this months box is “home for the holidays”, which was a hard one to pick items for, as I wanted to include so many things, lol.  But, I was finally able to narrow it down to 8 things, and I think it’s a great mix   There are a couple heart-warming favorites in there, you know the stuff mom or grandma always makes, like you childhood favorites.  Then there are a couple fancier holiday cookies, perfect for an afternoon tea or as a snack in front of the fire with a hot cup of cocoa…mmmm!  And then of course you can forget the holiday candy to share with guest!!

If you’ve never purchased a NIBBLER box before, go check it out!  It’s a great way to sample our goods for 1 low price and every month has a different theme.  We now also offer a monthly subscription at a slight discount, which would be the perfect gift for someone who loves sweets!  They are offered in 3, 6, or 12 month subscriptions or if you prefer we also offer gift certificates, and you get to choose the value   The gift certificates would be great stocking stuffers!
Included in the box are:

-1 Belgian Chocolate Chunk “Fridge” Brownie
-1 Almond and Raspberry Jam Linzer Bar
-1/4 pound of White Chocolate Mint Oreo Break-Away
-2 Mexican Wedding Cakes-Snowball Cookies
-2 Buttery Coconut Almond Bites-Snowball Cookies
-4 Pumpkin Spice Gingersnap Lil’ Chubbies Cookies
-2 Twisted Pretzel Turtles
-6 Wrapped Milk Chocolate Caramels

What's included in the November NIBBLER box

The Cheapest “homemade” Doughnuts EVER…aka “Chinese Buffet” Doughnuts

5 cent doughnuts - aka "Chinese Buffet" sugar doughnuts

I’m not really sure what the best part of going to a good Chinese Buffet is…I mean there’s the appetizers with  large bowl of sweet n’ sour sauce on the side, then there’s the plump and moist chicken satays (at least they are moist at our favorite buffet!), and of course the fact that I do NOT have to cook or wash dishes is a huge bonus…but I’s have to say as a “sweets” person, the sugared Asian doughnuts are definitely at the top of the list, or darn near close to it!   Especially since the world of doughnut-making is not one I’ve ever ventured into before, so it’s not like I can just make these at home whenever the craving strikes…or can I?!?  Before we go further, I just have to point out a couple of things.  One, if you’ve never tried an Asian buffet doughnut before, they can be quite addicting.  Two, my daughter has been known to sneak 7 of these into her mouth, even though dad though she had only had 3 and cut her off there….little did he know.   And finally, these are so darn CHEAP and easy to make it is INSANE!  If you have a hard time walking away from these at the buffet line (for those that have tried), I caution you…think twice before trying this out, as once you make them, there’s no looking back!

And really, just HOW cheap are these?? 5 cents.  Ok, maybe 10 cents once you consider the cost of the oil for frying.  But come on….where can you get a hot and sugary Asian doughnut for a dime?!?  The best thing is, it is only two ingredients….so simple it should be illegal.

1 ) buy a can of generic/cheap/on sale regular buttermilk biscuits. Our grocery store had the Pillsbury brand on sale for 50 cents a tube, with 10 biscuits in a tube.  That’s 5 cents a piece!

2) Use the smallest pot you have (to save on oil) and place it on your burner over medium to med-low heat (about the temp you would do scrambled eggs on).  Add in 1/2 – 3/4 inches of frying oil, whatever you have on hand.    Allow the oil to warm up for at least a few minutes so it gets to the right temp.

3) Once the oil is hot, just plop a biscuit right into the oil, it should start frying/bubbling immediately.  If it doesn’t, quickly fish it out (to not waste your 5 cent doughnut, haha) and either let the oil heat up a little longer or turn up the heat a notch if you think it is too low.

4) Fry these up 1-2 at a time, whatever will fit in the small pot.  Once the bottom looks nice and golden brown, flip it over to finish cooking.  Place the hot doughnuts onto a plate lined with a paper towel for a few second, just to soak up a little oil.  Then simply put the doughnut into a bowl full of sugar and shake it around a little to coat it, flipping it once if needed.

That’s it!!!

A crazy couple of weeks-wedding order, NIBBLER, and 3 Sample Boxes

If you haven’t noticed yet, I’ve been a little quiet as far as posting. Not due to a lack of things to post, but just to lack of time and sanity! It has been a CRAZY couple of weeks and I never thought I’d make it though, LOL. When it rains, it pours, right? Really, it was the October NIBBLERS that did me in, PHEW! It was a smashing success though and I can’t believe it is almost time to post pre-sales for November!! We also had a wedding order due the day before Bliss Candies NIBBLERS went out, PLUS I was SO crazy and decided to participate in THREE 3rd party sampler boxes, outoftheboxsampler.com, thelittleblackboxes.com, and thespottedbox.com .

If you have never ordered a “sampler box” before, I encourage you to do so, and I think a couple of them have the October boxes on sale! This is a GREAT way to sample 15-18 different items all in box for one low price, and it makes a great gift option too! All sorts of things are included, from edibles to candles, soaps to jewelry, paper goods to knits! Each site shows who is in the current box for the month along with a link to their shop so you can get a better look at their items.

To re-cap, here are some highlights from what was made the 1st week of October…

• 1000+ flavored caramels for the three “sampler” boxes mentioned above…
• 525+ caramels (sea salt, gingerbread molasses, apple cider) and pumpkin pie candies for NIBBLER samplers…
• 450+ dipped pretzels for a wedding order…
• 150+ Gingersnaps for cookie sandwiches…
• 150+ Snickerdoodle Lil Chubbies…
• 110+ mini tart shells…
• 40+ Glazed Pumpkin Cake Cookies…
• 8+ cups of frosting for the Gingersnap Cookie Sandwiches…
• …and a partridge in a pear tree! (no, just kidding, haha)

A fast a delicious Microwave Artichoke Dip

Ultra Easy Microwave Artichoke Dip

I first fell in love with Artichoke dip when I had it at Kincaid’s, the one in Bloomington, MN. These was soooooo good and had crab in it, and unlike other “artichoke” dips, it doesn’t contain any spinach and it not salty or gritty. It’s smooth, creamy, but still light in consistency and not over-the-top rich. It’s a dangerous dip to be sure, as you could finish it all off yourself without a problem, haha. It is so popular, that for a while they even published the recipe on their website, though I don’t see it there now. It’s officially called “Kincaid’s Dungeness Crab and Artichoke Dip” and is definitely worth trying. It’s delicious served with crostini or a warm tender bread brushed with olive oil and garlic and then lightly toasted.

I haven’t tried a ton of Artichoke Dips at other restaurants, but of the others that I have (3-4 maybe), NONE of them even compared and some were just not worth eating. So I stopped ordering it from other restaurant all together and just decided to stick to Kincaids or make it myself.

However, for the times when you don’t have crab on hand (as it is costly) and are looking for something a little simpler, this is a great variation that I love to zap up in the microwave! It’s no replacement for the Kincaid’s version, but it’s certainly crave-worthy and gets 5 stars for how simple it is to whip up! Great with crostini, toasted garlic bread, even club crackers or Ritz. Heck, pair this with a soft and thick pita and your set.  Want to keep it low carb?  Serve with a raw veggie tray.

Ultra Easy Microwave Artichoke Dip recipe (serves 2-3):

• 1.5 oz. of cream cheese
• 1/3 cup of shredded fresh Parmesan cheese (Kraft grated is ok too, but cut down to 1/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
• pinch of black pepper
• 7 small artichoke hearts, quartered

Directions:

• In a large microwave safe bowl, heat the cream cheese at 50% power for 20 seconds, or until it is warm.
• Take the bowl out of the microwave and add in all of the other ingredients, mix well.
• Put the bowl back in the microwave and place a paper town over the bowl. Heat it at 70% powder for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, or until nice and hot.
• Serve with crackers and breads, even veggie sticks!

Quick and Simple “Skinny” Curry-A loose Interpretation

Quick & Simple "skinny" African Curry

I LOVE my mom’s curry, but alas, she is retired far away from here and my husband and I dearly miss her…which includes her cooking, haha. I remember driving home from college on the weekends and calling ahead of time to make sure she knew the “menu” of items I wanted to eat, she spoiled me rotten. And now my husband misses her cooking too, I think even more then I do!

Well anyways, like most spoiled kids I didn’t bother learning how to cook my favorites, how dumb of me huh? Dumb or not, I still craved curry though and decided to find a recipe on my own to try out! A while back I ran across a recipe named “African Curry” and was a little hesitant to try it, but it seemed easy and it had great reviews. Honestly, I was more so hesitant because it was labeled “African”, and I have no idea what differentiates one type of curry from another. All I know is that I grew up on Asian “yellow” curry, or more commonly known as “you know, that curry that mom makes!”. But I’d like to think that I can venture out of my comfort zone a little, so I decided to give it a try.

I’ve made this dish, or a version of it, at least 6 times now and my family loves it! It’s not like my mom’s as it it doesn’t use coconut milk nor does it look “yellow”, but still good in it’s own right. Here’s what I’ve discovered:

• This taste best made with beef (in my opinion), but you can use chicken or pork too. If you are a vegetarian this is a great base as well for whatever you want to throw in, I’d recommend potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, onions, cabbage, etc…
• Making this without coconut milk REALLY cuts down on the fat! You can use half & half instead with a little coconut extract, or omit the coconut flavor all together, it still tastes great.
• You can use chuck roast cuts of beef, just make sure to simmer it longer so the beef becomes tender.
• Using undiluted tomato soup will make it nice and thick without using cream or cornstarch!
• The lemon juice is key, don’t omit it as it really brightens up the flavor.
• I use Garam Masala for my curry powder and add in quite a bit more then what was originally called for, but I think it was old too. So just add to your as needed, if it isn’t enough you can always add in more.
• I HIGHLY suggest eating this with a good Asian or long-grain rice, NOT instant! But then again, you are talking to an Asian girl here, we don’t eat instant rice…we don’t even consider that rice, sorry.

So here is my recipe, loosely based on the one mentioned above. It’s quick, simple, and so delicious….I think my mom would be proud of me

Want to keep it low carb? I used to eat this on top of steamed, mashed, or “riced” cauliflower.

Quick and Simple “Skinny” African Curry (feeds 8):

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 can condensed tomato soup
• 2 teaspoons Garam Masala curry powder-or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tsp brown sugar (optional)
• 2 pounds beef- cut into bite sized pieces (pork or chicken works well too)
• 1/2 cup cream or half & half
• 1 tsp coconut extract (optional)
• juice from 1/2 a lemon, maybe a little more to taste

Directions:

• In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once it is hot, add in the diced onions, pressed garlic, and bay leaf. Saute for a 3-4 minutes.
• Add in the diced tomatoes, tomato soup, curry powder, salt and brown sugar. Stir well and allow the mixture to simmer for 7-8 minutes.
• Add in the beef, mix well, and cover the pot. Allow this to gently simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the meat is fully cooked and tender.
• Add in the cream or half & half, coconut extract, and lemon juice and give it a good stir.
• Serve while hot over rice.

Canned Pumpkin-they are not all the same!

2 different brands of canned pumpkin

I honestly don’t have too much to say on this topic, but thought it would be worth noting that if you DO bake/cook with canned pumpkin, they are NOT all the same! I made the mistake of buying a different brand then normal (Libby’s) and I have to say….it wasn’t what I expected =/ Sure, I could have used it and it probably would have been ok, but I didn’t really want to risk it and who wants the throw away a batch of cookies?

As you can see, the one on the right looks more firm (less water content) and has a deeper color. The toher one was definitely runnier and had a lighter color, golden pumpkin I think it was called. I’m sure it would have been ok, but I didn’t have the time to figure out how to adjust my recipe and compensate for the flavor/texture.

So just a word of warning as it is becoming that time again when canned pumpkin flies off the shelf….stick to what you know and like!

Mammoth Savory Breakfast Scones-Bacon, Egg & Cheese!

Mammoth Savory Scones-pepperoni, eggs, and cheese

I love scones…but only homemade ones. It’s like me and granola, I love the idea of it, but the store bought version just never seems to live up to my expectation, which is why I make my own…granola and scones! I don’t know why, but I always get lured by the pretty scones in the bakery case of the local big-chain coffee shops, but they always end up being dry, stale or not-so-flavorful. Now I’ve made scones for a long time now, and it’s one of my tried and true recipes, but it wasn’t until this past week that I was confronted with something I had never thought about…a SAVORY scone.

In essence a scone is basically a sweet biscuit, so why has it never crossed my mind to put something deliciously savory and salty in it, and not just chocolate chips or dried fruits?? Well, needless to say I saw a picture of a savory scone on Etsy and just HAD to try my own version. These turned out MAMMOTH (be prepared to share or roll away stuffed) but oh, so good! It’s like a breakfast biscuit sandwich, but without the worry of anything falling out, lol. The great thing about this recipe is that you can add in as much or as little of the filling as you want, or make a variation of this by using other savory fillings. Since I didn’t have bacon on hand I used pepperoni instead, though I think it would have been even better with bacon!

There is a little prep work involved, but I think it’s great for a weekend breakfast or to serve guests. All of the ingredients are simple and should be items you already have on hand, which is what makes this so great! Oh, and you would think the scrambled eggs would fall out, but they didn’t!

Mammoth Savory Breakfast Scones (4 huge scones):

Add-Ins-

• 4 eggs-scrambled (with a little salt and pepper or however you like them)
• 1/2 pound of bacon-cooked crispy and crumbled
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Scones:

• 1/2 cup milk + 2 tsp white vinegar (or 1/2 cup sour cream or buttermilk)
• 2 cups flour
• 21 1/2 TBLS sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 4 TBLS cold butter
• 1 large egg

Directions:

• Have all of the add-ins pre-made and set them aside.
• Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Pour the vinegar into a small bowl or mug, then pour the milk right on top of it and let it sit for a few minutes. If you are using sour cream or buttermilk you can skip this step.
• In a large bowl combine all of the dry ingredients and mix well.
• Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, you want the butter pieces to very tiny bits.
• Add in the egg and milk to the flour bowl (or sour cream/buttermilk) and mix it as best as you can with a wooden spoon. Don’t worry if there seems to be a lot of flour left or if it looks dry, it’s suppose to be that way.
• Pour the contents of the bowl out onto a clean surface, knead a 3-4 times/rotations, just until some of the loose flour works itself into the ball.
• Once most of the flour has been worked in, gently flatten the top of the ball and pour the bacon and cheese onto it.  Knead 8-12 times until they are fairly well worked into the dough ball.
• Flatten the dough out into an 11 inch circle, then pour the scrambled eggs onto HALF of it.  Fold the other half on top of it and gently press down.
• Cut into 4 large wedges and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, or one that has been lined with parchment paper.
• Bake the scones for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges get lightly brown.
• Serve while warm with salt, pepper, or hot sauce on the side.

We Made Etsy’s Front Page!

Our Autumn Spice Ginger molasses Caramels that were featured on Etsy's front page!

Ok, so I was sitting in front of my computer yesterday when all of a sudden I noticed about 5 of our NIBBLERS sold in like 10 minutes…that’s crazy!  I know business picks up once the school year starts, and I know that in the last week we have been highlighted in at least 3-4 blogs, but I just couldn’t believe that many orders would result from it, and within a 10 minute time span!  So as I’m pondering all of these at least another few orders come through so I decided to look up my google analytics, to see where all of the traffic was coming from, LOL.

Well, according to the stats we usually have about 200-250 views per day, but at the time I checked (early afternoon), we were already up to 600 views!  Then I saw it.a majority of the views were from an Etsy source, so I went to craftcult.com, as you can see what treasuries or gift guides you have recently been featured on.  Oh, and there I was, our Autumn Spice Ginger Molasses Caramels made it to the FRONT PAGE of Etsy PLUS our Nibbler boxes made it into the Etsy Finds: October Shopping Guide article in the Etsy Storque, it was a double whammy!

Needless to say I am so appreciative and excited, but there is lots of work to do since the NIBBLERS go out on monday, so i better get a move on!