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Valentines Sweet Tooth Recipes:How to Make Sugar-Free Treats

Kent Whitaker who is author of this post Valentines Sweet Tooth Recipes, also known as “The Deck Chef,” is an award-winning culinary writer and cookbook author. He’s also penned Young Reader, NASCAR and History titles. The former winner of the Emeril Live Food Network Barbecue Contest also covers football, motorsports, and bass fishing. Kent currently lives in East Tennessee with his wife, son, and a couple of dogs that love when he fires up the smoker or grill. You can reach out to Kent at: The Deck Chef Facebook, or Instagram, and Twitter. Marketing geniuses have helped us associate Valentine’s Day with all types of sugary treats! But, what if you’re looking for a tastebud-pleasing item that was free of added sugar? Good news – there are alternatives to dishes loaded with processed sugar, including both the decadent richness of chocolate and the sweetness of strawberries! After all, the whole consumer concept of Valentine’s Day revolves around chocolate and strawberries… as well as roses. But, because we are not diving into the realm of edible rose petal recipes, we are sticking to the two favorites - minus the needless added sugar. Let’s get started! No Sugar Added Strawberry Cream Cheese Spread Let’s start with strawberries for Valentine’s Day! That includes this tasty hack for making two versions of a spread packed with strawberry flavor and cream cheese. And, it has no added processed sugar that you’ll need to add. Let’s get started! Grab a few simple ingredients and follow the instructions. Ingredients: • 1 package of 8-ounce low-fat cream cheese, often labeled as American Neufchâtel cheese, softened • 2 teaspoons Stevia or your favorite sugar substitute • 1 to 2 teaspoons of strawberry extract – or 2-3 tablespoons of sliced and mashed fresh strawberries. • Dash of vanilla flavoring – start with ½ teaspoon and taste. Instructions: Whip cream cheese in a mixing bowl on medium speed while adding the remaining ingredients. Chill before using for about thirty minutes. Here’s a hack – start with your low-fat cream cheese/American Neufchâtel cheese, a drip of vanilla, and then add in a spoonful of sugar-free strawberry jam. Why a no-sugar-added strawberry spread? Because you can use it in several ways! It is perfect for spreading on a freshly toasted bagel, muffin, or toast. You can use it as a dip for fruit, veggies, crackers, and more. No Sugar Added Chocolate Drizzle Sauce Of course, you can’t have Valentine’s Day without chocolate! But once again, why go [...]

By |2024-01-10T00:34:14+00:00January 21st, 2023|Valentine Day, Chocolate, Strawberries|0 Comments
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Three Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Hacks

Kent Whitaker, Author of this Chocolate Covered Strawberry Post, also known as “The Deck Chef,” is an award-winning culinary writer and cookbook author. He’s also penned Young Reader, NASCAR and History titles. The former winner of the Emeril Live Food Network Barbecue Contest also covers football, motorsports, and bass fishing. Kent currently lives in East Tennessee with his wife, son, and a couple of dogs that love when he fires up the smoker or grill. You can reach out to Kent at: The Deck Chef, on Facebook, or Instagram, and Twitter. Chocolate-covered strawberries and Valentine's day go together! The combination of flavor, texture, and sweetness make for a perfect treat. It’s decadent enough to satisfy a craving and yet we can munch down on them without worrying about calories from the chocolate… because calories don’t count on February 14th! Sadly, the calories still count, but why not enjoy the moment! The great thing is that you can make these on your own as a surprise for a loved one. Or, you can make them as a couple, and the recipe can be kid-friendly once the chocolate is melted. Don’t Stress about Melting Chocolate First, don’t worry about melting chocolate. Simply follow the directions on the packaging! Just make sure you purchase melting chocolate for making candy. The package will be marked and in the baking section of your grocery store. Sometimes it’s called “bark” chocolate. If you are comfortable using a double boiler, then go that route. If not, almost every package has directions for using a microwave. And, if you don’t want to melt chocolate and let it re-harden, a simple squeeze bottle chocolate drizzle never made anyone mad! Prep the Strawberries Here’s the secret to making chocolate covered strawberries and it’s not the chocolate! It is the strawberries! To be exact – it is the moisture in the strawberries! People may think they did something wrong with melting chocolate because it does not stick to the strawberry! That may be because the strawberries are moist or wet. Make sure when you rinse and remove excess stems that you allow them to completely dry. And, avoid slicing the strawberries. You want a dry, whole strawberry. One note – leave some of the green at the top of the strawberry, but remove any excess or browned pieces. The Process – Simple! Ok, you have your clean and dry strawberries and some melted chocolate. You also have your sprinkles ready… what’s next? Here’s the trick! [...]

By |2024-01-10T04:22:40+00:00January 27th, 2021|Valentine Day, Fruit, Recipe|0 Comments
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Halloween Candy Corn Bark Ideas!

Kent Whitaker, also known as "The Deck Chef," is a culinary writer and cookbook author. He's also penned Young Reader and History titles. The former winner of the Emeril Live Food Network Barbecue Contest also covers football, motorsports, and bass fishing. Kent currently lives in East Tennessee with his wife, son, and a couple of dogs that love when he fires up the smoker or grill. Halloween .........is always a fun time of year but due to the way things have gone in 2020 trick-or-treating may be a little bit different. That means it may be time for a few ideas on making treats at home! So, why not take advantage of some of the Halloween favorites available at stores right now… such as Candy Corn! Yep, It’s time to put some Halloween candy fun into your homemade cookie and treat recipes starting with a few ways to make Candy Corn Halloween Bark. If you are familiar with candy bark served up during Christmas and the Holiday season then these versions will be a snap! Basic Halloween Candy Corn Bark This recipe is your base recipe for your Halloween bark. Once you have this simple three-four ingredient recipe down then the rest of the ideas mentioned below will be easy to prepare. Ingredients 24 oz vanilla-flavored candy coating (white bark), broken up into small pieces. 2 cups pretzels, broken up. 2 1/2 cups candy corn candy (traditional color) A few drops of oil if needed First, prepare a cookie sheet with sides, or a large baking pan, with non-stick spray, non-stick foil, or waxed paper. Next, use a large microwavable bowl to melt the white bark candy coating as directed on the packaging. Some brands may call for a drop or two of oil if needed. The directions will probably be to melt in short bursts then stir and repeat as needed. Then, stir in pretzels and 2 cups of the candy corn and mix well. Working quickly before the mixture sets, spread evenly over your prepared cookie sheet or baking pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup candy corn evenly over top; press in lightly. To finish, let the mixture rest and set for about an hour then break into pieces for serving! Done! – Now here’s where the fun begins! A Few Over the Top Ideas for Candy Corn Bark! Let's expand the basic recipe with a few tasty ideas that still have a Halloween feel starting with Pumpkin colored bark! Start all of [...]

By |2024-01-10T05:09:35+00:00October 24th, 2020|Halloween|0 Comments
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Valentine’s Cooking Tips with Quick and Easy Recipe for Chocolate Lovers

Author Bio: Kent Whitaker (Author of this post Recipe for Chocolate Lovers), also known as “The Deck Chef,” is an award-winning culinary writer and cookbook author. He’s also penned Young Reader, NASCAR and History titles. The former winner of the Emeril Live Food Network Barbecue Contest also covers football, motorsports, and bass fishing. Kent currently lives in East Tennessee with his wife, son, and a couple of dogs that love when he fires up the smoker or grill. You can reach out to Kent at www.thedeckchef.com, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The Perfect Recipe for Chocolate Lovers on Valentine’s Day: Many people opt for a private home cooked meal on Valentine’s Day instead of spending too much on dinner out with possibly inflated prices. Hey, there’s nothing wrong with a big dinner out with your Valentine if the budget and schedule allows it. However, many may find a romantic dinner at home more affordable and equally desired. The trick is to make sure the romantic event is different from a normal meal Here are some suggestions followed by a quick and easy recipe for Chocolate lovers! Simple is the ticket during the month for lovers. You want to impress your dinner partner. But that does not mean picking a dish that requires you spending all your time in the kitchen. Nothing says love like waiting for hours while food is cooking. Keep it quick and simple… but new. Keep it fresh. This applies on two levels, fresh foods and a fresh recipe. Avoid bland frozen items and choose a dish that is not something the two of you would eat on a regular basis. Comfort But try to stay in both of your comfort zones. This is not the time to try an exotic recipe for the first time. One, make sure you can cook the dish. Don’t pick something that takes more skill than you can muster, or time than you can dedicate to it. Two, don’t go crazy on something that neither one of you would really enjoy. Portions Size. Dishes are smaller, everything is easier, cooking time is reduced and both of you are more likely to enjoy each other’s company more if you don’t feel the need for a nap after dinner. Clean Up! Are you kidding me? Save the dishes for later. In short, make it simple, realistic and something you know you can cook but don’t all the time then try to add a twist. And even if you [...]

By |2024-01-10T15:57:36+00:00January 25th, 2020|Fruits, Valentine Day|0 Comments
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Grilled Apricot Easter Ham Steaks

Author Bio: Kent Whitaker author of this post Easter Ham Steaks, also known as "The Deck Chef," is an award-winning culinary writer and cookbook author. He's also penned Young Reader, NASCAR and History titles. The former winner of the Emeril Live Food Network Barbecue Contest also covers football, motorsports, and bass fishing. Kent currently lives in East Tennessee with his wife, son, and a couple of dogs that love when he fires up the smoker or grill. You can reach out to Kent at thedeckchef.com, Facebook, Instagram @thekentwhitaker, and Twitter @thekentwhitaker. Easter Ham Steaks: The Ultimate Spring Meal Easter is the holiday that kicks off Spring and opens the door for Summer grilling. When it comes to Easter one of the most traditional menu items for many family dinners is ham. So, it makes perfect sense, at least to backyard grilling gurus, that it’s a perfect time to grill some ham. However, grilling a huge ham meant to serve several people may be too much for an Easter dinner for two. That’s the situation we found ourselves in last year. Allyson and I had visited with our out-of-town family the week prior to Easter so on the day of the actual holiday we only had two people to cook for. The solution, switch from a 12-pound ham to a couple of nice center-cut ham steaks! Why do We Eat Ham for Easter? Easter meals traditionally include ham. But why is that? Besides the fact that ham is a tasty dish to serve at a family meal, ham has been an Easter favorite for centuries. A long time ago in Europe and Asian countries, pigs were slaughtered in the fall and early winter, then cured/smoked, and ready to eat when Spring came. What timing! Easter is in the spring holiday and ham is ready to be eaten! That combination which was based on everyday life has carried on as a tradition. What’s a Ham Steak? In case you’re wondering, steak is a term that is used in many countries to describe a nice thick cut of meat or seafood. I guess the beef industry is just better at marketing the term than other producers. A ham steak is a center-cut slice of bone-in ham roast ranging from 1/4 inch to 1 inch thick. The thinner slices are often called breakfast ham steaks. The great thing is that these cuts are most often fully cooked if bought pre-packaged. Just check the label and it will let [...]

By |2024-01-11T00:32:08+00:00April 11th, 2019|Food, Easter|0 Comments
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Spooky Halloween Shrunken Head Sliders

By Kent Whitaker - How to Grill Shrunken Head Sliders for Halloween Have you ever eaten a shrunken head with melted Colby and Pepper Jack cheese? Who says that Halloween is just for handing out candy and popcorn balls to neighborhood kids? It’s time to toss in some fun foodie ideas that are well suited for the kitchen or grill. And, why not make it fun, kind of gross… and yet packed with flavor? For any other article this recipe would simply be for a burger with some spicy seasoning, steamed onions, a tangy jalapeno mustard BBQ sauce and gherkin pickle wedges. For Halloween, this recipe transforms into something a bit more fun. Tell your family, or guests, you’re serving up Shrunken Head Sliders with tape worms, zombie sauce and alien fingers… with cheese! Remember, you’re having fun and getting into the Halloween spirit, pun intended, but that’s no reason to forget about making a great tasting dish. I suggest that you make a blended burger for extra flavor. I suggest combining ground beef with ground Italian sausage. Or, ground turkey and black bean burgers. If you break up the beans your ground turkey will have a creepy purple tint to them – perfect for Halloween! The “zombie sauce” mentioned above is one of my standard quick and easy “cheater junk sauces.” That’s where you have some sauce in the fridge and you add some extra “junk” to it for bonus flavor. For this I combined a mustard based barbecue sauce with a splash of honey and store bought chopped jalapenos. Use these recipe as a starting point for your creative ideas and have fun! Easy Beef & Italian Sausage Burgers 1 pound lean ground beef, 80/20 1/2 pound Italian sausage, ground Salt and pepper to taste Steak sauce Cajun seasoning Cheese Combine the beef and ground Italian sausage in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Form into equally sized meatballs about the size of a golf ball. Next, flatten each ball while pinching one side into a thinner piece forming a skeleton head type of shape. Next, season each side with a light brushing of steak sauce and a few dashes of Cajun seasoning. Grill, bake or broil as you normally would. Use tiny slices of cheese for x’s representing stitched eyes and for the mouth. I used pepper jack. Serve hot on toasted slider buns covered in cheese with zombie sauce, steamed onion slices and gherkin pickle wedges. Serve open faced. Kent “The [...]

By |2024-01-12T01:18:09+00:00October 4th, 2017|BBQ, BBQ Recipes, Halloween|1 Comment
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Cinco de Mayo, means freedom

Cinco de Mayo,  Grito de Dolores honors Mexican independence. Cinco de Mayo proves she deserves it. Yet Mexico’s future was uncertain concurrent the American Civil War. In 1861, France peered across the Atlantic and saw a distraction. Hitherto, Mexico owed several backers large interest sums. France would make her pay by force! But there was an ulterior motive. A Tale of Two Presidents President Lincoln understood that a Mexican alliance was pivotal to Union victory. Mexico’s President Benito Juarez was happy to oblige – European puppet governments were legitimate concerns. United States policy discouraged European nations from intervening. Conversely, France’s Emperor Napoleon III would profit from Confederate victory. Union occupation halted French trade. Without Union policy holding them back, France was free to engage Mexico. A True Underdog Story And it did, despite standing policy. Lincoln’s Union was pre-occupied and could not intervene. French military covered Mexico like a plague. There were two French soldiers for every one Mexican! Mexico City was destined to fall, but not before one of the biggest upsets in military history. On May 5th, under General Zaragoza’s command, Mexico’s army repelled France at ‘Puebla’. Word travelled internationally. The improbable victory emboldened Mexican’s home and abroad. The Fight for Freedom Continued resistance made France’s endeavour fruitless. America, eventually reunited, pressured France into relinquishing control. Napoleon III’s puppet emperor was executed and President Juarez returned to power. Cinco de Mayo (“Five of May”) remembers Mexico’s struggle and acknowledges her spirit. Celebrating at the Turn of the Century Cinco de Mayo enjoyed renewed American interest following the 1960’s. Today, Cinco de Mayo ceremonies are held in every state. In fact, General Zaragoza’s birthplace, Goliad, Texas, is the official celebration location. Puebla, however, still boasts being Cinco de Mayo’s largest celebratory location. Participants re-enact the conflict between Mexican and French soldiers. (We hate to ruin a surprise, but Mexico always wins.) Food, song, and dance proceed. Color floats and piñatas adorn Puebla’s streets. Adult and child alike scarf down plate after plate of Mole Poblano. Ingredients like chili pepper and chocolate make a unique juxtaposition for your palate. Tequila is, naturally, imbibed liberally. In recent years, focus has been placed on international music plus traditional Mexican artists. United we Stand Benito Juarez remarked that Mexico would be wise to imitate her neighbour’s democratic principles. Lincoln and Juarez had mutual affection, despite never meeting. Cinco de Mayo reminds all nations that freedom is worth striving for.

By |2019-03-15T02:28:57+00:00April 29th, 2016|Festivals, Cinco de Mayo, Holidays|0 Comments
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