Valentines Day Archives - countyfairsusa.net

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 [...]

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! [...]