Peanut Butter S'mores Bars

My friends at General Mills supplied my other buddies at 37 Cooks with some cereal to play with, and of course I had to play along. We each got the new versions of Trix, Chocolate Cheerios, and Golden Grahams. Three cereals I'd never tasted before.

The new versions have all natural colors and flavors, which is a good thing.

After doing some taste tests, I decided to combine the Chocolate Cheerios and the Golden Grahams, and I decided I wanted to combine them in a s'mores-like item.

I fiddled around a bit and hit a home run with s'mores bars with just a little bit of peanut butter. The peanut flavor isn't super-strong, but it adds a savory note to the sweet marshmallow.

Then I started thinking about the toasted flavor you get from heating a regular s'mores over a fire.

The answer was simple. I added more marshmallows to the top of the bars and hit them with my culinary torch. Just like when you're toasted them over the fire, some of them toasted golden brown, and then there were a few that got a bit blackened. Perfect!

To guild the lily a little more, I melted some chocolate and drizzled it on top of the bars. Because more chocolate is always okay.

While these are certainly sweet, they're not crazy sweet. Which makes me happy

Peanut Butter S'mores Bars

4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
10 ounces marshmallows, plus more for garnish
Pinch of salt
3 cups Golden Grahams cereal
3 cups Chocolate Cheerios
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray or butter it.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter and peanut butter on medium heat. Add the salt, then add the marshmallows, and cook, stirring, just until the marshmallow melt.

Add the cereals and stir to coat all the cereal with the marshmallows.

Turn the mixture out into the prepared baking pan. Wet your hands with cool water and press the mixture down evenly into a pan. Re-wet your hands as needed to keep the marshmallow from sticking. You could also use a spatula, but hands are easier.

Cut one or two large marshmallows into small pieces. Or, if you have mini marshmallows, cut them in half. Arrange the marshmallow bits randomly on top of the bars.

Use a torch to soften the marshmallows, then use a spatula to spread and affix them to the top of the bars. If you have gaps in the bars, you can tuck marshmallow in there. Use the torch again to toast the marshmallows.

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe measuring cup, heating in 30-second increments and stirring in between heating, until the chocolate is melted and easily pourable.

Drizzle the chocolate over the bars in a random pattern.

Let the bars cool completely (and make sure the chocolate has hardened again) before removing from the pan. Cut into bars.

I received cereal to work with from General Mills via 37 Cooks.

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Loaded Cocoa Krispie Bark

People get soooo excited about chocolate bark, don't they?

One of the best things about it is how FAST you can make it.

I decided to make my own version, but instead of a smooth chocolate with stuff swirled or sprinkled on top, I decided that I wanted something like Nestle Crunch bars - you know those, right? With the crisp rice cereal? Yup, those.

And then I also put stuff on top. I just can't help myself.

I bought Cocoa Krispies instead of plain Rice Krispies, because I had other plans for the cereal where the chocolate made more sense. Feel free to use plain old Rice Krispies, or any other similar brand. I assume there's some sort of other brand out there.

Loaded Cocoa Krispie Bark

1 package (12 ounces) Nestle's Dark Chocolate Chips
1 cup Cocoa Crispies
1/2 cup Nestle's Peanut Butter DelightFulls
Peanuts (I used Planters dry roasted) as needed

Have a suitable silicone mold standing by - about 8-inch-square is good. I didn't have an actual bark mold the size I needed, so I used another square silicone container I had that was close to the right size. A silicone cake pan would work well.

Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe container. I used a large glass measuring cup. Melt in 30-second increments, stirring after each blast, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Fold in the Cocoa Krispies.

Transfer this to your mold, and level the top surface. It will be bumpy, but that's fine. Sprinkle the DelightFulls chips over the top, then sprinkle the peanuts on, filling in the gaps between the chips.

Press the toppings down lightly - you don't need to submerge them - just press them gently so they adhere to the melted chocolate.

Refrigerate until the chocolate firms up, then cut or break the bark into pieces.

I took a poll to see if people cut or broke bark, and most said they broke it. I opted for slicing, because I wanted to show the pattern that the insides of the DelightFulls made in that upper layer.

Note: I previously did a sponsored post for Nestle DelightFulls, but this particular post is not sponsored by Nestle or any of the other brands listed. I bought all this stuff.

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Peanut Butter Shale Candy - revised

A while back, I posted a recipe for peanut butter shale candy. I was perfectly happy with it, but that doesn't mean I was done fiddling with the recipe.

This is a larger batch than the previous recipe. Might as well ... it's pretty darned good stuff. And I made a few other changes as well.

This candy is very similar to the previous one, with one change. That shale was a little harder, while this one is a little more .. fragile. It reminds me a lot of the filling inside a Butterfingers candy bar - sort of shattery. It breaks apart easily, and you can see layers in it when it breaks.

It's also just a little crumbly.

I made large pieces using a silicone mold that I bought right before Christmas, but smaller pieces would be great coated in chocolate.

I used a raw cane sugar, but white sugar would be fine, too. Normally I use unsalted butter for cooking, hut this time I opted for salted, to add just that tiny bit of salt to the candy.

Peanut Butter Shale

2 cups raw cane sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 stick (8 tablespoons, 1/4 pound) salted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter

Have a cookie sheet standing ready, lined with a silicone baking mat.. Or use a silicone mold. Or butter a baking sheet.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large saucepan (nonstick makes cleanup easier, but it's not necessary). Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the butter.

Attach a candy thermometer to the pot to measure the temperature of the hot sugar.

Continue cooking on medium heat until the temperature reaches 305 degrees. Don't be impatient and heat it too quickly, or the sugar can burn before it reaches the proper temperature.

Add the baking soda and the peanut butter, and stir to combine the peanut butter with the candy. The baking soda will cause it to foam up - that's normal.

Pour the candy onto the prepared baking sheet or into the mold. Spread it out as desired, using a heatproof spatula.

Let it cool completely, then break apart.

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Cashew Brittle

Every year, I make some type of brittle or candy for my father-in-law for Christmas. This time, I decided to make cashew brittle, since it's his favorite nut. And I decided to make these REALLY nutty. Because that's how I roll.

The recipe for brittles is pretty flexible. I've made them with brown sugar or white. I've added butter or not. I've used more or less corn syrup. I've even made some with no corn syrup, but it tends to crystallize quicker, so you can't store it as long.

But as long as you heat it to the hard crack stage, you'll end up with a nice brittle. That's almost more important than the ingredients. Well, you do need sugar.

Speaking of sugar, I used a raw cane sugar. The chunks were bigger than regular granulated white sugar, but it melted just fine, anyway.

Some recipes suggest that you shouldn't stir at certain points in the process, which keeps the sugar from re-crystallizing after it melts. But ... I tend to poke and prod and stir, so the corn syrup is pretty necessary for me.

I picked up a couple of silicone molds that are meant for making brittles and barks - I thought it would make a really cool presentation. Since I didn't want the brittle to be super-thick, I used two of the molds for this one batch of brittle.

After I took the brittle out of the molds, I had some fun with them and filled in some of the lettering with melted white chocolate, so it would be more prominent.

At first, I was trying to neatly fill the letters, but then I realized it would be easier to simply spread the chocolate on, then scrape it off, letting it fill in the holes. Since there were some holes and imperfections in the surface of the brittle, I ended up with white dots ... I actually thought it looked kind of nice - like falling snow.

What do you think?

Cashew Brittle

2 cups raw cane sugar

1 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 cup (2 sticks, 1/2 pound) butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 pound cashews, chopped roughly

In a large saucepan (nonstick is nice for for easier cleaning) heat the sugar, corn syrup, and water, stirring as needed until the sugar melts. Continue heating to a boil. Add the butter and stir.

Place a candy thermometer in the pan, making sure it's in the sugar.

Heat to 280 degrees, then add the nuts. Stir. The mixture will thicken a lot when the cool nuts hit the hot sugar, and the sugar temp will probably also drop. Continue cooking, stirring continuously to keep the sugar or cashews from burning, until the temperature reaches 305 degrees. Add the baking soda and stir. The mixture will foam up.

Pour the mixture into the silicone molds or onto one or more baking sheets lined with silicone mats.

Spread or stretch the candy, as needed. Let it cool completely, then break into chunks.

If you're using the molds, you can fill the lettering with melted chocolate and let it harden. Or not.

Non-Disclaimer: The silicone molds are made by Good Cook, but I didn't receive these for free - I bought them at the grocery store.

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And then the light bulb lit ... #cookieballs

Ah, truffles. It all sounded sooooo easy.

And then it went awry. Cattywompus. Sideways.

You see, sometimes I can be very crafty. I've been known to make really pretty cookies, and I've built a few interesting gingerbread houses. But sometimes the results just don't live up to the vision in my head.

It's like scarves. Other people can randomly throw a scarf around their neck or drape it over one shoulder and they look fashionable. No matter what I do, it looks like I tried to hang myself and it didn't work.

So when Oreo contacted me and said they wanted me to make their classic cookie balls and decorate or change them, I thought it would be simple. Truffles are round things. They lend themselves to all sorts of interesting designs.

I had ideas and ideas and ideas and ideas.

But first, the recipe, as given to me by the nice folks at Oreo:

Original OREO Cookie Ball Recipe

1 pkg. (8 oz.) brick cream cheese, softened
36  OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups)
4 pkg.  (4 oz. each) semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

• MIX cream cheese and cookie crumbs until blended.
• SHAPE into 48 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 min. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan.
• CUSTOMIZE it with your own ingredient additions or decorative skills.
• REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm.

So I made that. They were really good. Addictive, even. I mean, it's Oreos and cream cheese and chocolate. How can it not be good?

So I nibbled and thought and nibbled and thought. How could I decorate them? How? And I thought and thought. And maybe nibbled some more.

I had this idea about making them look like presents, but my round balls weren't all that smooth.

Then I thought about sticking colored chocolate chips all over them and making them look like ornaments. That sounded doable, yet messy.

And since I couldn't figure out a way to hang a truffle "ornament" of course I put it on a stick. Because everything on a stick is better, right?

Um, no. It looked like a mace.

No, not mace, the spice. It looked like one of those pointy clubs. Yup, nothing says "holidays" like an ancient weapon of war.

So, back to thinking. And then the light bulb lit. Literally.

I was shopping and I saw this adorable silicone pan for making things in the shape of those big Christmas tree lights. Aha. It looked like the truffles would fit perfectly in there.

So, now we come to one of my mom's infamous sayings. Do as I say, not as I do.

Because while what I did worked, it wasn't the easiest or most efficient way of doing things.

You see, since I already had my truffles made, I made the lightbulbs sort of backwards - putting colored sugar in the bottom, white chocolate chips on top, heating that in the microwave to soften the chips, then gently warming the already-made truffles and shoving them into the pan.

It worked well enough, but a better thing to do would have been to melt the chocolate in the light bulb pan, then build the truffle right there in the pan. Then add a layer on top to cover the soft truffle filling. Yeah, that would have worked so much better. Maybe next time. I've already eaten a few too many of these things and the rest of the Oreos I have stashed are for another use.

Because Oreos.

As far as the sprinkles, maybe next time I might brush the finished truffles with a little melted chocolate and sprinkle the colored sugar on top. Or maybe just use colored chocolate. Or ... hey, I've got plenty of time to perfect this before Christmas, right?

Have you made these? How would YOU change them?

This post was sponsored by Oreo, but all words (except their recipe) are mine. But I probably would have attempted this anyway. Because I'm crazy like that.

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Whoopie Tortoises! Candy in a whoopie pie pan!

Back when I was a kid, I loved the candy sold as Turtles. What's not to love - chocolate, caramel, and nuts. So darned good. Other companies made them, too. Since the name Turtles is apparently trademarked, another company started selling them as Pixies.

So, if I made them in a whoopie pie pan, it makes sense to call them Whoopies, right? Or maybe tortoises? Or, I know! Whoopie Tortoises! They sound fun, right?

This whole train of thought started when I got a whoopie pie pan from Good Cook. Why, yes, they do send me lots of stuff. I might be starting a Good Cook annex in my garage to store it all.

One thing I've learned since I started working with them is that new Good Cook products are not the same as Good Cook products from many years ago. As I've been replacing my old tools with new ones, I've got to say that the quality is much better these days. Or maybe I just beat the heck out of the old spoons and spatulas.

The whoopie pie pan I got was really well-made and sturdy with a nice nonstick finish.

So of course I decided to NOT make whoopie pies.

The idea actually came from my husband, and the more I thought about it, the more I thought that it would be kind of cool to build the Whoopie-Tortoises upside-down so the "shell" would be really smooth and perfectly round.

So, here's how it all went down:

Whoopie Tortoises

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped in pieces
8 ounces soft caramel*
Pecans or other nuts, as desired

Put the the chocolates into a microwave-safe container - I used a glass measuring cup for easy pouring. Melt in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until the chocolate is melted.

When the chocolate is melted, divide it among the 12 whoopie pie cavities. You don't need to make them exact - this is candy, not science. Use a spoon to smooth it out and push it up the sides of the cavities a bit. Put the pan in the refrigerator to set the chocolate.

Meanwhile, put the caramel in a saucepan (nonstick is a good idea). Melt on low temperature until it's at a pourable/spreadable consistency.

When the chocolate has set, divide the caramel among the 12 whoopie cavities, on top of the chocolate. Smooth it out if it doesn't flow to fill the hole in the chocolate, but be careful because the heat of the caramel will begin melting the chocolate. Arrange the nuts on top of the caramel. If you like, let the nuts peek out beyond the edges of the candy to form head, feet, and tortoise-tail.

I used broken half-nuts for the tails, and then I decided that the heads would look better if the flat side was facing up. It doesn't matter. No one's going to autopsy the candy, they're just going to eat it. It doesn't matter if the have eight feet, if that amuses you.

And then I added some extra nuts in the middle, just because I like nuts.

Put the pan in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes or so. Once set, the candies should slide right out of the pan. If yours are sticking, let the pan sit a little longer in the freezer and try again. You shouldn't have to pry them at all - they'll pop right out.

*You can use your own homemade caramel, or buy it already made. You want the stuff that's a little soft, like the caramel that you'd use for coating caramel apples. Kraft caramels would be fine, or King Arthur Flour sells it in a brick.

I received the whoopie pie pan from Good Cook as part of their Kitchen Experts program.

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Reviews, sponsored posts, and why it matters

Reviews, recipe development, sponsored posts ... as a blogger, I get offers for all sorts of opportunities. As a reader, do you know what the differences are?

Does it matter?

I think it does matter. Reviews and sponsored posts are very different things, at least to me. Other people might have different ideas. And that's fine, too.

I have to admit it's good to make some money from this blog. But I don't take every opportunity that comes along. If it doesn't seem right, I refuse it. And I get a lot of offers that are just plain wrong.

Reviews

Reviews are ... well, they're reviews of products. In the world of print, reviewers get products from the publications they write for and have no contact with the company they're writing about. That way, the review is as unbiased as possible. Bloggers don't have that same setup. The reviewer is the publication, so there is a relationship with company. It's a little harder to be completely unbiased.

I try really hard to be unbiased in my reviews. I don't take money from a company for writing a review of their product, but I often get the product for free. And I disclose that in my review.

When products arrive here for review, I have the option of writing about them, or not. I am not obligated to write nice things. However, I tend not to write negative reviews, simply because I don't agree to accept things that I know I wouldn't like. If someone offered me a lifetime supply of coconut, I'd refuse. If someone offered a lifetime supply of chocolate, I'd write about it. A lot.

That's not to say that all of my reviews are positive. Most of them include pros and cons, because most products do have cons. And some reviews, like this one, are mostly not-good - I think the photos tell the tale best. I gave my opinions, but I know that some people might love the product, so that's what I said.

Some of my reviews - many of them, in fact - are republished from other sources who pay me for my work, just like in the olden days of print publications.

Mike and Ike: A Review

One of the most recent items I got for review was some Mike and Ike candy - the Lem and Mel version and the Cherri and Bubb. Both of those are retro, brought back for a short period of time.

To be honest, I don't remember either of them.

Lem and Mel is lemon and watermelon. Lemon was as expected. Lemony. Not super-tart, but also not crazy sweet. Watermelon ... hmmm ... I don't think I would have picked it out as watermelon. I liked it, though. I mean, it's candy, not gourmet food.

Cherry was pretty good. I like cherry-flavored candy. Ah, but the bubblegum! I don't chew much gum, so the bubblegum flavor made me happy. I had the flavor without all the chewing. No bubbles, though. But that's okay.

I've been munching on these things since they arrived. They're pretty addictive, but one or two is enough of a little flavor burst and then I move on. And that makes me happy, too.

Recipe Development

Sometimes a company will say, "we want you to write some recipes for us," and I receive something for this service. Money is nice. When I am doing recipe development, I am not reviewing the products in question, nor am I endorsing them. I'm simply using them to create a recipe.

In many cases, the recipe could easily be made with a different brand. In some cases, the product is unique.

My posts for Fooducopia are all about recipe development.

Sponsored Posts

A sponsored post means that a company is offering me something in exchange for writing a post. Often that "something" is cash, but it might also be products. Sponsored posts can contain elements of other categories. For example, some sponsors might require a recipe.

Since a sponsor is giving me something in exchange for my posts, and I'm obligated to post, I wouldn't take a sponsorship for a product I didn't like. And I'm perfectly willing to give pros and cons of products, because none of them are perfect, and my posts are my opinion.

In this sponsored post, I pointed out that one item was a little too sweet for my taste, but that's the one my husband liked best. I'd never tell you that I loved a product if I didn't.

Some sponsored posts aren't looking for talk about the product itself, but are looking for posts about concepts like memories or mood. This one, for example, was more about memories than the product itself.

Blogger Programs & Brand Ambassadors

Blogger programs (sometimes referred to as brand ambassadorships) are somewhat like sponsored posts, except that the relationship is long-term. A sponsored post is a one-time thing, but a blogger program might last six months or a year, with multiple posts over that period of time.

The benefits of being in a long-term program is that the blogger really gets to know the brand and its products. The details of what a blogger gets and what the brand expects vary a lot, depending on the program, and just like any other relationship, that should be disclosed* within the post or at the end.

If I'm going to sign on to do something like that, for sure I'm going to be selective and only work with products I love, because we're going to be in a relationship for quite some time.

The Republic of Tea: I'm on the TEAm! (A blogger program)

Recently, I got an offer to become part of The Republic of Tea TEAm, which means I'll get getting a lot of tea products from The Republic of Tea, and I'll be posting about tea. Over the next six months, there will be four required posts, including some recipes.

*The disclosure here is: "I'll get getting a lot of tea products from The Republic of Tea..."

The first box I got included four different teas, plus some tea tongs - little bamboo tongs meant for removing a teabag from a hot cup of tea. It also included some instructions for how to brew different types of tea. So that's good. My posts will be a little bit educational. And I also plan on doing some recipes.

It's gonna be pretty awesome. Look for the first of the sponsored posts coming soon.

The benefit to you (besides a bunch of tea talk) is that The Republic of Tea will have special offers for my readers each month. Through March 8, you can receive a complimentary Cheerful Cuppa tea mug when you make a purchase from The Republic of Tea when you use the promo code #COOKISTRY.

Paid Endorsements

Product endorsements are probably not something you'll see from me. Those are things like having your photo on the front of the Wheaties box. Some day, I'd like to endorse a new car. But I doubt that's gonna happen any time soon.

Other Free Bloggy Stuff

Sometimes bloggers get little gifts that have little or nothing to do with the products they're writing about. Spatulas, aprons, key chains, magnets ... those sometimes show up. Just for fun. Awwww.

Like the creamers, above. I had an agreement to do a sponsored post for International Delights Iced Coffee, and it was written and ready to go when these creamers appeared here as a little extra something. (It has since been posted, here.)

Sometimes swag gets handed out at events. Bloggers aren't expected to (or obligated to) write about such things, but often they do. And companies know that. I mean, we're bloggers. We're looking for things to write about. If a product falls in our lap, there's a good chance we'll write about it sooner or later.

Bloggers are new media - expect them to be different

Bloggers are not print media, and they don't operate by the same rules. I'm fine with that. I like the idea that if there's a product I'm curious about, I can write to the company, and maybe they'll send it to me. I don't have to risk my own money on something that I might not like.

On the other hand, I'll admit that it's hard to be completely objective. I've gotten to know some company reps and PR people, and I like them. We're not exactly hanging out together and having beers at the pub, but we're friendly. I don't want to be mean to their products. That's why I don't accept anything that I don't think I'll like.

Sometimes the lines between sponsored posts and reviews gets a little blurred. I'm okay with that, too, because blogging is a new media, at least compared to print. And the rules are still being written. I can't speak for other bloggers, but I try very very hard to not be swayed by the freebies, the million-dollar checks (hahaha - I think I just sprained something from laughing so hard) and the really nice products that I receive. Because no matter what a company sends, I want to be honest with my readers. You guys deserve that.

How many is too many?

I've seen some criticism of bloggers who do "too many" sponsored posts. I'm not sure what constitutes too many, but I think that's up to the individual blogger. There are some blogs that are nothing but sponsored posts, and they're quite popular. Other blogger never do sponsored posts and they're also popular..

I like sponsored posts. And it's not just the money or the freebies. I like being on the "inside track" with food and media companies. I like being one of the first to hear about new products. I like to test and sample and write about things that haven't been written about by every blogger on the planet.

And yes, the income is nice. It helps pay bills and it puts food on the table.

*Disclosures

When bloggers are working with companies, the blogger is supposed to disclose that information. Sometimes you'll see that disclosure at the end of a post, and sometimes it will be within the post itself. Either way is legal, as long as it's clear.

If a blogger says, "I got some cheese," it's not clear whether the blogger bought the cheese with their own money or whether the cheese was shipped to them by the company. That's not a good disclosure. It should say, "The company sent me coupons to purchase the cheese," or "The company sent me cheese to work with," or some other wording that makes it clear that the blogger didn't pay for the product.

The blogger doesn't have to disclose the value of the exchange, just that it occurred. So that cheese could be a quarter-pound or it could be a whole wheel. I often do disclose exactly what I got from a company, sometimes by showing photos of the products as in the photo of the products from The Republic of Tea or this post where I showed the cheese products I received. But that detail isn't required.

Some companies provide the language for the disclosure while others rely on the blogger to do the right thing.

While I think disclosures are a great thing, I think most readers are smart enough to spot when writers aren't being genuine. So if a post sounds like it was copied verbatim from a press release and a disclosure at the bottom says, "All opinions are my own," I think most people would spot that a mile away. With or without a formal disclosure, the content is supposed to be truthful. The disclosure is not a get-out-of-jail-free card. You can't say your opinions are your own while copying a press release that talks about the deliciousness of the product.

Some bloggers like to hide their disclosures in teeny-tiny print or they say things in ways that make it unclear whether a meal might have been free or not. I really don't see why they're shy about that. Thus far, no one has offered me a kazillion dollars to write about their product, but if they did, I'm pretty sure my post would say, "Oh, wow, look at this suitcase full of money that I got for writing about this product!"

As far as readers go, recently I've read some conversations where some people said they prefer to see the disclosure near the beginning of the post, so they know as soon as they start reading that the blogger received a product, a meal, a free trip, or a bundle of cash.

I often put my disclosure within the posts (where it fits naturally in the flow of the article), saying that I received a product or was given a free meal as part of a blogger group - whatever is appropriate for the situation. If a company requires a specific disclosure or it makes more sense in terms of the flow of the post, I'll put a disclosure at the end. Sometimes it's in both places.

But no matter where the disclosure is, my opinions are MY opinions, and not something that's been fed to me by a company. I might quote from their fact sheet for nutritional information, but my likes and dislikes are all my own.

It's good for you, too!

If I can write about new products, it allows my readers to find out about them, too. When I sample them and I describe them (using words other than "yummalicous") maybe you'll get an idea of whether you'll like the product or not. I don't like overly sweet things, but maybe you do. I like spicy foods, but maybe you don't. Even when I'm giving an opinion, I try to include a useful description so you can decide for yourself.

Because my opinion is my own. Yours may be different.

Another reason my relationship with companies is good for you is that quite often they offer things to my readers. Maybe it's a giveaway, maybe it's a discount or a special offer of some kind. Or maybe it's a recipe or a new technique or some inside information. And those things are all good, too.

The bottom line

A lot of bloggers these days are getting offers and freebies and sponsorships from companies. And the one rule we all have to follow is that we have to disclose our "relationship" with the company. When you see a disclosure, it's up to you to decide whether you think the blogger has been influenced or not. And it's up to us bloggers to try as hard as we can to remain un-influenced.

The BOTTOM bottom line

Thanks for supporting me and supporting Cookistry. You guys are why I do this.

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This recipe plus that recipe equals ... Candy!

First there were the chocolate covered oreos.

Then there were truffles.

I decided to melt the left over white and red chocolate together to get a pink coating.

And then I rolled up some of the extra ganache I had left from the previous batch of truffles.

I chilled the heck out of the truffles and then coated them with the pink chocolate.

And then I sprinkled just a little bit of kosher salt on top.

Done. Yum.

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Chocolate Truffles with wheat germ? Why, yes!

I don't think I've ever heard the words "wheat germ" and "chocolate truffles" in the same sentence, but when you think about it, it makes sense. Wheat germ has a slightly nutty taste, and it would add texture to a smooth truffle. And it looks right.

I'd like to say that I came up with the idea myself, but I actually got it from the folks who make Kretchmer's Wheat Germ. Go figure, huh?

What I thought was interesting was that they have a honey-crunch wheat germ. I haven't tried it yet - heck, I haven't had time to go look for it yet - but it sounds intriguing.

I added a pinch or two of salt to the wheat germ coating. Very nice. Give it a try.

Dark Chocolate Truffles with Wheat Germ
Recipe courtesy of Kretchmer's Wheat Germ
Make 30-32 truffles

A decadent piece of chocolate is the perfect way to top off a meal and stay satisfied without overindulging. It’s also a really nice gift to bring to friends. These truffles are made with dark chocolate which we’ve heard is “good for us” and rolled in wheat germ instead of cocoa for a nutty richer depth of flavor.

8 ounces good quality bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons Kretschmer Original Toasted Wheat Germ or Kretschmer Honey Crunch Wheat Germ

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.

Place chopped chocolate in a medium-sized bowl.

Heat cream to a gentle boil in small, heavy-duty saucepan. Remove from heat and add then chocolate. Stir until mixture is smooth and chocolate is melted.

Refrigerate for 25 to 30 minutes or until mixture is thick enough to form into balls.

Using a very small ice cream scoop, about the size of a teaspoon or a melon baller, drop rounds onto the cookie sheet. Shape or roll into balls; coat with Kretschmer wheat germ. (Note: if chocolate becomes too soft to shape, put it back in refrigerator until it is cold enough to manage.)

Store in an airtight container in refrigerator. Remove at least 15 minutes before serving so chocolate has a chance to come to room temperature.

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Chocolate Covered Cookies for Your Valentine

The Secret Baker (which apparently isn't very ninja-like, since you can find them on Facebook) describes the company as "A manufacturer of premium baking kits that include everything needed for ordinary people to make professional-quality cake pops and cookies."

I'm an ordinary people.

The company offered me an interview with the company president, but I thought it would be more fun to play with the products. Because I'm all about the play.

And getting messy, when possible.

First impression was that the box and packaging would make this a good gift item. It's got that "oooh pretty!" look to it. Since I didn't know what they were sending, it was fun to unpack.

I received a kit for making chocolate-covered Oreos, plus a sanding sugar kit and a cute little box for presentation. Um, I wasn't supposed to just eat them? Uh oh.

I very carefully read scanned glanced at the instructions and figured it couldn't be all that hard. Everything - abso-tively-lutely EVERYTHING you need is in the kit. Well, except a microwave oven and opposible thumbs, but that would be sort of hard to pack.

A spatula (not included) is useful for making the cookie bottoms nice and flat, but unless you're living in a forest with strange woodland creatures, you probably have something that would work. A pancake turner. A flat knife. A bench scraper. A ruler.

So what was included in the kit I got? A cookie mold, Oreo Cookies (double-stuffed), chocolate melting wafers in two colors, microwave-safe melting tubs, squeeze bottles, plastic spoons, toothpicks, gloves, some melty-flaky stuff to add to the chocolate, and instructions.

There's nothing magical in the kit, but it's nice that it's all in one package. You don't need to run back to the store because you forgot something. You just open the box, pause a moment to look a the instructions, and have fun.

A little practice wouldn't hurt, but if you're using one of these kits, you're not making these professionally. It's for fun. Or to let the kids have fun.

But wait! Is my kit defective? Why on earth did they send me a kit that spells VOLE!? Isn't that some sort of rodent???

Oh. Never mind. Just someone re-arranging my letters.

The kit would also be useful for someone named Leo V. Just kidding. Sort of. I was having a little too much fun playing word games with the cookies. LOL.

With practice (and not that much practice) I'm sure I'd get a whole lot better at making these. If you look closely at the letter E, you can see that the Oreo can be seen peeking through the white. That's because I pushed it down a little too firmly. Now I know better.

These kits obviously aren't going to appeal to the super-experienced baker or cookie decorator. But that's not who these kits are designed for. So it's all good.

The company also sells refills for the kits as well as individual products. Besides the Oreo cookie kits, there are cake pop kits. I'm not a huge fan of cake pops in general, but I have to say that some of their designs are adorable.

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