5 Reasons to Eat Chocolate -- as if you need a reason!

It's one of the most popular sweets of all time. Women crave it, men devour it, and Aztec kings were said to have been the first to eat it. But why do we love chocolate so much?

Following are just a few reasons why chocolate is so popular--and why you shouldn't give it up completely, even if you're on a diet!

1.  It melts in your mouth so seductively - Chocolate contains fat--that's no surprise. The cocoa butter in chocolate gives it a rich, creamy consistency that transmits the cocoa's flavor perfectly. It also has a melting point that's just a bit lower than the average human body temperature, which gives you that melt-in-your-mouth feeling every time you pop a piece of chocolate in your mouth. Chocolate lovers often describe this melting feeling as a true moment of ecstasy.

2.  Just the right chemistry - According to a study done at the University of Michigan, chocolate contains chemicals called opioids. Opioids are also found in opium, and they serve to dull pain and give a feeling of well-being to people who ingest them. According to the study, people who eat chocolate produce natural opiates in their brains that soothe their nerves and make them feel good. When the receptors that detected opioids were blocked, that chocolate craving was lessened.
Chocolate also naturally contains "uppers" like caffeine, sugars, and phenylthalymine, which give you a feeling of alertness. The effect is not dramatic enough to be uncomfortable in most people; it's mild enough to produce a pleasant "high," which is often equated to the feeling of being in love!

3.  Chocolate equals love - Speaking of love, the association might not be completely physiological. Women crave chocolate more often than men do. Women are also habitually given chocolate as birthday and Valentine's Day presents. In our culture, chocolate is thought of as a romantic gift. It's outside the realm of mundane, day-to-day food, reserved for special occasions--and, for women especially, it's associated with love and romance. That could be another reason why women particularly love chocolate: deep down, it makes them feel loved, cared for, and pampered.

4.  It really is good for you - Recent studies suggest that chocolate--especially dark chocolate--contains chemicals that lower the risk of cancer and heart disease. Flavanoids and antioxidants in dark chocolate have been shown to make a difference in cardiovascular health. Until recently, tea was considered the main source for these chemicals. Now, scientists recommend that you have an ounce of dark chocolate for more of those life-lengthening chemicals. Don't have milk with your dark chocolate, however--the same studies show that milk can cancel out the healthful effects of eating chocolate by preventing those helpful chemicals from being fully absorbed in the body.
Chocolate does contain fats and sugars that you shouldn't eat a great deal of--but as long as you eat it in moderation, the science suggests you can add as much as a year to your life.

5.  It's great for your sex life - Ever since the time of the Aztecs, people have believed that chocolate has aphrodisiac properties. But there may be some deeper truth to those old legends. Recent studies have shown that women who eat a little bit of chocolate a day have significantly more sex than women who don't. This could be because of those brain-soothing chemicals that are found in chocolate, and that chocolate encourages the brain to release more of as it's eaten. Chocolate just makes us feel good--which is a key ingredient for a healthy sex life.

So go ahead and enjoy some delicious & HEALTHY chocolate!

Fun Graduation Party Ideas!

It'll be here before you know it...Graduation!  Just for fun we decided to share a few unique (and traditional) ideas to make your son or daughters party more memorable!

What's your major? If your son or daughter has decided on a college major or other type of career, play on this to create a fun and memorable party. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Theater: Create a "stage" as a backdrop for a photo gallery of the graduate in his/her school plays. Purchase a real Hollywood clapper at a novelty store and write in details of the party on it. Place inexpensive masks on the tables as party favors. Hang movie posters or pictures of the graduate's favorite actor in the room. (You can find several movie posters at on ebay!) Serve fancy finger foods and non-alcoholic champagne.

Medical: A visit to your local medical supply store will make your decorating a breeze. Inflate surgical gloves for "balloons." Guests can sign tongue depressors and add words of wisdom for the graduate. Place anatomical posters and models throughout the area. Inexpensive play doctor kits can be used for table centerpieces. Serve food hospital cafeteria style with vending machine munchies in wicker baskets.

Law: Place legal pads near the entry for guests to sign in and add words of wisdom. Velcro "legal briefs" (men's briefs) along the front of the food tables. A brief case can house the graduation cards. Stick legal "red tape" down the center of each table. Construct a makeshift witness stand for guests to sit in and have their picture taken for the graduate to keep. Serve traditional fare or Chinese "take out" for attorneys burning the midnight oil.

Military: Decorate with plenty of flags and a red, white and blue color scheme. Throw in some camouflage napkins or tablecloths. A couple bags of plastic army men, tanks, helicopters and other military toys can be scattered on the tables. Serve the buffet mess hall style.

Business/Financial: Fill inexpensive brief cases with plastic cutlery on the buffet table. Scatter play money on the tables with toy cell phones. Purchase personal business cards for guests to sign and add words of wisdom. Serve traditional fare with virgin cocktails and candy "Tums," as stressed-out business people have a lot of stomach trouble!

Teaching: Place rulers with quotes about education on the tables for guests to take home. Visit www.quoteland.com for quotes. Be sure to place plenty of shiny apples in bowls for centerpieces. Post educational posters (found at teacher supply stores) in the party area, and have a desk and journal at the entry to serve as a guest sign in. Serve paper sack lunches with a variety of juice boxes, sodas and milk in pint-size cartons.

Journalist: Place an old typewriter with plenty of paper nearby for guests to type their sentiments. These papers can later be placed in a folder for the graduate to keep. Pencils and pads of paper with the graduate's name and graduation date can be inscribed for party favors. A pizza buffet is well suited for the journalist who eats on the run to cover the hot stories.

Sports: Pennants, sports equipment, magazine covers, posters and photos of the graduate playing sports are great for decorating the area. Borrow or rent large grills to cook hot dogs, hamburgers and brats. Offer peanuts in small paper bags. You may also want to rent a popcorn machine or cotton candy maker to further enhance the sports stadium atmosphere.

Traditional Ideas

If your graduate prefers a more traditional party, here are a few more ideas:

• Send invitations in the form of diplomas.
• Cover a wall with black construction paper to create a "blackboard." Leave chalk for guests to scribble notes for the graduate to read and treasure later.
• Suspend graduation caps from the ceiling as if they were thrown in the air. 

And of course let us help with the food!  That's what we "major" in!

Football & Strawberries!

How'd you like to serve these fun and delicious strawberries at your Super Bowl Party?  Watch this video to see how!

Weird Food Combinations!

Ketchup sandwiches. Peanut butter and Bologna. Scrambled eggs and grape jelly...We all have weird cravings and our favorite odd food combinations that we think are absolutely delicious but sound gross to other people.
For me it's toast with peanut butter and pickles (or bacon).  I can picture my husband gagging right now...but trust me, it's delicious!

Which weird foods do you eat that other people find utterly revolting?
 
Embarrassed to admit your favorite odd food combination? C'mon, it's cathartic!
Check out these strange food combos I gathered from friends as inspiration:

1. Mashed potatoes and noodles with gravy.
2. Gravy and biscuits with grape jelly.
3. Peanut butter and mayo sandwiches.
4. Chocolate cake with pinto beans.
5. Hollowed-out pickles filled with ranch dressing and cheese.
6. Garlic bread topped with peanut butter and spaghetti.
7. Peanut butter and cucumber sandwiches.
8. Eggs with Spam and white rice.
9. Doritos dipped in cream cheese.
10. Sugar and grits.
11. Popcorn and mustard.
12. Pancakes and ketchup.
13. Frito's and caramel sauce.
14. Peanut butter and Cool Ranch Doritos sandwiches.
15. Peanut butter and ham sandwiches.
16. Uncooked pasta dipped in peanut butter.
17. Cream cheese with jam on toast.
18. Chocolate chip cookies with cottage cheese.
19. Potato chips dipped in mustard.
20. Pizza dipped in ranch dressing.

Is it wrong that most of these sound delicious to me?
What is the weirdest thing that you eat?

Last Minute Wedding? No Problem!

8 Tips for Planning a Last-Minute Wedding

For a host of reasons, some consumers, especially younger military members, may find themselves with a narrow window to plan and execute their nuptials. If the unexpected or simple circumstance creates the need for an accelerated wedding day, you don’t have to choose between elopement or the local courthouse. Here are a few ways to craft a great wedding on the fly.

1. Create a Checklist

There are a lot of sites like My Wedding Reception Planning that offer checklists for wedding planning. Many have timelines based on how far out the wedding date is. You can follow one completely or look through and narrow it down to fit your needs. Either way, a checklist will help keep you organized to get the required and desired done.

2. Location, Location Location

If you have the means to hire a wedding planner, it may be beneficial to let them focus on booking a location. Planner or not, consider booking a place that can host both the ceremony and reception. On short notice, your best options may be restaurants or unconventional spaces like a photography studio.
You’ll need an on-site minister to officiate, but the double-purpose location will serve your stress levels well. In a military chapel, you can save yourself time on finding a minister and use the chaplain without a fee. Unfortunately, the chapel typically books a year in advance, so be prepared with a Plan B.

3. Invitation Creation

Before you invite your guests, prepare to be turned down on such short notice. That being said, if there isn’t enough time to order invitations, you can consider printing or handwriting your own. You can even launch your own wedding site on eWedding to ease communication.

4. Go With a Small Cake or Bake

Talk to your local catering company and/or bakery.  If there is not a fast enough option for you there, involve a family member by asking them to bake and decorate a cake or cupcakes.

5. Provide for the Bride

Wedding dresses can require three weeks for alterations alone, so attempting to shop for dresses not guaranteed in stock is plain dangerous with a limited time frame. Consider heading to retail outlets like David's Bridal, where the dresses are in stock (and often kind to your budget). Ensure your hair and makeup look great by booking appointments as soon as possible and doing trial runs. Military consumers should always inquire about discounts.

6. The Groom Costume

If your groom is in the military, he’s got his service dress, which would suit the occasion well. If you prefer to have the traditional tuxedo, be sure to rent a tux as soon as possible. That way sizes can be taken with enough time to prevent any mishaps in measurements.

7. Those Beside the Bride

Just like the bride’s dress, ordering bridesmaids dresses can take too long for a quick wedding. An alternative can be buying formal-looking dresses from a department store or asking your bridesmaids to buy a dress of a certain color on their own.

8. Food, Flowers, and Photos

Catering companies require booking in advance, but give them a call (or us if you're in our service area) and ask. Also, many restaurants offer platters that you can order a day or two beforehand. And if your reception is in a restaurant, you’re set with deciding food.
For flower bouquets and decorations, check your local supercenters or farmers markets. Typically flowers in season are cheapest, so if you’re flexible with the look you can go seasonal and save some money for the honeymoon.
Save yourself some time and stress, and scratch the professional photography by asking a family member or friend to be the designated photographer. Also, you can get random, candid photos by leaving disposable cameras around the guest tables.

The Hottest Wedding Reception Decor Trends 2013!

1. Mix-Matched Centerpieces: "One of the biggest trends we've seen is, as opposed to having one flower arrangement on a table, people are doing a variety of smaller bud vases featuring different, single-stemmed flowers," says O'Grady. She suggests using a variety of mismatched vases from thrift stores or "Grandma's basement" to create the eclectic look.

2. Unique Place Settings: Gone are the days of tables set with perfectly matching dinnerware and glassware. "I really love that eclectic look where you have a variety of drinking glasses that are different textures and color," says O'Grady. And the same things goes for place settings. But can this mismatched look work for a high-end wedding? "Absolutely!" she says. The result is an elegant wedding with an "eclectic, refined" feel to it.

3. Small, Elegant Weddings: "There was such a theme of opulence and over-the-top decor and indulgence and it's now shifted to the other side," says O'Grady. The current trend is "not minimalist, but it's very elegant and done in a tasteful way." So, rather than having 400 people at their wedding, couples are inviting 150 guests and they're serving "excellent food and spending a little bit more on the wine." 

4. Vintage Themes: According to O'Grady, the vintage look is still going strong. It's "really hot" right now, she says of the theme, so we can expect to see many more mason jars filled with signature cocktails or simple wildflower arrangements incorporated in reception decor.

5. Alternative Head Tables: O'Grady says that most of her clients are still doing head tables, but they're not opting for the traditional one-sided table on a riser. Instead, couples are inviting the members of their wedding party and their dates to sit at a large, double-sided head table in the center of the room. "People are sort of getting over the fact that some people might have to see their backs," says O'Grady of the arrangement. "It's an evening to be sociable, so it's not like you're staring at someone's back all night. It's just during dinner, so that's acceptable."

6. Ditch The Crystal: If you've been to a wedding within the past couple of years, you've no doubt spotted your share of crystals. "They were dripping all over every centerpiece for years and that look is gone," says O'Grady. Reception decor these days is "a little bit more reasonable and comfortable for everyone." 

Building a Home Bar

 Ever wanted to emulate the characters on Mad Men and mix yourself up a martini after a long day at the office?  This activity is making a comeback and how much more relaxing is an amazing cocktail in the comfort of your own home, as opposed to a noisy happy hour somewhere?!

You can really get creative with this, but no reason to go broke...just start with the basics.

Emily Schuman, author of "Cupcakes & Cashmere: A Guide for Defining Your Style, Reinventing Your Space, and Entertaining with Ease" has some great advice on building your home bar:

"Alcohol – Four main spirits to stock: whiskey, gin, tequila, and vodka. They provide the foundation for many drinks, but are also perfect on their own. Vermouth (both sweet and dry) is also used quite often. While I typically prefer rye whiskey, bourbon is also an excellent choice for your entry point into “brown” liquors. As for gin, there are quite a few new options on the market, but it’s hard to go wrong with a classic English dry variety, like Plymouth. For most tequila, I go with a “blanco” version since they aren’t aged as long as other tequilas and are more neutral flavored. Simply be sure you always buy 100% agave and not a “mixto” version. I’m not a big fan of vodka (I find it completely tasteless), but it’s one of the most popular spirits and good to have on hand.

Additions – Club soda, tonic water, and ginger beer/ale are common mixers, whether it’s to add some effervescence or round out the flavor of the drink. Many cocktails also call for a sweetener (i.e. simple syrup, honey, agave, etc.) and while you can easily make your own simple syrup (it’s equal parts sugar/water boiled down), I always have a bottle in the fridge. Bitters are the final key component when stocking your new bar. They come in a wide variety of flavors and provide a wonderful complexity and body to many cocktails, but when starting out, all you need is a bottle of Angostura bitters. They are probably the most famous variety and are an essential ingredient in classic drinks like a Manhattan and an Old Fashioned.

Tools – A cocktail shaker, strainer, and bar spoon are three items you need to mix drinks. For measuring, I prefer a clear small measuring cup that offers multiple volumes and conversions (i.e. teaspoons, ounces, etc.), rather than jiggers. As for glasses, my go-to are: cocktail/champagne coupes (if you’re only going to get one type of glass, this is the one to own), a lowball tumbler, and a collins glass. I also make sure to keep straws on hand and cocktail picks for skewering garnishes.

Extras – Many cocktail recipes have some kind of garnish, so I like to keep a variety of citrus, olives, and cherries on hand. While Luxardo maraschino cherries are an investment, they’re vastly superior to the neon-red version at the local market."

Building your home bar doesn’t have to happen instantly – and remember that most alcohols last almost indefinitely, so take your time and enjoy the process!