Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Continuing this week's theme of cheap and easy homemade Christmas gifts that look neither cheap nor easy ... Homemade Chocolate Syrup.

The recipe, from Small Notebook (who, in turn, borrowed it from The Complete Tightwad Gazette) has only five ingredients. And since the result keeps for several months, you can make the sauce at your leisure, far before the last-minute crush of holiday shopping and get-togethers.

Yes, the results look tasty, but what really makes this a gem of a gift is the container you package it in. A flip-top glass bottle (like that used at Small Notebook) with a homemade label makes this easy homemade Christmas gift appear not only delicious, but also thoughtful.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

½ cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla

Mix cocoa and water in saucepan. Heat and stir to dissolve cocoa. Add sugar, and stir to dissolve. Boil 3 minutes over medium heat. Add salt and vanilla. Cool. Pour into a sterile glass jar, and store in refrigerator. Keeps for several months. Yields two cups.

Frightfully Low Prices on Halloween Candy

Kids clean up on candy when they trick-or-treat, but it's the day after that's the best time for chocolate for everyone else.

That's usually when grocery stores and pharmacies cut the prices on their stash of Halloween candy by 25 percent, 50 percent or even more.

Stock up! Hershey Kisses in orange wrappers are still Hershey Kisses. And coffin-shaped, caramel-filled chocolates are much tastier than they look.

The stock goes quickly, so don't wait more than a day or two after trick-or-treating in your community to make your own candy run.

Final Day for FREE Chocolate

Remember: Tomorrow is the last day to sign up to get a free candy bar from Mars at the Real Chocolate website.

Be one of the first 250,000 people to register after 9 a.m. and get a coupon in the mail for your choice of Mars product, including M&M's, Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, Twix or Dove bars (I have two of the latter waiting for me as I type).

I've received just a handful of emails from Mars since I signed up for my first candy bar coupon in May-- a small price to pay for free chocolate.

Brownies for Foodies on the Edge

Image from: Baker's Edge

Item: Edge Brownie Pan

Price: $34.95

Where to Buy: Baker's Edge

Review: The perfect brownie, in my opinion, is the one directly in the center of the pan. Forget the chewy crust. Give me the fudgy crumbs.

But maybe I'm in the minority. I'm sure the people at Baker's Edge hope I am.

Baker's Edge sells "the first and only pan for edge lovers." Every brownie has two or three edges because the pan actually has interior sides.

Now if only they could come up with a pan with no edges whatsoever. Hmm ...

Brownies on a Stick for $4 a Pop

Item: Browniepops

Price: 6 for $24

Where to Buy: Browniepops.com

Review: These are exactly what you think they are. I mean, the subtitle of the Browniepop website says it all: Brownies on a stick.

Really, I should simply learn how to make these myself. Until then, I'll pine after the 11 Browniepop flavors, including caramel, raspberry and cream cheese swirl. I'll dream about the "rich, dark and moist brownie hand-dipped in chocolate."

At $4 a pop, they're not cheap. But as a gift for a chocolate lover, they're the makings of sweet dreams.

Image from: The Nibble

FREE Candy Bar in 3 Weeks or Less!

Free chocolate, here I come!

A few weeks ago I wrote about how Mars is giving away up to 250,000 coupons a week for a free Snickers, Milky Way, 3 Musketeers, Twix, M&M's or Dove bar. Just register at the Mars Real Chocolate Relief Act on Fridays through Sept. 25.

I first registered in mid-May and received an email stating that my coupon was to arrive in about six weeks.

But good news: I got my coupon a few days ago, less than three weeks after I filled out the form! I signed up for my second coupon at the end of May, so I expect to receive another soon.

Best of all, I haven't received a bit of spammy junk email, so kudos to Mars. And thanks for the chocolate!

FREE Chocolate Every Friday!!!

The only thing better than chocolate?

FREE chocolate.

Every Friday through September, Mars is giving away up to 250,000 coupons for free Mars products including M&M's, Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, Twix and (my personal favorite) Dove bars.

Sign up each Friday at the Mars Real Chocolate website. I did last week and got an email informing me that my coupon would arrive in about six weeks.

The Mars promotion continues until Sept. 25. You know what that means: I have 19 more candy bar coupons to collect.

My Favorite Eggs of All Time

Item: Cadbury Eggs

Price: Less than $1

Where to Buy: Your local grocery store or drugstore

Review: Easter is in two days. Don't tell you haven't picked up a Cadbury Egg or two. Or twelve.

A Cadbury Egg has long been the easiest, cheapest way to make me happy on Easter morning. The creme egg is certainly a classic, with the frosting filling and even a "yolk" center. But the chocolate truffle egg is also a favorite, and even the caramel-filled egg when the mood strikes.

Easter just isn't Easter with a Cadbury Egg. By the same token, a Cadbury Egg is for Easter only. Last year I saw the eggs for sale in special holiday packaging (Christmas?) and it just wasn't right. It's like hanging a stocking in September or going trick-or-treating in February-- it just isn't done.

But downing a Cadbury Egg before breakfast on Easter morning? That, my friends, is certainly done.

Image from: Cadbury.com

Step Away from the Waxy Easter Bunny

Item: Cruisin' Chocolate Easter Bunny

Price: $22

Where to Buy: Lake Champlain Chocolates

Review: I'm not one to turn down candy, even if it's a waxy chocolate Easter bunny snagged at the grocery store for a few bucks.

But if you want to get something truly special for the Easter basket, get thee to Lake Champlain Chocolates.

The chocolatiers have the classic white, milk and dark chocolate bunnies, but the cruisin' bunny is a fun and tasty alternative. No matter which you choose, you'll be happy. My mouth is watering just thinking about them.

My husband and I recently visited the Lake Champlain Chocolates factory in Burlington, Vermont and had some of the best chocolate I've ever tasted. It's cliche, but their truffles really are to die for. I can't imagine that their Easter bunnies would be anything but.

Image from: Lake Champlain Chocolates

The Ultimate Easter Egg: Kinder Egg

Item: Kinder Eggs

Price: $29.99 for 24

Where to Buy: Dutch Market

Review: I was first introduced to the Kinder Egg in my high school German class. The hollow egg-shaped treat is made of milk chocolate on the outside, with a layer of white chocolate in the inside.

But that's not what makes the Kinder Egg (or Kinderei, as we referred to it in class) so special. The real prize is the toy inside the egg.

Each egg contains a capsule about the size of your big toe, and each capsule contains small pieces you put together to make your toy. It's all very Happy Meal.

Kinder Eggs aren't sold in the US, which makes it all the more special when you receive one (and all the more expensive to buy because of the shipping costs). The egg shape makes them a perfect addition to any Easter basket, but my stomach and I would happily take one at any time of the year.

Image from: Dutch Market

Russell Stover Triple Chocolate Mousse

Item: Russell Stover Triple Chocolate Mousse candy bar

Price: $1.99 for 3 oz.

Where to Buy: Russell Stover

Review: The individually-wrapped Russell Stover Triple Chocolate Mousse chocolates were one of my favorite Christmas gifts this year. I'm no chocolate snob-- I'll take a Hershey bar since I don't have a Godiva budget. But these chocolates, I'm happy to say, taste like Godiva on a Hershey budget.

The cream center (I love cream centers!) is bordered by dark chocolate on top and a film of white chocolate on the bottom. Sure, it melts in your mouth, but you'll have the bar gone so quickly it won't have time to melt in your hand.

Image from: Russell Stover