Princess Kate Middleton's got a Sweet Tooth

The Royal wedding is finally here!  Everyone's been talking about it and been counting down to the marriage of Prince William to Kate Middleton.  It was televised around the world and billions of people tuned in.

I think Kate's a lovely lady and will be a great Princess.  One AWESOME quality about her is that she has quite the sweet tooth!  It has been said that Kate got nervous about the big day, but she settled her nerves with sweets.

Kate's candy of choice?  Haribo Starmix and Tangfastics.  Kate buys about two packs a week.

Never heard of them?  Me neither.

Haribo Starmix is made up of gummy rings, fried eggs, hearts, bears, and cola bottles.  Haribo Tangfastics are gummies fantastically topped with sugar, some shapes including cola bottles, cherries, bears, and lizards.

But of course, we are all familiar with Haribo, which gives us our beloved gummy bears, sour peaches, gummy frogs, and sour cola bottles.  Starmix and Tangfastics are very popular in the UK, which is why Americans are unfamiliar with those products.

Anyway, since Kate's such a big candy fan, Haribo became inspired to make a new line of candy called "Heart's and Rings and Other Nice Things."  The pink bags of candy will include gummy rings, lips, cupcakes, heart throbs, and presents.  The product will be sold all over England.  Kate's sweet tooth sent Haribo's sales skyrocketing, so I'm sure it's a way to thank her for advertising their product.

I don't know about you, but Tangfastics sound absolutely delicious to me and I'd love to try some sometime because I love my sour candy!

Photos courtesy of http://www.ninapeople.com/le-regime-de-kate-middleton-a-base-de-bonbons-a47378.html and http://abcnews.go.com/International/Royal_Diary_Blog/kate-middleton-sweet-tooth-inspires-candy-line-haribo/story?id=13167689

Sweet Tart Martini

It's that time of the week again, when you can almost say TGIF, but instead you wish everyone a Happy Thirsty Thursday!  The lovely elixir this week is the Sweet Tart Martini.  It's a perfect combination between sweet and sour, so if you like both tastes, this drink is the best of both worlds!

Like all drinks we choose here at The Sweetest Temptations, it is super easy to whip up.  It is a drink that is good for before dinner consumption, during dinner, and during desserts.  I like it any time of the day because it is just that scrumptious!  And besides, who doesn't get nostalgic thinking about eating Sweet Tarts stacked up in the long, thin packaging and go straight back to their childhood?  Remember when you would scrounge up pennies from around the  house just to go buy a pack?  When you mix that delicious flavor and concoct a drink, it's bound to create smiles!

Ingredients

3/4 oz Vodka

3/4 oz Midori Melon Liqueur

1 splash Sweet and Sour

1 splash 7-Up

Shake all ingredients in the mixer with ice, pour into martini glass and top with a cherry.

Enjoy!!!!

World's Largest Gummy Bears

Did you know that it's possible to purchase a 5 pound gummy bear?  And that it's equal to 1,400  of the regular sized gummy bears?  And that it's gluten free? And that they come in a bunch of different flavors?  And that it's 12,600 calories?  Well, if you didn't, consider yourself informed!

It's a fun idea to surprise someone with a 5 pound piece of deliciousness like this, especially any candy lover!  Dip it in a little bit of chocolate and you've got a party in your tummy.  If a special occasion is coming up, be sure to get that certain someone an unforgettable gift that they can share with their whole neighborhood.  It's even a cute idea to have one at a child's birthday party and everyone can get a piece of the wonderful gummy flavor.  This product is definitely something "different" and unique and no one is used to seeing, so brighten up someone's day by giving them one of the coolest and gummiest things around!      

Photos courtesy of http://giantgummybears.com/worldsbiggestgummibear-1-1.aspx & http://inspiringpretty.com/2011/02/11/8-unique-last-minute-valentines-day-gifts-on-the-web/

Midori's Lucky Charm

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Not only is today a global Irish holiday, but the best part is that it falls on Thirsty Thursday as well!  Since today is all about green and this blog is all about the sweetest temptations on Earth, the elixir of the day is called Midori's Lucky Charm.  Add green, sweetness, and alcohol and you get the perfect sip of sweetness!  Who doesn't like the taste of Midori and Lucky Charms?

There are only three simple ingredients.  If you aren't wearing green, the second best thing to do is drink and eat green products all day long!  This drink is magically delicious!  So even if you aren't Irish, consider yourself Irish for the day, like the whole world does and drink up!  This drink is perfect for today and it will impress your friends with the delicious taste and its fun appearance.

Now go out there, grab your ingredients and catch that Leprechaun at the end of the rainbow!

Happy St. Patricks Day to you and yours!  Happy Thirsty Thursday as well!  Think Green!

Ingredients:

2 Parts MIDORI
1 Part SKYY Vodka
Top with Orange Juice

Serve in a rocks glass over ice

Photo and ingredients courtesy of http://www.cocktailatlas.com/L2Holidays/StP/Midori_Sippin/Medori_Sippin.htm and http://frozenfix.blogspot.com/2010/04/lucky-charms-ice-cream.html

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day with Candy

St. Patrick's day is right around the corner!  March 17th is the one day of the year that EVERYONE is Irish!  I know you all know the basics about this holiday:

1.  Wear green
2.  Drink Irish Car bombs/ Green Beer
3.  Put green dye in everything you consume

But...what you probably don't know is how to decorate your house with candy for this festive occasion.  Here are 3 important tips to keep in mind to ensure the day(or week) is celebrated sweetly and in style.

First off, THINK GREEN.  In this case, the flavors of the day will most likely be Green Apple and Watermelon.  Go out and buy:
~Green Jelly Beans
~Green Apple/Watermelon Blow-pops
~Green Apple/Watermelon Sour Belts
~Green Rock Candy
~Green Gummy Frogs
~Green M&Ms
~Green Pop Rocks

Secondly, THINK RAINBOW.  Pick up some:
~Skittles
~M&Ms
~Nerds
~Sour Patch Kids


Lastly, THINK GOLD.  Add these to your list:
~Chocolate Gold Coins
~Rolos

Once the Green, Rainbow, and Gold colored candy have been purchased, find a little pot to put the gold coins and Rolos in.  From there, start decorating with the Rainbow colored candy, lining up candy in the shape of a rainbow, coming out from the pot of gold.  Spread the rest of the green candy underneath the pot to create a grassy knoll of green candy, use the picture below as a guide.  Feel free to get creative and buy a styrofoam ball to stick the Green Rock Candy out of and glue on other pieces of candy as a center piece.  You could also just sort the Green, Rainbow, and Gold candy in three separate dishes and represent all the colors of St. Patty's Day.

Photos courtesy of--www.westath.org/, http://www.flickr.com/photos/mismisimos/388323638/, www.venturebeat.com/2009/03/01/skittles-tweet-the-rainbow-or-racial-slurs/,www.ehow.com/how_5077766_play-st-patricks-day-party.html, www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/holiday-ideas/homemade-christmas-ornaments

Tootsie Roll Cocktail

Once again, it's Thirsty Thursday!  This week, we are getting down to business, by just doing shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, everybody!  The delicious drink this week is the Tootsie Roll.  If you love chocolate, and like the taste of tasty Tootsies, this mini gulp will be very fitting for your taste buds.  This will be a hit for you and yours, and gets straight to the point.

The drink only has two easy ingredients and is very quick to make.  I'm sure after this long week, all you are interested in is something that takes very little effort to put together.  So dust off that bottle of Kahlua and take that carton of OJ out of the fridge, add some ice, shake things up a little bit, and Voila!  Thirsty Thursday never disappoints, so enjoy your candy concoction of the week!

Ingredients

Ice Cubes
1/2 oz Kahlua
1/2 oz Orange Juice

Directions

Put ice, kahlua, and oj in a martini shaker.
Shake well and pour into a shot glass


ENJOY!!!!!


Thanks to www.beyondwonderful.com/recipes/beverages/alcoholic/tootsie_roll.html for the yummy idea.  Baby tootsie roll photo courtesy of http://thegloss.com/fashion/halloween-costumes-infant-bunting/

Giving up Sweets for Lent

Happy Ash Wednesday!  Today is the first of 40 days of Lent.  If you are one of the many people who are giving up sweets for Lent, just know that you are not alone.  Even if you have the biggest sweet tooth around, doing this could be a good way to appreciate the things you love even more after Easter arrives.

Here are some important pieces of information to keep in mind during the Lenten Season:

1.  You are doing it for a good cause....Jesus

2.  It's only 40 days, it's not like it's the rest of  your life.

3.  You can take the time you used to devote to eating sweets to explore other areas of interest such as expanding your pallet by eating different cuisines or taking up a new hobby.

4.  Many other people will be doing the same thing as you, so find someone to be your non-sweet buddy and root each other on for the next 40 days.

5.  Don't tempt yourself by going into the candy aisle in the store.

6.  Make sure you set your boundaries straight, so your brain has a clear understanding of what is allowed and what's not allowed.

7.  Buy Sugarless gum

8.  You can still enjoy Thirsty Thursday Candy Cocktails because it's not exactly considered "a sweet"

9.  Give all the current sweets in your pantry to your neighbor who is not participating, so they are out of sight.

10.  Think about your goal, and how great it will feel on Easter Morning to stuff your face with Peeps and Jelly Beans, and how it was all worth it, and you can give yourself a pat on the back.

Good Luck and Happy Ash Wednesday.  Go get your Ash on!

Candy Photo Courtesy of http://www.koreaforniancooking.com/2010/08/south-korea-limits-tv-ads-on-junk-food.html

Gluten Free Candy

                             

Gluten free foods are becoming more easily available to consumers as time goes on.  Individuals on a gluten free diet used to have trouble finding foods not containing gluten, but now it seems like these foods are available everywhere.  Even when I was walking down the aisles of Target the other day, gluten free cake mixes and frosting caught my eye.  It's a great way to stretch your dollar when you have the option of going to stores like Target to get the food you need instead of more expensive stores like Whole Foods and Henry's.

If you or someone you know is on a gluten free diet and love candy, there's no need to worry, because I am here to provide you with a list of safe candy to consume.  Many candy companies are changing their ingredients to make everyone's favorite candy gluten free.  Gluten free diets are already pretty restricting, so knowing that the one flavorful piece of candy that hits your sweet spot is still able for you to eat can be such a savior!

Ok....So here are 25 different types of Gluten Free candy, believe it or not!  

Let the list begin: 

1.  Butterfingers

2.  Baby Ruth

3.  Nestle Chocolate Bars

4.  M&M's (everything except the pretzel kind)

5.  Pixy Stix

6.  Pop Rocks

7.  Tootsie Rolls

8.  Raisinets

9.  Spree

10.  Sno caps

11.  Skittles

12.  Sweet Tarts

13.  Laffy Taffy 

14.  Fun Dip

15.  Snickers

16.  All Dove Products

17.  Hershey Kisses

18.  Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar

19.  Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar with Almonds

20.  All Jelly Belly Jelly Beans

21.  Peeps

22.  Starburst

23.  Mary Janes

24.  Valentine's Conversation Hearts

25.  Sour Patch Kids

Enjoy!!!!!!

Pictures by glamour.com, www.alibaba.com/producttp/113291489/Hershey_s_Kisses_Chocolate.html, http://chaliceonline.com/index.php/m-m-candies/, candy.org

Jolly Rancher Martini

Had a long week?  Love sipping cocktails?  Love Jolly Ranchers?  If so, this week's sweet potion is perfect for you!  I'd like to introduce you to the Watermelon Jolly Rancher Martini.  With just three ingredients, this drink is easy to make and will keep your mouth watering even while you are drinking it.

The delectable taste of watermelons will remind you of a hot, summer day, and bring your mind straight to the beach, especially for those of you who are stuck in the cold.  Its Jolly Rancher flavor will make you think of the best goodie bags you've ever received at birthday parties as a kid.  How you sucked on it until it was a tiny, flexible piece of candy that you could bend with your teeth.

This fun drink is a must try and anyone with a sweet tooth will enjoy it!  I think sweet drinks are the best type out there, so if you agree, you will love this delicious concoction!  I have included the ingredients so you can turn your mundane Thursday into a Thirsty Thursday.  Enjoy, and bottoms up!


 Ingredients

• 1 oz. melon liqueur  
• 2 oz. vodka  
• 3 oz. cranberry juice

Directions

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake until cold. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass

Thanks to http://momsinthecitycocktails.blogspot.com/2010/09/candy-martinis.html for the yummy idea and dylanscandybar.com for the photo!

Children Eating Candy....Good thing or Bad?

Is it good to give candy to kids?  Some say no, but others say yes.  I am one of those people who say one piece of candy is okay for a child to consume.  A little taste of say, one Sour Patch Kid every few days isn't going to harm anyone.  What it will do is bring you joy when you see the priceless expression on a child's face when they put it in their mouth.  I have a couple nephews, under the age of two, and I'll admit that with their parent's permission, have given tiny bites of sour candy to every once in awhile.  They both puckered their lips to look like the guy on the Sour Warheads wrapper,  had a twinkle in their eye, and smiled at me afterwards to make the whole experience extremely worthwhile.  Those times were definitely classified as a picture perfect moment.

Is it a good idea to use candy as a positive reinforcer?  In many cases, candy is used as a positive reinforcement for different behaviors in children.  It is said to help in cases like potty training and learning how to talk.  Once the child acts out a certain positive behavior, a parent is likely to reward them with something small to let them know they are doing the right thing and should do it again.  One M&M does the trick and it's not going to lead to type two diabetes.  As long as a piece of candy is given out rather than a whole bag, the child will get the picture and stay healthy as well.

Is it easy to take candy away from a baby?  I don't think so, despite what that song says.  If one takes anything away from a baby or child, they get very upset.  So if you are going to give a child candy, just do it, as being in limbo is not a good choice.  If you don't agree with giving children candy, cut it out completely.

To wrap things up, if you want a child to provide you with an unforgettable picture perfect moment expression, want them to keep acting out positive behaviors, and don't want them to be upset if you take their candy away from them, let them indulge in a piece of candy every so often!  What's so bad about that?  Here at The Sweetest Temptations, I think that everyday could be brightened by treating yourself to a nice sweet treat!

Pictures courtesy of http://store.candywarehouse.com/giantgummybear.html and http://newfrontier.com/asheville/alternative-news-10-03-09.htm