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Anthony Bourdain feared going to this one country

Anthony Bourdain feared this one country

One might think that the late Anthony Bourdain was fearless. After nine season of No Reservations and seven seasons of Parts Unknown, the celebrity chef had seen and tried it all. He swallowed a beating, bloody cobra heart in Vietnam, had be be evacuated when conflict broke out in Beirut, and had been pushing to film in unstable Afghanistan for years. But despite all of his exotic experiences, one destination always scared him — Switzerland. That’s right. Bourdain once told Conan O’Brien on Conan, “I have a morbid fear of everything Swiss.” Yes, Switzerland. The country most famous for neutrality, cheese, and chocolate. “I must have had some terrible childhood experience while watching Sound of Music that I blocked out,” Bourdain half-joked. “Even alpine vistas, like snow-capped peaks or Lake Geneva, or cuckoo clocks or those hats with the feathers — even the cheese; it’s scary to me.” Like most irrational…

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Crave-Worthy Recipes

Grasshopper brownies

Grasshopper brownies

These easy Grasshopper brownies are super chocolatey, minty, and ridiculously delicious! A fudgey brownie base is topped with a thick layer of mint frosting, and a thin layer of dark chocolate on top. The flavor combo is inspired by the famous vintage “grasshopper” cocktail made with crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and fresh cream — It’s definitely one decadent drink. And this is one decadent dessert! Chocolate mint fans will find a new favorite in this dreamy recipe. Make it for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration or any time you crave a taste of cool, creamy mint and rich dark chocolate. Grasshopper brownies Ingredients 1 box brownie mix (Also usually calls for water, vegetable oil, eggs, and water) Mint Cream  1/4 cup butter, softened 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream 4 cups powdered sugar about 1/2 tsp mint extract 3-4 drops green food coloring Chocolate ganache…

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Seasonal

How to perfectly melt chocolate

Melting Chocolate On The Stove

Chocolate-dipped Oreos, chocolate-covered strawberries, cake decorations — lots of desserts call for perfectly smooth and melted chocolate. But melting chocolate can be intimidating. One wrong step and you’re left with a sticky mess and a burnt pan. However, with just a few simple tips, you can master the art of chocolate melting. Also see, Chocolate Scenes From Your Favorite Movies.  Melting chocolate on the stovetop Melting chocolate on the stovetop is the best method. A double boiler will give you the best temperature control. Rather than putting delicate chocolate in contact with direct heat, the steam rising up from the boiling water gently melts the chocolate. To create a double boiler: Bring a medium pot (filled about half way) with water to a simmer. Place a heatproof bowl on top of the pot. The bowl should be large enough to sit on top of the pot without touching the bottom or…

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Crave-Worthy Recipes

Cocoa Krispie Treat footballs, a fan favorite

Cocoa Krispie Treat footballs a fan favorite_meghan_rodgers_1

Are you ready for some football? Of course you are! But do you know what you’re bringing to your friend’s party? This year, let someone else bring the boring chips and dip, while you show up with these adorably delicious Cocoa Krispie Treat footballs. With just four ingredients, this recipe is super easy to make. I melt the butter, add the marshmallows, pour in the cereal, then transfer to wax paper and let it cool. It’s impossible to shape warm, gooey marshmallow, so it will need to sit for about 10 to 15 minutes before you start. But don’t wait too long or the mixture will set and become too hard to mold. For the football shapes, I never like recipes that require specific cookie cutters, like — Hello! How many kitchen gadgets do you think I have?! (Actually, don’t answer that.) Anyway, no cookie cutter or special tool required. Footballs…

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Costco is selling giant 6.6 pound buckets of Nutella

Costco is selling giant 6.6 pound buckets of Nutella

If you’re the kind of person who can’t start a day without Nutella, the company has some great news for you. Get your spoons ready because your neighborhood Costco is starting to sell 6.6-pound buckets of Ferrero’s Nutella. Each bucket contains the equivalent of about eight regular 13-ounce jars of the cult-favorite hazelnut spread. The big bucket offers a better deal than stocking up at discount stores including Walmart, where one jar is currently listed at $3.58. At this price, buying eight jars would run you $28.64, meaning you’d save a total of $6.65. If you follow the suggested serving size, you’re getting 81 servings. That’s enough to last even the most Nutella-obsessed at least a little while. It’s also great if you’re in to experimenting with Nutella stuffed goodies in the kitchen, or if you have a whole family of Nutella lovers that wolf the stuff down. The ginormous…

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This is why dogs can’t eat chocolate

This is why dogs can't eat chocolate

While you’re on the fast track to a candy coma this Halloween, remember that just a small bite could have deadly consequences for your furry friend. All those rumors about chocolate being bad for dogs are true. Chocolate is never safe for dogs — not even on Halloween. Chocolate is highly toxic to dogs and can even be fatal. While most of us don’t purposely share things like brownies and chocolate bars with our pets, unfortunately, dogs have a way of sniffing around and finding those foods anyway. This means, you have to be careful, and instruct kids not to share candy with pets, as well. The best thing to do, is of course, keep candy well out of the reach of dogs — think air tight containers high on top of the refrigerator. Even then, remember that chocolate candy could show up where you least expect it (of all…

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Crave-Worthy Recipes

Chocolate Pumpkin muffins

Chocolate Pumpkin muffins_2

These dense and chocolatey muffins hit the just right spot for fall. The pumpkin keeps them super moist and adds just a hint of a fall flavor. Devour them as dessert, breakfast, or as a snack along with your tea or coffee. Note that this recipe makes two dozen muffins because 12 disappear way too fast! Chocolate Pumpkin muffins Makes 24 muffins (2 pans of 12) Ingredients 3-3/4 cups all purpose flour 3 1/2 cups sugar 1 cup baking cocoa powder 1-1/2 tsp baking powder 1-1/4 tsp baking soda 1-1/2 tsp salt 1-1/4 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp nutmeg 3 large eggs 2 cans (15 ounce) pumpkin puree 1-1/4 cups canola oil 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup pepitas Directions Preheat over to 350ºF. Spray 12-count muffin pan with cooking spray. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk to combine the dry ingredients — flour,…

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Chocolate milk helps you recover from a grueling work out, study shows

Chocolate milk helps you recover from a grueling work out, study shows

It’s natural to work up a thirst and appetite after a tough workout — but what exactly you should be eating and drinking is highly debated. Some experts swear by protein, while others insist on sports drinks or alternatives like coconut water. One post-workout option you’ll see kick around often is chocolate milk. Why? Well, for starters, everyone loves chocolate milk — who wouldn’t want to look forward to an ice cold glass? But besides being tasty, it has a great combination of hydrating H2O, protein, and simple carbohydrates that can help your body heal after a particularly difficult day at the gym. The new research was published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The study concluded that high-fat milk was just as effective as sports drinks or water in helping you recover from intense exercise. While water and sports drinks are great, chocolate milk has an edge when it comes to…

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Reese’s offering $10K, free candy to its most ‘Outrageous’ fan

Reese's OutrageousReese's

Do you love peanut butter and chocolate? We mean, really love it? To celebrate the launch of its new Reese’s Outrageous bar, the company is giving away $10,000 and a year’s supply of candy to one true fan. The Outrageous bar is similar to the Nutrageous bar, but it swaps out the peanuts with bits of tiny Reese’s Pieces. Food & Wine had the chance for an early taste test last year, and this is how they described it: “The core of the bar is Reese’s classic, salty peanut butter with a layer of caramel surrounding it. That’s all enrobed by chocolate dotted with dozens of mini Reese’s Pieces. The candy shells of the Pieces add an extra crunch without making the whole thing too crumbly. Perhaps most surprisingly, the Outrageous! bar is not all that sweet. It’s definitely a peanut butter lover’s candy.” To enter the contest, fans can post photos and…

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10 things you should never store in the refrigerator

10 think you should never store in the refrigerator

The fridge is a great place for most fresh ingredients, but there are a few foods that will fare better if left at room temperature on your countertop or in a pantry. The average family of four in America throws out about $1,600 worth of food every year — often because the food wasn’t stored properly for maximum life span. Check out this list to learn how to make the most of some of the most common groceries. 1. Coffee beans If you’re shelling out serious cash on the best coffee beans, you better know how to store them. The National Coffee Association recommends storing beans in an opaque, air-tight container at room temperature. Air, moisture, heat and light are all enemies to your beans, so store in a dark and cool location, but never the fridge. Coffee is soft and porous and likes to absorb other flavors around it — in the…

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