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February

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Americans will eat 1.4 billion wings this Super Bowl Sunday

Think about what you’re serving at your Super Bowl spread. If it’s not chicken wings, you better call fowl. Americans are projected to eat a record 1.4 billion chicken wings this Sunday, making them the party favorite of football fans. Sunday, Feb. 2 the San Fransisco 49ers will take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Miami for Super Bowl LIV, and where there is football, there is food. In a new report, the National Chicken Council (NCC) said wing consumption for the big game is expected to increase by about two percent this year, meaning Americans will devour more 27 million more wings than they did for last year’s big game. No surprise, this is the most popular Super Bowl recipe. To help put those staggering numbers in terms we can grasp, the NCC broke it down: Every player in the NFL would have to consume 825,000 wings each to…

Tips for making the best breakfast in bed this Valentine’s Day

On any given weekday, breakfast might mean a simple cup of coffee and perhaps a piece of toast—still warm if you’re lucky—gobbled up as you leave a trail of breadcrumbs to the door. But Valentine’s Day is a special day meant for spending with the one you love—and the food you love—so what better place to cash in on that merriment than in bed cozied up with your better half and your favorite breakfast? Here are a few tips for making the ultimate breakfast in bed. Plan ahead You don’t want to wakeup and find you’re out of OJ, or coffee, or baking powder for your waffle batter, or anything else you had anticipated being available. Get ready for your morning a few days before by planning a menu, making sure you’ll have everything you need, then head to the store to fill in the gaps. go for the good…

20 Valentine’s Day restaurant specials you’ll fall in love with in 2020

Valentine’s Day is a holiday dedicated to love—love of food that is. From heart-shaped snacks, to sweet treats, sizzling steaks, and even romantic breakfasts in bed, the holiday is centered around indulging in some decadent foods. If letting someone else do the cooking this February 14 sounds like a dreamy love story to you, you’re in luck. There are tons of great Valentine’s Day restaurants offering fantastic specials this year. Whether you’re celebrating love with your better half, affection you have toward your BFFs, or just treating yourself to a night with rom-coms and your favorite foods, here’s where to go for some sweet Valentine’s Day themed menus. Buca di Beppo Enjoy a “Classic Love Package” including a heart-shaped lasagna, two small Buca sides, garlic bread, salad, and mini chocolate chip cannoli for $54.99 this February 14. Make your reservations today. California Pizza Kitchen CPK guests can order their favorite…

How to store Valentine’s Day candy to make it last

We’re barely through Halloween when Christmas candy starts piling up. Then comes Valentine’s Day, and you know Easter is right around the corner. Unless you’re making a serious effort to gobble up your holiday candy, chances are that by now you have too much of it laying around. But no need to fret! Your Valentine’s Day candy—or any holiday candy—can be stored for the long haul and enjoyed later this year. Here’s how: General tips Candies have different storage requirements, but the pantry or a dry basement are usually safe bets to stash sweets for months. Freezing is a popular method for preserving food over a long period of time, but not all sweets are suited for the harsh cold of the freezer. Toffee and truffles can be frozen for up to 2 months, but avoid freezing anything with fruit or nuts. Avoid mixing types of candies in one container.…

Sweethearts are back for Valentine’s Day 2020 but with a few changes

Sweethearts are back on store shelves in time for Valentine’s Day. Last year, you may remember, if you wanted to tell the object of your affection to “BE MINE” or “KISS ME” you had to find another way. The iconic conversation hearts were missing from store shelves because of a change in ownership. Thankfully they’re back for Valentine’s Day 2020, but consumers might notice a few changes. Because of printing machine issues, not all hearts will receive printed messages. Some Sweethearts are being released blank. Yes—silent hearts. Additionally, Spangler the company behind Dum Dum lollipops and now Sweethearts, has decided to return to the original 118-year-old candy recipe. That means flavors like banana and wintergreen will find their way back in the box. Consumers can find Sweethearts for the 2020 season at big retailers like Walgreen’s and CVS, but should act soon. Spangler spokeswoman Diana Moore Eschhofen told CNBC that…

The 100 most romantic restaurants in America, according to OpenTable users

Love is in the air — and so is the smell of delicious food! OpenTable, a popular restaurant reservation app, released its annual user-generated list of the 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America, and the people have spoken. Overall, the list includes many quiet neighborhood favorites — not just fancy steakhouses with fussy over-priced menus. No matter where you dine around the country, people seem to most enjoy dining with loved ones where the food is good and the price is reasonable. That said, a lot of steakhouses did make the cut — four more this year than last year. With keto being the nation’s trendiest diet, perhaps it makes sense. Ohio takes top honors with nine romantic restaurants on the list. Texas has a respectable eight honorees. North Carolina and Virginia each boast seven and Pennsylvania rounds out the top five with six nominated restaurants. New York, Colorado, California,…

How to perfectly melt chocolate

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…

Restaurants offering free food and deals on Valentine’s Day

Whether Valentine’s Day is a cheerful day for you and your beloved or a day to skip over and celebrate your singleness, everyone loves free food. This year, several restaurants and fast food chains are offering freebies or discounts in honor of the Hallmark holiday. From freebies to heart-shaped snacks, here are some restaurants we’ve rounded up that are spreading the love this holiday. Auntie Anne’s Love can be a little sweet and salty. That’s why a pretzel from Auntie Anne’s is a perfect choice. Get their BOGO free deal on any heart-shaped original or cinnamon sugar pretzel. Participation may vary, so call ahead to be sure. Buca di Beppo’s Valentine’s Day diners can order the “Classic Love Package,” and be delighted with a heart-shaped lasagne, small garlic bread, mixed green or caesar salad, and a mini chocolate chip cannoli for dessert. The deal is offered for just $49.99. Carrabba’s…

Why conversation hearts will be missing this Valentine’s Day

This year you might have to find another way to ask your sweetie to “Be Mine” or “Kiss Me.” Valentine’s Day’s most popular candy, SweetHearts, those tiny heart-shaped confections printed with terms of endearment, won’t be produced. New England Confectionary Company (Necco) annually made more than eight billion (13 million pounds) of the tiny hearts in the six weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, but despite a great effort to save the oldest continually operating candy company in the country, NECCO was shut down in 2018. With Necco dead, so too are SweetHearts — for now anyway. Competing brands offer rival ripoffs of the iconic heart candies, but SweetHearts is the original, most recognized and favored brand. SweetHearts’ hold strong sentimental value for many people in the U.S. and their sales were the strongest — by a long shot. Any SweetHearts products you find online or in stores this year…

This is how much you need to exercise to burn off your Super Bowl snacks

There’s no question about it: Super Bowl Sunday is a tough day to eat healthy. Even if you’re not a fan of either team, you still might find yourself at a party, socializing, trying not to let those deep fried wings and blue cheese tempt you. The Super Bowl has become one of the biggest food days of the year, second only to Thanksgiving. During the four-hour Super Bowl extravaganza, the average party-goer will consume about 1,200 calories and 50 grams of fat. For most people, splurging one day isn’t going to make much of a difference. However, to help put the damage in perspective, Dietdetective.com did a little nutritional math and replaced calories with exactly how much exercise you would have to do to burn off your bad Game Day dietary decisions. Let’s have some fun… PIZZA To burn off three slices of Pizza Hut Pepperoni Lovers Pan Pizza, you…