In Time for the Holiday Parties, the Ice Wine Cometh

The Holidays are here and so is old man winter. While we are dealing with icy conditions on the outside, it would be fun to celebrate the Holidays with some ice on the inside - Ice Wine that is. Let's observe this rich and luscious nectar.

It is believed Ice Wine got its start in Germany in 1794. German winemakers were already production late harvest (sweet dessert) wine, so this is a logical development. Grapes used to make these wines typically have wee or no botrytis (nicknamed noble rot, that concentrates sugars in grapes, used to make German Late Harvest sweetmeat wines and French Sauternes). These salutary grapes are left on the vine until the first deep frost. When frozen, the water inside the grape freezes and can be pressed out, concentrating the flavors and sugars of these grapes. The consequent is a concentrated and intense sweetmeat wine, intended to be enjoyed in small portions.

Food And Dessert

Before the first deep frost, these grapes are super ripe and are an exciting source of food for birds. Flocks have been known to decimate vineyards in the late Fall, so some wineries use netting over their grapes to protect these crops.

Ice Wine is Canada's claim to fame in the wine world. From the central Provence of Ontario straight through western British Columbia, these wines are made when old man winter's icy grasp has unmistakably frosty grapes still on the vine. Canada made its first this sweet sweetmeat wine in 1972 in British Columbia, but today, 75% of Canadian Ice Wines are produced in the Ontario Provence. Quality wineries contain Inniskillin and Jackson-Triggs. Also Canada and Germany, Austria, the U.S. And recently New Zealand also furnish these sweet, magical elixirs.

Canadian Ice Wine is governed by the Vintners Quality Alliance (Vqa), to ensure uniform stock quality. A key issue is that these grapes must ice naturally on the vine, and not be harvested and then frozen. The challenge is to allow the grapes to freeze, but not to reach extremely cold temperatures before harvesting. The optimal temperature for harvesting is 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and the sugar article reaches practically 45%. These grapes are then picked by hand and crop yields can be understandably low. This makes the process difficult and adds to the cost of these extremely prized wines.

The two ordinarily used grape varietals are Riesling (known for its acidity and mineral notes) and Vidal (known for flavors of honey, apricot and tangerine). Both varietals can stand up to this rugged process. After fermentation, the wine is barrel aged for months. Ice Wine has a golden amber color with intoxicating aromas of peach, apricot and mango. When a Quality bottle is first opened, these aromas can unmistakably fill the air with the aromas of peaches and apricots around a table. Given its rich, sweet character, these wines are regularly enjoyed in small cordial glasses with 2 oz. Pours.

When a wine becomes trendy, variations will ordinarily follow. Ice Wine has a sparkling variety first commercially produced by Ontario's Inniskillin. Neige is an Ice Cider made in Quebec from fermented McIntosh and Spartan apples that has received accolades. Mary Michelle winery in Carrollton, Illinois, lays claim to employing the winemaker that pioneered this sweet sweetmeat wine in the U.S. In 1976 and now makes Ice Wines at this winery.

food Pairings

Ice Wines have a balanced acidity that is found in higher Quality sweetmeat wines. This bodes well for food pairings or enjoyment by itself. In pairing a sweetmeat with this wine, the following guidelines apply:

- Do not pair with a sweetmeat that is sweeter than this wine

- To counter this wine's sweetness, cheese can be a splendid foil. The wine's acidity helps cut straight through the richness of cheese and cheese's saltiness helps equilibrium the intense sweetness of Ice Wines. Asiago, Gruyere, aged Gouda and Blue cheese are all good matches.

Bill's Wine Picks

Mary Michelle Vidal Blanc, Illinois - not rated
Selaks, New Zealand - 86 pts. Wine Spectator
Jackson-Triggs Vidal, Canada - 89 pts. Wine Spectator
Neige Apple Ice Wine, Canada - not rated
Nittnaus Grüner Veltliner, Austria - 94 pts. Wine Spectator
Inniskillin, Canada - Vidal & Riesling wines - 91 pts. Wine Spectator

Wine of the Month:

Jackson-Triggs Vidal Ice Wine

This Canadian Ice Wine hails from the Niagara Peninsula. The 2007 Proprietors' support received a 89 pt rating from the Wine Spectator and describes this wine as "Light-weight though still packs in the sweetness, along with apple skin, apricot, marmalade and a hint of onion. Balanced, with a lingering finish. Drink now straight through 2018". This wine is easily available, as 8,000 cases were imported. Cheers!

As published in The Naperville Sun, The Beacon News, The Courier News and The Herald News - December 17, 2010 By Bill Garlough for Sun Times Media

In Time for the Holiday Parties, the Ice Wine Cometh

Stay Fit straight through The Holiday Stress

It seems these days the holidays might as well start in September. Christmas decor slowly starts springing up as the holidays inch closer and closer. This means for many population the stress is starting earlier each year as well. Don't let stress contribute to that holiday weight gain.

Truthfully it is a myth that the holidays make us gain weight. It isn't the holidays. It's the lack of self willpower colse to the holiday goodies. This is just one thing of many that can cause us to stress. Once we stress our bodies make more cortisol manufacture us crave sweet foods and lead to weight gain.

Food And Dessert

Time with the house can definitely cause stress important you to stuff cookies in your mouth. house knows the most about us and knows just how to push our buttons. On the other hand a house convention can force population to be in a room with relatives they hardly know just grasping at whatever to chat about. That type of awkward conversation can lead to grazing just a bit too much to relax ourselves.

A season should not lead you to pack on the pounds. It is all up to you how to think about it. If you let the stress of shopping for an entire list and manufacture the best food and having the cleanest house for the parties then those inches could creep on. You know if you are an emotional eater. If you find yourself reaching for the pretty Christmas M&M bag when you are feeling overwhelmed, you might be an emotional eater! Ask yourself if you in effect want that piece of chocolate or are you just postponing mental of other things at that very moment. Instead of eating reach for those car keys and go to the mall to get those gifts you are stressing about and blow off some steam at the same time.

The economy isn't back to where it was a few years ago so no one expects a million dollar gift. It is in the back of our minds to please everyone with gifts. Most population would be touched with a genuine,sincere gift that was made with your own hands. Most population don't expect brilliant earrings no matter what the commercials tell you. Putting stress on your pocketbook will only put more stress on your body.

If you don't ensue any of this, ask around. Friends and house will tell you the exact same thing. All of the advertisements at this time of year make us think the world is our oyster of gifts. The marvelous photos in the magazines showing perfectly decorated homes are in effect set up by publishers and photographers. Most of those homes just don't exist. If those homes had a few kids and a few pets then their house would look just like ours. A disheveled home full of homemade Christmas decorations by the kids and presents scattered under the tree in an unorganized fashion show the world you are living it up. You are living with love. Don't let the anxiety of having a picture excellent holiday season overshadow the true reason for the season.

With all of this said it's just fine to reach for an occasional treat. If you don't then you could be setting yourself up to eat an entire table of desserts. Wait a limited bit to indulge then take what will fill you up and make you happy. Don't stress about it. Just eat it and enjoy every limited snack then move on with life.

The holidays are a time of loved ones. Gifts are marvelous and thoughtful, but remember it is all the time the understanding that counts. Cortisol does not need to rule your holiday season.

Stress should never take the place of the joy and happiness the season holds. Try to hold on to the goodness and don't get swept up in the commercialization. If you do all of this then once that New Year rolls colse to you will be ready to tackle it with enthusiasm instead of just stressing some more about time on the treadmill.

Stay Fit straight through The Holiday Stress

How To Make ability Fruit Giftbaskets For This Holiday Season

Planning to give a gift of fruit shows a sensible concern for the health of the individual who will receive it. You may have a stray basket or two in your back room. It is inherent to renovate an old basket to use for a fruit basket. You can decorate a basket with colored paper. A manufacture made by weaving paper can also be used as decoration. Production a collage of sorts will give an artistic flair. Each basket commands a unique design. Finally, a large of piece of cellophane is wrapped colse to the gift basket, fully enclosing it. The follow is a fruit basket, appropriately packaged, ready to be to be delivered as a extra gift.

The hardest part of Production a presentable fruit basket is obtaining the right basket without incurring a lot of cost. It seems uncostly to reuse baskets acquired without cost. Rescue baskets ensures a determined availability at a later time. Then, when you want a fruit basket, you can select from the fullness of baskets stored in the back room. Each basket presents a separate version of basket design. Shape and size are never the same. Size determines the volume of fruit it will hold while shape controls the way the fruit is arranged. Baskets from the back room become fruit baskets for extra gifts.

Food And Dessert

When there are no suitable baskets ready for creating a fruit basket arrangement, it is time to reconsider alternatives. A coffee can or two, assembled together will make a small basket. A fruit bowl will hold a gorgeous ensemble of fruit. With a tiny imagination, decorations will accent the bowl and this will be a gorgeous gift.

Fruit is all the time accepted to give as a gift. It is a health food with good nourishment for everyone. An assortment of fruit offers choices. When choice of a basket from the back room stash is an option, packaging a fruit basket is relatively easy. A huge bow on top will give it a festive look. Production a fruit basket for a gift is Production happiness.

Giving fruit as a gift is purposeful. The gift is far beyond the ornamentation a basket could bring. Sometimes the gift of fruit is given plain and simple, without adornment. The fruit stands out, perishable but still, a delectable dessert. When fruit is presented in a gorgeous package, wrapped in the best color and fully decorated in a holiday theme, the box dazzles, concealing any evidence that there is fruit inside. Fruit, the most foremost gift, is lost in the gorgeous wrappings. The basket adds color and gives mystique to the gift, but it is only wrapping, pretty paper arranged for the moment when the gift is new.

How To Make ability Fruit Giftbaskets For This Holiday Season

Smart Holiday Eating to Avoid Lap Band

While the holidays are all the time a time of fun and togetherness, they are also a time of food, and a lot of it. The holidays bring out the baker in everyone, and it seems that cookies and sugary sweets are in full fullness from November to December. A lot of habitancy have a hard time retention with their diets during this time, and many gain weight during the holiday season. This year, make a few small changes to your holiday eating habits, and save yourself the need for have Los Angeles lap band surgical operation later on.

One of best ways to avoid gaining a few extra pounds during the holiday is to eat off of a salad plate, rather than off of a normal sized dish. You can still enjoy all of the different meal items, but you will be limited in part amounts if you stick with a salad plate. However, don't cheat and go back for seconds because that defeats the purpose entirely.

Food And Dessert

Stick with desserts that have less sugar and fat in them. Rather than reaching for a slice of pecan or cherry pie, stick with pumpkin pie. Its main ingredient, pumpkin, is not only rich source of vitamins, but it is also very low in fat and sugars naturally. When it comes to sweet holiday drinks try wassail or hot apple cider instead of sugary hot chocolate.

Lastly, take some time out of your day to work out. It can be provocative to find workout time when family and friends are visiting, but a lack of exercise can substantially influence your body in a negative way. Wake up half an hour early and go on a morning job. Best yet, get your family members and friends to join you!

Smart Holiday Eating to Avoid Lap Band

Holiday Weight Loss Survival

The reality of the advent of the holidays hit me as I was invited to my first Holiday Party this first week of November. Later that day, the invitations and save the dates came rolling in. While this may sound moving because parties are fun, for myself and many of you, this means navigating obligatory cocktails, chocolate, cookies, dinners that don't fit in my cusine plan, and mom's pumpkin pie.

Then there's the major time constrictions due to shopping, gift giving, being the hostess with the mostess, and maintaining the rest of life as it is.

Food And Dessert

My first response was to begin formulating a plan in my head of the strategies I will have to hire to say my fitness goals for this year. Being a fitness professional, I immediately think weight loss strategies and I would like to share mine with you.

See this year is special. I have an actual, solid, goal. It's not weight loss specifically. Weight loss will be the byproduct. It's performance. So every action I take and the potential of my food will effect my achievement of this goal.

So here's my goal, one true pull up. I have not been able to do a pull up in my adult years so that's what I'm going for. Without going off on too much of a tangent, a pull up is one of the best core exercises around. Only second to the push up. But there is more to my story and this goal than meets the eye. Which is why my upcoming holiday survival tips are much dissimilar than the ones you'll find online.

My Holiday Weight Loss Survival Strategy whole one is: Keep Your Eye On The Prize

To the bystander, having a goal to do a pull up may sound impotent. A pull up by itself is an impotent goal. I mean, will I be less of a man if I don't do a pull up? Will I be judged or ridiculed if I don't? No. But digging deeper will give this pull up so much meaning that the pain I will feel by not doing it will leave me feeling defeated and maybe even depressed.

How will this help you survive your holiday party? We'll dig deeper. My goal to do a pull up is foremost to me because I turned 40 years old this year. 40 years old is a milestone in our culture. It means I'm middle-aged and over the hill. I say old man things like "Remember when we had to get up to change the channel" and "I used to own that 45″ or "going to McDonald's was a treat for us!" Not cool.

For me, doing a pull up proves that I still have it. It means I am still strong and significant. It means I am stronger than the 20 year old something's that can't do a pull up. Why is this foremost to me? I want to be so strong that I can pick up and summit Mt. Kilimanjaro for my 70th birthday. I want to set a great example for my son as man who enjoys life and be known as the crazy aunt who sets the woman's bench press report at age 85. I want to do a pull up because it will make me feel significant, admired, and loved.

Will this keep me from over indulging at each of my parties? You bet. When I'm asked if I want a third glass of wine when my limit for the party is just two, I will visualize Mt. Kilimanjaro, smile, and say, "I'm doing great, none for me right now."

Now it's your turn. Set a goal for yourself for this holiday season. You may want to lose 10 lbs before January 1st, or rehearsal 3 times a week without fail, maybe you want to stick to one sweetmeat for each party. Anyone your goal, I encourage you to dig deeper and find the juicy, most potent reckon behind achieving this goal. Maybe you'll feel the way I do and allow reasons and feelings such as significance, admiration, and love hold more point than over indulging.

Holiday Weight Loss Survival

Preventing Weight Gain - How to Avoid Gaining Weight Over the Holiday Season - Part 2

A lot of citizen out there connect over eating with having a good time, but if you are one such person you must turn this mind set. I promise you you will have a great time during and long after the holidays are over if you eat proper portion sizes.

Do not neglect your exercise disposition during the holiday season. It is important that you keep exercising during the season, and by the way, going shopping for gifts does not count, you need a quarterly disposition of both aerobics and power training. This will at least keep your weight under operate so that come January you are not pulling your hair out seeing at a run away scale.

Food And Dessert

Reduce your portion sizes when eating. Try not to pile on the food on your plate on the first round, but instead take a small portions, chew your food properly, and eat slowly. This will forestall you from overeating. And once you feel full then that is your cue to stop eating.

Try not to have desserts at every particular meal during the holiday season. The holiday season is not a license to eat more desserts! If you must have desserts them at least have a bowl of fruit or a fruit salad. Avoid desserts such as pies and ice streams and foods with high-fat and high sugar content that are very refined, these foods tend to go directly to your bottom line.

Avoid drinking alcohol in any form, as this is very high in calories and have surely no nutritional value to your body. Also try not to drink too much eggnog, sodas and other high sugar drinks, instead just have a glass of water. Water is all your body needs, and it will also help you from overeating.

A lot of citizen connect separate sounds, such as music with eating, during the holiday season. And as I said earlier the holiday season tend to get longer and longer each year. It is astonishing that we start to hear Christmas music playing on the radio and in the store's from as early as October. Hearing these music while you shop is one thing but my guidance is still limit the playing of these music in your own home so early in the season. The holiday music, sights, and smells will trigger your subconscious to want to eat. Support the holiday music for the appropriate time.

Try not to starve yourself before going to a house get-together over the holiday season. Denying yourself food will only growth your hunger intensity and this will force you to over eat when the food is finally presented to you. Try to stay on program and eat your three meals as general during the day. Have a big breakfast, moderate lunch, and a light dinner.

This brings me to my next point, try not to eat after 7 Pm at night during the holiday season. I know this will be hard to do as a lot of times separate parties and get-together do not get started until well after 8 Pm. But eating this late at night will force your body to store the excess as fat. So if you must eat late at night then you should significantly sell out your portion sizes, and aim more for the fruits and vegetables.

Gaining weight is a real risk during the holiday season. With most American adults putting on at least six extra pounds from Thanksgiving straight through to Christmas. But you can surely avoid this trend, and not come to be a statistic by following these simple tips during the season.

Happy holidays

Preventing Weight Gain - How to Avoid Gaining Weight Over the Holiday Season - Part 2

How to Hold a Holiday Wine Tasting

A wine tasting party is a great, casual holiday party for tons of interactive fun. Ask your guests to bring a favorite bottle from your local region. Try mailing a handwritten note 6 weeks ahead of time if you're planning on hosting a holiday party 'there is a lot of competition for your guest's time nearby November and December, get your event in their calendar before it fills up!

Essential Wine Tasting Party Supplies:

Food And Dessert

A Wine Aerator Wine needs to breathe, and you'll want to aerate each bottle as you open it. Minerals, oils and aromatics are released as you pour the wine through these minuscule circulating gadgets. The oxygen calms and mellows the flavors immediately. Without an aerator, some darker wines take up to 4 hours to properly breathe - you won't want to make your guests wait hours for their wines to be ready to serve.

A lot of glasses! You may want to hit the dollar store or your local salvation army - you'll want about 5 glasses per guest - don't worry if they don't all match, you're having a casual night, and a table full of shining mismatched glasses is a charming sight.

A Large White Tablecloth Set up your tasting area on your largest table, with a exciting clean white cloth underneath.

Small Notebooks and Pens You'll want one notebook per guest, they can write down their impressions and ideas in the notebook and take it home as extra keepsake.

Cardboard Place Cards and Markers Label each bottle on the table by placing a large neat card in front of it, that way, your guests can make notes without picking up every bottle individually. This will save a lot of confusion, (and potentially spilled wine!)

Hors d'oeuvres and Snacks The usual wine-tasting fare is French inspired, rich and flavorful - cheeses, meats, olives and other finger foods should be passed nearby liberally. All that drinking is bound to make your guests hungry.

Prizes! You'll want to purchase a few small gifts for the guests that bring the highest-ranking wines. Wine aerators, vacuum pumps and popular ,favorite wine carriers are wonderful for this purpose.

dessert, and a few more bottles of wine! Once the tasting is over, pop open a few more bottles and serve up a feast of seasonal sweets. Now that the hard part is over, it's time to relax and enjoy your guests for the rest of the night.

How to Hold a Holiday Wine Tasting

Holiday Meal Planning For the Diabetic

With the holiday season fast approaching, many population are bracing themselves for the onslaught of yummy calorie laden food. They are in general concerned about the corollary that all those calories and fats may have on their waistline. However, when you add diabetes to the mix, many other important factors come into play. For diabetics, it is not merely the caloric and fat intake that counts, but they also have to be concerned with excessive sugar and carbohydrate content. foods that may have diminutive or no impact on a non-diabetic can fast send a diabetics blood sugar soaring to a hazardous level. Once person has been diagnosed with diabetes the holiday season can become a stressful time indeed. Yet this does not have to be the case for diabetics willing to plan ahead. There is a way to enjoy the foods you love in moderation, even the irresistible baked goodies.

According to the Centers for Disease operate And Prevention, diabetes is steadily rising in America. As of 2007, 23.6 million people-7.8% of the population-have diabetes; 1.6 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in population aged 20 years or older in 2007. There are two classes of diabetes known as Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as immature diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not yield insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar (glucose), starches and other food into vigor needed for daily life. Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder resulting from the body's inability to make enough, or to properly use, insulin. It used to be called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. With diabetes reaching epidemic proportions, the need for education on this disease is more important than ever.

Food And Dessert

One of the most tasteless questions a newly diagnosed diabetic asks is, "What can I eat?" The answers to that query are often as assorted and complex as the disease itself. But with a diminutive research a person with diabetes can arm themselves with an arsenal of strategies with which to safe themselves while the holiday season. One of the most prevalent myths about diabetes is that diabetics must eat a extra diet, usually a sugar-free one. The truth is that small amounts of straightforward sugars are allowed when consumed with a complex meal. In fact, many 'sugar free" foods raise blood sugar, just like other foods that consist of carbohydrate. Diabetes is not about denying yourself foods you previously enjoyed. Agreeing to The American Diabetes Association, a healthy meal plan for population with diabetes is the same as that for everybody - low in fat (especially saturated and trans fat), moderate in salt and sugar, with meals based on whole grain foods, vegetables and fruit. Diabetic and "dietetic" versions of sugar-containing foods offer no extra benefit. They still raise blood glucose levels, are usually more costly and can also have a laxative corollary if they consist of sugar alcohols. If eaten as part of a healthy meal plan, or combined with exercise, sweets and desserts can be eaten by population with diabetes. They are no more "off limits" to population with diabetes, than they are to population without diabetes.

One of the most important things a diabetic can do is to survey how assorted foods sway their blood sugar. This is done by checking blood sugar levels with a glucose meter at assorted times following a meal. With diabetes it soon becomes clear that not all carbohydrates are created equal. To conclude how rapidly a single carbohydrate turns into sugar, retention a diary of the foods you consume along with your meter readings will give you a good idea of how assorted foods sway you. One of the most useful tools for diabetic meal planning is The Glycemic Index. The glycemic index ranks foods on how they sway our blood glucose levels. This index measures how much your blood glucose increases in the two or three hours after eating. The glycemic index is about foods high in carbohydrates. Foods high in fat or protein don't cause your blood glucose level to rise much. You can find more information on The Glycemic Index by going to glycemicindex.com.

Of procedure when it comes to holiday baking, the line between fast acting carbohydrates and slower acting ones can undoubtedly become blurred. When you are cooking for person (or yourself) with diabetes, it is important that you make changes to your favorite baking recipes in terms of reducing fat and straightforward sugars. This is particularly difficult at holiday time when the recipes that we use and love have become a family tradition. However, that doesn't mean that we can't enjoy yummy baked treats while the holiday season as long as we determined reckon our carbohydrate exchanges and count the fat grams, fitting them into our daily meal plan. Sugar provides sweetness, tenderness, and color in cakes and cookies. But with most recipes you can sell out the sugar by at least one-third without changing the taste and texture. Fruit juices and frosty fruit juice concentrates may be used to sweeten baked goods. You can also use sugar-free jams and spreads as a sweetener. These all consist of fructose, a form of caloric sugar and a straightforward carbohydrate. You can also sell out your sugar intake by substituting noncaloric synthetic sweeteners. These furnish approximately no calories and will not sway your blood sugar levels. However, not all synthetic sweeteners can be used for baking. Read the labels and only use those which say that the goods can be used for baking. Enjoy in moderation, please, and if you are diabetic, be sure to count your carbohydrates. You want to be healthy and in good blood sugar operate after the holidays! And if you have any questions as to how to join these goodies in your meal plan, check with your physician or dietitian before indulging!

One of my all time favorite holiday desserts is pumpkin pie. A yummy alternative to the sugar laden version makes it excellent for the diabetic. It undoubtedly is delicious, and tastes just like my Mom's!
It's not likely whatever will miss the sugar in this recipe.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients:

* 9-inch pie pastry

* 16-ounce can pumpkin

* 12-ounce can evaporated milk

* 3 eggs

* 3/4 cup synthetic sweetener

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon*

* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger*

* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg*

* 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves*

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Beat pumpkin, milk and eggs. Beat in rest of ingredients. Pour into pastry lined pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes. sell out heat to 350 degrees F. Bake for 40 minutes or until knife inserted near town comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Serve with sugar free whipped cream.

* Or 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice.

As you can see, holiday desserts and meal planning doesn't have to be a dry and tasteless endeavor. The internet is chock full of amazing recipes for diabetics. You will find some great links attached to this article. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

Holiday Meal Planning For the Diabetic

Vanilla and Rum Sauces Make Holiday Desserts special

My mother's parents were English and many of the meals she fixed for us reflected this heritage. Christmas evening meal was all the time roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. sweetmeat was all the time plum pudding with warm sauce. There are many recipes for plum pudding and all are labor intensive. Mom made plum pudding from scratch a few times, but it was so much work she finally bought Crosse and Blackwell pudding imported from England.

The plum pudding was served with warm vanilla or rum sauce. I did not like the rich pudding, so I only ate a spoonful. But I could have eaten an whole bowl of sauce. Mom also served apple pie with warm vanilla sauce. The mixture of warm sauce and fresh pie from the oven was heavenly. With a consolidate of changes the vanilla sauce method becomes rum sauce or rum-raisin sauce.

Food And Dessert

I have lightened the method by using Splenda Blend for Baking instead of sugar and elminating the half cup of butter in the primary recipe. However, I have added a tablespoon of butter for flavor. Warm vanilla and rum sauce turn uncomplicated cakes -- vanilla, apple, and spice -- into special desserts. Top frosty waffles with vanilla ice cream and sauce and you have one of the best desserts on the planet. garnish with a twist of orange peel and fresh mint to make your holiday desserts more festive.

Warm Vanilla Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 cup Splenda Blend for Baking

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon light salt

2 cups hot water

1 tablespoon butter (no substitutions)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

dash of freshly grated nutmeg

Method

Combine the Splenda Blend for Baking, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan. Whisk in hot water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened. take off from heat. Add vanilla citation and nutmeg. Makes 8 servings.

Warm Rum Sauce

Omit the vanilla and nutmeg. Make the sauce and take off from heat. Add 2 teaspoons of rum extract.

Warm Rum-Raisin Sauce

Omit the vanilla and nutmeg. Add 1/4 cup raisins to the sauce and cook until thickened. take off from heat and add 2 teaspoons of rum extract.

Copyright 2006 by Harriet Hodgson

Vanilla and Rum Sauces Make Holiday Desserts special