A Birthday Chocolate Fondue

Don't forget to link up to my Marvelous Mess party....each week I pick a new post to feature on my sidebar!!!!

For my Sisters birthday I made (instead of the usual cake) a Chocolate Fondue. For dipping we had strawberries, apples, bananas, cheesecake, and raspberries (with little chocolate chips inside them).

This is such a fun dessert and a great way to shake things up at a birthday party!!

Seriously. Awesome.

The chocolate chip raspberries came from an idea off the site Saucy's Sprinkles:

These were a big hit with Munchkin, who got to place most of the chips in the raspberries.....one for the raspberry.....and one for me.......

This dessert ended up being much better for you (in terms of fat and calories) because you only need a small amount of Chocolate fondue to make your fruit taste decadent.

Here is my Quick Chocolate Fondu Recipe:

Strawberries (rinsed and dried)

Rasperries (rinsed and dried)

Bananas (diced)

Apples (rinsed and medium thickness pieces)

Pre-made Cheesecake

1 12oz bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

8oz Heavy Cream

~Prepare fruit and place on platter just before you serve. Dice cheesecake and place on platter.

~In a double boiler on medium heat, pour in the heavy cream and cook until little bubbles begin to appear.

~Add all the Chocolate chips to the cream and let them melt.Whisk to mix them completely (you want the fondue to be entirely smooth).

~Immediately add mixture to a fondue pot and keep heated. If the fondue starts to get firm, add a tablespoon of the cream to help it thin out and whisk it again.

*I bought my cheesecake in the frozen food section (it may have been a Betty Crocker brand?) .....and I was pretty disappointed with it. It was NOT a good Cheesecake for Fondue......it was way too loose and crumbly. And Melt-y.....in my book, cheesecake should never *melt*. I recommend buying one from the bakery section of the grocery (or make your own) instead.*

*To go with the fondue, we had some Moscato d'Asti wine....the perfect dessert wine for Fondue*

I Shared this post at the following funky parties:

Sundae Scoop

Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design

What I Made Wednesday @ Sweet Peas and Bumblebees

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Ebeanstalk: A Great Place to Find the Perfect Gift!!!

Don't forget to link up to my Marvelous Mess party....each week I pick a new post to feature on my sidebar!!!!  
 
Have you ever seen a Rody?

This has, arguably, been one of the funnest toys we've had in our house. We got it for Munchkin at 2 years old....and this Rody has been used heavily since. By every child that has entered out house. It's not just a rocking horse (but it can be if you buy the base for it) it is a seriously fun bouncing horse. It is incredible study and very well made....this horse can outlast so many other toys!! And, most importantly....it holds the interest of children of all ages and stages. I recommend the rocking base for young children (1 to 2) years of age and make sure you're using it on a carpeted area to lessen any accidental falls. This toy is such a blast. A great place to find this guy (and other Children's Learning Toys)  is Ebeanstalk.

Ebeanstalk is a site I found when I was looking for great toys for a 2 year old. I had a birthday party to go to and it had been a while since I had shopped for that age group. So, using Ebeanstalk, I narrowed my search down to the age group and catagory:

Isn't that INCREDIBLE?!?! They give you so many ways to narrow down your search and find exactly what you're looking for. Toys for dexterity, emotional development, to encourage imagination......toys that have to do with animals, ride on toys, building and stacking, arts and crafts.....

I Heart Ebeanstalk. 

Not only did I find 2 year old gifts......but I got a lot of ideas for older ages and stages too!!

I definitely recommend going to Ebeanstalk to shop for kids of all ages. 

This review was written entirely by me and all opinions are my own. I received compensation for this review.

A Marvelous Mess #26 and Features!!!

Okay, REALLY late this week. I think the only thing I can promise you now about my Monday party is that it will occur on Monday (and you *might* get to catch a glimpse of it Sunday night). Summer is just so BUSY!! Ya know?? We picked up 190lbs of organic blueberries this afternoon (need I remind you I live in Maine?) and then we were beaching it until almost 8. At a famous Diner for Dinner until 9:45pm and then a 40 minutes drive home. Munchkin to bed and I *rush* to the computer. 

Things will be easier when the sun sets earlier, I think. But I am not rushing that time of year. 

Here are my Fave's from last week:

Vinatge Chabby Chic Signs (w/ tutorial) from La Vie Vintage Bleu

Discovery Bottles by Southern Thomas

Back to School Printables by Holiday Snob

and the post I am going to feature on my sidebar for a week:

Corn Muffins with Onion and Thyme from Home Savvy A to Z

Thanks to all of you for linking up!!

Don't forget to grab a button:

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