Sweets for the Sweet

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Today, I'm sharing my favorite summertime drinks from America's Drive-In, SONIC!

The Java Chiller & Watermelon Slush

I will happily drink the Java Chiller in any flavor - Mocha and Turtle are my favorites.  The Java Chillers aren't coffee-strong - just a little coffee flavor added into a milk-shake inspired treat.  I also love the Watermelon Slush, which is way too sugary but reminds me of Watermelon Jolly Ranchers (which I love as well!)  

To make Homemade Java Chillers, Blend a shot (or two) of expresso with a couple generous scoops of vanilla icecream; pour into a glass, top with whipped cream and drizzle with chocolate syrup.

Now, it's your turn: Grab my Sweets for the Sweets button, stick it on your sugary post somewhere, and share your favorite summer treat - then link it up below!  Make sure to check back and read some others' posts - you may find a recipe or treat you would like to make or go out and buy! :)

Sweets for the Sweet

Welcome to

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This week, we're sharing our favorite fruity-inspired dessert!

I'm going with something I've never tried before, but have full intentions to before the summer is over.  I'm always a sucker for chocolate, but i love citrus flavored desserts, too. This particular one caught my eye, from Betty Crocker's website. I think I would probably skip the almonds in this one, but if you're a nut fan, definitely go for 'em!

Creamy Frozen Orange Squares:


2/3 cup coarsely chopped blanched almonds 

5 tablespoons butter
60 vanilla wafer cookies, finely crushed (2 cups)
5 cups vanilla ice cream (from 1/2 gallon), softened
5 cups orange sherbet (from 3 pints), softened
1/2 pint (1 cup) whipping cream, whipped
Orange peel curls, if desired


1. In medium skillet, toast almonds over medium heat 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown. Immediately remove from heat; reserve 2 tablespoons for topping.
2. Add butter to remaining almonds in skillet; stir until butter is melted. Add cookie crumbs; mix well. Press mixture in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
3. In large bowl, stir ice cream and sherbet until partially blended. Spoon over cooled crust; smooth top. Cover; freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
4. To serve, cut dessert into squares; place on individual dessert plates. Garnish each with whipped cream, reserved toasted almonds and orange curl.


Now, it's your turn: Grab my Sweets for the Sweets button above, stick it on your sugary post somewhere, and share your favorite fruity treat - then link it up below!  Make sure to check back and read some others' posts - you may find a recipe or treat you would like to make or go out and buy! :) 

Sweets for the sweet

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This week, it's all about cool, summertime treats - tell us about your aunt's key lime pie, a chilled beverage recipe from Betty Crocker's website that you would like to try, or something as simple as an ice cream cone from your favorite local custard stand!

The summertime treat i always turn to for a cool down (and a sugar rush) is an 

ICED MOCHA.  

I love both the Starbucks Cafe Mocha and the McDonald's Iced Mocha.  (How can she like BOTH, you ask?) Starbucks is way smoother, and made with that lovely cocoa powder of theirs, but Starbucks is kind of out of my way in Athens - it's attached to the local Krogers, and who the heck wants to battle the Kroger's crowd for a coffee as often as I need one?  So, I rely on McDonalds, which is conveniently located a couple of minutes away from my apartment and will use extra chocolate syrup if you ask :)  McDonalds is way bitter, but both brands give me that chocolately, coffee infused buzz that I love - and need - when I get sloth-like but still have crap-tons to do.  I especially love drinking iced mochas when i'm being artsy!  It keeps the creative part of my brain rollin'.


I found this super yummy recipe on Rachel Ray's website - give it a whirl!  It's super easy and super RICH.  The recipe does not call for whipped cream on top, but you should definitely add it on before the chocolate shavings.  Drizzle some chocolate syrup on there, too - you know, for good measure:

Iced Cafe Mocha (From Rachel Ray Magazine)
1/2 Cup ground coffee
2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1/4 Cup sweetened condensed milk
Ice (for serving)
Chocolate Shavings (and whipped cream, and chocolate syrup if you NEED it - like me)

• In a small bowl, combine ground coffee and cocoa. Using a coffee maker, brew with 4 cups of water.  
• Stir condensed milk into coffee, then refrigerate until cool.
• Serve with Ice and chocolate shavings (and whipped cream and chocolate syrup on top, if you NEED it. haha)
• Drink and feel like you're on crack for a while! YAY!

Now, it's your turn: Grab my Sweets for the Sweets button, stick it on your sugary post somewhere, and share your favorite summer treat - then link it up below!  Make sure to check back and read some others' posts - you may find a recipe or treat you would like to make or go out and buy! :)

Welcome to Sweets for the Sweet - Link Up!

~Welcome to~

A special page dedicated to one of our very favorite things:

sugary, satisfying, sometimes even downright sexy - SWEETS!

A weekly opportunity to share your favorite sugary treats, from chain restaurant desserts and store-bought candy, to quick and easy or made-from-scratch recipes - if you need a sugar fix, you've found the right place!

Each weekend I will choose a Sweets for the Sweet theme, along with my own post corresponding with that theme. All you have to do is create your own yummy post, grab the button below, and add it to the top of your post.  Make sure to come back here and share your link (and make sure it's directly to your sweet post!) Talk about a great way to swap delicious recipes and other sugary ideas with fellow bloggers... it's sure to satisfy your sweet tooth! 

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Since it's the first week of Sweets for the Sweet, go ahead and blog about any of your favorite desserts that you think others should try (this should be an easy one - we all have that favorite go-to, don't we?)

I'm kicking things off with a recipe that my mother shared with me this past Christmas.  "Fancy Jelly-Filled Cookies" are melt-in-your-mouth perfect, but are very light - you can't help but to keep eating and eating them!  They're also super cute and look great placed in a seasonal cookie tin as a gift. 

Fancy Jelly-Filled Cookies

3/4 Cup Sugar

3/4 Cup softened butter

2 tsp grated orange peel

1 3 oz. package of cream cheese (the little square Philadelphia ones)

1 egg

2 1/4 Cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 Cup seedless preserves (any flavor will do - red & black raspberry are my faves!)

Glaze:  1/2 Cup Tollhouse white chips (melted)

Preheat oven to 350*F

• Beat cheese, sugar, and butter together; add egg and orange peel, blend well.  Add dry ingredients (flour, baking powder.)
• Cool dough in fridge for half an hour or so
• Shape into 1" balls and place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet
• Using the end of a wooden spoon, form a hole in the center of each ball - go as far to the bottom as you can without poking through to the sheet.
• Fill holes with 1/4 tsp preserves
• Bake 11-13 minutes or until firm.
• Move to cooling rack
• Drizzle glaze over cookies

Tip:  pick up a couple of plastic condiment-sized squeeze bottles and fill with preserves/melted white chip glaze - a quicker, neater way to fill cookies with preserves and drizzle glaze!

Makes a 2-3 dozen.

Ok, now it's your turn!!!  Share your yummy dessert post by linking up below!

Friday Free-Write (No.7)

Happy Friday! I can't believe it's already July - the summer is totally flying by.   There are a few things swirling around i my little mind today:

One more month until the beach! My husband and I haven't been to the beach in five years.  In fact, the last time we went to the beach, we weren't married yet. (And while swimming in the ocean, a gigantic wave washed me ashore like a dead fish - and my bikini top was hanging off, my bottoms halfway down my legs. Niiice.) The Snyder fam is headed to Myrtle Beach the first week of August, and I can't wait!  Lots of relaxing and reading - just what I need. 

The Cincinnati Reds are awesome this year! I keep most sports-related thoughts to myself during the summertime, because 1) I'm mostly into football, which i WILL blog about from time to time during the fall, 2)I know most people don't want to hear my sports-related opinions - it's a good way to make enemies and I certainly don't want that, and 3) Summertime is kinda like a "break" from sports for me - they're going on, but it's nice to have a breather after NCAA fball & bball, NFL, and NBA have ended. I'm tightly wound during those seasons!  Anyway, I just wanted to point out that the Reds are doing really well this season - I've claimed the Reds since moving to Athens, and while I wish i could attend more games, I'm happy that I saw them on opening day - and i'm very happy that they're actually winning this year! Adding to that...

Football season is right around the corner! Just another month... then college practice and NFL preseason start!  GO PATRIOTS! GO HERD! GO BOBCATS!

And finally...

I've taken my love for dessert and... decided to start my own meme!  I've found that when I blog about chocolate and other sugary substances, my readers are super interested.  I thought it would be nice to tack this on to my weekend blogging - I'm not specifying a day of the week, because hey - we all like dessert on any given day, right?  A time to share all things dessert related - whether it's an ode to your favorite store-bought candy, a recommendation for a dessert at a restaurant chain that we should all try, or recipes that you would like to share - this will be the time and place.  And of course, Mr. Linky will be around - so get ready! This is the button:

and I'll be kicking things off with my favorite cookie recipe (and surprisingly, it's not chocolate! WOW!)
I can't wait to see how this goes - although I'm sure I'll be wrecking my beach bound body because of it. HAHAHA (like I even had one anyway - no amount of diet or exercise will ever take away my Chocolate pouch!) 


Speaking of dessert... I had a delicious piece of cheesecake with fudge sauce at the Outback last night. Mmmmmm....


So start thinking about your favorite sweet treats - the fun begins tomorrow!  


Have a super Friday!