New Years Resolution!

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Mootilda

The year 2011 is quickly coming to an end. It’s that time of year again, where everyone starts thinking of New Years resolutions (you know, those things you promise yourself at the start of a new year and forget about 2 weeks later). Well this year one of my resolutions is to stick to it – everyone knows cows are stubborn, and I’m here to prove it! My other resolution is to be happy no matter what, because my grass is green enough right where I am.

I was thinking about going on a diet, (those Florida cows are so skinny!) but I’m a full-figured gal and proud of it. Happy cows come from the North East! After all, my curves help contribute to the best tasting ice cream available.

2011 has been a wonderful year, full of rich memories, sweet grass, and mooing with good friends.

What’s your best 2011 memory? What are some of your resolutions?

Livin’ la Vida Mocha

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Hershey's Ice Cream

Coffee is a necessity for most Americans. It’s not only a delicious part of our “get-up-and-go” routine, but it also keeps us going through the most tiring days. Whether it’s a long day at work, cramming for a final, or just taking a moment for yourself, there is nothing like a good ol’ cuppa joe!

People everywhere have come to love the iconic aroma of the coffee bean. Drink it black, mixed with cream, sugar, spices, chocolate, peppermint… The combinations are endless! But any way you mix it, it’s still a steamy cup of java at heart. Here at Hershey’s^® Ice Cream we make a variety of yummy coffee ice cream flavors, to appeal to every palate. Try our Coffee, Cup-o-Joe, and famous Cappuccino Crunch ice cream today!

What’s your favorite coffee drink, food, or recipe?

The Magic Babysitter

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Hershey's Ice Cream

If you’ve ever taken care of a child (or a whole herd!) you know that it’s about 10% knowledge and 90% luck. Kids can see right through even the sternest parent, but being a babysitter is even worse! They know you’re “not the boss of them” and that they can pretty much get away with murder.

“You really get brownies for breakfast?”
“Are you sure you’re allowed to pee on that?”
“Oh, your mom says you’re allowed to jump down the stairs with knives?

Ok, maybe that last one is a bit of a dramatization (depending on the child), but it’s true that all kids know how to bend the rules. It may seem like a hopeless problem, but the answer is simple. Ice cream. Babysitters everywhere rejoice! Whether it’s whining for something they want, complaining that something’s not good enough, or crying because their parents aren’t home – all roads lead to ice cream.

Not only does it make them happy (what kid doesn’t love ice cream?), it also creates a moment of blissful silence as they spoon their way through each scoop! Nothing else you’ve said or done that night, no disappointments or tantrums, will matter. You will forever be “the cool babysitter”. Then when the sugar high ends they crash, and the little angels are asleep in bed when their parents get home. The house is still in one piece, things are calm and peaceful… You are the ultimate babysitter.

What’s the craziest (or funniest) thing your kids ever did to you or a babysitter?

Toddler dragging toilet paper around the house

Holiday Baking

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Hershey's Ice Cream

‘Tis the season for chilly noses, bright sweaters, warm fires, and hearty food! If you’re anything like us you’ve been celebrating with a few too many cookies (and several scoops of ice cream, too)! This year we found a sweet new recipe for Spiced Holiday Sugar Cookies (courtesy of McCormick^®). They’re a delicious spin on traditional gingerbread, a cross between gingerbread and sugar cookies! Use a creative cookie cutter, and colorful icing to make these cookies extra fun!

Spiced Holiday Sugar Cookies
Makes 6 dozen or 24 (3 cookie) servings.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Refrigerate Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 8 to 10 minutes per batch

Cookie Ingredients
2 1/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Cinnamon, Ground
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg, Ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 egg
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

Icing Ingredients:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 to 4 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
3 to 4 drops Assorted Food Colors

Directions

1. Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat granulated sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Refrigerate dough 2 hours or overnight until firm.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface* to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into shapes with favorite cookie cutters. Place on greased baking sheets.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

4. For the Icing, mix all ingredients except food colors. (Stir in additional milk as needed to thin icing or more confectioners’ sugar to thicken, if needed.) Place small amount of icing into small shallow bowls, using one bowl for each color desired. Stir drops of food color into icing until desired shade is reached.

5. To ice cookies, hold cookie by its edge and dip top of cookie into icing. (Or spoon the icing onto cookie using a teaspoon.) Place iced cookies on wire rack set over foil-covered baking sheet to dry. (The foil-covered baking sheet will catch drips.) To add decorative details to cookies, spoon tinted icing into resealable plastic bag. Snip off a tiny piece of the corner. Squeeze icing through hole in plastic bag to decorate cookies. If desired, Colored Sugar may be sprinkled onto freshly iced cookies.

Tips

*Test Kitchen Tip: Mix 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar to use for dusting surface.

Variations: For the variations below, omit the cinnamon and the nutmeg. Use the following extract in place of the vanilla extract in the cookies:

Almond Holiday Sugar Cookies: Use 1 teaspoon Pure Almond Extract.

Orange Holiday Sugar Cookies: Use 1 teaspoon Pure Orange Extract.

Lemon Holiday Sugar Cookies: Use 1 teaspoon Pure Lemon Extract.

The Secret Ingredient

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Mootilda

Hello there folks! As most of you know, my name is Mootilda. I’m here to let you in on a little secret. I’m kind of a big deal. Without my milk (and the milk from other non-famous cows), Hershey’s^® Ice Cream wouldn’t have that deliciously creamy taste and texture. So what makes our ice cream the best?

Hershey’s^® Ice Cream uses less air (called overrun) than other ice cream companies. This makes our products more rich, and better tasting! We also use the best ingredients from fresh cream (made from my milk) to fresh fruits and nuts. If you look at the ingredients panel on our ice cream products you’ll see they’re not “wheyed” down like other brands!

Some frozen dessert companies are putting more whey into their products. They’re also using skim or low fat milk instead of milk and cream, which lowers the butter fat of their product. Think of butter fat as a flavor booster, it makes ice cream awesome! The higher the butter fat, the more awesome the ice cream. When other companies use whey, lower their butter fat content, and use of less rich and creamy milk makes their ice cream less flavorful.

Here at Hershey’s^® our motto is “quality in, quality out”. We use only the best ingredients to make the best ice cream just for you! That’s why Real Ingredients mean Real Ice Cream, and Real Smiles!

So go ahead and put your ice cream to the test! Can you taste the difference?

Imitating Your Kids

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Hershey's Ice Cream

Alright parents, time to fess up. When feeding your kids, how many of you make the same motion or face your kids do while they eat? Why is that? Kids are fast learners, especially when it comes to food (remember, these are the little ones that eat you out of house and home!). Yet we all still do it. It’s apparently one of our instincts, and not a common one among animals! Humans are the only species compelled to mimic their kids while feeding them. Which can be pretty funny to watch. But still, this begs the question, how did we adopt this behavior?

Eating is one of the things people do best. We’re all food lovers, and why shouldn’t we be? Food is delicious, it makes you feel good, and it brings people together. Why do you think they call it “comfort food”? Then again, it’s always fun to watch other people do this… So the next time you see a parent feeding their kid, check out their face. It’s always good for a laugh!

Do you mimic your kids when they eat?

Monthly Archives: December 2011