Candy Recipes

Posts Tagged ‘Candy Coated Chocolate’

In Hackettstown, New Jersey, where a factory churns out one of Americaâ??s favorite candies â?? bite-sized, candy-coated chocolate drops â?? the predominate color today is green.

The color-coated candies, of course, still come in various shades, but the facility producing them is so â??greenâ? it almost hurts to look.

Candy-maker Mars just installed the largest single solar photovoltaic installation in the nation at a food-production plant, as well as the largest in the state.

A joint effort between Mars and Public Service Enterprise Groupâ??s (PSEGâ??s) solar division, Solar Source, the 2.2-megawatt array, comprised of 28,680 solar panels on an 18-acre field adjacent to the factory, will provide 20 percent of the candy plantâ??s electricity during peak load, or enough to electrify about 1,800 homes. It will also reduce carbon emissions by 1,000 metric tons each year, or the equivalent of removing about 200 cars from the road.

The system, installed under a power purchase agreement which allows Mars to buy the entire electricity output while PSEG Solar Source operates and maintains it, was designed and installed by Boulder, Colorado-based juwi solar Inc., which will also oversee initial operations and provide some maintenance services.

The thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) panels come courtesy of Tempe, Arizona-based First Solar, one of the premier solar panel manufacturers in the nation. These panels, which are not available through wholesalers or retailers, are part of First Solarâ??s commitment to deliver quality by only working through a select group of independent power project developers and system integrators. This allows First Solar to manage the life cycle of its modules from raw material sourcing through collection and recycling. In February, First Solar announced that it had broken the $1-per-watt barrier.

The solar project, being referred to as a â??solar gardenâ? is the 11th-largest of its kind in the U.S., and cost upwards of $10 million, adding to New Jerseyâ??s renewable energy portfolio, which calls for 30 percent (from renewables) by 2020.

Mars, which also makes Snickers and Twix, has been renovating its Hackettstown site, a combined corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility, with an eye toward earning LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification for its solar array, water-conserving toilets, sinks and water fountains, a Building Energy Management System that operates as an industrial-sized Smart Grid monitor and modulator, and energy efficiency lighting, among other improvements.

Candy represents one of the easiest and cheapest options for your wedding favors. It is in ready supply, comes in all sorts of colors, shapes and flavors and is easy to package too. Little wonder then that it is one of the most popular choices for wedding favors today.

Here is my top ten candy favors to consider for your wedding:

Candy hearts – perfect for a romantic theme or simply to enhance the romance of the day. These come in a wide range of colors and include candy coated chocolate versions too.

Lollipops – these are so much fun and come in a variety of shapes and styles. Handmade lollipops have an eclectic look about them, whilst personalized versions will leave your guests in no doubt about whose wedding it is! They also look wonderfully decorative placed on individual place settings or even stuck in with the centerpieces!

Candy buffet bar – these have been at just about every wedding in recent years, but the trend is starting to wear off. That said, a candy station or buffet bar offers a fun way for your guests to put together their own favors with the aid of some cellophane bags and little scoops. Choose candies in colors which coordinate with your wedding for a sophisticated display or go all out for color and fun for a vibrant eye catching centerpiece.

Mini gumballs machines – these are so cute and widely available from favor stores all over. Perfect if you are the whimsical kind and what to inject a bit of fun and personality in to your wedding day. You don’t have to fill them with gumballs either.

Novelty candies – these include things such as casino chips with personalization, themed candies for weddings such as fairytales, fall, flowers, butterflies and even birds eggs! These can often look nicer when mixed in with other candies and mixed colors.

Retro candies – give your guests a trip down memory lane with some childhood favorites, such as liquorice allsorts, dolly mixtures and hard boiled sweets. It is a good way to get conversation going as your guests reminisce about the times they used to eat these sweets!

Love hearts – another retro candy that has lasted the test of time. Indeed the design of love hearts with their little love messages, appears on many different and diverse objects these days – even wedding stationery! Visit favor stores for little packs which can also be personalized.

M and M’s – these popular candies are available to couples with personalization. That is the M and M is replaced with your initials instead. A neat idea but I wonder how many of your guests will notice?

Mints – once a traditional choice for wedding favors and often chosen over almonds which were not to everyone’s taste. Mints are traditionally served after a rich meal or ‘after dinner’ but they have become a favorite for wedding favors too. They can be found in a choice of colors and with personalized packaging too.

Wedding rock – the traditional sea side favorite of British sea side resorts now seems to have a global following. Sticks of rock are famed for the words which run throughout the entire piece, leaving many to ponder just how they make them like that! Personalized versions with your names running through them are available and can be made in a wide range of colors and sizes.

These are very good! They retained their soft and chewy texture even a couple of days after baking. Baking until the bottoms are brown but the centers are still soft makes for a nice moist cookie. Ingredients: 1 pkg. two layer yellow or chocolate cake mix 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/4 cup butter, softened 1/4 cup milk 2 eggs 1-1/2 cups candy coated chocolate pieces OR milk chocolate chips 1/2 cup chopped nuts Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients except candy and …