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Upcycle Halloween candy into mouth-watering desserts
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Use leftover Halloween candy to craft delicious desserts. - photo by Pam McMurtry
Upcycling Halloween treats is a paradoxical task; presumably, you have already eaten your favorite confections, so it is the B-list candy you will be working with. But that only serves to make the challenge more enticing. Here are two desserts to help satisfy your post-Halloween sweet tooth and use up some of that candy.

The first is an easy and inexpensive brownie topped with chocolate candy bars, kisses, malted milk balls whatever you can spare from your chocolate stash. If you coarsely chop chocolate skeletons and bats, you can disguise their haunted identity. Use a commercial brownie mix to simplify preparation. With the candy topping, this brownie doesnt even need frosting.

The second is a more complex but delicious recipe for a rich layered mousse and cheesecake on a shortbread crust, topped with a few precious, carefully concealed toffee bars. Chop a few chocolate-covered caramel candies to tuck in between the layers. Prepare the mousse first so it has time to cool before you assemble the dessert.

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Treasure Brownies

Commercial brownie mix

Assorted chocolate candies and candy bars, unwrapped

Prepare the brownie mix according to the package directions. Before baking, cover the batter with a thick layer of unwrapped chocolate candy bars and candies. Bake according to the directions on the box.

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Chocolate Mousse Delight

8 egg yolks (save the whites for an omelet)

cup sugar

5 cups whipping cream, divided

12 ounces chocolate candy bars, chopped

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks on high speed for 3 minutes, then gradually add sugar.

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat 2 cups of the whipping cream until hot, then stir half into the egg yolk mixture. Gradually stir the eggs and cream back into the saucepan with the remaining cream. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens do not boil. Add the chopped chocolate bars, stirring until melted. Refrigerate covered about 2 hours or until chilled, stirring occasionally.

Beat the remaining 3 cups of whipping cream in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold the chilled chocolate mixture into the whipped cream. Refrigerate until time to assemble.

Shortbread crust

2 cups flour

1 cup butter, softened

cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped nuts

Blend ingredients and gently pat into a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes until golden. Cool for a few minutes, then break up the crust with a fork. Compress back in place and cool completely.

Cheesecake filling

1 cup whipping cream

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

16 ounces Neufchatel cheese (light cream cheese), softened

In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer, blend the whipping cream, cup powdered sugar and vanilla. Fold in the cream cheese and 1 cup powdered sugar. Layer over the cooled crust.

Whipped cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream

cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

In a chilled mixing bowl, whip together the ingredients until soft peaks form.

Spoon the chocolate mousse over the previous layers and add a thin topping of whipped cream. Refrigerate until serving time, then coarsely chop 1 cup of toffee bars and sprinkle over. This dessert can also be assembled in individual ramekins.
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Have You Seen This? Street musician slays with clarinet
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Better than almost every face-melting guitar or drum solo. - photo by Facebook video screenshot

THE BIG EASY — Yeah, yeah, we all know that New Orleans is stuffed to the gills will incredible musicians.

But knowing that fact and then hearing that fact are two different things. You can step into any number of jazz clubs on any given night on Bourbon Street, and you’ll probably be impressed with virtually every act. Or you can sit at home on your comfy couch and watch this featured video.

In the video, you’ll see a woman who is in the groove. She is swinging hard, and wailing on her clarinet with a practiced expertise that makes it sounds so easy.

From note one you’ll be drawn in; your appreciation will grow with every second, and then your face will melt off when you realize how incredible she really is.

If you’ve never played a woodwind or a brass, you may not know everything that comes with a performance like this. Lung capacity and breath control are huge factors in keeping your notes clear and loud, and hitting those high notes is especially difficult.

So when this woman hits that high note and holds it for several seconds, you know you’re dealing with an exceptional musician. It means she has worked hard for years to develop skill on top of her natural talent, and we get to benefit.

It kinda makes you wonder how we let people get away with mumble rap and autotune when talent like this exists in the world.

I wish this video were longer, and I wish I had more information about this woman, but as it is, we’ll just have to appreciate the little flavor of New Orleans jazz posted by the Facebook group Clarinet Life.

Martha Ostergar is a writer who delights in the ridiculous that internet serves up, which means she's more than grateful that she gets to cruise the web for amazing videos to highlight for your viewing pleasure.
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