When I was younger, it became a tradition to go to Hershey Park each year on my birthday. Sadly that tradition ended about 10 years ago but it was always so much fun!  Hmmm…. yes… most of us can not turn down chocolate so how can you not love a day spend smelling it? I can’t forget tasting it through out the day either. Hershey’s is an amazing company that has so many different products out there. Unless you are a complete chocolate scrooge, you are bound to find something you will love. The Hershey Company is the largest producer of quality chocolate in North America!

Chocolate lovers have a reason to celebrate!  Hershey’s Simple Pleasures Chocolates is a new delicious line of chocolates with 30 percent less fat compared to the average of the leading milk chocolates.  They are individually wrapped for easy portion control, making them the perfect afternoon sweet snack.

This new line is available in 3 varieties which includes, Milk Chocolate with Chocolate Crème, Dark Chocolate with Chocolate Crème and Milk Chocolate with Vanilla Crème.  These are a very smooth and creamy chocolate. I am not a big fan of Dark Chocolate so all I can really say about these is, it’s not the worst I have ever tasted. The boys liked them as their second choice. The Milk Chocolate with the Chocolate center was my favorite. It’s not a rich chocolate where you eat one and can’t tolerate another. I actually found myself going back for more on more than one occasion. The Milk Chocolate with the Vanilla center, none of us liked this one. It seemed to leave a film in our mouths. The center flavor wasn’t very appetizing.

Disclosure: MAK Media was compensated with product for this post. This post is not endorsed, sponsored or has any connection to Twitter, Facebook or any other Social Media network that may be mentioned. This post is the sole property of MAK Media, LLC.  All opinions are mine whether positive or negative. You can read more about our Policy Disclosure here.

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The other day while wandering around on Twitter, I received a tweet from the DELICIOUS Tweeps at @HersheysKisses.

I don’ t know how or why they tweeted to me but I always love when one of my favorite Brands finds me before I find them! I used to go to Hershey Park every year for my birthday when I lived in Pennsylvania. I miss that so much now that I am in Ohio! Anyway…..They sent me this amazing cookie recipe and I had to pass it along. How can you not love cookies and chocolate at that! Give these babies a try and tell them (and me!) what you think!

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• 2 cups (12 oz. pkg.) Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Chips or Hershey’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
• Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl on medium speed of mixer until creamy.
• Add eggs; beat well.
• Gradually add flour mixture, beating well.
• Stir in chocolate chips.
• Add nuts, if desired.
• Drop rounded teaspoons on to an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set.
• Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. About 5 dozen cookies.

Source

Disclosure: This is a personal post because I just felt like doing one. Not because I was asked to, paid to or given anything. That is still allowed right?

Spencer was turning 4 this year and I wanted to do something special for him. He really loves dinosaurs so I knew making that part of the cake was important. I looked at several dinosaur cakes and they were all either “dragon looking” or way to advanced for me. His cake had to be cool  because he loved the Bunny Cake so much. I had to make 2 of these cakes so I used a full sheet pan. Since most people won’t be making this size, I am including the directions for a 10×8 pan. If you need to make a full sheet cake, double the recipe. If you wish to use a boxed cake, you will need 2 boxes for the 10×8 and 3 boxes for the 11×14.

Ingredients: (Cake) (10 x 8 cake pan)

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean
4. Completely cool for at least 15 minutes
5. Remove from Pan
6. Frost

Ingredients: (Frosting)

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
• 2/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Melt butter
2. Stir in cocoa
3. Add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency
4. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.
5. Makes about 2 cups frosting

(Click any image to enlarge)