Jolly Rancher Cotton Candy

The Red is Cherry Jolly Rancher and the Pink is watermelon Jolly Rancher

I have always loved cotton candy. It was one of my favorite treats as a child. I would always get it at fairs. I used to not like Cinnabon, shocking I know, but when my mom and sister would get Cinnabon at the mall I would always get cotton candy. Since it was the mall where my grandparents lived, I would ask them for cotton candy too whenever we went to their mall.  My favorite thing was when Walmart had the people selling cotton candy for Riley hospital. I would always buy a few bags. Of course you can buy prepacked cotton candy, but it’s not fluffy. It’s dense and packed in. I ended up buying a cotton candy maker a couple years ago. I loved using it and it was so easy to use. Fresh cotton candy whenever I want? Sign me up. I ended up storing it in the box in a locked cabinet on my balcony. I went to use it once and it was covered in ants. I didn’t want to chance having cotton candy like on the movie Shrek so I threw it away. I figured I would just get a new one because they weren’t very expensive. 

I learned about the hard candy cotton candy makers, at first I thought it was a sugar free cotton candy maker. That sounded gross to me. After not being able to find the exact same one I had, I finally looked in to it more and saw that you can really use hard candy. You can also use sugar floss. I bought some sugar floss on clearance this past summer in anticipation of having a new cotton candy maker. I started thinking about what kinds of hard candies I would use. I love Jolly Ranchers, especially the watermelon and cherry ones. So, I started dreaming of Jolly Rancher cotton candy.

I asked my mom for the Nostalgia Electrics Hard Candy Cotton Candy Maker for Christmas. She had a really hard time finding it, even though it had been in the stores for months. That was a must have gift this year I guess. She went to like ten different stores. I was able to find it on Target.com so I ordered it. I knew it wasn’t going to be there in time, which was fine. My mom wrapped up a package of cotton balls with a little chocolate bar taped on.  I was so excited when it arrived. 

  

My first attempt of making both flavors was not good. It was crunchy, I realized I was holding the sticks wrong. I immediately tested the sugars I had to see if it was the candy. Once I figured out how to hold the sticks again everything was great. I had already ate a bunch of cotton candy by this time so I didn’t want to attempt the Jolly Rancher cotton candy again that night. I decided to try again tonight using the proper extraction method.  It’s important for it to heat up in the directions. If you stop for a few minutes to take pictures between flavors, you should preheat it again for a bit. Maybe not the whole five minutes but you want it to be hot or it will not work properly. It worked and it’s so delicious! I need to buy some bulk Jolly Ranchers on Amazon. Just the cherry and watermelon. Jolly Rancher cotton candy is the best thing ever!

You are supposed to use two hard candies each time.  I did each flavor twice so this is four Jolly Ranchers worth. 

What is your favorite flavor of cotton candy? What's your favorite Jolly Rancher flavor.

I Hopped Down the Hershey's Bunny Trail

Noah's first Easter!

  I can’t believe Easter is next week! Where has all the time gone? It seems like just yesterday I was putting up my Christmas Tree.  I love Easter, it is one of my favorite holidays. It reminds me about what Christ did for me. I also love the festivities and traditions my family has. We always dye eggs, surprisingly I really like the smell of vinegar.  I started the tradition of doing an Easter Egg hunt with Noah. I have some really cute pictures and videos of egg hunts in the past. My favorite Easter tradition is hunting for Easter baskets. Sometimes the Easter Bunny leaves your basket out in the open, but at my house he hides them. It is fun to hunt for it. A few times I have found it in the dryer, the closet and even outside once. Noah loves going on the hunt. This year it might be a little tricky to hide. The Easter Bunny really has to put his thinking cap on, and find a great place.  I wonder what kinds of goodies and surprises are going to make it in Noah’s basket. Did I mention, he uses the basket that I used since I was like four? I think that is a pretty cool tradition too.  I am sure there will be some great treats.  The Easter bunny doesn’t do a ton of candy, but there is always some. There are so many great Easter candies to choose from, and I love candy.

I was contacted by Hershey’s to hop down the Bunny Trail. The Bunny Trail allows you to make a virtual Easter baskets, and share your Easter traditions and memories. I guess I am really lucky because they sent me my basket.  I was able to customize the basket; I picked green, my favorite color. Pink grass because it would look like Spring.  Then the most difficult part of the trip down the Bunny Trail, picking out the candy I wanted to try.  I love so many kinds only picking five was kind of tricky for me. I am very happy with my choices though.  First thing I pick was York Peppermint Patty Eggs. I really like peppermint and I know that it’s one of Noah’s favorite candies.  Any candy shaped in an egg is very festive in my opinion. The next thing I picked was Jolly Ranchers Wildberry Jelly Beans, because you have to have Jelly beans for Easter.  I really like that they have flavors like Strawberry Watermelon and Blue Raspberry. My mom who doesn’t really like a lot of candy, really liked the jelly beans too.

 Since I love Jolly Ranchers, I also picked the Jolly Ranchers Sours. I already know how good these are. I just really like them. They aren’t too sour and have the classic Jolly Rancher flavor.  I always eat all the Watermelons first, then the Cherry, then Apple, and then Orange.  The folks at Hershey’s must have known because there were a lot of Watermelon ones in there.  Next I picked the Snack Sized Twizzlers. Twizzlers are so yummy. I like these because I can give a pack to Noah and it is just enough candy for him. He literally chased me all over until I opened my Easter Basket. I asked my friends on Facebook if I had to share with anyone and everyone said no. I decided to share though. It’s no fun having such a fun basket of treats and being stingy.  I also know that Noah would have chased me around again.  The last thing I picked I am not sharing.  I got a giant Resse’s Peanut Butter Egg. I have never seen one this big.  Noah asked me for a slice of it.  I said nope.  I love Reese’s peanut butter eggs, and this one is huge.  I did make sure the Easter Bunny saves him a normal sized one for his basket. I am so excited and happy with the special trip I went on down the Hershey’s Bunny Trail.

I hope you will try out some of these special Hershey’s Easter treats. 

For more information please visit Celebrate with Hershey's. 

Thank you so much to Hershey’s for sending me my awesome Easter Basket.  I created while I hopped down the Bunny Trail. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Happy Valentine's Day from Hershey's Review

 It’s almost Valentine’s Day, really where has all the time gone? It is time for you to celebrate your loved ones for Valentine’s Day.  Now, Valentine’s Day is not a huge deal in our house like other holidays but I like to celebrate with treats. I am sure that will change once Noah is in school and has to pass out valentines to his classmates. When I was in school, it was just those little cards and the occasional little candy treat taped on or in a little bag. Hershey’s has amazing treats for Valentine’s Day. One thing I really like about Hershey’s is most of their candy is wrapped which makes it easy for passing out to others.  Hershey’s even went another step and made some the candy it’s self a valentine, with to and from right on the wrapper. You of course could attach it to your card still if you wanted to.

Some of the items we received, and if you know me at all, I am a huge candy junkie, were Hershey’s Valentine Kisses, Jolly Rancher Heart Lollipops Valentine Exchange, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Hearts Valentine Exchange. I am pretty sure everyone loves Hershey Kisses that like chocolate.  They are great for baking too.  Every year since I was very little we would make Peanut Blossoms at Christmas time. It was from a “cookbook” from 1982 and I was born in 1981, we still use the same recipe. Kisses are just the perfect amount to satisfy a little chocolate craving. They are also portable and so easy to unwrap my 4 year old has become a master at doing it.  Noah really likes the valentine’s colors of the wrappers. He has even created new things with the wrappers, like a butterfly for example.

If I had to pick my favorite hard candy, it would be Jolly Ranchers. I am not huge on hard candy, but would never turn down a Jolly Rancher, depending on the flavor.  I have been enjoying them for pretty much since my first one. I have tried and love every variation they have made.  Suckers are a big thing with Noah right now. We had been getting those little wrapped ones, but after he kept pulling the little stick off it, I decided, no more suckers for while. I feel pretty good about having him try a Jolly Rancher Lollipop. I will definitely enjoy them myself.   What is your favorite flavor of Jolly Rancher? Mine are Cherry and Watermelon. I know that is two but they are tied as my favorite.

I am sure you read my post about Hershey’s Halloween Candy in October and already know how much I love Reese’s peanut butter holiday shapes. In case you missed it, I prefer them to the Reese’s cups because there is more peanut butter than chocolate. I love peanut butter. I am so glad that Noah isn’t allergic to nuts of any kind because that would be not a good thing in my house. Noah loves the Reese’s Peanut Butter Hearts; he is actually the same as me and loves any kind of the Reese’s Holiday Shapes. I always buy them for any holiday I can find them and Noah, helps himself. He ate my pumpkin Reese’s and one of my Christmas Trees during those holidays.  He has made a huge dent in the Reese’s hearts though. He is really good at sharing and being generous and thinking of others.  He proudly likes to tell me that Grandma would like one. He is very sweet. 

I don’t let Noah sit down and eat a lot of candy, but he does get treats. I will get my little man some Hershey’s treats, including a Reese’s Peanut Butter heart for Valentine’s Day. I am trying to stay away from toys so, this year will be just some treats. We will also make Valentine’s Day Cookies.

For more information, recipes and ideas, please visit The Hershey’s Website

Thank you to Hershey’s for sending my family some complimentary Valentine’s candy to try out. All thoughts and opinions are my own.