Don’t Forget Monday’s Special treat from Andy Anand Chocolatier
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Don’t Forget your Mom Today
Happy Mother’s Day!
Breakfast in bed prepared and served by your lovely children. Oh and by the way, sorry about the mess in the kitchen. Were we supposed to clean up after ourselves?
it’s the thought that counts. Love you Mom! Happy Mother’s Day!
For all that you every day of the year, hope your Mother’s Day is special and someone else cleans the kitchen!
Chipmunks The clowns of Forest and Field
A Chance Encounter With a Canadian Chipmunk
Recently I came across a photo of a Canadian chipmunk, supposedly taken in Banff National Park. The little guy looked like he’d survived a long, hard winter and had plenty of stories to tell. It got me thinking about these tiny rodents.
Cute or “Just Rats With Better PR”?
I’m firmly in the “chipmunks are cute” camp. I know plenty of people who insist they’re just rats in better outfits and would be happy to see them gone. But to me, chipmunks — along with their cousins the squirrels, prairie dogs, and other assorted rodents — add a spark of life to an ordinary day.
Banner and Balboa would absolutely agree. They spend hours at the window watching chipmunks sprint, freeze, and zig‑zag around the yard. Of course, being cats, I’m sure they’re imagining a lively snack if they ever managed to get outside.
Western Chipmunks: A Different Look Out West
When I was in Wyoming, I spent a whole morning watching a pair of Western chipmunks. Naturally, I took a few photos — who could resist? They blended beautifully into the rocks and sagebrush, and they were definitely different from the chipmunks here in the East. Their colors felt more muted, more desert‑washed, like the landscape had rubbed off on them.
Lunch Buddies in the East
Back home, I like to see if I can coax the local chipmunks a little closer. I’ve shared my lunch with more than one — tossing out a French fry and watching the ritual unfold. They dart out, pause dramatically, then stuff the fry into their cheek pouches before sprinting back to safety. And then, of course, they’re right back again. They’re this perfect mix of bold and shy, and I find them absolutely adorable.
Clowns of the Forest and Field
I once heard someone say that squirrels are just rats with fluffy tails and better PR. Chipmunks, though technically squirrels, feel more like comedians. If puffins are the clowns of the sea, then chipmunks must be the clowns of the forest and field.
North America’s Chipmunk Jackpot
Here’s a fun fact: of the 25 chipmunk species in the world, all but one live in North America. One lone species lives in Asia. Clearly, we hit the jackpot.
So Where Do You Stand?
Love ’em or hate ’em, chipmunks definitely make an impression. So where do you fall on the chipmunk spectrum — adorable woodland clown or tiny striped menace?
Chocolate‑Dipped Caramel Coconut Bites
🌸 Homemade Chocolate‑Dipped Caramel Coconut Bites (Perfect for Mother’s Day!)
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Does your mom have a sweet tooth? There’s nothing quite like a homemade gift for Mother’s Day. Anyone can run out and buy something, but when you make something by hand, it carries a different kind of love. It says you spent your time, your effort, and a little bit of your heart creating something just for her.
And unlike those candies that “melt in your mouth, not in your hand,” these little treats absolutely do melt in your hand — and honestly, that’s part of their charm. They’re soft, gooey, chocolatey, and the kind of bite you pop into your mouth before the chocolate has a chance to escape down your fingers.
If your mom is a fan of Mounds or Almond Joy, I have just the thing for you.
These Chocolate‑Dipped Caramel Coconut Bites are layered, chewy, sticky, sweet, and dangerously addictive. They look fancy, but they’re surprisingly simple to make.
🍫 Minimal Baking, Maximum Melt‑and‑Spread
Although you do need to turn on the oven, the baking here is minimal — just long enough to set the coconut base so it holds together. After
that, it’s all melt‑and‑spread magic:
- Melt and spread the caramel.
- Melt and spread the chocolate.
- Chill.
- Slice into pop‑in‑your‑mouth squares.
That’s it. No candy thermometer. No complicated steps. Just layers of deliciousness that come together with very little fuss.
They’re the kind of treat that looks like you spent all afternoon making them… even though you didn’t.
🥥 The Recipe Chocolate Dipped Caramel Coconut Bites
These Chewy coconut bites are layered with soft caramel and finished with a smooth
chocolate coating on top. They have a toasted coconut texture, gooey caramel center , and
a rich chocolate finish.
Main Ingredients
• 2 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
• ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg white
For the Caramel Layer
• 1 cup soft caramels or caramel bits
• 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
For the Chocolate Topping
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil or butter
The coconut, caramel and chocolate base ready for cutting
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325° F and line an 8 X 8-inch pan with parchment paper
2. In a bowl, mix shredded coconut, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and
egg white until evenly combined
3. Press the coconut mixture firmly into pan and bake 18-22 minutes until slightly
golden around the edges and slightly toasted. Let cool.
4. Melt Caramels with heavy cream until smooth and thick. Then spread the caramel
over the cooled coconut base.
5. Chill for 20-30 minutes so the caramel firms up slightly
6. Melt chocolate chips with coconut oil or butter until smooth and glossy. Spread
chocolate over the caramel layer
7. Drizzle a little extra chocolate over the top for a bakery style finish.
8. Chill until fully set, then cut into small squares or bites.
Calories per square- 150
Variation
Add Almond halves or sliced almonds and drizzel with chocolate for a more Almond Joy Vibe. Just as yummy but with a crunch
🎁 A Sweet Little Mother’s Day Gift
If you want to turn these into a Mother’s Day gift, a cute little box makes all the difference. I found this floral “Mom Ever” box at Gift Lab — it’s the only decorative box they have right now, but it’s adorable and just the right size for a handful of these chocolate‑caramel coconut bites.
Gift Lab also has lots of other Mother’s Day‑friendly items: personalized gifts, photo keepsakes, and sweet little things that pair beautifully with a homemade treat. I’ll link the box and a few favorites below.
Even one small box filled with these pop‑in‑your‑mouth bites is enough to make Mom smile.
If chocolate, caramel, and coconut don’t say “I love you,” I don’t know what does.
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Note:
I discovered that if you don’t cut the squares right away (I didn’t), the chocolate gets pretty firm and makes next‑day slicing a bit of a challenge. That got me thinking: why not skip the pan altogether next time?
Try this variation:
Use a small scoop to portion the coconut mixture into little mounds, Place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Press a small indentation in the center, and bake as usual. Once cooled, spoon caramel into the indentation, press an almond on top, and dip the whole thing in melted chocolate. Same flavors, same layers — just in cute individual “Mounds” style bites. Basically a homemade Almond Joy.
I’m going to try this version next time. If any of you beat me to it, let me know how they turn out.
When Pop‑Ups Attack: Deborah’s Sanity Rules for Modern Tech
After surviving the Great Browser Meltdown of 2026 — Chrome gaslighting me, McAfee trying to “protect” me from itself, Comcast throwing a tantrum, and a printer that attempted to transcend this earthly plane — I thought the universe might give me a breather.
It did not.
Because just when I finally coaxed the printer back into the land of the living, HP Smart popped up again like a needy ex:
“Let me update your printer drivers!”
And I, with the confidence of a woman who has seen things, clicked NO.
Somewhere deep in the circuitry, I swear I heard a faint whisper:
“I’m sorry, Deborah. I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
HAL would be proud.
The Old Rules vs. The New Reality
Back when I was working, our IT people had one sacred commandment:
“Always take the updates or Windows will glitch.”
And honestly? They weren’t wrong.
Back then:
- Updates were tested
- Updates fixed things
- Updates were slow and predictable
- IT handled the fallout
But now?
Now we live in a world where everything updates itself constantly, aggressively, and usually at the worst possible moment. Printer drivers, browser extensions, “security helpers,” apps you didn’t even know you had — all of them popping up like overcaffeinated squirrels insisting they know what’s best for you.
The shift is real:
Then:
Updates = stability
Now:
Updates = chaos, drama, and a printer that refuses to print because it’s “thinking about it.”
The Over‑Helpful Pop‑Up Parade
Let’s review the cast of characters currently haunting my desktop:
- HP Smart: “Let me update your drivers!”
Me: “You’ve done enough damage.” - McAfee: “Chrome isn’t protected.”
Chrome: “I’m literally fine.” - Windows: “Restart to finish installing updates.”
Me: “I JUST sat down.” - Chrome/McAfee Setup Wizard: “Finish setting up your browser!”
Me: “No. Go sit in the corner and think about what you’ve done.”
It’s like living with a house full of toddlers who all learned the word “urgent.”
Deborah’s Sanity Rules for Surviving Modern Tech
Because clearly, the old rules no longer apply.
Rule #1: If your printer is working, never let it update. Ever.
Printers are like cats.
If they’re behaving, don’t touch anything.
Rule #2: If a popup sounds dramatic, it probably isn’t.
“Your browser is unprotected!”
Translation: “Install my extension so I feel important.”
Rule #3: If McAfee wants to ‘finish setting up Chrome,’ close the window and walk away.
Do not click Done.
Do not pass Go.
Do not let it hijack your search engine again.
Rule #4: Windows updates are fine — but only when you decide.
Not when you’re cooking.
Not when you’re printing a recipe.
Not when you’re finally relaxing with a cup of tea.
Rule #5: Anything that calls itself ‘Smart’ is lying.
Smart TVs, Smart Printers, Smart Apps…
If it were truly smart, it would leave you alone.
The Moral of the Story
Technology used to be a tool.
Now it’s a roommate with opinions.
But here’s the good news:
You don’t have to obey every popup that barges into your day like it pays rent.
You can say no.
You can ignore.
You can click the little X with the confidence of a woman who has rebooted a printer at 11 PM and lived to tell the tale.
And if your devices have recently tried to “help” you into a nervous breakdown, tell me everything. Misery loves company — and I know I’m not the only one being bossed around by my own printer.