DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   An inspired marriage of two Southern favorites in one dessert, this velvety-rich cheesecake is spiked with cocoa and baked in a dark chocolate crust.  If you love both red velvet cake and cheeescake, this recipe is for you. A red velvet filling is spiked with cocoa, topped with a creamy cheesecake layer, and baked in a dark chocolate crust–making a wickedly-delicious combination. Ingredients 1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 4 large eggs, lightly beaten 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup whole buttermilk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar 2 (1-ounce) bottles red food coloring 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup butter, softened 2 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Garnish: fresh min

    Perhaps the most cheerful holiday in Russia is Maslenitsa (Shrovetide). This holiday is considered to come from pre-Christian times, when the Slavs were still pagans. In the old days, Maslenitsa was for remembrance of the dead. So the burning of the figure of Maslenitsa means her funeral, and blini (pancakes)- coliphia . But with time, the Russians longing for fun and entertainment turned the sad holiday into jolly. Maslenitsa with blini-rounds, yellow and hot as the sun, sledding and horse sleigh's, fistfights and visiting with your mother-in-law . The rituals of Maslenitsa are very unusual and interesting because they combine the end of the winter holiday rituals and the opening of new spring festivals and ceremonies, which were used to promote a rich harvest.       Maslenitsa is celebrated during the week preceding Lent. Every day of Maslenitsa was devoted to special rituals. Monday     On Monday, Maslenitsa was welcomed. On this day people made th

    I know there are thousands, if not millions of chocolate lovers out there. I happen to be one of those people and have tried several different chocolate treats in my lifetime. So what do I consider to be the top chocolate treats? I find that there are several different chocolate treat categories and there are treats in each category that are better than the rest. This article will stick to foods you can buy in almost any grocery store. These chocolate treats are low in price but high in taste. Candy bars: We've all tried several varieties of this chocolate treat, but which ones are the best? Throughout my life, my tastes have changed and I've had several different favorites. My favorites lean now to either the milky way bar , with it's chocolate and caramel, or a nice big snickers bar, with the chocolate and caramel and a little dose of peanuts to go with it. Ice Cream: Let's face it, just plain old chocolate ice cream is wonderful. It&