Truvia Natural Sweetener Review

Truvia Sweetener

I recently received a sample of Truvia sweetener from Crowdtap to review. Until receiving it I hadn't tried Truvia. The follow is my honest opinion of the product.

For those of you who aren't familiar with what Truvia is I'll explain. It's a natural, zero-calorie  sweetener made from the leaf of the stevia plant. The stevia plant has been used for generations in South America as a sweetener.

I gave this little natural treasure a try in my coffee. It's not too sweet, and doesn't have that off putting chemical after taste that some sweeteners have. Id have to say that in addition to being natural, and zero-calorie is a winning trifecta of sweetness.

They come in convenient single serve packets. Now I can take it with me where ever I go. No more using sub par sweeteners at my favorite coffee shops. Truvia, is also Kosher, gluten free, and diabetic friendly. Stick that in your pie and bake it.

So just whats in this little white packet of wonder?

• Erythritol - a sugar alcohol found naturally in various fruits such as grapes and melons.
• Stevia Leaf
• Natural Flavors

The holidays are upon us, and Truvia carries many great products. If you'd like a little recipe inspiration click HERE. As always stay sweet sugar critters. 

BzzAgent Kashi Hummus Crisp Review

Kashi Olive Oil & Sea Salt Hummus Crisp Review

Hello sugar critters as always I've got a sweet treat for you. Or I should say savory treat. I recently received the Kashi Hummus Crisp BzzCampaign compliments of BzzAgent. Kashi has released three flavors of Hummus Crisp:Sea Salt & Olive Oil, Caramelized Onion, Sundried Tomato, Basil & Feta. In my kit I received the following items.#GotItFree

BzzKit Contents:
1 Bag of Sea Salt & Olive Oil Hummus Crisp
5 $1.00 Of Coupons
1 Bzz Info Card

Personally I think these little crisp are perfect for snacking. Just as the name implies they are crisp, and flavorful. The best part is they aren't made with partially hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial ingredients. The base of the chip comes from chickpeas, which makes sense being that they are after all called hummus chips. You can't whip up a great batch of hummus without them. These wonderful little beans are known for great fiber content. Since these crisp are packed full of hummus goodness you can expect at least 5g of whole grain, 3g of fiber,and 3g of protein in each serving.

Now lets chew the fat or the lack there of. Normally in a snack chip the nutrition panel can be hard to swallow. These little guys aren't so bad. Total fat comes out to about 3.5g. A serving size is about 27 crisp, averaging about 120 calories per serving. Not terrible when you consider the average snack chip has about 10g of fat, a serving size of about 15 chips, and 160 calories per serving. Not to mention partially hydrogenated oils. 

I give the Sea Salt & Olive Oil Hummus Crisps an A+ for taste, texture, and packaging. I look forward to trying all three flavors. 

Check out these Crisp for yourself, just click here.
Kashi's FaceBook Page
Find out more on Twitter using #KashiHummusCrisps 

Mad & Mac Bath Review

Mad & Mac Bath Review

Hello my lovely Sugar critters. I want to start this blog out with an apology to the generous Desharri Bell of Mad & Mac Bath. I received a package of samples from her wonderful Etsy show a few weeks ago. Due to a heavy work load at my new job, and personal illness I have failed to post my review until now. I am terribly sorry for the delay. 

So my cookie crumbles lets dive into this sweet find!

Founder/Owner: Desharri D. Bell

Shop name/link: Mad & Mac Bath

Package Contents

• Midnight Cowgirl Bath Bomb - 8 to 9 oz (1)
• Blue Eyed Girl Bubble Bar (1)
• Sugared Spiced Oatmeal Goat Milk Soap Bar (1)
• Throwin' In The Towel Bath Bomb (1 sample size)
• Ice Cream Social - Goat Milk Glycerin Soap Bar (1 sample size)

I was pleasantly surprised with my package. I appreciated the chance to try out two full size products from her shop. Below I will list a break down of each product, and pictures so you can see how lovely they are.

Midnight Cowgirl Bath Bomb

Rating:

Average Price: $5-$4 *Subject to change by Shop Owner*

Size: Approximately 8 to 9 oz

Appearance

The actual bath bomb itself is gorgeous. I would describe it as a dusk blue with gold and silver shimmering glitter. I adored the way the bomb made the bath water look. I'll link a video below so you can see the starry wave on the water. Don't worry this beauty may be packed with glitter, but it won't leave you looking like you just lost a crafting fight to Martha Stewart. 

Scent

I was very pleased with the scent. It was soft, and relaxing much like the lovely color of the product.

Skin Rating: 

I'm happy to say that I had no issues with skin irritation with this product. I have sensitive skin so it's important to me to add this rating.

Blue Eyed Girl Bubble Bar

Rating:

Average Price: $5 *Subject to change by Shop Owner*

Size: Approximately 4oz

Appearance

This was my favorite item in the package. It was so adorable I hated to use it. It is a mixture of blues, and purple. Each color complimented each other nicely, and gave the bath water a beautiful blue hue. There were little purple rock candy decorations on top that really just made it pop. 

Scent

This product had a very unique feminine smell. My husband later asked me if I changed my perfume. He was impressed that it was the scent of the bubble bar. So I'd say this one ranks on the lists of must haves for cuddle time. 

Bubbles

Rating: 

I gave this a five due to the fact that it worked very well in my garden tub. Please keep in mind every tub is different. I used the entire bar....mainly because I'm a child trapped in a grown woman's body and wanted to build a darn bubble fort. Don't judge me everyone needs to be childish now and then. If you don't want a massive explosion of amazing bubbles I believe half of the bar would work very well. As I said before every ones tub is different. I have a large garden tub with very good water pressure. I found that as long as the water jet was on high it produced an amazing amount of bubbles. So if you have good water pressure, or jets I would expect more bubbles. Then again I could be completely wrong. I mean you are taking advice from a woman who gave herself a bubble beard, and listened to kpop while reviewing this product. 

Skin Rating: 

I wouldn't lie I thought this product was going to be the one to irritate my skin due to the different colors, and scent. I'm very happy to say I was incorrect. It didn't leave me itchy, or feeling like a slick baby seal that would never get rinsed clean again. It did leave my skin feeling fairly soft though, and that's always a plus.

Sugared Spiced Oatmeal Goat Milk Soap Bar
Rating 
Average Price: $5.00 *Subject to change by Shop Owner*
Size: Approximately 4 oz

Overall I give this product four and one half star. It has a lovely fragrance very similar to sticky buns, and very fall favorable in my opinion. Again this product was ascetically pleasing, the oat stacked top being a lovely touch. This bar left my skin soft, and smelling lovely.

Lather Rating: 
The only issue I ran into was the lather. It wasn't that there was a lack there of, but that it was thin. I did however find that if I used my exfoliating gloves I was able to work up a much nicer lather.

Skin Rating: 
My skin was in no way ill effected by this bar which is extremely pleasing.

Throwin' In The Towel Bath Bomb
Rating 
Average Price: $4.00 *Subject to change by Shop Owner*
Size: Approximately 8 to 9 oz

I found this bath bomb rather surprising to be honest. I did not have high hopes for it upon opening the packaging. Not because of looks or size, but rather smell. Which was deceiving until I immersed it in the bath. Up until which time I found it to be too strong of a scent. Once in the bath I was surprised at how the scent transformed. It was a lovely herb, eucalyptus laced scent. Not only did it boost my mood, but it helped open my tired achy sinuses. The only thing I was not truly found of in the end was getting out of the bath. I do however suggest that if you are not found of things such as: herbs/flowers/small bits floating in your tub that you consider one of the following suggestions rather that forgo buying bombs containing such items.

1) Place the bath bomb in a knee high or trimmed stocking and hang from your tubs water spout. This will allow the bomb to dissolve, but contain the small items.

2) The more patient route would be to use a strainer with very fine mesh. You may either crush the bath bomb in said strainer or leave it whole. Hold under running water, but do not allow to over flow. This will contain the small items while allowing the bomb to dissolve.

Skin Rating: 
Very happy to report that this bath bomb left my skin soft, and free of injury.

Ice Cream Social - Goat Milk Glycerin Soap Bar
Rating 
Average Price: $5.00 *Subject to change by Shop Owner*
Size: Approximately 6 oz

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream soap!? That's right not only is it named after a wonderful dairy treat, but it lives up to being just as sweet. The scent is soft, and dreamy of citrus and cream. It left my skin feeling very clean as well. Not to mention it's just darn cute!

Lather Rating: 
This soap had a wonderful rich, and smooth lather. Easily workable, and clean rinsing.

Skin Rating: 
Once again I'm pleased to say I found no signs of irritation after using this product.

Notes *
Please note that these are my honest opinions of these products. I was not paid for my opinion or review. I would also like to note that my skin ratings were based on healthy non injured skin. If you find that you have skin issues such as eczema, psoriasis, or other dermatitis you may want to ask the shop owner if products contain irritants that you know conflict with your skin. Be responsible and check the ingredients listing on most Etsy shops items. Also don't forget to check in regularly to see if her shop has updated.

As always my sweet candy people chase those sweet deals. Until the next sweet treat may your dreams be sweet. 

Purex Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets

Regrettably this blog post is extremely late. I did however have the chance to try Purex, Fabric softener sheets recently. I received a 40 count box of Mountain Breeze compliments of Purex, as well as three coupons for a free box of dryer sheets. Since I already had a box for myself I gave all three coupons to women I know locally.

 The dryer sheets claim to:

• Add freshness and Softness throughout your household
• Reduce static cling
• Repel pet hair and lint

I noticed that these dryer sheets:

• Repelled cat hair very well. My husband has a Mainecoon, as a service pet, and his long hair gets every where.
• Reduced static cling within reason. I don't find my long skirts sticking to themselves nearly as often as I did before. 
• As far as adding freshness throughout your entire house I'd say it's more like the scent ran ramped through the house. That may have been my fault. The box instructs that if you are doing a large load you may want to add an additional sheet. However the scent of these dryer sheets is a bit stronger than most in my opinion. Until you are sure you might want to stick with one.
• Reasonably priced 
• Made my clothes very soft

Places you might consider stashing them:

• Sock drawer 
• Trash pail
• Gym bag
• Running shoes

Overall I'd rate these sheets with a four out of five stars. I think I'll try Sweet Lavender next, which may very well bring them up to a five. I like this product, and I'll continue to use it. 

Keeping our towels soft, and fresh.

SugarCritter Mini Giveaway!

Things have been busy lately, and I know I've been flooding you all with Purex Giveaways. Here's the thing Purex, has provided me with the opportunity to host a mini giveaway for my readers. Upon the completion of the giveaway I'll provide them with your contact information, and they will mail you your prize.

I know I know get on with the prize details. As you more than likely guessed from the picture one lucky winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card compliments of Purex. There are a few rules designated by Purex, that you must follow in order to be eligible. 

• Please share the following unique URL for the 31 Days of Fun Sweepstakes on your social media pages such as FaceBook or Twitter.  https://www.facebook.com/purex/app_1397573007126622 
• Please comment below to confirm you have shared, and include the number of followers you've shared with. 

Thank you so much for being patient with me, and I wish you all the best of luck. This giveaway will be open through the following dates: August 12th - August 20th at 12am. I will post the winner within 48 hours of the giveaways end. I've tried to provide several ways to enter as well as the mandatory entries.  

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Little Tikes $1,000 Gift Code giveaway!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello SugarCritters, I've got another great giveaway for you compliments of Purex, and LittleTikes.com. They're teaming up to provide one lucky winner with a $1,000 gift code redeemable at LittleTikes. That's not all the winner will also receive a years supply of Purex Laundry detergent! 

Your little one could win a grand in great toys, and you won't even have to shell out the money to keep those play clothes clean, and bright.  Not to mention all those new school clothes you just invested in. So lets all have some clean fun, and enter to win! 

This giveaway will be active during the following dates: August 5th-August 30th, 2013.

Purex 31 Days of Fun Sweepstakes

Hello my super sweet Sugar Critters! I have a treat for you this month. That's right this "month". All month long Purex, is hosting a sweepstakes. The 31 Days of Fun Sweepstakes has officially launched! 

Please excuse this post being a day late because I promise we haven't come up a dollar short. I've had health issues, but I'm back on my feet, and I want to get this ball rolling. Everyday for the rest of August you will have a chance to win amazing prizes. "EVERYDAY!" 

There are a few rules I need you lovely ladies and gents to follow. #1 The most important thing to remember is this giveaway is only open to fans of the Purex Facebook Page . #2 Enter Here to Win! #3 Share the sugar rush with your friends. 

I've posted the prize calendar for you below. Make sure to note the days of your favorite prizes so you don't miss out. Feel free to comment, and tell me what your favorite prizes are below. A few of my favorites are the Canon Powershot Camera, Gazebo & Patio Set, An Acer Laptop, and the $300 for Back to School. 

That's not the end of the fun my cookie crumbles. I'll be hosting a separate mini giveaway thanks to Purex. More details to follow soon. 

w1a0x1r6

Vera Bradley Handbag and Wallet Set Giveaway

Welcome to the Vera Bradley Handbag and Wallet Set Giveaway!

One lucky winner will receive a brand new, authentic Vera Bradley Squared Away Handbag and Euro Wallet Set courtesy of Giveaway Promote.

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Vera Bradley Squared Away Handbag

Attention all handbag fans… have we got a bag for you! With rounded corners, a zip-around closure and a large interior, this is everything you love in a bowler with longer straps, a larger base and bigger pockets. Squared Away is the perfect bag for the modern, organized woman. Measures 15¼" x 9¾" x 4½" with 12" strap drop. - Vera Bradley

Vera Bradley Euro Wallet

A sleek, modern design includes eight handy card slots. Very continental, it features an expanded bill compartment that fits euro currency. Outside, there's a double snap closure and a zippered back pocket. Measures 5½" x 4¼". - Vera Bradley

The Vera Bradley Squared Away Handbag and Euro Wallet are both in the Boysenberry pattern, as pictured.

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Enter to win a Vera Bradley Handbag and Wallet Set.

Complete the tasks below to earn entries into this giveaway.

Refer your friends using your unique link to earn even more chances to win.

Open in the United States.

Ends at 11:59pm EST on August 11th, 2013.

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This giveaway was coordinated by Giveaway Promote.

If you're a blogger and would like to participate in a future giveaway event like this one, sign up for Giveaway Promote's weekly giveaway events newsletter.

Dail $65K Giveaway

Hello Sugar Critters, I have a giveaway to share with you. Dial is celebrating their 65th birthday, and hosting the $65K gold giveaway. Enter daily for a chance to win a years supply of their scrumptious smelling body wash or the grand prize of $65k! 

 As an extra perk of being an Purex Insider I was given a unique entry url, and five coupons for a Free bottle of Dial body wash. I used one coupon myself so I could become more familiar with their product. I love the coconut water scent! It left my skin feeling soft, and clean. Not to mention smelling super sweet! I'll be using Rafflecopter to give the last four coupons away. One of the ways to win is to enter the Dial $65K Giveaway. I've also asked that you please  follow my page on FaceBook. You'll have the added benefit of knowing about all the great freebies I find on a day to day basis

If you enter and win a prize feel free to share on my FB page. I'd love to hear about what you think of Dial, and Purex products. The raffle ends on 07/27/13, and I'll pick four random winners on the 28th. Good luck!

Enter Here!!
http://insiders.purex.com/Dial65KGoldGiveaway?id=342

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$200 Toys R Us Gift Card or Cash Via PapyPal Giveaway

Welcome to the $200 Toys R Us Gift Card Giveaway!

Hosted by Giveaway Promote.

Sponsored by author Carole P. Roman.

Carole P. Roman takes you on a another journey, this time to Asia, landing in South Korea.

Once again, children can learn how life is like for young people on the other side of the globe. From food to famous landmarks, they will learn that's it's easy to find something in common with people in different countries.

This is the third book in the series, and we'd like to celebrate with a giveaway! One winner will receive a $200 Toys R Us Gift Card and a set of Carole P. Roman's cultural books.

The series includes:

• If you were me and lived in... Mexico: A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World.
• If you were me and lived in... France: A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World.
• If you were me and lived in... South Korea: A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World.

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Enter to win a $200 Toys R Us Gift Card and a copy of the "If you were me and lived in…" series

Complete the tasks below to earn entries into this giveaway.

Refer your friends using your unique link at the top of the Rafflecopter for even more chances to win.

One winner will be chosen at random from all valid entries.

Open in the United States.

Ends at 11:59pm EST on July 9th, 2013.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bloggers, if you'd like to participate in a giveaway event like this one, sign up for Giveaway Promote's weekly giveaway events newsletter.

Sugar 'n Spice VoxBox Review

 Sugar 'n Spice VoxBox  Review

Hello again Sugar Critters, this may turn out to be a fairly long post. I was fortunate enough to receive the Sugar 'n Spice VoxBox compliments of influenster.com. If you aren't familiar with who they are you should defiantly go check check out my original post about influenster VoxBox. I'll do a brief break down of each item, and give you their social media links to help gain more information about each. 

Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer Total Moisture:

• Item size 6.5 oz can, Price value of $7.99. 
• @VaselineBrand #SprayandGo

I was impressed with this product. It was very easy to apply, and absorbed quickly. It left no residue to ruin my favorite blouses or make my skin slick. It had a pleasant smell, and left my skin soft and well moisturized.

Rating A+

Nectresse

• Item size 5.9 oz, 140 servings, serving size 1/4 tsp, zero calories per serving, 1g of sugar per serving.
• Price value of $6.99
• One recipe booklet
• #NECTRESSE

I enjoyed this sweetner. It's made by Splenda and is made from Monk fruit. I enjoyed using this product implace of sugar in my baking. I have posted one of my favorite recipes meringue-cookies-with-nectresse.  

Rating A+

Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Oil Controlling Towelettes:

•  Item size 20-count Box, Price value of $5.99
• Five Coupons to save $2.00 off a Dickinson's Product
• #DickinsonsWitchHazel

I wanted to be fair with this review. I saw so many positive reviews that I almost feel bad for admitting I am very displeased with it. I gave the towelettes several tries, in different situations. I used them before bed, after workouts, any time my face really needed refreshing. I did not however over use the product. I did experience an over abundance of oil production on my face. My skin is very picky, and this product is just not for me. I have never been prone to blemishes, but this product caused such an over production of oil that I had the worst break out of my life. I will not be purchasing it again. I am happy that I seem to be a very rare case in this situation. If you have normal, to dry skin perhaps this product could work well for you. I would cation anyone who has tricky skin issues to avoid it. 

Rating F

Colgate Optic White Regimen:

• Toothpaste, item size 4 oz, Price value of $2.99
• Mouthwash, item size 8 oz, Price value of $2.99
• Toothbrush, quantity 1, Price value of $2.99
• @OpticWhite #BrillantSmile

I was skeptical at first after reading that using these items together would give me a whiter smile in just five days. It did in fact take much longer. I am pleased to say that this regimen has given me a brighter, whiter, healthier looking smile in three weeks. I prefer the toothbrush over my electric spin brush hands down. It leaves my teeth with a dentist clean feeling. I'll continue to purchase this trio, and enjoy the bright smile it gives me. 

Rating A+

belVita Breakfast Biscuits:

• Item size for trial, one package of four biscuits
• Full size item equal to five packages of four biscuits
• Price value of full size item $3.69
• @belVita #BreakfastBiscuit

I love this biscuits, they make a great on the go breakfast. I exercise every morning, and it's important to eat before working out to ensure your body doesn't make a meal of your important lean muscle. These biscuits ensure that on those mornings I'm in a rush I still get that important meal in. They left me feeling full, and satisfied. I've purchased more since receiving my trial package, and will continue to do so.

Rating A+

As you can see this was a fantastic VoxBox. I was very pleased over all with the products I received, and look forward to more chances to review for Influenster. You ladies keep chasing those great deals, and I'll keep sharing my finds. 

Colgate Optic White Review

Colgate Optic White Review

Hello again, today I have a review on Colgate Optic White products that I received compliments of influenster.com. I'm going to try and make this a brief review due to the amount of posts I've made on behalf of my Influenster reviews this week.

Items received:

• COW Toothpaste 4 oz, Price value of $2.99
• COW Mouthwash 8 oz, Price value of $2.99
• COW 360 Toothbrush, quantity 1, Price value of $2.99

All three items are suggested for combined use. It promises whiter teeth in as little as five days. I won't say my teeth were very noticeable whiter in that time frame. I've used this product for three weeks now, and there is a very noticeable change. I've had dental issues, and I'm an ex smoker. These things combined left me with a couple of stubborn stains that my normal dental routine hadn't corrected as of yet. With the Colgate Optic White Trio I'm happy to say I'm stain free. My favorite of the trio was the 360 toothbrush. I normally use an electric spin brush. I found the COW brush to do a much better job. It left my teeth feeling dentist clean. My biggest dislike was the mouthwash. Not because it didn't work well, but because of the initial discomfort. After multiple uses the unpleasant sensation it caused did subside however.I would give this an over all rating of an A+. I'll continue to use these products, and enjoy the brighter smile they give me.

Learn more about this product here or read reviews from other influensters here. 

Until the next sweet deal, I'll leave you to chase them on your own.

Meringue Cookies with Nectresse

NECTRESSE Recipe: Meringue Cookies

Hello Sugar Critters, I wanted to get extra sweet with you today and share my Nectresse sweetner recipe. Aren't my meringue cookies just adorable? Okay I'll stop fishing for compliments and get down to business. I received this product compliments of influenster.com. You can learn more about it at nectresse.com/faq , or see what other influensters had to say here.

What you'll need:

• 3/4 cup Nectresse
• 3 large Egg whites
• 1/4 tsp Cream of tartar 
• Measuring cup
• Vanilla Extract or Flavored extracts (optional)
• Whisk or Electric beater
• Large bowl
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper or Aluminum foil
• Timer
• Air tight storage containers

Cooking Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F
• Bake for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours

Meringue Cookies are made with three ingredients: beaten egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar. To ensure the egg whites reach maximum volume, have your mixing bowl and wire whisk clean and free of grease. It is easier to separate your eggs while they are cold. Once separated, cover the egg whites and let them come to room temperature before using (about 30 minutes). Cover and refrigerate the egg yolks for another use. Superfine sugar makes the best meringues as it dissolves quickly and easily into the beaten egg whites. This makes nectresse a perfect substitute in my opinion. You'll need 3/4 cups of nectresse or 3 tablespoons equivalent to 18 packets.


There are a few things to keep in mind when making meringue cookies. The standard ratio when making hard meringues is 1/4 cup of  sugar for every egg white. This amount of sugar is needed to give the meringue its crispness. Adding the sugar gradually to the egg whites ensures that the sugar completely dissolves and does not produce a gritty meringue. Cream of tartar is used in the whipping of egg whites to stabilize them and allows them to reach maximum volume. Also, it is a good idea to use parchment paper or aluminum foil to line your baking sheets, not wax paper, as the meringue will sometimes stick to wax paper.

Baking the meringues in a slow oven allows for gradual evaporation of the moisture from the meringues.  If the oven temperature is too high, the outside of the meringue will dry and set too quickly. You will also notice that the outside of the meringue separates from the inside. Another indicator that your oven is too high is when the meringue starts to brown which causes the sugar to caramelize. If this happens, lower the temperature about 25 degrees F. If you decide to make meringues on a rainy or humid day, you will probably have to bake the meringues longer (could be up to 30 minutes more) than on a dry day. This is much like the process of making Divinity. It's not as easy during these conditions, but not impossible. Lastly, to prevent cracking of the meringues, do not open the oven door during the first half of the baking time.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F  and place the rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. You can form the cookies with a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, or  just use two spoons to make the cookies.


In the bowl , beat the egg whites on low-medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat the whites until they hold soft peaks. Add the sugar, a little at a time, and continue to beat, on medium-high speed, until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Note: The meringue is done when it holds stiff peaks and when you rub a little between your thumb and index finger it does not feel gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers.

Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a tip. Pipe meringue rounds in rows on the prepared baking sheet. Or spoon mounds of meringue, using two spoons, onto the prepared sheets.

Bake the meringues for approximately 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, rotating the baking sheet from front to back (about half way through) to ensure even baking. The meringues are done when they are pale in color and fairly crisp. (The meringues will release easily from the parchment paper.) Turn off the oven, open the door a crack, and leave the meringues in the oven to finish drying several hours or overnight. The meringues can be covered and stored at room temperature for several days.

Doubled Meringues

Cherry extract, and red coloring

Plain white meringue with caramel extract.

Example of cooking at proper heat level.

Example of cooking while heat is too high.

My choice of optional items.