
It’s hard to believe that anyone would pass up a decadent fudge, a mouthwatering donut or even a guilt-free dessert. But in reality, not everyone has a sweet tooth. Crazy, we know. But for those of us that do, sometimes we satisfy it a little too hard and wind up with a sugar-induced hangover (happens to the best of us, right?). Well, no matter what the situation or preferred taste, we’ve got you covered with these 20 savory twists on traditional sweets.
1. Ham and Egg Crepe Squares: Skip that stack of pancakes drowning in maple syrup and opt for a crepe filled with ham and egg. Not only is it more savory, but there’s also more protein (and calcium if you add cheese!). (via Kitchen Comments)
2. Apple Chard Pancetta Cheddar Bread Pudding: Say that 10 times fast! Use that leftover or almost-too-old-to-eat bread to concoct a bread pudding that’s packed with flavor and won’t upset the dentist. (via Bird and Cleaver)
3. Masala Biscuits: Empty cookie jar? Take that as an opportunity to introduce more spicy bites to your (now savory) sweets rotation. (via My Diverse Kitchen)
4. Lasagna Cupcakes: There’s no argument here: Everything is better in cupcake form. Especially when cheese and pasta are involved. Step aside, Crumbs. (Too soon?) (via Tablespoon)
5. Ginger Candy: A candy that will help settle an upset stomach? We’re sold. (via Sweet Savory Planet)
6. Baked Oatmeal Snack Bars: Fill your cookie void with an oatmeal bar that’s high in whole grains, fiber, dried fruit and spice. Here’s a tip: Heat them up before eating and enjoy with a schmear of cream cheese. (via Kath Eats)
7. Bacon Chocolate Bark: Super dark chocolate fits into our savory category when it’s sprinkled with bacon. Feel free to add a light dusting of salt, but just don’t forget a glass of water on the side. Or milk. (via Better Homes & Garden)
8. Parmesan Ice Cream With Prosciutto: This makes the ice cream sundae look like it’s having an identity crisis. And we wonder if it counts as both dinner and dessert… Yep. It does. (via Molecular Recipes)
9. Parmesan French Toast: Another savory take on a breakfast favorite, this french toast boasts cheese, mustard powder, garlic and hot sauce. No need to get the maple syrup. (via The Kitchn)
10. Goat Cheese Tarts With Leeks and Apricot Preserves: Trade in that puff pastry for a treat that offers the perfect balance between savory goodness (goat cheese, leeks) and natural sweetness (apricot). (via Blue Kitchen)
11. Pumpkin Poppers: When you see a donut hole, chances are you think chocolate, powdered or jelly. Enter its savory competitor: The pumpkin popper. (via Chasing Some Blue Sky)
12. Rosemary Olive Oil Cake: For your next birthday, opt for a baked treat that won’t leave you feeling (totally) guilty. A plus side to this rosemary olive oil cake? You can slice it and add a fried egg the next morning for breakfast. (via 101 Cookbooks)
13. Chipotle and Rosemary Spiced Nuts: Candied nuts? Not here. For this spicy and herbed edible, we went straight to the expert — and she delivered. (via Barefoot Contessa)
14. Grilled Watermelon Salad: Watermelon is sweet, but not in that I’m-going-to-be-sick sort of way. Especially when it’s grilled and topped with feta and onions. (via Verses From My Kitchen)
15. Avocado and Tomato Sorbet: There is something so refreshing about a bowl of just-out-of-the-freezer sorbet. Plus, there’s that guilt-free element that’s harder to find with ice cream. Throw in the vegetables and we’re declaring this sorbet healthy. (via Epicurious)
16. Szechuan Style Chicken Lollipop: How many licks does it take…? Don’t let these lollipops fool you — they’re spicy, they’re filling and they’re oh-so-dippable. (via Savory and Sweet Food)
17. Cheddar Apple Hand Pies: It’s like an adult pop tart. Turn your favorite childhood indulgence into the winning appetizer at your next dinner party. (via Desserts for Breakfast)
18. Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites: Tart cranberries + sugary sprinkles + rich brie + salty crackers = a dish that will satisfy both your sweet and savory cravings at once. Because for some of us, the sweet tooth just never shuts up. (via Yummy Mummy Kitchen)
19. Bacon Bourbon Pecan Pie: Traditional pecan pie is so sweet and indulgent, it’s hard to eat more than one bite. Offset the sickly sweetness with the saltiness of bacon and a little bite of bourbon. (via Fancy Food Fancy)
20. Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake: This veggie and ricotta-filled cheesecake will melt in your mouth just as much as its post-dinner alternative. (via 101 Cookbooks)
Have we brought out your savory tooth yet? What’s your favorite savory take on a traditional sweet? Talk to us below!
Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
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You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures