Peanut Brittle

 Peanut Brittle

- House of Nash Eats

2 c sugar
1 c corn syrup

1/2 c water

1/2 t salt

1/2 c salted butter, cubed

2 1/2 c salted roasted peanuts

1 T vanilla extract

1 t baking soda

• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (or butter).
• In a heavy-bottomed pan, combine sugar, corn syrup, water and salt.
• Cook, stirring frequently, until it reaches 280 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
• Add butter and peanuts, and continue to cook for approx 7-10 minutes, stirring constantly, until it reaches 300 degrees F.
• When it reaches 300 degrees F, remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda, stirring vigorously to combine. 
• Immediately pour into the prepared baking sheet, spreading as thin as you can/ to the edges.
• Let it cool. Break into pieces. 

Can be frozen. Otherwise, keeps in an airtight container at room temperature about 1 week. 

I like to line a candy tin with parchment paper to store. 

Caramels

 Caramels

- All Recipes 

I make these every Christmas. They are a great addition to a cookie tray.

• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  2 cups white sugar
  1 cup packed brown sugar
  1 cup butter
  1 cup corn syrup
  1 cup evaporated milk 
  1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
• Grease 12x15 inch pan. Attach a candy thermometer to a medium pot.
• Put the whipping cream, sugars, butter, corn syrup and evaporated milk into the pot. Over medium heat, stir until it reaches 250 degrees F. Remove pot from the heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour into greased pan. Let cool completely. Cut into small squares. Wrap in waxed paper.
• I usually put these in a ziplock bag into the deep freeze until it is time to package as gifts or put in a tin for enjoying.
• Yield 60 caramels.
• 
  

Party Mix

 Party Mix

- Ree Drummond (with a couple of additions)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. 

I melt the butter on low in a small saucepan and measure the other spices into the saucepan while the butter is melting:

1 stick (8 T) salted butter, melted

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon seasoned salt, such as Lawry's

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

6 to 12 dashes hot sauce. I use Cholula

3 to 5 cloves minced garlic

Meanwhile, into a large roasting pan, measure out the following:

3 cups Corn Chex

3 cups Wheat Chex

3 cups Rice Chex

2 cups thin & salty pretzel sticks

2 cups mixed nuts

2 cups rye crisps

2 - 3 cups Bugles

When the butter is melted, add the spice/butter mix into the cereal/ snack mix. Mix well.

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. 

Cool completely then store in an airtight container. 

Molasses Crinkles

 Molasses Crinkles

- Jan & Lisa Diller

 Blend

3/4 c butter, softened

1 c sugar

1 egg

1/4 c molasses

Add (don't overmix)

2 c all-purpose flour

2 t baking soda

1 T ground ginger

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

1/2 t ground cloves

Roll into balls and then roll in sugar. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Don't overbake. Cool on cooling rack. These freeze well!

Decorated Sugar Cookies

Why the crazy blogging spree yesterday? Well, we made sugar cookies during Thanksgiving break. You know, the get out all of the sprinkles and let the kids play kind of cookie day.
These were easy and so delicious. I wanted to blog the recipe combination to make sure I don't forget. Because these are keepers! But, then I realized that I was more than 6 months behind. Oops. So, basically there were about 37 posts which were photo dumps. But I feel better. And now, to the reason I came here...

There are lots of great sugar cookie recipes. I love a good lofthouse-style cookie that is super soft with over sweet frosting. However, this cookie is a nicely balanced butter cookie, from King Arthur Flour. I've made it lots of times before. It is excellent with the traditional buttercream frosting, rolled in sugar or just plain. We made this batch with this cream-cheese frosting from Averie Cooks. It is not super sweet like many sugar cookies, and I really like it. Like, I can't stop eating them. Therefore, I have to keep them in the freezer. Because, seriously, I.Can't.Stop.Eating.Them.

Here's the recipe:

Sugar Cookie - King Arthur Flour

3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
1/4 cup cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 large egg

1. Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar. 
2. Beat in vanilla and almond extracts, and the egg.
3. Add in dry ingredients, mixing at low speed just until evenly combined.
3. Place dough in a plastic bag, form into a disc and refrigerate an hour before rolling and cutting. 
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes, until starts to turn golden brown at the edges. 
Makes 6 dozen 2" cookies.

Cream Cheese Frosting - Averie Cooks

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup (half stick) butter, softened

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt 

Beat cream cheese and butter. Beat in powdered sugar and salt. 

Fudge

A couple of years ago, a coworker brought some fudge to share. It was delicious. I couldn't stay out of it. I didn't forget about it, and finally got the recipe and made it myself. I just love this recipe!

The fudge is pictured in the center.

On the left are Black Bottom Brownies and on the right are Samoa's. For the Samoa's, I used this caramel recipe in place of the packaged caramels the original recipe calls for. Next time, I'll look for a more sturdy shortbread as this crumbled off very easily. Anyway, onto the fudge!
Fudge

-Carol Abrahams

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 can evaporated milk
4 1/2 cups sugar
18 large marshmallows
8 oz Hershey Chocolate (I used a combination of Special Dark and Milk
  Chocolate)

12 oz Chocolate Chips (I used Nestle semisweet chips)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups chopped nuts (I don't like fudge with nuts, so I didn't use this)

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Stir in evaporated milk and sugar. Over low heat, bring to a low boil for 10 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, add sugar mixture to marshmallows.  Stir until dissolved. Add Hershey chocolate and chocolate chips  slowly, stirring well until the mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Add nuts, if desired.

Pour into a pan lined with wax paper. (I used an 8"x11.5" casserole).

Cool until solid and turn out onto a cutting board. Remove wax paper and cut into pieces.

Chocolate Covered Turtles

Christmas is the time for candy making. I have a few recipes on my go-to list, but I have a lot more recipe testing to do. After making 3 different batches of Turtles before Christmas this year, I felt like I needed to wait to try this recipe. I'm glad I tried them. This is my new go-to Turtle recipe...I'm adding it to my list of candy-making musts for next Christmas. If I can hide them, they may last until Valentine's Day.

Chocolate Covered Turtles

-Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

4 tablespoons butter, cut up, plus more for pans

3/4 pound pecan halves (about 3 1/2 cups), toasted (Preheat oven to 350
   degrees. Spread pecans on a cookie sheet. Put in oven for 5-10 minutes,
   or until the pecans become aromatic. Be careful not to let them scorch).
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

Directions

Generously butter 2 baking sheets.
On the baking sheets, arrange 2 pecan halves together, leaving 2 inches of space between each cluster.

In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the evaporated milk, the corn syrup, and sugar and bring to a boil. Add the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk and the 4 tablespoons butter, and cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches the soft ball stage, 240 degrees F. (Use a candy thermometer - you want to be precise). Remove from heat immediately, and stir in the vanilla.

Working quickly and carefully, use a tablespoon, (I used a cookie scoop), and spoon caramel on top of each nut cluster and let harden. (If the caramel becomes too stiff to pour, return to low heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until it returns to the proper consistency).

To make the chocolate coating, heat in the microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir. Return for 15-30 seconds and stir, repeating until chocolate is melted, but is cool to the touch. Be careful not to overheat or scorch.

Drizzle about 1/2 tablespoon of tempered chocolate over each cluster. Chill to harden. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, with waxed paper separating the layers to prevent sticking. Or you may freeze the turtles if you will store them longer.


Makes approximately 70 turtles.

White Chocolate Cinnamon Pretzels

I have a recipe to add to your holiday baking list. I saw it on Pinterest and made it this weekend. It's super easy. So easy, in fact, it's almost embarrassing. And, it doesn't take many ingredients. It's sweet, salty and crunchy. Addictive and delicious.

White Chocolate Cinnamon Pretzels

Ingredients:
1 bag of pretzels (16-18 oz)
2/3 cup oil
1/3 cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup cinnamon sugar for sprinkling
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, and cinnamon.
2. Pour pretzels into oil mixture. Stir until coated.
3. Microwave for 1 minute, remove and stir. Microwave 45 seconds more.
4. Spread pretzels evenly onto two cookie sheets.
5. While still warm, sprinkle cinnamon sugar generously.
6. Melt white chocolate (on low heat, be careful not to burn) and drizzle over cooled pretzels.
7. Store in an airtight container.

Almond Toffee

Now that we are on winter break, I have been in the mood for Christmas baking and treat making. I enjoyed trying all new recipes (to me) this year - peppermint meltaways, surprise crinkles, peanut brittle, chocolate caramel pecan bars, butter pecan fudge, and almond toffee (like a Heath bar). Probably the simplest and my favorite is the almond toffee. I didn't intend to make it originally, but found I had enough leftover ingredients to make it. It's probably a good thing that I didn't know before now how easy this is to make!

Almond Toffee - From Women of Great Taste
1 cup butter (no substitute)
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted
1 bar (7 ounces) milk chocolate
1/2-3/4 cup finely chopped almonds, toasted

Generously spray or butter a half-sheet cake pan. In a heavy saucepan over medium high heat cook butter, sugar, salt, water and corn syrup to hard crack stage (290 degrees) stirring constantly (I stirred frequently, not constantly) with a wooden spoon. Immediately remove from heat and stir in almonds. Pour into prepared pan and spread mixture to the edges. Cool for at least a few minutes. Microwave chocolate until melted. Spread over toffee and sprinkle with remaining almonds. Chill for one hour. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Makes 2 1/2 pounds

Double Chocolate Dream Cookies

I made these cookies for the first time this week. The recipe is from my Nestle best-loved cookies cookbook. I made them because of Tyler's request for a "chocolate-chocolate cookie."

Double Chocolate Dream Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened (I used margarine)
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz pkg) Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs for about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are puffed. Cool on baking sheets for 3 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Tyler declared that they were very good, but especially good with "a bite of cookie, then a drink of milk, then another bite of cookie." I will definitely make these gooey, chocolaty cookies again!

I have some new recipes to try this week, so I may have more recipes on the way...

Snickerdoodles

In college, my friend, Lisa, gave me her mother's recipe for Snickerdoodles. This is a great go-to recipe that I can rely on when I don't want to have to go to the store. And, we all like them! We are planning a camping trip for next weekend, assuming the weather cooperates, so I decided to make cookies to take along.

Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla (recipe doesn't call for it, but I add it)
2 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbs sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon (I double) for rolling cookies

Mix margarine, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Blend into margarine mixture. Shape into balls (I use my size 60 scoop - about a tablespoon) and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes (I usually need 11-12 minutes). Allow to cool on pan for 2 minutes then move to cooling rack. Makes 5 dozen.