Toffee

I do a freaking TON of baking.
Like, my family would weigh a million pounds if we really ate everything I make.
More often than not, I will leave a couple pieces of whatever at home, and then bring the rest to work to share.

My friend at work is always so disappointed. He has a wicked sweet tooth, but allergies have snuck up on him over the years. Wheat and almond. Craziness. There is a laundry list a mile long that he cannot eat...which includes most of the goodies I bring in.

Checked the corn syrup, and it is gluten free!
In fact, this whole recipe is!!

I brought him a container of it. Without even opening it, he was like, "thanks,wife and kids will appreciate it". Hello! Open and check it out!
He was sooooo excited!!

It really is the little things in life!

Ingredients:

1 Cup sugar

1 Cup butter

1 Tbsp light corn syrup

¼ Cup water

1 Cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Lightly grease a baking sheet

2. Bring sugar, butter, corn syrup, and water to a boil

3. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is golden brown and the candy thermometer reads 300 or hard crack

4. Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet

5. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and let them stand for a minute until they begin to melt

6. Spread melted chips evenly over the top

7. Chill for an hour and break into pieces

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Come party with me HERE!

Coffee Marshmallows

My mother's cousin is a good friend of mine. I truly love how my family members are more like friends than relatives.
She lives in state, but just far enough away that when she comes to visit, an overnight is in order.

She was down a couple of weekends ago, we had a fun "field trip" and then she spent the night.
The next morning, she was watching TV with hubby while I was puttering in the kitchen. She said "whatcha doing". When I said "making coffee marshmallows" she was in the kitchen in a flash!

Together we made these from A Cozy Kitchen.
Sadly, she had to go home before they were done chilling.

The next day, I cut them all up and packaged some for her.
I searched the house for a box to fit the container (no luck) so I brought it to work. Yeah, no luck there either!
The office manager and I managed to find a box that plastic silverware came in that was the right height. I spent some time being crafty, cutting it down to fit.
Whew!

Mailed them out (love me some click and ship!) and kept it a secret.
A couple days later I got a text message "OMG this is just sooooo good". Package had arrived safe and sound...and made cousin a very happy camper!

She now wants to play around with different flavors. I'm in!

Ingredients:

Prep:

½ Cup powdered sugar

½ Cup cornstarch

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

Vegetable oil

Marshmallows:

¾ Cup warm water

1 Tbsp instant espresso granules

3 Envelopes gelatin

1 ½ Cups sugar

1 Cup light corn syrup

½ Tsp salt

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

2 Tsp vanilla extract

Vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Prep ingredients: sift the dry ingredients together. Grease a 10 x 8 casserole dish with the vegetable oil. Add a tsp or two of the cocoa mixture, sprinkled over the prepared dish.

2. Combine ½ cup warm water and instant espresso granules

3. Whisk until granules are dissolved. Put in fridge to cool.

4. Pour cooled espresso into a large bowl (stand mixer preferred, but a hand mixer does work)

5. Sprinkle gelatin over the coffee mixture and let sit for 10 minutes

6. In medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, salt, and ¼ cup water.

7. Heat over medium heat until sugar has dissolved

8. Turn the heat up to medium high and bring mixture to a boil

9. Cook for one minute, until the candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees

10. Carefully add boiling liquid to the gelatin.

11. Turn mixer to high and beat for 8-10 minutes, until mixture has doubled in volume and holds stiff peaks

12. Sift in the cocoa powder and pour in vanilla

13. Beat until incorporated

14. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish

15. Dust the top with a few tablespoons of cocoa powder/sugar mixture

16. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and allow to set until firm. Minimum 4 hours, preferably overnight

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Come party with me HERE!

Peanut Butter Cookie Cheesecake Bars

Hubby dearest was going to hang out with some of his friends and watch some sporting event...I don't think it matters which one...they are guys, they will watch ANY sport. They also like to watch the replays...over and over and over.

Caveman time, oops, I mean "guy time" is important. They don't gather without the wives very often, so it's good for the soul

The girl child and I look forward to it, we get to just BE!

My mother always taught me never to go somewhere empty handed, I assume that means even when it's not me that is going.
Knew this would be a guy pleasing dessert. I have yet to meet a guy who didn't have some sort of ingrained soft spot for anything involving peanut butter.

When hubby came home, he said that the host was going nuts over this dessert. In the meantime, the host's wife came home from work and tried one and sent me a text. All it said was "OMG can I say yummmmmm". I assumed she meant these bars, considering it was all I sent.

Try them, you will be glad you did.

Ingredients:

1 Cup peanut butter

½ + ¼ Cup granulated sugar, divided

½ Cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 Eggs

¼ Cup sour cream

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

¾ Cup chocolate chips

½ Cup Reese’s Pieces

Directions:

1. Line a 9x9 baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

2. Preheat oven to 350

3. Mix peanut butter, ½ cup sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and one egg in a large bowl.

4. Press into the bottom if your prepared pan

5. Sprinkle chocolate chips over peanut butter layer

6. Beat cream cheese, sour cream, 1 egg, and ¼ cup sugar.

7. Beat on high with hand mixer, trying to remove as many lumps as possible

8. Pour cheesecake mixture on top of chocolate chips and spread to coat evenly

9. Sprinkle with Reese’s Pieces.

10. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the top just begins to brown (center will still wiggle a little)

11. Cool for an hour, and then place in fridge for 4 hours.

12. Slice into bars and serve.

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Make sure the cream cheese and sour cream are at room temperature

I had saved a piece at home for the girl child and I. One was not enough!

This recipe shared on The Lady Behind the Curtain, Sugar and Dots, Buns in my Oven, The Tasty Fork, Tumbleweed Contessa, and Mandy's Recipe Box

Chunky Chocolate Gobs

I was browsing on myrecipes.com and the name of this caught my eye.
Anything called a chocolate gob HAS to be good!
I adapted the original recipe to fit my family's taste...I think any gooey candy bar can be used successfully.
I also used the half vanilla, half chocolate (store brand) cream filled cookies, it gave a little color.

These were as incredible as the name implies...we all loved them.

Ingredients:
¾ Cup unsalted butter
⅓ Cup shortening
1 Cup granulated sugar
⅔ Cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 Large eggs
2 Tsp vanilla extract
2 Cups all purpose flour
⅔ Cup unsweetened chocolate
1 Tsp baking soda
¼ Tsp salt
2 Cups cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies (chopped)
3 Large or 5 Mini Milky Way bars
1-2 Cups semisweet chocolate morsels

Directions:
1. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy
2. Gradually add sugars, beating until light and fluffy
3. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended
4. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients, gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended
5. Stir in cookies, candy bars, and desired amount of chocolate morsels
6. Chill dough 30 minutes
7. Drop dough by ¼ cupfulls onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper
8. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until barely set.
9. Cool on baking sheets 10 minutes, transfer to wire rack to cool completely

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This recipe was shared on: Let's Dish

Never Fail Fudge

My aunt makes THE best fudge. We all wait all year for her to make it...so we can eat too much of it!
Imagine my surprise when she finally "spilled the secret" and told us it was THIS recipe!

We all can make auntie's famous fudge now, but it always tastes better when it's made with Auntie's love!

Ingredients:
2 ½ Cup sugar
¾ Teaspoon salt
½ Stick butter
15 oz Can evaporated milk
1 Jar (7.5 oz) Marshmallow Fluff
¾ Teaspoon vanilla
12 oz Semi sweet chocolate pieces


Directions:
1. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
2. In large saucepan, combine the first 5 ingredients.
3. Stir over low heat until blended.
4. Increase heat to medium and bring to a full rolling boil. Be careful not to mistake escaping air bubbles as boiling.
5. Boil slowly, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.
6. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and chocolate until chocolate is melted.
7.Turn into a greased pan and cool.

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Salty Kisses

I remember being in elementary school (not sure what grade, but I am sure Wilma Flintstone was in my class) and someone's mother bringing these in for a Christmas party.

Remember those? Christmas parties...in school?!
Back when it was O.K.?

With the emergence of Pinterest, I saw these again. I didn't even realize I had missed them!

I made a whole bunch last night to give out at work. More than one person mentioned how much they themselves had missed them!

Gather the following ingredients:

I already had my oven on from baking other things, so I kept it at 350.

Place a good sized handful of pretzel squares on a parchment lined baking sheet.
(Don't do too many, you won't be able to get the M&M's on in time)

Place a Kiss on each pretzel.

Bake for 3 minutes.
2= not melted enough to squish
4= Too cooked and starting to separate

Once the kisses are at that perfect melty stage, add one M&M to each.

Put them in the fridge for a bit to "set" the chocolate!

Candy Cane Marshmallows

I have always thought about making marshmallows, but thought it would be incredibly hard. With a little help from Martha Stewart they are super easy!

My mint hating hubby even liked these. They are not STRONG peppermint, which we all decided was a plus.

Ingredients

• Vegetable-oil cooking spray
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 4 packages (1/4 ounce each) unflavored gelatin
• 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 teaspoons red food coloring

Directions

1. Coat an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray; line bottom with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray, and set pan aside. Put sugar, corn syrup, and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring; let mixture come to a boil. Raise heat to medium-high; cook until mixture registers 260 degrees on a candy thermometer.
2. Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over 3/4 cup water in a heatproof bowl; let stand 5 minutes to soften. Set the bowl with the gelatin mixture over a pan of simmering water; whisk constantly until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat, and stir in extract; set aside.
3. Beat egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Whisk gelatin mixture into sugar mixture; with mixer running, gradually add to egg whites. Mix on high speed until very thick, 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Pour mixture into lined pan. Working quickly, drop dots of red food coloring across surface of marshmallow. Using a toothpick, swirl food coloring into marshmallow to create a marbleized effect. Let marshmallow stand, uncovered, at room temperature until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight. Cut into squares.

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Dark Chocolate Caramels

This recipe makes sooooo many caramels!
I have pawned them off on family and friends, and plan on bringing them to work as well.
Myself, hubby, and darling daughter can't stop eating them!!!

Make sure you use a really big pot, this mixture gets hot and bubbly.

I am in love with how easy this is, and I fully intend to make this many more times!

Ingredients

• 4 cups heavy cream
• 2 1/2 cups light corn syrup
• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound plus 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped in small pieces
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
• Vegetable-oil cooking spray

Directions

1. Spray an 11 3/4-by-16 1/4-inch baking pan with vegetable-oil spray. Set aside in a spot where it will not be moved. In a heavy 4-quart saucepan, combine 2 cups cream, corn syrup, sugar, and salt. Clip on candy thermometer. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, 15 to 20 minutes. Wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals.
2. Cook, stirring constantly, until temperature reaches 220 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes; watch so mixture doesn't boil over. Continue stirring, and add chocolate and butter; keep mixture boiling, and slowly add remaining 2 cups cream. Cook, still stirring, until temperature reaches 240 degrees (soft-ball stage), about 60 minutes, keeping mixture at a low boil.
3. Without scraping pot, pour mixture into prepared pan. Let stand uncovered at room temperature for 24 hours without moving.
4. To cut, spray a cutting board with vegetable-oil spray. Unmold caramel onto sprayed surface. Using a large knife, cut into 1-by-1 1/4-inch pieces or other shapes. Wrap each piece in cellophane or waxed paper.

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Salted Pecan Candies

Salt? Sweet?
:::sigh::::

These are crunchy little nuggets of joy.
I used mini muffin cups and sprayed them with cooking spray which made removal from the pan amazingly easy.

Salted Pecan Candies

Vegetable Oil Cooking Spray

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup light corn syrup

½ cup coarsely chopped pecans

Large flake sea salt

1. Coat 16 cups of two 12 cup mini muffin tins with cooking spray.
2. Bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming, until sugar dissolves. Cook, swirling occasionally, until mixture just starts to turn golden around edge.
3. Stir in Pecans. Cook, stirring occasionally until mixture is pale amber, about 8 minutes.
4. Working quickly, spoon caramel into muffin cups (about 1 tablespoon each) and immediately sprinkle with salt.
5. Let cool completely. Remove from tins (you may have to bang on tins)

Popcorn Balls

I love popcorn balls!
The ones you buy in the store (esp around Halloween) just don't do it. They are dry, crumbly, and blah.
This is so incredibly simple to make, and you can add in anything you want to make it yours.
Some suggestions

• Candies
• Toffee
• Cranberries
• Nuts

After this mixture is made, it is too hot to touch. I used spray butter on my hands, pulled some, put it on a wire rack for a few seconds, and it cooled down enough for me to shape them into a ball.

Darling daughter had the time of her life eating all the "leftovers" in the pan.

Come to find out, a friend of mine had never had one! I gave him some...need to remember to ask him what he thought!

Popcorn Balls

¼ cup (half stick) unsalted butter, plus more for buttering hands

1 package (10 oz) miniature marshmallows

¼ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

3 quarts popped popcorn

1 cup dried cranberries, or English toffee bits, optional

1. Melt butter in large heavy pot over low heat. Add marshmallows and brown sugar and stir until melted.
2. Remove from heat
3. Pour popcorn and any add ins, into pot, toss well.
4. With buttered hands, shape into 2 ½ inch balls. Set on parchment lined baking sheet to dry slightly.

Candied Citrus Peel

I realized...I make a lot of food that I don't/won't eat.
Food is such a comfort...I truly think that I get as much joy out of making something others will enjoy as I do making a favorite of my own.

I made this, with a little help from darling daughter, and it came with good reviews. I did have one aunt say it was a little strong. Maybe you have to REALLY like citrus to enjoy this treat.

Candied Citrus Peel

2 Grapefruits

3 Oranges

4 Lemons

1 ½ cup sugar

1. With a sharp paring knife, slice off ends of grapefruits, ranges, and lemons. Following curve of fruit, cut away outermost peel, leaving most of the white pith on fruit. Slice peel lengthwise into ¼ inch strips.
2. In a medium pot of boiling water, cook peel until tender, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer peel to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Spread in a single layer to dry slightly. About 15 minutes.
3. In medium saucepan, bring one cup sugar and 1 cup water to a boil over high, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add peel and boil until it turns translucent and syrup thickens, 8-10 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer peel to wire rack, separating pieces as needed.
4. Let dry 1 hour, toss with ½ cup sugar to coat.

Basic Brittle

I have been making peanut brittle for years. Got my apron, candy thermometer...ready to go!
Until...I came across this one.
I don't remember who to give credit to, some online source...but it is the easiest, yummiest brittle ever!

Since I am just not boring...peanuts didn't work for me. I needed variety! I used mixed nuts for my brittle. So exciting...is this bite going to taste like almond, macadamia, or peanut?! (yes, little things excite me)

Basic Brittle




Vegetable oil cooking spray

1 ½ cup sugar

½ cup light corn syrup

1 cup nuts





1. Coat a 12 x 17 inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Bring sugar and syrup to a boil in medium saucepan, stirring and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming until sugar dissolves.

3. Cook, stirring occasionally until mixture just starts to turn golden around edges.

4. Stir in nuts. Cook, stirring occasionally until mixture is pale amber, about 8 minutes.

5. Pour into baking sheet without spreading. Let cool. Break into pieces.

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