Candy Treats...

This post is something I started back in the winter time and just didn't get around to completing and posting.  Yes, I gave this stuff away as christmas gifts.  However, gift giving can be anytime!   Either one would make a fabulous teacher or house-warming gift!

The crock pot recipe is from a former Frisco co-worker.     Thank you LB!!!!  This particular recipe is incredible easy and makes way more than you can imagine.   I used the tiny muffin liners from Dollar Tree.  The candy sprinkles make it look particularly festive!!!!

This stuff can't get any easier!   Drop it in the crock pot and turn it on!  

The hubs friend and co-worker, PV,  made this next one for an office staff party.  He couldn't stop eating it.  Thank goodness she gave me the recipe.   This toffee is simply amazing!   Watch it close and look for the caramel color.  Not all microwaves are the same for cooking times!  Enjoy!!!

Easy Microwave Toffee

3/4 - 1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup wter

1 bag milk chocolate chips

Grease or spray a 9 inch circle on a lined cookie sheet or aluminum foil.

Spread the pecans over this!

Spray the glass batter bowl with canola oil as well.

Add the butter, sugar, salt & water to bowl.

DO NOT STIR!

Microwave this for about 9 - 11 minutes or until it is a light caramel brown color.

Pour over pecans.  

Lay the chocolate chips over the top of the toffee and spread after about a minute.

Shake a very small amount of sea salt over this!!!

I used a small tin from Dollar Tree  and lined it with a cute doily!

Tiger Butter!!

Doesn't this look yummy?   Well, if you like the PB & Chocolate combination....ABSOLUTELY!  This stuff is amazingly easy and it looks like you might have slaved over a stovetop with a candy thermometer in hand.

This recipe come through my email the other day and I knew it would be worth trying to see just what "Tiger Butter" tasted like.  I have seen it at all the theme park fudge factories and have never wanted to pay the 29 dollars for about 3 servings.   This entire recipe was less than $3.50 to make!  It also took less than 3 minutes & 50 seconds to make.

Run (or drive) to Wal-Mart or wherever and buy a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips, a brick of White Almond Bark and a jar of peanut butter.  I used the creamy peanut butter.

Simply microwave the bricks of almond bark according to the directions.
Scoop about a cup of peanut butter into it when it is all melty and stir together.
Pour it onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet pan.
Melt a cup of the chocolate chips (30 seconds).   Stir & swirl it into the melted peanut butter stuff.

It needs to firm up which might take a few minutes or so...Or just simply chill in the refrigerator.
Break it apart and give it to the neighbors....!!!

Celebrating.............

It was National Smores Day!  We had to celebrate.  What self-respecting-blogging-mom wouldn't celebrate?  Most especially when that particular mom LOVES s'mores and that certain mom had allowed the girls to invite their friends over.  This is the ever-so-lovely C.S.  She is a keeper.  I love it when little Miss C.S. is in the house.  She is the child of the man-who-shall-remain-nameless.  I can't even put his initials up.......This is a Family Blog.  Secretly, we do like the guy.  We just can't let him know this.  He doesn't need any more power or self-esteem.

We made marshmallows.  We toasted them over the gas cooktop and made a really BIG mess!!!!!

We mixed them up with vanilla ice-cream and made the best-est ever S'Mores Ice cream Shakes. 

(Just add a toasted marshmallow or 2, some mini chocolate chips with some vanilla ice-cream and a splash of milk.  Blend it all together.  Add some whipped topping on top and a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs!!)  You will thank me later for this ....

This is the recipe I use for the marshmallows.  Don't be intimidated here...it is really easy! 

 I PROMISE!!!!!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-marshmallows-recipe/index.html

You pretty much know the drill on the rest....I like to think of my blog reading friends as intelligent...So I won't bore you with details on how to properly burn marshmallow's and how to properly sandwich a s'more.  I will beg you to not purchase inferior chocolate.  Run get some Hershey's, Ghirardelli  or Godiva bars........... something that is good......not generic or low-grade.  

These marshmallows deserve better!

It worked!! Amazingly Easy Caramels.

Like the majority of stay at home moms these days......  I have been spending a small portion my day wasting time on Pinterest.  Yes, I am willing to admit that it is "kinda-sorta" a big waste of my day.   But, it has more potential for doing good around the house than Facebook does!!!   I love to peruse the outfits that are put together and dream of wearing them and, of course,  I always look amazing.  (Don't forget this is my day-dream.)   I love to look at all of the projects I could make and pictures I could take.  Who doesn't right??  And don't let me forget all of the decorating ideas that I pinned on my Holiday board.  This brings me to all the cooking ideas.......WOW!   This place really lets me channel my inner Martha Stewart.....just without all of the embezzling.    Now Bedazzling........  that is a whole other story.  BRING ON THE GLITTER BABY!!!!!


Let me get back to that cooking stuff.  I found this recipe for making caramels in the microwave.  I needed to justify my love for Pinterest.  I had about 6 minutes to spare and all the necessary ingredients.  This stuff blew me away with the easy factor.   It might be amazing to layer it in some brownies or  bar cookie.   Maybe some apple pie????   The yum factor here is above a 10!!!   I might be giving this stuff as gifts to teachers and friends.  


Here goes....


1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Combine that together in a microwavable dish.  (I used a large batter bowl.)
Heat for 6 minutes and stir every 2 minutes.

Stir again and pour into a lightly greased dish.

Let cool and cut into pieces and wrap individually into wax paper squares.  I wonder if parchment paper would be better?

Enjoy......  Merry Christmas!  From me and Pinterest.