Poor Man's Toffee

• 24 Saltine crackers
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 cups roasted salted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Topping
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1. For the toffee: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Line bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish with waxed paper and spray paper with cooking spray. Arrange crackers, in single layer, salt side down, on waxed paper.
2. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and peanuts in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on highest power until sugar melts, about 2 minutes. Stir and microwave until mixture begins to boil, about 2 more minutes. Stir in butter and vanilla until butter melts. Microwave until liquid begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in baking powder.
3. Working quickly, pour sugar mixture over saltines and spread evenly (if mixture hardens too quickly to spread, place baking dish in oven for 5 minutes). Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Invert brittle onto cutting board, peel away waxed paper, and, using hands, break into large pieces. Return pieces, toffee side up, to baking dish.
4. For the topping: Melt chips and butter until smooth. Stir in corn syrup and, using spoon, drizzle mixture over brittle. Let harden for 1 hour. (Brittle can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.)

Chocolate Caramel Cracker Bars

These Little Bars as so good and Dangerous to have around.
The Combination of the Crackers and the Chocolate remind me of a common snack from my childhood.  We lived out in the country far from any decent sized grocery store so we often had to make due with what we had and often had to get quite creative to make something to satisfy our Chocolate or sweet tooth cravings.  My Mom taught us how to make chocolate frosting from cocoa powder, powdered sugar and milk.  We ate this by the spoonful with saltine crackers.  The sweetness of the Chocolate and the Saltiness of the Crackers was a great Combination.  I Guess it is the same thing with these bars only they are a few notches up the Gourmet Scale from my childhood treat.

The Recipe comes from the August/September issue of Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon plus 3/4 cup butter, cubed
• 45 Club crackers (2-1/2-inches x 1-inch)
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

• Line a 9-in. square baking pan with foil and grease the foil with 1 teaspoon butter. Arrange a single layer of crackers in the pan.
• In a large saucepan, combine the milk, brown sugar, corn syrup and remaining butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to maintain a low boil; cook and stir for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Evenly spread a third of the mixture over the crackers. Repeat cracker and caramel layers twice.
• Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over caramel; let stand 3-5 minutes or until glossy. Spread over top. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until chocolate is set. Using foil, lift layers out of pan; cut into 3-in. x 1-in. bars. Yield: 27 bars.

Making peppermint patties

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I never got all the treats made before Christmas so We made peppermint Patties the last day of Christmas Break! This Recipe makes a lot!

Ingredients
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
9 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons shortening
Directions
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and extract until smooth. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating well.
Shape into 1-in. balls. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Flatten into patties.Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled.
In a microwave, melt chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Dip patties in melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off; place on waxed paper until set. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: about 4 dozen.

Samoa bark

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Recipe: Samoa Bark

Ingredients

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate + 2 oz for drizzle
35-40 shortbread cookies (I used Lorna Doone)
14 oz bag of caramels
3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
3 Tbsp water
Instructions

Line a baking sheet with foil. Set aside.
Melt 12 oz of semi-sweet chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave. (I prefer double boiler).
Spread the melted chocolate to your desired thickness…I went thin-ish.
Top your warm chocolate evenly with your shortbread cookies.
Place baking sheet in freezer while you do the next steps.
In a non-stick skillet on medium-low heat, toast your coconut, stirring occasionally. This will take about 10 minutes or so, but be watchful because once it starts to brown it happens quickly and you do not want to burn the coconut! When the coconut is toasted, set aside.
Meanwhile unwrap all your caramels and place them in a medium saucepan along with 2 Tbsp of water over medium-low heat.
Stir continuously until the caramel has JUST melted. You don’t want to over heat the caramel, as it will make it hard. Immediately fold in your toasted coconut.
Remove your chocolate from the freezer and spread the caramel/coconut evenly on top.
Melt your remaining 2 oz of chocolate using whatever melting process you prefer and drizzle over the top of the caramel/coconut.
Put back in the freezer for 5 minutes to set the chocolate.
Cut and enjoy!
Quick notes

Cut using a sharp knife in the size/shape of your choosing. Store in an airtight container.

Eggnog Truffles

Eggnog Truffles


Ingredients:
1 pound White Baking Chocolate, divided
4oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup Confectioner's Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Imitation Rum Extract
Additional Ground Nutmeg

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, nutmeg and rum extract in large bowl on medium speed until well blended and smooth. Melt 8 ounces of the chocolate as directed on package. Add to cream cheese mixture and beat until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours until firm.

Shape into 24 balls about 3/4 inch wide. Place on cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate for another ten minutes or until ready to dip.

Coat 12 truffles at a time.* Melt 4 ounces of the remaining chocolate according to package directions. Using a fork, dip truffles one at a time into the melted chocolate. Allow excess chocolate to drip off and place truffle back on wax paper lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Repeat with remaining 4 ounces of chocolate and remaining truffles.

Refrigerate 1 hour or until chocolate has hardened. Store truffles in airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Makes 24 Truffles.

2 Truffles: 252 Calories, 16g Fat

*The reason for dipping half of the truffles at a time is because the cold truffles can cause the melted chocolate to harden. The only bad part about this is that it is a little difficult to dip the truffles using such a small amount of chocolate. So you may want to use more chocolate then the recipe calls for or melt the entire batch of chocolate at once and just re-heat it if it hardens before you are done.

Chocolate dipped caramels with sea salt

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Fastest Christmas Candy ever!

Recipe from very best baking.


These beautiful chocolate-dipped caramels sprinkled with a hint of sea salt are the perfect hostess gift for your next party or holiday gift giving – sweet, salty and sophisticated, but a cinch to make!
Ingredients

* 1 cup (6 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
* 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening
* 1 pkg. (5.5 oz.) about 25 pieces, soft & chewy rectangular caramels, unwrapped*
* 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Directions
LINE baking sheet with wax paper.

MICROWAVE morsels and vegetable shortening in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted; cool slightly.

DIP caramel pieces, using a fork, into melted chocolate. Shake off or scrape excess chocolate against side of bowl. Place on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until set.

* 25 square caramels can be substituted for the rectangular caramels.

NOTES:
• 1 cup (6 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Milk Chocolate Morsels can be substituted for the Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels. Melt milk chocolate morsels at MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power.
• Amount of candies made may vary pending size of caramels used. If there is any melted chocolate remaining after dipping caramels, try dipping pretzels or potato chips!