Today’s cookie was made by a special guest…..

December 22, 2009 Leave a Comment

My daughter-in-law, Amanda!!

She made Peanut brittle… something that I have actually never even had before….
she used this recipe
All recipes/ mom’s best peanut brittle
and, yes, she shelled all of the peanuts herself. It would have taken a whole lot less time if we weren’t eating them as fast as she was shelling them…..
It was her first time using a candy thermometer…. She did a great job!!!
and because of our recent blizzard…
it took the brittle seconds to set up…
it really was quite easy to make… as long as you keep an eye on the temperature of the mixture….
Why have I never had this before? I have no clue… it was so tasty that it is going to be on my Christmas cookie list for years to come.
oxoxo
michelle & Amanda!
Filed Under: candy, gifts, make-ahead, No-bake

Today’s recipe is *EASY* PEASY*

December 10, 2009 Leave a Comment

After shopping all day with my closest friend, I’m a bit tired… So I decided to make the simplest of simplest recipes. This is actually the first time that I’ve made it, but I’ve had it many times at potlucks ( my sister-in-law makes it often)
Yummy Layer Bars

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup of coconut flakes
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1/4 cup butterscotch chips ( only because I had them)

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x13 in pan with aluminum foil, overlapping on the ends (for easy removal) & spray lightly with cooking spray. Mix butter with graham cracker crumbs & pat gently into the bottom of the pan.

Pour sweetened condensed milk over butter/ graham mixture and spread with a spatula. Sprinkle remaining ingredients in to order in which they are in the recipe. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Remove & let cool.

Using the overlapped ends of the aluminum foil, pull the entire bar out & place on a cutting board, allowing to cool completely.

Cut into bars when fully cool.

These are yummy & gooey and oh-so-wonderful!!! I was afraid that they would stick, so I only placed them single-layer on the platter. I’m thinking that maybe next time I’ll try the recipe with 2 cups graham cracker crumbs, possibly making a sturdier base.

I highly recommend trying this recipe.. it literally takes minutes to get into the oven.

maybe next time I’ll time myself….hmmm…..?????

now..I’m off to wrap all of my treasures that I found today!!!

xoxo
~michelle

Filed Under: candy

Ok… so not REALLY a cookie..

December 6, 2009 1 Comment

Today was my husband’s 98 year young grandmother’s Christmas party

 Given the fact that I was a bit tight for time… I decided to make toffee!!!

Once again I went to my old trusty wooden box to dig out a hand-written recipe card. This is such a great recipe… it just goes to show how a few simple ingredients can morph into something wonderful!!

The Recipe :…. You need a candy thermometer for this…. it is well worth the small investment

1 cup butter cut into small pieces
1 cup dark brown sugar ( I had light brown, so I used that)
2 TBSP water
1 cup finely chopped almonds
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine butter, brown sugar & water in a saucepan. When sugar is dissolved, whisk in 1/2 cup of the almonds.  Insert candy thermometer & cook until the thermometer reaches the ‘hard crack’ *giggle* stage.. 290-300 degrees.

When hard crack stage is reached, pour onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. ( be careful.. it is VERY hot) Add chocolate chips & allow to melt for a minute. Use a spatula to spread all around. Add remaining almonds while still hot.

Allow to cool. ( I live in the northeast & since it was freezing out today, I was able to go to my ‘deep freeze (my porch *grin* ) & the toffee hardened in no time.

yes, I took a corner off of the sheet.. I *had* to make sure that it was hard enough!!!

I then took a VERY scientific method of turning this sheet into little pieces of mouth-watering perfection… my hands!!!! I broke it all up &

VOILA!!!!!  perfection ….

I am so going to gain weight creating this blog……..

If you visit, please let me know…. AND…… I will happily take suggestions for your favorite cookies.
 hint~ tomorrow’s cookie has to do with chocolate!!!

oxoxo ~michelle

Filed Under: candy, No-bake
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