Recipes

I have decided to share all the recipes of the treats mentioned in my last post. Hope you enjoy making and eating them! (Sorry, not all of these are pictured in the previous post.)

English Toffee
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
¼ c. water
½ tsp. salt
¾ -1 c. chocolate chips
chopped walnuts, optional

Combine the first four ingredients in a heavy saucepan. (Leave out salt if using salted butter.) Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly and gently. Keep at consistent temperature. Boil for 12-15 minutes or until candy reaches 300* or hard crack stage. If butter separates, add 1 Tb. water (can add up to 4 Tb.) and boil a little longer. Watch carefully-when it pulls away from the sides and turns a caramel color it is done. Pour into a 13” x 9” pan or cookie sheet and cool until hard. Before completely cool sprinkle about ¾ -1 cup chocolate chips (or more depending on how thick you want the chocolate) over the top to melt and spread. Can add chopped nuts on top if desired. Break into small pieces and enjoy!

Chocolate Truffles
1 Symphony bar (with or without almonds and toffee) 8 oz.
1 container cool whip 8 oz.
graham cracker crumbs
finely chopped walnuts
shredded coconut

Melt chocolate bar in saucepan or in the microwave. Mix well with cool whip. After mixed, chill for a few hours. Then form into small balls and roll in crumbs, nuts, coconut, or any other topping you desire.

Peanut Butter Truffles
1 1/4 c. graham cracker crumbs (1 10 cracker package is perfect)
1 c. butter, softened –don’t think about it, just add it :)
3 ½ c. powdered sugar (if “dough” is sticky, add more)
1 c. peanut butter

Combine all in a very large bowl and mix until incorporated and forms a dough-like ball. (try mixing with a potato masher) Scoop by tablespoons, shape into balls. Dip in melted milk chocolate. Let set. I use 12-18 oz. (1-1 ½ pkg.) Guittard chocolate chips.

Cream Cheese Ball with Chocolate Sticks
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ c. butter, softened
1/3 c. powdered sugar
¼ c. packed brown sugar
4-6 oz. mini chocolate chips

Mix all in bowl, minus chocolate chips. Chill in fridge at least 2 hrs, (or if short on time at least 30 min. in freezer). Use wax paper to help form ball. Roll ball in mini chocolate chips. Serve with Honey Maid Chocolate Graham Cracker Sticks or Chocolate Teddy Grahams.

Hot Wassail
In a great big pot add:
3 c. water
3 c. sugar
5 (4”) cinnamon sticks
Boil with lid on 10 minutes. Remove sticks.

Add:
48 oz. cranberry juice
48 oz. water
3 c. orange juice
3 Tb. lemon juice
Heat through. Serve hot.

Caramel Popcorn
2 c. brown sugar
1 stick margarine
1 c. karo syrup
1 can condensed milk

Bring to a boil. Boil for 3 min. more, stirring constantly. Turn off heat. Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla. Pour over large bowl of popcorn. Makes about 2 dozen popcorn balls.

Oreo Truffles
1 pkg. Oreo cookies (regular, not doublestuff)
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
Chocolate chips or chocolate almond bark

Blend cookies in blender until they are fine crumbs (one row at a time is easiest). Put crumbs and cream cheese in a bowl, and using a hand mixer, blend together until well mixed. Melt chocolate. Roll oreo mixture into little balls and dip/cover in chocolate. Makes about 3 dozen.

Mint Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
1 Devil’s food cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 c. mint flavored chips

Stir together cake mix, eggs and oil (dough will be very stiff). Stir in chips. Drop by spoonful onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for 10-12 minutes. Makes about 30 cookies.

Snowball Cookies
2 c. flour
¼ c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. finely chopped pecans
1 c. softened butter
Powdered sugar for rolling

Heat oven to 325*. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except powdered sugar. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed, about 3-4 min. Shape rounded tsp. full into 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 18-25 min. or until very lightly browned. Remove immediately. Roll in powdered sugar while still warm, and again when cool.

My favorites of all these are probably the toffee, peanut butter truffles, and the snowball cookies. Jacob loved the oreo truffles and the choc. truffles dipped in graham cracker crumbs. But they are all yummy so try them out, just don't eat them all at once!