Baking Beauties. . .

Tradition at our home includes a day of baking for the girls.

In my opinion, they are all ‘beauties’.  Guess they take after their dad mom. (hee-hee)!

My youngest daughter, Kylee arrived Tues night.  Just in time for our ‘day of candy making’.  She actually came home a day early so she wouldn’t miss out on the fun.

She is making mints.  Doesn’t she look like she’s having a good time stirring that chocolate?

Nichole, my Christmas baby is making cheese balls.  She will make 6, one for each family.

I must confess, this pic of my daughter, Karrah is from last year. I thought I had gotten one, but nada.  She’s happily posing by two of our drop cluster sweets.

My new dil, Samantha and granddaughter, Jordyn showing off the white chocolate popcorn Sam just finished.

You know how the new kid in town always gets picked on?  Poor Sam was the brunt of everyone’s joke.  Anything that went wrong, it was Sam’s fault.  Nichole knows that I don’t like the cluster goodies to be too huge.  She jokingly said, “Mom, Sam made the Chow Mein Noodle ‘clusters too big.

Then Karrah blamed her for the ‘Peanut Butter’ cups not being perfect.  Sam was a good sport and smiled through all of it.

Taylor, my 12 (almost 13) yr. old granddaughter is glad to crush the graham crackers for us.

Have you ever seen such a messy kitchen?  I pull out all the ingredients, sit the recipe on top and let them have at it.

These two little cuties aren’t much help, but they never lack for entertainment.

I still chop nuts the old fashioned way.  We did plenty of that to cover 6 cheese balls and to top our toffee.  Lucky for me, Jordy was willing to take a turn,

By the end, we have made so many sweets that it would make your head spin.  After we each grab a few tins and fill it for each family to take home it’s not nearly as much as it looks.

This toffee is (in my opinion) to die for!  I was given the recipe from a lady in my old neighborhood about 5 years ago.  I thought I would share it with you.

2 Cups Sweet Butter (cold from freezer)      2 Scant Tbs. Water

1 1/3 C. Sugar                                           10 oz. M. Choc Chips

Cut whole almonds into thirds.  Place on cookie sheet and bake in 350 degree oven for 5 min.  Stir, cook three more min.  (Mine are done in 5 min. in my oven)  Spread coarse nuts on bottom of an 8 x 11 buttered glass pan.  In heavy sauce pan combine butter, sugar, and water.  Cook over med. high heat, stirring constantly. Watch for change of color and some smoking.  Continue stirring.   Mixture should start to streak and then turn brown. (about the color of a brown paper bag.) Cooking time will be about 12 min. from start to finish. Takes a bit longer on electric stove (255) degrees.  I do not use a candy thermometer.  Pretty easy to tell when ready.  Remove from heat.  Immediately pour over nuts. Don’t scrape bottom. Sprinkle choc. chips over hot candy.  Let sit a few minutes then spread.  Sprinkle finely chopped almonds on top.  Let cool completely, 4 or 5 hours.  Loosen edges with a knife and candy will easily lift out of pan.  Break into bite size pieces. *Do NOT use Cache Valley Butter – it separates every time.

This toffee is extra thick and so yummy!  Everyone that tastes it loves it.

 

A very Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Jann