Re-Run...Buckeyes (with tips!!)

                                                                                              everything "p"

Here's the Buckeye recipe again...  

I made these last night and figured it might be helpful to you if I give you some HELPFUL TIPS & TRICKS to get these looking beautiful! 

PEANUT BUTTER BUCKEYES (jif.com)

(about 5 dozen)

1 1/2 cups Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
Or 1 1/2 cups Smucker's® Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 to 4 cups powdered sugar

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening

COMBINE peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on LOW until blended. Add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating until blended. Beat in additional powdered sugar until mixture, when shaped into a ball, will stay on a toothpick. Shape into 1-inch balls. Refrigerate.

PLACE chocolate chips and shortening in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat until mixture is smooth. Reheat as needed while coating peanut butter balls.

INSERT toothpick in peanut butter ball. Dip 3/4 of ball into chocolate, leaving top uncovered to resemble a buckeye. Remove excess. Place on wax paper-lined tray. Remove toothpick. Smooth over holes. Refrigerate until firm.

TIPS:  
--Use the FULL 4 cups of powdered sugar.

--To make it easier to roll the balls, refrigerate about an hour, then roll the balls.

--Put rolled balls on a waxed paper lined tray and put them into the freezer until
   VERY firm, about a half an hour.

--Melt chocolate in a DEEP BOWL (this is so you can dip the entire ball into the 
   chocolate) while the peanut butter balls are in the freezer.

--Take out only a few balls at a time.  One at a time, insert toothpick into ball,
   dip quickly into the chocolate, shake, shake, shake over the bowl until ALL
   EXCESS has been removed.  (or they will have a puddle of chocolate under
   them, and you'll run out of chocolate!  Buy extra chocolate just in case!)

--Use a new toothpick for each ball.  I know, seems wasteful but, if you re-use 
   the toothpicks, the oil from the peanut butter makes the toothpicks slick and
   then the next peanut butter ball will not stay on while you dip it into the
   chocolate.

--Put dipped balls (with toothpicks still in them) onto a waxed paper lined
   baking sheet and put into refrigerator (or freezer) until chocolate has set.

--Use a piece of waxed paper to hold the ball (or you will put fingerprints all 
   over them) while you remove the toothpick and smooth over the hole.

--Store in refrigerator, between sheets of waxed paper.

ENJOY!!!

SUPER SIMPLE Peppermint Bark!

                                                                                       everything "p"  

Unexpected Holiday guests will be over in an hour!  Ahhhhh!  No worries, you can have this done before they arrive!






This is SO MUCH easier than you think!  And, you probably already have all of the ingredients in your pantry!  

Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:
1 bag Chocolate Chips (I used Nestle's Dark Chocolate--10 oz. bag)
1 bag White Chocolate Chips (I used Nestle's White Morsels--12 oz. bag)
6 Candy Canes

Instructions:
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Check the freezer to be sure you have room to fit the baking sheet!!

Un-wrap the Candy Canes and put them into a zip lock bag--crush with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer.  (Don't crush the pieces too fine!)

Melt the Chocolate Chips in a microwavable bowl.   
--Microwave 1 minute, stir
--Microwave 15 seconds, stir
--Microwave 15 seconds, stir (should be completely melted)

Pour the melted chocolate on the prepared baking sheet forming an approximate 8" x 11" rectangle.

Put the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze until very firm.  (about 15 minutes, but this depends on the temperature in your freezer)

TIP:  WAIT UNTIL THE CHOCOLATE IS FROZEN BEFORE MELTING WHITE CHIPS!

Melt the White Chocolate Chips in a microwavable bowl.
--Microwave 1 minute, stir
--Microwave 15 seconds, stir
--Microwave 15 seconds, stir (should be completely melted)

Pull the baking sheet out of the freezer.

Pour the melted white chocolate over the dark chocolate and work QUICKLY spreading it to cover the dark chocolate.

Immediately after spreading the white chocolate, sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top and press gently.

Return baking sheet to freezer until completely firm (15-20 minutes depending on the temperature in your freezer)

When the chocolate is frozen, use the tip of a very sharp knife to break the bark into random pieces.

Store the bark in a covered container in the refrigerator.  SIMPLE!!!!

ENJOY!

I have used this recipe for 25 years!

photo by jif.com

These are a favorite of family and friends!  I'm ALWAYS asked to make them!  They are DEFINITELY on my list this Holiday Season!

Thank you, Jif!

p.s.  This is another one of those recipes that you just don't mess with! It's perfect just as it is!!

PEANUT BUTTER BUCKEYES

(about 5 dozen)

1 1/2 cups Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
Or 1 1/2 cups Smucker's® Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 to 4 cups powdered sugar

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening

COMBINE peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on LOW until blended. Add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating until blended. Beat in additional powdered sugar until mixture, when shaped into a ball, will stay on a toothpick. Shape into 1-inch balls. Refrigerate.

PLACE chocolate chips and shortening in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat until mixture is smooth. Reheat as needed while coating peanut butter balls.

INSERT toothpick in peanut butter ball. Dip 3/4 of ball into chocolate, leaving top uncovered to resemble a buckeye. Remove excess. Place on wax paper-lined tray. Remove toothpick. Smooth over holes. Refrigerate until firm.

(recipe copied from jif.com)

Homemade Salted Caramel Candy...what a treat!

These soft, chewy caramels with a touch of salt are sooooo good, you might want to keep them all for yourself!

Salted Caramel Candy

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup half & half 
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp course salt
4 tbsp. butter, divided 
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
Course salt (for sprinkling on top)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Spray an 8 x 8 baking pan, lined with foil or parchment paper (let it go up the sides so you can pull it out easily) with cooking spray. 

In a 1 qt saucepan, heat half & half, vanilla, salt and 2 tbsp of the butter over medium heat until mixture just begins to bubble.  

Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

In 2 qt. saucepan, mix sugar and corn syrup.  Add candy thermometer.
Cook over medium heat stirring just until sugar has dissolved.

Cook syrup without stirring, until thermometer reads 310 degrees.

Remove thermometer and remove saucepan from heat. SLOWLY pour half & half mixture into hot syrup.  Stir until smooth.

Return saucepan to medium heat, add thermometer and cook until thermometer reads 260 degrees.

Remove from heat and stir in remaining 2 tbsp. of butter.  Stir until smooth.

Pour into prepared pan. 

Cool 10 minutes then sprinkle the top of the caramel with course salt.

When caramel is cool (I put mine in the freezer for about 10 minutes to cool), lift foil from pan, remove foil and cut into pieces with a sharp knife.  

Wrap each piece of caramel in waxed paper.  (This is a soft caramel and doesn't keep it's shape.  Each piece MUST be wrapped.)

I got 24 pieces.  

TOFFEE!! Simple but, SO GOOD!!

Another MUST have for the Holiday Season! Who doesn't LOVE toffee? Crunchy, buttery, chocolately deliciousness!!! Another treat to add to your dessert list!!

ALMOND TOFFEE

INGREDIENTS:  

1 1/2 cups chopped, toasted almonds (I used slivered--use what you have!)

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter

chocolate chips, chocolate bars (milk, dark, semi-sweet--you choose!)

INSTRUCTIONS:  

Butter 9 x13 pan. (I used 9 x 9 and it was WAY too thick! Still yummy, just VERY hard to eat!)

Sprinkle 1 cup almonds on bottom of the pan.

In heavy saucepan (medium heat) melt butter and add brown sugar.  

Stir until gently boiling.

Reduce heat to medium, med-low and boil 12 minutes exactly (or to 300 degrees on thermometer).

Pull it off the heat and stir well.

Immediately pour over almonds in pan.

Cover top with chocolate. (I used dark chocolate chips)

Let chocolate melt then spread. (I didn't spread it, I left it chunky)

Sprinkle with remaining almonds, press down gently.

Cool completely then break into chunks with sharp knife.

Store in covered container in refrigerator.

Enjoy!!

BACON! ...for dessert!

Guys LOVE bacon and, Girls LOVE chocolate--this treat makes us all happy!!!  

These little bites of heaven are sinful!!!  

The crunchy almonds work perfectly with the sweet, creamy chocolate and the salty, smoky bacon!  Super simple to make, and they look like you got them from the Chocolate Shop!!  

Bacon Almond Clusters

ingredients:
1 cup crumbled bacon 
(I used an 8 oz. pkg of Applegate Naturals Uncured, Nitrate Free bacon)
1 cup chocolate chips 
(I used semi-sweet but, dark or milk chocolate would be great too!  Use your favorite!)
1 cup roasted, lightly salted whole almonds 
Sea Salt flakes (Maldon) or Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook bacon on a foil lined baking sheet for 15-20 minutes, or until very crisp.

Remove bacon to paper towels to drain and cool.

Crumble bacon into pieces (not too small!!)

Melt chocolate chips in large bowl for 1 minute.  Stir, and then microwave an additional 15-30 seconds until chocolate is completely melted.

Add the crumbled bacon and almonds to the chocolate, stir until coated.

Drop teaspoonfuls into mini-muffin tins (lined with paper cups) or onto a waxed paper lined baking sheet.   

Top with a light sprinkle of sea salt.  (I put an almond on top of each of mine too!)

Chill until set.  (about 30 minutes)

Store covered in the refrigerator. 

Enjoy!! 

this stuff is AMAZING!

I made TWO batches of this Caramel Corn this past weekend!!  The first batch was gone in a day!  Second batch went to a bake sale, where I think it's going to be REALLY popular!!!  It's pretty easy to make and tastes WAY better than the store bought kind!  As you can see, I added LOTS of Pecans!!

Thank you for this delicious recipe, Aunt Marilyn!!

Aunt Marilyn's Caramel Corn

ingredients:

8 cups popped popcorn (homemade)  

2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup butter

9 tablespoons light corn syrup

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

instructions:

Pre heat oven to 300 degrees.

Remove all unpopped kernels from popped corn.  (I air popped mine!)

Place popcorn in a 17x12x2 inch baking pan.

Keep popcorn warm in oven while making caramel mixture.

Butter the sides of a heavy large saucepan. 

In saucepan combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup.

Cook and stir over medium heat until boiling.

Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan.

Cook and stir until over medium heat to 255 degrees, about 4 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat.

Stir in baking soda and vanilla, pour over popcorn.

Stir gently to coat (don't worry, the popcorn won't be 100% coated).

Bake in 300 degree oven for 15 minutes then stir again (now it will be coated!).

Bake 5 minutes more.

Transfer popcorn mixture to large pieces of foil and cool completely.

Break into clusters.

Store tightly covered.  

For an extra bonus add your favorite nuts!!