Caramels

Homemade Caramels

(from notjustahousewife.com)

• 2 cubes of Butter (1 cup) I like to use salted
• 2 cups of Sugar
• 1 1/2 cups Light Corn Syrup
• 2  14oz cans of Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Before you get started get a bowl of ice water ready and set next to the stove.

1. In a large heavy bottom saucepan melt the butter. Add the sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk.
2.  Stir constantly on medium high heat until it comes to a rolling boil. Turn down heat to medium. Continue to stir constantly to avoid scorching. If it does start to scorch, turn the heat down a little. 
3. Stir until it starts to get a little darker. Check to see if it is done by spooning a little of the caramel into a bowl of ice water.  
4. Continue to check the caramel until it is the consistency you want (mixture forms a soft ball- took about 15 minutes or so of constant stirring). When it is right, remove from heat and add the vanilla.
5.  Pour into a greased pan. I use a cookie sheet. Let completely cool before cutting and eating. It takes a few hours for it to completely cool and set up. The longer you wait the better.

Delicious and easy!  Just make sure you keep stirring!

Oreo Truffles: easy and delicious!

Oreo Truffles

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened (I used reduced-fat)

1 pkg.  (1 lb. 2 oz.) Oreo cookies, finely crushed (about 4-1/4 cups), divided

chocolate or vanilla bark/melts for melting (I used milk chocolate chips I melted in the microwave at 40 percent power for a minute, stir, watch closely to not cook longer than just barely melted!)

Mix cream cheese and 3 cups cookie crumbs until well blended.

Shape into 48 (1-inch) balls with hands or cookie scoop. Freeze for about an hour for easier dipping.  Dip in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs or sprinkles.

Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

These are great!  The cream cheese and oreos combine so well you wouldn't even realize that it is cream cheese.  Truffle-ey and yummy.  Add this to your Christmas candy making!

Great for a tea party, special occasion, or whenever!

Cake Ball Truffles

• 1 package cake mix any flavor
• 1 container prepared frosting (any flavor)
• 1 block chocolate or vanilla chocolate coating (almond bark- find it by the chocolate chips at walmart or any grocery store)
  

1. Prepare the cake mix according to package directions using any of the recommended pan sizes. When cake is done, crumble while warm into a large bowl, and stir in the frosting until well blended. Scoop with a little cookie scoop into balls and freeze until firm (you can dip into chocolate immediately, but frozen is easier to work with).
   
2. When you're ready to begin, melt chocolate coating in a glass bowl in the microwave on the DEFROST selection or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Be careful not to overheat, or chocolate will get thick and mushy!
   
3. Using a fork, dip the balls in chocolate, making sure to coat the ball entirely. If desired, sprinkle with sprinkles, nuts, coconut or whatever you like. You can even dip in chocolate and then drizzle while chocolate over that. Place on waxed paper to set.

Possible cake combinations: German Chocolate Frosting w/chocolate cake, red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, spice cake w/cream cheese, chocolate w/ chocolate...whatever you like.

I made these for Isabelle's birthday tea party. They were easier to make than I thought, and the results were appealing. It was a nice change from normal cake, fancier and bite-size. I tried chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, covered in chocolate. Very decadent! Next time I'll try red velvet.

Try this fudge recipe this season!

Caramel Symphony Fudge
(from gatherroundourtable.blogspot.com)

• 4 cups sugar
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 2 sticks butter (no margarine)
• 16 oz. chopped Symphony candy bars (the almond and toffee chip kind is great)

In a large saucepan, mix the sugar and whipping cream. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Add the two sticks of butter and continue cooking. Boil mixture until it reaches 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and stir in chopped Symphony bars until melted and smooth. Beat mixture with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes. Pour into a greased 13x9 pan. Allow to harden and cool. Remove block of fudge from pan and cut into squares. Can refrigerate if desired.

I thought this was a great fudge recipe. A little more labor-intensive than some of the no-cook kinds, but definitely worth it. It takes around 30 minutes to prepare. I halved the recipe, and it made quite a lot (a pie dish worth) when a little piece goes a long way!

Choco Peanut Butter Bars

Buckeye Bars
(adapted from kraft.com)

• 1/2 cup butter, softened (I got away with 1/4 c.)
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 22 Nilla Wafers, crushed (3/4 c.) (graham crackers work too, enough for 3/4 c.)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 of 8-oz. tub Whipped Topping
• 2/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Line 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Beat butter and peanut butter with mixer until blended. Mix in wafer crumbs. Gradually add sugar, mixing well after each addition. Press onto bottom of pan.
2. Microwave whipped topping and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on high 1 min; stir. Microwave 15 to 30 sec. or until chocolate is melted; stir until blended. Spread over peanut butter layer.
3. Refrigerate 2 hours. Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting to serve.

These are rich little bars, as you can probably tell by the list of ingredients! They are tasty, though. Something akin to Reese's....quick to make. The pb layer is about half the size as the picture I got on the internet, but of course you could make whatever ratio pb-choc as you prefer.

Another addictive treat..

White Chocolate Gorp
(allrecipes.com)

• 2 pounds white chocolate
• 6 cups Rice Chex ™
• 3 cups toasted oat cereal
• 2 cups thin pretzel sticks (I wanted more to add to the salty-sweet flavor)
  
• 2 cups cashews (I skip)
  
• 1 (12 ounce) package mini candy-coated chocolate pieces

1. Melt chocolate in a large saucepan over low heat or in microwave until just until soft. Stir until melted. Combine all the other ingredients in big roaster pan or bowl. Stir chocolate into mixture. Turn out on waxed paper. Of course anything you like can be added or substituted, but this recipe is a great combination!
2. Combine the crispy rice cereal squares, toasted oat cereal, pretzels, cashews and candy in big roaster pan or bowl. Stir chocolate into mixture. Turn out on waxed paper and let cool.

Make sure to lay these out flat so they don't clump! A very tasty treat. I often just melt a bag of white chocolate chips in the microwave instead of buying white chocolate.

A great Christmas treat or gift

picture from familyfun.com

Oreo Cookie Bark

• 1 (20 ounce) package chocolate sandwich cookies with creme filling
• 2 (18.5 ounce) packages white chocolate

1. Line a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan with waxed paper. Coat paper with non-stick vegetable spray and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, break half of the cookies into fourths with fingers or the back of a wooden spoon.
3. In a microwave safe glass or ceramic mixing bowl, melt one package of the white chocolate according to package directions. Remove from microwave and quickly fold in broken cookie pieces. Pour mixture into prepared pan and spread to cover half the pan.
4. Repeat process with remaining chocolate and cookies, spreading mixture into the other half of pan. Refrigerate until solid, about 1 hour.
5. Remove bark from the pan and carefully peel off waxed paper. Place bark on a large cutting board and cut with a large chef's knife. Store in airtight container.

We gave these as gifts last Christmas and though it takes a little practice to make the pieces look more like art than an odd-looking homemade treat, presentation can help a lot. So put them in Christmas cellophane paper and add a nice ribbon for the finishing touch. It should be a given but the taste is wonderful! Mix it up- mint oreos w/milk chocolate, candy cane cookies (do they make those?) in white or milk chocolate...the possibilities are many!