On the Eleventh Day of Christmas … Butter Toffee

Posted on December 23, 2010 by kitchenandkids

My favorite candy bar is the Heath Bar – I just love the toffee center and the chocolatey exterior, so when I found this recipe I just couldn’t resist. I also thought my family would love getting it in their goody baskets.

This toffee recipe is very easy and adaptable. A lot of people love nuts on their toffee, so all you would need to do was add some chopped nuts after the chocolate is smoothed out and voila – chocolate nut toffee.

Butter Toffee

Gather all of your ingredients ahead of time, and you will also need a candy thermometer to make the perfect toffee.

2 c.  butter
2 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate

1.) In a large heavy bottomed pan, melt the butter, sugar and salt.

2.) Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring periodically. After the mixture comes to a boil continue to cook the mixture until it becomes an amber color, and the temperature has reached 285 degrees F.

3.) Spread the toffee out on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the hot mixture. Let the chips set for a bit to melt, and then spread over the toffee. If desired, now you would add in the chopped nuts and press into the mixture.

4.) Place in the refrigerator to set-up. After it has set-up break the toffee into pieces, and store in an airtight container.

These would be a wonderful gift, just place in a beautiful holiday tin and then you are done.

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On the Tenth Day of Christmas … Snickerdoodle Cookies

Posted on December 21, 2010 by kitchenandkids

Who doesn’t like snickerdoodles? I am thinking most everyone must like snickerdoodles, because everywhere I look there is snickerdoodle this and snickerdoodle that. I know for a fact it is my daddy’s favorite cookie, which is why I am making them this Christmas.

These cookies are great with some milk, hot chocolate or coffee. They seem like a perfect end to a perfect night of looking at lights. I hope your family enjoys them as much as my family does. These cookies will be making it into my goody baskets.

Snickerdoodle Cookies

As I always say … gather all of your ingredients ahead of time.

1 c. shortening                                    1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 c. sugar                                      1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs                                                   2 Tbl sugar
2 3/4 c. flour                                       2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cream of tartar

1.) Mix the sugar and shortening together.

2.) Add in the eggs and beat until fluffy.

3.) In a small bowl combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Sift the flour mixture into the wet mixture – cut the flour in using a pastry cutter – do not beat.

The mixture will be crumbly.

4.) Mix your cinnamon in sugar together in a small bowl. You will roll the cookies in this mixture.

5.) Form the dough into 1 inch balls, roll in the sugar mixture, and place on a cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

6.) Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Be advised these cookies will puff up and then flatten out, that is normal.

Wrap these up in a cute holiday tea towel and give as a gift.

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On the Ninth Day of Christmas … Peanut Butter Truffles

Posted on December 21, 2010 by kitchenandkids

I cannot believe how time is flying this Christmas season. The neighborhood kids are on Christmas break, not my son though, he spent last week figuring out how to not do his schoolwork so now he is in school while they aren’t. My Christmas shopping is about to begin – just kidding, I am almost done. Holiday baking is under way. And, Christmas gatherings have begun. Wow!!!

In a few short days I will be done with my 12 Days of Christmas Goodies, and I don’t know what I am going to do with myself. I think I may do 100 Days of Losing Weight, I’ll definitely need it. But that is putting the cart before the horse because I still need to complete days 9, 10, 11 and 12. So here is day 9.

Last year at church one of the young women on the worship team brought Peanut Butter Truffles to church and my son had one. He fell in love … with the truffle, so this year he asked me to make them. So here they are. I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does. I did have to make a separate batch for my husband without the chocolate, because he thought “these are the best things you’ve made thus far – they don’t need any chocolate.” In fact, he was disappointed when I started dipping the first batch in chocolate, poor guy.

Peanut Butter Truffles

Gather all of your ingredients ahead of time. If you are like me you don’t have time to waste searching for stuff when you are in the mix of things.

2 c. creamy peanut butter
2 3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter
3 c. crisp rice cereal
3 to 4 c. milk chocolate chips

1.) Mix the cereal and sugar together in a large bowl.

2.) In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and peanut butter over low heat.

3.) Mix the melted peanut butter mixture in with the cereal and sugar. Blend thoroughly.

4.) Form into 1 inch balls, and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. I found that it was easier to form the balls if my hands were a little wet, the mixture didn’t stick as badly.

5.) Place in the refrigerator or freezer until firm.

6.) Melt 3 c. of chocolate in a double boiler, drop a truffle in the chocolate, roll around to coat and then place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Continue until all of your truffles are coated.

7.) Return to refrigerator to firm up. After the truffles have set you may store them in an airtight container.

Like all of my other goodies, these would make a great gift. Put a few of these in a little chocolate box tied with a ribbon and you have a great little gift.

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On the Eighth Day of Christmas … Peanut Clusters

Posted on December 19, 2010 by kitchenandkids

Let me just say that my boys are loving the 12 Days of Christmas Goodies. I love to cook and I have always loved to bake because I love the way it smells, but I hesitate when it comes to cookies, cakes, candies, etc… because none of us need the extra sugar intake. However, I have made an exception this holiday season with some wonderful goodies, so my boys have begun to take advantage – they are making requests.

The other day my sweet husband (who mind you, does not like nuts) requested peanut clusters. How can I deny him? So here you have it folks – peanut clusters.  And … the best part is they are about as easy to make as my white chocolate popcorn.

Peanut Clusters

Remember my motto – Gather All Of Your Ingredients – I promise it will make things go smoother.

12 oz roasted peanuts
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
12 oz of another chocolate-type chip*

*(ie: peanut butter, butterscotch, dark chocolate, or more semi-sweet) It really depends on the additional flavor you crave. My husband prefers simple chocolate, however, this time I used butterscotch (which, by the way was yummy.)

1.) Using a double boiler, melt both kinds of chocolate over medium heat stirring continuously. If you do not have a double boiler you can boil some water in a pan and set another pan over it in which you will place the chips. The reason it is better to use the stove is so your chocolate will remain smooth and creamy while you are making your clusters.

2.) Once your chocolates are completely melted, stir in your peanuts until well coated.

3.) Drop by spoonfuls onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

4.) Place in the refrigerator to cool and then store in an airtight container.

After they have set up enjoy. These would also make a wonderful gift. You could put them in a quart size mason jar and tie up in a piece of holiday fabric. Very cute!!

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On the Seventh Day of Christmas … Ranch Oyster Crackers

Posted on December 18, 2010 by kitchenandkids

Okay, so it isn’t sweet, but I need a break. I am chocolated out … until tomorrow!

Oyster crackers are a holiday favorite around my house. They always make me think of my daddy. Every year at Christmas he has always made these for the family, and up until a few years ago I thought he was the only one that could make them. I thought he had a secret recipe.

I guess you could say I was relieved when I found out they were easy to make, because my dad had to take a break from making these crackers in order to fight an ugly battle with a beast called cancer. He beat the beast, and the next Christmas he was back to making the crackers. Yeah!!! They are never as good as when my dad makes them. However, he has slowed down a bit, so he much prefers for us to make our own, so we do.

Today, I made a double batch, and tonight I have about 1/3 of it left. I guess I’ll need to make so more later this week. I hope you enjoys these little crackers as much as my family does.

Ranch Oyster Crackers

Gather all of your ingredients for a quicker assembly.

16 oz. oyster crackers
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 pkg (1 oz) ranch seasoning
1 tsp dill
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp lemon pepper

1.) Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

2.) Put the oyster crackers in a gallon ziplock bag (easiest clean up, however you can use a large bowl.)

3.) Add in the oil, and shake to coat the crackers. If the crackers are still to dry you may add in a little more oil.  Try not to make them to oily.

4.) Add in ranch seasoning, dill, and garlic and shake to coat.

5.) Spread crackers on a large cookie sheet, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

You may keep the crackers for yourself, or you could put them in a nice tin and give them as a gift. They are going to be part of my goody baskets along with my peppermint bark, chocolate covered pretzels, white chocolate popcorn, and peanut clusters.

Stay Tuned For:
The Eighth Day of Christmas … Peanut Clusters
The Ninth Day of Christmas … Peanut Butter Truffles
Homemade Fire Starters … A Great Gift


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On the Sixth Day of Christmas … Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Posted on December 17, 2010 by kitchenandkids

Funny question … how many of you like Girl Scout’s Thin Mint Cookies? I do!! So you can imagine my surprise when I dipped a pretzel in some dark mint chocolate. It tasted very similar to a Thin Mint with the crunchiness and the mintiness of the pretzel. Yummmmm!

Aside from the taste of this wonderful pretzel, we also had a lot of fun making them. This activity is great with the kids, and my husband even jumped in to lend some creativity.

These chocolate covered pretzels are very easy to make and you can use your imagination with them. Have fun coming up with tasty tidbits to roll them in. We used nonpaerils, peppermint chips, and chocolate sprinkles. The boys liked trying to triple dip their pretzels, but those did not turn out too well. I made some swirly ones that I liked. I think you could even tint your chocolate with food coloring for some fun pretzels. The sky is the limit, so don’t limit yourself.

These would be great on the buffet table at Christmas, as well as in a goody bag for friends. These are going to join my chocolate covered popcorn in my goody baskets for my family. I hope they like chocolate!

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

As I say in all things I do, gather your ingredients before you begin.

Pretzel twists
Pretzel rods
The following are strictly suggestions. These are the items we used.
White chocolate chips
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Dark chocolate and mint chocolate chips
Jingle mix nonpaerils
Peppermint sprinkles
Chocolate sprinkles

1) Choose which chocolate to begin with, melt about 1 cup in the microwave in a microwave safe dish, melt for 1 minute at 50% power, stir, and continue to melt at 30 second intervals until completely melted.

3.) Dip both sides of the pretzel twist into the chocolate and then lay on the parchment paper. Continue until you have as many as you want. If sprinkling with nonpaerils or sprinkles, do so before the chocolate hardens.

4.) To add a chocolate drizzle, melt the chocolate you will be using, spoon into a Ziploc bag, cut off a very tiny corner, and then drizzle the chocolate over the pretzels.

5.) When making a pretzel rod coat one end of the rod in chocolate.

6.) Roll the pretzel in your coating of choice.

7) If wishing to make a swirly pretzel rod, coat in semi-sweet or dark chocolate, and let harden a bit. After it has hardened roll it into the white chocolate which will begin a swirl.

8.) After you have finished coating and decorating your pretzels put them in the refrigerator to harden. (In my family we leave anything with chocolate on it in the refrigerator until ready to eat.)

Once your pretzels are hardened store them in an air-tight container. You could put these is little decorative tins, or a cute treat bag and give them as gifts. Enjoy!

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Notes for All Occasions

Posted on December 16, 2010 by kitchenandkids

Easy gift idea #2. Hand-stamped Note Cards.

I am all about easy, and I am all about economical, but I am also all about giving! I love to give gifts, but I want them to be personal and tailor-made, that is why a custom note card set is a perfect gift. I think every woman needs to have a few note cards handy to send to friends, family, teachers, acquaintances, etc…

And, to me the best note cards are the multi-purpose kind, that can really be used for any occasion, so that is what I am bringing you today.

Girlfriends Note Cards


As I always say gather your supplies first. You can find all of the supplies at your local craft store.

Blank greeting cards with envelopes – 5 1/2 x 4, white
Woman stamp, Hampton Art
Memento ink, tuxedo black
1/2″ Organza ribbon, black

1.) Ink up your stamp thoroughly.

2.) Carefully center your stamp on the card. Make sure your card is set to open the correct way. There is nothing worse than getting your card made and realizing it opens backwards.

3.) Repeat step 1 and 2 for another 9 or so cards. You will want to make at least 10 cards.

4.) Cut enough black organza ribbon to wrap around your note cards and envelopes.

5.) Tie the organza ribbon around the note card set and add a pen.

Voila! You now have a beautiful gift to give. Enjoy!

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On The Fifth Day of Christmas – White Chocolate Popcorn

Posted on December 15, 2010 by kitchenandkids

Yes… I said White Chocolate Popcorn.

Before baby, I was a popcorn addict and had been for many, many years. There were days that popcorn is all I would eat for lunch, and I was perfectly happy with that. But something happened … pregnancy! I was not too fond of popcorn while I was pregnant, but after years of loving it, I was sure that once the sweet baby arrived I would love it again. Not so! I like popcorn, but I can take it or leave it.

The only kind of popcorn that really draws me now is Gourmet Popcorn! If you live in a decent size city, you have probably seen those popcorn stores that sell funky kinds of popcorn at crazy prices – well, that is the popcorn I like. To be more exact, I like the Ranch popcorn, or the Dill Pickle popcorn (gross, you say? My thoughts at first, but if you haven’t tried it, don’t knock it – it is pretty good.)

However, I won’t go to the popcorn store when the urge strikes, so I had to come up with another plan, thus the White Chocolate Popcorn. I am making gift baskets this Christmas for friends and family loaded with homemade goodies, and I thought a gift basket would not be complete without popcorn, so below you will find my Easy As Pie White Chocolate Popcorn.

White Chocolate Popcorn

As with any thing that requires ingredients or supplies, gather them ahead of time so your project will move along smoothly.

Approx. 10 c. popcorn, popped
2 1/2 c. white chocolate chips
1 c. Sweet ‘N Crunchy Peanuts
Jingle Mix Nonpareils

1.) When choosing your popcorn, make sure it is light on the butter. I used microwave popcorn for mine, however, air popped would work fine.

2.) Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

3.) Melt your chocolate chips in a microwave-safe glass bowl. Begin melting your chips for 1 minute at 50% power, stir chips. If necessary, continue to melt for 30 second intervals until completely melted. (If you prefer, you could use a double boiler.)

4.) Now, quickly stir the chocolate in with the popcorn. Make sure to coat all of the pieces of chocolate. The chocolate will begin to harden quickly, so move fast.

5.) Add in the nuts and mix gently.

6.) Spread popcorn mixture out on the parchment paper and sprinkle with the nonpareils. Place in the refrigerator to set.

Notice how it is hard to see the white chocolate, but if you taste it, it is there.

7.) Pull from refrigerator and break into pieces.

Eat a little for yourself and then bag some to give away.

I can honestly say that this is probably the quickest treat so far. Prep time is about 5 minutes. If you need some quick little gifts these would be great.

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Christmas Card Exchange

Posted on December 13, 2010 by kitchenandkids

So? It is the 13th of December and I bet most of you have sent out your Christmas cards already? Not me… Nope… Not even close. What to do? Run out to the store and buy a box of cards? Nah. Snap an impromptu picture of the family and then make photo cards? Uh-uh, did that last year (I think.) I know… I will raid my favorite card makers supply room and make my Christmas cards. Just so you know, favorite card maker = my mom. I am hoping she will share some of her cards with us periodically.

For this year’s cards I wanted to focus on simple and easy. With my schedule, I can’t spend too much time on any one particular project, so simple is my motto. I will be showing you two different cards that go well together.

As with cooking, gather your supplies so your project is easier to conquer. There is nothing more frustrating than having to find a particular supply when you need it. All of these supplies should be available at your local craft store. You may not be able to find the exact same stamps, but you can use what is available.

5×7 blank Greeting Cards with Envelopes, brown
ColorBox ink, frost white
Uniball Signa Broad Pen, white
Glitter glue, iridescent
Inkadinkadoo Reindeer stamp, Christmas Tree stamp, and Happy Holiday stamp
Baby wipes

1.) Ink your stamp very well.

2.) Very carefully line your stamp up over your card and then gently place stamp on card stock. Do not rock your stamp, firmly press down on all areas of your stamp. We found it works best if we are standing, that way we were absolutely sure to get pressure on all areas of the stamp.

3.) Clean your stamp immediately after stamping your cards before continuing on. You can use baby wipes to clean your stamps.

Here is what your cards might look like after stamping, before moving on to the other areas.

4.) Now on the Christmas Tree card, stamp Happy Holidays on the inside. On the Reindeer card, stamp Happy Holidays under the reindeer.

5.) Use the glitter glue to fill in the star atop the Christmas Tree, and place a dot of the glitter glue on the tip of the reindeer’s antlers.

6.) For an added touch to your holiday cards, decorate the outside of the envelope as well. Use your stamp and ink about 1/2 of it and stamp the edge of the envelope. For the Christmas Tree stamp it on the left-hand side of the envelope, for the Reindeer stamp it on the right-hand side of the envelope.

6.) Now, last but not least sign your card and address your envelopes! I would use the Uniball pen in white. It looks so nice.

Completed Christmas Tree card.

Completed Reindeer Christmas card.

Since you have done such an amazing job on your cards, do not forget to mail them. Your friends and family will be impressed.

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On The Fourth Day of Christmas… Eggnog Fudge

Posted on December 9, 2010 by kitchenandkids

All things holiday are EGGNOG and FUDGE! When I think about Christmas treats, eggnog ranks right at the top. Now I must say, I am not much of an eggnog drinker, but my boys can’t wait for the right time for some eggnog. They get giddy about it. I also look forward to fudge at Christmas. Those are two things I won’t eat or drink outside of the Christmas season, so what better way to enjoy them than all at once.

I can honestly say that this is one of the best fudges I have had. It is rich, creamy, and not overly eggnog flavored. It is also very simple to make. (If you have a child old enough to stand at the stove, recruit them as the Official Eggnog Monitor and have them stir it.)

This eggnog calls for fresh ground nutmeg, which is by far the better choice because it gives a richer flavor, however, if you can’t find whole nutmeg, ground nutmeg would suffice.

Eggnog Fudge

As I always say gather your ingredients first, and with fudge that is of most importance to get it just right. Don’t just have them handy, have them measured and ready to pour.

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. eggnog
10.5 oz white chocolate chips
1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg (grated a bit extra for sprinkling)
7 oz. marshmallow creme
1 tsp rum extract (or rum)

1) Line a square ( 8 x 8 ) baking pan with foil, and then butter the foil. Sprinkle a little of your nutmeg in the pan.

2) In a heavy saucepan combine your sugar, butter and eggnog. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly (now is the time for the Official Eggnog Monitor). Continue to boil 8 to 10 minutes over medium heat – STIRRING CONSTANTLY. If you stop stirring it could scorch the candy. Remove from heat.

3) Quickly add in your white chocolate and nutmeg, stir with a wooden spoon until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

4) Stir in marshmallow creme and rum extract. Beat until well blended and then pour into your prepared pan, and sprinkle with nutmeg.

5) Let cool completely – either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. After it is cooled invert onto a cutting board, score the fudge, and then cut into 1 inch pieces. It should yield approximately 64 one inch pieces of fudge.

These would be great put in a pretty box and given as gifts.

Recipe Source: adapted from recipegirl.com

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