Chocolate and other food groups

Soda Cracker Candy 35-40 or 1/4 lb. soda crackers 1 c. brown sugar 1 c. butter 1 c. chopped nuts 12 oz. milk chocolate chips Line jelly roll pan with foil. Fill pan with one layer of soda crackers. Boil brown sugar and butter for 2 minutes, stirring all the time. Add chopped nuts. Pour over crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and top with chocolate chips and bake 1 more minutes. Smooth melted chocolate over pan. Cool.

Another of Mom's delicious recipes. I think she got this one from Borden's Pet Milk. Milk Caramel 3/4 c. sugar 2 Tb. water 1 c. corn syrup, white vanilla 1/2 c. butter 3/4 c. evaporated milk 1/2 tsp. salt Put the sugar, water, and corn syrup into a heavy saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat. Wash sugar crystals down from the sides of the pan with a wet paintbrush or pastry brush. Stir in butter. When the batch starts boiling again, add the evaporated milk very slowly, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Then stir caramel vigorously, scraping the bottom of the pan and sides. This is to prevent the milk from scorching. Cook until soft ball stage, about 234. It should take about 5 minutes to add milk. After soft ball stage is reached, remove from heat and add salt and a few drops of vanilla.  Turtles 1 Batch of Milk Caramel Chopped Pecans Let caramel cool slightly. Spread as many nuts as possible on a baking sheet or jelly roll pan. With a...

Another one of my mom's recipes. We had this at Christmas. Blond Fudge Supreme 3 c. sugar 3/4 c. milk 1 c. chopped nuts - pecans are best! 3 Tb. butter 2 tsp. vanilla 3 Tb. light corn syrup 1/8 tsp. salt Combine sugar, milk, corn syrup and salt in 3 quart heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. If sugar crystals form on the sides of the pan, wash down with a wet brush. Cook over low boil until soft balls form when dropped in water or candy thermometer measures 236. Add butter. DO NOT STIR. Cook until lukewarm or 110 degrees. Add vanilla and beat until candy looses its gloss or shine and starts to thicken. Stir in nuts. Pour into buttered 8" square pan. While still warm, score into pieces. Makes about 2 lbs. of fudge.

My mom used to make this candy and I loved it. She added "1/4 stick paraffin" to the melted chocolate, but I don't think that's necessary. It won't hurt you if you do it and it does make the chocolate glossier. But if you want your chocolate to melt more smoothly, add 1 tsp. heavy cream to the chocolate chips. Ohio Buckeyes 2 1/2 lbs. powdered sugar 1 lb. butter, softened 2 c. peanut butter 2 c. chocolate chips Cream butter until fluffy. Add peanut butter and beat thoroughly. Add powdered sugar. Chill for 1 hour, then roll into 1-2 inch balls. Chill again.  Melt 1 large pkg (2 c.) chocolate chips. Dip the candy into the melted chocolate so 1/2 of the ball is covered. Chill on wax paper until set.

Some of you know that I work holidays at See's Candies. It's the perfect job. I'm around chocolate all day, I get to work with customers, and I get paid. If only books were involved somehow, I would never leave. That and my feet get tired. Anyway, this year See's has a new product that I am loving. It's the Christmas Mint Lollipop. It is super good. I think it's like buttercream frosting with a little mint added. One customer said it was like the mints you get at weddings. I took some samples home and my kids loved it. If you want to try it, you'd better hurry. This lollipop is only available during Christmas, and I'm sure it will sell out. One nice thing they're doing this year, you can buy this lolly and the cinnamon one singly now instead of having to buy them in a pack of eight. One lollipop is 70 cents. You can also get the cranberry orange truffle, the pecan pie truffle, and the eggnog truffle singly. But I don't like any of them! Still, if...

I have always wanted to make pralines, but I didn't try it myself until I found a super easy recipe in the cookbook, In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs . I wish you could taste them! They are so incredibly yummy and so easy to make. The hardest part is waiting for them to cool so you can eat them. Pralines 1 1/2 c. sugar 1/2 c. water 2 c. unsalted nuts, pecans are best! Prepare a pan or work surface before starting. In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Add nuts and return to a boil. Continue boiling, stirring constantly, until the sugar gradually caramelizes. Keep boiling and stirring until sugar becomes a sandy brown caramel and nuts separate. Immediately turn out onto work surface, spread them apart, and let them cool. Supposed to keep for a month in a tightly covered container, but I bet they won't last that long.

Also from Shirley Corriher's book New Orleans Pralines 1 1/4 c. pecans 4 Tb. butter 1/4 tsp. salt 1 c. light brown sugar 1 c. sugar 1/2 c. evaporated milk 1 tsp. vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350. Butter a large piece of foil and set aside. Spread nuts on a baking sheet and roast until lightly browned, 10-12 minutes. While nuts are still hot, stir in 2 Tb. butter and sprinkle with salt.  In heavy saucepan, stir together well and boil the sugars, evaporated milk, remaining 2 Tb. butter and roasted nuts until mixture reaches soft ball stage with a large wooden spoon. The second you feel the mixture begin to thicken, start spooning up the candies. Spoon up tablespoon sized pralines as fast as possible onto butter foil. Let stand to cool and set. Store in an airtight container. (If you double recipe, add 1 Tb. corn syrup to ingredients to slow down hardening)

My grandma made this every Christmas, so I thought I'd include it here. Rocky Road Candy 12 oz. chocolate chips 2 Tb. butter 14 oz. can Eagle Brand Melt in a double boiler over hot water until chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat. Combine: 10 oz. mini marshmallows 2 c. nuts - pecans are what Grandma used Fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour onto wax paper lined 13 x 9 pan. Cool 2 hours. Turn pan over and peel wax paper off candy. Cut into squares and serve.

Another one from Aunt Elaine that I tried for the first time last year. It was a big hit. Mock Roca Line 15 x 10 x 1 pan (jelly roll pan) with foil. Place graham crackers on the bottom. Heat oven to 350.  Boil together: 1/2 c. sugar 1 stick butter 1 stick margarine (or both butter) Bring to a full boil and cook for 3 minutes. Pour mixture over graham crackers. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Cool and break into pieces. This is NOT low fat.

These are great for a fast candy/cookie that requires no cooking. Orange Balls 6 oz. crushed vanilla wafers 1 c. pecans, chopped 1 c. orange juice concentrate, thawed 1 lb. powdered sugar Mix all ingredients together. Roll into 1 inch balls. Roll in coconut or ground pecans.

Another recipe from Aunt Elaine. This is a great fudge for beginning cooks because you don't have to heat it at all. White Almond Fudge 3 oz. cream cheese, softened 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar 1/2 tsp. almond flavoring 1/2 c. chopped almonds 1/8 tsp. salt Beat cream cheese until smooth and soft. Slowly add sugar. Beat until smooth. Add flavoring, almonds, and salt. Press mixture into buttered 8 inch square pan. Chill until firm.

Peanut Butter Fudge This recipe is from my Great-Aunt Elaine.  I have a little book with all her candy recipes in it, and they are all winners. 1 c. sugar 2 Tb. butter 1 c. brown sugar 1/2 c. evaporated milk 1 ts. vanilla 1/2 lb. peanut butter 1 c. marshmallows pinch salt Cook sugar, butter, salt, and milk to soft ball stage. (234-238 degrees - higher at high altitudes) Add marshmallows and peanut butter just before removing from heat. DO NOT STIR. Cool to room temperature. Add vanilla. Beat until mixtures is creamy, thick, and will hold its shape when dropped from a spoon. Pour into well buttered shallow pan.

This recipe is from Carrie, a former neighbor who made it for Christmas. It's easy and at my house, it's gone in no time. Caramel Corn 8 c. popped popcorn (about 1/3 c. unpopped) 3/4 c. brown sugar 1/3 c. margarine 3 Tb. light corn syrup 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. vanilla Remove all kernels from popped corn. Butter sides of a medium saucepan. In saucepan, combine brown sugar, margarine, and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat to boiling. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla; pour over popcorn. Stir gently to coat.

This is not classic fudge, but it's an extremely easy and delicious candy that even beginners can make. Cream Cheese Fudge 4 c. sifted powdered sugar 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted 1 tsp. vanilla Dash salt 1/2 c. chopped nuts, optional Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sugar, mixing well. Add remaining ingredients. spread into buttered 8" square pan. Chill several hours before cutting. Store in refrigerator. Makes about 1 3/4 lbs. fudge.