English Toffee

I made this the other night.  I tried a couple of recipes but felt this one was the best.  I have been snacking on it all day!  I also packed some up in the gift to our mail man with some white chocolate pretzels.  Hopefully it is a hit!

This is another Paula Dean recipe - but I changed a couple of things.

Ingredients

• 14 tablespoons (1 stick, plus 6 tablespoons) butter (**I used 2 sticks of butter - I know who uses more butter than Paula Dean!!**)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Dash salt
• 1 (6-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips or thin chocolate bars

Directions

Generously butter a cookie sheet. (I used Pam and it worked fine)

Put butter, sugar, and water in a heavy pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a bubbling boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove spoon from pan, and cook to a very brittle stage (300 degrees to 310 degrees F on a candy thermometer) ( I did 300 degrees and it was perfect). Or, make a cold water test: candy will separate into hard, brittle threads when dropped in cold water. Remove from heat and add nuts to mixture ( I added nuts at the end to the top of the chocolate after it is spread). Add vanilla and salt. Pour onto prepared cookie sheet and spread to 1/4-inch thickness. Cool slightly, top with chocolate chips or chocolate bars, and spread as it melts. Here is where I add the pecan pieces. Cool completely and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.  The next day seems to be when it is the best - if you keep it in an airtight container it will stay good for a week!!

Yummy to the Tummy

My girls are very hard to please when it comes to food.  They like the normal kid stuff.  Nuggets, hot dogs, PB & J.  They are not good at all at trying to new things.  So when I found this recipe and they ate every bit and wanted more several times - I marked it down as a keeper.  I also love it so that makes it even better!! One meal for all three of us - I can't say I do that much!!  So I wanted to pass it on!!

Sweet Chicken Bacon WrapsRecipe courtesy Paula Deen

• Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)
• 1 (1-pound) package sliced bacon
• 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chili powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Cut each bacon slice into thirds. Wrap each chicken cube with bacon and secure with a wooden pick. Stir together brown sugar and chili powder. Dredge wrapped chicken in mixture. Coat a rack and broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken wrap on rack in broiler pan. Bake 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

Mail Truck Piggy Banks

My Dad made these for all the grandkids.  I think they will be a huge hit and what a great idea.  He was a mail man for many years so this even means more!!

More of Jack the Elf

This morning the girls found Jack in our tree and that he had TPed it.  They didn't really understand what that meant - but I thought it was pretty funny!!

My Sister makes a better donut

My sister also made donuts for my nephew's Christmas Party and hers turned out WAY better so I wanted to share her picture!!

Reindeer fun

I found these reindeer donuts and cookies on pinterest.  Mine didn't turn out as cute - but they are very yummy and the girls thought they were cute!

Chocolate donut

Red M&M

green icing

pretzels cut in half

The one on the left is a Peanut Butter cookie with white chocolate pretzels and M&M eyes and nose

The one on the right is a sugar cookie with plan pretzels and M&M eyes and nose.

Sock Bun Curles

Sock Bun Curles

I used a toddler sock to make smaller curles since my girls have pretty fine hair.  I cut the foot part off and rolled it into a 'donut' shape.  I put their hair in a loose pony tail (otherwise it leaves a mark in their hair) I used a water spray bottle and sprayed the pony tail lightly.  Then I put the pony tail through the sock and started at the very bottom of the hair and rolled it around the sock all the way up to the pony tail holder.  If you do it tight enough the sock will just stay in and they can go to bed in it.  They slept in this a lot easier than when we do the foam curliers.  Then I pulled it out and they had some great curles!!  My oldes has longer thicker hair and it worked perfect on hers.  My youngest is thin and short but she still had some cute curles too.

Cinnamon Roll Waffels

Christmas Candy

Chocolate Pecan Caramels

Carmel Recipe:

1 lb. brown sugar

1 cup unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup light corn syrup

1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

It makes a little over a quart. I just pour it in a mason jar to store and warm in the microwave a little to get it out of the jar.  Too make the caramel squares - I just poured the warm caramel out on a cookie sheet and put it in the freezer until it was harder then cut it into squares. Plus you want the caramel pretty cold before you put the warm chocolate around it or it will be a melty mess!!

Christmas Crafts

A few of my Christmas Crafts. I have a few that I have not posted because they have not been given out yet and I don't want to ruin the surprise!

Bow wreath made for my Sister. The bows were pre done and I just wrapped the wreath with a matching ribbon. Then I glued plastic beads onto the ribbons.

Pine Cone wreath made for my parents. The pine cones were picked by my kids from their back yard. I glued the pine cones on and put holly leaves and berries between to make it look fuller then added a wire ribbon I made this was all put on a foam wreath.
Glued plastic white beads all sizes to the white foam wreath. This took a while but turned out really pretty. I would suggest putting a pretty colored ribbon around the wreath first then you may not need as many beads. This was by far my most costly wreath. I could have bought a nice one at the store for all I spent on the beads!

I had some old glass ornaments that I had for over 15 years - they were gold and loosing their shine. I usually would throw these away but decided to try and make some new ornaments out of them. I used Mod Podge and tissue paper and pictures of my kids to decorate them. They turned out cute. I sprayed the mod podge spray on the outside to help them keep their color.

I had some old glass ornaments that I had for over 15 years - they were gold and loosing their shine and too small for the picture idea. I used Mod Podge and glitter. They turned out really cute. I sprayed the mod podge spray on the outside to help them keep the glitter on.

Elf Fun

Here are a few pictures from our first year with Jack the Elf on a Shelf. So far we have had a great time with his wonderful magical ways!

Tea Party

Fishing
Magic * this was their favorite!

Snow ball fight