Aunt M's Infamous Toffee

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 TBSP cold water
a dash of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet or milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Generously coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter.

Combine sugar, butter and water in a lrage heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly so it doesn't crystalize.

Clamp a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan, making sure it doesn't touch the bottom of the pan.  Cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 300 degress F ("hard-crack stage") on the thermometer.

Immediately remove from heat stir in salt and vanilla.

Pour mixture immediately onto prepared pan and spread with a buttered spatula.

Top with chocolate chips over hot mixture.  After a few minutes, chocolate will be soft enough to spread with a buttered spatula or back of a buttered spoon.

Sprinkle crushed pecans over the top of melted chocolate.

Cool completely and break into pieces once hardened.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerator up to 10 days.

Christmas Clusters

Ingredients

¼ cup (40 g) roasted pistachios, divided
¼ cup (40 g) dried cranberries, divided
8 ounces (225 g) white chocolate, chopped

Directions

1.  Set aside 12 pistachios and 12 cranberries in separate small bowls for the garnish.

2.  Chop the remaining pistachios and cranberries separately.

3.  In a medium microwave-safe bowl heat the white chocolate on High in 15-second intervals, stirring in between. (Alternatively, melt it on top of the stove). Once the chocolate is melted and smooth; stir in the chopped pistachios and cranberries.

4.  Using a spoon, drop the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, creating 12 clusters spaced apart. Top each with a reserved pistachio and cranberry.

5.  Let cool completely at room temperature.

Tips

1.  White chocolate picks up flavors quickly. Be sure the clusters are not stored with other goodies, or their flavors might transfer.

2.  Store the clusters in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 2 weeks.

Library Haul 2019 (Dec 22 - 28)

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  Fatal Cajun Festival - Ellen Bryon
2.  Invitation Only Murder - Leslie Meier
3.  Christmas in Silver Springs - Brenda Novak

Chewy Macaroons

Preheat the oven to 325 F (160 C)

2 Baking Sheets lined with parchment paper

Ingredients

6 cups (600 g) sweetened shredded coconut
1 can (14 oz or 300 mL) full-fat sweetened condensed milk
1 TBSP (15 mL) vanilla extract

Directions

1.  In a large bowl stir together the coconut, condensed milk and vanilla until the coconut is well coated.

2.  Drop in 1-tablespoon (15 mL) mounds onto the prepared baking sheets spacing them about 1 ½ inches (4 cm) apart.

3.  Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack; of the preheated oven; until lightly browned around the edges; about 10 to 12 minutes.

4.  Let cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes before transferring the macaroons to the rack to cool completely.

Tips

1.  Be sure to scrape out the tin of condensed milk, I find tiny spatulas ideal for this job. Simply pouring the milk from the can may leave behind a good 2 TBSP (30 mL) and will adversely affect the final results.

2.  Substitute 1 ½ teaspoons (7 mL) pure almond extract for the vanilla if you want an almond taste.

3.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Christmas Cinnamon-Sugar Roasted Almonds

 

Ingredients

1 egg white
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 cups whole almonds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray.

2.  Whisk together the egg white and vanilla until frothy. Stir in almonds until almonds are completely coated. Set aside.

3.  In a medium bowl, mix together sugars, salt and cinnamon. Fold in almond mixture and mix until almonds are completely coated.

4.  Transfer to prepared baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Cook for one hour, gently turning over with a spatula every 20 minutes.

5.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container.

Gary's Gooey Caramel Popcorn

 

Ingredients

1 can of sweetened condensed milk
2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup light corn syrup
a pinch of salt
18 cups cooked popcorn (or 3 bags of microwave popcorn, popped)

Directions

1.  Cook all ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan on medium heat to soft ball stage or about 235 F degrees. (If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can test the candy by dropping a little mixture in cold water. If it forms a soft ball, it's done.)

2.  Pour over popcorn and mix with a wooden spoon until evenly coated.

3.  Eat as is or form into balls and store in a covered container.

Tip: Add a cup of peanuts for crunchy texture and salty flavor. There's something sweet and salty that's so divine.

Weekly Book Reads (Dec 16)

Weekly Book Reads

Weekly Book Reads is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews:

Post the books read last week and books you plan on finishing this week.

Read Last Week:

1.  A Murderous Tangle - Sally Goldenbalm
2.  Ali Cross - James Patterson

Weekly Book Reading:

1.  Blue Moon - John Sandford
2.  Thin Ice - Paige Shelton

Library Haul 2019 (Dec 15 - 21)

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  Blue Moon - John Sandford
2.  Thin Ice - Paige Shelton

Weekly Book Reads (Dec 9)

Weekly Book Reads

Weekly Book Reads is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews:

Post the books read last week and books you plan on finishing this week.

Read Last Week:

1.  Wherever She Goes - Kelley Armstrong
2.  Bloody Genius - John Sandford

Weekly Book Reading:

1.  A Murderous Tangle - Sally Goldenbalm
2.  Ali Cross - James Patterson

Bunny Express Saturday 2019 (Dec 7)

Bunny Express Saturday is hosted every Saturday at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews.

I received this in the mail this week.         

First in a new series set in Alaska from beloved author Paige Shelton, Thin Ice will chill your bones.

Beth Rivers is on the run – she’s doing the only thing she could think of to keep herself safe. Known to the world as thriller author Elizabeth Fairchild, she had become the subject of a fanatic’s obsession. After being held in a van for three days by her kidnapper, Levi Brooks, Beth managed to escape, and until he is captured, she's got to get away. Cold and remote, Alaska seems tailor-made for her to hideout.

Beth’s new home in Alaska is sparsely populated with people who all seem to be running or hiding from something, and though she accidentally booked a room at a halfway house, she feels safer than she’s felt since Levi took her. That is, until she’s told about a local death that’s a suspected murder. Could the death of Linda Rafferty have anything to do with her horror at the hands of Levi Brooks?

As Beth navigates her way through the wilds of her new home, her memories of her time in the van are coming back, replaying the terror and the fear ― and threatening to keep her from healing, from reclaiming her old life again. Can she get back to normal, will she ever truly feel safe, and can she help solve the local mystery, if only so she doesn’t have to think about her own?

Weekly Book Reads (Dec 2)

Weekly Book Reads

Weekly Book Reads is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews:

Post the books read last week and books you plan on finishing this week.

Read Last Week:

1. Strangers She Knows - Christina Dodd
2. Word to the Wise - Jenn McKinlay

Weekly Book Reading:

1. Wherever She Goes - Kelley Armstrong
2.  Bloody Genius - John Sandford

December Releases

3rd
Thin Ice - Paige Shelton

Library Haul 2019 (Dec 1 - 7)

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  Bloody Genius - John Sandford
2.  Quantum - Patricia Cornwell
3.  A Murderous Tangle - Sally Goldenbalm
4.  Videohound's Golden Movie Retriever - Michael J. Tyrkus