Eggnog Fudge

One of the first bloggers I ever "met" was Joan from Chocolate, Chocolate and More Chocolate.
Her blog is full of amazing sweet, most times chocolaty, goodness.
This recipe for eggnog fudge she posted last year is no exception.
 I wanted to make it then, but found I ran out of time!

It was on my holiday MUST BAKE list, and we are all happy that I did! :)
Make sure you pop over and see what Joan has baking in her kitchen, you will always be glad you did!

Eggnog Fudge

Chocolate, Chocolate and More

1/2 cup butter

2 Tablespoon heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup eggnog minus 2 Tablespoons

2 cups sugar

1 - 10 ounce bag white chocolate chips

1 - 7 ounce jar marshmallow fluff

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Line a 9x9 baking dish with foil and butter well.

In a medium saucepan combine butter, eggnog, cream and sugar.  Bring to boil over medium heat stirring occasionally.  When it boils, reduce the heat and continue cooking until candy thermometer registers 234 degrees. (soft ball stage)  Remove from heat and stir in white chocolate chips.  Stir until combined, add marshmallow, nutmeg and vanilla, stir until smooth.

Spread into prepared pan, garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg on top.

Let cool at room temperature and then place in refrigerator.

Store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Nutter Butter Acorns

We made these the last couple of years, I don't know why I never took pictures of them?

I think they are ADORABLE.

And 

so.darn.tempting.

They are so little you can just pop 'em in your mouth!

Perfect blend of peanut butter and chocolate.

I think you should make some of these up for the kids at Thanksgiving...

or anytime really?

NUTTER BUTTER Acorns

Taste of Home

1/2 cup chocolate chips, + 48 pieces

48 Mini Nutter Butter Cookies

48 Hershey Kisses, unwrapped

Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper.

Melt 1/2 cup of chocolate chips in the microwave.

Dip the flat end of the kiss in the melted chocolate and stick to one side of the Nutter Butter and place on the cookie sheet.

Place in refrigerator until set.

Do the same thing with the chocolate chips to make the "stem."

Put back in refrigerator to set completely.

Pop one in your mouth and say thanks!!

Sometimes it's ok to talk with your mouth full!

Peanut Clusters

Every year my God-Mother, my Aunt Janette, makes these for me for Christmas.

I bake and bake and bake all season long, and mostly,

once I look at stuff for so long it's not even appealing to me!

But NOT THESE!!

I can't leave them alone, and the only thing that makes them better is to eat them out of the freezer!!

I made my own this year to share with friends and family, 

and thought I would share them with YOU!!

Peanut Clusters

8 squares chocolate almond bark

1 - 12 ounce package of semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 - 10 ounce packages of salted blanched peanuts

Melt almond bark and chocolate chips in the microwave for about 2 1/2 minutes.  Stir.  It may take a few seconds longer to get them completely melted, depending on your microwave.

Add peanuts to mix and combine well with the melted chocolate.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

Refrigerate until set.

Makes about 5 dozen small clusters.

Peanut Brittle

If you would have told me that I would ever be posting a recipe for peanut brittle, 

I would have told you that you were NUTS!!

(don't mind the pun...)

For whatever reason, I have always been told how difficult it is to make and therefore I have always been a little chicken to try it.

Well, I am here to tell you the one thing you need....

a good candy thermometer!!

peanut brittle

Follow these directions and you will have peanut brittle success just like I did!!

put in a jar for a great gift!!

Peanut Brittle

from Taste of Home Magazine

3 cups sugar

2 cups water

3/4 cup light corn syrup

3/4 cup dark corn syrup

2 cups salted Spanish peanuts

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large heavy duty pan, combine sugar, water and corn syrups.  Bring to a boil stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.  When mixture reaches a full boil, continue boiling without stirring over medium heat until candy thermometer reaches 260 degrees or the "hard ball stage."  Stir in the peanuts and the butter, stirring frequently until the mixture reaches the "hard crack stage" or 300 degrees.

Remove from heat, stir in the baking soda and the vanilla, mixture will become foamy.  Pour onto lined baking sheets and spread out as thin as possible.  

Cool completely and break into pieces.

White and Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark

White and Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark

gorgeous on any holiday platter

The best of both worlds come together with both kinds of delectable chocolate and the crunch of the peppermint candy canes!

This is one of my favorite things to put on cookie platters, 

because it's just so darn pretty!!

yes, please.

White and Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

8 ounces premiere white chocolate

10 candy canes, crushed

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, divided

Melt over low heat, white chocolate, remove from heat and add 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract.

Spread onto a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.

Place in freezer for about 10 minutes, or until hardened.

Melt dark chocolate, over low heat, remove from heat, add 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract.

Spread over the top of the white chocolate.

Top with crushed peppermint, pressing into warm chocolate.

\

Return to freezer until hardened.

Break or cut into pieces.
I prefer to break mine, I like the randomness of the look of the broken pieces!

Holiday Highlights from An Affair from the Heart

all packaged up for delivery

I have been busy busy baking and baking. Then Tuesday night I had my cookie exchange.  

Wednesday morning,  I spread my platters out on my kitchen table and began filling them up.  

We made 5 huge platters, two small containers and several little plates of goodies.

My twins and I loaded them up and off we went to deliver!

I decided to share with you the holiday things that I have been making in one spot.

So, here you have a Holiday Recap!

Holiday Recap 2011

Spice Cookies with Pumpkin Dip

Candy Bar Fudge

Caramel Toffee and Pecan Fudge

Almond Raspberry Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

My Great Aunt Vern's Sugar Cookies

Candy Coated Crispix Mix

Click on the Crispix Mix to see this cute way to decorate a Pringles Can for your cookie Exchanges.  How cute are these?!?

Grandma Davis' Frosted Sugar Cookies

Karen's Gngerbread

Rainbow Cookies

Pecan Caramel Bark (Turtle Bark)

Festive Cherry Pie Jell-O

Home Made Sugar Scrubs

From myself and my family,  to all of you who take the time to follow my blog and facebook pages, 

Happy Holidays!  It means so much to have you here with me! 

Cheers to 2012!

Caramel, Toffee and Pecan Fudge

caramel toffee pecan fudge

My third bake along challenge was for caramel, toffee & pecan fudge.  

A little shout out to Danielle over at Hugs & Cookies XOXO for helping me with my holiday baking!!

Woo Hoo!!!

This is a very soft and moist fudge.  If you love white chocolate, this one is FOR YOU!  

I am attaching the recipe the way it was emailed to me. 

Thank you for looking!

bake along challenge 

Caramel, Toffee and Pecan Fudge

Ingredients:

·  3 cups NESTLE white chocolate chips (I like to use Nestle)

·  1 can sweetened condensed milk

·  7 OUNCES Kraft's Caramels (1/2 BAG), melted in microwave with a 1T. heavy cream

·  1/2 cup, coarsely chopped pecans (Toast them in the oven 350 for a couple of minutes!!! Made a huge taste difference)

·  1/3 cup toffee bits (i used two Heath bars chopped)

1. In a medium saucepan, mix together the white chocolate chips and the sweetened condensed milk over low heat. Stir until melted and smooth. 

2. Pour into a 9x9 dish lined with nonstick foil.

3. Pour the melted caramel over the fudge and use a knife or spatula to marble throughout the fudge.  Scoop some of the fudge from the bottom on top of the caramel so it's mixed well from top to bottom.

4. Add chopped pecans and toffee bits. I swirled them through just a drop.

5. Chill for at least an hour. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from something swanky

Recipe Challenge from Hugs & Cookies XOXO

Candy Bar Fudge

candy bar fudge, made with Snickers

I make this fudge EVERY year at Christmas.  

Yesterday was no different.  It just so happened that it ended up being the "light at the end of the tunnel" for my little guy yesterday afternoon.

I have been trying to get my kids in for flu shots for weeks.  It's hard to get 4 kids and myself to the doctor all at once without missing school. Then every time I had it scheduled, someone came home from school or stayed home sick.  Yesterday I said that's it! Today is the day!

I texted my two high schoolers and told them to meet me at the doctor's office after school.  I picked up my two 9 year olds and headed over.  

My youngest son asked why we were turning and I said that we were getting our flu shots.  

PURE PANIC. 

He is NOT a fan of shots (who is really?) But even more so... 

So, I did what Mom's do best in awkward situations, I changed the subject.

Asked them about their day, and told them about what I had baked.

When I said fudge, his eyes lit up and exclaimed "FUDGE?!? The one with the Snickers in it??"

That very one... 

Thank goodness.  It was what pulled him through! 

This fudge is so darn easy!! It literally has 3 ingredients.

candy bar fudge

Candy Bar Fudge

1 can Chocolate Frosting 

( I use chocolate fudge, but Milk chocolate works great, too)

1 bag of chocolate chips 

(I use semi-sweet, but use milk chocolate if you use the milk chocolate frosting)

3 regular sized Snickers candy bars 

( or about 7 minis) 

Line an 8x8 pan with foil. Spray with non-stick spray. 

(or use non-stick foil...that stuff is THE BOMB.)

Chop candy bars, reserving about 1/4 cup.

Melt chips over low heat in saucepan.

hen melted add the frosting and stir until smooth.

 Add chopped candy bars, stir. 

Spread into prepared pan.

Top with reserved candy bars, and chill for at least one hour.

Cut into squares with warm knife.

Makes 36 squares.

I have also made this with Butterfingers.  The Snickers is the hit at my house. You could use about any candy bar I would think? I bet if you were an Almond Joy fan that would be awesome!

Enjoy!!

~Michaela

Pecan Caramel Bark - (Turtle Bark)

pecan caramel bark - turtle bark

I decided it would be fun to join a bake along challenge!!

Danielle over at Hugs & Cookies XOXO hosts one of these a week!

I have been having so much fun in the kitchen, I figured if I did something  like this, I would most likely be baking something I wouldn't normally bake. 

Turns out, that happened on the first challenge!

First off, I have never been a big fan of pecans, and secondly, the thought of making homemade caramel always sort of intimidated me!

Well, Danielle, being the sweetheart she is, gave me a cheater version using melted caramels. 

I seriously considered it.... and then I tightened my apron straps, 

pulled up my big girl panties and tackled it!

I knew I had enough of the ingredients to have a few do-overs, and fully planned to.

Then... guess what?

I did it... on the FIRST TRY!

(takes a bow)

It was surprisingly easy.

So, I made this pecan turtle bark today with HOMEMADE caramel....

and it smells, looks and

TASTES amazing!

Thanks, Danielle for the fun "homework!"

Here is the recipe for those of you who want a yummy assignment!

* ~ *

Turtle Bark

• ½ cup pecans, toasted

• 16oz Ghirardelli DARK chocolate chips

Caramel Filling:

• ½ cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 5 tablespoon heavy cream

*Optional Topping:

2 tablespoon pecans, finely chopped

2oz caramel sauce

Instructions:

Toasting the pecans:

Place pecans on bake sheet pan and toast at 375 degrees for about 5-6 minutes then stir for even toasting and bake for about another 5-6 minutes or until nuts darken and become aromatic. Remove bake sheet from oven and set aside to cool. Once pecans are completely cooled; chop and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of chopped pecans and chop it some for a finely chopped consistency; set aside for finishing.

To make the caramel filling:

Add sugar and water into a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Use a wet brush to remove any crystals that form on the side. Once sugar has dissolved increase heat to high. Now and then, using the handle give the pot a swirl to keep the mixture moving. Do not stir the mixture directly. The mixture will start to bubble after a minute. As the mixture darkens to a medium amber color, approximately 5-7 minutes, add the butter and heavy cream to saucepan. The mixture will bubble wildly.

Whisk to combine (bubbles will subside upon cooling).

 Set aside to cool completely.

To melt the chocolate:

Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl over (not on) simmering water and stir until melted.

Preparation:

 Line 8×8 pan with parchment or wax paper

To assemble:

Pour half of melted chocolate into prepared 8×8 pan, using an offset icing spatula smooth out chocolate until an even layer is achieved. Place pan in refrigerator for 5 minutes for chocolate to slightly harden. Remove from refrigerator and pour ¼ of caramel on top and sprinkle pecans on top of caramel and gently press pecans down into caramel. Place pan in refrigerator for 7 minutes for caramel to become slightly harden. Pour remaining chocolate on top and return to refrigerator for 20 minutes for fully assembled

 Turtle bark to set.

Finish top by sprinkling remaining 2 tablespoons of finely chopped pecans. Drizzle with caramel.

 

Makes one 8×8 pan

 

 

Guess who has a jump on her holiday baking?!!? 

I do! I do!!

.