Toasted Almond Caramels

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup butter (no substitutes), divided
2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped almonds, toasted

DIRECTIONS
Line an 8-in. square pan with foil and butter the foil with 1 teaspoon butter; set aside.
In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt and remaining butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; boil gently without stirring for 4 minutes.
Remove from the heat; slowly stir in cream. Return to the heat; cook, without stirring, over medium-low heat until a candy thermometer reads 245 degrees F (firm-ball stage).
Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and almonds. Pour into prepared pan (do not scrape sides of saucepan). Cool completely.
Cut into squares. Wrap individually in waxed paper or foil; twist ends.

Old Fashioned Chocolate Fudge

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge

Recipe

Makes 1 1/2 pounds (64 pieces)

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Butter a jelly-roll pan or an 8 x 8 -inch pan. Chop the chocolate in small pieces. Put the chocolate, sugar, milk, and corn syrup in a 3-quart heavy pot. Stir the ingredients to blend the mixture well.

Turn the heat on low and stirring slowly, bring to a boil. Cover the pot and let boil (over the low heat) for 2 minutes. Uncover the pot, and using a pastry brush, brush down the sides of the pot with the brush that has been dipped in cold water. (This helps the fudge not to become granulated.)

Continue to boil slowly, without stirring over the low heat, until the syrup reaches the soft-ball stage (it will read 234 degrees F on a candy thermometer.) Remove from the heat, add the butter without stirring, and set the pot on a cooling surface or rack. Do not stir until the syrup is lukewarm (110 degrees F), then add the vanilla and stir until the mixture loses its glass and thickens. Pour into the buttered pan and using a table knife mark it into the squares. When firm, cut into pieces and store airtight in plastic bags if not serving shortly.

OPTIONAL: If you wish, add 1 cup chopped walnuts when you add the vanilla.

Candy Bar Fudge

Candy Bar Fudge

Yield: 4 Pounds (about 7 Dozen)
RECIPE INGREDIENTS

6 Snickers candy bars (2.07 ounces each)
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter (no substitutes)
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow crème
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Line a 9-inch square pan with foil. Butter the foil and set pan aside. Cut candy bars into 1/2-in. slices; set aside.
In a heavy saucepan, bring sugar, butter and milk to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 234 degrees F (soft-ball stage), about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Stir in chocolate chips, marshmallow creme and vanilla until smooth. Pour half into prepared pan. Sprinkle with candy bar slices. Top with remaining chocolate mixture and spread evenly.
Let stand at room temperature to cool. Lift out of pan and remove foil. Cut into squares.

Peanut Butter Bonbons

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
One 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate pieces
2 teaspoons shortening

DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl beat the butter or margarine and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar and baking soda; beat till combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 1 1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or till cookies are set and lightly browned on the bottom. Remove cookies from pan and cool on a rack.
In a medium, heavy saucepan heat chocolate
and shortening over low heat till melted. Cool slightly. Using a fork, dip peanut butter balls, one at a time, into chocolate mixture to coat. Transfer to waxed paper lined cookie sheets. Chill till firm. Store in a cool place.

Meatball Recipe

1 1/2 -2 lbs. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tsp. worchest. sauce
1/2 tsp. salt/pepper
1 c. filler - bread crumbs or approx. 28 crushed saltines
1 Tbl. grey poupon or mustard

Combine all and roll into balls (use cookie scoop).
Then bake at 350 for 30 min.

Sauce:
1 1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
2 Tbl. vinegar
4 Tbl. brown sugar
2 tsp. salt/pepper
2 Tbl. onion or onion salt/powder
1 Tbl. worchest. sauce

Combine in crockpot.
Add meatballs & simmer on high for 2 hours

GARY & KATHY's HOMEMADE SALSA

Small l qt. Salsa Recipe

l can crushed toms. (28 oz)
3 med. Roma Toms (boil to slip skins)
l Tbsp Sea Salt
6 small grn onions or l/2 med. onion)
l head cilantro
l lime
l Serrano pepper
l Jalapeno peppers

BIG BIG SALSA RECIPE - it's about 4 X the small recipe

l - l06 oz can crushed tomatoes
12 Roma Tomatoes (slip skins) - maybe need more (depending on size) and desires flavor
3 l/2 to 4 Tbsp salt
24 small grn onions or 2 -3 large chopped onions
4 heads of cilantro
4 limes
4 Serrano Peppers
4 Jalapeno Peppers

THE BEST!

Zuchinni Brownies, CAKE

Zucchini Brownies Frosting

1/2 c. oil l/4 c. butter
l l/2 c. white sugar 4 oz. cream cheese (half a pkg)
l tsp. salt l/8 c, canned milk (about)
l tsp. vanilla 4 c. powdered sugar (about)
2 c. zucchini l/4 c. cocoa (depends on how chocolaty you like)
pinch of salt (tiny bit) brings out flavour
Blend together and add l/4 tsp. almond or vanilla

2 c. flour Chopped walnuts, pecans, slivered almonds
l l/2 tsp. soda
about l/4 c. cocoa

Cook 350 - 25 min.



Zucchini Cake Frosting

2 eggs (beaten) same as above - (you can leave out cocoa)
2 c. sugar Use l tsp. lemon or almond for flavoring
l tsp. vanilla Chopped walnuts or pecans or slivered almonds
2 c. Zucchini

2 c. flour
l/4 c. cocoa
l tsp. soda
l tsp. Baking Powder
l tsp. salt
l tsp. cinnamon

Bake 350 - 30 min.

OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

1 1/4 cups flour (or used 1/2 c. wheat, and 3/4 white)
1 cup oatmeal, quick or old fashioned (don't cook)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt, optional
2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
**** (Put 2 tsp. vinegar in 2/3 cup milk, stir.)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1 egg, lightly beaten
***(or add 2 T. dry egg to dry ingredients, 2 T water to wet ingredients)
1/2 c. regular or 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease, or paper cup, 12 muffin or 6 large muffin pan.
2. By hand, mix flour, oats, baking powder, soda and salt in bowl.
3. In another bowl combine buttermilk, honey, oil and egg and mix well.
4. Then add wet ingredients to dry mixture, and chocolate chips. Mix until just blended.
Do not over mix!
5. Spoon mixture evenly into muffin cups, about 1/2 full.
6. Add a few more chocolate chips to the top of muffins and sprinkle with sugar.
7. Bake for about 18-20 minutes.
Remove muffins from pan after about 5 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!
Finger-licken good!

Chicken Salad Croissant

Serves 6-8

3 c. cooked, cubed chicken
1 c. diced celery
¼ c. slivered almonds or cashews
½ c. mayonnaise
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. minced green onions

Cook chicken breasts; cool and cube.
Place in large bowl with celery, grapes, and almonds; refrigerate.
In another bowl, combine mayonnaise, salt, pepper, lemon juice and green onions; blend thoroughly.
Add dressing to chicken mixture just before serving.

Breakfast Casserole

1 - 1 1/2 browned sauage
1/2 cup diced ham
1/2 cooked bacon (crumble)
1 lb pkg hash browns
Combine and pour into 9x13 pan

7 egss (beaten)
1 1/2 cup milk
1 T mustard
1 t. pepper
1/2 t. salt
Combine and pour over top of meat & hash browns

1 cup grated cheese
Sprinkle cheese on top.
Bake 350 for 45-1hr

Corn Flake Chicken

1 cup corn flakes
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 envelope Ranch dressing.

Put all this in a large zip loc bag, crush it up into little pieces.
Dip chickent breast in melted butter then put in the bag with the cornflakes.
Shake it around and put it on a cookie sheet.
Do this with each piece of chicken.
Then what ever cornflake mixture is left i just pour it over the top of the chicken before I cook it.

Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.
So good.

Great Idea for Thanksgiving

Mashed Potatoes

5 lbs potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
11/2 cups sour cream
3 tsp. onion, or garlic, salt
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. butter , melted

Combine all ingredients into slow cooker.
Cover. Cook on Low 5-6 hours

These potatoes may be prepared 3-4 days in advance of serving and kept in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Try 15 potatoes, 2 cups sour cream.
Seasoning to flavor to your taste.
This feeds 14 people and we had a little bit left over.
Good luck.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Turkeys

Check this out!! So cute just got it emailed to me from my SIL!!

Turkeys....Turkeys....Turkeys

1. Start with your favorite chocolate chip cookies or sugar cookies would also work
2. Take a cookie, and frost it with chocolate frosting
3. Stick 8-10 sliced almonds in the frosting at the top
4. Place two white chocolate chips on for eyes.
5. Place a mini chocolate chip in the center of each white chocolate chip.

6. Place a candy corn front and center for the beak

7. Break the center from a twisted pretzel for the feet

HOMEMADE CHICKEN SOUP

Chicken Soup

Ingredients
1 teaspoon oil
1 4 boneless chicken breast or you can use a whole chicken
4 carrots
4 stalks celery
1 onion
water to cover
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 chicken bouillon or a 1 chicken gravy mix/1 can
(I use what ever I have at the time)
Optional -mashed potatoes
(I always try and make when I have left over mashed)

Directions
Cut up the chicken Put the oil in a pan (I use the same large soup pot I am cooking the soup in)then put the chicken and cook.
When the chicken is almost cooked add the cut up onion.
Then add carrots, celery in the pot and cover with cold water.
Heat and simmer, uncovered.
Add the chicken bouillon and season with salt, pepper taste.
OPTIONAL****Add mashed potatoes, this thickens the soup!!!
**OR put soup over top of mashed potatoes***
Add noodles to the pot, cook 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!

I also have cooked this in the crock pot!
***No need to cut up the chicken it will shred wonderfully! Just cut up the carrots onion and celery and add the bouillon and salt & peeper and water to cover. Cook on low all day or high for 4 -5 hours.
When you get home shred the chicken in the crock pot with a fork!

I also put in whole potatoes and cooked them right in the soup and them when I got home I take the whole potatoes and mashed.
Make some egg noodles and add to the crock pot (ON HIGH-needs to boil) and cook 15 -20 minutes, then serve!

EGG NOODLES

Ingredients

2 EGGS (beaten)

1 1/2 to 2 cups FLOUR (I start with 1 1/2cups add more as needed)

1 Tablespoon OIL

2 Tablespoon MILK

1 teaspoon SALT

Directions

1. Beat eggs

2. Add flour into bowl, then add oil & milk and last the salt.

3. With hands or fork, thoroughly mix.

4. Put dough onto well-floured board; knead until smooth, about 10 minutes.**Add more flour or water if needed

5. Roll dough out with rolling pin.

6. Cut dough cross-wise into 1/8-inch strips for narrow noodles and 1/4-inch for wide noodles.

(WE JUST USE A PIZZA CUTTER and have fun cutting how ever they look!)

7. Add noodles to boiling chicken soup for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender.

8. ENJOY!!