Candied Walnutes

One night my family wanted something that was sweet but with a little bit of flavor so i maid candied walnuts and added chili powder. This give it flavor but not an over whelming flavor, and is great on a salad with Gorganzola cheese, and grapes.

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
•  2 cups whole almonds

Combine the water, sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil; add the almonds. Cook and stir the mixture until the liquid evaporates and leaves a syrup-like coating on the almonds. Pour the almonds onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Separate almonds using forks. Allow to cool about 15 minutes.

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Christmas Candy

                                                            This is a platter of Christmas candy, so I am just going to make a list of everything that is on this platter instead of doing several posts. with a platter like the one that I maid you can take it to Christmas party's or a New Years Eve party and have enough for everybody.

• Almond Roka
• Divinity
• Chocolate Fudge
• Peanut Butter Fudge
• Peanut brittle
• cherry kiss cookies

 Almond Roca:

Sorry but I am not aloud to share this recipe because it is a family secret from my that has been passed down through the generations. Also my mother would probably never forgive me for sharing it.

 

Divinity:

2 ½ cups sugar

½  cup light corn syrup

½  cup water

¼  teaspoon salt

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla

½  cup chopped pecans (optional) or ½ broken candy cane (optional) or ½ cup cherries (optional)

 In a 2 quart saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Cook to hardball stage, (260 degrees), stirring only until sugar dissolves.

 Meanwhile, as temperature of syrup reaches 250 degrees, beat egg white till stiff peaks form. When syrup reaches 260 degrees, very gradually add the syrup to egg whites, beating at high speed with electric mixer. Add vanilla and beat until candy holds its shape, 4-5 minutes.

 

Chocolate Fudge:

  4 cups granulated sugar

24 marshmallows

2 tablespoons water

1 large can evaporated milk

18 ounce chocolate chips

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ pound butter or margarine

Melt sugar, marshmallows, water and milk, then boil 10 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid scorching. Add chocolate chips, vanilla extract and butter or margarine. Beat only until of pouring consistency. Pour into a buttered 13 x 9-inch pan

I prefer to use a candy thermometer and cook to 240^o. If raining might need to cook longer.

Peanut Butter Fudge:

 

Sorry once again I am not allowed to give this recipe out.  

 

Peanut Brittle:

½ cup Karo

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanuts

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

In two (2) quart kettle mix together sugar and Karo.  Cook 4 minutes on high.  Stir in peanuts.  Cook 3 minutes on high.  Stir in vanilla and butter.  Cook 1 minutes on high.  Gently stir in baking soda.  Pour onto buttered cookie sheet.  Cool and break into pieces.

 

Cherry Chocolate Kisses:

 

 1 cup unsalted butter softened but still cool ******* Very Important

1 cup powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons maraschino cherry “juice”

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped

Granulated sugar, for sprinkling the cookies

36 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped

 Preheat the oven to 325^o.

In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to the lowest setting and slowly add the powdered sugar and salt. Add the cherry juice and the almond extract until combined.

 With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Increase the mixer speed to medium and add the cherries.

 Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, and place the balls on a baking sheet, approximately 2 inches apart. Using your thumb, gently press each cookie in its center until the cookie is about 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle each cookie with a little granulated sugar.

Bake the cookies until the bottoms are lightly browned, about 14 minutes. Once removed from the oven, immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookie’s center. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

Servings: approximately 36 cookies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                            

Classic Pecan Pie

I used the Classic Pecan Pie recipe from the back of a Karo syrup bottle to try a new pie that I have never maid before. Instead of it being a pecan pie I made it into a walnut pie. One thing I have learned in making these pies is to check the flour that you use. I was using self-rising and it turned the dough into a crumble when you tried eating it and because this pie boiles when it is baking and the pie crust rased to the top.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla using a spoon. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into pie crust.

Bake on center rack of oven for 60 to 70 minutes (see tips for doneness, below). Cool for 2 hours on wire rack before serving.

To use prepared frozen pie crust: Place cookie sheet in oven and preheat oven as directed. Pour filling into frozen crust and bake on preheated cookie sheet.
RECIPE TIPS: Pie is done when center reaches 200°F. Tap center surface of pie lightly - it should spring back when done. For easy clean up, spray pie pan with cooking spray before placing pie crust in pan. If pie crust is overbrowning, cover edges with foil.

High Altitude Adjustments: Reduce sugar to 2/3 cup and increase butter to 3 tablespoons. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F

VARIATION: coarsely chopped walnuts may be substituted for pecans to make a walnut pie.

Apple Pie

 

This is my grandma's pie recipe. A Thanks Giving and Christmas would not be the same with out this amazing pie there on the desert table.

1 quart canned apples
1/3 teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon tapioca
½ tablespoon flour
Dash of Cinnamon
3 dabs of butter prior to top crust

 Sometimes add a little lemon juice if apples are flat tasting.

Bake 450 o at 10 minutes and 325 o 20 to 25 minutes. Bake on 4th rack from bottom.

Libbys Pumpkin Pie

I maid this pie recipe because it is my family's favorite, the only thing I add for spice is the cinnamon because some of my family members do not like the spice and then I maid some whipped cream, witch gives it a grate flavor, add some vanilla bean paste and you will have one grate peace of pie.

Ingredients

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell

Directions

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Soft Pretzels

These Soft Pretzels are amazing, they made a great snack and I did not use any of the toppings listed here. I used coarse ground garlic salt. I got this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Baking Book.

Ingredients:
4 to 4 1/2 cup flour
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoon cooking oil (I used canola)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons salt (separate use)
3 quarts boiling water
1 egg white (if rotating)
1 tablespoon water
Sesame seed, poppy seed, or coarse salt

Heat your oven to 475 degrees.

A large mixing bowl stir together 1 1/2  cups of the flour and the yeast; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat and stir milk, sugar, oil, and the 1 teaspoon salt until warm (120 or 130 degrees). Add milk mixture to dry mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping side of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.   

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Shape dough into ball, place dough in a lightly greased bowl. Let sit until doubled in size.

When it is risen, punch it down and let it rest for about 10 minutes on floured surface. Grease two baking sheets and put them aside.  Roll dough into a 12x10-inch rectangle cut the rectangle into twenty 1/2-inch strips. Carefully stretch each strip into a rope about 16 inches long and shape into a pretzel.

Place pretzels on baking sheets and bake at 475 degrees for 4 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

In a large pot dissolve 2 tablespoons salt in water and bring to a boil. When it comes to a boil, reduce it down to simmer. Lower pretzels, 4-5 at a time, into the water and let them simmer for 2 minutes, turning over once.

Remove the pretzels from the water and put them on paper towels for just a few seconds or they'll start sticking to the paper towel. (I used a wire rack)

Place the pretzels on the greased baking sheets.

Mix 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon water together in bowl. If you're using shelf-only items, just skip the egg white. Brush each pretzel. Sprinkle with salt or whatever you have.

Bake the pretzels in the 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Briana's Fudge Brownies

It has taken me five years to prefect this brownie recipe. My family and friends have been my test subjects to my brownies and now that its perfect I am sharing my recipe with you guys; with a bowl of fresh popcorn and a tall glass of milk you have the perfect movie night snack.

Ingredients:
1 cup of butter
4 ounces of cocoa powder
2 cups of sugar
4 whole eggs plus 1 egg white
3 teaspoons of vanilla
1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour

Directions:
Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan; set aside. in a medium saucepan melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Remove form heat. Stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Lightly beat the mixture just until combine. (Don't over beat or brownies will rise and fall this makes them very hard). Stir in flour. Spread in batter in prepared pan.

Optional:
Replace the 1 egg white with 1/2 a cup of melted milk chocolate chips.