Caramel Corn

Caramel Corn
adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter
2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. corn syrup
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 bags microwaved popcorn
1 1/2 c. honey roasted peanuts, or addin of choice

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 300 degrees
-Pop popcorn and place popcorn and peanuts in a very large bowl.
-In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
-Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
-Boil without stirring 4 minutes.
-Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla.
-Pour over popcorn and stir to coat.
-Place popcorn in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 45 minutes.
-Remove from oven, stir one more time and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

Oreo Crunch Bars

Ingredients:
16-oz package of Oreo cookies
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (Fat-free is fine)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (Semi-sweet chocolate chips are fine)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (Used white chocolate chips to add color)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Lightly spray a 2-qt baking dish with cooking spray.
3. Set aside 6 Oreo cookies for the topping. Coarsely chop the cookies into chunks and set aside.
4. In a small food processor, grind the remaining cookies. (If you don’t have a food processor, just pound with a rolling pin until the cookies are fine crumbs.)
5. Add the salt to the crumbs and stir to combine.
6. Melt butter and gently stir together with the cookie crumb mixture.
7. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
8. Over a double boiler or in the microwave (1 minute), melt 3/4 cup semi-sweet and 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips together with the condensed milk and vanilla. Stir frequently until smooth.
9. Spread evenly over the prepared cookie crust.
10. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips and the Oreo cookie chunks over the top of the filling. Press down gently into the chocolate topping.
11. Bake for 20-22 minutes oven. (Since I used a smaller baking dish, I baked mine for 30-35 minutes.) Allow to cool on counter for 1 hour.
12. Chill in fridge until completely cold and set before cutting into bars or it will make a big mess.

Cookie Decorations

Chocolate Mint Divinity

Ingredients

• 2 7-ounce bars milk chocolate
• 2-1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 egg whites
• 2 squares (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies

Directions

1. Line a 9x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Butter foil; line with chocolate bars. Set pan aside.

2. In a heavy 2-quart saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook over medium-high heat to boiling, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to dissolve sugar. This should take 5 to 7 minutes. Avoid splashing mixture on sides of pan. Carefully clip candy thermometer to pan. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, to 260 degree F, hard-ball stage. Mixture should boil at moderate, steady rate over entire surface. Reaching hard-ball stage should take about 15 minutes.

3. Remove pan from heat; remove thermometer. In a large mixer bowl, immediately beat egg whites with a sturdy, freestanding electric mixer until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

4. Gradually pour hot mixture in a thin stream (slightly less than 1/8inch diameter) over egg whites, beating on high speed and scraping bowl occasionally. This should take about 3 minutes. (Add mixture slowly to ensure proper blending.) Add unsweetened chocolate and peppermint extract. Continue beating on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally, just until candy starts to lose its gloss. When beaters are lifted, mixture should fall in a ribbon, but mound on itself and not disappear into remaining mixture. Final beating should take 5 to 6 minutes.

5. Immediately spread over chocolate bars in prepared pan. Sprinkle with crushed candies. When firm, lift out of pan; cut into 1-inch squares. Store tightly covered. Makes 81 pieces.

Peppermint Sticks

Ingredients

• 4 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tsp. shortening
• 2/3 cup pecans or your favorite nuts, chopped
• 16 3- to 4-inch soft peppermint sticks

Directions

1. In a small saucepan combine chocolate and shortening; cook over low heat just until melted. Transfer to a bowl. Place pecans on waxed paper.

2. Dip one end of each peppermint stick into melted chocolate and then roll in chopped nuts. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Wrap each individually to give as a gift. Makes 16 gifts.

Candy Cane Bark

Ingredients

• 6 ounces chopped chocolate-flavor candy coating
• 3 ounces chopped milk chocolate bar
• 6 ounces chopped vanilla-flavor candy coating
• 3 ounces chopped white chocolate baking squares
• 1/4 cup crushed pepperment candy canes

Directions

1. Line a large baking sheet with foil. In a small, heavy saucepan, melt chocolate-flavor candy coating and milk chocolate bar, stirring over low heat until smooth. Pour onto baking sheet and spread into a 10x8-inch rectangle; set aside.

2. In another small, heavy saucepan, melt vanilla-flavor candy coating and white chocolate baking squares, stirring over low heat until smooth.

3. Slowly pour white mixture over chocolate mixture on baking sheet. With a thin spatula, swirl white mixture into chocolate mixture. Shake baking sheet gently for even thickness.

4. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Chill 30 minutes or until firm. Use foil to lift candy from baking sheet; break candy into pieces. Makes 1-1/4 pounds.

To Store: Layer pieces between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature.

Millionaire Candy

1 (14-ounce) package caramels

2 tablespoons evaporated milk or water

2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

1/4 bar paraffin*

1 (12-ounce) package semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

1. Butter waxed paper or foil-lined baking sheets. Set aside.
2. Melt caramels in milk over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add pecans. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Chill.
3. Melt paraffin and chocolate chips in small saucepan over low heat. Using a wooden pick, dip hardened candy pieces into chocolate and return to prepared baking sheet. Allow to dry at room temperature. Store at room temperature.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen candies.

*Or substitute 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening, if you prefer.