Peppermint Patties make such a great goodie gift and are surprisingly easy to make. 

One word of warning though.  When making these, do not put them with other candies or cookies on a plate or a container because that will make everything else taste like peppermint!  Speaking from experience…

Let’s get started.

Items Needed:

2 ½ – 3 cups powdered sugar, plus some for dusting
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (12oz) bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon shortening or coconut oil
Decoration
Additional chocolate for drizzle

Instructions:

In a large bowl, beat 2 cups powdered sugar, and butter until well combined

Gradually add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until well combined
Add peppermint and vanilla extracts and beat until well combined
Gradually add more powdered sugar until mixture is stiff

Place mixture on a piece of parchment paper and roll into a log about 2 inches in circumference

Place in freezer to chill 20-30 minutes, or in refrigerator overnight
Using a sharp knife, cut log into pieces about ½ inch thick, roll into a ball using powdered sugar if dough is sticky

Using a glass dipped in powdered sugar, gently flatten ball into circle

Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet
Return to refrigerator while you prepare the chocolate
Add chocolate and shortening to microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds, stir
Continue heating for 20-30 seconds at a time and stirring after each heating
Stop just before chocolate is completely melted
Stir until smooth
Line another baking sheet with parchment paper
Remove patties a few at a time from the refrigerator and dip into chocolate

Let set until fully hardened.

Notes:
For drizzle – add melted chocolate to a plastic squeeze bottle and drizzle peppermint pattie after they are set
Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks

Print

Peppermint Patties

With creamy chocolate and a crisp, cool filling, these Peppermint Patties will become your new favorite holiday treat!

Course Candy, Holiday

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cooling 1 hour hour

Servings 16 Patties

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 - 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 TBL unsalted butter, softened
• 3 TBL Heavy cream
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 12 oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 TBL shortening or coconut oil

Instructions

• In a large bowl, beat 2 cups powdered sugar, and butter until well combined
• Gradually add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until well combined
• Add peppermint and vanilla extracts and beat until well combined
• Gradually add more powdered sugar until mixture is stiff
• Place mixture on a piece of parchment paper and roll into a log about 2 inches in circumference
• Place in freezer to chill 20-30 minutes, or in refrigerator overnight
• Using a sharp knife, cut log into pieces about ½ inch thick, roll into a ball using powdered sugar if dough is sticky
• Using a glass dipped in powdered sugar, gently flatten ball into circle
• Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet
• Return to refrigerator while you prepare the chocolate
• Add chocolate and shortening to microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds, stir
• Continue heating for 20-30 seconds at a time and stirring after each heating
• Stop just before chocolate is completely melted
• Stir until smooth
• Line another baking sheet with parchment paper
• Remove patties a few at a time from the refrigerator and dip into chocolate
• Let set until fully hardened
• Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks

Notes

For drizzle - Add melted chocolate to a plastic squeeze bottle and drizzle on top of Peppermint Patties after they are set

Even if Peppermint Patties are not nostalgic for you like they are for me, whomever receives these as a gift will enjoy the creamy chocolate and crisp, cool center.  Pure holiday yum!

Hold on!  We’ve got some more great Christmas goodies for you!

White Chocolate Covered Cherries

Melting Snowman Cookies

The post Peppermint Patties appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

This post may contain affiliate links. What does this mean?  If you purchase something we get a small commission at no extra cost to you.  Thank you for supporting our blog!  For more information, click to see our disclosure policy.

Calling all Cookie Monster lovers! (me waving my hand high in the air) Along with Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster is one of my favorite Sesame Street characters.

So single mindedly obsessed with cookies, Cookie Monster is a man…er…puppet after my own heart.  A girl has got to have her cookies.

I happened upon some Cookie Monster Bark on Pinterest the other day and decided that this would be a fun project for my grandkids to make when they will be here in a few days. It is hot outside and this project requires no cooking, although now that I think about it, it is summer and this IS made with chocolate.  (can you say MELT?)

We’ll just have to eat the whole thing inside.  I don’t think my grandsons will mind.

Anyway, I wanted to put my own twist on the Cookie Monster Bark and one night while I was JUST going to sleep (you know how that is, don’t you?…) this idea came to me.

It was a breeze to make and I loved how it turned out with all of the little Cookie Monster faces and mini cookies.  My grandsons are going to have a blast making this.

And then eating it.  It might have to be on a day when their mom is gone and it’s just me and them. 

Here is a quick video showing you how it’s done and then the recipe will follow.

Print

Cookie Monster Bark

Author This Grandma Is Fun

Ingredients

• 2 - 12 oz bags of white candy melts
• 1 12 oz bag of blue candy melts
• 1 12 oz bag of black candy melts
• Edible Googly Eyes
• Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Toothpicks.

Instructions

• Melt the white candy melts per the instructions on the bag.
• Pour the melted chocolate onto a silpat mat or some waxed paper. I poured mine onto a jelly roll sized pan
• Melt the blue candy melts per the instructions on the bag. I think I used half of the bag.
• Drop melted blue chocolate by the spoonful all over the white chocolate. Leave some room between drops.
• Take a toothpick and pull the blue chocolate into the white chocolate by making lines all the way around the circle of blue chocolate to resemble Cookie Monsters fur.
• Let set in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Melt about a cup of the black candy melts per the instructions on the bag.
• After the bark has set, take a toothpick and dip into the black melted chocolate and draw mouths on the Cookie Monster faces.
• With some blue melted chocolate, place the googly eyes on Cookie Monster. We tried to make them cock-eyed just like his!
• Again with some blue melted chocolate, dip a mini chocolate chip cookie into the blue chocolate and place the cookie near Cookie Monster's mouth.
• Chill in the refrigerator until completely set.
• After it has hardened, cut or break the bark around the Cookie Monster faces.

So I will just end with a quote from Cookie Monster…

Me Want Cooookkkkiiiieeee!!!!!

Enjoy!

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

The post Cookie Monster Bark appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Hey there! We’re Molly and Chelsea – the best friend and blogging duo behind Bests and Bites. Our favorite things include health and fitness, pool days and desserts. Like this one!

We love complicated dessert recipes and appreciate all the love and effort that goes into each one, but we love easy recipes equally as much, maybe more. We made this recipe with Valentine’s Day in mind. It’s pink, it’s festive and it’s oh-so-easy. You may even feel like you’re missing a step because it’s that easy.

Bark is one of our favorite candies to make because it takes little to no time, the ingredients are inexpensive and it turns out perfect every time. One of our favorites is this Halloween Bark we made in October. It’s becoming a theme to make a festive bark for each holiday on our blog. I think we’re going to make that a thing. Boom-it’s decided.

Not only is this bark easy, but it’s tastes so darn good. It’s chocolate after all! And red velvet. And Oreos. Throw some Oreos on anything and there’s a solid chance I’m going to love it.

The base layer is white chocolate melted and mixed with red velvet cake mix. It’s smooth and gorgeous and makes the perfect carrier for all those crumbled chocolate cookies. The key to delicious bark is quality chocolate. There are minimal ingredients in this recipe and the ones in it need to shine. I try to use Ghirardelli baking bars, but they can be quite expensive. We’ve heard Trader Joe’s name brand chocolate bars are exquisite as well.

Try to avoid using chocolate chips because of the stabilizers in them. For example, if you’re making a batch of chocolate chip cookies, the stabilizers in the chips allow them to keep their shape in the oven instead of melting all over.  This is why they don’t lend themselves well to bark that needs to be completely melted and smooth.

To create the red velvet in this recipe and the festive pink color, we mixed in a bit of red velvet cake mix  and dropped in some red food coloring. The more pink or red you want the bark, the more food coloring you add. It’s totally up to you!

Finally, the best part. The chocolate cookies crumbled on top. Make sure they’re really on there by pushing them down a little. When the chocolate hardens you don’t want any of those delicious cookies falling off!

The little chocolate pieces are a great size for a tiny chocolate craving or you can fill several bags or boxes for fun Valentine’s gifts!

Print

Red Velvet Oreo Bark

Author Bests and Bites

Ingredients

• 12 oz white chocolate
• 2 tablespoons cococnut oil
• 1/4 cup red velvet cake mix
• 2 teaspoons red food coloring
• 15-18 oreos crushed

Instructions

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
• In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 30 second increments stirring between each to avoid seizing. Add the oil and mix well. Stir in red velvet cake mix and red food coloring until smooth.
• Pour chocolate mixture onto prepared baking sheet and spread out into a large rectangle. Sprinkle generously with crushed Oreo cookies.
• Place bark in a cool dry place at room temperature to set. Once hardened, break into pieces.
• Store in an air tight container up to 3 weeks.

If you like this post, give us a virtual high-five by following us on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest and liking us on Facebook!

Some of our most popular recipes:

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

The post Red Velvet Oreo Bark appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Hello everyone! Amber from rick•a•bam•boo here again. This month I am going to share a really fun recipe with all of you. How to make your own Candy Googley Eyes. These are so fun and are perfect for Halloween! Well, anytime really. Isn’t all food more fun with little candy eyes?

I saw these on Instagram from My Name Is Snickerdoodle and immediately went over to Pinterest so that I could pin them for later. I didn’t know at the time what I would need them for, I just loved them. They ended up being the perfect thing for a monster themed birthday party for Thor.

The recipe is simple. But I’m not going to lie, they can be really hard to pipe. My piping skills are a bit rusty, but if you are a master piper then you should be fine.

Print

Candy Googley Eyes Recipe

Course Candy

Author Amber Simmons

Ingredients

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 5 TBSP meringue powder
• 1/2 cup cold water
• TOOLS
• black gel food coloring
• 2-3 cookie sheets
• parchment paper
• 2 pastry bags fit with a #3 tip OR a freezer bag
• 2 large drinking glasses

Instructions

• First line your sheets with parchment paper.
• Then in a mixer blend together the powered sugar, meringue powder, and cold water. Beat for 3-5 minutes to make it nice and smooth. When the you lift the whisk out of the mixing bowl the part that drizzles back down should absorb back into the rest in 10 seconds or less. Add more water or powdered sugar as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
• When you have the right proper texture place your white piping bag, tip down, in to a large drinking glass. Roll the top of the bag down around the glass and start filling your bag. Leave about 3/4 a cup in the mixing bowl.
• Add the black food coloring a few drops at a time to the remaining mixture. Continue until you reach the desired darkness.
• Fill the second pastry bag with the black mixture.
• Pipe eyes starting with the white on to the prepared trays. It's okay if some of them stick together. They are googley eyes after all.
• Once the white as dried a bit it is time to start adding the black. The whites are probably dry enough once you finish piping them all. Just start adding black to the first whites you made. You can add the pupil anywhere, in the center or off to the side.
• When you are finished let the eyes dry for 24 hours and then store them in an air tight container. They are good for a whole year.

Don’t worry if all your whites aren’t perfectly round. That just makes the eyes more expressive. I basically just touched the black to the white to make the pupils. I didn’t squeeze at all, but my black was probably a bit on the thin side.

This recipe makes a ton of eyes so you can have fun with your food all year long.

Here’s a peek at how awesome Thor’s monster birthday cake turned out.

Be sure to follow me so that you don’t miss any of the awesome Halloween stuff I have planned!

Pinterest  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Google+  |  Instagram

Here are a few of my recipes that you will enjoy also:

BBQ Pork Wonton Tacos

Scrumptious Italian Pasta Salad

 Honey Sriracha-Glazed Chicken

The post Candy Googley Eyes Recipe appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Hi y’all! I’m Marye from Restless Chipotle, back again to share something yummy! These easy microwave salted caramels are perfect anytime. I love sweets… I love them way too much, as a matter of fact. I’ve made homemade candy for Christmas and special occasions for years but I’m making it more often now — for no reason at all except that it’s delicious!

I love salted caramel, don’t you? I wanted to make some this week but I didn’t want to drag out the heavy pot, the candy thermometer, and the whole shebang. Plus, we are now flirting with 100 degree days here in Dallas so I didn’t want to heat the kitchen up, either. As I was paging through Pinterest (Can we page through things now or is it just surfing?) I saw these microwave caramels on Spend with Pennies.

What a great idea! All the flavor without creating Dante’s Inferno in the kitchen.

Although the recipe didn’t call for salt I decided to use some of my vanilla salt crystals to add that salty-sweet combination that I love. You know what part of this recipe takes the longest?

Waiting for this stuff to cool!

The recipes instructs you to microwave it for 6 minutes, stirring every minute and a half. I followed it exactly but I think my caramels were just a touch harder than I like. You might try stopping it at 5 minutes if you like softer caramels.

Be sure to grease your pan well. I had a little trouble getting the caramels out so I think next time I will grease the pan, add parchment paper, and then grease the parchment before I add the salted caramel goo stuff. Also, when you’ve cut the candy after it’s cooled wrap it in parchment or it will attract moisture in the air and get sticky.

Vanilla salt is like a fleur de sel with pieces of vanilla bean in it. It has a faint vanilla flavor and scent and I love it on caramel and chocolate. If you can’t find it locally you can get it on Amazon. Just sprinkle it sparingly on the caramel when it is set but still quite warm. Press it in gently. The caramels in the image have a lot of salt on them — honestly that is so they would look better in the pictures. Just sprinkle a little of it on top.

By the way, the black specks are pieces of vanilla bean, not anything gross.

Print

Microwave Salted Caramels

Chewy, creamy caramels, made in a microwave in just 6 minutes. If you like that sweet-salty flavor you can sprinkle the caramels with just a touch of vanilla sea salt.

Course Candy

Servings 8 x8 square (36 pieces)

Calories 66kcal

Author Marye Audet

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup corn syrup
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
• Vanilla Sea Salt for sprinkling

Instructions

• Generously butter an 8x8 inch pan.
• Mix all ingredients in a large microwave safe bowl
• Microwave on high for 6 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds.
• Pour into a small buttered dish.
• Let cool for about 5 minutes, or until set.
• Sprinkle salt crystals sparingly over the top.
• Press in gently.
• Let cool completely.
• Cut into small squares.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 66kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.4g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1.6g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 38mg | Sugar: 9.8g

If you liked these easy, microwave  salted caramels you may like these recipes from my blog, Restless Chipotle. And, be sure to find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Creamy Pecan Pralines

No Bake Chocolate Billionaires

Grilled Dessert Nachos

This awesome post has been shared with Home Stories A to Z

The post Microwave Salted Caramels appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

* We’re sharing our favorite links from last week’s party at the beginning of today’s party.  Check them out and then keep scrolling down for the link party.  Happy Weekend!

Thanks for participating in the Best Recipes and DIY Projects Party last week!  We’re thrilled to share some of our favorite links from last week’s link party with you.

Spring has sprung, and Easter is just days away!  We were delighted to see some fun ways to feed out sugar cravings and enjoy some of Spring’s pretty colors in the link up.  We especially loved the ideas out there for candy barks.  Check out these five delicious recipes!

Chocolate Bunny Bark from This Silly Girl’s Life

Cinnamon Bear Chocolate Bark from My Name is Snickerdoodle

Easter Candy Chocolate Bark from Sweet & Savory

Macadamia Nut Easter Bark by Woman of Many Roles

Spring Candy Bark from Three Kids and a Fish

Now, let’s get this party started!

 Happy Weekend, everyone! We’re delighted that you came to our party. The link-up is live and ready for you to share your recipes, DIY projects and crafts, just make sure you follow these guidelines:

1. When you link up, you are giving us permission to feature your project and pictures on our blogs and social media with a link back to you.
2. We’ll feature our favorite projects from this weekend’s party at the beginning of next week’s link party.
3. Weekly favorites will also be pinned to our Link Party Favorites Board on Pinterest!
4. Add a text link back to the host blog.
5. You can link up any post you’ve created during this past week.
6. We’re excited about your handmade items, but this link party is limited to blog posts only. Please don’t linkup your Etsy shop.
7. Share the love and comment on two or more of the other projects that are linked up. We all love comments!

This party starts every Friday at 5 P.M. MST, and keeps going until the following Tuesday evening. Feel free to invite others to join in the fun!

Thanks for participating! Your Hosts,

Ruthie from Cooking With Ruthie, Jeni from Bakerette, Mandy from Mandy’s Recipe Box, Dan and Chris from Live Dan 330, and Deb, Tracy, and Sherri from Made From Pinterest

The post Best Recipes & DIY Projects Link Party #90 appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

It’s getting close to Halloween and I have a simple homemade treat to share with you today. These cookie truffles would be great to take to a Halloween party if you’re looking for something quick, simple and homemade to take along.

This year I’m living in an apartment building and not anticipating any trick or treaters. This makes me a little sad. I really love seeing all the kiddos dressed up and excited for the impending sugar high they will be on for the next several days. I don’t know about you but I always seem to buy way too much candy. I tell ya, those last few groups of trick or treaters that come by my house are the luckiest ones…they get the candy bowl dumped in their bag so I won’t eat it all the next day! This year I thought I’d make some treats to share with the staff at the apartment building I live in. They’re always so pleasant and always eager and willing to taste test whatever I bring down to them.

I came across a pin for Candy Corn Oreo Truffles from Shugary Sweets that sounded intriguing so I thought I’d give it a try. Have you ever had cookie truffles before? This was my first time I had one…or made them. They’re seriously simple to make, only 3 ingredients (not counting the candy decoration). I think kids would have a ball helping out in the kitchen with these!

Basically all you do is grind up Oreo cookies into fine crumbs, blend them with some cream cheese and roll them into little balls. Once chilled, they get a dunking in melted white chocolate, decorated with a candy corn or some sprinkles and that’s it. Doesn’t get much easier than that does it?

These little balls are pretty sweet! The inside kind of reminds me of cookie dough (I guess that would make sense since they’re made from cookies). I was unable to find Candy Corn flavored Oreos so I used the golden Oreos and added a little orange food coloring to the mix, then topped them off with candy corn and chocolate sprinkles. I imagine with all the different flavors of Oreo cookies that are available throughout the year, you’d be able to make quite a variety of cookie truffles for any occasion. A quick google search showed an assortment of limited edition flavors like Pumpkin Spice (that would be delicious this time of year), Marshmallow Crispy, Birthday Cake and so on. I think I’ll try Chocolate Mint next!

Thanks again MFP for allowing me to contribute to your site this month. See you next month!

All the best,

Judy @ I’m Bored Let’s Go

Connect With Me:

I’M BORED LET’S GO | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN

Print

Candy Corn Oreo Cookie Truffles

Author Adapted by I'm Bored Let's Go!

Ingredients

• 30 Candy Corn Oreo cookies or use golden Oreos and a little orange food coloring
• 6 oz cream cheese softened
• 16 oz. white chocolate melting wafers melted (I used a 120z. bag of Ghirardelli
• brand)
• Candy corn and/or sprinkles for decoration

Instructions

• Put cookies in a food processor and pulse until you get fine crumbs.
• In a mixing bowl, combine crumbs with softened cream cheese. Blend well until
• completely combined.
• Roll dough into one-inch balls sized balls (doesn't have to be exact!). Freeze balls on
• cookie sheet lined with wax paper for one hour.
• Melt chocolate candy coating according to package directions.
• Dip frozen truffle into melted chocolate, letting excess drip off (I used a couple
• toothpicks to dip the balls into the chocolate) Place on cookie sheet and immediately
• top with candy corn or colorful sprinkles.
• Repeat until all truffles have been dipped.
• Store truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

 If you like this recipe, you might also like these!

Honey Apple Cake

My Favorite Pesto

Ginger Pork

Thanks so much Judy for sharing these treats!  I have just the perfect person in mind to make these for!!

This post was shared with: Whipperberry and Living Well Spending Less

The post Candy Corn Oreo Cookie Truffles appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

When my kids were little, we used to go through popsicles like crazy in the summer. I tried to have cool summer treats that encouraged them to eat more fruit and veggies. I wish I had found this idea from Miss Candiquik years ago, but no worries. It is clearly not too late to make use of this idea, seeing as how I made these today and I ate a few, handful…okay, the amount of toothpicks left over after my taste testing was shocking! This is the kind of snack where you don’t realize how many you have eaten. And when you do realize, they taste so good, you don’t care. Next time I make these I will be making a larger batch!

Want to really cool off? Throw them in the freezer! Frozen grapes are a perfect cold bite, and with this vanilla candy coating and  dipped in nonpareils, it tastes like frozen candy.  I also like them with pecans instead of nonpareils and it is great with red grapes as well. A mixture of red and green grapes would be perfect for Christmas.

Print

Grape Poppers

Ingredients

• About 48 grapes washed and thoroughly dried - the candy coating will not stick to wet grapes
• 4 ounces Vanilla Candy Coating - not white chips! Make sure it is candy coating or it will be too thin.
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts pecans are my favorite or nonpareils

Instructions

• Melt candy coating in a small microwaveable bowl 1 minute at a time, stirring in between until melted.
• Place bowl on a heating pad covered in wax paper. This keeps the candy coating melted to a nice consistency while you are working, so take your time. No need to hurry.
• Place nuts or nonpareils in a small bowl.
• Turn grape upside down and insert toothpick. This way only the smooth green skin will be showing.
• Dip grape into the candy coating and then into the nuts or nonpareils. Place on a sheet of wax paper and let harden.
• May be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

Check out a few other summer favorites:

Lemon Berry Trifle in a Mason Jar

Wool Felted Dryer BallsDIY Oxfords

We’re sharing this post with:

Living Well Spending Less

The post Grape Poppers appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

We’ve picked a few of the stand-out links from the party to share with you, today.  There were a lot of fun projects and recipes that were perfect for welcoming Spring and enjoying the new season.  So, here are our favorite ideas for Spring Dining and Decor.

 Spring Poster Art from Remodelando la Casa

Coconut Blueberry Muffins from Beyond Frosting

Hello Spring Wreath from Circusberry

Cranberry Frangipane Squares from Baking in Pyjamas

Anthropologie Mug Knockoff from Woods of Bell Trees

Chest of Drawers Planter from Penny’s Vintage Treasures

Homemade Easter Candy from The Rebel Chick

Faux Succulent Planters from Learning, Creating, Living

Ribeye Steak Salad from Joyful Healthy Eats

Spring is Here Printable from New Mama Diaries

Sonic Cherry Limeade Copycat Recipe from Classy Clutter

Spring Moss Wreath from Free Borboleta

If you’ve been stopping by the party, but haven’t linked up a project yet, don’t be shy!  We’d love to see what you’ve been working on, too!  Please join us for our next Super Saturday Link Party, starting at 7 P.M. EST on Friday night!  We welcome all kinds of projects–recipes, cleaning tips, decorating, and crafts–the sky’s the limit!

The post Share It Thursday from Link Party #35 appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

But then we thought that would be too cheesy.  What do you think?

Instead my hubby and I were married on February 7th.   So yup, my anniversary of 34 years is coming up real quick.

Having my anniversary a week before Valentine’s Day has turned out pretty well though.   It means that I get taken out to dinner twice in a very short time.  No complaints there!  I’m a “sucker” for dinner at a restaurant.

Sorry.

Couldn’t resist.

And I’m also a “sucker” for Valentine’s!  I love to celebrate it and have another excuse to show my love for my family and friends.

One thing that I have done for YEARS is to give these Valentine Candy Dishes and once people find out what they are made of, they LOVE them!

But this year, when I saw these cute suckers that I pinned from Sweet 2 Eat Baking, I thought that I would make them in a Valentine version.  Aren’t these cute?

They were super easy to make and set up faster that I had expected.  Which means that they will be ready eat in no time!

So if you are wanting to “share some love” to your family friends this Valentine’s Day, then make these Valentine Suckers!

Your family will love you for it because This Pin Rocks!

Print

Valentine Suckers

Course Candy

Author Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• ⅔ cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tsp extract in any flavor of your choosing. My favorite is almond which is what I used
• Food coloring if desired
• Assorted sprinkles
• Candy thermometer

Instructions

• Prepare at least two baking sheets by lining them with Silpat nonstick baking mats or parchment paper. Line up your lollipop sticks on your baking sheets about 4 inches apart.
• In a large glass bowl, fill with ice and water and then set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water to a boil. Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved and your candy thermometer reaches 310 which is the hard crack stage. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes. Occasionally wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water to prevent crystals from forming.
• Add your extract to your mix then immediately set pan into ice-water bath to stop the cooking (syrup will steam vigorously) Let sit about 25 seconds. (If you want a colored candy, add your food dye with the extract)
• WORKING QUICKLY, pour syrup onto your lollipop sticks, forming circles that are about 3 to 31/2 inches in diameter.
• Add sprinkles, candies, seeds, etc. and lightly press into the lollipop.
• NOTE: I would pour a lollipop and then sprinkle my sprinkles and then do another lollipop and sprinkles, as the candy hardens quickly!
• Let sit until completely hardened and cooled.

We’re sharing this fun treat at: The 36th Avenue, Whipperberry, Tatertots & Jello, Inside BruCrew Life,  

The post Valentine Suckers appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

I  love Valentine’s Day. Love, LOVE Valentine’s Day. As soon as Christmas is over, I start looking forward to our family Valentine’s dinner. We have a candlelit dinner, with Easy Chocolate Caramel Fondue.

I am not that sorely tempted by Halloween Candy. But homemade candy…watch out! That does me in! I kinda made myself sick testing these two recipes, and it was totally worth it. So good. I have this silly notion that if I combine chocolate with peanuts, the protein will balance out the sugar. The theory doesn’t hold, but it makes me feel better when I indulge. And indulge you will when you taste these two great recipes that will be a perfect treat for your Valentine.
What I love about these two  recipes is that you can make a big batch in the crock pot (I love my crockpot and this is the one that I love!) and have 150 or more pieces of candy ready with only an hours worth of effort. So spread the love! Let all the people you care about get a special homemade Valentine gift from you! Nothing says it better than chocolate covered peanuts, right? It all started when I saw a pin for crock pot candy. What a great idea. The crock pot will melt the chocolate and it will stay melted while making the candy. I love this method found at Just a Pinch. After trying and loving this method, I adapted one of my own recipes and loved the results there as well. So today, you get a twofer! Two recipes for one.

And guess what? They both Rock!

Print

Crock Pot Candy - Original Recipe

Author Adapted by Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

• 2 16 oz jar roasted salted peanuts
• 1 12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 bar 4ozs. sweetened german chocolate (green packaging), broken into pieces 3 lbs. (two 24oz pkgs.) white almond bark, broken into pieces. (I found this at Walmart during the holiday season - You can use vanilla candy melts as well)

Instructions

• Put ingredients into a 4 or 5-quart crockpot in order as listed. Peanuts, chocolate chips, german chocolate, white almond bark.
• Cover and cook on LOWEST setting for 3 hours. DO NOT remove lid! Turn to warm and allow to cool slightly. Mixture will not be melted but will be soft.
• Mix thoroughly and drop by teaspoon size cookie dropper or a teaspoon onto parchment paper.
• Let cool thoroughly. Makes approximately 150 – 170 pieces.

We are happy to link this post to these great blogs: Lamberts Lately  – Living Well, Spending Less – Live, Laugh, Rowe – 52 Mantels – A Glimpse Inside – What’s Cooking Love

The post Chocolate or Chocolate Butterscotch Crock Pot Candy appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

I am so excited to share this with you and hope that you like it as much as we do!  I don’t know why but this English Toffee has kind of a “soft” crunch.  When you bite into this, it is hard, but softly shatters and even turns a little chewy.   I am just drooling and thinking I need to go and have another piece right now!

So enough of me jabbering about my favorite Christmas candy….here is the recipe.  You’re welcome.

No doubt, This Pin Rocks!

Print

English Toffee

Course Candy

Author madefrompinterest.net

Ingredients

• 1 pound butter - has to be butter
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup nuts pecans finely chopped
• 1 pound chocolate chips. I use 1/2 milk chocolate and 1/2 semi sweet

Instructions

• Combine the first four ingredients. Stirring constantly, cook over med to med-high heat until 285 degrees. It usually takes me around 20-25 minutes. Mixture should turn into a light brown/caramel look.
• Pour into jelly roll pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Let chocolate chips soften and then spread all over the toffee. Sprinkle with chopped pecans while chocolate is still warm. I also kinda press the pecans down into the chocolate a little.
• Let cool until hard, then break into pieces.
• DO NOT PUT IN THE FRIDGE TO COOL! It will ruin the look of the chocolate.

Merry Christmas Everyone.  Enjoy every  minute of being with your family and friends!

The post English Toffee appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.