Crockpot turtles

Ingredients

• 2 +cups pecans roughly chopped
• 32 ounces milk chocolate disks ( I used Merchel)
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 tsp. Vegetable oil
• Rolo candies unwrapped or Kraft caramels 
• 
  

Add both kinds of chocolate disks and chips and vegetable oil 

to crock pot and cook on low for about 1 hour, or until melted. Mix in pecans, stir to combine, and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Line two muffin tins with paper liners and place an unwrapped caramel or rolo candy in the center of each liner.

Use a cookie or ice cream scoop to spoon about ¼ cup of the melted chocolate pecan mixture over each caramel.

Allow turtles to cool until solid, this can be sped up in the fridge.

Store turtles in an airtight container in a cool place.

Stuffed Dates with almonds

Updated recipe.

This was a first try and it was easy.  Hubby loves  dates so I figured I'd give the dates a whirl and stuff them with a few almonds.

I did almost but not exactly as the recipe below says and I remember my Mom doing it the same way. 

Hubby said they tasted delicious so I think I'll serve some for Christmas.

Very easy to do with great results. 

Pitted dates 

Whole almonds( choose smaller size almonds)

Confectionery (powdered sugar)

 



Here's the recipe I followed.

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

1. 
   
   Place the nuts on a baking pan in the middle rack of the oven. Bake
2. 
   
   for 15 minutes stirring frequently.
3. 
   
   Cool for 10 minutes before use.
4. 
   
   Place one almond inside the date. Roll in powdered sugar if
5. 
   
   desired. Place on wax paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!  Easy peasy!

12/3/14 original 

Courtesy Food.com

Peanut Butter Fudge made with Organic Peanut Butter

 Today’s peanut butter fudge.  I used Jif peanut butter. 6/15/2024

I've posted this recipe before so it's for those who haven't had the chance to copy the recipe.  Please do!  It's my pleasure!!:)It is updated!

Update:  the above fudge was made with Jif peanut butter…
Delicious!

It's a very rainy day so "Let's make fudge"!!

My girlfriend Cheryl would make this wonderful easy fudge when a few of us would get together with our families.  She would use chunky peanut butter for her recipe. Now her recipe is a family favorite!  Hint:  This fudge is a BIG hit when you bring some to a picnic or also a Bake sale!  We have sold out immediately when someone realizes there is HOMEMADE FUDGE! :)

I used organic smooth peanut butter(regular is fine) because the kiddo's aren't fond of peanuts,  Costco's (Kirkland Brand). Feel free to use your peanut butter of choice.  It does not have to be organic.

Note: Store in airtight container in refrigerator preferably.  I store in layers using wax paper in between layers. 


It is really raining in buckets so what a better day to stay inside (I do have to go and pick up my grandson) but after that I'm in for the duration of this miserable rain. This easy fudge is the answer to my sweet tooth craving.  I ate a few pieces.  Perfect!  It really was wonderful and it takes very little time and effort to put together.

  It sets very quickly so make sure you have your pyrex dish all buttered and ready to go. 

Note: I've bought Costco's Organic peanut butter before and it is very good.  You  must stir it well (oil settles on top).  It did just fine with this fudge recipe and with 2 cups of sugar in this recipe cutting back a little bit on sugar is a good thing.  It is plenty sweet.  Jif, ( is the peanut butter I usually use) is sweeter, but we are using plenty of sugar in this recipe so I am confident this will do fine. Yummy!!!!


2 cups sugar
1/2  cup milk( I used whole milk)
Bring above to a rapid (full boil)stirring constantly for **exactly 3 minutes..(you should use a timer)no less!

Remove from stove add 1- 12 oz. chunky or regular peanut butter (organic works out fine) and 1- 7 oz. jar marshmallow cream.  Stir really well with a large spoon until blended and then quickly place in a buttered dish.  (I used a 8 x8 glass dish).  Refrigerate.  Cut after completely cooled.  About 1 hour.  Note:  After reading the ingredients on back on Kirklands organic peanut butter  label.  I found it to be much much lower in salt and lower in sugar and fat than regular Jif.
 p.s. I'd definitely use this peanut butter again.

Happy Baking and Cooking from my kitchen to yours,
 

M.J.

So good!  Satisfied my sweet tooth..Big time!

First I folded in peanut butter then marshmallow

Today I made the fudge using Jiff Peanut Butter.  Same amounts, same results.  I decided a dark chocolate drizzle would definitely be a nice change.  Who doesn't like peanut butter and chocolate? YUM ** For the drizzle a small amount(maybe 1/4 cup) semi sweet chocolate morsels melted slowly and stirring (30 second intervals) in microwave until soft.

Spread mixture quickly into well buttered pan..Refrigerate until completely cooled and then cut into pieces.

Note:  I added a drizzle to some today.  I used semi sweet chocolate morsels melted slowly in microwave until soft.

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Updated 10/25/2020

12/6/12 original 
7/10/13 
10/22/15
3/22/16
3/23/17

Caramel Puffed Corn

Who can resist Caramel Corn?  So light with just the right amount of light sugary coating to snack on.  Whether it is watching a football game or having a few friends over to visit this is one great snack! I first tasted this caramel delight when visiting a friend and I couldn't wait to get home to make it.!   Happy Snacking!!!!

After I took it out of the oven I dried it on parchment paper to avoid a mess on my cookie sheet..

I managed to get the recipe from my friend and  today I went and bought all that was needed to make this snack..I plan of giving some containers as small tokens of appreciation to several of my friends...Note:  For those of us who can't eat nuts or regular pop corn this is a great alternative!!!

 Puffed Corn (Hull less) Butter

1 1/2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 
1 1/2 cups dark Karo syrup
pinch of salt
8 oz. or more salted peanuts (optional)

2 1/2 bags large Puffed Corn (Butter) not cheddar

Heat all the above ingredients except the corn..until a slow boil.

Using a large roasting pan(or disposable aluminum roasting pan) pour melted ingredients over corn and stir so that most of corn is covered with syrup mixture...Toss well..Bake approx. 50 minutes at 225 degrees..stirring every 10 minutes..


Dump corn mixture onto a large cookie sheet when baking is complete to cool..


When totally cool, break apart and store in air tight container..





12/8/11
12/12/13
11/30/15

Dipped chocolate candy

Here my Aldi recipe.

24 oz. Aldi chocolate almond bark (1.5 lb.)
2  tablespoons Aldi vegetable oil ( I will try Aldi butter next batch)

Aldi snacks such as Raisins, cranberries, peanuts , marshmallows and any other fun snack choice.


In a large microwaveable bowl place butter and chocolate.

Microwave on high in 30 second intervals. Stir and repeat.  Watch carefully.  When you take it out of the microwave keep stirring until you see some starting to melt.  After approximately 3 -30 second intervals remove and stir continuously.  The bowl is probably hot(be careful) so it will still be melting.  You may not need to microwave any longer.  If it isn’t all melted return to microwave and microwave in 20 second intervals until completely melted.

On your counter or cutting board place a large sheet or two of wax paper.

Remove from microwave and place chocolate in 3 smaller bowls or if you want to do all one type of candy you can use the one bowl.  I find that sometimes doing smaller bowls works better for the newer person dipping chocolate so start slowly in smaller portions and adjust recipe.

I like to make clusters so one bowl I put chopped pretzels, one I put mini marshmallows and one I put toasted coconut. It all depends on what you enjoy.  Cran raisins are delicious and peanuts too. Using a teaspoon remove in large teaspoons and place on wax paper.

Allow to cool completely and store in layers (wax paper in between) in refrigerator overnight.

Store in cool area until serving.

If you are giving as gifts I’d buy some festive bags or boxes. I usually keep mine in my refrigerator until I gift them.

 Fun and yummy gifts.

Tie with a ribbon and it’s the perfect sweet tooth gift.

Dot Nougat candy

To all the Aldi store shoppers.  My ingredients are from Aldi.  Dot candy was bought at the Dollar store.  Enjoy!

I decided I could not wait another day after seeing so many recipes for these delightful nougat candy.

They are delicious.  Most recipes called for you to cut the DOT candy in small pieces and then add them.  I did not!  I used full size DOT candy.

Nougat:

2 tbsp Butter
2 bags Mini Marshmallows
2 bags White Chocolate Chips
2 cups Gumdrops ( cut into pieces)

In a large Dutch oven coated pot Melt butter, add white chocolate chips stirring constantly.  When the white chocolate starts to melt,  slowly add marshmallows stirring constantly until smooth.

Mix in gumdrops.  Spread on parchment paper lined 9x13 pan.  Chill overnight in fridge.  Cut into squares.
**can be stored in freezer**

Note:  I was experimenting with products and used white chocolate bark instead of white chocolate chips.  They melted nicely with no problem.

Also I would use an 8x8 pan next time to make a deeper and thicker nougat size piece.

I think you could easily melt the ingredients in the microwave using a microwaveable bowl in 30 second intervals stirring in between intervals.

Enjoy!

Mini Pretzel Snacks!

Great snacks for everyone.

Top these pretzels with anything you like.  I even added a few cashew halves to them.
4/27/17

Mini Rolo's, chopped pecans and snaps

Two of these were done with mini peanut butter pretzel sandwiches.  The third was done with a snap pretzel and a junior mint.  The mint one doesn't look too good but it tasted great!

Mini Hershey piece and mini peanut butter pretzel sandwich

Mini Rolo and mini peanut butter pretzel sandwich

After placing mini rolo on top of pretzel bake in 300 degree oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and top with whole pecan, chopped pecans or a whole cashew and gently push pecan/ cashew into the caramel. Cool completely before storing.

Happy Easy Baking from my kitchen to yours,

9/5/12
12/4/12
12/12/13
12/3/15
3/21/16