English Toffee

Actually very very easy to make. It does take some patience - of which I have little - so you will probably have no problem.

English Toffee

• 1 cup butter (the real stuff)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cups sugar
• 1/2 lb chocolate of choice, melted
• 1/2 cup nuts of your choice chopped finely

Prepare a cookie sheet (or other) with parchment paper, or a silpat, or by just oiling it. Set aside, but near the stove top.

Bring the first three ingredients to a simmer then to a boil, stirring continuously. When the color turns a golden to deep brown (approx 15 minutes or 289 degrees on a candy thermometer, if you want to use one, although not necessary), pour it onto the prepared pan.

After it cools, spread on 1/2 the melty chocolate and immediately 1/2 the nuts. Put that in the fridge. After its all set up, flip/invert that candy as best you can onto another cookie sheet. Don't worry if the candy breaks, you're going to break it up in the end anyway. Spread the remaining melty chocolate and nuts and refrigerate again.

Break it up, serve it up, eat it up.

1 million variations can be made with the these basics. I have used all manner of different nuts, chopped candy canes are delicious, white chocolate, let your imagination take you away to your personal favorite combination.

Happy Holidays.

Current Obsession: Squash

Its that time of year when our CSA overwhelms us with squash of every variety. Delicata, Pie pumpkins, butternut, acorn, kabocha, ambercup, buttercup, etc. Seriously. At least one of each of these and quite a few of them several. Mister doesn't eat squash which makes eating them up a challenge.

When we get them, I put them in the cool basement storage until I have enough of them to fill a baking sheet. I then roast/bake them, and whir them into a delicious puree in the food processor. I place 2 cups into each quart sized freezer bag and keep out a couple cups for immediate consumption. I've been sharing this with my mom-in-law too. She didn't think she liked squash, but when I gave her the pureed version, she realized she just didn't like the consistency of baked and not pureed squash. Anyway....

So my latest obsession is this: In a bowl, I place 1/2+ cup pureed squash, 1/2 cup vanilla coconut yogurt, a tsp+ brown sugar and a couple pecans (chopped). Really great and pretty healthy dessert. It reminds me of pumpkin cheesecake. I've pondered sprinkling crushed graham crackers in there too, but don't have any in the house and don't feel the need to buy them just to feed my current obsession.

There you go. Try it. Vary the ingredient amounts to your personal tastes. Try honey instead of brown sugar. Blend it all up, pour into a prepared cookie crust and refrigerate. Seriously, its delicious. I think kids might like it too. I could be wrong on that though.

Today

Me

I made some cookies

I had a hankering for soft and chewy molasses ginger cookies I made THESE from the Pioneer Woman's site. With some modifications, of course.

I used half brown sugar, half white sugar.

I tripled the amount of ground ginger - I love me some ginger.

I added about a 1/3 cup, finely chopped candied ginger.

I rolled them in turbinado sugar prior to baking.

They were delicious and the house smelled awesome!

Mister, who doesn't really want anything sweet unless is contains or is dipped in chocolate, liked them a lot too.