Christmas Candies to Brighten your Holidays

It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted on the website. After passing out from food poisoning, I broke both bones in my lower leg and three in my foot when I fell. The hospital transferred me to a marvelous rehab facility right here in town, so I saw my husband and little dog every day. I’m not sure what I’d have done if I hadn’t been able to see them.

I talk about Hope on this website. Every doctor I saw after the head-on collision in 1979 stole my hope. My life changed forever when a construction truck crossed the center line and hit our car. It took me five years to stop believing in the experts and start believing in myself. I went through more of that trauma again this summer when it took three people to move me from the bed to a wheelchair. There were many days when I didn’t think I could do it all again. If I can give you any gift this Christmas, it would be the gift of believing in yourself.

I am now walking unassisted. I decorated the house for Christmas, and the Christmas candies are complete and already shared with friends and neighbors. I now share some of our favorite recipes with you.

Buckeyes

1 1/2 cups peanut butter

1 cup softened butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

6 cups confectioners’ sugar

One package of chocolate bark, melted (at 200 degrees, in a glass measuring cup in the oven.)

Mix the peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioner’s sugar in a large bowl.

The dough will appear dry. Roll into 2-inch balls and place on a lined cookie sheet in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 hours.

Press a toothpick into the top of each ball and dip into melted chocolate bark, leaving a small portion of peanut butter showing at the top to make them look like Buckeyes. Use your finger to smooth out the hole from the toothpick after the chocolate is firm.

Chocolate Fudge

 

2 cups sugar                            ¼ pound butter                        ½ c milk

¼ c white Karo syrup                        ¼ tsp salt                         3 Tablespoons Cocoa                1 tsp vanilla

 

Combine all in a saucepan except vanilla. Stir constantly. Bring to a boil. When at a full, rolling boil, time for an additional two minutes. Remo from heat and add 1 tsp vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until cool, dull (not glossy), and thick. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto foil or waxed paper. Pour onto a buttered plate. Chocolate fudge was one of my mother’s favorite Christmas candy recipes. The first year she was married, the Catholic nuns stopped at the house to wish her a Merry Christmas. That was the first year she tried to make the fudge by herself. She had to serve the good sisters the fudge in a bowl with a spoon.

Peppermint Kisses

Use the same Christmas candy recipe as above. Omit the cocoa and vanilla. Cook the ingredients as specified above. Before mixing, add a teaspoon of peppermint extract and a small dash of red food coloring. Drop by spoonfuls on waxed paper.

Caramels

1 cup butter                             2 ¼ c brown sugar                   1 c white Karo

1 can condensed milk              Dash salt                                 1 tsp vanilla

Place butter in a large, buttered glass mixing bowl. Microwave 1 minute on ROAST to melt. Blend in brown sugar, syrup, condensed milk, and salt. Cover tightly with plastic wrap—microwave on HIGH 10 minutes. Be extremely careful as you remove the plastic wrap. I use a long-handled wooded spoon. Stir well, return to the microwave, and cook (uncovered) for 10-18 minutes on ROAST (240 degrees) or until candy forms a ball in cold water. (Every microwave is different. With my microwave, it cooks for an additional 9 minutes at the #6 setting.) Mix in the vanilla and pour into a greased 12×7 baking dish. Cool to room temp, cut and wrap individual pieces in plastic wrap.

This picture includes many of the items we fix at our house, including more Christmas candy specials.

Mike’s Peanut Butter Ritz Christmas Candies

 Spread peanut butter between two Ritz Crackers. Dip in melted chocolate bark coating.

Set on aluminum foil or waxed paper to cool

English Toffee

 In a skillet on med-high heat, cook together:

 Sticks of butter                    3 Tbsp water                           1 cup sugar

Cook the above in a heavy, metal skillet (not Teflon) until caramel-colored, stirring constantly. Add 1 tsp vanilla. Stir. Pour onto a buttered cookie sheet. Sprinkle chocolate chips or Hershey Bar pieces onto hot candy. When melted, spread with a knife. Sprinkle finely chopped nuts on the top. When the candy is cool, break into irregular pieces. Store covered.

Grandma Ginny’s Peanut Butter Fudge

 In a heavy pot, cook together to the soft-ball stage (Use a candy thermometer). Watch closely and stir constantly

2 cups sugar                            2/3 cup milk

Add:

1 cup marshmallow cream            1 cup peanut butter                 1 tsp vanilla

This will get hard quickly. Pour on a buttered plate. Cut into pieces to serve. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Remember: To Hope is to Believe in Miracles!

You can find more of our favorite recipes in the cookbook I put together of  my mother’s favorite recipes.