Hot Cocoa Mix

If you're a hot cocoa princess like me, and only like the expensive stuff, you can try this mix.


4 cups powdered milk
4 cups powdered sugar (less if desired)
3 cups Nesquik powder
2 cups powdered creamer
2/3 cup Nestle Cocoa Powder
1 tsp salt


Mix dry ingredients in HUGE bowl.
Add 1/3 cup mix to 1 cup hot water.

Gourmet Sweet Potato Classic

If you are anti-goopy-syrupy-marshmallowy-sweet potatoes, you need to try this recipe! They are light and fluffy but crisp on the top and just DEEElicious! I've made this every Thanksgiving for quite awhile and turned Kyle's family from sweet-potato-haters into sweet-potato-lovers.

And sweet potatoes are not just for Thanksgiving - who came up with that idea! I make a big pan a few times a year when I get craving them.

The potatoes:

5 large sweet potatoes (use 1-2 more if you have small ones)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup butter (3 TBSP is enough really but if you love butter go ahead)

2 eggs beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract (again 1/2 tsp is enough but go with what you love)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup white sugar

2 TBSP heavy cream (you can replace it with 1/2 cup milk if you don't have cream)

The topping:

1/4 cup butter (3 TBSP is enough)

3 TBSP flour (can use up to 1/3 cup, once you mix the topping add more flour if its too wet)

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Cook your sweet potatoes either by baking them in the oven or microwaving them. I microwave cause its much faster. Cook until you can stick a fork or butter knife all the way through them. If you microwave, make sure you poke em' first so they don't explode.

Cool them slightly, peel them, then mash.

In a large bowl, mix the mashed sweet potatoes, salt, butter, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar, and cream/milk. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine butter, flour, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Mix with a pastry blender (c'mon who has one of these) or your fingers (I use a butter knife to cut all the wet stuff into the dry) to the consistancy of course meal. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven until topping is crisp and lightly browned.

Hope y'all enjoy!

Moose Balls

We've been calling these lovely things "Moose Balls" but they are really called Buckeyes. Who cares, cuz they are DE-LISH! It's no use making this recipe with the following measurements though: you at least have to double it - then you can share in dispatch!

• 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
  
• 6 squares Almond Bark (or 1 cup chocolate chips)
  
• 1tablespoon shortening
  

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioners sugar with hands to form a smooth stiff dough.

Shape into balls using 2 teaspoons of dough for each ball.

Place on prepared pan, and freeze for 20 minutes.

Melt shortening and chocolate together in a metal bowl over a pan of lightly simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth, and remove from heat.

Remove balls from freezer. Insert a wooden toothpick into a ball, and dip into melted chocolate. Return to wax paper, chocolate side down, and remove toothpick. Repeat with remaining balls.

Freeze for 30 minutes to set.

Holiday Toffee

So, April wanted this recipe a while back and I'm just getting around to sharing it. I usually make a TRIPLE batch and use a full sheet pan to cool it in. But this is the recipe for the single batch.

1 Cup sugar
1 Cup butter
3 TBS water
1 tsp vanilla
4 or 5 Hershey bars (or chocolate chips)
chopped nuts (roasted pecans are my fave)

Combine sugar, butter and water in heavy saucepan.
Cook to 300 degrees stirring constantly to prevent burning.
Pull from heat and add vanilla. Stir well.
Once all the bubbles are stirred out, Pour into a buttered 9x9 pan.
Lay the chocolate bars/chips on top and spread evenly as they melt.
While still warm, sprinkle chopped nuts over the top.
Cool thoroughly and break into pieces.



PS - I've made other recipes and the toffee is really hard. This recipe uses water and that adds a nice softness to the candy so you don't visit the dentist for chipped teeth - just cavities.

Creamy Caramels

Holly mentioned it, so here it is: the caramels recipe. Get ready to STIR!

1 Cup butter
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 dash salt
1 Cup light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter in large heavy saucepan.
Add sugar and salt. Add in corn syrup and milk, stirring constantly.
Cook and stir over medium heat to 245 on candy thermometer.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Pour onto greased 9x13 pan.
Cool thoroughly.
Turn out onto buttered cutting board and cut into 1" pieces.
Wrap with wax paper.