I'm sifting through memories too. This year is the first Christmas without my dear grandmother... with my grandfather and uncle gone too... I've been thinking about family a lot. My Nanny (as I called her) is here with me a lot. She chides me in my head when I do some silly things... She also laughs at me when I stuff extra kleenex in my pockets before I go out. Xan is showing signs of being left handed, so was she. I think she's here guiding him so that I keep thinking about her. I tell her, "Nanny, I think about you anyway!" She insists. And if you knew her... you know she insists.
So, I suppose it is time for us to start traditions of our own as a family. John and I put the movie 'A Christmas Story' on this morning and we laughed and quoted the lines as Xan just stared up from his bouncy seat transfixed with all the lights and ornaments. I'm excited for this holiday to grow on him as much as we love it too. We've also thought of creating the family tradition of a holiday get away as our gift. John and I aren't much into the exchanging of gifts on a particular day. We do little things all the time. We know Xan will have a few things each year, but we've limited it to seriously a FEW as in 3. The trip to where ever would be the big gift. The gift of memories and time together. I'm excited to save up and start this tradition ASAP! We've already started to compile a list of U.S. and of course some abroad destinations.
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| My "Nanny" Betty Kik |
Here are my family recipes... I hope you will love them as much as we do!
Soft Caramels
This was a recipe my grandmother would just 'wing' and it would be amazing 100% of the time. She of course would tell you if they are too soft, too hard etc. But she was a whiz!1- 1/2c sugar
1/4c light corn syrup
1c heavy cream (whipping cream)
5T butter
1 t vanilla
- vegetable oil for brushing the pan
8x8 pan
Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, then brush
the paper lightly with oil, allowing the paper to drape over 2 sides. A good trick for getting them up.
In a deep saucepan (because the cream will bubble up A LOT when you add it), stir together 1/4 cup water with the sugar and corn syrup and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown color. Don't stir - just swirl the pan to mix. Watch carefully, as it will burn quickly at the end!
In the meantime, in a small pan, bring the cream and butter to a simmer over medium heat. Don't boil it, just get it hot. Turn off the heat and set aside.
When the sugar mixture is a warm golden color, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful! Like I said before, it will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees (firm ball) on a candy thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, just take a drop and put it into a glass of cold water. If it turns into a firm ball then you're ready! Very carefully (it's hot!) pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate for a few hours, until firm.
When the caramels are cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut the sheet in half. Starting with the long end, roll the caramel up tightly into an 8-inch log. Repeat with the second piece. Sprinkle both logs with sea salt if you'd like. That's what I'm doing this year! When you're done, trim the ends, and cut each log in 8 pieces. Cut wax paper into squares and wrap each caramel in a paper, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve the caramels at room temp if you'd like, they are a bit soft and nice to melt in your mouth!
I have not yet, had anyone or group of anyone stop eating these bits without finishing off this entire pan. They are irresistible. I suspect that there are some of the same chemical properties acting in the brain as crack or heroine. Bring them to your office gathering or as a cookie exchange and watch as you will bring home an empty tray, pan or dish.
On a half sheet cake pan, I believe you can fit 23 crackers. (Use a pan that has sides to it. This mixture is runny.) That is me recalling some of Nanny's advice. I think she's telling me this as I type. I'm being lazy and not getting up for my recipe book. I'm terrible. This is a 'wing' it recipe... Sorry for all of you non wing it cooks out there!
Preheat oven to 350
You can line your cookie/ cake sheet with parchment or a silicon liner if you'd like. It will make clean up and serving a tad easier.
23 saltine crackers - get the salted ones! (or more... depending on your cookie/cake sheet)
1 stick of butter - yeah, yeah... deal with it. (No, this is not a Paula Deen recipe.)
1/2 cup of brown sugar... or 3/4
bag of mini chocolate chips
Lay out your crackers so that they are close and touchy. Melt your butter in a pan or in the microwave. I like to stir in the brown sugar here! Using a spoon (like granny) or silicon pastry brush (like granddaughter) cover all the crackers in the butter/ sugar mixture. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips until the crackers are completely covered with a nice thick coating. Bake at 350 until the chocolate is melted. Don't boil it or anything... just get it nice and melty. About 10 minutes should do the trick. Then set them aside to chill. If you can cool the sheet and then put them in the fridge to get the chocolate nice and set you won't be sorry.
Cut along the cracker lines if you can see them. And good luck keeping these around. I suggest you scarf one down immediately!!
In a deep sauce pan melt together on low heat,
2/3c maple syrup (or sugar free ihop syrup)
2/3c brown sugar
1-1/2c natural peanut butter
Once this mixture is warm and melted together,
add 2 squares of semi-sweet bakers chocolate
When the chocolate is melted in, turn off heat.
add 2 cups of steel cut oats and mix together completely.
This recipe makes quite a few depending on how large you make them. You can use a scoop to make them nice and round or just drop them by the spoonful. Get some waxy paper to put these little guys down on. Again, if you can pop them into the fridge for a bit, they will be yummy worth it.
Oh, what the heck... here is my AWESOME sugar cookie recipe too. It is made for extra large cookie cutters. You have to roll this one out thick to get extra yumminess! Makes about 30 extra large cookies.
Get two bowls -
Sift together in one bowl,
1t salt
2t baking soda
5-1/2c flour
Cream together in the other large bowl, or Kitchen Aid mixer...
1 stick butter (softened)
2 c powdered sugar
2 eggs
3t vanilla
ADD 1c sour cream to creamed ingredients.
Slowly add dry mixture into the creamed. As soon as it is combined, STOP MIXING.
Knead it out on the counter and place into two balls. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. When you're ready to roll them you will probably need to let the dough come to room temp so allow for that time. This is definitely not a recipe that you just whip up! Next roll out to 1/4" thickness and cut away!
Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 min. I don't like to see brown on my cookies so I go for the 8.
I also found this Icing recipe on Pinterest a while back. But, just so ya know, I haven't tried it yet... So let me know if you have! It is supposed to be awesome for outlining and filling cookies. A good consistency for a solid icing that isn't hard as a rock. It looks simple enough to work. I've made something similar before.
1c powdered sugar
1T milk
1T light corn syrup
1 drop lemon juice
In a deep saucepan (because the cream will bubble up A LOT when you add it), stir together 1/4 cup water with the sugar and corn syrup and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown color. Don't stir - just swirl the pan to mix. Watch carefully, as it will burn quickly at the end!
In the meantime, in a small pan, bring the cream and butter to a simmer over medium heat. Don't boil it, just get it hot. Turn off the heat and set aside.
When the sugar mixture is a warm golden color, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful! Like I said before, it will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees (firm ball) on a candy thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, just take a drop and put it into a glass of cold water. If it turns into a firm ball then you're ready! Very carefully (it's hot!) pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate for a few hours, until firm.
When the caramels are cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut the sheet in half. Starting with the long end, roll the caramel up tightly into an 8-inch log. Repeat with the second piece. Sprinkle both logs with sea salt if you'd like. That's what I'm doing this year! When you're done, trim the ends, and cut each log in 8 pieces. Cut wax paper into squares and wrap each caramel in a paper, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve the caramels at room temp if you'd like, they are a bit soft and nice to melt in your mouth!
Chocolate Toffee Crackers
I have not yet, had anyone or group of anyone stop eating these bits without finishing off this entire pan. They are irresistible. I suspect that there are some of the same chemical properties acting in the brain as crack or heroine. Bring them to your office gathering or as a cookie exchange and watch as you will bring home an empty tray, pan or dish.
On a half sheet cake pan, I believe you can fit 23 crackers. (Use a pan that has sides to it. This mixture is runny.) That is me recalling some of Nanny's advice. I think she's telling me this as I type. I'm being lazy and not getting up for my recipe book. I'm terrible. This is a 'wing' it recipe... Sorry for all of you non wing it cooks out there!
Preheat oven to 350
You can line your cookie/ cake sheet with parchment or a silicon liner if you'd like. It will make clean up and serving a tad easier.
23 saltine crackers - get the salted ones! (or more... depending on your cookie/cake sheet)
1 stick of butter - yeah, yeah... deal with it. (No, this is not a Paula Deen recipe.)
1/2 cup of brown sugar... or 3/4
bag of mini chocolate chips
Lay out your crackers so that they are close and touchy. Melt your butter in a pan or in the microwave. I like to stir in the brown sugar here! Using a spoon (like granny) or silicon pastry brush (like granddaughter) cover all the crackers in the butter/ sugar mixture. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips until the crackers are completely covered with a nice thick coating. Bake at 350 until the chocolate is melted. Don't boil it or anything... just get it nice and melty. About 10 minutes should do the trick. Then set them aside to chill. If you can cool the sheet and then put them in the fridge to get the chocolate nice and set you won't be sorry.
Cut along the cracker lines if you can see them. And good luck keeping these around. I suggest you scarf one down immediately!!
No Bake Cookies
The healthy version is here! Yes, after I used a stick of butter in the last recipe I should probably be upping my health insurance premiums... but I will instead try to balance the universe with this treat! John LOVES them and yes, they are actually a bit healthier than most of the treats you will be downing this Christmas season.In a deep sauce pan melt together on low heat,
2/3c maple syrup (or sugar free ihop syrup)
2/3c brown sugar
1-1/2c natural peanut butter
Once this mixture is warm and melted together,
add 2 squares of semi-sweet bakers chocolate
When the chocolate is melted in, turn off heat.
add 2 cups of steel cut oats and mix together completely.
This recipe makes quite a few depending on how large you make them. You can use a scoop to make them nice and round or just drop them by the spoonful. Get some waxy paper to put these little guys down on. Again, if you can pop them into the fridge for a bit, they will be yummy worth it.
Sugar Cookies
Oh, what the heck... here is my AWESOME sugar cookie recipe too. It is made for extra large cookie cutters. You have to roll this one out thick to get extra yumminess! Makes about 30 extra large cookies.Get two bowls -
Sift together in one bowl,
1t salt2t baking soda
5-1/2c flour
Cream together in the other large bowl, or Kitchen Aid mixer...1 stick butter (softened)
2 c powdered sugar
2 eggs
3t vanilla
ADD 1c sour cream to creamed ingredients.
Slowly add dry mixture into the creamed. As soon as it is combined, STOP MIXING.
Knead it out on the counter and place into two balls. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. When you're ready to roll them you will probably need to let the dough come to room temp so allow for that time. This is definitely not a recipe that you just whip up! Next roll out to 1/4" thickness and cut away!
Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 min. I don't like to see brown on my cookies so I go for the 8.
I also found this Icing recipe on Pinterest a while back. But, just so ya know, I haven't tried it yet... So let me know if you have! It is supposed to be awesome for outlining and filling cookies. A good consistency for a solid icing that isn't hard as a rock. It looks simple enough to work. I've made something similar before.
Icing
1c powdered sugar
1T milk
1T light corn syrup
1 drop lemon juice
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