Blarney Stones

6 Servings

4 Eggs
2 c Sugar
1/2 t Salt
2 t Vanilla
2 T Butter
1 c Milk,hot
2 c Cake flour
2 t Baking powder
Icing
Powdered sugar
Milk
Peanuts (or pecans)
– fine (or ground),Chopped

Melt butter in hot milk. Beat the eggs with a rotary
beater until light; beat in sugar, salt, vanilla and
butter mixture.

Sift flour and baking powder together; beat in quickly. Pour into a greased 13×9″ pan.

Pound the pan several times to remove any air bubbles. Bake
for 25-35 minutes at 350.

Cool the cake and cut in 4×1″ pieces. Cover all sides with icing made of powdered sugar and milk to your desired consistency.

Roll in nuts of choice.

Brownie Cakes In A Jar

2 CANNING JARS,wide mouth
1 c ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
1 c SUGAR
1/2 t BAKING SODA
1/4 t CINNAMON (optional),Ground
1/3 c BUTTER,or MARGARINE
1/4 c WATER
3 T UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER
1/4 c BUTTERMILK
1 EGG,beaten
1/2 t VANILLA EXTRACT
1/4 c WALNUTS,finely chopped

Every recipe technique is the same, just different ingredients…

Sterilize, two 1-pint straight-sided wide-mouth canning jars
(specifically made for canning jams and jellies) lids and rings
by boiling for 10 minutes (keep the lids and rings in the hot
water until ready to use); set aside.

In a small bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking soda and
cinnamon, if desired. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan combine butter or margarine, water and cocoa powder; heat and stir until butter or margarine is melted and mixture is well blended.

Remove from heat; stir in flour mixture. Add buttermilk, egg and vanilla; beat by hand until smooth. Stir in nuts.

Pour mixture into the prepared canning jars; place jars onto a cookie sheet.

Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a pick inserted deep into each cake comes out clean.

Remove cakes from the oven, one at a time. Place a
lid, then a ring onto the jars and screw down tightly. USE HEAVY-DUTY MITTS, the jars ARE HOT!! Place jars onto your counter to cool.

You’ll hear a “plinking” sound. If you miss the sound, wait until the cakes are cool and press on the lids, they shouldn’t move at all, that means they’ve sealed.

Store cakes in a cool, dark place. They should last up to a year.

If you’d like to decorate them, place a wad of cotton in the center of each lid, then place a piece of decorative cloth, about 3-inches larger in circumference than the lid, (cut with pinking shears) on top of the cotton.

Screw the ring back on (by this time the rings can
be removed as the lids should be sealed). Use your imagination when decorating–a hot glue gun works wonders (dried flowers, ribbon, etc). These make WONDERFUL Christmas gifts.

Buttermilk Pecan Pralines (Cook ‘em Horns)

3 c Sugar
1 Pinch of Salt
3/4 c White Corn Syrup
2 c Pecan Halves
1 t Baking Soda
1 c Buttermilk
2 T Butter

In a large saucepan, (5 or 6 Quart size) combine sugar, baking soda, salt, buttermilk and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to medium-low, continue cooking until mixture becomes caramel-colored and reaches soft ball stage (238 degrees).

Remove from heat, add butter and pecan halves. Beat until thick enough to drop from a spoon onto waxed paper.

If mixture becomes too hard, return to heat and add small amount of water. Stir until smooth.

Makes 44 to 48 Pralines

Butterscotch Fudge

6 Servings

1/4 c Butter
3/4 c Sour Cream
1 c White Sugar
1 t Vanilla
1/4 t Salt
1/2 c Nuts
1 c Brown Sugar
2 T White Syrup

Melt butter. Add brown sugar and heat to boiling. Add white sugar, sour cream and salt. cook to 236 degrees. Cool. Add vanilla and nuts then beat until thick.

Pour into buttered pan.

Candied Cranberries

2 Servings

1 c Sugar
2 T Water
1/2 c Cranberries

Cook 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water in heavy small saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Transfer to top of double boiler. Add cranberries. Cover berry mixture and place over simmering water. Cook 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from over water. Let cranberry mixture stand at room temperature overnight.

Place remaining 1/2 cup sugar on plate. Drain cranberries well. Add t sugar and turn to coat. Let dry at least 30 minutes.

(Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Makes about 1/2 cup

Candied Orange Peel

3 Servings

INGREDIENTS
8 Oranges
Water
1 c water,Boiling
4 c Sugar

Makes about 3-4 lbs of candy.

Wash the oranges. Cut into halves and squeeze out the juice. Use the juice for some other purpose, of course. Place the oranges into a large saucepan and cover with cold water.

Place over high heat and heat to a boil. Add cold water to cover again. Heat to a boil and drain. Repeat this process five times in all. Drain well and scoop out the pulp. Cut the oranges into ¼ inch wide strips.

Combine 1 cup of boiling water with 2 cups of the sugar. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the orange strips. Place over medium heat and boil for about 30 minutes, until all the liquid is evaporated. Watch carefully so the peels don’t scorch.

Cool. Roll the strips in the remaining 2 cups of sugar. Place on waxed paper to dry.

Package and store in airtight containers.

Candied Pickle Sticks

8 Servings

1 qt Pickles,Sour Or Dill; Drain
3 c Sugar
1/4 c Pickled Sweet Cherry Peppers
2 t Onion,Instant, Minced
1 t Celery Seed
1 t Mustard Seed
1/2 t Dried Hot Peppers,Crushed

NOTE: The pickled sweet cherry peppers should be coarsely chopped.

Remove the tips from the pickles. Cut the pickles into medium sticks, drain.

Mix the pickles and the remaining ingredients in a glass bowl
and cover.

Refrigerate for at least 12 hours. Stir the pickle mixture until all the sugar is dissolved. Pack the pickles in small
jars and add the syrup to cover them.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before using but no longer than 2 weeks.

Makes 1 quart of candied pickle sticks.

Candied Pineapple

6 Servings

1 c Sugar
1 cn (20 ounce) pineapple,Slices
-packed in own juice
and 1/3 cup juice,Drained reserved
2 T Light corn syrup
Sugar

In 3 qt casserole, combine 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup reserved juice and the corn syrup. Arrange five pineapple slices in single layer over sugar mixture.

Microwave on High 8-12 min. or until sugar dissolves and slices are glossy and transparent on edges, turning over and rearranging every 4 minutes.

Remove slices to wire rack and cool.

They will become more transparent as they cool. Add remaining slices to the hot syrup and repeat as above. When slices have cooled completely, coat with sugar.

Cover with wax paper and let stand on wire rack at least 24 hours to dry.

Recoat with sugar. Slices will be slightly sticky.

Store in airtight container with wax paper between layers no longer than 2 weeks.

Candied Yams

6 Servings

1 cn Yams OR 4 Fresh yams
1/2 bag miniature marshmallows
1/2 c Orange juice
1/4 c Brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 orange sliced

Drain yams and discard liquid. Arrange in baking dish. Pour orange juice over yams. Sprinkle liberally with brown sugar. Dot with butter. Sprinkle with marshmallows, if desired. Place orange slices on top.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or in any oven temperature (i.e., right along with the turkey) until marshmallows melt and liquid is bubbly.

Serves 6.

M&M Christmas Ornaments

TREE ORNAMENTS =================
Plastic wrap
Pkg.’s M&M’s
Pipe Cleaner
Ribbon
CHRISTMAS WREATH ===============
Same ingredients as ornament
– but also a wire coat
– hanger

TREE ORNAMENTS: Cut plastic wrap into 6-inch squares. Gather corners and twist tightly. Secure with pipe cleaner.
Cluster individual balls into one large one, connecting each ball with the adjoining pipe cleaner. Tie “curling” ribbon around the cluster to form a loop at the tops. Tie two 10-inch strands of ribbon at the bottom and curl. Hang on the tree with the loop ends.

M&M CANDY WREATH: Make cluster balls the same way as the candy tree ornament clusters, using plain or peanut M&M’s. Form a circle from a wire coat hanger, the hook forms the hanging loop. Attach cluster balls to the hanger with pipe cleaners. Tie a large bow at the top of the wreath.