Healthy Almond Joys

Are you an Almond Joy lover, but trying to eat healthier?  This is for you.  It doesn't taste exactly like an Almond Joy but it is made with almonds and is a "joy" to the taste buds.  And it will be a "joy" to you because it's healthy!

Healthy Almond Joys

2 cups pitted dates
1 cup almonds
1/2 - 3/4 cup shredded coconut (I used unsweetened)
2 Tablespoons dark cocoa powder
1/4  teaspoon almond extract

Put almonds in high speed blender (I used my VitaMix) or food processor and blend until almonds are fine consistency.  Add the coconut and blend.  Then add the dates, cocoa and almond extract.  Blend until combined, scraping sides. (It will be lumpy, but that's okay.)

Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.  Put mixture into the pan and press with your hands and finger into pan.  Refrigerate and cut into squares.  Keep in an airtight container in the fridge.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Happy New Year!

Now is the time to make your New Year's resolutions.  Of course, I always have the same resolutions each year because I start off with a bang and then, POOF--they disappear.  Each year I say I'll do better.  So again this year I will try to do better.  One of my goals for 2015 is to EAT HEALTHIER!  I can't guarantee how long I'll keep it, but enjoy the healthy recipes while you can.

Here is a delicious, no bake, cookie dough that tastes like candy.  Healthy candy, of course.  See, I'm already thinking about candy and it's just the first day of the new year.  But this is healthy candy, right?  You're gonna love these! I sure do.  It makes about 14 balls and I could eat every one at one sitting!  But that wouldn't be healthy would it?!

Here's to you and me keeping our resolutions in 2015!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 Tablespoon dark cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons peanut butter
pinch of salt
2 Tablespoons chocolate chips

Using a VitaMix, blend the cashews and rolled oat together.  Add maple syrup, vanilla, cocoa and salt and blend/pulse until combined.  Mixture will be a little sticky and you'll need to scrap sides.  Add chocolate chips, blend.  Add peanut butter and pulse again, scraping sides.  Put mixture in a bowl and knead together.  Form into balls and enjoy.

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge--if they last long enough!

Crock Pot Cinnamon Almonds

Looking for something to give your friends and neighbors during the holidays?  Try these cinnamon almonds.  They are delicious!  It was like eating candy and I couldn't stop eating them.  Hope there's some left for my friends and neighbors :-)

Crock Pot Cinnamon Almonds

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons of cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg white
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups almonds
1/8 cup water

In a bowl, mix together sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.
 
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white and vanilla until it begins to get a little frothy.  Stir in the almonds until they are well coated in the egg white and vanilla mixture.  Add the almonds to the cinnamon mixture and toss until completely coated.

Spray your crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.  Cook the almonds on high for 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.  After 2 hours, pour your water over the almond and mix well to make sure there are no clumps.

Reduce heat to low and cook for 1 more hour, again stirring every 20 minutes.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and evenly spread the almonds to cool and dry on the paper.

**Your house is going to smell delicious and you'll be tempted to eat some almonds before they even cool.  I say go ahead!  They're delicious hot, too.  Guess you know who fell into temptation :-)

Cream Cheese Mints

I also made some pink cream cheese mints for our Pink Posse party, celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness month.  Everyone loved them!  I'd forgotten how good they are and how easy they are to make.  You can make them for any occasion--weddings, Christmas, showers, etc.

Cream Cheese Mints

1 box powdered sugar (16 oz.)
4 oz. cream cheese
2 - 3 drops of flavoring (I used cinnamon)
food coloring (I used small amount of red)
sugar
flexible rubber candy molds (I used a daisy mold)

In a bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, cream chese, flavoring, and food coloring. (I started it with a hand mixer.)  Knead ingredients together.  Take a small amount of dough, dip in granulated sugar, press into the mold and release onto wax paper.  Keep refrigerated until served.

Microwave Fudge

You mean I have been slaving over making fudge and you can make it in the microwave--no stirring, no sweating, no reading the candy thermometer!  Yes, it's true and here is the easy recipe for you to try it for yourself.  It has a little different texture than the Fantasy Fudge I make at Christmas, but it tastes just as delicious.

Microwave Fudge

1 (1lb.) box powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 cup canned milk
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup nuts, optional

Combine sugar and cocoa in a glass bowl.  Stir together.  Add milk and butter on top and put in the microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes.  Stir together.  Add vanilla and nuts.  Stir and put in 8 x 8 inch dish.  Chill 1 hour, then score.

Chex Peanut Butter and Chocolate Blast

I was looking for some Christmas munchies and came across this Chex recipe at www.chex.com.  Everyone loved it.  Usually when you make something like this everyone eats the candies and peanuts and you're left with the cereal.  With this mix, everyone loved the coated cereal and left the candy and nuts. Go figure!


Chex Peanut Butter and Chocolate Blast

6 cups Rice Chex cereal
1 cup white vanilla baking chips (8 oz.)
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup M & Ms (I used red and green for Christmas)
1 cup dry-roasted peanuts

Line 2 cookie sheets with waxed paper or foil.  Place 3 cups cereal in a large bowl.  In a small microwavable bowl, microwave white vanilla baking chips uncovered on High about 1 minute or until chips can be stirred smooth.  pour melted chips over cereal in bowl.  Stir to evenly coat.  Spread mixture in single layer on one of the cookie sheets.  Refrigerate 5 minutes or until set.

Repeat the above using the remaining cereal and the peanut butter chips.  Refrigerate 5 minutes or until set.

Gently break up coated cereal into large bowl.  Add candy and peanuts.  Stir gently to combine.  Store in an airtight container.

Divine Divinity Fudge

So, here it is the middle of March and I'm just sharing my Christmas recipes.  Well, at least you'll have them next Christmas!  I've always wanted to make Divinity Fudge but was hesitant to make it.  Everyone said, "It's really hard."  "You have to have that special touch."  "You need a good mixer." (this one is true)

It took me three times and three recipes, but I found the recipe that wasn't really hard, that you didn't need to have that special touch, but you definitely needed a good mixer.  They say, "The third time's a charm." (this is true, too!)

Divine Divinity Fudge

2 egg whites
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (not imitation)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

  In a heavy saucepan, over medium to medium high heat, stir sugar, corn syrup and water.  Stir only until sugar has dissolved .  Don't stir after that point.  Let syrup mixture cook until the temperature reaches 260 degrees F on a candy thermometer, or the hard-ball stage.

While syrup is cooking, beat egg whites with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff.

Once sugar mixture reaches 260 degrees, remove from heat and pour in a thin steady stream into the beaten egg whites, beating constantly with an electric mixer on high for about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl.  Add the vanilla, and continue beating on high just until the candy starts to lose its gloss, about 5 - 6 minutes.  When the beaters are lifted, the mixture should fall in a ribbon that mounds on itself.  Add the pecans, stir to mix, and quickly drop the mixture by tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment.
(I used two spoons--using one spoon to push the candy off the other.)

**If the mixture flattens out, beat again for 1 minute more.  If the mixture is too thick to drop, beat in a few drops of hot water until the candy is a softer consistency.

The recipe also said you could pour the candy into a pan and cut into squares. 

Here were some other suggestions:

• Use peppermint extract and tint divinity with green or pink.
• Use almond extract with chopped marishino cherries and tint pink.
• You don't have to use nuts.

Interesting!

Crock Pot Candy

Has it really been almost a month since my last post?  Where did the time go?  Well, I'm back and I have a recipe that is worth the wait.  With Christmas almost here, I seem to spend most of my time in the kitchen stirring, standing and stirring some more, getting goodies ready to give to friends and family.  Not any more!  Crock Pot Candy to the rescue.  You're gonna love this one!

Crock Pot Candy

1 jar (16 oz.) dry roasted peanuts, UNSALTED
1 jar (16 oz.) dry roasted peanuts, SALTED
1 package (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 bar (4 oz.) German chocolate (broken up)
3 pounds or 2 planks white bark or Loghouse vanilla flavored candy coating or Almond Bark broken in pieces.  (I used the white bark)

Put ingredients into a 4 or 5 quart crock pot IN ORDER listed.  DO NOT MIX TOGETHER.    Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.  DO NOT REMOVE LID, turn off.  Cool slightly (about an hour).  Mix thoroughly and drop by teaspoons onto wax paper.  Let cool thoroughly.

I added some snowflake and candy cane sprinkles to some of mine to give them a little color.  The plain ones did kind of look like reindeer poop and thought you might could put a few candies in a baggie with a note attached that reads:

I hear that you've been naughty,

So listen, here's the scoop.

All you get for Christmas

Is this Reindeer Poop!

I think that would make cute (and quick) gifts to give. 

 Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

Sweet Addy and McKinley in their Christmas dresses!

Aren't they precious?

Halloween Ghosts Pops

My friend, Marietta, shared these precious Halloween Ghosts Pops with me.  They are so simple and yummy!  Here's what you need:

Double Stuffed Oreo Cookies (use the orange Halloween ones)
White Melting Chocolate (you can get this at AC Moore or Michael's)
Melted Chocolate Chips for eyes and mouth
Sucker Sticks

Just put the sucker sticks through the Oreo center.  Dip in the white chocolate.  Let it set and then add eyes and mouth.

Mmmm!  SPOOK-tacular!!!

Fantasy Fudge

There's one more Christmas recipe I wanted to include in my blog because I always make it for my neighbors and friends at Christmastime. It is the fantasy fudge recipe you find on the back of the marshmallow creme jar. It's my favorite chocolate fudge. I peeled off the label with the recipe so I would have it, but I'm always losing it. Now it will be on my blog and I can always find it. Isn't that smart?

Fantasy Fudge

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter

1 small can (5 oz.) evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup)

1 1/2 package (12 squares) semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped

1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Line a 9 inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over the sides of pan; set aside.

Place sugar, butter and evaporated milk in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 4 minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees F, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. (I do use a candy thermometer for this.) Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and marshmallow creme, stir until completely melted. Add vanilla (and nuts if you choose) and mix well.

Pour immediately into prepared pan and spread to form an even layer. Let stand at room temperature for about 4 hours or until completely cooled. Cut into 1 inch squares. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

Chocolate Truffle Candy

Brandi has one more delicious candy recipe that I hope she doesn't mind me sharing. It's her mom's chocolate truffle recipe. Once again Brandi makes these at Christmas for friends and family. Are you one of the lucky ones that receive a plate of her goodies at Christmas?

Chocolate Truffle Candy

6 oz. cream cheese

4 cups powdered sugar (1 box)

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted (broil lightly) and chopped

1 tablespoon vanilla

pinch of salt

Semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted in microwave

Mix together all ingredients except the chocolate chips. (You can use a spoon or a hand mixer.) Shape into balls and put on wax paper or plastic wrap, on a cookie tray. Refrigerate balls for a couple of hours before dipping. Dip each ball, one at a time, using a spoon in the melted chocolate chips. You can decorate with white chocolate drizzles. Serve in mini-muffin paper cups.

**You can use any kind of chocolate. As you can see in the picture I even dipped a few in the white chocolate with dark chocolate drizzles. Well, some didn't drizzle--they plopped! Brandi uses milk chocolate, too.

Brandi's Mom's Peanut Butter Fudge

Well, I may as well share some more of Brandi's famous recipes. Her peanut butter fudge is the out of this world. She makes it every Christmas to give to family and friends. It's the best! You've got to make some. I know you'll agree.

**You'll need a candy thermometer for this one.

Brandi's Mom's Peanut Butter Fudge

2 cups sugar

2/3 cup evaporated milk (5 oz. can)

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cook sugar and evaporated mild in a pot until 234 degrees (soft ball). Stir constantly. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Pour into a buttered 8x8 glass pan. Let cool.

Cut and enjoy! My mouth is watering just thinking about it!