Dark Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

Are you ready for more "healthy" cookies?  The whole-grain oats, omega-3-packed peanut butter, and anti-oxidant cocoa make these worth the calories--not to mention they are delicious!

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 3 cups oats

Supplies

• medium pot
• large bowl
• cookie scoop (or two spoons)
• parchment paper
• wooden spoon

Directions

1. Measure oats into large bowl.
2. Rip off a piece of parchment paper about 2 feet long.  Place out on counter.
3. Combine butter, sugar, cocoa, milk, and salt in pot.
4. Stirring constantly, heat over medium until mixture begins to boil.
5. Boil for 4 minutes.
6. Turn off stove, and add peanut butter.  Stir until completely combined.
7. Add vanilla, and stir again.
8. Pour over oats, and stir until oats and chocolate mixture combined.
9. Spoon out onto parchment paper.  Let cool completely (if you can wait that long).

I will be linking to these link parties.

Gooey Caramel Popcorn

This is one of my family's favorite treats!  It is a great treat to serve while soft and warm, or to let cool and become a little more chewy.  Last night, my mom decided to try adding cashews in the mix, which you might try, but after eating, my father said, "it's not one of your most inspired ideas."  Let me know what additions or changes you try.  Maybe you will have an inspired idea...

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 -2 teaspoons vanilla
• Large bowl of popcorn

Supplies

• Medium Pot
• Wooden Spoon
• Large bowl
• Small bowl filled with ice water

Directions

1. Pop large bowl of popcorn

2. Combine all ingredients except the popcorn and vanilla into the pot

3. Heat on medium until mixture begins to boil

4. Boil for about 5 minutes until you reach the soft ball stage
5. To test for soft ball stage, drop a blob of the caramel into the ice water, let sit for a few seconds, then try to form into a ball (if you can form a soft ball, you are done)

6. Remove from heat, add vanilla and stir

7. Pour over the popcorn and mix together, making sure you do not stir vigorously and burn yourself (it will seem like you do not have enough caramel at first, but keep stirring because you will have enough)

8. Once all the popcorn is coated, dig in!

White Chocolate, Peppermint Popcorn

This easy recipe can be adjusted in a variety of ways and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

Ingredients

• Natural/Plain Microwave Popcorn
• Wilton Candy Melts in Peppermint Flavor
• Candy Canes

Supplies

• Large Mixing Bowl
• Medium Glass Bowl
• Medium Pot
• Spatula
• Plastic Sandwich Bag
• Cupcake Liners
• Muffin Pans

Directions

1. Pop the microwave popcorn and empty bag into the large mixing bowl--try to pick out any un-popped kernels
2. Take 4 candy canes, remove the wrappers, and place in sandwich bag
3. Using the bottom of the glass bowl, smash the candy canes into small pieces
4. Line the muffin pans with liners
5. Create a double-boiler using the medium glass bowl, and medium pot

1. Fill the pot about 1/3 full with hot water
2. Place the glass bowl on the top of the pot (it should set on the rim, not inside the pot)
3. Empty the entire bag of candy melts into bowl
4. Stirring with the spatula, heat on medium until water creates steam that melts the candy coating
5. ***Be careful with double boilers--steam can easily burn you
6. Once all the candy is melted, pour over the popcorn (use the spatula to scrape all melted candy into the popcorn bowl)
7. Stir until the popcorn is evenly covered with the chocolate (it may seem like it will not cover, but do not fret, it will)
8. Fill the cupcake liners with the popcorn mixture
9. Sprinkle the broken candy cane pieces on top of the popcorn

10. Let cool completely, then enjoy!

Try other types of chocolate, and sprinkles or other toppings to customize to your tastes and different occasions.

Almond Toffee

This recipe makes a delicious batch of toffee to give as a gift, share with friends, or eat yourself!  My co-workers recently claimed that this rivals Enstrom's.  I have had many successes with this recipe, but there are also times when the mixture breaks (separates) for no apparent reason.  Make sure to use fresh butter to help avoid breakage.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup (2 Sticks) Butter
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Water
• 1-2 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
• 1 Cup Almonds (chopped--if you cannot find chopped, chop in a blender or food processor)
• 1 Bag Chocolate Chips (milk or semi-sweet depending on your preference)

Tools:

• Jelly Roll Pan (a cookie sheet with a small rim)
• Large Pot
• Wooden Spoon
• Small angled spatula

Directions:

1. Spread about 2/3 cup almonds onto the jelly roll pan

2. Combine butter, sugar, water, and corn syrup in large pot
3. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil, heat a little higher than medium on the stove (different stoves and altitudes may require different settings--often recipes call for medium, but I have found a little higher works better for me)

4. Cook until the ingredients turn a light brown (mine usually takes between 20 and 30 minutes--typically, the longer you cook it, the harder the toffee will be)
5. Quickly pour the mixture over the almonds on the jelly roll pan
6. Use the back of the spoon to spread the mixture as flat and smooth as possible--you have to work quickly because it hardens almost immediately

7. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the toffee (for a thinner layer of chocolate, don't use the entire bag of chocolate)

8. Wait about a minute for the chocolate to melt, then spread with the spatula to create a smooth, even layer of chocolate

9. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup of almonds on the melted chocolate
10. Allow to cool (can cool in the fridge)
11. Break into pieces and enjoy!