Goodies to make at home...

[JustJo]

I always like to make goodies at home, but especially near the holidays...

So, here's a place to post the recipe for your favorite treats to make at home. Enjoy!

Please put the name of the item in the Title...and it'll make it easier for folks to find something yummy to make.

[JustJo]

I'll get us started with these chewy (filling destroying) yummies....

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Caramels
You will need:

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter (and a little more to grease the pan)
4-1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate (chopped)
1 c. whole milk or half & half (don't use low-fat milk...it's just wrong )
1 c. molasses
1 c. sugar
1 teaspoon real vanilla

Butter an 8x8 dish with the extra unsalted butter
Clip a candy thermometer onto the side of a heavy pan (yes, you do need the thermometer)

Add everything except the vanilla to the pan, and cook on a medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom frequently, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees.

Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and stir thoroughly.
Pour into the buttered dish.

As soon as it's cool to the touch, transfer to a cutting board and use a buttered knife to cut it into bite-size pieces. Wrap them individually in waxed paper.

Yummy! (and I'm not responsible for your dental work )

[lipstixgal]

Recipe

[COLOR="Purple"]1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter
1 egg[
1teaspoon vanilla extract
1(18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter unitl smooth. beat in an egg. then beat in vanilla extract. Beat in cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner's sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. bake 12 minutes. the cookies will remain soft and gooey cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioner's sugar if desired../COLOR]

[lipstixgal]

[COLOR="Purple"]Ingriedients:

31/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup puffed rice cereal
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup rolled old fashioned oats
1 (8-ounce) package toffee bits
white chocolate for dipping
15 peppermint hard candies, crushed for garnish


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
IN a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.
Using an elecrtric mixer, cream the butter and sugars. Scrape the sides of the mixer bowl and beat in the oil, egg and vanilla until smooth. Beat in teh flour mixtue in 3 small additions, scraping the sides of the bowl after each one. Slowly beat in the rice cereal, coconut, and oats. fold in the toffee bits and refrigerate dough covered for 1 hour.

Drop rounded tablespoons of dough on 2 cookie sheets, leaving at least 1 inch space around each drop. Bake unitl cookies are golden around the edges 12 to 14 minutes. Transger cookies to wire racks to cool.
Using a double boiler, melt the white chocolate. Dip the cookies into the white chocolae and sprinkle crusehd peppermint to decorate. Allow to cool or serve warm. store in an airtight container at room temp./COLOR]

[Gemme]

Light and fluffy, divinity is a classic! It's also a bit tempermental when the weather is hot and humid, so it is best to attempt divinity in low-humidity conditions.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

•3 cups granulated sugar
•1/2 cup light corn syrup
•2/3 cup warm water
•2 egg whites
•1 tsp vanilla extract (or other flavor of your choice)
•1 cup chopped nuts of your choice (optional)

Preparation:

1. Prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Combine the sugar, corn syrup and water in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Continue cooking without stirring until the mixture reaches 250 degrees, firm-ball stage.

3. Beat the egg whites in the bowl of a large standing mixture until stiff peaks form. Slowly pour about half of the sugar syrup into the egg whites, beating constantly.

4. Continue to cook the remaining syrup until it reaches 270 degrees, soft-crack stage.

5. Stream the remaining syrup mixture into the egg whites while the mixer is running. Continue to beat until the candy is thick, shiny and holds its shape.

6. Mix in extract and nuts until fully incorporated.

7. Drop by the teaspoonful onto cookie sheet, and let cool until full set.

Variation: Divinity can be poured into a 9-inch square pan, cooled, and cut into small squares instead of being dropped from a spoon.