Day Three Hundred and Forty Four
Christmas is right around the corner and even though I read Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching I’m going to write about the much more pressing matter of what goodies to bake. Normally I bake a lot of old favorites and a few new recipes each year. This year I’m sticking to the tried and true, with five cookies and candies.
First up is the easiest, fastest and most productive recipe. Peanut clusters. All you need is one package each chocolate and vanilla flavored Almond Bark and one package semi-sweet chocolate chips. Melt together in a large double-boiler and add two cans of Planters Spanish Peanuts. Do not buy generic, bulk or off-brand peanuts. They taste like smooshy rubber. After everything is mixed together spoon out on wax paper as fast as you can. Small spoonfuls are best since they make bite-size candies but you will need acres of wax paper because this makes somewhere around five pounds of candy.
Next on the list is another super-easy one. Also be forewarned that a double batch is in order because it will go fast. Peanut Butter Fudge mmm… Mix together 3/4 cup chunky peanut butter, 1/2 light corn syrup, 1/2 cup softened butter, one teaspoon vanilla and 4 cups powdered sugar. Press into lightly buttered 8×8 pan.
I’ll post cookies tomorrow or Friday…
December 11th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Sounds great! I just half-way finished my batch of chocolate covered cherries. They are stellar.
I have been reading Fahrenheit 451 (I am teaching it this coming semester) and it is really great. Bradbury is a fantastic writer.
December 11th, 2008 at 7:57 am
That is a good book.
I hate cherries unless they are fresh, so forgive me if I don’t ooh and aah.
I’m so glad you’ve taken to commenting over here. You always crack me up on your blog.
How’s Eraser Eater doing?
December 15th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Eraser Eater is busy making me a million Christmas lists a day. He is my materialistic kid. He puts the requests in order of importance, labels them so you know where to buy and about how much each will cost. He even further puts a total on the bottom to make you feel organized. “T” for Target, “B” for Borders, “A” for Amazon, you get me. It is funny because the things he asks for are computer paper and pens. He is just being his usual nutty self is all.
Cordial cherries are an acquired taste, I think. They make me reel with delight, so I like just mentioning I make them because I love them so much.
Hope you and yours are well.