Guest Guest Posted February 4, 2003 Share Posted February 4, 2003 Do you make anything special for Valentine's Day? Candies, meals, whatever? I've got some great candy recipes I hope to post tonight (if DS doesn't need the 'puter for schoolwork). Let's put together some wonderful ideas for those we love... Quote Link to comment
Guest Guest Posted February 4, 2003 Share Posted February 4, 2003 I think that's a great idea, Cat! DH and I might go out to eat, but I would like to do something special here, too. Any ideas will be great! Quote Link to comment
ozzzyyy Posted February 4, 2003 Share Posted February 4, 2003 A very special Valenetines dinner is when I don't have to cook and Hubby takes me out somewhere nice I have made frosted heart shaped sugar cookies when I'm feeling festive. Quote Link to comment
Guest Guest Posted February 5, 2003 Share Posted February 5, 2003 Chocolate you want... chocolate you get! Never-Fail Fudge 3 1/2 Cups white sugar 1 Cup brown sugar 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk 2 7-ounce milk chocolate bars, broken into pieces 1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips 1 7-ounce jar marshmmallow creme (or 32 marshmallows) 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 Cups chopped walnuts or pecans (optional) Butter 10x15 inch pan, set aside. (I have also used two smaller dishes.) In a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium-high heat, combine the sugar and evaporated milk. When it begins to boil, insert a candy thermometer, lower the heat to medium low and cook until the temp. reaches 236 degrees (softball), approx. 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate bars and morsels, and stir until melted. Add the marshmallow creme or marshmallows, salt, vanilla and nuts; beat with wooden spoon until the mixture is glossy, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour into the pan and chill in the frig. Cut into pieces and store. The recipe says it freezes well although I've never had it last long enough to freeze! **************** (My much-requested locally) Chocolate-Covered Cherries (Allow plenty of time to make fondant & wrap cherries. Easier to wrap if fondant is fresh.) 4 16-oz.jars marascino cherries WITH stems (I buy the large jar at Sam's Club, about $6.50 this year. Makes one recipe, usually, or close.) (optional... I don't do this) 1/4 c. dark rum or marascino liqueur. IF you want the flavor: Remove 1 Tbsp. liquid from each jar of cherries, add 1 Tbsp. rum or liqueur to jar & let stand 4 hours with lid on at room temp. (Lg. jar, take out 1/4 c., add 1/4 c.) Fondant recipe: 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand or equivalent) 2 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. light corn syrup 1/2 tsp. almond extract 2 lbs. (8 c.) powdered sugar 1 1/2 lbs. coating chocolate [My aunt successfully uses milk chocolate chips with a piece of parafin. Melt a quarter-piece of parafin (about 1'x 2 1/2"), then stir in and melt 1 bag chips] Drain cherries, let dry on paper towels. Make fondant... Mix milk, syrup, & extract in lg. bowl. Stir sugar in gradually, until well blended. Line cookie sheets with waxed paper. Using a teaspoon of fondant, press with your fingers into about a 2" circle. Wrap each cherry with stem up, rolling each slightly in palms to make round. Place on cookie sheet, not touching each other. When full, freeze cherries until firm. When solid, use the stem to dip each cherry in warmed chocolate. (This is a time-consuming process. I usually do it the next day.) Replace on cookie sheet, sides NOT touching. Refrigerate until "set". The freezing may make them "sweat", don't worry about it. After all are "set", cover sheet loosely with pillowcase or lint-free towel, let sit OUT OF SIGHT(!!!) at room temperature for one week to turn insides to liquid, then refrigerate to store. IF they last that long... :-) ******************* A useable chocolate for dipping: parafin semi-sweet chocolate chips milk chocolate chips Carefully melt a 4"x4" square of parafin (1/2 stick). When melted, stir in 2 c. of both chips. Be very careful so it doesn't scorch (a double boiler is helpful) Keep warm while dipping. I have been told that a bit of oil may be mixed in if dipping eventually thickens the chocolate, but I usually have no problem with it. ******************* Easy Turtles pecan halves store-bought caramels dipping chocolate (or chips & parafin... see above) Arrange 5 pecan halves on buttered waxed paper, in a turtle shape... four legs and a head. (You can break them in half for baby turtles) Melt caramels in microwave, stirring often. Drop carefully on top of pecans by the spoonful, forming the "shell". Chill in refrigerator. Either drizzle chocolate over each turtle, or remove and dip each one in melted chocolate. For "super-easy" ones, with no real turtle shape, just sprinkle the nuts in an even layer on the buttered waxed paper, pour caramel over, then when well chilled, pour melted chocolate over all. Cut into squares. ******************* No-Cook Peanut Butter Fudge 3/4 c. peanut butter 1/2 c. margarine, room temp. 1/2 c. light corn syrup 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. salt 4 c. powdered sugar Mix thoroughly, pour into greased pan, keep refrigerated unless serving soon. These get oily if set out too long. ******************** Peanut Butter Cups 2 c. peanut butter 1 stick margarine (1/2 c.), room temp. (optional... 1/2 tsp. vanilla) 1 lb. powdered sugar (about 4 c.) dipping chocolate (or chips & parafin) Cream together peanut butter and margarine (and vanilla if wanted). Mix in sugar. Form into small balls, press flat. Chill or freeze. Dip in melted chocolate. ****************** Buckeyes 1/2 c. butter, room temp. 1 28-oz. jar peanut butter 4 c. powdered sugar 3 c. rice crispies cereal Mix butter and peanut butter, stir in powdered sugar and crispies. Form into 1-inch balls and refrigerate or freeze until firm. Dip in melted chocolate, leaving an "eye" to make it look like the "buckeye" nut it's named for. Or just dip completely. Quote Link to comment
Linda Posted February 5, 2003 Share Posted February 5, 2003 my dear dh is going to like them. Quote Link to comment
Guest Guest Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 The Mounds & Almond Joy recipes are from a book called "A Treasury of Top Secret Recipes" by Todd Wilber, which I found at Sam's Club for $9.99. I had a book of his from years ago that is much smaller; this one is bigger and has a *lot* of good stuff in it! Snickers, Caramel Twix, 3 Musketeers, Nutter Butter cookies, etc. I found another one by Wilber there, too, with low-fat copycat recipes. Here's Wilber's website: http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/ The recipes: Mounds 5 ounces Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups powdered sugar 14 oz. premium shredded or flaked coconut 1 24 oz. pkg. semisweet chocolate chips Blend the milk and vanilla; add the powdered sugar a little at a time, stirring until smooth. Stir in the coconut. The mixture should be firm. Pat the mixture firmly into a greased 9x13x2 inch pan. Chill in the refrigerator until firm. In a double boiler over hot water, melt the chocolate, stirring often. (Or use a microwave – place chips in a bowl and heat for 1 minute on high; stir, heat for another minute.) Remove the coconut mixture from the refrigerator and cut it into 1x2 inch bars. Dip each piece into melted chocolate. Air-dry on waxed paper. Almond Joy Follow above recipe with these changes: Add 1 cup dry-roasted almonds to the coconut mixture. Substitute milk chocolate chips for the semisweet. Before dipping, place 2 almonds atop each bar. Quote Link to comment
Dee Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 I am dying here....ohhhhhhhhh chocolate.........all I can eat is no sugar added fudgies. Quote Link to comment
Lois Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 All these chocolate recipes are SINFUL just plain SINFUL! lol Quote Link to comment
Guest Guest Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 Well, maybe, Twila... but if you're gonna sin, I think this is probably the *best* way to do it!!! Quote Link to comment
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