Cracker Toffee

This is one of those recipes that sounds really weird and possibly gross, but is really good, if it is done correctly.

Ingredients

40 saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)
3/4 cup chopped nuts (The recipe calls for pecans, but I used walnuts)


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
2. Line cookie sheet with tin foil and then with saltine crackers in single layer.
3. In a saucepan combine the sugar and the butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes.
4. Immediately pour over saltines and spread to cover crackers completely.
5. Bake at 400 degrees F for 5 to 6 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Let sit for 5 minutes.
7. Spread melted chocolate and top with chopped nuts.
8. Cool completely in refrigerator (I let it sit overnight) and break into pieces.

My first batch turned out perfect. The toffee glaze and chocolate were evenly distributed and cooked just right.

The second batch was not so great. I think I left it in too long, plus the crackers shifted in the oven so some of them were burned on the bottom. They actually tasted like burnt crackers. Yuck! Next time I am going to watch to make sure the crackers don't shift when I lay them in the oven and get scrunched up in one corner.

Football Cookies

Okay, so apparently I'm not ready to start baking 100% homemade just yet. This was such a cute recipe that I found on Pillsbury.com I just had to try it.

Photo courtesy of Pillsbury.com.

Ingredients
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies
1 container (1 lb) chocolate creamy ready-to-spread frosting
White decorating gel

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Freeze dough 30 minutes.
2. Cut dough into 1/4-inch slices. With floured fingers, shape each dough slice to form football. On ungreased cookie sheets, place slices 2 inches apart.
3. Bake 7 to 11 minutes or until set and golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
4. Spread frosting over cookies. With white decorating gel, draw laces on each football.



These were super easy to make, but the decorating was not so easy. I used Wilton's fondant icing writer and it got clogged about every three cookies. It was okay though, because the entire time I was decorating them I was laughing thinking of Ace Ventura and Ray Finkle. . . "Laces Out"!

I think the girls on my fantasy football league will really enjoy them.

Happy Football Season! Go Steelers!!!

Cranberry Nut Bread

For the next several weeks I will be posting some "old" baking blog posts. You'll notice that all of these are not 100% homemade, but I want to keep all of my baking posts on this blog. I hope you enjoy these fun desserts!

I am a huge fan of breakfast breads (banana, zucchini, cranberry). They work well for me; I very rarely screw them up. I think I like them so much, since they are usually simple recipes to follow and the bread lasts all week. That means I don't have to worry about making something for breakfast during the work week. I can just grab a slice of bread and be on my way.

This recipe is one of my favorites, because I LOVE cranberries and nuts. Plus, it is just so pretty!

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the cranberries and walnuts, and stir to coat with flour. Mix together the egg, oil, orange juice, and orange zest. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture, and stir until just blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack, and cool completely.