World’s Best Easy Toffee Bars

Posted on December 4, 2010 by Barb

I’m still sorting the 518 pics from The Christmas Party of the Century, so in the meantime I thought you might like a simple recipe for your holiday festivities.  These toffee bars are the best in the world!  Always a hit at any party.  Or fix up a plate of them and take them to your neighbors.  They will be your friends for life.  I promise.  They will want to mow your grass for you and take out your trash.  Just so you’ll make them another plate of these toffee bars.

 

Ingredients: brown sugar, butter, crackers, chocolate chips and pecans.  Easy.  And so wonderful you will want to eat the whole plate yourself.  Really.

Preheat your oven to 400°.  Put 1 cup brown sugar and 2 sticks butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

Looks yummy already, doesn’t it?  Bring this mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.

While that is coming to a boil, get out your cookie sheet/jelly roll pan and cover it with foil.

Slather butter all over the foil.  Such a lovely word: slather.  Just kind of rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?

Butter.  Mmmmmmm.  Just makes anything better in my kitchen.

Cover the pan with a single layer of regular ol’ saltine crackers.  The ones with salt on them.  Don’t get those crazy ones with unsalted tops.  How dull are those?

See?  Cover the pan.  For my pan it takes almost a whole sleeve of crackers.

Looks like I had 6 crackers left over.  I felt the need to give you all the details today.

By now, your brown sugar/butter should have come to a nice, rolling boil.  Boil it for 3 minutes.  From the time it gets to its full boil.

The 3 minutes is kind of important.  I set a timer.  And could you please send someone over to clean my timer?  Apparently I’ve splashed some boiling liquids on it one time too many.

When the timer goes off, pour the yummy toffee mixture over all the crackers.

Cover the crackers with all that buttery toffee goodness.

Spread it all around to cover all the crackers edge to edge.  I use a spatula or the back of a spoon.  Now put this in your 400° oven for 5 minutes.  (Set the timer again.)

When you pull it out of the oven, it will be all bubbly and roiling and surrounding the crackers.  See how some of the crackers are out of place?  I use my spoon again to push them all into their lined-up-in-a-row places.  I’m compulsive about things like that.

See how good it looks?  I want to drink the whole pan right now.  Except for the fact that it would burn all the taste buds clean off my tongue.  That’s a pretty strong argument for waiting until they cool.

Wait about a minute for all the bubbles to settle down a bit.

Sprinkle the whole 12 ounce package of chocolate chips over the top of the toffee.  You can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips.  Whatever you and your family prefer.  Either one works great.

Pause another minute for the chips to melt.

Pause.

A minute.

Then use the back of the spoon again to spread the chips all around.

Immediately sprinkle the chopped nuts all over the top of the chocolate.  I use pecans but I suppose you could use walnuts if you like them better.

I use about a cup of chopped pecans.  But you can use as little as a half cup.  Or I suppose if you’re Janna, who hates nuts, you could go without.  But it wouldn’t be nearly as good.  I wonder if Janna makes these sans nuts?

Now comes the hard part.  You have to wait for these to cool.  I mean really cool.  I get impatient and put them in the fridge.  Immediately.  Which, of course, turns my fridge into an oven and cooks all the veggies and hard boils the eggs.  You do remember that I am prone to exaggeration, right?

After they are good and cool, pull off the foil and break them into little pieces.  Or big pieces.  Whatever size pieces you want.  See how the crackers provide a crunchy layer inside the toffee?  Yum.

And when people ask me what’s inside, I love to tell them to turn them over and tell me what they see.  See how you can see the crackers?  But they usually guess graham crackers and are surprised to know they are regular saltines.  Sweet and salty together is a good match.  Ever had chocolate covered pretzels?  I rest my case!

Pile them all up on a pretty snowman plate and try not to eat the whole thing before Dear Hubby gets home from work.  Or before the Christmas Party of the Century.  For which you have made these to take along.

Easy printable recipe here:  World’s Best EasyToffee Bars

Back to sorting party pics.  I’ll be doing party postings soon.  Promise. 

Stay tuned.

Hugs,
Barb

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This One’s for Sarah

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Barb

I just got home from the JSS Christmas Party of the Century.  It was so fabulous I wish you all could have been there.  But then we would have had to rent a gymnasium.  So I guess it’s good that you all couldn’t come.  And I have 518 pictures.  Five Hundred and Eighteen.  You heard me.  So since it’s going to take me 3 weeks and 4 days to sort them all, I thought I’d give a brief sneak preview.  By the way – 499 of them were just of the food.

Our Dear Sarah couldn’t make it to the party today.  She was the only one who participated in our big Brown Bag Challenge that couldn’t be there.  So this blog is for Sarah.  Because she is anxiously awaiting news of what her quilt top looks like.  And who made it.  And how many calories we consumed.  Just kidding about the calories part.  Since she was not there, I think she couldn’t care less how many calories we ate.

Oh, and just kidding about the 499 pics of food too.  I have tons and tons of pictures of quilts.

So, Sarah, here’s the news:  your quilt top was really, really, really pretty.  I know because the person who made it really wanted to keep it.  And a few others wanted to take it home too.  It looked really nice with the fabric you put in the brown bag.  And yes, that was a good border print and the person who made it only used it in the border.

I hope that brief description will satisfy your need to know about your quilt.

The End.

Oh, you want to see a picture?  Silly me.

Well, first of all the maker of your quilt top was……..

L’il ol’ ME!  And I really did want to keep it.  This is Judy holding up an imaginary sign that says “Sarah” on it to show that she’s sitting in for Sarah.

This is Judy opening Sarah’s package for her.  We have to build the momentum here, folks.  And don’t you dare scroll down real fast to the bottom, Sarah!

This is Judy deciding that since Sarah couldn’t be there, she gets to keep Sarah’s quilt for herself.

This is me telling Judy that I’m pretty sure the rule is that if a person doesn’t show up to get their quilt and the maker really likes it, then the maker (that would be me) gets to keep it and not the person who just does the package opening.

Ooooooo – the first glimpse of the quilt.  Judy was pointing out how nice the “points” are.  And still trying to convince me that she gets to keep it.

Isn’t it pretty, Sarah?  Cindy and her Mom wanted to take it home too.  And everyone sufficiently oooed and aaahed so that the maker felt like she had done a good job.

This is me pointing out the fact that I did those not-so-easy mitered corners on the border.

This is me folding the quilt top so that I can take it home.  As you can see Judy is still trying to talk me out of it.  But I believe the words on my lips are “No, no, no.  The maker gets to keep it.  That’s the rule.”

By the way, I just made up the rule 5 minutes ago. 

And this is the quilt top hanging back on the design wall in my sewing room.  Come and get it, Sarah! 

Just kidding.  Apparently I am in a kidding mood today.  Somebody, not sure who, has taken the quilt top and it should be winging its way to Sarah soon.  By the way, Sarah lives in San Antonio and not just around the corner so she could just run on over and pick it up.

And since there were about 25 of us participating in the Brown Bag Challenge this year, you now understand why I have 518 pictures, don’t you?  At this rate, I have blog material for the next 6 weeks!

And that doesn’t even count the pics of the food.

More just as soon as I finish sorting all these pics.  Which really might take a few days, so try not to hurt yourself as you wait on those pins and needles.  Ouch.

Merry Christmas!
Barb

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Pre-Party Party Teaser

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Barb

Today’s the day.  It’s the humongous JSS Bee Christmas Party.  I barely slept last night.  Too excited.  And I had a bit of sewing to do.  Because the deadline is today.  I’m all about getting done in time for the deadline.  Our Christmas Party is a much anticipated event.  Bee gals come from far and wide.  And bring their Moms.  And friends.  I guarantee multiple blogs to cover this huge event. 

In fact, it’s so huge that we had to have a party to celebrate having a party.  Well, that and we also needed to celebrate Pam’s new business venture.  And she wanted everyone to see the place.  And have a chance to play on her new machines.

And there was food.  You can’t have a JSS gathering and not have food.  It’s absolutely forbidden.

See?  Yummy food.  Right in front of the longarm machine.  Some great dips, fabulous barbecue sandwiches, chips, cheese, cookies, fudge and chocolate mousse.  And just a precursor of things to come.   

I have more pics from last night’s party too.  But no time to show them to you today.  I have a party to get to!  And Judy has promised gifts to the first five people to arrive.  Judy doesn’t want to be delayed one minute to get started on The Big Reveal of our brown bag challenge quilts.  So she enticed us all to get there early with surprise gifts.  From the conversation happening last night, she’s in danger of having 25 ladies on her doorstep at 7:00.  So I better get crackin’!  I don’t want to miss a single minute.

More soon!

Happy partying,
Barb
P.S.  Did you notice that it’s snowing on the blog?  You probably won’t see it if you’re just reading this in an email.  So you better check out the site so you can see it!  Just in time for all the Christmas festivities.  Some of us Texans take our snow any way we can get it.

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Growing Old

Posted on November 29, 2010 by Barb

OK, that’s it.  I’ve gone over the edge.  My brain is indeed fried.  They better have me committed.  Perhaps it’s that I’ve been working on a huge deadline lately.  This Thursday is the big humongous JSS Christmas Party.  And the reveal of the Brown Bag Challenge quilts that we’ve been working on all year.  Well, some of us have been working on them all year.  And some of us have been working on them frantically for the last 3 days.  Those people would be the ones who work best under pressure.  The ones who have to have a deadline to get anything done.  But I speaketh from experience here.  And “people” might just really be “me” and nobody else.  I fear that there are some in the group who actually finished their challenge quilts in March or April.  Horrors!

So this afternoon Dear Hubby wanted to go to a movie.  And even though I probably should have declined and locked myself in the sewing room, it had been about 5 months since we’d been to a movie and I thought it was high time.  So I agreed.  And I ran to the bedroom to take off my slippers and put on my shoes so we could go.

But I knew I was in trouble when we got just outside the front door of the house.  Dear Hubby was locking the door when I looked down at my feet and this is what I saw:

Please tell me this happens to you too.  I fear I’ve gone over the edge.  Is it an age thing?  A stressed out thing?  A “I have a deadline and I need to be sewing” thing?  At least they were the same color.  How is it possible to not feel that they aren’t the same?  Sigh.

Lock me in the sewing room and don’t let me out.  I’m wearing my slippers from now until Thursday.

Send help,
The Absent-Minded Professor

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A Thanksgiving Feast

Posted on November 27, 2010 by Barb

What a fabulous Thanksgiving it was!  We have much to give thanks for in our family.  My dear niece, Janna and her dear hubby, Paul, hosted the family at their house this year.  And what great hosts they were!

Warning:  Proceed at your own risk if you haven’t eaten yet today.  Pics of food that will make your mouth water to follow…… you can’t say you weren’t warned.

 

Janna greeted us in the kitchen as we arrived.  That’s her Mom-in-Law, Kaye, looking on.  From the looks of Janna’s apron, it’s a good thing Kaye taught her son a few things about cooking.  Or at least brought him up to realize that the cooking doesn’t always have to be the woman’s job.  Great job on the turkeys, Paul!

See?  What a fabulous glistening turkey.  And it tasted just as good as it looks.

And this one he smoked in his smoker out back.  Without even having a Big Green Egg like LaNelle.  And man was it yummy.  I might have to go get a snack before I can finish this blog!  (And no, it was not me who took that bite out of the top!)

I wanted to skip right to dessert when I saw this pecan pie that Kaye had made.  Pecan pie is my favorite thing on Thanksgiving Day.  Well, pecan pie and pumpkin pie.  And dressing.  And sweet potatoes.  And rolls.  And cranberry sauce.  Oh, they are all my favorites!

Kaye and I had a roll making contest and from the looks of these pretty babies, she won hands down in my opinion.  Janna had us both bring rolls for the day since we have a lot of hot roll lovers in our family.  And since I forgot to take a pic of my completed rolls, you’ll just have to imagine a pic of those crescent rolls you saw in progress on the blog yesterday.  Might have to make them again, just so I can get a picture!  (Now there’s an excuse for homemade rolls, if I ever heard one.)

While the final preparations were being done for the meal, I took the opportunity to stroll around Janna’s house and take some pics for your enjoyment.

She has some cute Texas touches in her kitchen.  And some of the walls are painted red and some are painted blue.

This star hangs up high on the kitchen wall.

And this fun picture hangs in the breakfast nook.

There’s a wall of pictures in the hallway…….

…..including this great one from their wedding day.

I love this cute picture that hangs in their guest bath.

And this one!  They make me smile.

This saying on the wall greets you as you come in the front door.

There are cool things on the fireplace mantel.  I love the picture frame!

And above the fireplace hangs a box with their flowers from their wedding.

Look!  Thanksgiving Day was their 4th Anniversary!  We got to celebrate with them.  With turkey and dressing and rolls and pie and………. but I digress.

Janna made these cute placecards for everyone’s place at the table.  This one was for Janna’s Great Aunt Mary who came all the way from San Antonio to be with us.

Here’s mine.  I wanted you to see my cute turkey even though this pic was a little blurry.

This is how they looked on the back.  Very nice, Janna!

Paul got a special message on his card…..

And these cute little pilgrims presided over the festivities from the buffet.

Back to the kitchen, where things were coming together.

My Sis and her Mom-in-Law (all the way from Florida!) put the final touches on a relish tray.

While Kaye whipped up the gravy so fast that her arm was a blur.

Almost time to take the covers off the deviled eggs, cranberry sauce and pea salad.  Yum.

While Jas chewed on a bone in the living room and Dixie desperately wanted to take it away.

Nice, colorful veggies!

Time out for a few people pics!

This is my nephew, Nate, and his girlfriend, Courtney.

And my niece, Sarah, and her boyfriend, Brian.

I even got to be in a pic!  Because Kaye grabbed my camera and took this one of me and my Sis.  Good job, Kaye!

Paul and his Dad took their turkey carving job very seriously.  And if you look real careful under Allen’s arm, there lurks a predator, just waiting for some turkey to drop…….here, I’ll show you……

It’s Jasmine.  Or as we all call her “Jas.”  She’s waiting patiently for some turkey to drop her way.  I think she hoped they’d slip and the whole thing would land on her nose.  She had her toes crossed and her eyes wide open.

And then the last minute flurry of getting everything on the table.

Yum.  I wanna do it all again.  Do we have to wait a whole year?

Here’s the whole gang around the tables.  I could only get them to let me take two pics and this was the best of the two.  They were too hungry to hold still for more.  So Aunt Mary is a blur and you can’t see Jean at all (behind Allen) and Sarah is barely peeking between my Sis and her Dear Hubby (in yellow shirt.)  Can we come back next week, Janna & Paul?

Here’s my plate.  Except for the cranberry sauce.  Because I didn’t realize I didn’t have it until I’d half eaten everything.  And I couldn’t bear the thought of filling up the plate and trying to eat again.  I knew there was dessert lurking in the kitchen.  So there are two rolls, a stuffed celery stick, sweet potatoes, green bean/corn casserole (Sis makes it and it is the best ever!), dressing, Pioneer Woman mashed potatoes (yum!) pea salad, a deviled egg, jello salad, pickles and turkey.  With gravy over half the plate.  Oh, my!  I may not make it through this blog without needing a big snack.  I think I hear some pumpkin pie dump cake calling my name from the fridge.  Hang on.  I’ll be right back.

And after we had finished the meal that took 4 days to prepare and about 45 seconds to consume, Janna had the kitchen all cleaned up, the coffee brewed for dessert and the dishes done lickety-split.  But we all waited a few hours for dessert.  And I needed a forklift to pull me up from the table.

And this is how it looked after we were finished.  Quite a lot of leftovers, isn’t there?  Except for it looks like only 2 deviled eggs.  We all got leftovers to take home.  Enough to feed the population of Rhode Island for a week.

We all went to the comfy chairs in the living room to watch the traditional Cowboys football game.  (Notice the quilt on the back of the couch.)  And the stairs behind the TV lead up to……..

….. the media room.  The man cave.  120″ TV screen.  And comfy recliners.  Dear Hubby went up there to take a nap.  Because it’s dark and the chairs are too comfy.  Others went up to watch the football game.  Dear Hubby watched about 30 seconds and then watched the inside of his eyelids for awhile.  Isn’t that what turkey does to a person?

Soon it was time for dessert.  Cherry pie.  Doesn’t it look delicious?

But there was more.  Pecan pie, pumpkin pie dump cake and a whipped cream/pineapple decadent concoction that Brian brought.  And extra whipped cream for topping everything.  I filled my plate too full, ate half and then waited an hour and finished it off.

And after all that, they got out the scales!  And some of them weighed themselves.  But I stayed far away from those scary things.  What a silly idea for Thanksgiving Day!  But Sarah wasn’t afraid.  She weighs 98 pounds.  She’s probably dying that I just put that on the blog for all the world to see.  But I guess if I weighed under 100, I wouldn’t care who knew it.  I might even shout it from the rooftops.

So Sarah provided the end of the blog for today.  Because this is the end of Sarah.  Her cute little 98 pound self.  With bling on her bottom.  The end.

Just sayin’,
Barb

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