Home for the Holidays!

As promised, (Michelle, Zana and Deb) here are a few snippets of our Christmas in Virginia. The best part is that I only spent a few dollars this year to deck the halls! I'd like to thank Tai Pan and Roberts from years past, for helping me find cute Christmas decor that I could afford...Are you listening Virginia, I said cheap, but nooo, you don't understand that word do you? Why oh why did we have to pick the most expensive county in the country to live? If anything, it has helped me to tighten the belt around here and get busy in the kitchen trying to cut cost as much as possible. Although, lately I have become quite obsessed with making English Toffee. Is there anything better in the Christmas candy department then English Toffee? I don't think so! This is the best recipe I've ever tasted! I won't confess how many batches I've made this year that haven't made it out of the house to give to neighbors! The kids claw each other for the last piece! It's CRRAZZY over here!! The recipe takes about 10 minutes from start to finish. Be sure to make it when no one is around to distract you. You must give it your full 100% attention - If you do, it will bring joy to last the whole season through but, if you don't, it will bring angry, bitter tears knowing that you just wasted 3 cubes of butter! Good luck! Call me if you want me to make it with you! I promise not to eat it all.

*Recipe update-I recently bombed a batch of this and had to do some deep toffee soul searching! Come to find out I needed to change a few things. First, cook the toffee at a lower temperature-right below medium. Second, cook up to 290 degrees F. but no more then 300 F. And lastly, don't make the chocolate layer too thick or it won't stick. Hopefully, you won't waste as much butter as I have. But I still think it was worth it!

Best English Toffee

1 1/2 cups sugar
3 cubes REAL butter (I use salted butter-if you use unsalted add 1/2 tsp more of salt)
1/4 tsp salt
1 bag milk chocolate chips (Guittard is to die for)
or half milk and semi sweet-

Lightly butter a 9x13 pan.

In a heavy, good quality sauce pan, melt butter, sugar and salt over medium. With a wooden spoon or flat wire whisk, carefully stir ingredients until well incorporated. Place candy thermometer in on the side of the pan. Watch for any stray sugar granules on the side of pan. Wipe with a pastry brush to remove. Once the sugar is dissolved, this shouldn't be a problem.

From this point on, your not going to stop slowly stirring. After the mixture starts to boil, it will look creamy yellow. It's okay if the sugar and butter separate just keep stirring in a up and down motion, making sure your getting the sides. The mixture will start to look golden/tan keep stirring. It starts to heat fast, you want the color to turn to the color of a brown paper bag. Keep stirring so you don't scorch it. When the thermo. reaches between 290 to 300 F. Quickly remove and pour into prepared pan. Let toffee cool for 5 minutes, I usually wipe the top lightly with a paper towel to remove any oil from the surface so the chocolate will stick better. Let the toffee completely harden-you can speed it up in the freezer. In the mircowave, melt chocolate in 20 second intervals stirring after each time-then spread over toffee. You can sprinkle finely crushed walnuts or almonds over chocolate.

Let set for a few hours-or you can speed up the process in the fridge. When set, break into pieces and inhale.