Vanilla Caramels

Another of my Grandma Matthews recipes.

2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
3/4 cup of butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 cup chopped nuts
Mix the sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, cream, milk, and butter together in a deep, heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat throughout the cooking time. Stir occasionally until the mixture comes to a boil. Then stir only once or twice during the rest of the cooking time. Cook to 248 degrees. If you haven't a candy thermometer, cook until it forms a firm ball when a little is dropped in cold water. It should be just slightly workable with the fingers. Remove from the heat, and add vanilla and salt. Let stand about fifteen minutes and add the nuts. Stir only enough to mix in the nuts. Pour into a square shallow pan that has been buttered very lightly. Pour in the mixture. Let stand until firm. Loosen around edges and turn out upside down on a wooden board. Choose a long, thin-bladed knife for cutting; mark into one-inch strips and cut by moving back and forth in a sort of sawing motion. A paring knife just won't do the trick. If you were to cut straight down the shape would be spoiled. Cut the strips into squares. Let stand in cool place two hours. Wrap in wax paper, if desired.

Deluxe Peanut Butter Fudge

2 cups sugar
2/3 cups milk
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1--7 oz. jar marshmallow creme
1 tsp. vanilla
1--6oz. pkg semisweet chocolate morsels
Combine sugar and milk in heavy 2 qt. saucepan. Cook over low hear, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches 236 degrees (soft ball stage).
Remove from heat. Add peanut butter, marshmallow creme and vanilla. Beat to blend mixture. Pour into lightly buttered 8 inch square baking pan. Cool completely.
Melt chocolate morsels over hot water in the top of a double boiler and stir to blend. Spread over cooled fudge. Cut into 1 1/4 inch squares. Makes 36 pieces or 1 3/4 lb.

Caramel Clusters

1/4 cup margarine
1/2 lb. caramels (28)
2 Tbsp. milk
3 1/2 cups corn flakes
1/2 cup nuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut
In large pan, put in margarine, caramels, and milk. Stir over low heat until melted. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto wax paper.

Penuche

I loved this when I was a little girl and on into my teenage years. Even after I was married, my Mom would make this for me at Christmas.

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup light cream
1/3 cup milk
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 nuts, optional
Butter a 9 in. square baking dish. Butter the sides of a heavy 2-qt. saucepan.
Combine sugars, cream, milk and butter in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugars dissolve and mixture comes to a boil. Cook to soft ball stage( 238 degrees on candy thermometer ), stirring only if necessary. Immediately remove from heat and cool to lukewarm (110 degrees ). DO NO STIR.
Add vanilla and beat vigorously until very thick and mixture starts to lose its gloss. Quickly stir in nuts and spread into prepared baking dish. Score while warm and cut when firm.

Caramel Snappers

144 small pecan halves
36 light caramels
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces, melted
Grease cookie sheet. On it arrange pecans, flat side down, in groups of 4. Place 1 caramel on each cluster of pecans. Heat in slow oven (325 degrees) till caramels soften, about 4 to 8 min. (Watch carefully, various caramels melt at different rates.) Remove from oven; with buttered spatula, flatten caramel over pecans. Cool slightly; remove from pan to waxed paper. Swirl melted chocolate on top. Makes 36.

Coconut Balls

This recipe was given to me by my sister, Rita Clark.

1/2 cup butter, no margarine
2 cups powdered sugar
3 cups coconut
Melt butter in microwave. Stir in sugar and coconut. Shape in balls, walnut size. Lay on waxed paper.

Put 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in plastic zip-lock bag. Melt in hot water. Cut a tiny, tiny hole in corner of bag. Swirl chocolate on balls.

Date Nut Candy Roll

I have never made this one myself. It is a candy that I remember from my childhood. We made it with black walnuts. We had walnut trees and my brother and sister and I picked up walnuts and hulled them and my Daddy would take them and sell them for us and we could split the money between the three of us kids. That was our money to buy each other and our parents presents for Christmas. It was hard work and we always had black, stained hands for several weeks. But, I can still remember the joy of being able to purchase a present with money I had earned for someone I loved. It truly is more blessed to give than to receive.

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp. butter

Cook to soft ball stage. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup ground dates and 1 cup ground walnuts. Beat until mixture thickens. Spread thin and sprinkle walnuts over top. Roll up in waxed paper and keep in refrigerator about a week. Then slice and enjoy.

Four-Chip Fudge

This is a wonderful recipe for fudge. It has a most unusual taste and is simply delicious.

1 1/2 tsp. plus 3/4 cup butter (no substitutes ) divided
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 Tbsp. milk
1 --12 oz. pkg. semisweet chocolate chips
1 --11 1/2 oz. pkg. milk chocolate chips
1 --10 oz. pkg. peanut butter chips
1 --6 oz. pkg. butterscotch chips
1 -- 7 oz. jar marshmallow creme
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts

Line a 13 x 9 pan with foil and grease the foil with 1 1/2 tsp. butter; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, melt the remaining butter over low heat. Add the next six ingredients. Cook and stir constantly until smooth. Mixture will first appear separated; continue stirring until fully blended. Remove from the heat; stir in the marshmallow creme and extracts until well blended. Stir in nuts..

Spread into prepared pan. Refrigerate until set. Lift out of pan and remove foil; cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: about 4 1/2 lbs.

Aunt Katie's Peanut Butter Cups

1/3 lb. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 lb. butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 lb. confectioners sugar
2 cups chocolate chips
Combine crumbs, butter, peanut butter and sugar. Work together until smooth. Press this mixture into a 9 x 9 in. buttered pan or a larger pan if you want thinner bars. Melt chocolate chips over hot water. Spread over crackers mixture. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares.

Nuts and Bolts

1/2 pkg. white almond bark
1 1/2 cups coursely chopped pretzels
1 cup salted Spanish peanuts
1 jar marshmallow creme
Melt almond bark over water in double boiler. Add rest of ingredients. Dip by spoonfuls onto wax paper.

5 Minute Fudge

2 Tbsp. butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Combine butter, milk, sugar, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in other ingredients. Stir for 1 minute. Pour into buttered pan and cool.

Peanut Clusters

1--24 oz. white almond bark
Melt in double boiler
Add 1--12 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Let melt.
Add about 1 1/2 lbs. salted Spanish peanuts
Stir in and drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.

Tiger Butter

1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 --16 oz. pkg. white almond bark
Melt the above together. Let stand 10 min.

Line 9 x 13 pan with wax paper. Pour in almond bark and peanut butter. Melt 4 oz. chocolate chips. Swirl into mixture in pan. Cool in fridge until firm. Cut into squares.

Joann's Million Dollar Fudge

4 cups sugar
2 cups evaporated milk
1/4 lb. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
2 large (8 oz. size) Hershey Candy Bars
2 pints marshmallow cream
2--12 oz. pkgs semi-sweet chocolate chips
Combine sugar and milk in sauce pan. Cook to soft ball stage. Remove from heat and add butter. Mix in vanilla, cream cheese, candy bars, marshmallow cream and chocolate chips. Work fast. Pour into buttered pans. Makes 5 pounds.

P-Knots

1-- 6 oz. pkg. butterscotch chips
1--6 oz. pkg. chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 cups salted Spanish peanuts
Melt chips, add peanut butter and peanuts. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper. Cool and store.

Uncooked Candy

Mix 2 sticks butter and 2 lbs. powdered sugar
Add 1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk
2 cups coconut
2 cups finely chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix together real well and pour in square pans.
Let cool over night and cut into squares, about 1 inch.

Chocolate Dip
Melt 12 oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1 bar of paraffin in double boiler. When completely melted, dip each piece of candy into this mixture and lay on wax paper; store in refrigerator.

"Hopscotch" Candy

12 oz. pkg. butterscotch chips
Melt in double boiler over low heat.
Stir in a large can of chow mein noodles and
about 2 cups of salted peanuts. (this recipe is so old it calls for 1/2 of a 29 cent pkg. of peanuts)
Stir all together and drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.

Billionaires

1--14 oz. pkg, caramels
3 Tbsp. evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups chopped pecans
1--6 oz. Hershey bar
1 oz. parafin

Grease a sheet of wax paper. Melt caramels, evaporated milk and vanilla in top of a double boiler. Stir in pecans. Drop from tsp. onto wax paper. Cool until firm. Melt Hershey bar and parafin in double boiler. Dip caramel pieces . Cool

Peanut Butter Bon Bons

With the Holidays drawing near I thought I would post some candy recipes. As a child growing up, one of my favorite things about Christmas was all of the home made candies my mother made. She was an excellent cook, and she loved making and giving away her candies. Such fun!

1 lb. powdered sugar
2 sticks butter
12 oz. jar chunky peanut butter

6 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 bar of parafin wax

Mix sugar, butter and peanut butter. Roll into small balls. Melt chocolate chips and parafin over water in double boiler over low heat. With a toothpick, dip each ball into chocolate and cool on wax paper.

Helen Kelly's Fudge

Helen Kelly was the name of the sweet lady who gave this recipe to my mom probably 45 years ago. I know I have had the recipe since I have been married, and that is 42 years. This is a very unique fudge recipe with a very different taste. I absolutely love it.

3 cups sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatine
1 cup milk
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 squares of unsweetened chocolate
1 1/4 lbs. butter (needs to be butter)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup nuts

Mix sugar and gelatine in pan. Add milk, syrup, chocolate, butter. Cook over low heat to 238 degrees on candy thermometer. Remove from heat and pour into mixing bowl. Add vanilla. Cool 15 minutes, then beat until thick. Add nuts. Pour into buttered pan.