A good day to be in the kitchen

One batch of toffee; check.
One batch of Rich & Chewy Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies; check.
One batch of fudge; check.
One batch of snickerdoodles; check.

It's been the perfect day to stay at home and bake/make goodies, viewing the icy whiteness from hearthside, so to speak. When a mix of freezing rain and snow started falling this afternoon, I switched into high gear, hoping to finish all my projects before the power went out. The power quit once with loads in washer and dishwasher and cookies in the oven, but came right back on and has stayed on since. Once I get this posted and take a shower, that snow- and ice-laden tree (or twenty) can go ahead and fall on the power lines down the road!

Rick is going to be my "little" Christmas elf and drop off a couple plates of goodies for the neighbors on his way to work tomorrow morning. It doesn't look like Brian and I will be venturing out in the Honda any time soon, and the snow is up over the tops of our boots. So we will stay home and do homeschool and violin practice, maybe make another recipe or two, play Uno, and keep the woodstove stoked.

Below are the recipes I used today. Everyone probably has a Snickerdoodles recipe, but just in case, I didn't want to leave it out. Enjoy (while I go hit the treadmill)!

Toffee
(from the "Stir Ups" cookbook of the Junior Welfare League of Enid, OK)
1 lb. butter
1/4 cup water
2 cups sugar
6 oz. pecans, chopped (I used roasted, salted almonds; many times I omit nuts)
10 3/4 oz. milk chocolate bar (I always use semi-sweet chocolate chips)

Spread nuts in jelly roll pan. Break apart chocolate bar and set aside. Cook butter, water and sugar, stirring constantly, until 300 degrees. (Mixture will be a rich caramel color - but use thermometer.) Pour over nuts. Sprinkle chocolate on top. Spread with spatula when soft. Cool completely and break into pieces.

Rich & Chewy Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
(origin not noted)
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon each salt, cinnamon, baking soda
1 cup each dried cranberries, white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts or pecans

Mix in the usual way and bake 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Easiest Fudge
(found on the internet; really good!)
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (I prefer walnuts)

Carefully melt chocolate chips and butter in microwave. Stir in vanilla and condensed milk and stir until smooth and glossy. Stir in nuts and spread in greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Cool and cut into delectable pieces.

Snickerdoodles
(my friend Debbie's recipe)
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix in the usual order, then roll balls of dough in a mixture cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for nine minutes.

That's it for now from . . .

Crystal palace

On our way home last night a bit of freezing rain was falling; by the time we got home (at midnight) there was a hard candy shell on the snow. Didn't know what we'd find this morning, but we weren't expecting what we got: more snow, another hard candy shell - and ice crystals sprouting from everything! Rick offered to do morning chores, so the following photos are what I could snap from the doorways in my slippers. If I donned my boots and coat, I'd probably fill up my camera's memory card many times over!


Basking in breathtaking beauty at . . .

Our winter wonderland continues

The snow continues to fall in the most picturesque way here - not too deep (yet), not too cold (yet), and no wind. We ventured out to church this morning to take our parts in the Christmas program, then came home again to fill horse tanks, bring in the sheep, let the dog out, stoke the woodstove - and, unfortunately, treat a sick lamb. Rick is plowing the driveway to stay ahead of the accumulation, and we plan to venture out to a Christmas gathering at a friend's house tonight. Rick already has chains on his vet truck, and we're going to pick up someone else on the way. I also need to pick up some baking supplies on the way home so there will be Christmas goodies, come what may!

The horses' paddocks are covered, but Russell has been standing where the snow can drift in onto him.

Jackson is unfazed by the cold, white stuff.

Inky and Butter, my "California girls," are probably wondering what in the world they've gotten themselves into here! (We're afraid Butter has pneumonia; I am praying we started treatment in time.)

Brava, one of my two "Arizona sheep," has had a winter to acclimate.

Is there anything more reassuring than a well-filled woodshed in weather like this?

That's it for now from . . .

Our world's a picture postcard

We woke up to a fresh layer of powder, with all the trees perfectly flocked. The temperature, just a few degrees below freezing, is comfortable. Sun and snowflakes - slowly drifting by the windows, just like on the cool folks' Wordpress blogs - have alternated throughout the day. Brian ate breakfast quickly and went out to conquer more slopes on his snowboard.
Inside, there is more to delight the eye. Last night Rick brought home this orchid from friend Kathy. A local florist held it for me until we got back from NE; isn't it stunning? While at the florist, Rick saw an arrangement he thought I'd like, so I got an early Christmas present from him along with the belated birthday present from Kathy. That's a Thomas Kincaid collectible cottage in the center.When you flip the switch, the lights inside illuminate a cozy gathering of people around a flickering fireplace!
It occurred to me today that I don't have a single holiday cookie on hand - and Christmas is less than a week away! I pulled out some recipes and ingredients to remedy that, if not today, then Sunday. I want to make Snickerdoodles, Rich & Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies, Sugar Cookies (with mint chocolate chips), and Krumkake. If the fresh cranberries I purchased awhile back are still good, I'll coat them with chocolate, and probably make a batch of fudge. That will give us plenty to eat and share with friends and neighbors.

That's it from scenic . . .