I love this time of year! So many friends and family getting together to celebrate the Holiday Season. I have tried and shared a couple of new recipes. We love these and my friends and family have enjoyed them too. Don’t tell anyone, but some of them will be probably getting these for Christmas gifts, we enjoyed them that much.
You can take these to the office party or package some up for emergency gifts. Bag or box them with a colorful, festive tag and if you find someone you have forgotten or are not sure what to give, these are perfect. Enjoy these next few days. Take at least one of them to sit back with a treat and a cup of coffee and regroup. So often we lose sight of the fact that we work so hard to make everything as perfect as possible, that we fail to take time for ourselves.
(we made both and really liked them both)
2 teaspoons butter
1 package (1-3/4 ounces) powdered fruit pectin also equals 6 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon orange oil (or any flavor oil you choose)
5 drops each red and yellow food coloring
(and of course change the color to suit the flavor)
Additional Sugar
Directions: Butter a 9-in. square pan with 2 teaspoons butter; set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the pectin, baking soda and water (mixture will be foamy). In another saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Bring both mixtures to a boil. Cook until foam on pectin mixture thins slightly and sugar mixture comes to a full rolling boil, about 4 minutes. Gradually add pectin mixture to boiling sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat. Stir in orange oil and food coloring. Immediately pour into prepared pan. Let stand at room temperature for 3 hours or until set.
Sprinkle waxed paper with sugar; invert pan onto sugar. With a knife dipped in warm water, cut candy into 1-in. squares; roll in additional sugar. Place on a wire rack. Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature overnight. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 81 pieces.
I dip these in the same chocolate we use for our need hams.
(Needhams)
3/4 c. mashed potato
1/2 tsp. salt
2 (1 lb.) pkgs. confectioner’s sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 lb. flaked coconut
2 tsp. vanilla
Directions: Peel potatoes and cut into cubes. Fill a 2 quart pot with water and add salt. Boil potatoes until soft. Drain and place in bowl. Mash potatoes with 1 stick melted butter, add confectioner’s sugar, coconut, and vanilla. Mix well.
Spread the mixture out on waxed paper or a buttered cookie sheet. Place in fridge to cool. When hard, cut into small squared and dip into the chocolate mixture, place on waxed paper to cool. Alternatively you can roll the potato mixture into balls, cool, then dip in chocolate.
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi sweet chocolate bits
4 sq. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cake paraffin wax (2 1/2” x 2 1/2”)
Directions: In a double boiler or very carefully over the stove, add parafin. When the wax is melted add both kinds of chocolate, melt, and stir well to mix. Makes 4-6 dozen needhams depending on size.
I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you with any suggestions or recipes you like. I can be reached at susieqcooking@ ainop.com or c/o Pioneer Times, PO Box 456, Houlton, Maine 04730. See you next week!
Susie Q.
