i brought this toffee to a party recently, and at least three people asked for the recipe that night. thought I’d share the love since it’s just that good, and also ridiculously easy!

baked toffee

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/2 cups chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (i used semi-sweet)

preheat oven to 375 degrees.  line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper, leaving ‘tabs’ on two sides so you can pull it out of the dish after it cools.  combine butter and brown sugar, bring to boil over medium heat, stir.  boil for 3 minutes.  stir in 2 c of the pecans, and pour mixture into the baking dish.  bake for 15 minutes.  remove from the oven and sprinkle entire surface with chocolate chips.  let them melt a bit, and they will spread out easily (i used a silicone spatula for this).  sprinkle with remaining nuts (forgot this part this time, and it was still great, next time i might sprinkle with a little sea salt instead of nuts).  let it cool completely in the refrigerator.  lift the ‘slab’ out of the dish and cut into small pieces.  i think about 2×2 pieces work well since it’s pretty rich.

baking note: you have to be pretty exact when you’re making candy, so watch your times on boiling and baking or it won’t turn out just right.

now, these.  its just not christmas without them, and the ladies seem to like them a whole lot more than the men.  kinda funny.  if you make them, you’ll have to let me know if the same is true at your house!  they’re pretty, light, and super yummy.

christmas kisses (meringues)

• 3 egg whites
• 1/8 t salt
• 3 1/2 T raspberry jello powder
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1 T vinegar
• 1 c mini chocolate chips

preheat oven to 250 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  beat egg whites with salt until foamy.  mix jello and sugar in a separate bowl, then gradually add to the egg whites.  beat until the mixture stands in peaks.  add vinegar and chocolate chips.  drop by teaspoons onto parchment paper.  bake for 35 minutes.  after all batches are baked, turn off the oven and put cookies back in overnight.  this will help them dry out and become really crispy.  store in an airtight container with no other cookies.  they will get chewy if they take in any moisture.

baking notes: make sure your mixing bowl is really clean.  any oils can throw off the recipe.  also, make these small so you can eat them in one bite.  they’re crumbly!

let my cute assistant show you how it’s done.  first, sing a song to the mixer.

here’s what the mixture should look like before you spoon it onto your baking sheet.  think she snuck a few chocolate chips??  

and if you’re not bored to tears, let me show you my favorite little christmas decoration that happened by accident.  i had been looking for a himmeli wreath for this spot for months, and who came through?  the target of course.  i threw in some of those teeny led lights just for fun, and it provides the prettiest little glow.  i just might leave them up year round.