EASY CHOCOLATE ALMOND TOFFEE

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped almonds

1 lb butter (frozen)

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons cold water

1 ½ cups chocolate chips (I like Ghirardelli or other premium chocolate)

½ cup sliced almonds

½ cup Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits, optional

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, extending it over edges of pan.

Chop almonds and evenly distribute over parchment paper.

In a 3 - 4 quart heavy saucepan combine  the frozen butter, sugar, and cold water. Cook over medium heat to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar. Clip a candy thermometer to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until thermometer registers 290 degree F (soft-crack stage), about 15 minutes. Butter/ Sugar Mixture should boil at a steady rate over the entire surface.  The butter and sugar will change color when it is ready…it will be a light brown color. (Adjust heat as necessary so that mixture does not boil over.)

Remove from heat; remove thermometer.  Pour toffee (butter and sugar) over chopped almonds.  Wait a few minutes, then sprinkle the chocolate chips over the toffee.  Wait about 3 minutes to let the chocolate melt, then ,using a spatula (I like to use an angled spatula), spread the melted chocolate chips over the toffee.  Add the sliced almonds and the Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits   and gently press into the chocolate. Carefully Lift the parchment from the baking sheet and set on a cooling rack to let it evenly cool.    Let sit overnight or up to 24 hours in a cool dry place.  Break into pieces (I used a multi pronged ice pick) and store any leftovers in an airtight container.

FRESH RASPBERRY PEACH SLUSHY - SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS:

6 medium peaches, peeled, sliced, pureed

6 oz. fresh raspberries, washed and drained

4 cups crushed ice

6 tablespoons sugar

8 tablespoons light corn syrup

DIRECTIONS:

In a food processor, puree the peaches, add the raspberries, puree.  Add the sugar and mix in.  Take one cup of the fruit mixture and add to a blender.  Add 4 cups ice and light corn syrup.  Repeat the process with the remaining fruit mixture.  Garnish with a raspberry and whipping cream (optional). Serve with a straw or a spoon/straw.   Makes about 8 servings.

Raspberry Peach Puree

Ready to Blend

Ready to Serve

STREUSEL CRUMBLE FOR PEACH DESSERTS

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, cubed

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup extra fine baker’s sugar (or granulated sugar)

¾ cup flour

1 teaspoon apple pie spice (or ¾ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg)

½ teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Mix sugars, flour and apple pie spice together in a medium sized mixing bowl.  With a fork or pastry blender, cut  in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Add almond and mix well.  Transfer to a 9 X 9 inch baking pan.  In the preheated oven, bake for approximately 20 minutes, stirring every 8 minutes or so.  Bake until it is light brown and crumbles have been formed.  (When you stir it, it creates the crumbles).

Serve with peach desserts such as peach cobbler, peach pie, or white chocolate peach pie swirl cheesecake.

PRETZEL JELLO

Ingredients:

2 2/3 cups chopped pretzels (I used a food processor to create my pretzel crumbs.  A ziplock bag and a rolling pin will work also)
1 ½ cubes (3/4 cup) melted butter
½  cup milk
¾ cup to 1 ¼  cups sugar  (I use ¾ cup extra fine baker’s sugar)

16 oz. (two 8 oz. packages) cream cheese
1 package (16 oz.) frozen strawberries, sweetened
1 pint (2 cups) heavy whipping cream, whipped
1 large (or 2 small packages) package Strawberry Jello
1 ¾  cups pineapple juice, hot

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.  Mix pretzel crumbs with butter and press in 9” x13” baking dish.  Bake at 400 degrees F. for 10 minutes.  Let Cool.
Mix cream cheese, milk and sugar until smooth.  Spread on warm pretzels. Place in refrigerator.
Whip whipping cream. Remove 9” X 13” baking pan from the refrigerator. Spread whipping cream over cream cheese layer and place back in the refrigerator to chill.
Heat pineapple juice in the microwave.  Dissolve Jello in hot pineapple juice, add frozen strawberries and allow to partially gel.
Remove 9” X 13” baking pan from the refrigerator. Pour carefully over the whipped cream layer and allow to set in the refrigerator.
Prepare ahead for this dessert.  It is best when it has set in the refrigerator at least 8 hours.
Garnish with whipping cream and Wilton's jumbo rainbow nonpareils (if desired)

Ingredients

Pretzel Crumbs mixed with Melted Butter

Pretzel Crust

Cream Cheese, Sugar and Milk

Cream Cheese Mixture

Cream Cheese Layer

Whipping Cream

Whipped Cream Layer

Gelatin and Pineapple Juice

Frozen Strawberries Melting in Gelatin

Partially gelled Gelatin

Gelatin Layer

4 Layers of Pretzel Jello - Crust, Cream Cheese, Whipped Cream, and Jello

Set and Ready to Garnish

Garnished with Whipping Cream

Garnished with Whipping Cream and Wilton's Jumbo Rainbow Nonpareils

Strawberry Freezer Jam (adapted from Sure Jell Premium Fruit Pectin package)

Freezer Jam on Bread with the Jars

Freezer Jam on Bread

Adapted from the Sure Jell Premium Fruit Pectin package

Ingredients:

2 pints (4 cups) washed, hulled and sliced strawberries

8 cups sugar (or 4 cups sugar and 4 cups apple juice), divided (set one cup of the sugar aside to mix with pectin)

2 boxes Sure Jell Premium Fruit Pectin

Directions:

1.       Wash and rinse plastic containers with tight fitting lids.  Use 2 to 4 cup size containers.

2.       Prepare strawberries (wash, hull,and slice)

3.       Measure exact amount (4 cups) of prepared strawberries.

4.       Measure exactly 7 cups of sugar into a separate bowl.

5.       Stir 7 cups sugar into the fruit.  Mix well.  Let stand for 10 minutes; stir occasionally.

6.       Pour the pectin into a medium mixing bowl and add the remaining 1 cup sugar.  Mix well.

7.       Stir the pectin/sugar mixture and 1 ½ cups water in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil on high heat, stirring constantly.  Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

8.       In a large stockpot cook strawberries  on low with the sugar mixture.  Stir constantly.  If desired, use a potato masher and mash strawberries until desired consistency.

9.       Stir pectin mixture into fruit.  Mix well.

10.   Pour into prepared containers, leaving ½ inch space at the top for expansion during freezing;  Using a spatula, scrape the insides of the containers to help remove bubbles.  Repeat the bubble removing process two times. cover.

11.   Let stand at room temperature 24 hours until set.  Refrigerate up to 3 weeks.  Otherwise, store in freezer for up to 1 year.  Thaw in the refrigerator.

Freezer Jam in the Container