Today I want to share with you some of my favorites and reader’s favorites.

THE SWEET STUFF

Chocolate Covered Toffee. Heath bar lovers you NEED to make these!

Monster Cookies Use the red & green M&Ms and you’ll have yourself festive cookies

Andes Mint Cheesecake No photo for this one (I should make it again!) but trust me it’s delicious!!

BREAKFAST/BRUNCH

Gluten Free Sticky Buns Do you have a family member with Celiacs disease? Surprise them with some sweet rolls they can eat!

The BEST Cinnamon Rolls Delicious GIANT cinnamon rolls that you mix up in your bread machine.

Blueberry Scones Easy to whip up and put on the brunch buffet

Pumpkin Æbleskiver Danish pancake balls. Easy to make a little or a lot.

APPETIZERS

Penguin Olive Appetizers These are a fun addition to the relish tray, and a perfect way to get the kiddos involved!

Swedish Meatballs Stick a toothpick in these puppies and they become the perfect snack.

Boneless Hot Wings Easier to eat and less mess

What are your Christmas traditions? This year we are doing soups & appetizers at my in-laws, my Grandma is serving brunch, and my Mom is still deciding.

My mother in-law has requested I bring my toffee and I’m hoping my Grandma will be making moldy cornflakes (I will share the recipe with you) this is a MUST have treat on the dessert platter.

Please share your family’s favorite Christmas tradition or treat, I’d love to try them!

Here in the United States this weekend is Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day weekend is traditionally full of parades honoring the men and women that have served in the military, family gatherings, picnics, camping, and since it is the first long weekend since the snow has melted many see it as the kick start for summer. We have two family gatherings this weekend and I am really looking forward to both ( and I am guaranteed to have some delicious food).

Since this weekend will be a big camping or picnic weekend for many people I thought I would share a tasty no-bake treat. S’mores are a must have camping treat for my daughters. I think eating s’mores are quite possibly their favorite thing about camping. Have you ever had a s’more before? S’mores are fire roasted (or toasted like how I prefer them) marshmallows, Hershey’s milk chocolate bars, and graham crackers sandwiched together. Easy peasy, messy, and delicious. You get your best s’more flavor by roasting them over the campfire, however, if your campground is under a burn ban (it happens when it gets really dry in the summer) or you’re camping at a camp ground like my parents that doesn’t allow any campfires, these bars would be a great alternative. Plus these bars are great for young ones since s’mores can get really really messy.

S’MORE BARS

6 c Golden Grahams cereal
1 stick (8 T) butter, browned
10 oz bag marshmallows
1-2 c  mini marshmallows
2 c frozen chocolate chips

In a large bowl add Golden Grahams, mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips. Set aside. Grease a 9×13 pan. Set aside.

In a sauce pan over medium heat brown the one stick of butter. Make sure to keep a careful eye on it. You want the butter to be golden brown. It can quickly go from browned butter to burned butter. Turn burner off. Remove pan from stove. Stir in 10 oz of marshmallows until all are melted and smooth. If marshmallows aren’t melting completely place pan back on burner turned to low and stir constantly.

Pour browned butter – marshmallow mixture of the bowl of Golden Grahams. Stir constantly to completely cover all the cereal. Press Golden Grahams into greased pan. Set aside to cool. Once cool cut into bars.

Enjoy the grahamy, marshmallowy, chocolatey treats!

Have faith dear reader, you can make these yourself. You need to be patient and keep a watchful eye on the candy thermometer. Some people (more experienced than I) can do this without the trusty thermometer. If that is you congratulations. The sugar mixture will turn a lovely caramely brown when it is done. Or if you are like me and prone to burning sugar when you try to do it by “eyeing it” it is done when the thermometer reaches 300 degrees F.

These toffee bars should be added to your holiday treat platter. Make them for your family, make them for your friends, make them for your neighbors, and snitch some for yourself. Wrap them up in pretty paper and give them as gifts.

CHOCOLATE COVERED TOFFEE “HEATH BARS”
1 c butter
1 c sugar
1/3 c brown sugar
2 T water
1/2 c chopped pecans
2 c chocolate chips

Line a jelly roll pan with foil. Lightly grease the foil, and set aside. Melt butter, sugars, and water in a heavy sauce pan over a medium high heat. Using your candy thermometer monitor the sugar temperature. Stir constantly until it becomes a carmely brown color and the temperature reaches 300 degrees F, turn off burner and remove pan, stir in pecans (I forgot this step so I sprinkled them on top once they were covered in chocolate). Pour sugar mixture onto jelly roll pan and spread out. Wait a couple minutes as the sugar cools and the toffee begins to set.

Using a pizza cutter slice toffee into desired size. Let cool completely. (As you can see in the top left corner my daughters and I had to sample the plain toffee. It was amazing )

Once toffee is completely cooled and hard, gently break apart into individual pieces. Put chocolate into a double broiler and melt gently. Drop one piece of toffee in at a time, cover completley with chocolate, shaking excess off, and place onto parchment paper to cool completely and have the chocolate set.

If you want to sprinkle with chopped nuts do so before the chocolate cools. ENJOY!

Becoming a food blogger has caused my children to want to pose with the food. They are some silly girls!