English Toffee

Standing in my favorite spot, the kitchen window over the sink I looked out and there was a beautifully formed twister going across the field.  The temperature never went above 12 today and the winds never below 12 mph.  At least from my weather eye gage.  It was beautiful to watch as it picked up more and more snow and speed.  It just missed the "Big Black" horse munching on his hay.  He never even looked up.  We ventured out to Hoffman's Dairy Farm this morning for a delivery and pick-up and then off to Olean.  I love taking rides in the country, every day the view will change ever so slightly or drastically.  Yesterday we were on Eleven Mile, today it looked quite different with more snow through the night and the wind making huge drifts, some even on house roof tops.  The snow had been blown off the pine boughs since yesterday too.  What a ride, what a view. 

This morning I made the decision to change up my holiday baking and cooking.  Only a couple old time favorites are going to be made this year.  I am trying new recipes starting with English Toffee.  I googled that and read many recipes finally deciding on one and I really don't know why.  Maybe I was tired of looking.  It has dark chocolate melted on top and toasted chopped pecans sprinkled on while the chocolate is still warm.  Dick decided he would like half of the batch done with white chocolate and pecans.  My theory on white chocolate?  No such thing, if it is not medium to dark in color it is definitely not chocolate.  That white stuff is just white stuff. 

English Toffee Recipe:
In a heavy sauce pan melt 1 cup of real unsalted butter, add 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 tsp. salt.  Cook on medium heat continually stirring until it turns a golden light brown color.  Or on the candy thermometer 300 degrees.  Remove from heat and pour on a parchment lined 9 x 13 pan.  Spread chocolate chips (or the white stuff) on immediately.  Let it set a minute and then spread the chocolate evenly around the toffee.  Sprinkle chopped pecans or almonds on the warm chocolate.  Let cool until chocolate is set and then break up into pieces. 

All done, the "white stuff" English Toffee on the left,
the "real" chocolate English Toffee on the right.
It was so darn easy.

The beginning of the toffee. 

The bitter cold morning was calling for a special bowl of oatmeal.  By the time chores were finished something hearty and warm was in order.  I toasted  1/2 cup of pecans while the Old Fashioned Oats were cooking with  1/4 cup of dried cranberries.  Once the oatmeal was cooked I added a 1/2 tsp. of maple flavoring and 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup.  Dished it up, sprinkled the toasted pecans on and a little milk.  That was breakfast.  Oh, the man of the house had a couple slices of Salt Rising Toast with his. 

So simple and rustic tasting.  Good stuff when you
go back to basics.  None of that quick, sugar packaged
oatmeal in this kitchen.  It really doesn't take much
longer to fix the real deal.  Promise!

If you live in our area, bundle up, it's going to be a cold couple days.