Big weekend ahead of us. I need to cook for a bunch of people for tomorrow nights church event.

I will be making a lovely Tiramisu Bowl  for dessert, and Cheddar Topped Sheperd’s Pie for the main course.

The kids will be making their Chocolate homemade marshmallows .

On a side note, we watched two kid friendly movies last night with the kids. Santa Clause 3 and Mr. Beans Holiday. Both were Rated G if I recall.

Ok, off to start my cooking and help the kids finish their 1000 piece Hallmark puzzle! *fainting*

Amish Style Peanut Brittle

2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup white Karo syrup 1/2 cup water 1 (8 ounce) package raw peanuts 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon baking soda, sifted

Have ready a buttered cookie sheet.

Cook sugar, water and syrup until mixture threads (approximately 10 to 12 minutes). Add salt and raw peanuts and stir constantly. Cook until peanuts are toasty brown (approximately 10 minutes).

Remove from heat and add baking soda. Stir quickly and thoroughly. Pour at once onto prepared cookie sheet. Let mixture spread itself. Cool and break into pieces.

Source:recipegoldmine.com

Honey Tea Lollipops 
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons of corn syrup
8 tablespoons brewed tea
Non-stick cooking spray
Lollipop molds
Lemon rinds {optional}
Mint leaves {optional}
Lollipop sticks

Combine the sugar, honey, corn cyrup and brewed tea in a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer and cook on high heat. While cooking the candy syrup, occasionally wash down the pan sides using a clean brush dipped in water to prevent crystallization. Without stirring, cook until mixture reaches 310 degrees or hard crack on the candy thermometer.

Spray lollipop molds lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Place lemon rinds and mint leaves in each section. Place lollipop sticks into mold. Remove the pot from the heat and dip it into an ice bath for 15 seconds to stop the cooking. Remove the pot from the ice bath. To avoid air bubbles, swirl hot candy syrup in both directions, being careful not to over mix. Pour the syrup into the molds 2/3 of the way full and cool at least 20 minutes. Remove from molds.
When I make these I pour them directly onto paking sheets which have the sticks all set up on them. You do not really need molds..but they look prettier with the molds.

Cracker Candy

35 to 40 Saltine Crackers
1 16oz package of chocolate chips
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

 Line a greased 9X13 cookie sheet with crackers, one layer thick only. Melt butter in sauce pan. Add brown sugar and stir until sugar is melted, blended, and bubbly. Pour over crackers. (Crackers will float) Place in preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove. Add chocolate chips to top, spread until melted evenly over crackers. Add nuts if desired. Bake again for 15 minutes. Remove and cool. Cut into squares.

Pecan Rolo Pretzels
Bag of pretzels
Pecan halves
2 bags of Rolos, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 325. Line paper with parchment paper or silicone mat. Line pretzels up on cookie sheet and place a rolo on each pretzel. It’s helpful to get the rolo right in the middle, this will be helpful for you later!

Place in oven for 1-2 minutes. You really need to watch them. When they start glistening and sinking just a little bit, they are ready to come out of the oven. This is where extra hands help. Work quickly and squish a pecan half in the middle of each pretzel, smooshing the rolo down over the pretzel. Move to foil or waxed paper to set (this takes about an hour) and repeat. Two bags of rolos gets you about 60 candies.

This is a great one to do with the kids. My husband and kids love these!

Lemon Drops (as they were made in 1855)

1 c powdered sugar
lemon juice

Pour enough lemon juice into the powdered sugar to dissolve it. Boil
to hard crack stage when a little is dropped into cold water, or 275
degrees F. Drop onto buttered cookie sheets to cool and harden.

My husband is not a fan of lemon..but the rest of  us loved these.

Wal-Mart sells candy thermometers for 2.99.