Easy 5-ingredient chocolate graham cracker toffee

Christmas is in two days.  Christmasisintwodays!

Two.days.

I was all set to write a real, borderline-wordy (aka typical) blog about this toffee.  Toffee that I planned to make two weeks ago.  Had I done that and posted it shortly thereafter, you could've made it and included it in your tins of Christmas cookies to family and friends.

However, not surprisingly, I did not make said toffee two weeks ago.  Or even two days ago.  I made it last night.

Gulp.

But it was so easy and so delicious that I couldn't forgive myself if I didn't at least steer you in the right direction to get the (very easy) recipe for yourself so you could wait until the last minute to make toffee, too.

Last minute homemade toffee is better than no toffee at all, right?

Simple, sweet, and sinfully addictive!  Package it in pretty decorative bags, and it also makes a great gift.  Head over to Gimme Some Oven (one of my favorite new-to-me blog discoveries of 2014!) for Ali's recipe.

13 Leftover Halloween candy recipes

Looking for some creative ways to use up any lingering Halloween candy?  You know, if you haven't already gotten rid of the surplus in the form of the office common area dump like my coworkers have.  Not that we need it -- our regular candy dishes are still quite full.  Candy for days and days.  Somebody's gotta finish it, right? :)

At any rate, here are 13 of my favorite recipes for repurposing all the candy into a new treat.  Enjoy!

• Peanut butter candy blossoms

• Giant kitchen sink cookies

• Cashew Crunch Rice Krispie treats

• Crispy Butterfinger cookies
• Nutella Kiss cookies

• Pretzel-bottom Snickers blondies

• Trail mix Rice Krispie treats

• M&M cookies

• Butterfinger caramel bars

• M&M frosting for cupcakes

• Peanut butter cup crunch brownies

• Two ingredient ice cream - add any and all candy you've got!

• Mini chocolate chip cookie sundaes - take some of that ice cream you made and top it with this for a doubly indulgent treat!  Don't limit yourself to just chocolate chips -- any chopped up chocolate candy bars would be delish.

Giant kitchen sink cookies

These cookies... oh, these cookies.  Swoon.  Pitter patter.  Drool.  I have so many people to blame thank for these cookies.

I'd like to thank my coworker.  When we came up with the idea to have a Fat Tuesday party, it was she who requested cookies.  "Giant cookies.  With chocolate," she said.  For her, I baked the biggest cookies I've ever made.

3-ingredient Oreo truffles

Eee!  Christmas is tomorrow!  I see the calendar and yet I still can't believe it.

So you may wonder why I'm giving you one more new recipe.  Especially one that I'm going to insist, nay, implore you to make right this minute or, at the very least, sometime over the next week.

Don't you know that Christmas is tomorrow?

Yes, yes, I do.  See the first line of this post.

Cashew Crunch Rice Krispie treats

Would you believe me if I said I forgot how great Rice Krispie treats are?

I'm not kidding, I swear!  And no, I don't have amnesia.

I just tend to get caught up in new and fanciful desserts.  Basically, shiny object syndrome with regards to sweets.  There isn't enough time or room in my stomach for all of my sugar-coated ideas!  Food blogger problems, right?

But seriously.  Rice Krispie treats are the best.  I admit they aren't typically the first thing that comes to mind when I'm brainstorming, though I can't for the life of me figure out why.

8 more recipes for leftover Halloween candy!

Looking for some creative ways to use up any lingering Halloween candy?  If my peanut butter blossom cookies or divine M&M frosting for cupcakes didn't polish off the surplus -- can we be neighbors, by the way? --  here are 8 more fantastic recipes that'll satisfy your sweet tooth!

Crispy Butterfinger cookies

Butterfinger caramel bars 

Pretzel-bottom Snickers blondies

Trail mix Rice Krispie treats

M&M cookies

Peanut butter cup crunch brownies

Two ingredient ice cream - add any and all candy you've got!

Nutella Kiss cookies

M&M frosted cupcakes

Raise your hand if you've got Halloween candy lying around the house.  And by "lying around the house" I mean "desperately stashed in cabinets to get it out of sight."

We don't get trick-or-treaters in our apartment building, but you wouldn't know it from looking at our stash of candy.  Office celebrations and his and hers treat bags from my sweet mother (thanks, Mom!) have kept us sugar-coated for the better part of a week.

A week that also saw the return of the magical migrating candy bowl.  You know how it goes, don't you?

The candy bowl initially occupied the entry way table.  Nothing says "Welcome home!" quite like a piece of chocolate.  Coincidentally, chocolate also says, "So much for that workout!"

Peanut butter candy blossoms

I've had this idea for cookies since early summer but just now got around to making it.  And, for once, it's not because I forgot about it or lost the recipe in the black hole that is my recipe collection.

My decision to wait was a conscious one.  Now that's scary.

It's not like I didn't think about these cookies at least once a week.  Yes, I'm always thinking about food, but these really took center stage for a few months.

I've been enjoying classic peanut blossoms for as long as I can remember, and they come with such wonderful memories.  My mom makes dozens of them every year around Christmas.  And my dad, always the helpful one, is sure to squash at least two or three of the Kisses atop the cookies to stake his claim.  He jokes that my mom bakes so much for friends and family that we never get to enjoy any cookies for ourselves.  However, let me assure you, we absolutely do get some and devour every last one of them.

Fast Friday: Candy corn & peanut snack mix

Everyone have a nice week?  Sure hope so!   I've embraced the cooler weather with open cable-knit-clad-sweater arms and comfort foods.  Lasagna has been on my mind forever, so I finally made a pan of my favorite recipe, along with a new Italian soup that I can't wait to share with you next week.

As soon as the clock strikes "weekend!" we're hitting the road for a wedding in Reading (rhyme it, yo!).  Since we won't arrive at Matt's parents' place until late, I've packed essentials snacks for the car trip.  Hand-friendly food like fruit, sandwiches, and the most addictive snack mix in the universe.

A few years ago, I went on a bus trip with my mom and sister.  The woman who organized the event thought of absolutely everything, from reservations and behind-the-scenes tours to secret discount agreements with a few of the shop owners.  As if that weren't enough, she also picked the best road trip movies for a bus full of women -- Notting Hill and Love Actually -- and provided snacks.  Muffins and fruit in the morning, and what she called "candy corn crack mix" for the evening.

Friday five: Easter Sunday treats

I consider almost every Friday to be good, but today it's the real deal as it is officially Good Friday.  Matt and I are heading to my parents' place for the holiday weekend.  We're really looking forward to spending time with everyone including my grandma, admiring my dad's newly finished basement, and, for me, getting a long overdue haircut.

So many good things on the horizon meant this week dragged juuuuuust a little, and I've had a slow start to a few mornings.  Since I've sworn off candy until Easter, dried cranberries and green tea have been my go-to items.  Luckily, Easter is just around the corner, so my fantasies about the contents of my fluorescent basket will become a reality shortly.

One of the many things I love about my mom is that she gets so into holidays and goes totally overboard decorating and preparing for all of 'em.  Overboard in the best kind of way!  It makes all of us feel so special to get a present from the bunny, even at the ripe ol' age of 28. 

The shelves at drug stores and grocery stores have been lined with treats in pink and yellow packages for over a month, so I've had plenty of time to plan my sugar attack for Easter Sunday.  Without further ado, here is this week's Friday five: my favorite Easter morning treats!


1. Easter "grass" littered with candy -- Paper, plastic, shiny or matte.  I love all kinds!  For as far back as I can remember, there have always been M&Ms in our Easter baskets.  But, rather than an unopened bag of them, my mom sprinkles handfuls of pastel plain and peanut chocolate candies among the faux grass.  Every year we complain about this -- "they're too hard to find!" -- but secretly enjoy the hunt, especially when we have otherwise emptied the baskets and find a few stragglers at the bottom :)

Vegas day 2: Around the world and back(bends)

(For a recap of our first night in Vegas, click here.)

We woke up on Saturday morning without an alarm but with a feeling of total refreshment and relaxation... in Sin City, no less!  Our plan for the day was to have no plans at all; simply explore and indulge our attraction to shiny objects.

But, explorers need fuel, so we headed to breakfast at Sugar Factory, where I opted for a simple spinach and avocado omelette (I skipped the potatoes since they were pre-made and tasted like cardboard).  It was delicious and light, just what I needed/wanted.  Rachel ordered a fruit and yogurt plate with banana bread and a croissant.  Aside from the banana bread tasting a little like "fake bananas", our experience was good and we'd recommend the place.

After breakfast, we set off for the north end of The Strip, first stop: The Venetian.  With all of my dad's hyping, he didn't hype this enough.  We felt like like we'd flown across the Atlantic and landed in Italy... and Rachel's been to the real deal!  The architecture was impressive, the candy store within amusing...

And the canals under the pale blue "skies", complete with gondolas, were unbelievable!  Are you kidding me?!  We spent quite some time walking around and oogling little Italy, including St. Mark's Square, before stumbling upon the famed Bouchon Bakery.

M&M cookies

Most of the time, I feel like I've got my day to day life neatly organized and mapped out.  I have my routines, my beloved to-do lists, and even make (scheduled) time for spontaneity.  I know -- I'm so fun!

But, every now and then, the universe likes to throw me a curve ball when I get too comfortable and too high on my well-trained horse.  To be totally honest with you, I don't like it one bit because it usually means my plans need to be rewritten and my brain needs to be rewired.  I'm a liiiiiiiittle set in my ways.

I'm well aware of this flaw, so on January 1st I made a resolution to work on it.  To be more flexible!  To recognize opportunities for fun and growth!  To go at least one day a week without a to-do list!  As of today, I have 316 days to manage that last one.  Don't hold your breath, please.

My Fat Tuesday, illustrated

Brought cookies to work... (recipe coming next week!)

Snacked on some of these in the morning...

Had a salad and leftover BBQ pulled chicken for lunch... (recipe on tap for tomorrow!)

Shared a Baby Ruth in the afternoon...

At last, dinner... and yes, the brownie batter doughnut from Dunkin' is sooooo worth the hype!  The filling is legit brownie batter, even with that signature slightly grainy texture.  Amaze.

And dessert... Razzy Fresh.  Coconut, cookies & cream, and French vanilla with some cookie dough bits and a single gummy worm.  For the win.

Gulp.  At least I started my day off with a run.  Overall, not a bad day.  Not a bad day at all :)

Homemade marshmallows

What would you do if you were sequestered at home, sick with the "death flu" as my pharmacist friend has been calling it, for days with nothing to do?

Make marshmallows, of course!

That's what I did, anyway.

What?  Don't give me that look.  I had to do something.  I was losing my mind!  I hadn't left our apartment in 72 hours and hadn't talked for almost the same amount of time thanks to coughing fits and the loss of my voice.  I felt useless.  I just wanted to create something... have something to show for my long holiday weekend.

Thankfully, the death flu had no effect on my stomach, so my appetite was relatively undisturbed.  At first thought, I wanted to make chocolate cupcakes.  I'd halve, no, quarter the original recipe because surely only one person would enjoy the products of my flu-ridden baking adventures.  There was no way anyone I loved or loathed would get germy cupcakes.  Those would be all mine... in one sitting.  But, that's just what changed my cupcake tune.

Turning an epic fail into epic cookies!

"I have not failed.  I've just found 10,000 ways that don't work." -Thomas Edison 

Last week, I set out to make a birthday treat for one of Matt's friends.  This is the friend with whom I discussed his epic Butterfinger pie at length.  The crust was the one component he couldn't seem to get right and, turns out, neither could I.  Despite months (true story) of research and what I thought was a fool-proof recipe, I ended up with a pie plate full of a Butterfinger and pretzel mixture that was molten hot but hard as a rock.

Note to self: Theoretical research is only good when you can back it up with practical application.  [insert sound of firmly smacking one's own forehead here]

I was a bit panicked since I waited until the night before the birthday celebration to get to cookin'.  Mistake #1, right?

Anyway, when I took the pie plate out of the oven, I realized that there was no way that I'd serve this to neither people I liked nor people who preferred to not eat dessert with a chisel.

Fall fashion show at lunch!

Or, rather, fashion show for lunch.

While New York Fashion Week may be in full swing, it's not just the runway models that are being given head-to-to new looks.  There are some classic products with fancy and quirky makeovers hitting grocery store shelves this month:

• Campbell's is releasing limited edition Andy Warhol-inspired designed cans of tomato soup for sale this month in honor of the 50th anniversary of Warhol's pop art masterpiece.  How cool are these?!  I might have to pick up a few to decorate my kitchen.

• Cadbury released its Halloween answer to the Easter creme egg: the screme egg!  The taste is supposedly the same, but the traditional orange/yellow "yolk" filling is now green.  I actually spotted these at Target over the weekend and passed at first because it seemed too early for Halloween candy.  But, I think I'm going to have to break down and get one this weekend.  Report to follow.

•  Not necessarily new this year, but making its seasonal return is the Jones Soda Co. flavor entitled Turkey & Gravy.  Has anyone tried this?  A good friend of mine is a Jones fanatic, but he may draw the line at this flavor.  As gross as it may sound, I'm still a little bit intrigued...

•  If the Starbucks' ads didn't clue you in, the pumpkin onslaught has begun -- hooray!  I, for one, can't get enough pumpkin in my life, so I'm definitely looking forward to the always delicious Limited Edition Pumpkin Ice Cream by Edy's.  New on the scene, at least to me, are the Pumpkin Spice Hershey's Kisses.  Curiously, there is no chocolate involved; instead the outer shell is pumpkin flavored candy while the filling is cinnamon creme.  If you've tried these, would you recommend them?

• Apple pie-scented candles are an effortless way to have your house smelling cozy and ready for company.  Why not have a treat that matches that very smell?  Pepperidge Farm Farm Limited Edition Caramel Apple Pie Soft Dessert Cookies should do the trick. Also, there is a Pumpkin Cheesecake version of these available.  Word on the street Internet is that you can find these at Wal-mart.

• And, last but not least.  In fact, probably the most talked about seasonal food item out there right now are Candy Corn Oreos.  The Internet is abuzz with awe, curiosity, and even some disgust from the candy corn haters of the world.  Both the Today Show surveyed its staff and posted about the mixed reviews.  Are you going to give the seasonal sandwich cookie a try?  It's just so bizarre that I think I must try it.  Again, a review to follow shortly, hopefully. 

Fast Friday: Trail mix Krispie treats

Though it's not yet technically fall, I tend to think that Labor Day signals the unofficial end of summer.  (Starbucks' beliefs are slightly different, apparently.)  Autumn is still a few weeks down the road, but one very important season kicked off last weekend: college football season!

So far, a very warm, humid, and slightly rainy college football season at that.   And a downright embarrassing one.  Ahem.  But I'm not bitter.  I'm not bitter because, regardless of how poorly Pitt's football team may fare, there are so many other totally awesome things about football season.

Like season tickets.  In the club level.  With a roof!

And having a legitimate excuse to purchase fun non-work clothing clad with Pitt logos of both the unoriginal and totally classic kind.

But, my absolute favorite thing is spending time with great friends from college and beyond, both pretending we're still in college and complaining about current college students while uttering things like, "We were never that bad."  News flash: Yes, you absolutely were that bad.  And it was awesome.  :)

All of those things being said, there is one essential part of college football season that I must discuss.  And, you're here so I bet you can guess what I'm going to hail next -- tailgating food!

Restaurant review: Sarris Ice Cream Shop

If you asked me what the happiest place on earth were, I'd surely respond with two words that would surprise no one: Disney World!

But, if you were to ask me what the happiest place in western Pennsylvania were, could you guess what my answer would be?

Sarris Candies Shop and Ice Cream Parlor in Canonsburg, PA.

Butterfinger caramel bars

They say when it rains, it pours.  That seems to be the case around here lately because I can't get my mind off candy bars.  Can't and won't, to be clear.  And now, my obsession has turned to Butterfingers.

It's no secret that I love candy.  Ask any one of my coworkers about the kind of damage I do when it comes to the office candy bowl.  But it seems like I've been craving the stuff more frequently lately.   After dinner, rather than a cookie or piece of cake, I'm just as happy with a small piece (or four) of candy.  Anything to avoid turning on the oven and feeling uncomfortably full, right?

As much as I love turning out fantastic cakes, pies, and cookies, I shy away from the oven come summer.  Even with A/C, it's still a chore to keep our apartment cool when the outside temps hover above 95 for a week straight.  Just to be clear, I'm not complaining because it's been muuuuuuch worse in parts of the midwest and south.  Not complaining, just saying.

But, hot is still hot, folks.  Last Friday, Matt and I went to dinner with friends, and let's just say that restaurant's cooling system was seriously struggling, too.  The food (crab cakes!), the drinks (Sam Adams Summer Ale!), and the company were fabulous, but there's something about sticking to your seat despite wearing your cutest summer dress that keeps you from wanting to linger late into the night.

Pretzel bottom Snickers blondies

What has two thumbs and gave you the ultimate teaser on Friday about a candy bar-laden dessert? This girl.  

(By the way, that "what has two thumbs" line will always remind me of The Office.)

What also has two thumbs and is currently over the moon obsessed with desserts made from candy bars, spending the better part of two weeks contemplating, making, and devouring them?

Guilty.

If falling prey to those delightful prepackaged nuggets of chocolate, peanut butter, nuts, caramel, and other goodies stationed at the checkout lines is wrong, then I certainly don't want to be right.