Toffee Chip Cheese Ball!

This "Toffee Chip Cheese Ball" is a little different as far as 'cheese balls' go!  It's a sweet cheese ball that is great served with fruit slices or graham crackers or even something like vanilla wafers or shortbread cookies!   This goes over really well with those who might not care for the savory cheese balls!   We served it a few weeks ago at my niece's bridal shower with apple slices and graham crackers.  With the apples it reminds me of a caramel apple and it's great for a Fall party or gathering!

Here is what you will need:

 2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened

4 Tbs. butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup mini chocolate chips

1  (8 oz.) pkg. Heath milk chocolate English toffee bits

2 cups dry roasted peanuts, chopped fine

apple slices, graham crackers, vanilla wafers or shortbread cookies for serving

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until well blended with an electric mixer.   Blend in the brown sugar, confectioners sugar and vanilla.  Stir in the mini chocolate chips and the Heath toffee bits.    This will be very soft.  Pull as much as you can away from the sides of the bowl into a ball shape.  Cover with plastic wrap, leaving it in the bowl and place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight.   This needs to be very cold or you won't be able to form the cheese ball. 

Place the finely chopped dry roasted peanuts on a large piece of wax paper.  Remove the cheese ball from the bowl and with your hands form into a smooth ball shape.  Lay it in the peanuts and roll it to coat all sides.   When it is all coated in the peanuts lay it gently on a serving plate.   This is a semi soft cheese ball, so it must be very cold and you have to work fast.    

Place apple slices and graham crackers around the edges for serving!  Or you can use whatever you like for serving!   If you do not have time to chill this or don't want to take the time, you can place it in a serving bowl and serve as a dip instead of a cheese ball. Just sprinkle the top with the chopped nuts.   I think the cheese ball makes a prettier presentation, but they both taste the same!  

Candy Corn Fudge...only 2 Ingredients!

This "Candy Corn Fudge" is a fun little project to make with the children or for the children or for those that still act like children...lol.  I am thinking of myself when I say this.  This is so easy, because I used the old "2 - Ingredient Fudge" recipe and just added food coloring to make the candy corn effect.  I did have to double the usual recipe to get the layers thick enough, but if you have a really small  square dish, I guess you could make less.

Now, before someone asks... this does not have actual candy corn in it.  It is called 'candy corn fudge' only because it looks like candy corn and I guess it tastes a bit like it too.  The great thing about this is that it tastes better than candy corn to me!   Here is what you will need for this:

2  (12 oz.) bags of white chocolate chips

2 (16 oz,)  cans of vanilla frosting (or any white frosting, I used 1 cream cheese and 1 vanilla)

red and yellow food coloring

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave.  Microwave them on high for about 2-3 minutes stirring after each minute.  Add the frosting and stir.  Microwave that for another minute or two.   Stir until it is all well blended and smooth.  You can also do this in top of a double boiler.

Line an 8"x 8" baking dish with wax paper or foil.  The Reynolds Wrap nonstick works great for this.

Pour 1/3 of the mixture in the dish for the first, white layer.  Place it in the fridge while you color the rest of the mixture.

Divide the rest of the mixture in half and tint one orange and one yellow.  

Remove the white layer from the fridge and pour the orange next over the white layer.  Pour it in rows, so you don't have to do much spreading it around.  Pour the yellow layer over the orange, last.  If the mixture starts to get too thick to pour, just stick it back in the microwave for a few seconds and stir.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours.

Turn it out on a cutting board and peel the foil off.  With a sharp knife cut it in rows. 

Gently lift the piece and turn it on it's side.  Cut in triangle shaped "candy corn' pieces.  You will have to trim up edges of the rows that were on the outside of the baking dish.  Use a dish with the straightest sides if you have one.  Kids and husbands will be more than happy to eat the trimmings!

You will notice that every other piece is not in the right color order of white, orange, yellow, but only the pickiest of people will notice that. 

The rows are also not real uniform either, but I looked at some pretty upscale candy corn (can candy corn be upscale...lol) and their rows were not so uniform either, so I was ok with it!

If you don't want to worry over cutting these candy corn shapes, cut it in squares and slap a piece of candy corn on top and it's still cute!

Candy Corn Fudge...only 2 ingredients!

 

 

This "Candy Corn Fudge" is a fun little project to make with the children or for the children or for those that still act like children...lol.  I am thinking of myself when I say this.  This is so easy, because I used the old "2 - Ingredient Fudge" recipe and just added food coloring to make the candy corn effect.  I did have to double the usual recipe to get the layers thick enough, but if you have a really small  square dish, I guess you could make less.

 

Now, before someone asks... this does not have actual candy corn in it.  It is called 'candy corn fudge' only because it looks like candy corn and I guess it tastes a bit like it too.  The great thing about this is that it tastes better than candy corn to me!   Here is what you will need for this:

 

 

2  (12 oz.) bags of white chocolate chips

2 (16 oz,)  cans of vanilla frosting (or any white frosting, I used 1 cream cheese and 1 vanilla)

red and yellow food coloring

 

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave.  Microwave them on high for about 2-3 minutes stirring after each minute.  Add the frosting and stir.  Microwave that for another minute or two.   Stir until it is all well blended and smooth.  You can also do this in top of a double boiler.

 

Line an 8"x 8" baking dish with wax paper or foil.  The Reynolds Wrap nonstick works great for this.

 

Pour 1/3 of the mixture in the dish for the first, white layer.  Place it in the fridge while you color the rest of the mixture.

 

Divide the rest of the mixture in half and tint one orange and one yellow.  

 

Remove the white layer from the fridge and pour the orange next over the white layer.  Pour it in rows, so you don't have to do much spreading it around.  Pour the yellow layer over the orange, last.  If the mixture starts to get too thick to pour, just stick it back in the microwave for a few seconds and stir.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours.

Turn it out on a cutting board and peel the foil off.  With a sharp knife cut it in rows. 

 

Gently lift the piece and turn it on it's side.  Cut in triangle shaped "candy corn' pieces.  You will have to trim up edges of the rows that were on the outside of the baking dish.  Use a dish with the straightest sides if you have one.  Kids and husbands will be more than happy to eat the trimmings!

 

You will notice that every other piece is not in the right color order of white, orange, yellow, but only the pickiest of people will notice that. 

 

The rows are also not real uniform either, but I looked at some pretty upscale candy corn (can candy corn be upscale...lol) and their rows were not so uniform either, so I was ok with it!

 

If you don't want to worry over cutting these candy corn shapes, cut it in squares and slap a piece of candy corn on top and it's still cute!