Because I'm Not a Nice Girl

Because I'm not a nice girl, I wanted to share with you two more recipe discoveries I've made this season. Try them soon. They are both easy and dangerously delicious. And I will feel so much better about myself if you all revel in the joys of five extra pounds on your hinie along with me.

The candied pecans we made for the kids' teachers:
1 c. pecan halves
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar

Stir sugar, oil and vinegar in a large skillet over medium heat until sugar melts and syrup bubbles (about 3 minutes). Mix in pecans and stir until nuts are toasted and syrup coats them evenly (5-6 minutes). Turn nuts onto parchment paper and separate, using 2 forks. Cool completely. Can be stored up to one month in an airtight container. But don't worry. You'll eat them up long before that.

Honestly, I got this recipe somewhere online and I wish I could remember where so I could give credit where it's due. We. Ate. So many of these. It's ridiculous.

The toffee we made on New Year's Eve:
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Butter/spray an 8"x8" baking pan. In a saucepan, heat butter and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook until mixture darkens, about 7 minutes; pour into pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top; cover with foil or another pan to retain heat until chocolate begins to melt. Spread chocolate over the top. Refrigerate and break into pieces when cool.

This is from my most recent Gooseberry Patch Christmas book. It suggests using walnuts in the recipe - you sprinkle them in the pan before you pour in the syrup. Personally, I don't like anything getting in between me and my toffee. Even if it is a nice, unassuming walnut.

Under no circumstances should you double the recipe and pour it into the same sized pan to get a really thick slab of toffee. Or if you do, don't say I didn't warn you. You absolutely will eat the whole pan in the span of 28 hours.