Peppermint Balls

Ingredients (peppermint centers):

2 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
1 tablespoon crisco
Pinch of salt

Ingredients (coating):

1 bag Hershey Special Dark Chocolate Chips
1-2 tablespoons crisco

Directions:

Blend powdered sugar, corn syrup, water, peppermint extract, crisco, and a pinch of salt together.

Roll into balls as big or little as you like. Lay out on parchment/wax paper and stick in freezer. You can freeze for as little as 15 minutes or overnight.

When done freezing pull off wax paper so you can use it for the chocolate dipped ones.

Melt 1 bag Hershey's chocolate and crisco (makes it thinner for dipping) in a bowl of a pot of boiling water (double boiler).

Toss 1 ball at a time in the chocolate making sure to coat really good, fish out with a fork and set on wax paper covered cookie sheet. Freeze for 30 minutes.

These are good kept in the fridge.

Peanut Brittle

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup water
1 cup light corn syrup
2 cups raw or roasted & salted peanuts
1/4 teaspoon salt (if you used raw peanuts)
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1. Spray a rimmed cookie sheet with nonstick spray.

2. Combine sugar, water and syrup in a medium-large saucepan. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and cook at medium heat slowly to the soft ball stage (245 degrees F. on a candy thermometer), stirring gently every so often. Add 2 cups of peanuts and salt (if using). Continue to cook until the thermometer registers 300 degrees F. Add baking soda. Stir to blend and continue to cook until golden brown (just a minute or so more). Remove from heat and stir to combine.

3. Pour the hot mixture onto the prepared pan and spread it out as much as you can with a wooden spoon. Cool completely, and then break into pieces.

Tips:

*Keep your peanut brittle in a tightly covered container until you are ready to serve/eat it. The texture of candy can be greatly affected by the humidity in the air.

*If you are using a candy thermometer that clips to the side, just make sure that the bottom of the thermometer is resting inside the liquid and not pushed all the way to the bottom of the pan (you'll get a false reading if it's touching the bottom of the pan where the heat source is strongest).