Pretzel Toffee

Oh. My. Word.

This pretzel toffee is some seriously addictive stuff. It is so amazingly delicious. Thank goodness I had a house full of boys present when I made this cause I don't believe I could have trusted myself alone in the house with a batch of this stuff.

The toffee doesn't come out hard as a rock either. I've had some toffees that almost crack your teeth. This recipe does not do that.

Not only is it good, it's really easy to make. You have to invest 10 minutes in stirring the toffee mixture but after that it's just pouring it on the pretzels and then covering it with chocolate chips.

A few notes while making this:

• Don't worry if your toffee mixture looks like it's separating. I cooked it 10 minutes and then whisked furiously the last 30 seconds before I poured it over the pretzels. If the butter pools a bit don't worry about that either.
• I bought the Snyder Pretzel Snaps and filled half a sheet pan up with them. The Snaps work really well because all the toffee gets trapped in the grids of the pretzel. Heaven!
• You can use dark of milk chocolate chips. Either one will work. I used dark when I made this batch.
• Put your finished product in the fridge to firm up, then just break it into pieces to serve.
• If you want to watch a video on how to make the toffee check out Jen's video from Jen's Favorite Cookies. The original recipe is from her site. Click here.

Pretzel Toffee
Original recipe from Jen's Favorite Cookies
Printable Recipe
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 cups pretzel pieces (I used Synder’s Pretzel Snaps* see note)
1 cup chocolate chips

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter. Add sugar, and stir to dissolve. Continue cooking and stirring over medium high heat until it is the color of a brown paper bag, about 7-10 minutes. (The mixture may separate and look clumped or curdled, and this is fine. The color is a more important indicator than the texture.)

Prepare a sheet pan (I recommend a quarter sheet pan) by lining with parchment paper or a silicone liner, or by generously buttering. Cover pan in a single layer of pretzels. Pour cooked candy onto pretzels as soon as it reaches the desired color.

Immediately top with chocolate chips. Let chips melt for a few minutes, then use a knife to spread like frosting. Let candy cool by chilling in fridge for about an hour. Use a large knife to break into pieces.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

*Note - I bought the Snyder Pretzel Snaps and filled half a sheet pan up with them. The snaps work really well because all the toffee gets trapped in the grids of the pretzel.

Sausage and Barley Soup

It was snowing here in Rhode Island Monday! Yes, you read that right, it's was snowing in April.

I love the snow, I really do love it but it's spring and this is crazy!

Nothing quite hits the spot like a big bowl of soup when it's cold and snowy.

If you haven't cooked barley before please note that it's very starchy and you shouldn't cook it in the soup or you will end up with a really thick, gooey soup. I always cook it separate and add it in later. It's one of my favorite things to add to soup!

This is one of those throw a little of this and that in and make a soup you like soups.

I really love these kind of soups. Perfect for a day when you need a belly warmer.




Sausage and Barley Soup
recipe from Lisa@The Cutting Edge of Ordinary
PRINTABLE RECIPE
6 slices of bacon, cut into big chunks
14 oz. Polish Kielbasa sausage, sliced
3 tablespoons of butter, if necessary
1 cup (2 leeks) chopped leeks (white and light green parts only)
3 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 pound fingerling potatoes, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup pearl barley
½ tsp paprika
8 to 10 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley to garnish

In a large dutch oven, over medium high heat, cook the bacon until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove and reserve it. Boil the barley in another pot with some salt. Cook until tender. This will take about 30 - 40 minutes to become tender.

Add 3 tablespoons of butter to the dutch oven, lower the heat to medium and sauté the leeks, carrots and celery until tender. Add in the garlic, the Italian seasoning, paprika, and salt and pepper. Add the chicken broth and potatoes and bring the soup to a boil. Once it boils, lower the heat to low, add in the sliced sausage, bacon and barley, cover and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes.