12/21/10: Shop shop shop

I haven't really been much of a shopper for the last bunches of years.  That's odd because, as a kid, I was a major shopper.  It's what my mom, grandmother, and I did together.  We shopped.  And I always enjoyed it.

I think I'd be more of a shopper nowadays if 1) I still had my mom or 2) I had a girlfriend or two who liked to do such things.  But I don't really know anyone that likes to just go to the mall and walk around.  I am married to a man who likes to do such things on occasion...but on occasion is not a habit...and I guess I miss the habit.

I'm sure the inability to buy cute clothes because they would look horrible if they even "fit", or they wouldn't fit at all, had something to do with this.

And now...well, I just don't want to spend the money on stuff I won't get to keep for long.

I can see, though, how shopping is about to become a staple in my activity realm again soon.

Cause, see...it's Christmas.  And I've been shopping.  Two days in a row - and tonight promises to be the third.  I've walked our mall, I've wandered into local stores and major chains, I've even browsed through kiosks.  I'm still shopping for two people.

My husband is one of them.  I know what I'm getting and I'm getting it tonight.

But this second person...our friend/neighbor.  Love her to pieces and we want to do more for her than our budget is allowing.  So...given that our wants are exceeding our budget, we can't come up with anything for her.  I am making her homemade bath salts cause I know she likes them and will use them.  I have a gift card to Starbucks for her cause I know she likes that and will use that.  We are putting together a basket for her and we need just that little something else.  And I have no idea what to do.  She is older, in her mid-60's, and is well off.  She has all she wants and can buy all she needs.  So it's not like we can look at her and say, oh, she could use this, let's do that.  It's not like we need to buy her the latest and greatest cd or the greatest scented candle.  If she wants the cd...she buys it.  If she wants the candle...she buys it.  What a great place to be in life - but as a gift-shopper, it puts me in a pickle!  She wants nothing from us - but that's out of the question.

So any ideas?  I keep thinking I can wander into this store or that store and find the cutest little knick knack in our price range and nope.  Nada.  Zilch!

She collects glass/crystal bells and anything Elvis.  We don't want to only ever buy her bells...so that's out this year.  And we've already bought her Elvis ornaments each time we traveled this year.  She's doing up her porch as an outside room, so for her birthday we bought her an outside candle thingy with mosquito repellent (but scent-free) candles.   We would love to do something for this outside room...but I don't see her as a chime-lover.  Nor a bird feed lover.  She's already got art and fountains for this outside room...

I got nothing.

When she wants it...she buys it!

I am so worked up over this.  I want to do something special...but it's just not working out, so far.  But I'ma keep tryin...cause that's what I do....



So, Tessierose asked for the English Toffee recipe.

Here is.

2/3 cup sliced almonds
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ lb butter
6 oz chocolate chips (per side of toffee)

Heat iron skillet first. If the skillet isn’t hot enough to start, the first batch won’t set up right.

While the skillet is heating, line a cookie sheet with foil – or layout foil on the counter, about 2 feet in length.

When iron skillet is heated, place all ingredients in the skillet and bring to a boil while the butter melts. When the butter is melted and bubbling, set the timer for 12 minutes and stir constantly.

Don’t let the mixture burn. If it starts to smoke, the time is up. If it isn’t smoking, keep the mixture on the burner for as close to 12 minutes as possible.

Once the time is up or smoking has started, remove from fire and spread quickly on the foil. It will set up pretty quickly, so thin it out to desired thickness (use a wooden spatula). Once thinned out, sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Once the chocolate chips start to melt, spread them around to coat the toffee. Sprinkle chopped almonds on top of that, if desired.

If chocolate is desired on both sides, after the chocolate has cooled and set, place foil on the top and turn the whole piece over.  Peel the foil off of the now exposed side. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of that. Place the whole thing under the broiler to melt those chocolate chops. Once melted, spread around to coat the toffee. Sprinkle chopped almonds on top of that, if desired.

(I don’t normally do chocolate on both sides, I just do one side, nor do I do the coating of chopped almonds, on either side.)



And I will say, good luck. It's not complicated at all, but it is super easy to screw up. Two of the biggest things I have learned over the years is 1) the skillet has to be hot to start with (and it must be an iron skillet, a regular skillet won't get hot enough) and 2) if it starts to smoke, it's done - but keep it on the fire as long as possible, up to 12 minutes, anyway, like the recipe says.

When the smoking starts, if it starts, it will be coming from the skillet, not from the toffee.

I don't do the chocolate chips on both sides because it makes a mess and one side is usually plenty of chocolate. My grandmother, on the other hand, insisted on chocolate on both sides. This is her recipe, by the way.

Finally, the chocolate isn't really measured. I just sprinkle the chips on top and let them melt and spread around. Usually, I'd say it's more like 1/4 cup, maybe 1/3 cup of chocolate chips...if I had to guess. If the chocolate is too thick it's not as good. And once it's on you can't get it off. But if you don't have enough chocolate on there and want more, just put the whole thing under the broiler to melt the additional chips.

Once it's cooled (we usually cool overnight), break into pieces and store...

One other thing I'll say is that this toffee cooks up differently here in Texas than it did in California.  Different humidity levels, different temps, etc, really make a difference in how it cooks.  In Cali, we could always go the 12 minutes and never ran into the smoking (indicating it's about to burn) skillet.  Here in Texas, I've only ever had one batch (in the last 10 years) last for 12 minutes...but it sets up fine.  If I insist on 12 minutes and ignore the smoking skillet, it does end up burning. 

If you try it, let me know how it turns out.  It's such yummy stuff - and be warned.  If you share it, you will get attacked for it.  My family, my friends, my coworkers, my husband's coworkers - they all love all our cookies...but this stuff...they'll come after us for!