Hello everyone! Did ya’ll miss me? I have missed writing my stories and recipes. It’s raining cats and dogs today. I hope everyone is ready for Christmas. I’m not and I never am, I just go to bed on Christmas Eve and hope I have done everything and not forgotten where I hit a gift. This time of year brings back a lot of fond memories of my childhood. My sister text me the other day an old picture of us at Christmas with our new baby dolls we got. She said, “we were so blessed.” That is for sure. Mom would stay up late after we went to bed and was always asleep on the couch when we woke up Christmas morning. I totally understand that now that I have kids of my own. I was always up late getting everything ready while Chuck was in the recliner asleep and me just griping at him to get something put together. I’d finally go to bed and threaten him with his life that if I woke up and Jacob’s toys were not put together he would get it. That also brings back the memories of all the crazy gifts that I received over my lifetime from Chuck Hopkins.
I know I’ve told ya’ll all about them but gee whiz the man just couldn’t get me good gift, I even wrote a list. Let’s start with my all time favorite, the confederate soldier statue carved out of metal. That gift will always be at the top if the list. The wild-colored moo moo, flashlights, mouse traps, shiatzu massager, food processor (already had one), some kind of cheese grater, shiatzu massager just like the one he got the year before. When I told him I already had a massager and a food processor, his response was “well now you have two.” I could go on and one about the crazy stuff Chuck Hopkins done. For our 25th wedding anniversary, he redeemed himself and bought me a beautiful ring. He sure loved the holidays. I love to think back on all the fun times.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and please remember Jesus is the reason for the season. This week’s recipe comes from our first lady of Abbott, Ann Blythe. She is a great cook and this is her crockpot recipe.
CROCKPOT CANDY
1 jar (10 oz.) of dry roasted peanuts, unsalted
1 jar (16 oz.) of dry roasted peanuts, salted
1 package (12 oz.) of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 bar (4 oz.) of German chocolate broken into pieces
3 lbs. or 2 planks of white almond bark broken into pieces
Put the ingredients into a 4 or 5-quart Crockpot in the order listed. Cover and cook for three hours on low. Do not remove lid, turn off and cool slightly. Mix thoroughly and drop by teaspoons onto wax paper. Let cool thoroughly. Makes a lot of candy and it is very good. Enjoy making this easy candy and you can put it in a decorative tin and give it away to family and friends. Merry Christmas!
