Fast Turtles

A couple of weeks ago I hosted a cookie/treat/goodie exchange here at my house. There were about 15 women that showed up bringing all kinds of wonderful sweets. We had everything from cookies to flavored popcorn. From jam to pecan brittle. Yes....pecan brittle. Oh so good! But one of the most popular things that was there were these yummy little treasures. One of the young moms brought them (Hi, Tab!!) and they were a HIT! So many people asked for the recipe...me being one of them. I asked Tab if I could post the recipe and she graciously said yes. She had found it on a site somewhere....I also found it here: www.southernplate.com.

And now it's HERE! If you're needing a quick little treat, make this! If you're going to a New Year's Eve party....take this! If you're having a bad day and need to go hide in the closet, make this!! You won't be sorry. Or maybe you will if you eat the whole plate. Try to refrain....it's hard, though. Just ask me...I'm still working on not going into the kitchen to gobble down the remaining few. I may need therapy.
Fast Turtles



1 12-ounce package Rolo’s candies
1 bag pretzels – small twists or squares
Pecan halves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place pretzels on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Place one unwrapped Rolo on top of each pretzel. Heat in the oven for 2 (TWO) minutes. Any longer and you will have a big, melty mess on your hands. As soon as pretzels come out of the oven, lightly squish a pecan half on top on the melty Rolo. Let set until firm. 

If you want to make a LOT of these...buy 2 or 3 bags of Rolos because you will run out of those first. I used 1 bag and scored about 50 or so turtles...which seems like a lot but really isn't. These babies need quite a while to set up. In the fridge for a few hours or overnight works best.

 
This is all you need to make 
these yummy little treats.

 
In the oven for TWO minutes!!

 
You'll notice that a few of mine 
 didn't put pecans on. We have 
someone in our family allergic to 
nuts. But I just used my finger to 
mash down the Rolo. You can also 
just add another pretzel on top.

Caramel Pretzel Candy

Who doesn’t enjoy a nice salted caramel candy? With a little crunch? You do? Then you might want to try these. I made my regular caramel candy recipe but added some stick pretzels instead of the pecans I normally add! WOW! What a fun treat! Smooth and creamy caramel with that salty flavor going on while you crunch on the pretzels?? It’s a party in your mouth!


Caramel Pretzel Candy



2 cups sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 3/4 cup light Karo syrup
2 sticks butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups pretzels (I used the stick kind)

In a large pot, mix sugar, 1 cup of the cream, Karo syrup and butter.

Bring to a boil on medium-high heat.

When it reaches a rolling boil, add the remaining 1 cup of cream.

Reduce heat to medium and continue to boil until mixture reaches the firm-ball stage....about 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla.

Stir in the pretzels.

Pour into a buttered 9x13 inch baking dish. Let caramel cool and set up. Cut into bite-sized squares and wrap in plastic wrap.

Let's get going!

Combine the sugar, butter, Karo 

and 1 cup of the cream.

Bring to a boil.

Add the remaining cup of cream.

Bring to a boil....

...and let it rise to 235 degrees 

on a candy thermometer.

This is the firm-ball stage.

Add the vanilla.

Then add the pretzels.

Pour into a buttered pan.

Yummy caramels. See the 

pretzels??? So good!!!

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

With the holidays coming up, I thought I'd give you guys a quick tutorial on how to dip rod pretzels. Actually they're very easy and a really fun and inexpensive gift or treat to take a cookie exchange. I made these the other day and they went pretty fast. Make 'em for Halloween...Christmas....any holiday or party! Yay for easy treats!!

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels




1 10-ounce bag rod pretzels
1 14-ounce bag Candy Melts (found at crafts store or Walmart)
Vegetable oil
Assorted sprinkles

In a medium sized microwave-safe bowl, melt the Candy Melts for two minutes, stirring at 30 second intervals.

Stir in 2 - 3 tablespoons of oil to thin out the candy. This will make dipping the rods easier.

Transfer the melted candy to a tall, skinny container. I used a drinking glass.

Holding the pretzel at one end, dip the other end into the melted candy, as far as you want. I only went half way.

Immediately spoon some sprinkles over the chocolate and set aside to cool and harden. I placed mine on some parchment paper.

Repeat with all the pretzels.


 
Here's what you need. Oops..looks 
like I forgot the oil. But don't YOU 
forget it. It'll make dipping so much easier!

 
Melt your chocolate then stir in the oil.

 
Transfer the chocolate to a tall container.

 
Then dip! Shake off any large 
amounts of excess chocolate.

 
Immediately add the sprinkles.

 
See how cute? Set aside to cool 
and allow the chocolate to harden.

 
You can wrap them in little 
plastic bags designed just for these.
I've seen those at Joann's. 
Or put them in boxes to give away. 
Fun and yummy!

I'm always looking for ways to use my ice cream freezer before it decides to die. That little Sunbeam freezer is almost 40 years old and I love it. So I took my basic vanilla ice cream recipe and added a couple of things to jazz it up. So very, very good! You gotta try this before the end of summer!

Caramel Flipz Ice Cream

4 eggs, mixed well

2 cups sugar

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 quart heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 quart half & half

1 15-ounce jar caramel ice cream topping

2 8 ounce bags Chocolate covered Pretzels (Flipz) ~ rough chopped

Cook and whisk eggs and sugar over double boiler for 10 -15 minutes or until eggs are thick and pale.

When eggs are cooked, remove from heat and pour into your ice cream freezer.

Add sweetened condensed milk, whipping cream and vanilla extract. Stir well with a whisk.

Add enough half & half to fill line. Stir.

Freeze according to freezer instructions.

When ice cream is done transfer into a large plastic container.

Add caramel topping and chopped pretzels and stir gently until topping and pretzels are mixed in but not thoroughly.

I freeze mine a few hours or overnight before serving so it has a chance to set up.

Okay...let's go!

Combine the eggs and sugar over a 

double boiler and cook for about 10 minutes or so.

Until the mixture is thick and pale, like this.

In your ice cream freezer, 

pour the heavy cream, 

sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.

Then pour in the egg/sugar mixture.

Top off with some half & half.

Churn!!

Rough chop the pretzels.

When the ice cream is done, 

transfer it to a large container 

then sprinkle the chopped pretzles 

over the top and then pour 

the ice cream topping over the top.

Gently stir but don't mix so much that your 

ice cream topping is mixed in. 

You want swirls of caramel!

Yeahhhh buddy!!