No Foolin', Baked Potato Candy

Baked Potato Candy

This one is from the old days, fun to make with the kids or grandkids at Christmas time.

½ pound semi-sweet chocolate chopped – in the old days they used the powdered chocolate, if you know how you can substitute it for the pieces

½ Cup potatoes (bake and peel, then mash up nicely)

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup shredded coconut

1 lb confectioners/powdered sugar

Directions

1. In the top of a double boiler, heat chocolate, stirring some as you go, get the chocolate  melted nice and smooth. (now remember this is an, old time, recipe, but if you are more into modern livin’ melt in the microwave, just check it a lot as you go, won’t take but a couple of minutes.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the potato, (this is a baked, not boiled or fried potato, and no ground up potato chips, they will not work, tried it) salt and vanilla. Sift the confectioners sugar over potato, stirring and adding about a 1/3 at a time. Then another 1/3, save the last bit. Mixture will liquefy when first sugar is added then gradually begin to thicken. (Not sure why all these candy recipes call for confectioners sugar, haven’t used that term much in my 65 years. By the way a confection is defined as a very sweet food, must be all that powdered sugar.
3. When it reaches the consistency of stiff dough, knead it until it evens out; remember not all the sugar has been added yet. Add the rest of the sugar and kneed again. This might sound a little too needy, but it only takes a few minutes.
4. After kneading, cover with a damp cloth and chill until a small spoonful can be rolled into a ball. Shape in small 1/2 inch balls. Dip balls in melted chocolate then roll in coconut.

*Note- when writing this recipe up for your friends, make sure you spell kneading with a K, not, needing with an N and definitely not kneeling, I did see that once, nice laugh, that’s for church.

 

** Note #2 this is the place where the word yield is used to let everyone know how many pieces of candy this will make. Well not here, yield, depends on how big you make them, but should be about a dozen (12), if you make them my size.

Thanksgiving Leftover Pie-What to do!

By revered Wyoming chief, outdoorsman, historian, writer and all-around good guy.
Neil Waring

We have a, good ol’ traditional Thanksgiving, at our house, kids, grandkids and maybe a few others.  Seems like every year we have too many leftovers, at least for too many for a senior citizen couple like us.

Trying to make every kid and grandkids favorite desert has proved to cause a giant left-over delectable desert dilemma. (Alliteration makes every recipe sound better). The pies, cookies, puddings and cakes of Thanksgiving, are all excellent but way too much. So here is a way to get rid of the extra filling from your pumpkin, apple, mincemeat or cherry pie.

Friday Morning Pie Pancakes

Ingredients:
4 cups of your favorite pancake mix
1 cup pie fillings from the left-over’s Sorry you will have to toss the crust, or do like I do and eat it after heating it in the oven with a little cinnamon sugar sprinkled on, one of my favorite cookies
1 cup Confectioners' Sugar
2 tbsp. soft butter
4 tbsp. milk – add a little touch more if the mix is too dry
½-1 tsp. ground cinnamon

This should feed um all, so use it on Friday, or Saturday morning, just before the guests hit the road.


In a big ol’ bowl combine the pie filling and the pancake mix, with water or milk – the side of the box will let you know how much. Stir it up pretty good but not too smooth. Cook like normal pancakes, if you have never fried up pancakes before - ask one of your guests to do it. No need for them to still be lying about all day, doing nothing.

Combine the sugar, butter, cinnamon and last pour in the milk in a small bowl with a fork or whisk until fluffy. I stick with the fork, to Wisk sounds a bit sissy for this old cook, set it aside. But I do like the word fluffy.

Serve with a chunk of left over cake or a dollop of pudding on top.  I love using the word dollop; there I used it twice, in recipes.

Pour your normal favorite syrup over the top and chow down.

Serve with, juice, coffee, eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns and a spoonful of cranberries.

Enjoy, and happy eatin’ - and Happy Thanksgiving