Thursday Recap/Friday Gameplan/Recipe for Fabulous Make Ahead Dessert!

Thursday Recap

I knew I had alot to do yesterday, but I wasn't sure if I could get it all done. So here is what I finished.

• 1 load of laundry

• 1 load in dryer

• ran a load of dishes

• made dinner & lunch for Friday Quicktip: When making dinner go ahead and make enough for lunch the next day, box it up and have it ready to grab in the morning. Not only will this save time and money, but you will probably eat a little healthier too. Not to mention how happy your husband will be!

• made apple pie for co-worker who just got out of the hospital (he gives me apples from his tree :)
  

• put lights in my garland on the banister

• went to dinner with some friends (what a fun fun time!)

I needed to finish the garland and clean house a bit. But, by the time I got home I did really good to get everything I got done, done. I went to bed at 11:00, 30 min later than usual, so I am a bit tired today.

Friday Gameplan

• make peppermint bark (I am doing this at work because it takes forever to harden and I can put it in the fridge or freezer and get it done quickly) Quicktip: Make a few extra desserts that you can keep in your freezer, you never know when you will have to go to a last minute party, or a neighbor might all of a sudden give you a gift, having treats already made will keep you from stressing from the unexpected.
  

• finish garland (I am hanging all of our cards form our banister garland)

• make dinner (good news is that all I have to do is warm up leftovers! Hooray!)

• wrap about 5 gifts (I had to pull some switcheroo's as a couple family members decided they were only giving gifts to children and a couple things arrived from online shopping)
  

• visit co-worker and deliver pie

• deliver open house/christmas party invitations to the neighbors

• make candy cane cookies for my cookie exchange party on Saturday (I made some peanut butter heath cookies earlier this week just in case I didn't have time to get these done)

This can all easily be finished today! This just leaves a little cleaning and straightening up along
with a little appetizer making for Saturday before the party. I can't wait!

Chocolate Toffee Crunchies

When making these line your pans with parchment paper-this makes it easier to get them out of the pan when finished. I even laid mine in the freezer to cool off, I just carefully picked up the parchment paper-this enables you to get it out of the hot pan. I also stored these in the freezer after they were done and I tried one a couple days later-these are the perfect make ahead and freeze dessert.

I didn't use nuts, they are expensive and I wanted this to be a little cheaper. I topped them with granulated natural sugar and red sprinkles. The natural sugar is large granules and it has a yellow goldish color. They look really festive this way.

• 2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (no substitutes), melted
• TOPPING:
• 1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1. Combine crumbs, brown sugar and butter. Press into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. In a saucepan, bring butter and brown sugar to a boil over medium heat; boil and stir for 1 minute. Pour evenly over crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with chocolate chips; let stand until chocolate is melted. Spread evenly over top; sprinkle with pecans. Cool completely before cutting.