The Elusive Toffee Bar

When my husband was a teen, his Mom used to make a toffee bar that he loved. His description of it indicates that it had a sweet, shortbread-type base, a layer of melted chocolate chips, and chopped pecans on top. Yeas ago I asked his Mom for the recipe, and sadly, she could not remember it. Since then I have tried various recipes in hopes that I would find the "right" one.

This recipe from the Joy of Baking website is the latest, but not the last, recipe I have tried. It made a beautiful bar and tasted great - toffee-ish, crunchy base with a yummy layer of chocolate and nuts - but after much discussion, nibbling, and compliments, hubby decided it was still not the elusive recipe.

Toffee Bars
Adapted from Joy of Baking

1/2 cup salted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour

Topping:
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup roasted pecans, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom of 8 inch baking pan with parchment.

Melt butter in medium sized saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and vanilla extract. Add salt and flour and mix just until incorporated. Spread shortbread evenly on bottom of prepared pan and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until shortbread is golden brown with well browned edges.

Remove from oven and immediately scatter chocolate chips over hot shortbread. Return to oven for a minute or two or just until chocolate softens. Remove from oven and, with offset spatula or back of spoon, evenly spread chocolate. Sprinkle chopped pecans over chocolate, then press them lightly into chocolate. Cool on wire rack.

Makes about 16 squares.

In spite of the use of elastic waisted pants that my experiments demand, I have my sights on yet another recipe, this time from the Salad in a Jar blog. It looks like "the one".

Happy New Year - 1-1-11

Christmas Party

We recently invited my husband's office staff to an Appetizers and Desserts Buffet at our house. This was great incentive to decorate and clean the house and get set for the season!



We strung lights above the front porch, and even our cooktop was decorated with salt & pepper Santas. We hadn't decorated this much in years, and once it was done, I was caught up in the holiday spirit.



While iPhone photos are not the best quality, especially at night, I tried to capture the essence of the party tables. I set up the dining room and the kitchen with an assortment of desserts and appetizers. Where did the guests congregate? In the kitchen of course, but I failed to get a photo of the goodies in there.I used a combination of red paper plates and my Pfaltzgraff Winterberry pottery; but best of all was having an excuse to use the Christmas crystal platters and bowls that I have accumulated and especially those given to me by my Mother in years past. Each cherished item that I took from the china cabinet was greeted with delight. Mom gave me the red tablecloth and teal runner that adorned the dining room table, and I carried that color theme throughout the house.


I had fun making way too much food and have already started notes for next year. I based my menu on these adapted recipes:

Appys
Cranberry Manchego Cheese Pinwheels
Mini Ham & Cheese on Hawaiian Rolls
Swedish Meatballs
Jalapeno Popper Spread with bagel crisps
Ranch dip with baby carrots
Salsa with tortilla chips
Hot Crab Dip
Maple Glazed Apple Chicken Sausage Bites

Desserts
Fantasy Chocolate Pie
Fudge Truffle Cheesecake
Pretzel Turtles
Drop Sugar Cookies with Candy Cane Kisses
Gingerbread Truffles


I served fruit punch in this dispenser from World Market.


I hope everyone had a very happy Christmas!

OU Alumni

Our little girl graduated from the University of Oklahoma on Saturday with a degree (and a 3.5+ GPA) in Criminal Justice. Way to go, Jenni!

It was a proud moment for all of her family, as her dream of a college degree was finally realized.

Convocation was in the stunning Catlett Music Center on OU's beautiful campus in Soonerland--Norman, Oklahoma.

A quick handshake and photo with Dr. James Pappas, Dean of the College of Liberal Studies, and the diploma!



Congratulations to the new Oklahoma University Alumni!

Earthquake!

Magnitude 4.3 OKLAHOMA
Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at 14:06:29 UTC

At 9:06 AM CDT this morning, I experienced my first earthquake. Yes, here in central Oklahoma! At first I thought something huge had hit our roof, and it felt like the house moved sideways. My second thought was that it was an earthquake, because it felt different than anything I had ever felt. I immediately sent this message to my husband "Wow I think I might have just felt an earthquake or blast of some kind--it shook the house!!! I accessed the USGS (US Geological Survey), but there was no information there or on local news for about 20 minutes.

The earthquake was either 4.3, according to the USGS, or 5.1, according to the Oklahoma GS.



If you visit the website of the Oklahoma Geological Survey and click on "Earthquakes", you are directed to the Leonard Geophysical Observatory, which is located near my hometown. According to the Preliminary Earthquake Report on that website,

This earthquake was located 5 miles ENE of Noble, OK and 8 miles SE of Norman, OK at latitude 35.164 N and longitude 97.316 W. The best estimate of the earthquakes depth is 13 km (8 miles). Felt reports have ranged from Dallas, TX to Wichita, KS and as far east as Arkansas. No aftershocks have been observed as of 5 PM on Oct. 13, but aftershocks are quite likely and some may be felt by local residents. This earthquake did not occur on a known fault, but there are more faults in the rocks in the subsurface of Oklahoma than we could possibly count.

The USGS reported a moment magnitude (Mw) 4.3 and the Oklahoma Geological Survey reported a magnitude (mbLg) of 5.1. So which one is right? They both are, these are two different estimates of an earthquake’s size. They are two common seismological methods for determining the size, or magnitude, of an earthquake, which cannot be measured directly. They often have discrepancies similar to those that we are seeing for this earthquake. It is entirely possible that the magnitude estimates will change over time as further work is done to measure the size of the earthquake. Whether it is a magnitude 4.3, magnitude 5.1, or something in between, it is still a small to moderate sized earthquake. This also makes this earthquake the second or third largest instrumentally recorded earthquake in Oklahoma. Earthquakes of this size have the potential of occurring almost anywhere in Oklahoma at any time.

How ironic that in spite of several trips to California in my lifetime, my first earthquake experience was in Oklahoma.

My Beautiful Mother - 1912 - 2010

All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.
~Abraham Lincoln

Ruby Maude Mitchell Lawhorn Hopkins

July 31, 1912 - September 19, 2010

This older post is a reminder to me of my Mother's kitchen--the wonderful kitchen of my childhood.

~ What a brave soul she was, still trying to make each day count in the face of a debilitating illness.
~ What a magnificent life she led.
~ What a great amount of love she bestowed.
~ What a privilege to be loved by her.

Desperate Yard Crashers Update

On the last update, our flagstone had been laid, new furniture put into place, and lovely plants strategically placed. The plants have long since burned up, thanks to a long hot Oklahoma summer that has put just a few kinks in the backyard project. Although we did get a beautiful pergola finished, it has been like an oven outside, even in the evenings, so we have not had enough opportunity to enjoy it to the fullest.

However, we did get our first break in the plus 100 temperatures yesterday, and last night it actually rained! Here are some photos of our latest addition.

Just for fun, I'll start with the photo from last year of the "blank slate".



Here is the finished flagstone last November.



And here is the new pergola, partially built by our lawn guys and finished by my talented hubby.



We removed the railing from our existing deck and added a step-down deck. The railing was recycled by installing it for privacy on the back side of the pergola.



I planted wisteria at the far corners of the pergola and hope it will eventually cover it with gorgeous spring blooms!




Hubby dug out and mulched an area for me to have a patio garden. We had a puny Rose of Sharon already in place that has flourished with the company of caladiums, lantana, and mandevilla.



A couple of patio plants are also flourishing. I think the pergola allows the perfect amount of sun and shade.



Hubby's vision of grass between the flagstone is coming along nicely; the fescue has suffered somewhat from the heat, but when cooler temps are finally here to stay, this area should be lush. Hibiscus in a pot has bloomed all summer. Next to the fence, an area of fescue that has not fared well.



The firepit has not been used this summer, but I am anticipating fall evenings with a toasty fire and s'mores!