CAN'T FAIL DIVINITY

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup white syrup
1/2 cup water

Boil to semi hard ball (250)

While this cooks, beat:

2 egg whites stiff and add
1 pkg Jello (3 oz) - orange, lime or lemon or your choice

Pour syrup over egg white mixture slowly and beat a short time.

When it has a dull look it will mound nicely on wax paper or pour half in lightly buttered 8 x 8 pan and half in mounds.  Sets quickly.

Well, the name of this recipe is kind of funny because I had an epic fail making this!  I believe also that the "white syrup" named in this recipe is Karo corn syrup.  It never turned into divinity but instead turned into a giant blob kind of like taffy which my family kind of pulled off a hunk (kinda stretchy).  Anyway, I ended up throwing it away.  I wonder if I did something wrong?  If anybody else tries this and has it turn out like divinity, let me know!

TOFFEE (XMAS)

1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces

Butter 9 x 9 baking pan.  Spread pecans in pan.  Heat sugar and butter to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, 7 minutes.  Immediately spread mixture over nuts in pan.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over hot mixture.  Place baking sheet over pan so contained heat will melt chocolate.  Spread melted chocolate over candy.  While hot, cut into small squares.  Chill until firm.  If difficult to cut, turn out on board and use large knife to cut across.

This is really easy, just the stirring over  hot pot for 7 minutes can be torture.  You can use a little extra chocolate over the top if you want more of a coating.  You do need to cut these right away if you want perfect squares cuz it hardens.

GRAHAM STREUSEL CAKE

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1-1/4 t cinnamon
3/4 cup magarine, melted
1 pkg. betty crocker cake mix (any flavor)
1 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
vanilla glaze

Heat oven to 350 and grease and flour 13 x 9 baking pan.  Mix crumbs, nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, and margarine.  Reserve.  Blend cake mix, water, oil, and eggs until moistened.  Beat at medium speed 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Pour half of batter into pan.  Sprinkle with half of the crumb mixture.  Spread remaining batter over, then remaining crumb mixture.  Bake 45 to 50 minutes.  Drizzle cake with vanilla glaze.

This is a pleasant tasting cake and easy to make.  It's a good way to use up a random box of cake mix laying around, and most of the other ingredients you would have on hand. 

OLD ITALIAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Sift into large bowl:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar

Into saucepan put:
1 cube margarine (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup crisco
1 cup water
4 t cocoa

Bring to a boil and pour over dry mixture.  Mix to blend.

Add:
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 beaten eggs
1 t cinnamon
1 t soda
1 t vanilla

Mix and pour into lightly greased 11 x 17 baking pan.  Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

10 minutes before cake is done make frosting.

Mix in saucepan:
1 cube margarine
4 T cocoa
6 T milk

Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and add:
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Beat well and put on warm cake.  Serves 15-18

Well, mmmmmm.  This turned out great!

WALNUT BUTTER CRUNCH

2 cups margarine
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
2 T light corn syrup
2 cups chopped walnuts (coarse)
1 pkg. choc chips (6 oz.)
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Melt margarine over low heat in 2-quart saucepan.  Add sugar.  Stir constantly until sugar is melted.  Add water and corn syrup.  Continue cooking over low heat until thermometer registers 290 F.  Remove from heat.  Stir in coarsely chopped nuts.  Spread in a greased jelly-roll pan, 15" x 10" x 1".  Cool until hardened.  Melt chocolate over hot water and spread on crunch.  Sprinkle with finely chopped nuts.  Break into pieces.

This is pretty good.  It's always a hot job standing over a hot pot stirring constantly until it reaches 290, but it tastes pretty good.