Butter Cracker Toffee {Easy, Nut-free}

Cracker toffee is amazing. It's so DARNED easy-it's sorta kinda dangerous. And I know you all still are probably thinking about your resolutions but....everything in moderation, ya know? Honestly, I made this toffee over the holidays aaaand you probably could've used it then. But...life happens. So I suggest you make it now, anyway. Or bookmark it for next year! Follow your heart.

My brother-in-law's girlfriend has a nut allergy, so I made this toffee nut-free and really...you don't miss the nuts. The toffee is so buttery and sugary and addictive and then the chocolate gives it that little extra bit of decadence and THEN I made half with salt on top and half without for that sweet and salty combo. Truth=I prefer with the salt. Next time I'd probably do all salt...if it's just for me. I know not everyone feels this way (even though I have totally made myself a salt-on-desserts missionary, going around and bringing people the good word of balancing the sweet with the salty.) Katie (the girlfriend) totally loved them-everyone did! 

And again...I cannot emphasize enough HOW EASY these are. Like...put some crackers on a baking sheet (lined with foil). Boil some butter and sugar. Pour on top of crackers. Bake. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Spread. Let sit. Chill. EAT THE EVER-LOVING CRAP OUT OF THEM. Or ya know...just be good and have 1 or 2. Personally I think that's no way to live, but I'm not here to tell you what to do.

...but seriously...at least eat 5 of them.

Brown Butter Toffee Blondies

It's graduation season! People are getting their caps and gowns and getting ready to bit high school adieu. I have 4 family members graduating this year-3 of my cousins and my precious little sister-in-law. Tomorrow is Shannan's graduation and I couldn't be more excited for her! It also makes me realize how ridiculously far removed from that I am. Like...I think that I'm not that much older than an 18 year old buuut I AM. I can barely even remember my graduation-I remember being mad because my hair wouldn't curl the way I wanted it to (typical) and I remember feeling sort of...underwhelmed during the whole thing. Everyone around me was crying and I was just sitting there willing myself to feel...something. But, that's fairly typical for me when it comes to big events-I sort of have a hard time wrapping my head around the situation. Also high school wasn't exactly the most fun time for me, so I wasn't too sad to be ending it. It's funny to look back and think how I had absolutely no idea where my life was headed. Especially considering I have an adorable photo at graduation with my mother-in-law, long before I had any inkling that is what she would eventually be for me :D

Anyway. With graduations, come graduation parties. Which are such a fun celebration of the graduate-I'm so excited for Shannan's and my cousins' and I know that, if asked, I would 1000% make these blondies to bring to a grad party. Because they're totally impressive and delicious and if you've graduated high school you deserve something epic to mark the occasion. And...I mean...on the practical side--bars/blondies are awesome for parties because you just grab one and go. Not messy and super addictive. Everyone will rave about them!

Technically I already gave some of these to Shannan after her last choir concery buuut I mean...I'd make them again for her party! Or just for me to horde and eat by myself while I watch Orphan Black. Because they're gooey and chewy and brown-sugary brown-buttery delish. And the toffee adds a bit of delightful crunch. And chocolate gives us life. And salted caramel on top is probably just a necessity, yeah? Yeah I think so too.

Graham Cracker Toffee

I love toffee. It's brown sugar and butter cooked into tasty goodness so...yeah. And this is a crazy easy recipe for it--no candy thermometer needed. All you need is butter, sugar, and graham crackers! (and chocolate to top it because...chocolate is always a good idea.)

You're going to become irrevocably addicted after you make these--just a warning.

Because you get rich, buttery, sweet, delicious delicious toffee. The fresher it is, the tastier. You want to give your kid's teacher a gift? Toffee. You want to get your boyfriend to propose to you? Toffee. You want to make your husband worship you for the supreme goddess* you are? TOFFEE.

*ha....yeah right :P

Hmmm....you know.,...Christmas will be here before you know it (I KNOW I KNOW THAT'S INSANE) and these would be a fantastic gift. 

Assuming I can control myself from eating half of it by myself.