Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Clusters

Peanut clusters cooling

Last year I posted a recipe for peanut clusters made in a crock pot.  After a good bit of experimentation, the recipe has been revised for chocolate lovers.  The original recipe called for 36 ounces of white almond bark or candy coating and gave the candy a waxy texture. My revision uses only 16 ounces of white chocolate and it is worth the expense to use the real deal, no candy coating.  If you want the taste of chocolate, buy REAL chocolate. I always use a slow cooker liner so the entire bag can be removed and placed on jelly roll pans or a marble slab. If you want to skip the process of making individual clusters; use scissors to cut the bag, spread the chocolate evenly in the pans and break into bark after it has cooled. To form clusters; drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper and allow to cool.  

Place the following ingredients in layers in your lined crock pot:


16 oz. salted dry roasted peanuts
16 oz. unsalted dry roasted peanuts
2 - 8 oz. bars of Baker's German Sweet Chocolate, broken into blocks and chopped
8 oz. milk chocolate baking bar or 1 cup of milk chocolate chips
18 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (3 cups)
16 oz. white chocolate such as Baker's or Ghirardelli

Cover and cook at low temperature until melted, 2-3 hours.  (When you can see the top layer of white chocolate melting, your candy is ready).

Stir with large wooden spoon until the mixture is combined and peanuts are spread throughout.

Place bag on jelly roll pan (prepare an additional pan and line with wax paper) or large marble slab lined with wax paper and cut bag with scissors to spread on pans. For bark, simply cool and break into pieces.  For individual candies, drop by teaspoonful onto wax paper.  Makes approximately 12 dozen individual candies or two trays of bark.

Chocolate and peanut goodness!

Almond Chicken Casserole

Think about your favorite foods.  I would be willing to bet those foods trigger fond memories.  This particular recipe takes me back nearly 10 years to Toledo, Ohio.  It was prepared by my friend Melissa for our book club known as "Guacamole Joe's."  I don't exactly remember who was responsible for the name, but I do know how much fun we had at book club.  As with most, we diligently read and discussed our books in the beginning.  And we always had good food and wine. This recipe triggers memories of wonderful friends and an evening of laughter shared around the table.  I've made Almond Chicken countless times since then, but the original memory of friends I haven't seen in years is still my favorite.

Almond Chicken

5 cups diced, cooked chicken breast

2 cups diced celery

3 cups cooked rice

1 can (8 ounce) diced water chestnuts

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup sour cream

Preparation:  Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and transfer to a 9" x 13" glass dish misted with a non-stick cooking spray.  Prepare topping (below).  Sprinkle topping over casserole and bake in 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes.

Almond Topping

1/2 cup slivered almonds

2/3 cup butter (melted)

3 cups crushed corn flakes

Pecan Caramel Crispies

Pecans have the most wonderful flavor.  When they are toasted the flavor becomes even more intense and nutty.  I love pecans in so many dishes, but in cookies--they are pure heaven.  My cousin gave me this recipe.  She brought them to a family get-together and I was hooked.  I followed the recipe exactly the first time I made them.  But this time some experimentation was in order by way of toasting the pecans and increasing the amount used in the recipe.  To coax a bit more flavor, the amount of vanilla was doubled, and a small square of caramel was added just before baking. When they came out of the oven a chocolate candy melt was placed on top.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

1/2 cup softened butter
6 tablespoons brown sugar (do not pack)
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour-sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/ 1/4 cups toasted chopped pecans (spread on baking sheet and bake at 375 for 5-6 minutes)
about 15 unwrapped caramels- halved

Cream butter and sugars until light.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Sift together dry ingredients; blend into creamed mixture. Stir in nuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoon on baking sheet lined with Silpat. Place 1/2 caramel in middle of cookie and press lightly.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  Remove from oven. If desired place milk chocolate or semi sweet chocolate such as Wilton cookie melts on top of cookie. Cool cookies slightly before removing from pan.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.