WHAT WERE WE DOING BEFORE WE WENT AWAY?

Getting ready for Christmas, of course!

It ain't Christmas until this ice cream container arrives from Grandma and Grandpa Jones

Now I know what you're thinking: That's a lot of ice cream for two empty-nesters! That may be true, but it isn't full of ice cream. Normally that would make me sad, but

 that feeling of despair passes quickly when I peel off the lid and find

Grandma Jones' Chocolates

I bet my kids recognize them. I bet my kids would also tell you that it may be Grandma's recipe, but in their memory, Grandpa always makes them. I don't know where Grandma got the recipe, but Stan tells me his parents have made them for as long as he can remember.

You may think that a gallon of homemade caramel chocolates is too much for two empty nesters. 

Nope. It's not.

I don't care who makes them, they are incredibly tasty!

Take a cookie sheet and put 15 or 16 Hershey's chocolate bars in the bottom of a tinfoil greased with butter only. Put in the oven on warm until melted. Take a knife and spread it around evenly. Take out of oven. (Grandpa has also used good quality milk chocolate made for melting.)

In a big pan, bring to a boil:

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups suagr

1 3/4 cups of white Karo Syrup

1/2 lb. of butter

After it boils, add

1 more cup of heavy cream

dash salt. 

Boil 1/2 way between soft and hard stage. Takes about 1 hour to make the caramel. Add nuts. The Joneses traditionally used Brazil nuts, but you can use whatever you like.

When it is finished, pour the caramel over the chocolate that has been melted in the pan.

Put 15-16 more Hershey's chocolate on top of caramel and return to oven to melt.

Careful! Chocolate put onto plates easily slide off into your  mouth when you're not paying attention.

Ok, I've eaten all the candy my tummy will hold. NOW I'm ready for Christmas.