{ super-simple english toffee }

It's the beginning of January, and I should be writing about resolutions and goals or fitness and such.

Instead, I'm sharing a yummy recipe for the easiest (yet uber-delicious) English toffee ever. I made it for a New Year's Eve party at my personal trainer/friend's house (HA! How's that for ballsy?!), and not a crumb remained by 8:00 pm. -- it's the perfect sweet accompaniment for champagne-sipping!

Make this. Really. Do it. You'll impress your friends at your next get-together, or you'll know that you have something scrumptious waiting for you when you get home from work -- either way, a total win. And the second best part is that it doesn't get much easier (the best part is the taste).

Easy English Toffee
(adapted from the idea room)

 Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds, for bottom layer
1 cup salted butter
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
3 tablespoon water
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds, for top layer

Process

Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil and sprinkle 1/2 cup of toasted almonds in the pan on the foil.

In heavy saucepan melt butter. Add sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook and stir over medium-high heat to boiling.

Cook and stir over medium heat to 290 degrees using a candy thermometer (soft-crack stage). Watch carefully and stir, as it easily burns above 280 degrees.

Remove from heat and immediately pour mixture over the nuts in the pan. It won't completely fill the pan to the edges and ends up looking uneven on the edges -- this is perfect! Let stand 3-5 minutes, or until firm but still hot. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and let the stand for 1 to 2 minutes. Once chocolate softens, spread over mixture.

Sprinkle the chocolate with nuts. Chill till firm. Break into pieces. Store tightly covered. Makes approximately 1 1/2 pounds.

swanky cocktails to ring in the new year

Ty is on duty tonight, helping to keep Boston Harbor safe for all the New Year’s Eve revelers. So my rockin’ plans for the evening include watching Scooby Doo and the Lake Monster (zoinks!) with Aidan, stealing bites of his Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, and experimenting with Enfamil and Similac in an attempt to try and discover if one makes Paige spit up less than the other.

Don’t hate me.

So in the spirit of festive New Year’s Evenings of past, spent with family and friends raising our glasses at midnight and wishing that ‘old acquaintances never be forgot’ … here are some super delish-looking cocktails, care of Martha, that I’d love to be sipping tonight. Eventually I’m going to try each one, whether it be on some New Year’s Eve in the future, or on a random Tuesday night in June.

Sparkling Pear and Cranberry Cocktail

2 tablespoons dry cranberries 1/2 cup organic pear nectar 32 ounces Moscato d'Asti wine 8 small sprigs fresh rosemary

Coquito

1 coconut 3/4 to 1 bottle (750-ml) dark or light rum, preferably Brugal or Bacardi 1 (13 1/2-ounce) can coconut milk, preferably Coco Lopez 1 (15-ounce) can cream of coconut, preferably Coco Lopez 2.5 (12-ounce) cans evaporated milk 2 large cinnamon sticks Ice cubes, for serving 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Martha’s Berry Little Cocktail

1/2 cup sugar 1 cup fresh cranberries 1 ounce ruby red grapefruit vodka, such as Charbay, chilled 2 ounces champagne, chilled 1 ounce cranberry juice, chilled 1 ounce black currant juice or blackberry puree, chilled

Brandy Alexander

1 1/2 ounces brandy 2 ounces heavy cream 1 ounce Kahlua 1 cup ice

Classic Martini

1 dash dry French vermouth 3 ounces gin or vodka, chilled Ice cubes Green cocktail olive, lemon/lime-peel twist, or tomolive, for garnish