Welcome to my tour stop for the Harlequin Naughty or Nice Tour! We have a great post (that will make you hungry) from Linda Goodnight! Welcome Linda!
by Linda Goodnight
About The Christmas Family:
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Contractor Brady Buchanon can’t wait to surprise single mom Abby Webster with his company’s Christmas home makeover prize. But once he does, the struggling waitress turns him down flat! Raised in foster care, Abby won’t accept charity. Yet when her dilapidated porch almost injures her daughter, Abby finally agrees to Brady’s offer. As the hardworking bachelor pushes to finish the house in time for Christmas, he starts falling for Abby and her little girl. With the holidays in sight, Brady wonders if Abby will not only accept her beautiful new home, but also his wish to make her his wife…
Candy Day, A Holiday Tradition from Linda Goodnight
Christmas candy. The words alone stir up a powerful nostalgia in most of us. Whether it’s hard ribbon candy in our stockings or sugarplums dancing in our dreams, candy is a big part of the Christmas holidays.
Years ago, a friend and I unintentionally started a tradition that I continue to this day with my daughters. A week or two before Christmas, we set aside one day to get together and make Christmas candy. In reality, the candy is a delicious by-product of a special day of fellowship and fun with people I love during an otherwise hectic season. The resulting goodies become gifts, party and church treats, and feed the masses at my house on Christmas Day. Some recipes are relatively easy. Others take two people and hours. All are so worth it!
For best results, choose a day of low humidity (except for bonbons, which can be made anytime). Recipes come and go, but at my house we always make these four: Bonbons, Peanut Brittle, Marshmallow Fudge and Aunt Bill’s Brown Candy. For the sake of space, I’ll share the relatively easy no-cook bonbons here and post the rest on my blog. www.lindagoodnight.com/#!lindas-blog/c213k
Coconut Bonbons
No cooking required, so these are perfect for beginners. Bonbons need time to freeze before dipping in chocolate, so allow time in your schedule. Sometimes I make the balls the day before, freeze overnight and dip the next day.
1 cube (½ cup) butter or margarine
1 cup pecans, chopped very fine
2 lbs powdered (confectioners’) sugar
1 large pkg (14 oz) coconut flakes
1 pkg (12 oz) chocolate chips
Paraffin—optional, but helpful to make the chocolate set nicely. Available in the baking section.
Sprinkles or extra nuts for decoration, optional
- Mix condensed milk with softened margarine or butter.
- Gradually stir in sugar, coconut and pecans. Mixture will be very stiff. You may have to use clean hands.
- Form into small balls (dime or nickel size). Place single file on cookie sheets or foil, and freeze.
- Once frozen, melt chips in microwave or over a double boiler. If you have it, add a small piece of paraffin wax, approximately 2 inches by 3 inches, and melt with the chips. (I have used half this much with good results to avoid the waxy taste.)
- Using two forks, quickly dip frozen bonbons into the melted chocolate and return to cookie sheet. Don’t linger in the chocolate or the bonbon will fall apart. Dipping takes some time, so having helpers is great! Chill.
- If desired, roll in ground nuts or sprinkles and place into small cupcake liners before chilling.
Happy holidays,
Linda
Giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:
- 2 copies of each print title (one for yourself and one for a friend!): Christmas in Mustang Creek by Linda Lael Miller, The Christmas Family by Linda Goodnight, When Secrets Strike by Marta Perry, A Cold Creek Christmas Story by RaeAnne Thayne and Evergreen Springs by RaeAnne Thayne
- An ebook copy of Act Like It by Lucy Parker
- 2 Harlequin Classics limited edition notebooks
- 100,000 Harlequin MyRewards points
- 1 Brenda Jackson Westmorelands notebook
Please enter via the Rafflecopter form below:
a Rafflecopter giveawayMonday, Novemer 9th – Book Gossip
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Wednesday, November 11th – Books and Things
Thursday, November 12th – Romancing Rakes For The Love of Romance
Friday, November 13th – The Reading Cow
Monday, November 16th – As the Pages Turn
Tuesday, November 17th – Peace Love Books
Wednesday, November 18th – Romancebookworms Reviews
Friday, November 20th – Blushing Reads
Monday, November 23rd – Rustys Reading
Wednesday, November 25th – Polished Bookworm
Friday, November 27th – Toot’s Book Reviews
What an amazing giveaway.
ReplyDeleteThe Greatest Christmas Gift sounds wonderfully festive, perfect for the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge.
And as for that recipe? Yummy. Not sure where/if we can get confectioners sugar here though I have a feeling we might possibly know it as something else here in the UK.
Hi Tracy, I think confectioner's sugar is called icing sugar in the UK. It's also called powdered sugar in some places. Enjoy the yummies!!
DeleteLinda Goodnight
Ummmmm. This is DEFINITELY my kind of holiday tradition! *starts craving sweets*
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for being a part of the tour Melissa!
Ooh, I just realized I haven't posted the other recipes on my blog yet. Must do that now!
DeleteThanks for letting me be a part of the tour Jenny!
DeleteThanks for being on the blog, Linda!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI love this traditions! We do the traditional cookies (not sugar but snickerdoodles) and caramel popcorn but I've never thought about attempting candy! I think it would be a really fun idea. Who knows, maybe we will give that a shot this year. ;)
ReplyDeleteI hope you do, Kindlemom. We have so much fun...and all that delicious taste testing!!
DeleteHi Linda, Christmas candy making sounds like a great tradition. Something I should try with my girls. Love the recipe can't wait to try it!
ReplyDeleteMy girls love the "rolling the dough into balls" because they get to eat the coconut mixture in the process. lol
DeleteThe issue was fixed, I deleted my comment. Oh but the post is making me wish for Christmas to be here...m..sugar plums... mm christmas candy.. dang it >><
ReplyDeleteHi Lily, I know it's early to think Christmas candy. Oh, wait. It's never too early to think about fudge and bonbons and peanut brittle and.....:-)
Deleteoh nope never too early, my husband has been snatching up the peanut brittle :)
DeleteI love festive holiday reads!
ReplyDeleteI've made truffles for the past few years. They seem like they would be difficult but it's super easy. A tad messy but it's also fun to roll them in all the yummy toppings.
Karen @For What It's Worth
Karen, I love truffles! Do you share your recipe?
DeleteCan't have too many sweets during the holidays! I like how simple the directions are. Can't wait to try it at home!
ReplyDeleteYay xmas books :)
ReplyDeleteMmmm sweets
I just love Christmas themed books..the romances are a little more magical, and now I needs to make these candies!!
ReplyDeleteCoconut bonbons! Gah!
ReplyDeleteLinda! Linda! Very tempting recipe! Thank you. I love pecans and coconut! And I have your book. Now I can read it while I eat treats!
ReplyDeleteOh yum!
ReplyDeleteMmmmm.... those Coconut Bonbons sound yummy!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge fan of Christmas reads... I suppose because it's so hot in AUS!
I don't like anything with coconut but candy is important for the holidays. I love candy canes but I have a lot of memories of the hard candy that's similar to a candy cane but is more fruity and bends in funny ways. I can't think of what it's called.
ReplyDeleteAw I love that tradition :D What a great memory for each year.
ReplyDeleteMmmm the Coconut Bonbons are like almond joys. This is a tradition I can totally get behind.
ReplyDeleteI love holiday candy, though I don't make much and I don't chow down on it like I wish I could.
ReplyDeleteThat's such a cool tradition! I love holiday traditions. So important for the family.
ReplyDeleteI love anything Christmas, candy, books, all of it. I used to make candy every year, but not anymore. My mom always made the cookies.Again, not anymore. Maybe I should do some this year. Thanks for sharing your traditions.
ReplyDelete