Coconut Eclipes

As much as I like to eat candy, I do not often make candy. This recipe resulted in delicious candy that looked halfway decent. I made this recipe for a get-together for Father's Day at Mom's house. The candies were a hit, with everyone enjoying them.

Making delicious candy is relatively easy, but making good-looking candy can be tricky. The process of candy coating can be difficult. The chocolate coating needs to be warm, but not too warm, so that it is workable but not flowing. The coating itself needs to give good coverage, but not too much that it all runs off the candy. Learning the techniques can be challenging. But the results are these delicious candies that are similar to Mounds bars, so it is worth the effort.

Coconut Eclipses 

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
• 2 2/3 cup flaked coconut
• 3 squares semi-sweet chocolate

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add water and vanilla. Combine sugar and nonfat milk. Gradually add to butter mixture about one-half cup at a time; mixing well after each addition. Add coconut; mix well. Drop by teaspoon onto wax paper. Let stand until firm, about fifteen minutes. Melt chocolate. Cool chocolate until chocolate feels cool to the touch. Dip bottom of candy in chocolate; place upside down on waxed paper to dry. Enjoy!

Sugared Chocolate Wafers

These cookies are so delicious that I might have eaten them all in one sitting if I had not given some to neighbors. The cookies have a rich chocolate flavor that complements the crisp texture. The recipe calls for placing a walnut in the center of each cookie, but I left that step out. I am sure that the walnuts would have been nice, I just did not have any whole walnuts on hand.

Following the directions, I chilled the dough, but I think they would have come out fine even if the dough was not chilled. I tried using a cookie scooper, but I found that the cookies were not quite round enough, so I shaped the dough by hand into round balls. I did not flatten the cookies as much as the directions stated because I like the thicker cookie. 

Sugared Chocolate Wafers 

• 4 squares unsweetened chocolate
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup firm brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• granulated sugar
• walnuts (optional)

Melt chocolate over hot, not boiling water, cool. Sift floor, powder, soda, and salt onto wax paper. Beat butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and cooked chocolate in a large bowl with electric mix until thoroughly blended. Stir in flour mix. Chill for two hours. Form dough into walnut-size balls. Arrange on ungreased sheets about one-inch apart. Dip glass tumbler in glass and flatten each cookie into a two-inch round. Press walnut into each cookie. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool. Enjoy!

Swedish Meatballs

These meatballs make a terrific meal. In the summertime, I like to look for recipes that do not use the oven. This recipe fits the bill and results in a delicious meal made on the stovetop. The ingredients are easy enough to find. The flavor is terrific, and the meatballs could be eaten on their own or with noodles, rice, or bread.

When I made this recipe, I substituted three-quarter cup of breadcrumbs for the slices of bread, and then increased the milk by another splash. I also added more than a dash of nutmeg because I especially like the flavor. I served these meatballs with noodles.

Swedish Meatballs 

• 3 slices bread, crumbled
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion, grated
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• dash ground nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp. oil
• 1 (7/8 oz.) packet brown gravy mix
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Add bread to milk. Mix in next five ingredients. Shape into one-inch balls. Chill. Brown meatballs in oil in a large skillet. Prepare gravy according to directions, using 1 1/4 cup water. Blend in mayonnaise. Add to meatballs and heat. Enjoy!