What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

What's In That Basket?


Lot's of yummy stuff, that's what!


*Thrifty Note: The tins were purchase new at the Salvation Army. Small ones were 25¢, Large ones were 50¢. I bought the basket this week at the thrift for $1.00. It was pure luck that the tins fit perfectly in the basket. Vintage Christmas Napkins were a yard sale find - 8/$1.00.


White Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Talk about an easy thing to make, but it just doesn't get any tastier. I love sweet and salt.


*Thrifty Note: The parchment paper was an after Christams find last year for 31¢. I bought 6 rolls, so I am set for awhile!

Peppermint Crunch Clusters
Everyone is always so impressed with these. I'm embarrased to admit how incredibly easy they are to make. Melted chocolate chips, some peppermint extract and crushed up candy cane. Mix it up and spoon it into a mini cupcake liner. I enjoy making these because I get to work out my agressions and beat the holy hell out of a huge candy cane with a rolling pin!

*Thrifty Note: The liners were purchased new in package at the thrift this week for 5¢.

Peanut Butter Fudge
Made especailly for DH. It is smooth and creamy and delicious. Every time he goes to a craft fair or somewhere they are selling fudge by the pound he gets a big slab of Peanut Butter Fudge. That usually coasts about $5.00. I made all this for less than $1.50.

*Thrifty Note: I found the Peanut Butter Chips on Clearance at Walgreen's for 29¢.

Cherry-Almond Vanilla Fudge
Oh, this is a tasty one. It was nearly 75 degrees and very humid the day that I made all these goodies. That's isn't ideal Candy making weather to say the least. This is still a bit soft, so we keep it in the fridge. I think it tastes best cold anyway.

*Thrifty Note: The Cherries are from Dillion's Close-Out Clearance - $1.00 for a jar so big I'll never find a use for it all.

Butter Toffee

Left: Butter Almond Toffee with Chocolate/Right: Butter Almond Toffee sans Chocolate
This is my personal favorite. It is so easy to make. I prefer it without the chocolate - the men in the house prefer it with chocolate. So, I make a double batch and put chocolate on half of it. This only requires sugar, butter and corn syrup. The almonds and chocolate are tasty additions, but not really necessary. I don't own a candy thermometer so I rely on the old cold-water hardcrack test and it works perfectly every time.


*Thrifty Note: The chocolate is three Hershey's Special Dark candy bars that I got for FREE with the Sunday insert coupon in November.

Decorations (Check)
Candy Made (Check)
Gifts Bought (Check)
Gifts Wrapped

Uh-oh - time to wrap the gifts. The hardest job of all. I wrap a lovely most beautiful Birthday gift because there is only one of those. But there are piles of Christmnas gifts to be wrapped. Mountains, I tell you.

It's the thought that count's right?

3 comments:

  1. Yummy! all your thrifty notes totally cracked me up! LOL Way to go!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. oOOOOhhhh...it all looks wonderful! Great blog today :) I enjoyed the thrifty notes too! I want like ALL your recipes!! Ok, well at least the cherry almond fudge - YUM! Seriously, I'd love the recipes for all. Email me annette0876ATcomcastDOTnet !! Darling basket and tins. You have the greatest luck at finds! I enjoy reading your blog, this may be my 1st comment tho!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'd like the recipes, too :) I'm a candy a holic at Christmas!!

    If you have them saved, please send to me at:

    johl3@windstream.net I also need your address for the pink and brown swap :)

    lucy

    ReplyDelete

I love my comments. I'd love to respond to everyone, but if you don't have an email address tied to your ID, please sign your name so I will know who you are! It makes it nice to know who is saying what. Now, leave a comment! Please? ;o)

I Can See You!



Look at my Visitors!

Fellow Junk Followers