New Orleans New Years

For the 1st year the traditional Midcity Bonfire was kept under wraps by the local NOPD.

Anywho, it was fun and we got some super fun pics out of it....more later...

Sponge candy

My family loves this candy, and you can really only get it in Pennsylvania, and maybe the surrounding states. It's a light an airy sponge-like toffee, then dipped in chocolate. So this Christmas, my boyfriend and I made a batch at 2 am, as a Christmas surprise for the fam!

It was so much fun, not to mention pretty quick and easy, so I thought I'd share the recipe and images. It puffed up so fast we were cracking up, this would be a fun candy to make with kids!

Note: The recipe doesn't include the chocolate dipping. I used a double boiler (2 pots, the bottom one with water to boil, the top with chocolate to melt). I used a 50% milk chocolate, 50% dark chocolate mix.

1 c. sugar
1 c. dark corn syrup
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1 tbsp. baking soda


1. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and vinegar in a large saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Cover pan for 1 minute to allow the steam to wash down the sugar crystals that cling to side of pan, or whip down the crystals with a damp cloth.

2. Uncover pan; insert candy thermometer. Cook without stirring until candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees (hard crack stage).

3. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda. Pour into a buttered 9 inch square pan. It's not necessary to spread, as the mixture will bubble and spread itself. Cool in pan on wire rack.

4. Break cooled sponge in pieces. Store 2-3 weeks in a tightly covered container with foil or plastic wrap between layers.

(recipe copied from cooks.com)