I'm No Baker's Man

My mom could bake.  Some of the best chocolate chip cookies, whoopie pies and scotch a roos, were made at my house.  These items were sometimes fought over, who would get the first /last one?  I on the other hand can’t bake a lick.  I don’t measure.  Baking takes precise amounts of ingredients.  For me, taking the time to measure is a waste.  Maybe I just haven’t taken into consideration the science behind baking powder, baking soda, salt, yeast, etc.  Oh well, we can’t be everything.  My mom on the other hand could bake up a storm, especially around this time of the year.  I remember her making fudge, divinity, buckeyes, sugar cookies and hard tack candy.  This candy making skill can only be found by someone who cares about the end result.  Christmas time was the best in our house.  Somewhere around 7 or 8 years of age I was finally old enough to join in and help produce these wonderful delicacies.  My specialty was cinnamon toothpicks.  I would share these carefully prepared splinters of wood with all my friends, keeping the candy to myself.  Today is your lucky day.  I am going to present you with the recipe for one of my all time favorites.  My mom would surprise us somehow.  We would arrive home to find the smell of melting peanut butter and chocolate.  My sisters and I would head straight for the kitchen.  There we would find a 9 1/2 x 13” glass baking dish filled with gooey, chewy, chocolaty treats.  We couldn’t cut or eat them fast enough!  For me the knife would just be getting in the way.  I still make these today, as a matter of fact just a couple days ago.  So here goes.  Follow this recipe exactly.  Do not make substitutions.  I would not want you to misrepresent my mother’s recipe.  You will need the following:  about 25 toothpicks, one bottle of cinnamon extract and one small glass container large enough to hold tooth picks and oil.  Combine and let soak overnight.  Remove from oil and allow toothpicks enough air time to dry.  Share and enjoy.  Ha ha just kidding!  Scotch-a-roos:  Combine 1 cup Karo syrup, 1 cup sugar, bring this mixture to a boil.  Allow this mixture to boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and add 1 cup peanut butter, mix until smooth.  In a large bowl add 6 cups of Rice Krispies and pour in peanut butter mixture mix to combine all Krispies.  Place this mixture in a 9 ½ x 13 glass baking dish and allow to cool at room temperature.  In a double boiler add 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips with ½ bag of butterscotch chips.  Heat until chips are smooth, pour and spread over cooled krispie mixture.  Allow chocolate to set before cutting and eating.  You can thank my mom for sharing this recipe with me as a young boy.  I don’t know where she got this, but I am grateful she made these treats once and a while.  Enjoy!