Crunchie Bars

While Matt and I were exploring Epcot at Disney World, we came across the candy bars in the England section.  We both enjoyed them (maybe a little too much?)...We really liked the crunchie bar by Cadbury but they are hard to find (one of our local Indian groceries sometimes carries them though).....so I went looking for a recipe! After a trying a few, I came up with a combination of the recipes that both looked and tasted good.

Homemade Crunchie Bars

1 cup sugar (extra fine, if you can find it)
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons golden syrup (we found it in the international aisle of our grocery store)
1 teaspoon baking soda
chocolate to melt (I usually use milk chocolate chips)

Prepare your tray or dish.  I used an 8x8 glass dish lined with aluminum foil. Lightly spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.
Stir the sugar, honey, and golden syrup in a LARGE pot (trust me, you will need a good sized pot for this!) over medium heat until the mixture becomes creamy.  When you see bubbles start to form, you want to simmer the mixture for 4-5 minutes.  Then turn up the heat slightly to bring it to a boil for 1-2 minutes.  (Make sure not to burn the mixture!)  Next add the baking soda.  Mix well and then take off the heat.  Adding the baking soda and mixing will make your mixture puff up quite dramatically. (This is why a large pot is needed.) Pour the mixture into your prepared dish. Do not pat it down, as you want this to be light and fluffy.
Cool in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.  Then you will break the bars into chunks.  I usually just break it with my hands, but if you have a stubborn bit you could carefully use a kitchen knife. Make sure that all the aluminum foil is off your chunks!
Next you need to melt your chocolate.  My preferred method is in a glass bowl in the microwave.  I nuke the chocolate for about 2 minutes using 30 second intervals.  Then I dip the chunks into the chocolate and place them on a tray lined with plastic wrap..  I usually freeze the crunchie bars on the tray for about 10 minutes so that the chocolate can set up.  Then I store them in a container in the fridge. 

Things to do in Savannah

My husband worked in Savannah (Georgia) last year and people have been asking us what to do when they visit Savannah.  Here is our list:
Restaurants: Uncle Bubbas (seafood $$$ on way to Tybee. Matt says is great!), Lady &; Sons Paula Deen...buffet has always been good), Mellow Mushroom ( Pizza- Liberty Street- Verrrrrry good, must go to bathroom while there....also one on HHI), Randys BBQ (good cheap ribs and chicken, will be sold out before 2pm 709 Wheaton St)

Moon River Brewing Company is on Bay Street. Beer is good, alcohol can be consumed in the streets!

Walwalk down River Street. Go to the Peanut Shoppe (samples of everything! My favorite is the Hot Southern Nuts,  Matt likes the Wasabi Nuts) River Street Sweets (samples, also Matt says to avoid the other candy store--not as good), there's a shell shop there too (pretty cool to look at) and a frozen margarita place (maybe hit that first because you can take drinks out on the street)

Broughton Street is where a lot of the shopping is- Savannah Bee Company is there.

Gourmet Gas Station -222 Drayton Street. Kinda fun!

Walk through the squares downtown! Take a carriage/horse tour and at night a hearse tour or haunted pub crawl. I think there's some sort of tour in Bonaventure Cemetary too. Check it out!

Check out Forsythe Park, as well as Wormsloe.

Also get a homeless rose on River Street. Well Matt just informed me that they aren't all homeless, but it is a Gullah tradition..anyway the people make them out of palm leaves.....

If you want to see gators you can check out Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. You can just drive through the whole park and get out and look when/if you want to. It's free. Matt just added that there are water fowl there too.

Don't forget Tybee Island!! Fort Pulaski is on the way to Tybee if you are up for a little history lesson! Check out Christy's gift shop by the big pier on Tybee. The have cool logo items!

Lots of shells on the north and south end of Tybee, different types on different ends. Lighthouse on north end. I think you can park in a plaza and take a bus to Tybee if you don't want to deal with parking or traffic! Hotel should have info!

We have stayed at the Quality Inn on Bay Street. Parking is free, breakfast is included and rooms have been standard, and it's in walking distance of downtown/River Street!

 

Florida

Well, Matt and I ended up moving to Florida in February of this year. It's been quite an adjustment, but everything is going well. 

There are many things to do outdoors. We have also discovered many yummy restaurants. I will be posting about those soon. 

I have been cooking and baking a lot and I hope to start putting up recipes and pictures soon!

Monday, December 26-Thursday, December 29

Monday we went to Lake Mayer park.  It has a 1.5 mile walking/biking/running track and it was pretty nice.  We just walked lol http://parks.chathamcounty.org/Parks/CommunityParks/LakeMayer.aspx

We also went to Oatland Island ( http://internet.savannah.chatham.k12.ga.us/schools/oat/default.aspx ) It was pretty interesting.  I think the wolves were the best part!

We visited Target and Walmart so that Matt could use part of his giftcards....We stopped into  Brighter Days Natural Foods on Bull Street. They have powdered peanut butter that has very very little fat.  I was going to take a video of this but I forgot.  You add 2T of the powdered peanut butter and 1T of water and mix.  It tasted really good. It was smooth and creamy! http://www6.netrition.com/bell_plantation_pb2.html   I'll probably get more when I get home.  It would be a good thing to keep at work.

We have also been working on wedding plans and getting ideas together.  :)

Pics from my phone

Pollo Tropical, Mickey Ds, sunburn, Christmas Decorations, butter chicken and naan that I made

12/24-12/27

Matt and I went to Florida on the 23rd.  We got there too late to camp, but we were able to snag a cheap hotel room! yay!
We went and had breakfast at a real Mickey D's...there is a difference between McDonald's and Mickey D's.....This one has a whole different menu--a gourmet menu.  For example, we had an eggs benedict panini for breakfast.  They have pasta, pizza, ice cream, ice cream sundaes, and different cakes too! It had a game room upstairs that was like Chick E Cheese too!  There was also a bowling alley!

We went to you pick citrus and brought back pomelos, tangerines, oranges, etc.


We went to Big Tree Park to see the.........big trees!!

We went to Blue Spring park to see the manatees.

We went to Juniper Springs to see....the springs... :)

We also got to eat at Pollo Tropical while we were there!

On Christmas day, I made dinner (didn't take pictures of it! BOO! :(  )  We had turkey, green beans, scalloped potatoes, rolls, cherry pie and ice cream!  Then we went to Tybee to the beach!  Yay!
Matt was off  on Monday so we went to an organic store called Brighter Day. We also went to Lake Mayer Park, Oatland Island Wildlife center (http://internet.savannah.chatham.k12.ga.us/schools/oat/default.aspx),  Lovin' Spoons (http://www.lovinspoons.com/  ....It's a lot like Menchies!), a beverage center, and Wal-Mart!

Wedding colors?

Friday, December 23

Currently doing laundry in preparation of our trip to Florida!

We had Pollo Tropical!!!! Mmmmm fried yucca!

Also, the traffic in Orlando was worse than usual, and this picture does not do it justice.