Christmas Caramels

So, We have been absent.  This is likely because we have had nothing good to say.  Grace and I were discussing this last night while driving around nice neighborhoods and looking at the Christmas lights.  This year past has been a bad one.  Not that we didn't do some awesome things but I think we crossed the invisible and ambiguous line between comfort and complacency.  We have grown too comfortable.  So if I were the kind to make resolutions I would resolve to live more intentionally in 2013.  I think I just might yet do that. 

Christmas time is here.  I cannot adequately stress how much Grace and I love Christmas.  Oh yes, we love the Christmas Magic.  It is the season for some of the best cocktails and brews.  People pretend to be generous and loving for one month of the year.  And you get to bring a living tree into your house for a month... or two.  You can imagine our annoyance when we walked out of our bedroom to find our Christmas tree lying on its side in our living room with our cats pawing ornaments around the pine needle stricken floor.  I screwed the tree to the floor but we did lose a few ornaments to the cats' mischief.   

In an attempt to save on money and give the gift of our labor we decided to make caramels for coworkers and friends this Christmas.  I love caramels and wanted to take on the challenge of monitoring the thermometer to ensure proper temperature to make soft, sweet delights and not hard, brittle teeth enemies.  The first time Grace and I tried it was an overwhelming success... Until the "caramel" cooled and we were left with the latter of the two.  They tasted delicious but were also the hardness of slate.  The second attempt we got closer to our goal.  Soft caramels but no depth of flavor resulting from the longer boil time.  Attempt three is tonight so wish us luck.  I think we can do it.