I'm going off on a non-knitting tangent today to offer a recipe that makes terrific holiday gifts. It is from my cookbook "Tis the Season.
EASY MICROWAVE TURTLE CANDIES
Try to find some premium chocolate chips for this recipe like Ghirardelli milk or dark chocolate chips. For a more decorative turtle, melt some white chocolate and drizzle all over the completed and cooled turtles.
Makes 16 turtles
12 ounces semisweet, milk or dark chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
28 caramels, unwrapped
2 tablespoons whipping cream
Microwave half the chips in a glass bowl at HIGH for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute. Stir until smooth; cool until slightly thickened. Drop chocolate by tablespoonfuls onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet, shaping into 16 (1 1/2 inch) circles. Reserve remaining chocolate. Arrange 4 pecans over each circle for legs; chill until firm.
Place caramels and cream in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 2 minutes or until caramels melt; stir after 1 minute. Let stand 4 minutes or until slightly thickened. Spoon caramel mixture evenly over pecans. Microwave remaining chocolate at HIGH 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds; quickly spread over caramel mixture. Refrigerate until firm.
(You don't need to use cream to melt with the caramels - milk or even water works also.)