Butter 'em up with cheep gifts

Toffee

I halve the recipe because I have a smaller cookie sheet and smaller pans
2 c Butter (16 oz)
2 c sugar
2 Tbs H2o

2 Tbs Vanilla extract (set to the side)
and a thin chocolate bar (broken into pieces)
glass measuring cup (custard dish, etc) of cool water

I like to use Ghirardelli. I have tries their semi-sweet, their mint chocolate, and their peppermint bark bar. All worked well.

On Med-High heat use a stainless steel pan (glass would probably work too, but I tried a Teflon pan and it didn't come out right. Yes, I blame the pan.)
heat the butter, sugar and water stirring CONSTANTLY.
it will take about 10 min.

Here are the stages you will go through
melting
slight boil (butter color)
fluffy hard to stir (light-ish color)
thickening (loosing fluff and darkening)

When it starts to thicken its done-ish
I have made so many batches I can tell by color and smell, but till then this is why you have the cool water in a see thru container. QUICKLY (as time is of the essence) take a little on a spoon and drip wanna-be toffee into the water, don't forget to keep stirring the mixture at the same time (it helps if you are Vishnu). If it hardens you are done. Also watch out for the smell of burning sugar at this point.
remove from heat, add vanilla (keep stirring) .

On an aluminum foil covered cookie sheet pour Toffee (not like a pancake, you want it spread out more)
wait a min.
The top needs to cool a bit or the chocolate will indent into it too much
put broken chocolate around on it to let it melt (about 2 min). The chocolate will change color a bit at the edges and when it hits the middle its melted (you can also test by gently sliding it, put your spatula (not a pancake spatula) in the middle and give it a slight slide). Take your spatula and gently spread chocolate. I start with the outer edges first to be sure the middle is cool enough, otherwise you'll pull the toffee too.

set aside and cool.

My first 2 batches turned out perfect.
then I ruined like 5 in various ways. And then back to perfect.
Its very easy, once you've got it.

Best of luck