Honey Crunch

Tammy also introduced us to another cereal treat (using coupons I always have a TON of cereal stocked-up!)

* 6 cups of any cereal (Chex, Cheerios, Corn Flakes)

* 2 cups Quaker Oats (quick)

* 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts

* 1/2 cup pretzels (sometimes I use 1 c. pretzels and no nuts)

* 2 teaspoons cinnamon

* 1 cup butter

* 2/3 cup honey

* 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

*1 cup raisin and/or M & M's (optional)

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine cereal, oats, nuts, pretzels and cinnamon.

In a small saucepan, combine butter, honey and brown sugar.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and ingredients are well blended.

Pour over cereal mixture and mix until thoroughly coated.

Spread evenly onto a 15 x 10 jelly roll pan/cookie sheet.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until mixture is golden brown, stirring every 5 minutes.

Immediately spread mixture onto a wax paper covered cooling rack.  Stir in raisins. 

Cool completely.  Stir in M&M's at this time.

Store in tightly covered container in a cool dry place.

Good as a cereal or an ice cream or yogurt topping, too!

Crackly Ginger Cookies

Yummy Gingersnap cookies!  These are also very moist  :)

* 4 cups sifted all purpose flour

* 4 tsp. baking soda

* 2 tsp. ground ginger

* 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

* 1 tsp. salt

* 1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening

* 1 3/4 cups sugar

* 2 eggs

* 1/2 cup molasses

* 1/4 cup sugar

Sift flour, soda, ginger, cinnamon, & salt together.

In another bowl, mix shortening and sugar.  Beat in eggs and molasses.

Work flour mixture into the molasses mixture to form a soft dough.

Divide dough in half and wrap each half in waxed paper.

Chill overnight or until firm enough to shape. (1 hour in the fridge always works for me)

Roll into 1" balls. 

Dip tops in the 1/4 c. sugar and place sugar side up about 2" apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, just until firm.

Let sit on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before lifting off.

Store in a container with tight fitting lid.

Saltine Cracker Toffee

My friend Tammy brought these delicious goodies to our house.  Once we started eathing them, they disappeared super quick!!!  YUM!!!

* Saltine crackers

* 1 cup brown sugar

* 1 stick butter

* 12 oz. chocolate chips

* heath bar toffee chips

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. on 10 x 15 cookie sheet, arrange saltines in a single layer (salt side down), preferably on parchment

    paper for easy cleanup.

3. Over medium heat, combine butter and brown sugar in a saucepan. Stir until mixture thickens and starts to boil. (if you use dark brown sugar, be sure to boil until butter and sugar are totally combined.)

4. Pour butter and sugar mixture over saltines. Using back of spoon or spatula, spread mixture evenly over all of the crackers. Work quickly for it will start to cool.

5. Place cookie sheet in preheated oven.

6. Bake for 10 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. (exactly 10 mins. worked for my oven).Don't over cook.....it will burn. Don't under cook....it will stick to cookie sheet.

7. Immediately upon removing cookie sheet from oven, evenly sprinkle chocolate chips over the crackers.

8. Let sit for 3 to 5 minutes, then smooth the melted chocolate over the crackers using the back of a spoon or a spatula.

9. Sprinkle toffee chips on top of chocolate.

10. Freeze or refrigerate for 2+ hours.  Break apart and enjoy. (I enjoy them most when they are served right out of the freezer.)

***There are variations of this chocolate toffee bar recipe. Some omit the toffee and use chopped pecans instead. 

Neat Treat

This is one of my favorite little treats to snack on.  Just enough sugar and crunch :)

Mix together:

1 16 oz pkg rice chex  (or use corn chex or a mixture of both)                                                

1 to 2 cups sliced almonds

2 cups coconut                                                           

Cook together:

1 cup light karol syrup                                               

1 cup sugar

¾ cup butter                                                   

Bring to a boil, boil approx. 1 minute, and pour over cereal mix.  Mix well.

Chocolate Banana Bread

Yum!  A fun variety of regular banana bread :)  This recipe comes from my SIL, Cara.

1 cup margarine, softened                                          

2 cups sugar

4 eggs                                                                         

6 bananas, mashed     

2 tsp vanilla extract                                                    

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda                                                       

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup light sour cream                                                

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans.  In a large bowl, cream together margarine, sugar, and eggs.  Stir in bananas and vanilla.  Sift in flour, baking soda, and cocoa; mix well.  Blend in sour cream and chocolate chips.  Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of a loaf comes out clean.

Cherry Chocolate Bars

These treats remind me of being a child.  My Aunt RaNae would make these yummy cherry chocolate bars.  I've been thinking about them because I've had a can of nuts in my cupboard for awhile.  I didn't find cherry frosting at the store I went to so I just grabbed strawberry and hoped it would work.  It was just as yummy :)

Melt 1 pkg (12 oz) Hershey’s Chocolate Chips in the microwave.  Add ¾ cup peanut butter.  Melt and then add 12 oz salted peanuts, chopped.  Put ½ of chocolate mixture in buttered 9 x 13 pan and set.  Melt 20 marshmallows and add      to 1 can cherry frosting (Betty Crocker) or 1 pkg of Cherry Frosting mixed according to package.  Spread over chocolate layer and set.  Add remaining chocolate mixture.  Set and then cut into squares.    

I cut these into very small squares...they are just rich enough that you don't need much :)

Apple Spice Cupcakes

This is a recipe from the treat exchange...from Candi Hunter

1 box spice cake mix
1 can apple pie filling

Mix spice cake according to the directons on the box.  Pour into muffin tin 3/4 full.  Add one spoonful of apple pie filling to each cupcake.  Bake at 350 degrees fro 18-23 minutes

Frosting:
1/3 cup butter softened
1/4 cup whippped cream or evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups powdered sugar

Beat butter until creamy.  Add cream, vanilla, salt, and 1 cup of powdered sugar.  Beat until well blended.  Gradually add remaining 3 cups of powdered sugar and mix until blended.  Add 1 tsp of milk at a time if necessary.  Beat until smooth.

Frost cupcakes when cool.

Soft Gingersnap Cookies

My friend, Michele, introduced these SOFT gingersnap cookies to me several years ago.  I had the recipe and apparently lost it so I had to get again this week so I could take these yummy cookies to a church treat exchange last night.  Love that they are just strong enough ginger....not overpowering and that they are SOFT! 

2 1/4 cups flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/4 cup sugar

In a large mixing bowl combine about half of the flour, brown sugar, shortening, molasses, egg, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed till combined.  Beat or stir in remaining flour.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls.  Roll balls in the granulated sugar to coat.  Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or till edges are set and tops are crackled.  Cool cookies on cookie sheet for 1 minute.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.  Makes about 48 cookies.

Hershey's Perfect Special Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

From treat exchange made by Pam.

Preheat oven to 375.

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups (12 oz pkg) Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt.  Beat butter, sguars, and vanilla until creamy.  Add eggs, beat well.  Gradually add flour mixture, beating well.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.  Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool slightly, remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.  Cool completely.

Pumpkin Bread

From the treat exchange.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 2 loaf pans.  Mix in order:
3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
1 cup pumpkin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups flour

Pour equal amounts of batter into pans.  Bake at 350 for one hour.

Easy Pumpkin Spice Cookies

From the treat exchange.

1 box spice cake mix
1 small can pumpkin
1 egg

Mix all together.  Add chopped walnuts.  Add chocolate chips.  Drop by teaspoon on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees about 15 minutes.

Peppermint Bark

From Debbie Douangaphaivong.  Love Debbie's warning on her recipe card at the treat exchange:  "WARNING:  Make at your own risk...you may find that you can't stop eating it."

12 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips
12 oz. white chocolate
Crushed peppermint candy (i.e. candy canes)  About 1/2 cup or to your preference
1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Line foil into a 9x12 pan.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Put foil lined pan into oven to warm.  Take out after 5-10 minutes.  Then, pour 12 oz chocolate chips onto the foil to cover the bottom.  Put back into the oven until melted.  Take out and spread melted chocolate chips evenly.  Put into the fridge to cool.  While chocolate is cooling, melt package of white chocolate and 1/2 tsp peppermint extract in double boiler over the stove making sure not to let white chocolate get too hot.  When melted, stir well, birng out the chocolate from fridge and pour white chocolate on top quickly.  Spread evenly, then sprinkle crushed peppermint candy on top.  put back into fridge to harden.  Cut into squares or break with hands and store in a covered container.

Oatmeal Cocoa Macaroons

From the treat exchange.

3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shredded coconut
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup cocoa powder

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, milk, and sugar.  Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a boil.  Continue to boil and stir for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and add coconut, oats, and cocoa powder.  Stir until well mixed.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper.  Chill macaroons in fridge.

Chocolate Orange Fudge

From treat exchange...from Clarissa Ludlow.  This recipe reminds me of the orange sticks we ALWAYS use to get at Christmas time when I was a little girl.

2 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 tsp. orange extract

Melt chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk over stove top until blended.  Stir in orange extract.  Pour into 8 inch square pan that's lined with wax paper.  Refrigerate until firm.