Yum Yum Balls

Yum Yum Balls (zorahangels)
(got these out of someone else’s shower recipe box, :-) )

Mix together and shape into 1 inch balls~

1 stick butter
2 cups confectionary sugar
2 cups peanut butter
4 cups rice krispies

Melt chocolate candy molds (found at craft stores or some grocery stores) in the microwave or on the stove. Dip balls by placing on spoon or, any easier way you can think of, in chocolate and cool on wax paper. Store in Tupperware container and refrigerate.

Spiced Walnuts

Spiced Walnuts (zorahangels)
(from Mom)

1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
2 cup walnuts


Mix all but walnuts w/ ½ cup water. Med. Heat stirring constant until 235 on candy thermometer, smooth consistency. Fold in walnuts til mixed. Pour on waxed paper. Let dry.

Saltine Chocolate

Saltine Chocolate (zorahangels)
(from a co-worker, super easy)

1 package salted saltines (approx 40)
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 package mini-semisweet chocolate morsels

Line baking sheet with foil. Layout saltines.

Combine unsalted butter and brown sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for an additional 3 minutes. Pour mixture over saltines and place in a 400-degree oven for 5 minutes.

Immediately after taking the saltines out of the oven, sprinkle with semi-sweet morsels. Wait approx. 5 minutes and spread chocolate evenly over the top of the saltines, then sprinkle with the chopped walnuts.

Refrigerate for 3 hours and then break apart and serve.

Pretzel Surprises

Pretzel Surprises (alicianrj)

Very easy and yummy! This is a great one for kids to make too!

Pretzel rings
Hershey Kisses (I use regular and the ones with caramel)
M&M’s (Red and Green)

Heat oven to 250.

Put Hershey kisses into middle of pretzels and place onto cookie sheet. Put into oven for 3 minutes. When they come out of the oven push a red or a green M&M into the center of each kiss. Place cookie sheet into fridge to cool. When cooled twist the pretzel off of the cookie sheet.

Peanut Butter Balls

Peanut Butter Balls (cclovesdw)

2 cups crushed graham crackers
2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups chunky peanut butter
3/4 cup butter1 lb. dipping chocolate

Mix all ingredients, except chocolate, like pie crust.

Chill 1 hour. Shape into balls. Dip in melted chocolate and place on wax paper.

Chill. May be frozen.

Makes 6 to 6.5 dozen.

*If you roll the dough into balls and then put them back in the refrigerator, they are much easier to dip. Once the dough gets to room temperature, it gets very sticky.

Peanut Brittle

Peanut Brittle (raesue)
(My mom makes this around the holidays – it’s perfect to give in little tins as gifts)

2 C. Sugar
1 C. Light Corn Syrup
½ C. Water
1 C. Butter
2 C. Peanuts (any kind w/o skins will do – I like Roasted/Salted)
1 Tbsp. Baking Soda
Cookie sheets
Wax/Parchment paper
***Candy Thermometer*****

Put sugar, corn syrup, and water into a 3qt. sauce pan. Cook until dissolved
Add in butter

Put in candy thermometer. After temp gets to 230 stir often

Add peanuts when temp gets to 280

Continuously stir until temp gets to 305

When temp gets to 305 remove from heat and quickly add baking soda (it will make the mixture lighter and frothy-ish)

Pour the mixture onto 2 cookie sheets that have been lined with wax/parchment paper. Let it cool. Break into small pieces.

****Clean-up hint**** Have a pot of boiling water to immediately put into sauce pan after dumping mixture onto cookie sheets.

Peanut Brittle

Peanut Brittle (Joe-Joe’sGirl)

Vegetable-oil spray
2 cups sugar
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
12 ounces dry-roasted salted peanuts (do not chop)

Spray a 12-by-16-by-1/2-inch sheet pan lightly with vegetable oil.

Add the sugar, butter, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water to a large saucepan, and stir together until all the sugar is wet. Cook over high heat until the mixture turns a medium golden. Immediately remove from the heat, and carefully whisk in the baking soda followed by the salt (taking care, as the caramel will rise in the pan and bubble). Switch to a wooden or metal spoon, and fold in the peanuts.

Quickly pour the mixture onto the sheet pan, and spread it out over the pan using the back of the spoon before it starts to harden. (It may not cover the whole pan.) Once the brittle is completely cool, break it into bite-size pieces with the back of a knife or other blunt object.

(Makes about 2 dozen one-inch chunks)

Fluff Candies

Fluff Candies (raesue)

3 Egg Whites
1 C Sugar
1 Bag Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
Peppermint Extract
Pinch Salt

***Preheat oven to 400*** Do this FIRST

Beat Egg Whites until creamy soft peaks
Add Sugar and Salt beat until stiff peaks
Fold in the Chocolate Chips and peppermint extract to taste
Line a cookie sheet with wax paper
Use a teaspoon to drop mix on the cookie sheet

TURN OFF OVEN and place cookie sheet in oven for 3-6 hours (best to do this overnight)

Diane's Grandma's Bourbon Balls

Diane’s Grandma’s Bourbon Balls (Cathy&John)

1 pkg. (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup bourbon
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups crushed vanilla wafers (36 cookies)
1 cup pecans, finely chopped

Melt chocolate pieces in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Remove from heat. Blend in corn syrup and bourbon; stir in sugar, vanilla wafers and pecans until well combined. Roll mixture, a rounded teaspoon at a time, into balls between palms of hands. Roll balls in powdered sugars. Chill several hours.

Cracker Jacks

Cracker Jacks (zorahangels)
(Mom)

5-6 quarts of popped corn
1 cup Spanish peanuts (optional)

boil for 5 minutes:
½ cup karo light syrup
2 cups brown sugar
1 stick butter or margarine
1 tsp salt

Remove from heat and add 1 tsp baking soda, stir until it looks foamy. Pour over pop corn and Spanish peanuts (optional). Spread out on cookie sheets. Bake 1 hour at 250. Stir it around every 15-20 minutes to prevent sticking. Butter spoon that you will be stirring with to prevent sticking as well.

Chocolate Caramel Candy

Chocolate Caramel Candy (cclovesdw)
from Taste of Home

1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Filling:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped salted peanuts

Caramel Layer:
1 package (14 ounces) caramels
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Icing:
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Line a 13x9x2 inch pan with foil; butter the foil and set aside.
Combine the first three ingredients in a small saucepan; stir over low
heat until melted and smooth. Spread into prepared pan. Chill until
set.

For filling, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
Add sugar and milk; bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to
medium-low; boil and stir for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir
in marshmallow creme, peanut butter and vanilla. Add peanuts. Spread
over first layer. Chill until set. Combine caramels and cream in a
saucepan; stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Cook and stir 4
minutes longer. Spread over filling. Chill until set.

In a saucepan, combine icing ingredients; stir over low heat until
melted and smooth. Pour over the caramel layer. Chill for at least 4
hours. Remove from the refrigerator 20 minutes before cutting. Using
the foil, lift candy out of pan; cut into 1 inch squares. Makes about
8 dozen.

Candy Cane Marshmallows

Candy Cane Marshmallows (Luvin*Livvy)
(Martha Stewart)

Vegetable oil – cooking spray
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp. light corn syrup
4 pkgs (1.4 oz each) unflavored gelatin
¾ tsp. peppermint extract
2 large Egg Whites
2 tsp. red food coloring

Coat an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray; line bottom with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray, and set pan aside. Put sugar, corn syrup and ¾ cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring; let mixture come to a boil. Raise heat to medium-high; cook until mixture registers 260 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over ¾ cup water in a heatproof bowl; let stand 5 minutes to soften. Set bowl with the gelatin mixture over a pan of simmering water; whisk constantly until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat, and stir in extract.

Beat egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Whisk gelatin mixture into sugar mixture, with mixer running, gradually add to egg whites. Mix on high speed until very thick, 12- 15 minutes.

Pour mixture into lined pan. Working quickly, drop dots of red food coloring across surface of marshmallow. Using a toothpick, swirl food coloring into marshmallow to create marbleized effect. Let marshmallow stand at room temperature, uncovered until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight. Cut into squares.

Makes 16 2- inch squares