Lion House Quick Caramel Corn

This is a recipe for another one of the treats I gave neighbors this year.  It comes from the Lion House Christmas Cookbook.  It is Quick Caramel Corn.  Easy to make and very good.

 *Quick Caramel Corn* 
Ingredients:
2 gallons popped corn (1 cup unpopped) 
1/2 cup butter 2 cups packed brown sugar 
1/2 cup light corn syrup 
1 tablespoon water 
Pinch baking soda 

Directions:
Place popped corn in a large pan; set aside. Melt butter in saucepan. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook and stir until mixture reaches a hard boil. Add a pinch of baking soda. Remove from heat and pour over popcorn. Stir to coat thoroughly. Cool; then break into clusters. Store in covered container. Makes 12 to 18 servings. (Lion House Christmas, [Salt Lake City: Shadow Mountain, 2006], 136.)

Ooey Gooey Chex Mix (Christmas Crack)

I have this same recipe and made a bowl of this for Christmas.  My wife has threatened me if I ever make it again she is going to kill me.  It definitely crack because once you start you can't leave it alone.  This recipe comes from
the recipe critic.com

Ingredients

• 6 cups corn Chex Cereal
• 6 cups golden grahams cereal
• 2 cups coconut
• 2 cups sliced almonds
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup butter

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix Corn Chex cereal, golden grahams cereal, coconut, and almonds. Set aside.

1. In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, combine the corn syrup, sugar and butter. Bring to a boil for two minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for about two minutes.
2. Pour over the cereal mix and mix well until the cereal is coated. Spread on a cookie sheet to cool.

Easy Chocolate Drizzled Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats

5 candy canes, crushed (or peppermints if you don’t have candy canes)

This recipe comes from acultivatednest web site.  Some great things here.  I made this as part of my neighbor gift plate.  My wife loves Rice Krispie Treats and really enjoyed this one.



Ingredients
5-6 C. Kellogg’s Rice Krispies
1 10.5 oz package of Peppermint Marshmallows (check the seasonal section of your store)
4 tbs. butter
4 oz. chocolate chips or chocolate candy melts, any brand (white chocolate looks pretty too)

Directions
1. Melt the butter and peppermint marshmallows on low heat stirring frequently until melted.
2. While the marshmallows and butter are melting, line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper or spray with some non-stick cooking spray. This will help tremendously with sticking.
3. Once the marshmallows and butter have completely melted, pour in the Rice Krispie cereal and stir well coating all the Rice Krispies.
4. Quickly pour the mixture in the baking dish and press down. Evenly. This is where sandwich baggie #1 comes into play. I wore it like a glove and sprayed it with non-stick spray and then evenly pressed down on the Rice Krispie bars making them even in the pan.
5. Pour the chocolate chips into a small microwave safe dish and heat in 20 second increments, stirring every 20 seconds until melted. Remove from the microwave and let cool a few minutes.
Scoop the melted chocolate into sandwich baggie #2 and snip the corner of the baggie with the kitchen scissors.
6. Gently squeeze the chocolate out of the sandwich bag over the Rice Krispie treats. It doesn’t have to be perfect, I just criss-crossed and went back and forth.
7. Lastly, sprinkle with the crushed candy canes (or peppermints). They will stick on top of the melted chocolate.
8. Cut evenly into 24 squares. 2 squares = 1 serving. Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

Grate Cupcakes

 

I made these for our family fifth Sunday get together.  We have homemade ice cream and cookies whenever there is a fifth Sunday and Mom accepts donations to the goodies.  I saw these on the Internet and thought they would be a fun treat in July.  Everybody seemed to agree.

 

Ingredients

• Brownie batter
• Black food coloring
• White frosting
• Orange sugar

• Caramel creams
• Red, yellow, and green candy fruit slices
• Hot Tamales candies

Instructions

1. To make a batch of 12, place liners in a muffin pan, oil them, and fill them two thirds full of your favorite brownie batter, then bake according to the recipe directions. Let the brownies cool.
2. In a small bowl, mix one or two drops of black food coloring with 1/4 cup white frosting. Transfer the frosting to a ziplock bag and snip a small section from the corner. Pipe grate lines onto each brownie and let them set for 20 minutes. Add embers with a sprinkle of orange sugar.
3. Prepare the grill food as instructed below and press it in place atop each brownie.
   
   Kebabs = A caramel cream and red, yellow, and green candy fruit slices, cut into small pieces + toothpick skewers
   
   Pork chop = two thirds of a caramel cream, molded with fingers + black food coloring, applied with a toothpick
   
   Hot dogs = Hot Tamales candies + black food coloring, applied with a toothpick

Chex Party Mixes

These recipes came from the Chex Cereal site.  The address is : http://www.chex.com/Recipes/Default.aspx
I made the following three mixes today to give away to the neighbors.  The pictures also came from the Chex site as I forgot to take pictues of the mixes before I sealed them in containers.  The first mix is probably my favorite, but they are all good.

Caramel Crispy Chex® Mix





Ingredients
4 1/2 cups Rice Chex® cereal
4 1/2 cups Corn Chex® cereal
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup candy-coated chocolate candies

Directions

1.	In large microwavable bowl, place cereals.
2.	In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave brown sugar, butter and corn syrup uncovered on High about 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until melted and smooth. Stir in baking soda until dissolved. Pour over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.
3.	Microwave uncovered on High 5 to 6 minutes, stirring and scraping bowl after every minute, just until cereal begins to brown. Cool 5 minutes; stir in candies. Spread on waxed paper to cool; break into bite-size pieces. Store in airtight container.

Deluxe Chocolate Marshallow Bars

This recipe is from Taste of Home.  The web site address is: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional
4 cups miniature marshmallows

TOPPING:

1-1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups crisp rice cereal

Directions

In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts if desired. Spread in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan.

Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes. Sprinkle with marshmallows; bake 2-3 minutes longer. Remove to a wire rack. Using a knife dipped in water, spread the melted marshmallows evenly over top. Cool completely.

For topping, combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until blended. Remove from the heat; stir in cereal. Spread over bars immediately. Chill. Yield: about 3 dozen.

Rocky Road

This is an old favorite of our family.  A number of years ago I made three batches of this dessert in one day to take to Vickie's work.  They liked it so well they kept wanting more.

Directions:

Heat oven to 350o. Grease and flour 9 x 13 pan.

Melt on stove:

½ cup margarine
1 square unsweetened chocolate (or substitute 3 T cocoa plus 1 T margarine)

Add:

1 cup sugar
½ to 1 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs

Pour into greased pan.

Then blend in small bowl till fluffy:

6 oz cream cheese
½ cup sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp flour
¼ cup margarine
1 tsp vanilla

Pour over chocolate mixture. Sprinkle ¼ cup chopped nuts & 6 ounces (1cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips over the top. Bake at 350o for 25-35 minutes. Remove from oven and top with 2 cups miniature marshmallows then return to oven for 2 minutes.

In the meantime melt on stove:

¼ cup margarine
1 square unsweetened chocolate (or substitute 3 T cocoa plus 1 T margarine)
2 oz cream cheese
¼ cup milk

Remove from heat & add 3 cups powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Pour over hot cake. Cool & cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Chocolate Yummies

This recipe is from the Rice Krispies site.  http://www.ricekrispies.com/recipes/crunch-a-bunch-cupcakes.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=party%2Bcupcakes&utm_content=Party%2BCupcakes&utm_campaign=Consideration%2B-%2BBaking#/Default  I made them today and they are good.

Ingredients

7 Graham Crackers
2 1/2 minature marshmallows
1  12 oz package chocolate chips (2 cups)
2/3  cup light corn syrup
3  tablespoons butter
1/2  cup crunchy peanut butter
3 cups Rice Krispies

Directions

1. Coat 13 x 9 x 2-inch microwave-safe dish with cooking spray. Arrange KEEBLER GRAHAMS ORIGINAL crackers in single layer in dish, breaking crackers as needed to fit. Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over crackers.


2. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute or until marshmallows are puffy. Remove from microwave. Cool completely.

3. In 2-quart microwave-safe mixing bowl combine chocolate morsels, corn syrup and butter. Microwave on HIGH about 1 1/2 minutes or until chocolate is melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in peanut butter. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal, mixing until combined.

4. Spread evenly over marshmallows. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm. Cut and store in airtight container in refrigerator.

CONVENTIONAL DIRECTIONS:

Follow step 1 above using 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375°F about 7 minutes or until marshmallows are puffy. Cool completely. In medium saucepan combine chocolate morsels, corn syrup and butter. Cook stirring constantly, over medium-low heat until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal, mixing until combined. Complete as in step 4 above.

Makes 12 bars
Note

*Each cracker sheet measures about 5 x 2-inches and is scored into 4 pieces.

Pecan Brittle (or peanut)

This recipe comes from a very good friend of Vickie's, Becky Foulger.  Vickie and Becky worked together at Qwest.  Becky is a great cook and turns out awsome food.  If you want a very good brittle recipe this is it.

Ingredients

6 cups pecan halves
½ cup whipping cream
½ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water
2 cups sugar
2 sticks butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Spray a large cookie sheet or marble slab lightly with cooking spray; set aside. On another cookie sheet, spread out nuts and place in a 250 degree oven to warm while cooking the candy. In a heavy 3-4 quart pan, combine cream, syrup, water and sugar. Bring to a boil. Attach candy thermometer to pan, cook and stir over medium high heat to 300 degrees. Stir in butter, which reduces the temperature. Continue to cook and stir until temperature reaches 285 degrees. Remove pan from heat, quickly stir in baking soda, salt and vanilla. Add warmed nuts. Stir to coat all nuts. Pour onto sprayed sheet. Spread out candy with 2 forks as thin as possible. Cool. Break into pieces.

 
Roasted peanuts maybe used, but use only 4 cups and if peanuts are heavily salted, omit 1 teaspoon salt from recipe. Do not use raw peanuts.