Chocolate and other food groups

Soda Cracker Candy 35-40 or 1/4 lb. soda crackers 1 c. brown sugar 1 c. butter 1 c. chopped nuts 12 oz. milk chocolate chips Line jelly roll pan with foil. Fill pan with one layer of soda crackers. Boil brown sugar and butter for 2 minutes, stirring all the time. Add chopped nuts. Pour over crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and top with chocolate chips and bake 1 more minutes. Smooth melted chocolate over pan. Cool.

Another of Mom's delicious recipes. I think she got this one from Borden's Pet Milk. Milk Caramel 3/4 c. sugar 2 Tb. water 1 c. corn syrup, white vanilla 1/2 c. butter 3/4 c. evaporated milk 1/2 tsp. salt Put the sugar, water, and corn syrup into a heavy saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat. Wash sugar crystals down from the sides of the pan with a wet paintbrush or pastry brush. Stir in butter. When the batch starts boiling again, add the evaporated milk very slowly, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Then stir caramel vigorously, scraping the bottom of the pan and sides. This is to prevent the milk from scorching. Cook until soft ball stage, about 234. It should take about 5 minutes to add milk. After soft ball stage is reached, remove from heat and add salt and a few drops of vanilla.  Turtles 1 Batch of Milk Caramel Chopped Pecans Let caramel cool slightly. Spread as many nuts as possible on a baking sheet or jelly roll pan. With a...

Another one of my mom's recipes. We had this at Christmas. Blond Fudge Supreme 3 c. sugar 3/4 c. milk 1 c. chopped nuts - pecans are best! 3 Tb. butter 2 tsp. vanilla 3 Tb. light corn syrup 1/8 tsp. salt Combine sugar, milk, corn syrup and salt in 3 quart heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. If sugar crystals form on the sides of the pan, wash down with a wet brush. Cook over low boil until soft balls form when dropped in water or candy thermometer measures 236. Add butter. DO NOT STIR. Cook until lukewarm or 110 degrees. Add vanilla and beat until candy looses its gloss or shine and starts to thicken. Stir in nuts. Pour into buttered 8" square pan. While still warm, score into pieces. Makes about 2 lbs. of fudge.

My mom used to make this candy and I loved it. She added "1/4 stick paraffin" to the melted chocolate, but I don't think that's necessary. It won't hurt you if you do it and it does make the chocolate glossier. But if you want your chocolate to melt more smoothly, add 1 tsp. heavy cream to the chocolate chips. Ohio Buckeyes 2 1/2 lbs. powdered sugar 1 lb. butter, softened 2 c. peanut butter 2 c. chocolate chips Cream butter until fluffy. Add peanut butter and beat thoroughly. Add powdered sugar. Chill for 1 hour, then roll into 1-2 inch balls. Chill again.  Melt 1 large pkg (2 c.) chocolate chips. Dip the candy into the melted chocolate so 1/2 of the ball is covered. Chill on wax paper until set.

We always eat the same sort of menu on Christmas morning - fruit, fresh from stockings; little sausages, some browned and some wrapped up for pigs in a blanket; juice; and a bread of some sort. This year, the kids asked for a coffee cake. But I didn't want to take time to throw together a coffee cake when I could be with the family. So I found this recipe and put it together the night before. Then all I had to do was preheat the oven, wait the oven was ready, and pop this in. And it tasted great too. Overnight Coffee Cake Coffee Cake: 1 c. flour 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 c. brown sugar 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 c. buttermilk 1/3 c. shortening 1 egg Topping: 1/4 c. brown sugar 1/4 c. chopped nuts or oats 1/4 c. nutmeg Grease and flour 9 inch round or 8 inch square pan. In small bowl, combine all coffee cake ingredients; stir until moistened. Pour batter into greased and floured pan. In another small bowl, combine all topping ingredients. Sprinkle over batter...

Pecan Pumpkin Bread Made for Christmas this year. Really good. 2 1/2 c. flour 1 c. whole wheat flour 3 c. sugar 2 tsp. baking soda 1 1/2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. nutmeg 1 c. oil 2/3 c. water 4 eggs 16 oz. can (2 c.) pumpkin 1 c. chopped pecans Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom only of 2 9x5 loaf pans or 3 8x4 loaf pans. In large bowl, combine all flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well. In medium bowl, combine oil, water, eggs, and pumpkin; blend well. Add to flour mixture; beat 1 minute at medium speed. Fold in pecans. Pour batter into greased pans. Bake at 350 for 60 to 70 minutes or until done. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled. Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator. 

My grandma made this every Christmas, so I thought I'd include it here. Rocky Road Candy 12 oz. chocolate chips 2 Tb. butter 14 oz. can Eagle Brand Melt in a double boiler over hot water until chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat. Combine: 10 oz. mini marshmallows 2 c. nuts - pecans are what Grandma used Fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour onto wax paper lined 13 x 9 pan. Cool 2 hours. Turn pan over and peel wax paper off candy. Cut into squares and serve.

Made for Christmas one year. Tart, creamy, and delicious. Lime Cheesecake 1 Tb. crushed graham crackers 3/4 c. crushed graham crackers 4 Tb. flour 1 Tb. sugar 3 Tb. butter or margarine, melted 3 8-oz. pkgs. light cream cheese, softened 3/4 c. sugar 8 oz. light sour cream 1/4 c. flour 3 eggs 1/2 c. milk 2 tsp. lime peel 1/4 c. lime juice 1 tsp. vanilla 10 drops green food coloring 1/2 c. light cream cheese Spray 9 inch springform pan with nonstick coating. Sprinkle sides of pan with 1 Tb. crushed graham crackers. Set pan aside. For crust, stir together 3/4 c. crushed graham crackers, 4 tsp. flour, 1 Tb. sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes. In large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and 3/4 c. sugar. Beat until smooth. Add 8 oz. sour cream, 1/4 c. flour, eggs, milk, lime peel, lime juice, vanilla, and food coloring. Beat at low until just combined. Pour filling onto baked crust. Place pan in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 350 for ...

These were in a cookbook and they looked so cute, I had to make them! Will helped and they turned out just like the picture. Santa Grahams 16 oz. can white frosting (I like the whipped frosting) Red food coloring 6 whole graham crackers 1 c. mini marshmallows 6 small red gumdrops, cut in half or 12 red M&Ms 24 mini chocolate chips or cinnamon cookies (you'll probably need extra candies and marshmallows for testing) Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place 1/4 c. frosting in small bowl and add food coloring to tint red, about 1/4 tsp. Blend well. Place 1 c. frosting in another bowl and add 1 drop red food coloring to tint pale pink. Blend well. Break each large graham cracker into 2 squares, making 12 squares. For each cookie, frost 1 corner red for Santa's hat. Place marshmallow on corner for pom-pom. Frost rest of the cookie with pink frosting. Use chocolate chips for eyes and gumdrops for nose. Then use mini marshmallows around 2 sides of graham cracker for beard. Place ...

These are great for a fast candy/cookie that requires no cooking. Orange Balls 6 oz. crushed vanilla wafers 1 c. pecans, chopped 1 c. orange juice concentrate, thawed 1 lb. powdered sugar Mix all ingredients together. Roll into 1 inch balls. Roll in coconut or ground pecans.

Corn Flake Cookies A Christmas favorite at our house. This one is also courtesy of JoLynn, a former neighbor. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat: 2 c. white Karo 1 c. sugar Then add 2 c. chunky peanut butter to make a syrup. Add about 8 c. corn flakes. When flakes are covered, pour mixture onto cookie sheet with sides. Cool, then cut into squares.

Peanut Butter Fudge This recipe is from my Great-Aunt Elaine.  I have a little book with all her candy recipes in it, and they are all winners. 1 c. sugar 2 Tb. butter 1 c. brown sugar 1/2 c. evaporated milk 1 ts. vanilla 1/2 lb. peanut butter 1 c. marshmallows pinch salt Cook sugar, butter, salt, and milk to soft ball stage. (234-238 degrees - higher at high altitudes) Add marshmallows and peanut butter just before removing from heat. DO NOT STIR. Cool to room temperature. Add vanilla. Beat until mixtures is creamy, thick, and will hold its shape when dropped from a spoon. Pour into well buttered shallow pan.

This recipe is courtesy of a friend, JoLynn, who lived in my neighborhood and made these every Christmas. When she moved away, we got her recipe out of the ward cookbook and tried them ourselves. Now we make them every Christmas and I think of her and hope she is doing well. No Bake Cookies Bring the following ingredients to a boil for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat: 2 c. sugar 1/4 c. cocoa 1/2 c. butter 1/2 c. water Add 1/2 c. peanut butter, 3 c. oats, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Mix well. Drop from spoon onto waxed paper and let set.

Cherry Chocolate Kisses 1 c. powdered sugar 1 c. butter, softened 2 ts. maraschino cherry liquid 1/2 ts. almond extract 3 or 4 drops red food color 2 1/4 c. flour 1/2 ts. salt 1/2 c. maraschino cherries, drained and chopped About 48 chocolate kisses, unwrapped (better make it extra, so you can test a few) Heat oven to 350. In large bowl, combine sugar, butter, cherry liquid, extract and food color; blend well. Add flour and salt; mix well. Stir in cherries. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until edges are a light golden brown. Immediately top each cookie with a candy kiss, pressing down firmly. Remove from cookie sheets and let cool before touching or chocolate will smear. These are our cookies for Santa every year. I thought I had a picture to share, but I can't find one. If I find one later, I will add it. If you have had peanut blossoms, these are very similar. Everyone in my family loves these and Santa is luck...

Cranberry Cardamom Cake 3 c. flour 2 c. sugar 1 ts. ground cardamom 1 1/2 ts. baking powder 1/2 ts. baking soda 1 c. milk 3/4 c. butter, melted 3 eggs 1 c. fresh or frozen cranberries Powdered sugar Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour bundt cake pan. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda in large bowl. Add milk, butter, and eggs; beat at medium 2 minutes. Stir in cranberries. Spoon batter into pan. Bake 50-60 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. This cake has a unique and delicious flavor. Randy loves this one. It keeps well, if you have enough to keep!

We used to make these every Christmas, but they stopped making one of the main ingredients - white chocolate frosting from Betty Crocker. They were super, super yummy. I'm giving you our new version, but it's not really as good as the original. Holiday Bars 1 pkg. white cake mix 1/2 c. butter, softened 1 egg 1 tub frosting Heat oven to 350. Beat cake mix, butter, and egg in a bowl until stiff dough forms. Press into ungreased 15x10x1 pan. Bake about 15 minutes or until set. Spread frosting over hot baked layer. Bake 5 minutes longer. Cut into bars and serve. What makes these fun is that you can vary the flavor. We like to use lemon cake mix, lemon frosting, and crushed lemon drops on top. Sprinkle the lemon drops on before returning to the oven. You can also use white cake mix, cream cheese frosting and crushed peppermints. Or you can top with sprinkles or colored sugar when it is done baking.