Chex Peanut Butter and Chocolate Blast

I was looking for some Christmas munchies and came across this Chex recipe at www.chex.com.  Everyone loved it.  Usually when you make something like this everyone eats the candies and peanuts and you're left with the cereal.  With this mix, everyone loved the coated cereal and left the candy and nuts. Go figure!


Chex Peanut Butter and Chocolate Blast

6 cups Rice Chex cereal
1 cup white vanilla baking chips (8 oz.)
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup M & Ms (I used red and green for Christmas)
1 cup dry-roasted peanuts

Line 2 cookie sheets with waxed paper or foil.  Place 3 cups cereal in a large bowl.  In a small microwavable bowl, microwave white vanilla baking chips uncovered on High about 1 minute or until chips can be stirred smooth.  pour melted chips over cereal in bowl.  Stir to evenly coat.  Spread mixture in single layer on one of the cookie sheets.  Refrigerate 5 minutes or until set.

Repeat the above using the remaining cereal and the peanut butter chips.  Refrigerate 5 minutes or until set.

Gently break up coated cereal into large bowl.  Add candy and peanuts.  Stir gently to combine.  Store in an airtight container.

Divine Divinity Fudge

So, here it is the middle of March and I'm just sharing my Christmas recipes.  Well, at least you'll have them next Christmas!  I've always wanted to make Divinity Fudge but was hesitant to make it.  Everyone said, "It's really hard."  "You have to have that special touch."  "You need a good mixer." (this one is true)

It took me three times and three recipes, but I found the recipe that wasn't really hard, that you didn't need to have that special touch, but you definitely needed a good mixer.  They say, "The third time's a charm." (this is true, too!)

Divine Divinity Fudge

2 egg whites
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (not imitation)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

  In a heavy saucepan, over medium to medium high heat, stir sugar, corn syrup and water.  Stir only until sugar has dissolved .  Don't stir after that point.  Let syrup mixture cook until the temperature reaches 260 degrees F on a candy thermometer, or the hard-ball stage.

While syrup is cooking, beat egg whites with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff.

Once sugar mixture reaches 260 degrees, remove from heat and pour in a thin steady stream into the beaten egg whites, beating constantly with an electric mixer on high for about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl.  Add the vanilla, and continue beating on high just until the candy starts to lose its gloss, about 5 - 6 minutes.  When the beaters are lifted, the mixture should fall in a ribbon that mounds on itself.  Add the pecans, stir to mix, and quickly drop the mixture by tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment.
(I used two spoons--using one spoon to push the candy off the other.)

**If the mixture flattens out, beat again for 1 minute more.  If the mixture is too thick to drop, beat in a few drops of hot water until the candy is a softer consistency.

The recipe also said you could pour the candy into a pan and cut into squares. 

Here were some other suggestions:

• Use peppermint extract and tint divinity with green or pink.
• Use almond extract with chopped marishino cherries and tint pink.
• You don't have to use nuts.

Interesting!

Hot Water Gingerbread Cake

Here's a dessert that is out of this world! 

My son requests it every Christmas for his birthday cake.  It is his favorite Christmas dessert--and is sure to be yours!  Thanks Brandi, for sharing--again!  Love you!

Hot Water Gingerbread Cake with Hot Butter Sauce

2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup boiling water
1 cup molasses
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Dissolve baking soda in boiling water.  Add other ingredients in order listed. 
Mix and pour into greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes.

Hot Butter Sauce

1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients but vanilla in heavy saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add vanilla.  Serve hot over cake.
(If sauce seems grainy after it has simmered, add up to 1/3 cup more cream.)

Potato Soup or Clam Chowder

Every Christmas Eve my daughter-in-law Brandi makes potato soup.  Since it's Christmas Eve, she makes it very special and buys bread bowls from Panera Bread to serve it in.  It is a very special evening anyway because we always celebrate her husband's (my oldest son's) birthday, which is Christmas Day.  Well this year she gave me her delicious Potato Soup recipe to share with you.  It's easy and sure to be a hit with your family.

Potato Soup

1 cup onions, diced small
1 cup celery, diced small
2 cups diced potatoes
Add just enough water to cover the veggies and simmer until tender.

Mix together:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup flour
Pour over the veggies.

Add:
1 quart half and half (you can use fat free)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Cook and stir until thick.

**You can also use this recipe to make Clam Chowder.  If making clam chowder drain the clam juice from 2 (two) 6 1/2 oz. cans of clams over the veggies first and then simmer.  Add the clams to the mixture when you add the half and half, salt and sugar.  Cook and stir until thick.

Cashew Chicken Pasta Salad

Now this is a delicious pasta salad.! It has chicken, cashews, grapes, apples . . . mmmmmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.  I got the recipe from Sister Turner who I served with at the Columbia South Carolina Temple.   Makes a lot, so great for a big crowd.

Cashew Chicken Pasta Salad

4 chicken breasts
2 packages bowtie pasta
2 cups celery, chopped
4 stalks green onion, chopped
1 (16 oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup mayonnaise
1 bottle cole slaw dressing (Kraft Cole Slaw Dressing or Marzetti Low Fat Cole Slaw Dressing)
2 cups red grapes
2 cups red apples, chopped
1 (10 oz.) can salted cashews

Cook pasta.  Drain, set aside, and let come to room temperature.
Cook chicken and cut into pieces.  (You can use already cooked chicken breasts from Sam's or any store.)

Combine celery, onion, pineapple, mayo, and cole slaw dressing.  Set aside

Chop apples with the skin.  Combine pasta, chicken, apples and dressing mixture.  Add whole or chopped grapes.  Mix until well blended.  Add cashews before serving.

Green Bean and Corn Casserole

Over the holidays I did find a great green bean casserole.  My husband's cousin made this for Thanksgiving and it was a big hit.  So if you're tired of the classic green bean casserole with mushroom soup and fried onions, you have got to try this.  I definitely like this one better.

Green Bean and Corn Casserole

2 cans French style green beans
1 can white shoepeg corn
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped onion

Mix all ingredients together and put in a baking dish sprayed with Pam.

Topping:
1 stick butter, melted
1 roll of Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 cup toasted almonds

Mix together and put on top of green bean and corn mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Pears with Bleu Cheese and Honey

Hope everyone had a Happy Hanukkah and a Merry Christmas!

Here is a simple appetizer that your guests will love.  My friend Angie made this when my husband and I went to their home for dinner.  It was so good!  Angie shared the recipe with me and now I'm sharing it with you!  Happy New Year!

Pears with Bleu Cheese and Honey

Golden pears
Bleu Cheese
Honey

Slice pears and put on a tray.  Sprinkle cheese on top and drizzle with honey.

That's it!  How simple and how delicious!

No Bake Reindeer Cookies

Looking for something quick and easy to make for a Christmas treat?  I found this at http://www.southernliving.com/ and I thought they were so cute.  Come on, you gotta admit they are CUTE!  And they are QUICK and EASY.  My grandkids and their friends loved them.  They can even make them themselves.  Watch this VIDEO to see how to make them.

No Bake Reindeer Cookies

Nutter Butter Cookies
M & Ms
White Classic Icing (not whipped)
Pretzels

Watch this VIDEO to see how to make them.

Merry Christmas!

Zucchinni Bread

I've had this post since this summer when zucchini was growing in our garden.  Sorry I didn't get it out sooner.  Maybe next summer when you have tons of zucchini in your garden and don't know what to do with it, you can make this bread.  You can also grate the zucchini and put 2-3 cups in a freezer bag and freeze until you want to make the zucchini bread.  It is so delicious!

Zucchini Bread

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla
2-3 cups grated zucchini
1 cup nuts (optional)

Grease and flour two 8x4 inch pans.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Put all ingredients except zucchini and nuts in a bowl and mix together.  (I used a hand mixer.)
Add zucchini and nuts.  (Batter was a little thick but once I added the zucchini it was much easier to mix.)
Bake at 325 for 50 - 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool 20 minutes.  Remove from pan and let cool completely.

Marinated Braised Beef Brisket

Okay!  Okay!  I know you're tired of looking at the picture of my wheat pancakes.  So here is a recipe you can sink your teeth in.  Of course I got it from one of my favorite recipe books, The Pioneer Women Cooks.  I usually make my mom's brisket, but I decided to try Ree Drummond's braised brisket recipe and it was delicious.  My family really enjoyed it.  And so will you.  But be sure to plan ahead--brisket has to marinate at least 24 hours before cooking.

**I only cooked a 4 pound brisket so I halved the recipe. 

Marinated Braised Beef Brisket

2 cans beef consomme (not beef broth), 10.5 oz. cans
1 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
Juice of 2 lemons
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tablespoon liquid smoke (optional)  I didn't use this. 
1 brisket (7 - 10 pounds), untrimmed  I trimmed mine a little bit.  Can't stand all that fat.

In a roasting pan, combine the first 5 ingredients.  Place brisket in pan, fat side up.  Ladle some of the liquid on top.  Cover tightly with foil and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 24 - 48 hours.

When you're ready to make the brisket, put into a 300 degree oven and cook for about 40 - 50 minutes per pound.  When the meat is fork tender, place on a cutting board.  Cut away the slab of fat from the top of the meat.  Then slice against the grain.

Now, put the sliced meat back into the pan, juice and all.  Cover with foil and place in the oven to warm up.  Serve.

And as Lee Drummond says, "It's a major crowd pleaser!"