Grandma Kaye's Chex Mix

Several Years ago Dan's grandmother gave everyone a cookbook that she had made, complete with all of her favorite recipes that she had collected throughout her life. I love this little jewel of a cookbook. Don't get me wrong - there is some crazy stuff in it too, but then you come across little treats like this one and you are amazed that someone was genius enough to come up with it! I am making this treat this year and passing it out to my neighbors.

Ingredients:

¾ box golden grahams cereal

¾ box corn chex cereal

¾ box rice chex cereal

1 17oz package coconut

1 large package of slivered almonds – lightly toasted

1 ½ cubes butter or margarine

1 c. sugar

1 c. white karo syrup

1 t. vanilla

Directions:

In a LARGE bowl add the cereals, coconut and almonds. In a saucepan combine butter, sugar and karo and bring to a boil for 2 minutes (you want to time this). After removing this from the heat add the vanilla. Pour liquid over the cereal mixture and mix thoroughly. Pour onto wax paper that has been previously sprayed with cooking spray.  Let dry overnight or all day.

*If you want to add some color try adding craisins to the batch when combining the cereals.

5 Pound fudge

This recipe is so YUM! This fudge is so smooth and creamy, it will just melt in your mouth. This recipe is a two man job because you need someone stirring as you are pouring - so plan for that. Oh... and while you might actually gain 5 pounds while you eat this, it is actually called 5lb fudge because it makes 5- 1lb blocks of fudge.


13 oz. Hershey's milk Chocolate bars
3 -6oz package chocolate chips
1 pint marshmallow cream
12 oz. evaporated milk - not sweetened condensed
4 1/2 C. sugar
dash salt
2 T. vanilla

Mix the sugar, salt and milk in heavy large pan (pressure cooker type). Bring to a boil - stir to keep from burning. After it comes to a boil cook 5 minutes (exactly) - stirring occasionally.  In the meantime break up the chocolate bars (the finer the pieces the easier it will be)  and put them in a bowl with the chocolate chips. Pour hot sugar mixture over chocolate pieces and beat until smooth. Add marshmallow cream and vanilla. Mix well. If desired add peanut butter,nuts or mint flavoring when adding marshmallow and vanilla for different flavor options. Divide evenly onto 5 separate sheets of wax paper and roll into logs and refrigerate until hardened.

will make 5 - 1lb rolls of fudge

Coconut Almond Joy

Ingredients:

1/8 tsp. salt

½ cup water

1-cup light karo syrup

2/3 cup white sugar

12 oz. coconut

½ TBS. flour

Directions:

Bring salt, water, karo syrup, and sugar to a boil at 226*.  Take off heat.  Add coconut and flour.  Pour in buttered pan.  Cool.  When cool. Slice off sections and place an almond in the center then wrap the side of the coconut mixture around it (like a blanket) then dip in chocolate. Let dry on a wire rack over wax paper.

Caramels

Soft delicious creamy caramels can turn to hard tack candy in a matter of seconds, so be sure to be completely prepared and ready with no distractions when making these.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

2 cups light Karo syrup

1/8 tsp. salt

2 cups evaporated milk, room temperature

1 TBS vanilla

Directions:

Bring sugar, karo and salt to a boil – boil to hardball stage. (Use a candy thermometer. *Takes 25 minutes to get to firm ball stage)  Stir occasionally.  Wipe, with a wet pastry brush, (DO NOT SCRAPE) sugar crystals off sides of pan.  Take off heat and add butter and evaporated milk.  Mix well and put back on burner.  Stir to firm ball stage, and then add vanilla.  Pour in a buttered 9 x 13 pan.  Cool to room temperature.  Wrap in wax paper.

Kim's Caramel Corn

 When we lived in Texas, my friend Kim introduced me to this quick, easy and delicious caramel corn recipe. The only downside to this recipe is that my kids ask for it EVERY TIME we watch a movie.

Ingredients:

1 cube of butter

18 large marshmallows

1 tsp vanilla

1 bag of plain microwave popcorn – popped

Directions:

Melt butter in a medium saucepan add the marshmallow and boil for a minute. Turn off the heat and add vanilla. Pour over popcorn. Yum.