Cooking Quick & Easy Christmas treats - *UPDATED* - compiled recipes - Page 53

[mommy2emmersNmo]

I believe I saw a recipe for the stained glass candy on allrecipes.com There is a whole section for Christmas gifts.

By the way, I made the almond bark covered popcorn, both vanilla and chocolate, and gave to my family as treats. They loved it and my aunt and I are already talking about making it again for Christmas next year but making different kinds, with nuts and other goodies. How easy it was. I also am making it for my daughter's teachers and sprinkling it with Christmas and Hanukkah Jimmies.

 

[gemjoy]

I made the ritz crackers with the pb in the middle and dipped them in the chocolate and added x-mas sprinkles to the tops.... they are beautiful! But does anyone know... I used the semi-sweet chips to dip them in - should I have used milk choc? They are delicious... but did I use the right chips? They're really rich. TIA!!! And keep the recipes coming.............

 

[corie161]

I made the ritz crackers with the pb in the middle and dipped them in the chocolate and added x-mas sprinkles to the tops.... they are beautiful! But does anyone know... I used the semi-sweet chips to dip them in - should I have used milk choc? They are delicious... but did I use the right chips? They're really rich. TIA!!! And keep the recipes coming.............

We usually use the chocolate almond bark, so I can't really answer your question, but if they hardened and worked and taste ok, that's all that really matters in the long run right.

 

[virginiamama]

I made it today for our work Christmas party on Wed., and plan to give it to co-workers. Very impressive..............now if I can only keep DS and DH's hands out of it...

Actually, I will probably make a few more batches, since it is so good and very pretty looking with red and green sugar sprinkled on it.

Thanks again

So are ya'll using butter flavored microwave popcorn or popping popcorn in a pan or popper? I like my popcorn with at least a little bit of salt, but thought the butter flavored kind might be a bit too salty for this recipe. Any thoughts?

 

[virginiamama]

Ingredients:
square or round checker pretzels (I used Rold Gold Butter Checkers)
Rolo candy
pecan halves

Place a layer of pretzels on cookie sheet.
Top each pretzel with a Rolo candy.
Top each Rolo candy with a pecan half.

Bake in 250-300 degree oven for just a few minutes. Press down on a pecan and if it goes down, it's ready. Take out of oven a press each pecan down to squish the Rolo out to the edges of the pretzel.

 

[casey49781]

what wonderful ideas and they all sound yummy,will be making some of them..thankyou

 

[gemjoy]

can you use white chocolate chips in place of the almond bark? Is there a difference? TIA!!! I want to make this tonight!

 

[lovebuzz]

Here is the recipe for stained glass cookies. !/2 cup margarine or butter, softened.1/2 cup of sugar.1/2 cup of honey. 1 egg. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. 3 cups of all-purpose flour. 1 teaspoon baking powder. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. 1/2 teaspoon salt. 5 (1.14 -ounce) roll Life Savers Five Flavor Roll Candy. 1. beat butter, sugar,honey,egg and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until creamy. Mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours. 2. roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough into desired shapes with 21/2- to 3 inch floured cookie cutters. Trace smaller version of cookie shape on dough leaving 1/2 to 3/4-inch border of dough. Cut out and remove dough from center of cookies; set aside. Place cut-out shapes on baking sheets lined with foil. Repeat with reserved dough. 3. cr5ush each color of candy seperatly between tho layers of wax paper with mallet. Spoon crushed candy inside center of cut-out cookie shape. 4. bake at 350 for 6 to 8 minutes. cool

 

[mommy2emmersNmo]

I used microwave popcorn that was the butter light version, it is yummy! I guess it really doesn't matter. I agree it does look very pretty with the red and green sugar sprinkled on it. It is soooo easy!!!!

 

[shades]

Here's a new one I spotted on the Chex cereal box I just purchased to make Muddy Buddies;o) It is supposed to be inspired by the new "Narnia" movie....

Narnia - Winter White Clusters

1 C white vanilla baking chips
9 C Chex cereal
2 C salted dry roasted peanuts
2 C miniature marshmallows
1 pkg (20oz) vanilla flavored candy coating

1. Place baking chips in freezer to chill.
2. In large bowl, mix cereal, peanuts, pretzels,and marshmallows. Set aside.
3. In large microwavable bowl, microwave candy coating, stirring occassionally until smooth.
4. Gently & quickly stir in cereal mixture until coated; stir in chilled baking chips.
5. Spread on wax paper until cooled.
6. Break into chunks & store in airtight container in refrigerator.

32 (1/2 C each) servings.

I just made these for the first time and DD LOVES them! I used the multi-color mini marshmallows instead of the white ones called for on the recipe. I also used Wilton white candy baking chips.

I did forget to add the vanilla extract (naturally;o) and it is very good anyway. I also used buttered flavored pretzels that I bought in the deli section at Walmart.

One recipe does make a LOT - so, I'd recommend not doubling the recipe unless you want a ton of this stuff!

 

[Donnaksmj]

You guys have the best ideas...thanks

 

[KLAIT]

Just made the white chocolate popcorn...Oh my goodness, it is gooood. When I dumped the popcorn onto the wax paper, I sprinkled with Christmas sprinkles and sort of lightly pressed them in..makes them look very festive.

Don't know a recipe that is any easier than this and it is also very cheap. I plan to make several more batches. This was my tester batch and will bring to work tomorrow, will make a batch for my sons school party and will also make a batch for my Christmas Day company...Woo Hoo...Thanks a million!

 

[grlpwrd]

I'm not making these this year, but I recall colored snack popcorn as a favorite snack and gift in Hawaii (they come in bags, not in ball-form) so I went hunting in online archives of the local newspaper:

Rainbow Popcorn

5 to 6 cups freshly popped popcorn
1 tablespoon butter (not margarine)
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Food coloring of choice (use red for one batch and green for another for a Christmas theme)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Place popcorn in a shallow pan and place in oven to keep warm.

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter and add sugar, water and salt; stir until sugar is dissolved. Boil about 20 minutes, until syrup just begins to color (about 275 degrees on a candy thermometer; hardball stage). Watch syrup carefully once it reaches 250 degrees; it will darken quickly if it gets too hot. To test: Syrup should form a firm ball when dropped into cold water.

Add vanilla and food coloring. Stir well. Pour in a stream over warm popcorn and quickly stir to coat each piece. Pour popcorn onto a sheet of baking parchment paper and separate each kernel. Be careful; syrup will be hot. Coating will harden as popcorn cools. Store in an airtight container.

Nutritional information unavailable.

Clean-up tip: Soak syrup pot, popcorn pan and utensils in water after use. When the syrup cools it will harden stubbornly onto any surface. After a good soak, though, you can just rinse it out; no scrubbing.

Other notes by the chef: The technique here is to make a sugar syrup, color it and use it to coat the popcorn. Vigilance is the key: Undercook the syrup and it won't do the job; overcook it and it will become too dark and hard.

[The chef's] tip is to keep the popcorn warm in the oven while the syrup is under way. This makes the popcorn easier to coat and keeps it from cooling faster than you can separate the kernels - so you don't end up with popcorn balls.

Depending on how accomplished you are with the syrup, the sugar coating on your popcorn may get a bit grainy as the popcorn sits, so it won't quite match the store-bought variety. "Who cares?" my daughter, the snack food queen, said. "It tastes exactly the same."

Here's a pic of some made for Halloween:

 

[momto2]

My Grandmother called this "White Trash"

1 bag white morsels
pretzel sticks (I break them in 1/2)
cocktail peanuts

Melt the white chips. Mix in the pretzels and peanuts. Drop by spoonful onto wax paper and let harden. So yummy!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

You do mean the little sticks, right? Do you melt the chips in the micro? Also How many does this make? Thanks so much.
Merry Christmas!

 

[Disney_1derland]

Just improvised a batch of my version of the white chocolate popcorn, it's AMAZING! I mixed the popcorn with rice chex, nuts and chocolate chips. I poured the white chocolate over it and mixed it and spread it on the wax paper and cooled it. Then I drizzled dark chocolate over the top of one batch and caramel over another.

YUM YUM YUM! Thanks for a great suggestion that has so many variations I can hardly wait to change it for every holiday! Taking it to coworkers today so I'm expecting rave reviews!

 

[threeboysmom]

Oh my! I just made the toffee bars with the saltine crackers yesterday. SOOOOOO delicious! And incredibly EASY to make. I agree with whoever said these are addictive! YIKES!! Trying to find someone to give them to because I don't want my family (meaning me!) eating an entire cup of butter and cup of sugar in such a short time! We ate about half the pan yesterday until I covered them and hid them away! LOL!

 

[duckyfordonald]

Just improvised a batch of my version of the white chocolate popcorn, it's AMAZING! I mixed the popcorn with rice chex, nuts and chocolate chips. I poured the white chocolate over it and mixed it and spread it on the wax paper and cooled it. Then I drizzled dark chocolate over the top of one batch and caramel over another.

YUM YUM YUM! Thanks for a great suggestion that has so many variations I can hardly wait to change it for every holiday! Taking it to coworkers today so I'm expecting rave reviews!

What type of caramel did you use? Did you melt caramel pieces or use caramel topping or something else? This sounds very yummy!

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

a question about the choc covered popcorn -- when you stir it - doesn't the popcorn all break apart?

 

[sanilacjack]

but all of you seem like great bakers.

I had a recipe for a bar type cookie that called for a crust made with a white or vanilla cake mix. It was so easy. Add a couple of items for the mix flatten in a 9x13 pan, add toppings and bake.

I lost the recipe and can't remember what to add to the cake mix.

Anyone have this recipe?

Many thanks-
Kim

PS Great gift ideas.....much appreciated!!

 

[mommy2emmersNmo]

a question about the choc covered popcorn -- when you stir it - doesn't the popcorn all break apart?

It does break apart a little but it also sticks together when it cools.