Muddy Buddies

 

We all know and love Muddy Buddies or some people call them Puppy Chow. It is such a quick, yummy treat to make when you are hunkering for something sweet. Always a favorite!

Muddy Buddies
recipe from Chex
       
9 cups Chex cereal, Rice, Corn or a combination of both
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Measure cereal in a large bowl. Set aside. In a microwaveable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter on high, uncovered for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for 30 more seconds, mix until mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal. Stir until evenly coated. Pour into a 2 gallon plastic resealable storage bag. Add powdered sugar, seal bag, and shake until evenly coated. Store in airtight container in fridge.

Twix Brownie Bars

Confessions of a Cookbook Queen is one of the funniest and most inventive bloggers out there. I saw these Twix Brownie Bars on her blog, and being a sucker for brownies and Twix, I pretty much knew right then I was going to be making them. I sure wish mine would have turned out looking like hers. I think my caramel was a little too soft and I wish I would have cut them smaller, but I'm pretty sure they tasted just as good as hers. Seriously, they are so delicious and are super fun to eat. Just like eating a candy bar! They really do taste just like a Twix, and the brownies make them all the more delicious. These were a huge hit at school with the pharmacy students! You gotta try them! They were easy to make until it came time to cutting them in bars and dipping them. I ran into some trouble, but like I said earlier, I think it was due to my caramel being too soft. I'm sure it was the deviation from the original recipe, so next time I'll stick to the individual caramels and cream!

Twix Brownie Bars

recipe from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

*my thoughts are in italics

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 sticks salted butter, cut into pieces

14 oz bag of caramels *I used 11oz bag of caramel bits, I would use 14oz next time

3 Tablespoons heavy cream *I used 2T of evaporated milk, but stick with the cream!

Box of your favorite brownie mix (Honeyville Farms) + ingredients to make –any fudgy kind of brownie

Chocolate candy melts or almond bark *I used 1 package almond bark

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x 13 pan with foil and spray with nonstick spray. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar and butter. Process until it comes together to form a dough (you can also use your hands if you don't have a food processor). *I used my hands and it turned out fine, just takes a little more time

Pat the dough in the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, 25 minutes or so. Place the pan in the refrigerator to cool for about 30 minutes and prepare your brownie batter according to instructions. Remove shortbread from refrigerator and spread brownie batter over it evenly. Bake until brownies are set, but still fudgy.

 Place pan in the refrigerator to cool again. Once brownies are firm, place unwrapped caramels and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high, stirring every 15 seconds until completely melted and smooth. Pour melted caramel over brownies and spread evenly. Refrigerate again until firm. *very important!

 Grab the ends of the foil and remove from pan. Peel the foil off the sides and bottom and place the brownies on a cutting board and cut into thin bars. Melt candy melts/almond bark according to package directions and dip bars, placing on a wax paper lined baking sheet until chocolate is fully set.

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Cinnamon Bun Popcorn

My sister Aimee made this for her family and the grandparents. It was such a huge hit!!! She sent me the recipe and her review and this is word for word what she said. "OH....MY....GRACIOUS!  So super delicious.  Like really." Now if that doesn't make you want to try it, I don't know what will! She mentioned it is really sweet and be sure to cook your caramel for the amount specified so it is not gritty. Enjoy the wonderful concoction from Our Best Bites! 

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn
recipe from Our Best Bites

12 C popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)*
1 C roughly chopped pecans
1 C brown sugar
3/4 t cinnamon
1/4 C Karo syrup (or honey makes a good substitution)
1 stick real butter (1/2 C)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
3 squares almond bark

*You can use air popped or microwave popcorn. If using microwave, anything works, but I prefer a “natural” flavor that’s low in butter and salt.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a large bowl and set aside. Use a bowl that is twice the size you think you would need. A big bowl people! Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in another big, microwave-safe bowl. Like a 2-quart bowl or Pyrex measuring bowl.  It’s really important to incorporate the cinnamon into the brown sugar at this point. Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup (or honey) over the top of everything. Microwave on high for 30 seconds (just to soften the butter a bit) and then stir to combine. Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more. By this point it should be nice and bubbly. Do NOT OVERCOOK, but cook long enough that it isn't gritty like! Remove from the microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda. It should bubble and foam a bit. Now pour it right over the popcorn and pecans. Stir right away, and stir lots. Take too long and the caramel will harden on you. Keep stirring until everything is well coated. Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined jelly roll pan. It will be kinda chewy and stick-to-your-teeth-like. But we’re gonna change that. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, take a piece out and let it cool. “Sample.” If it’s not crunchy enough, bake for another 5 minutes. “Sample” again. When it’s done, give it a final stir and let it cool off for a bit while you melt your almond bark (just nuke it in the microwave according to the package directions) If you want, you can spread out your caramel corn on a clean piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil. Now, just use a fork and drizzle the melted almond bark over the popcorn mixture. When it’s hardened (pop it in the fridge to speed that process along) break into chunks and enjoy!

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And linked up at Mommy's Kitchen Potluck Sunday!

Hot Tamale Candy Popcorn

 

Isn't that such a festive looking treat? I came across this recipe here at Jamie Cooks It Up. She used cinnamon bears and colored her popcorn red. I thought it was such a clever idea, cinnamon bears and popcorn! Maybe it sounds weird to some of you, but trust me it is a match made in heaven. I used hot tamales because I couldn't find one package of cinnamon bears here in Hawaii, can you believe that?! It worked out great though. I gave them to my young women at church and they loved it!

Hot Tamale Candy Popcorn
adapted from Jamie Cooks It Up who got it from Katherine Rose


24 C popped popcorn (1 C unpopped)
Hot tamales *approximately 1 cup, really just however many you like and I cut them in half. You may also use cinnamon bears, red hots, cinnamon gum drops, etc!
1 C butter
1/2 C corn syrup
1 1/2 C sugar
1 t vanilla
4 C mini marshmallows or 16 Large marshmallows
Food coloring of choice!

First, pop up your popcorn. Sprinkle it with just a bit of salt and set it aside. *I used a light microwavable popcorn. Snip your tamales in half with a pair of kitchen scissors. In a medium sized sauce pan combine the butter, corn syrup and sugar. Heat it over medium to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Remove it from the heat and add your vanilla, marshmallows and green food coloring *or whatever color you desire. Mix it all around to get everything  melted in and combined. Stir in the Hot Tamales. They tend to clump together but just keep stirring, they will break apart when you mix them in with the popcorn as well. Add the mixture to your popped popcorn. Stir it all around until well combined.

Tania's Peanut Butter Fudge

My friend Tania is always making fantastic food and sharing the secrets with me. She calls this one her famous fudge because whenever she shares it, she is asked for the recipe. It is just that good people. I wouldn't even consider myself a lover of fudge, until I tried hers and now I want to make this fudge every Christmas. The 2 flavors, peanut butter and chocolate, complement each other so well to make one rich and DELICIOUS treat. Thank you Tania!

Tania's Peanut Butter Fudge


3 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 packages chips *You make two batches, one with chocolate chip, one with peanut butter chips. So that's  1 1/2 of each kind!
1 jar of marshmallow creme
1 tsp vanilla


Take a cookie pan and line with wax paper.In large saucepan add evap. milk, sugar and butter. Heat on medium STIR CONSTANTLY. Bring to rolling frothy boil (about 4-5 minutes). Remove from heat. Add marshmallow and peanut butter chips. Stir until completely melted and blended together. Add vanilla. Stir. Spread evenly in lined pan. 

Make another batch, this time with chocolate chips and spread on top of peanut butter fudge. Cover top with wax paper. Take gloved oven mit and smooth out the top surface. Let cool 4 hours.

Lift out of pan using the edges of wax paper to pull free from pan. Take large pizza cutter or knife to cut into 1 inch squares. Makes A LOT!!!

Rudolph Reindeer Bars

I don't even remember how I stumbled upon these. All I know is I made them the very next day I found them, and I am so glad I did. I love me some maraschino, chocolate, and coconut. They were super yummy, and kinda Christmas looking with the white coconut and red maraschino cherries, so I decided to rename them Rudolph Bars. :) If you have the patience, I thought these were best when chilled. But you may serve them any way you want!

Rudolph Reindeer Bars
adapted from Eagle Brand's Cherry Magic Cookie Bars

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 stick butter or margarine, melted
• 1 (14 oz) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 6 oz. (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 (10 oz.) jar maraschino cherries, drained, patted dry and chopped *I think next time I'll just slice them in half.
• 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees for dark pans, 325 degrees for glass baking pan. Spray 9x13 dish with non stick spray. In small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan. **Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. After milk has been poured evenly over the graham crackers, begin to layer your chocolate chips, cherries and coconut evenly. Press down firmly with a fork. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Chill if desired. Store at room temperature or in refrigerator.
• 
  
• **I poured half of the milk onto the crust, then poured the rest of the milk on after all the other ingredients, to help bind them. (Some people commented that they fell apart if you pour the milk on first.) If you do pour the whole can on the crust, just be sure to press firmly with a fork after, as it instructs. Also, do not attempt to smooth the condensed milk evenly over the graham cracker layer, it is very tempting to do so. It will lift up the graham cracker crust and create a mess!

Maraschino Cherries

Nutella Rice Krispie Treats

Rice Krispie Treats are such a comfort food for me. They remind me of my childhood and they are still one of my favorite treats! I love the crispy, chewiness of it all...yum! It had been much too long since I last made them and I came across this Nutella variation. I just so happened to have a jar, so I had to give them a whirl. They were great! I took them to a YW/YM activity and they are still asking me about those Nutella Rice Krispies! 

Melt your butter...

Add the mallows...

Once the marshmallows have melted, add the Nutella...

Take it off the heat and stir in the Rice Krispies...

Voila!

Nutella Rice Krispies

adapted from Plain Chicken

3 T butter

1 (10 oz) pkg marshmallows

6 cups Rice Krispies

2/3 cup Nutella

In a large pot, melt butter and add marshmallows. Once melted, stir in Nutella. Add Rice Krispies and stir until thoroughly combined. Qucikly spread into a 9x13 pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Allow to cool completely.

My bestest taste tester gave them a try...

Well, what do you think?

A success!