Showing posts with label snacks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snacks. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Skip To My Lou: Homemade Taffy

Skip To My Lou has some great recipes, projects, crafts and more.  Definitely worth a visit...and be ready to take notes for a ton of projects you'll be wanting to make!  This is certainly top on my list....Homemade Taffy!!  Visit the pages here to see the rest of the recipe directions, as well as follow along her great pictoral on making it!


Here's our recipe

Homemade Taffy

2 1/2 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup light corn syrup
1 1/3 cups water
2 tablespoons butter (plus lots extra to butter hands, we probably used over 1/2 of stick of butter on our hands)
1 teaspoon salt
1 - .21oz (6g) package unsweetened, fruit-flavored drink mix (like Kool-Aid) (we used cherry)****however I used Great Value brand from Wal-mart and those were the measurements on the package and it said it made two quarts of drink. On the Kool-Aid packet that makes two quarts it has different amounts (far less) I would still only use 1 packet since it is still flavoring the same amount of water.
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Butter large jelly roll pan or a cookie sheet with sides really well.
In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and cornstarch.  Add corn syrup, water, butter and salt and stir well until butter is melted. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stop stirring. Cook mixture until candy thermometer read 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). This takes some time to get it to 250 degrees. Once it approaches 250 degrees watch very closely because it cooks quickly at the end.  Immediately remove from heat. Carefully stir in vanilla and drink mix. Stir well. We should have stirred ours more-- notice some bits of drink mix (dark spots) on our taffy. Pour mixture onto buttered baking pan. Allow to cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.

Alpha Mom: Rice Krispie Turkeys

I have followed The Long Thread blog for a while now...so many great crafting projects there.  Well, following a link brought me to Alpha Mom with lots of good reading, and plenty of great sharings.  Among them, I found the recipe shared below...and with Passover coming, I'm thinking Rice Krispie Frogs or something :)


By Marie LeBaron
These cute little turkeys are a great edible craft to make with the kids while the real turkey is roasting in the oven. Mix up a batch of Chocolate Rice Krispies and design them into turkey treats. Then save them for a fun table decoration, ready to eat for dessert.
rice%20krispy%20treat%20turkeys.png

Supplies for Turkey Treats:




  • Chocolate Rice Krispy Cereal





  • Marshmallows- using the colored marshmallows works best at keeping the chocolate crispy treats brown.





  • Butter





  • Toothpicks- colored and party ones with the fun flare on top.





  • Assorted Candy- Mike & Ikes, candy corn, gum drops, mini m&ms, fruit loop cereal, more marshmallows.


  • Mix up a batch of Rice Krispies using the Chocolate cereal, marshmallows, and butter. Let it cool for a few minutes. Then grease your hands with vegetable spray and form the Krispies into balls. Try to use the colored marshmallows for making these. If you use white marshmallows, just roll your balls into more chocolate cereal to make them more brown for the turkey bodies.
    Supplies%20Ready%20Turkey%20Crispy%20036.jpg
    Using a utensil, make holes for the candy to be placed in the body. For the snood (the red thing on the turkey's beak) I cut a red Mike & Ike in half or you can cut a gum drop in half. We also liked candy corn for the beak, perfect size and color.
    Small%20Utensil%20Turkey%20Crispy%20038.jpgSnood%20Turkey%20Crispy%20041.jpg
    Now add your feathers. So many possibilities here. We used toothpicks, marshmallows, cereal, etc.
    We added a cellophane bag and ribbon to them, so they would stay nice and soft for dessert. We also placed a name tag on each one for a fun place setting.
    Place%20Setting%20Turkey%20Crispy%20079.jpg
    This activity should keep the kiddies busy for a little while. Make one for each person coming to dinner. Then have fun gobbling these fun Turkey Treats up after Thanksgiving Dinner.

    Saturday, January 10, 2009

    Buttery Pretzels

    3 lbs of pretzels
    1 bottle popcorn butter oil (Orville Redenbachers)
    1 package Hidden Valley Ranch, original buttermilk recipe
    3 tsp garlic powder
    1 tsp onion powder

    Mix oil and seasonings well. Toss with pretzels and allow to set overnight or all day. Toss several times to blend well.