Family Around the Table

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Chocolate Nonpareil Drops

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Valentine nonpareils make a sweet treat for your sweetheart.I come by my love of nonpareil candies naturally. My Mom loved nonpareils. Some may think of them as sprinkles but they are different. Sprinkles, or jimmies as some people call them, are the longer candies used to decorate cakes and cookies. Nonpareils are round.

As a child, whenever my Mom took me to the movies, I would pick the sno-caps for my movie munchie. I still love them to this day. My husband is a big fan as well. Every holiday season he orders some from his favorite candy shop in Pennsylvania. This one was no exception.

So to celebrate national chocolate month I decided to recreate this favorite candy. Plus, I thought they would be cute for Valentine’s Day. I packaged a few in a cellophane bag and left them on each of my boys desks for them to find when they returned home from their day at school. They are really easy to make and bring smiles to all who enjoy them. My chocolate mixed nut clusters were a hit over the holidays I decided I needed more easy candy type posts. Once you get the hang of melting chocolate there is no end to what you can make. Two keys are being patient when melting and using a rubber spatula to stir the chocolate. I never use a wooden spoon to stir chocolate because moisture can linger and moisture is the enemy of melting chocolate.

Enjoy these candies as well as the other recipes from my blogger friends.

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Chocolate Nonpareil Drops

Chocolate Nonpareil Drops

Ingredients

  • 1 (11.5 ounce) bag milk chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon shortening (I used Crisco)
  • 1 (3 ounce) jar of Valentine nonpareils

Instructions

  1. In a heavy sauce pan over low heat combine the bag of milk chocolate chip along with the shortening. Stirring occasionally, with a rubber spatula, as it melts. Do not rush this process.
  2. In a small baking sheet or glass baking dish, add the nonpareils to the bottom to cover. You will not need the entire jar.
  3. Once the chocolate has melted, drop by teaspoonfuls onto the nonpareils, about 1 - 2 inches apart. Add more nonpareils if necessary. Repeat with remaining chocolate.
  4. Refrigerate on pan until chocolate is set. Store in single layer in the refrigerator.

Notes

Use other holiday colored nonpareils for different holidays.

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Valentine nonpareils make a sweet treat for your sweetheart.

Peanut Butter Fudge

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I love making homemade food gifts for family and friends for the holidays. I put on Christmas music, gather my recipes and ingredients and get to work. This peanut butter fudge is always a hit and the recipient has no idea just how easy it is to make. So easy, in fact, my oldest son made this batch. He’s 13. It always makes me happy to have my boys in the kitchen. They seem to enjoy it too.

This is not a typical fudge. It does not get completely firm like other fudge recipes. It’s a softer fudge that melts in your mouth with a smooth creamy texture and lots of peanut butter flavor. When you prepare it be sure you incorporate all the peanut butter goodness. Stir it well to get it mixed. Do the same with the powdered sugar.

When I do give this as a gift I like to wrap it individual candy bags and tie with festive ribbon and a tag. Or I include a few pieces in a tin with other goodies like cookies or bark.

A great big thank you to Christie from http://www.akitchenhoorsadventures.com for hosting this weeks Sunday Supper Homemade Food Gifts event. Be sure to check out my Sunday Supper friends and the food gifts they offer this week.

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Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup butter, plus more for buttering the pan
  • 1 (16 ounce) jar creamy peanut butter
  • 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Combine corn syrup and butter in a 2 quart saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring, until butter melts. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Return to low heat and cook and stir until smooth.
  2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla continuing to stir, with a wooden spoon, until smooth. Spread into a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before cutting into 1-inch squares.

Notes

It is not recommended to use natural peanut butter for this recipe.

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Original Chex Mix – Memories of Christmas

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The Original Chex Mix
The Original Chex Mix

My Mom always made this EVERY holiday season. Since she’s no longer able, it’s now my job because it’s not only a family favorite, it’s a family tradition.I love it, my boys love it, neighbors and friends love it, my husband does not love it. More for us!

My brother, Craig, who was visiting last week enjoyed a good deal of it and I sent the rest on the plane with him as a snack. I bet the people sitting around him were jealous.

This recipe is my Mom’s that she clipped, possibly from a magazine too many years ago to mention. It’s in a journal type book with other clipped and hand-written recipes I will treasure until the end of my days. This particular clipping is worn, the page in the book actually detached but now repaired by me so it doesn’t get lost. There’s even a torn piece of paper with Chex Mix written on it as a makeshift bookmark so it’s easily found. Plus, her notes are invaluable.

Many many not know that the Original Chex mix did not have bagel chips or pretzels or anything else than what’s here. I know, my Mom’s been making this for close to 40 years, if not longer. In recent years there have been boatloads of recipes with Chex but, to me, this original is best. My Mom made one substitution and that was garlic powder for the seasoned salt. When my Dad was put on a salt-free diet, she made the substitution. I don’t even remember it the other way. Oh and it’s Chex Party Mix, not just Chex mix. Perfect for any party. It’s also great for hostess gifts, treats in your cookie tin and an after school snack.

Use a 9 x 13 inch pan it’s easier to stir with higher sides.

Chex Party Mix

6 tablespoons margarine

1 teaspoon garlic powder

4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 cups Chex Corn cereal

2 cups Chex Rice cereal

2 cups Chex Wheat cereal

1 1/2 cups mixed nuts

Melt margarine and pour into 9 x 13 inch pan. Stir in garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce. Add Chex cereals and nuts, stirring until all pieces are coated. Heat in 275 degree oven for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread out onto absorbent paper towel to cool.

Makes 7 1/2 cups.

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Ellen Folkman and Family Around The Table 2010-2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material contained within this blog, either photographs or written copy, without express and written permission from this blog's author (Ellen Folkman) and/or owner (Ellen Folkman) is strictly PROHIBITED. Excerpts and links may be used, provided full and clear credit is given to Ellen Folkman and Family Around The Table with appropriate and specific direction to the original content via a link. Please do not publish recipes in their entirety. Happy to share if you let me know you've used a link. If unauthorized content is found on the world wide web, owner of copyrights (Ellen Folkman and Family Around The Table) will take appropriate action under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
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