Double Decker Candy Bar Rice Krispy Treats

This is a great way to use up leftover Halloween candy and share with friends.

Double Decker Candy Bar Rice Krispy Treats

6 Tbsp. butter
2 (10 oz.) bags mini marshmallows
2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
12 c. rice krispies
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 c. chocolate chips
30 pieces mini candy bars (snickers, milky way, twix), cut into pieces

First, you are going to make 2 separate batches of rice krispy treats.  First batch will be bottom layer, covered with chocolate and candy bars and then covered with second batch of rice krispy treats.  It's easier to work in two batches instead of making both at once.

In a saucepan, heat 3 Tbsp. butter until melted.  Add in 1 (10 oz.) bag of marshmallows and stir constantly until melted and smooth.  Once melted, stir in 1 tsp. vanilla and pinch of salt and remove from heat.  Stir in 6 c. rice krispies.  Pour into greased 9x13 pan (with as squared an edge as possible like a cake pan) and press firmly into pan.  (I found using my silpat makes this job the easiest.  You could also try wax paper or parchment paper.)  In a microwave safe bowl, heat chocolate chips and coconut oil for 1 minute.  Stir until smooth.  (This will feel a little more liquid-y than you think is right.)  Spread chocolate over first layer of rice krispy treats.  Sprinkle chopped candy bars over top of melted chocolate.

Prepare next batch of rice krispy treats, using same directions as bolded above.  Spread over candy bars and press firmly into pan.  Allow to cool completely.  Once cool, flip out of pan and cut into squares.

Chocolate Billionaires

We've been in full Christmas candy making mode around here in the hopes of delivering our gifts to our neighbors this week.  I've made what has become my usual Christmas gift of White Trash and decided to give this new recipe a try.  I've never had them before that I can remember, but they are good.  I wanted something for the chocolate lovers.

Speaking of billionaires, have y'all heard that Jessica Simpson has a reported $3 million contract with Weight Watchers to lose weight after she has her baby?  Dear Weight Watchers, I will cut you a deal and just take $500,000 to lose weight after I have this baby...who am I kidding?  I'll just take $50,000!  Think of the money I will save you...and I am more relatable!!

Chocolate Billionaires

1 (14 oz.) pkg. caramels
3 Tbsp. water
1-1/2 c. pecan pieces
1 c. rice krispies
1 pkg. chocolate bark (plus 1/2 pkg. if needed)

In a microwave safe dish, heat caramels and water until caramel are soft and consistency is smooth.  (I did 1 minute intervals.)  Add in pecan pieces and rice krispies.  Drop by teaspoon onto wax paper covered tray.  Place in fridge for caramel to harden, about 30 minutes.  Melt chocolate according to package directions.  Cover each caramel piece in chocolate using fork to roll and dip.  Place on wax paper and allow chocolate to harden.

Makes 3 dozen.

Candy Dipped Grapes

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

We stayed home and had a steak dinner and a side dish using our new Perini Ranch Steakhouse cookbook we received for Christmas.  We didn't celebrate with champagne, but we did have grapes.  And let me tell you, the picture doesn't do these justice.  They are so good...and SO ADDICTIVE!!  (And super simple!)  I think they would be a great addition to any tea I am hosting in the future.

Candy Dipped Grapes

white almond bark

grapes, washed and dried of any remaining water

No way for exact measurements since it depends on how many grapes you have.  Melt almond bark according to package directions.  Dip grapes into almond bark to coat and place on wax paper to cool.  Once almond bark is set, store in refrigerator and serve cold.

Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle

This past weekend, we had The Bun's baby dedication at our church.  Afterwards we had our family over to our house for lunch.  Because we would be at church and had such a large crowd coming, I wanted to do something easy.  So we had all cold foods that I made the day before and just pulled out of the fridge when the service was over.  Our menu consisted of:

Luncheon Chicken Salad with Croissants
Sweet Potato Salad
Roasted New Potato Salad (that I normally serve warm, but served chilled this time)
Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding
Granny's Cut Out Cookies (shaped with a cross cookie cutter)
And this delicious trifle!  Chocolate/Peanut Butter lover's dream!!!

I tore the recipe out of a magazine months ago and saved it this whole time for this special occasion!

For the kids, I did have grilled cheese sandwiches and chips.  The sandwiches were baked in the oven and kept warm until lunch time.

Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle

1 fudge brownie mix (13x9 pan size)
1 pkg. (10 oz.) peanut butter chips
1 pkgs. (13 oz. each) miniature peanut butter cups
4 cups cold milk
2 pkgs. (5.1 oz. each) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 c. creamy peanut butter
4 tsp. vanilla extract
3 (8 oz.) cartons frozen whipped topping, thawed

Prepare brownie batter according to package directions; stir in peanut butter chips.  Bake in a greased 9x13 baking pan at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool and cut into 3/4 inch pieces.

Cut peanut butter cups in half; set aside 1/3 cup for garnish.  In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes.  Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set.  Add peanut butter and vanilla; mix well.  Fold in 1-1/2 cartons of whipped cream.

Place a third of the brownies in a 5-qt. glass bowl; top with a third of the remaining peanut butter cups.  Spoon a third of the pudding mixture over the top.  Repeat layers twice.  Cover with remaining whipped topping; garnish with reserved peanut butter cups.  Refrigerate until chilled.

Peeps Sunflower Cake

How cute is this cake? And let me tell y'all, it is SUPER EASY!! Here's the recipe. The picture above is the one I made. I think it is very close to the magazine's version that you can see at the link. The only difference is that my chocolate chips are all the same size. Last year I was gifted the magazine Taste of Home by Super Social Worker. A dear friend of her's that absolutely loved recipes and cooking passed away. I was honored to be the recipient of her remaining magazine subscription. This cake was in there and I have had it on my mind this whole time...anxiously waiting for Easter peep season.

White Trash

Tomorrow is our Christmas supper club with Sunday school. We will be playing Dirty Santa and I decided to make one of our gifts. This would allow me to also have something to give our hostess and her family. This recipe made so much that I would be able to have those two gifts plus two more that I plan to give to our neighbors. I stuffed a lot in each container, but I could have made even more smaller packages. Y'all try this if you are looking for a yummy gift to give for Christmas this year.

White Trash

2 c. rice chex cereal

2 c. corn chex cereal

2 c. cheerios

2 c. salted peanuts

2 c. plain M&Ms

1-1/2 pkgs. white almond bark

In a large bowl, combine first 5 ingredients. Melt almond bark according to package directions. (I used the double boiler directions this time.) After melting, quickly mix all ingredients with almond bark. Once thoroughly mixed, lay out on wax paper to cool. Break apart to package.

**Note: Not made by white trash! (I think!)

Candy Cane Bark

We are back from Disney World and exhausted! As soon as we got back into town, we had to leave again to cheer our team on to victory! So glad we didn't miss out on that. Today we had our supper club, and all we took were the drinks. I would have loved to make something, but I just couldn't find the time. Now, we are trying to get back into our regular routine, in addition to trying to decorate for Christmas. It has been raining here this afternoon and we didn't want to bring home a wet tree, so we have put that off for one more day. Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow because I am really ready to put our tree up! The Dish Washer is Clark Griswold when it comes to lights on a Christmas tree. I love it! We usually have to plug the lights into a surge protector.

We ate a lot at Disney, but nothing out of the ordinary as far as junk food is concerned. (Well, I guess the deep fried snickers I had counts as extraordinary!) I did get to see the cheerleaders come down the street for the parade. The group was much smaller than I remembered it being twelve years ago. The crazy thing is a little girl that I used to babysit was in it this year, so reliving the glory days didn't work...I felt really old!

Now that Christmas is right upon us, 'tis the season for goodies!! I first had this when I was working in a retirement community. We made it for the residents one day and it was so incredibly easy and good. I've even thought it would make a good tea/after dinner mint.

Candy Cane Bark

1 package almond bark (Cand-i-Quick)
1 box candy canes, unwrapped and finely crushed

Melt almond bark according to package directions. Mix in crushed candy canes and pour onto wax paper in a thin layer to cool. Break into small pieces and package.

--

One year at church we had a Christmas program called "Candy Cane Lane." I was Candy Cane Jane! Anyway, our director gave us a framed copy of the story of the candy cane. Here it is:

"The Candymaker's Witness"

A candy maker in Indiana wanted to make candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas candy cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry and death of Jesus Christ.

He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy: white to symbolize the virgin birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church and firmness of the promises of God.


The candy maker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the Good Shepherd with which He reached down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs, who like all sheep, have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.

Unfortunately, the candy became known as the "candy cane" - a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the real meaning is still there for all who "have eyes to see and ears to hear." We pray this symbol will again be used to witness to the wonder of Jesus and His great love that came down at Christmas.