Muddy Buddies - Everyones Favorite

My mom made these when I was a kid, but didn't call them muddy buddies.  I can't remember what she called them,  trash comes to mind, but not sure that was it.  Then,  as I was searching for chex party mix recipes and found this one,  I had to make it this year.  The kiddos loved them and they are so simple to make.  Here's where you can find the recipe  http://chex.com/Recipes/RecipeView.aspx?RecipeId=45860&CategoryId=340.  

Here's all you need:

9	cups Rice Chex®, Corn Chex® or Chocolate Chex® cereal (or combination)
1	cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2	cup peanut butter
1/4	cup butter or margarine
1	teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2	cups powdered sugar

Measure cereal and set aside.  In microwave safe bowl,  combine chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and butter.  Microwave on high for 1 minute then stir,  continue to microwave in 30 second increments until mixture stirs smooth.  Stir in vanilla, then stir over cereal until coated evenly.  Place cereal in 2 gallon food storage bag,  add powdered sugar and shake until all cereal is coated.  Spread cereal out on wax paper to cool. Store the mix in an airtight container in the fridge.  Then, eat them up!!! YUM!!! 

Brown Sugar-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Or, as we like to call them, CANDY!!!  Need a delicious side dish for Christmas dinner?  These are awesome, even those that don't usually eat sweet potatoes will gobble these up. 

Here's what you need:

4 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
2/3 cup packed golden brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of ground ginger
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Arrange potatoes in 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish.  Combine sugar, butter, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ginger in heavy small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Pour over potatoes: toss to coat.  Cover dish tightly with foil.

Bake potatoes 50 minutes.  Then, uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes.

Turn oven up to 500 degrees.  Top potatoes with almonds and marshmallows.  Return to oven; bake until marshmallows begin to melt and almonds begin to brown, about 3 minutes.

The finished product.........Delicious!!!!!!  My entire family gobbles these down, even those that have NEVER eaten sweet potatoes. 

7 Layer Bars

Let the Christmas baking begin.  Well, it began on Saturday:) so, let it continue.  I have a few recipes I'll post later that are my constants, but every year I like to try something new.  This year, I tried 3 new recipes for our family.  Here's one I got from my sister:

Seven Layer Magic Cookie Bars Recipe:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup butterscotch flavored chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13x9 inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.
Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with remaining ingredients; press down firmly with fork.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Loose from sides of pan while still warm; cool on wire rack. Cut into bars or diamonds.
For perfectly cut cookie bars, line entire pan with foil, extending over edge of pan. Coat lightly with no-stick cooking spray. After bars have baked and cooled, lift up by edges of foil to remove from pan. Cut into individual bars.

You can use what ever kind of chips you like as long as they measure out 2 cups.  I used butterscotch, white chocolate, and milk chocolate.  Delicious.

I didn't get a picture before they were cut into :(  Gotta be fast around this house.  They were pretty good and not too difficult to make. 

Christmas Tambourines

Well, it's almost Christmas!!! Just 9 more days!  Are you ready??  I am NOT.  However, I have made a lot of progress in the past couple weeks.

One of the things on our to do lists has been Bible Club at church.  Usually we alternate weeks, but due to a new addition in our church (yep another baby boy) we have had it every week in December.  So,,,,, I've had to come up with some crafts to keep those kiddos entertained.

The great thing about finding crafts for church,  I've also been able to incorporate a couple into our school days too.  It's nice to take a break and have some fun from the books:)

Here's one we made this week at the house. 

The Christmas Tambourine

Here's what you need:
     2 heavy duty paper plates
     jingle bells
     cord
     hole punch
     glue
     markers, crayons, paint, or whatever you want to use to color your plates ( I used crayons, less      mess)

This is probably the easiest one I've done so far.  All you do is color the bottom side of the plates.  Then glue them together so that the bottoms are facing out.  Punch as many holes around the outside of the plates as you want.  I couldn't do as many because I had to divide 35 jingle bells between 6 kids (should have gotten more bells).  String the cord through the holes adding a jingle bell for each hole that you go through.  When you've completed the circle, tie the ends of the cord together.  Then, commence to making noise!!!!  Sing Jingle Bells.  Have fun with them.

Grandma's Famous Pumpkin Pie

 I learned something very interesting while visiting family in WV.  You know those "famous" family secret recipes,  well we always thought Grandma had one of those for her pumpkin pie.  My sister-in-law had asked for her "famous pumpkin pie" recipe many, many times.  Seeing as Grandma is getting up in years, I guess she finally decided to share.  Funny thing, Grandma handed her a Libby's pure pumpkin can and turned it around to the recipe on the back.  The very recipe I have been using since I started making Thanksgiving dinner IS Grandma's "secret" recipe.  Who would have thought???  We still think there is something she adds but just won't tell us!!!   Guess it just goes to show that things aren't always what you think them to be.

Regardless, I had a wonderful time in WV.  This was the first year I got to fix dinner for my entire family.  I think I did a pretty good job and the pumpkin pie was delicious.  LOL.  My grandma even complimented my turkey (there's one for the memory books).  I guess you have probably figured out,  I don't really like "secret family recipes" .  If I find a recipe I like, I'll post it on here.  I can't take these recipes with me when I'm gone, and what good are they if my children and their children can't fix them just like me.  Those are the memories I love, teaching my children the things my mom taught me.

I hope everyone had a very Happy Thanksgiving and remembered to stop and take a moment to thank God for all our blessings.