Sun Gold Waldorf Salad

This is a fun, kid-friendly salad, at least my son thought so when he was a kid, that is chock-full of good things like chunks of apple, pineapple and chopped peanuts. The dressing is lightly spiced with mild curry powder giving the salad a slightly eastern flavor. The combination is delicious. Blessings...

Recipe:

4 cups torn lettuce
1 diced, unpeeled apple
2/3 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup canned, drained pineapple chunks or tidbits
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1/4 cup mayonnaise, light it fine
1/4 cup sour cream, low-fat is fine
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. mild curry powder, or to taste

1. In a salad bowl, combine first 6 ingredients.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until smooth.
3. Add dressing to salad and toss until all ingredients are coated.

Yield: 5-1/2 cups
Serves: 5 to 6

This wonderful recipe comes from a church cookbook.

Healthy Snack Bars

This kid-friendly snack is made with healthy ingredients like peanuts, raisins, applesauce, bran and oatmeal. These bars remind me of a breakfast cookie; nutrition on the run. I love them for a snack or quick pick-me-up when I get hungry. I adapted this recipe from one that I clipped out of "Woman's Day Magazine" years ago when my son was a child. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/3 cup unprocessed bran
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt, optional
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened, natural applesauce
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped peanuts
1/2 cup raisins (other dried fruit could also be used)

1. Combine oats, flour, bran, soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside
2. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg, applesauce and vanilla until combined.
3. Stir in oat mixture; mix well. Stir in peanuts and raisins using a spoon.
4. Pat evenly in a greased 9 x 9-inch pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 17 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Yield: 20 bars
118 calories each
1.7 gms. fiber

Chocolate Peanut Clusters

When we go home to visit, my husband and I will often stay with our very dear friend, Kathie. One year when we went for Christmas she made these delicious peanut clusters for our holiday celebration. The three of us gobbled them up! This recipe is easy, with only three ingredients, and perfect for a snack or dessert, and it's kid-friendly. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 can (16 oz.) cocktail peanuts
1 pkg. (10 oz.) Reese's Peanut Butter baking chips
1 pkg. (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Melt Reese's chips and chocolate chips together in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth.
2. Stir in peanuts.
3. Using a soup spoon, drop mixture onto wax paper lined cookie sheets. Let set until firm. Store in a tightly covered container.

Yield: 35 pieces
185 calories each
1 gm. fiber

Note: We also enjoy the clusters made with 1 cup of dark chocolate chips (60% cocoa) and 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips. The candy is not quite as sweet and the chocolate flavor is stronger. Using the dark chocolate increases the fiber to 2 gms. each.

Nutty Nougat Caramel Bites

This recipe is another that has become a fast favorite, and with good reason. They are made up of four rich and delicious layers that lovers of chocolate, caramel and butterscotch will greatly appreciate. I tell you that before I tell you that this is a time consuming recipe that requires patience, but is so worth every moment invested. And, the recipe makes a large pan of cookies, so there are plenty to enjoy. This recipe comes from Taste of Home's Fall 2002 cooking school magazine. Blessings...

Recipe:

COOKIE BASE:
2-1/4 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) instant butterscotch pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups butterscotch flavored morsels
NOUGAT FILLING:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups (about 8 oz.) chopped salted peanuts
CARAMEL LAYER:
1 pkg. (14 oz.) caramels-Kraft no longer makes a 14 oz. bag, it is now 11 oz., so you will have to buy two bags.
1/4 cup whipping cream
ICING:
1 cup milk chocolate morsels
1 cup butterscotch flavored morsels
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1. For cookie base: In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter, brown sugar and sugar in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Add pudding mix, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in butterscotch morsels with a large spoon. Spread and pat dough evenly into parchment paper-lined 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 13 minutes or until light golden brown. Carefully hold pan 2-3 inches above a heat-resistant surface and allow pan to drop. (This creates a chewier cookie base. Interesting, huh?) Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
2. For nougat filling: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and evaporated milk; stir. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallow cream, peanut butter and vanilla. Add peanuts; stir well. Spread nougat mixture over cookie base. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until set.
3. For caramel layer: Combine caramels and cream in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth. Spread caramel mixture over nougat layer. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until set.
4. For icing: Melt milk chocolate morsels, butterscotch morsels and peanut butter in a medium saucepan over low heat stirring constantly until smooth. Spread icing over caramel layer. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
5. To serve, let stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container. These are best at room temperature; rich and gooey, and worth every calorie, however many there are!!

Note: The recipe creator wanted me to cut the pieces into 1 x 1-inch pieces, hence the usage of the word "bites" in the title. I cut them into bars.

Peanut Pralines

Today's recipe for the Peanut Pralines is the candy pictured second from the left. This recipe does need the use of a candy thermometer but you do not need to stir the mixture continuously, so it isn't extremely labor intensive. The end results are well worth your effort. This candy is one of our favorites from Taste of Home; hopefully it will become a favorite in your household, as well. Blessings...

Recipe: 

2-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup butter (no substitutes)
2 tbsps. peanut butter
1 tbsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2-1/2 cups dry roasted peanuts

1. In a 2-3 qt. saucepan, combine the sugar, buttermilk and butter. Cook and stir over low heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.
2. Cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 234-240 degrees (soft-ball stage), stirring occasionally. Do watch the pan as the mixture will bubble up until it begins to thicken. When the temperature gets to 230 degrees, stir continuously so the syrup doesn't burn.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the peanut butter, vanilla, baking soda and peanuts; stir rapidly until the mixture is thickened and creamy. This will take about 5 minutes.
4. Drop mixture quickly by tablespoons onto waxed paper-lined or lightly buttered baking sheets, shaping into patties.
5. Let stand until cool and set. Store in an airtight container. Delicious!

Yield: 35 pieces, about 2-1/2 pounds of candy
152 calories each
less than 1 gm. fiber

Peanut Squares

Today's recipe is for the Peanut Squares, which is the candy on the right of the plate. This recipe is so easy that I really didn't expect it to be so good, but it sure is. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 cups dry roasted peanuts
2-1/2 tbsps. butter
2 cups (12 oz. pkg,) semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
2 cups miniature marshmallows

1. Place half the peanuts in an ungreased 11" x 7" x 2" baking pan; set aside.
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate chips over low heat. Remove from the heat.
3. Add milk and marshmallows; stir until melted. Pour over peanuts.
4. Sprinkle the remaining peanuts on top and gently press down a bit. Refrigerate until chilled through and set. Cut into squares. Serve at room temperature for best flavor.

Yield: 4-5 dozen pieces

Simple Rocky Road Candy

If you have never tried your hand at candy making, I would encourage you to try this recipe. It is a very easy preparation, tastes wonderful and is a classic "one-bowl" recipe. The easiest kind! Many candy recipes require a great deal of time standing at the stove stirring a syrup for the base of the candy, not this one.

The second candy pictured is the Reese's Candy recipe I posted earlier, please check the "labels" under candy to find it. Have a wonderful weekend as you, like me, will probably be doing lots of Christmas preparations with your family. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 pkg. (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbsp. butter
1 pkg. (10 1/2 oz.) miniature marshmallows
2 cups dry-roasted peanuts

1. In a large microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, butter and sweetened condensed milk. ( or melt in a double boiler). Microwave on high for one minute and stir. If mixture is not smooth, continue to microwave for another 30 seconds or more, as needed.
2. Add marshmallows and peanuts; stir to combine.
3. Turn mixture into a buttered 9" x 13" pan and smooth top. Refrigerate for a few hours until chocolate is set. Cut into 36 squares and store in an air-tight container at room temperature.