Christmas Goodies!!

[Leslie]

Last year for Christmas I received a box of Christmas goodies from a friend. In the box were several different kinds of treats. I would like to do the same this year for Alex's daycare teachers, and possibly my SFI teachers and classmates.

Here is what I am thinking about putting in:
Peanut Butter Balls
Divinity
Martha Washington Candy
Fudge

But I would like some suggestions on what else to add.

Thanks!
Leslie
Wishing ;D so badly she could make Texas Trash. Gosh I miss that stuff!

[Carolyn]

Okay, I gotta ask (even though we live next door in a manner of speaking), what's Texas Trash?

[Leslie]

You might know it as chex mix!

[Carolyn]

Okay, gotcha.

How about some Mexican Wedding Cookies for your box? You got all the ingredients in Sweden without having to scramble around!

[Elise]

Hey Leslie (or anyone! !

Have you got a good recipe for peanut butter balls?

I got one from my sis-in-laws great aunt...and it was high on paraffin and low on directions - in other words...they turned out tasting like diluted paraffin chocolate balls with a little paraffin peanut butter taste! Yuk! HAHA

(can you tell paraffin was one of the ingredients? lol)

Help!!

[Debbie]

"Have you got a good recipe for peanut butter balls?"

First find a male peanut.....

Guess it's time for me to start teaching today...hmmmmmm?

I just couldn't help myself....

[Leslie]

Hmm...I am looking at my recipe and it says use a half block of parafin, but the parafin here is sold in bags. Then I remembered asking Pam about it last year and she gave me an answer...but now I don't remember. Pam, do you remember how much of the bagged parafin to use?

[Elise]

Debbie - lol!

Thanks, you guys, for the help with this. I love peanut butter balls, but I think the recipe I have is messed up and/or I dont have good directions...normally I am not too much of a retard in the kitchen, but this recipe that I have just doesnt work so I have avoided making them. It would be great to be able to make some this year!

[beccarose]

I don't know what kind of peanut butter balls you are looking for, but if you do a search on Google (or really any other search engine, but I like Google) for peanut butter balls, you will come up with a whole slew of recipes. Here is one that sounded good to me, and I think you can get these ingreds in Sweden.

1 c. peanut butter
1 c. powdered milk
1/2 c. honey

Blend all ingredients together (preferrably with hands).
Roll into balls the size of large marbles and refrigerate.
Optional:
roll balls in powdered cocoa
" " " coconut
dip into chocolate fondue

Yummy! You can also use powdered sugar instead of honey. Though you will want to add something liquid to make it stick together, like a bit of molasses or honey, whatever.

[beccarose]

These looked good too.

Best Ever Peanut Butter Balls

Mix well:
1 stick butter
3 c. Rice Krispies
2 c. smooth peanut butter
1 box powdered sugar
Shape into bite size balls. Chill or freeze. While chilling, melt over double boiler:

8 oz. Hershey bars (lg. bar)
12 oz. chocolate chips
2 tbsp. paraffin
Yields approximately 80 balls.

[Pam]

So in other words Elise, you just had a little peanut butter with your paraffin? ;D If you used half a block of paraffin in your recipe try half to two thirds a small bag. I'll dig out my recipe for peanut butter balls and post it this weekend. Also a simple cookie recipe that's good and makes for easy decorating or rolling into pinwheels.
I made sausage balls here last year for Christmas and my Swedish family loved them.
Another idea, instead of just regular fudge, leave out the chocolate, add coconut and use food coloring.
Oh, and Les, I hear ya about the Chex Mix but you can do a little here to curb the craving. Havre cereal, pretzles, different types of crackers, nuts....just use the same recipe with Worchestershire sauce, butter, garlic, Lawry's Seasoning salt and whatever you use in regular party mix. I'd love to have your divinity recipe. That's something I haven't perfected just yet. We usually have to lick it off the plate.

[Natooke]

Oh now I know what your talking about "Texas Trash" is called "Nut's & Bults" ... my sister makes "nut's & bolts" every year at Xmas & gives it out for gifts ... there's nothing like the taste of the homemade stuff ;D

Back to subject ;D
Later today I'll post my MIL's homemade Diam.
another thing I do which is very simple is melt Milk choc. & add peanuts (wash salt off & dry) Dark choc. with chunky chopped almonds or White choc. with rasins. You can either spread it out on a pan or drop them to bite size ... then chill.

[Pam]

Here's another simple one. Put peanut butter between two Ritz-type crackers then dip in white almond bark.

[Elise]

Thanks for helping this "peanut butter ball challenged" girl! ;D

hehe

Thanks for the tip on the amount of paraffin...when I saw those bags I was thinking it was probably the same stuff as the blocks but...still...was not sure of the amount.

That would be great if you get a chance, to post your recipe...I think I would feel better with a tried and true one after my experience with the one I have

[Leslie]

Here is my grandmother's recipe for Peanut Butter Balls

2 sticks margarine, melted (200grams milda)
1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs (digestives work well)
1 box powdered sugar
2 c. peanut butter
1 cup chopped pecans (some people use crunchy peanut butter instead of adding the pecans)

Mix together, roll into balls, refrigerate.

Coating: Melt 1/2 stick parafin (so as Pam said, 1/2 to 3/4ths bag of the kind we have in Sweden) and 6 oz pkg chocoate chips. (Block chocolate would probably work well. Dip balls into mixture. Cool on wax paper.

Edited to add....the parafin and chocolate should be melted in a double boiler, if you don't have one of those you can use a smaller pan inside a larger pan, that is what I have done. Also they work better if cold before dipping. I think I may have even frozen mine last year.