Bunny Bait

 Princess Pinky Girl shared this awesome Easter/spring snack. Perfect for packaging up for teachers or neighbors! 

Ingredients

• 3½ cups Rice Chex cereal
• 3½ cups honey nut cheerios
• 1½ cups pretzels sticks
• ½ cup salted peanuts
• 16 ounces vanilla almond bark chopped (2 cups or 8 squares)
• 10 ounce bag easter M&Ms
• ½ cup butterscotch chips

Instructions

• Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper. Set it aside.
• Mix together the rice Chex cereal, honey nut cheerios, pretzel sticks, and salted peanuts in a large bowl.
• Melt the vanilla almond bark in the microwave using a large microwave safe dish. Microwave it in increments of 15 seconds, stirring after each interval, until it has melted completely
• Pour the melted almond bark into the bowl with the cereal mixture and then toss together until thoroughly combined.
• Gently fold in the easter M&Ms and butterscotch chips.
• Transfer to the prepared sheet pan.
• Spread everything out onto the sheet pan evenly and let it set for about 45 minutes.
• Once the almond bark has set and hardened, break into pieces before transferring to a serving dish.

Easter Bunny Chow

This comes from Crafty Morning and is a perfect Easter treat! I packaged mine up in clear bags with Easter tags for my kids' 9 school teachers! It was a big hit and super easy/cheap to make a big double batch! You could also easily make this Christmasy using Christmas M&Ms!

INGREDIENTS

½ cup creamy peanut butter

¼ cup butter

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

9 cups Chex cereal

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup Easter M&Ms

spring/Easter sprinkles

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine peanut butter, butter, and chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl.

Microwave for 1 minute, then stir until melted and creamy.

Add vanilla and stir.

In a large bowl with a cover, pour chocolate mixture over cereal. Cover and shake until

cereal is evenly coated.

Sprinkle powdered sugar over cereal. Cover and shake until evenly coated.

Add M&Ms and sprinkles of your choice.

Graham Cracker Cookies

This is my aunt's recipe that she makes every Christmas. It's so amazing and perfect for Christmas treats!

Spray jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray. Layer graham crackers on bottom. Sprinkle with slivered or sliced almonds (optional).

In medium saucepan, mix together:
1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Bring to a boil over med-high heat and let boil for 3 minutes. DO NOT STIR. Pour over crackers and bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

When you pull out of the oven, sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and put back in the oven for 2 minutes and spread chocolate out evenly. (You can also use melting chocolate). Top with chopped nuts if you like. Let cool and break apart.

Crispy Peanut Butter Balls

These are my favorite ones I've made! They have just enough sweetness and that added crunch is perfect, plus they make a big batch so I don't have to double the recipe! These were perfect neighbor treats for Christmas! Recipe and picture from Craving Some Creativity.


Ingredients 

3 1/2 Cups Cocoa Rice Krispies (I used regular, not chocolate) 
16 oz peanut butter creamy or crunchy, your preference, 2 cups 
1/2 cup Butter 1 stick 
1 lb powdered sugar 1/2 bag 
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate melting wafers 

Instructions 

Soften (not melt) butter. In a mixer, beat butter and peanut butter together until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar, 2/3 cup at a time and combine between additions until blended. With spoon or spatula, fold in rice krispies. Roll small balls (1-1.5" in diameter) in hands and chill in refridgerator at least 1 hour. 
Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Dip chilled balls into chocolate. Scoop out with a fork and gently shake off excess chocolate. Place on wax paper to cool.

Coconut M&M Cookies

The original recipe is from Pinch of Yum. These are soft and amazing. The coconut oil is a healthy alternative to oil/butter and makes them have a wonderful coconut-y taste!

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 cup Coconut Oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups M&M's

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the brown sugar, white sugar, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla with electric mixers on low speed until well mixed.
2. Add the 2½ cups flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined. Stir the M&M's into the dough.
3. Roll into large balls and press extra M&M's into the tops. Flatten slightly with your palm or the back of a wooden spoon. Bake for 8-10 minutes (they will be slightly underbaked). Remove from cookie sheet right away and place on cooling rack. Let stand for 5-10 minutes to help the cookies hold their shape.

Caramel Corn

I found this recipe on Gimme Some Oven and it's probably the best caramel popcorn I've ever had! Tastes like salted caramel!!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup light or dark corn syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 12 cups popped popcorn (about 1 cup kernels before popped), preferably warm from being freshly popped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan with aluminum foil, and grease with cooking spray. 

Melt butter in a large stockpot pot over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and corn syrup, stir to combine. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer undisturbed for 5 minutes. Stir, then continue to cook for an additional 4 to 6 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until the mixture is a deep golden color. Turn off the heat and slowly whisk in salt, baking soda and vanilla, being very careful as the mixture will bubble. Stir in the popcorn and toss until it is evenly coated with the caramel, being sure to scrape the caramel off the bottom of the pot. 

Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet or pan in an even layer. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring to toss every 5 minutes, until the caramel corn has turned a deep amber color. Remove the caramel corn from the oven and transfer to a surface covered with parchment or wax paper to cool. Once it reaches room temperature, use your hands or a spoon to break up the caramel corn, then store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Homemade Reese's Eggs

These wonderful treats come to us from Raining Hot Coupons and they are TO DIE FOR. Seriously. Make them today. You'll thank me later. I doubled this recipe and made them for my husband's work Easter party and they were eaten up waaay fast!

• 1 cup Peanut Butter
• 1/4 cup Butter
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 8 oz Dark Cocoa Melting Chips/Chocolate Almond Bark (1/2 package)

1. Melt peanut butter and butter for 1 minute in microwave.
2. Stir until blended.
3. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and mix well.
4. Divide mixture into 10 portions and shape into an egg shape.
5. Place on parchment paper lined sheet and place in freezer for 15 minutes.
6. Melt chocolate in microwave by heating for 30 seconds then stirring and repeating process until it is melted and smooth.
7. Using a fork, dip egg into chocolate and flip to cover completely. Lift with fork and gently tap on edge of the bowl allowing excess chocolate to drip off.
8. Place back on parchment paper.
9. Refrigerate 10 minutes until chocolate has set.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls

 These are always a hit and are fun to make, especially around the holidays. I personally like mine pretty small, like the size of Whoppers, but you can make these whatever size you like. They're SO easy to throw together but taste like you've slaved away all day on them! ;) And don't forget, you can make up a ton of these and stick them in a Ziploc bag and freeze them! Then pull out as many as you are needing at a time.

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 lb. melting chocolate (I used semi-sweet Almond Bark)

*Combine butter, sugar, and peanut butter in a mixer until well combined. Using your hands, mold them into balls (size of your liking), and lay them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Once finished rolling, stick the pan in the freezer while you melt your chocolate. Dip each ball into the chocolate, letting the excess drip off, and let them dry on the wax paper. Enjoy!

Peanut Brittle in the Microwave

Oh man this is dangerously good and dangerously easy! It's hard not to make it all the time during the holidays!

2 cups white sugar 1 cup light corn syrup 2 cups salted peanuts 2 teaspoons butter 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 teaspoons baking soda Directions: 1. Butter a cookie sheet. Combine sugar and corn syrup in a 2 quart glass bowl and microwave on high 4 minutes. Stir in peanuts and microwave on high 3 1/2 minutes more, then stir in butter and vanilla and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. 2. Stir in baking soda until light and foamy. Pour onto cookie sheet and spread thin. Cool completely and break into pieces and serve.

Indoor S'mores

I have seen lots of versions of these on Pinterest lately and decided to give it a try. They were delicious and, in my humble opinion, even better than regular s'mores! I loved that my kids could help make them, too!

*First, lay foil on a jelly roll pan and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread out graham crackers and place a marshmallow on top of each one. Toast in oven for 2-3 minutes, or until slightly golden brown.

*Immediately after taking them out of the oven, squish another graham cracker on top of each marshmallow.

*Dip each in melting chocolate/almond bark. We did some completely dipped, some only halfway dipped--you choose! Enjoy!

M&M Cookies

I adapted this recipe from Picky Palate's; I felt that there were WAY too many M&Ms and chocolate chips with her recipe and not enough batter. They taste delicious though and this is the first time I've ever made M&M cookies, so I was excited! They are sure colorful and fun and taste just like Chips Ahoy! cookies!!

Ingredients

• 1 stick/1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons Instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup Mini M&M’s

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl cream your butter and sugars until well combined. Add your egg and vanilla mixing to combine. Add your flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt, stirring to combine. Add chips and M&Ms, stirring to combine.
3. With a medium cookie scoop, place dough 1 inch apart from each other. Bake for 10-12 minutes until cooked through. Let cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Enjoy!

Jellybean Bracelets

I saw this cute idea on InkaBlinka and decided it would be a perfect craft activity for my little girls for Easter. It is really cute and definitely better than the store-bought candy bracelets!

 You'll just need a needle, floss, ribbon (two pieces, each 4-5" in length) and jelly beans!

1) Thread floss through your needle. Knot the end of your floss.
2) Thread one of your pieces of ribbon onto the floss, then start threading on jelly beans. (If you push your needle onto a cutting board it helps. I would stab the jelly bean, then turn it upside-down and push the jelly bean onto the needle, instead of trying to pull the needle itself).
3) Once you have all the jelly beans you want, thread your other piece of ribbon and knot the end.
4) You're done! Now you can tie the ribbon ends together into a cute bow. I've seen this made for adults as a cute Easter gift or for kids. Have fun!

Saltine Toffee

This is the easiest holiday treat--thanks, Heidi for the recipe! We loved it!

1 cup unsalted butter (no margarine allowed)
1 cup brown sugar, packed tightly
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
40 saltine crackers

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan or a 12x17-inch cookie sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Lay a flat layer of crackers out on the foil. Melt the sugar and butter until a boil is reached. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until mixture is thickened and sugar is completely dissolved. Pour this mixture over the crackers and spread to coat evenly. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the toffee becomes bubbly. After removing the pan from the oven, let it sit for 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle on the chocolate chips, let them soften and melt, and then spread them into an even layer. (You can add nuts, cracker crumbs, or whatever else floats your boat at this point.) Let cool and, if desired for expediting purposes, refrigerate until hardened. Break into pieces the size of your choice. I personally prefer a hand-sized chunk.

Homemade Butterfingers

I'm sure you've seen this recipe floating around Pinterest lately--I kept seeing it over and over until I finally gave in and made some. Let me tell you, they were definitely worth it! They taste just like the real thing!

1 lb. candy corn
16oz jar peanut butter (about 2 cups)
16oz pkg. chocolate candy coating or milk chocolate chips

*Melt candy corn in microwave on high 1 minute. Stir and continue cooking in 15-second intervals til melted, stirring after each interval. Stir in peanut butter. (At this point, yes, it is supposed to look like throw up). Spread mixture in an 8x8 pan lined with parchment. Cool completely. I refrigerated mine to speed up the process. Cut into squares. Dip in melted chocolate candy coating. Lay on waxed paper to set.

Easy OREO Truffles

My friend told me about these and the recipe was so easy I didn't even have to write it down! They are absolutely the best thing ever, too! Go ahead and give them a try!

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 package OREO cookies
8 squares of chocolate almond bark, melted

*Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. Crush 20 Oreo cookies in a food processor or by hand. Add to mixer and blend with cream cheese. Scoop mixture into balls of desired size. (I used a cookie dough scoop that is 1.5" across). Dip
Oreo balls into chocolate almond bark. Put on cookie sheet and cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Makes about 20 truffles in the size that I made. I also made these with white chocolate, drizzled with milk chocolate, but my husband ate them all before I could take a picture! He liked those even better though, so you have a couple of variations. Enjoy!

Homemade Marshmallows & Hot Cocoa Mix

These are spoons to stir your hot chocolate. Just dip a plastic spoon into melted chocolate and immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Here's where I found these recipes--they are amazing! I gave these as gifts this year and everyone loved them! I thought the marshmallow recipe looked a little daunting, but they only took me about 20 minutes to make, not counting the time to cut them the next day!

Homemade Marshmallows

1 cup cold water, divided

3 envelopes unflavored gelatin (found in the baking isle of your grocery)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
pinch salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Garnish: 4-5 cups confectioners sugar

Spray (with a non stick vegetable spray) either a half-sheet pan or a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Then, line it with parchment paper. Sift a few tablespoons of confectioners sugar onto the the parchment paper (this is important as it will help to keep the marshmallow from sticking to the paper too much as they set).
Place 1/2 cup cold water into the bowl of your electric mixer (fitted with a whisk attachment). Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes. You can leave this while you make your sugar syrup.

Sugar syrup: place the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup cold water in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Cover the saucepan and let it come to a full boil. Uncover and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Increase heat to high and boil, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 240 degrees F (Softball stage), about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

With mixer running at low speed, slowly pour the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Gradually increase the speed to high and beat until mixture has tripled in volume and is very thick and stiff, about 10 minutes (looks like thick creme of marshmallow - imagine that!). Add vanilla extract and beat to combine, about 30 seconds longer.
Note: if you want to add color or flavor extract (like peppermint) to your marshmallows, I mix in the food coloring to the vanilla and then add. You will see it gradually change color.

Scrape marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and spread with a damp offset spatula or rubber spatula. The mixture is very sticky! Smooth it out as best as you can keeping your spatula damp. Resist touching the spatula with your fingers or you will enter into a never-ending web of marshmallow that you can't get out of! Although, if you do, it easily cleans up with warm water.

Dust the top of the marshmallow with another few tablespoons of confectioners' sugar and let stand, uncovered, at room temperature until set, about 12 hours. Overnight is fine.

Remove the marshmallow from the pan by first running a small sharp knife around the edge of the marshmallow to loosen it from the pan. Invert the pan onto a large cutting board that has been dusted with confectioners' sugar. You might have to use your fingers to help loosen the marshmallow from the pan. Peel off the parchment paper (the marshmallow will be sticky) and dust the top of the marshmallow with more confectioners' sugar.

Cut the marshmallow into squares using a pizza roller or sharp knife. Dip the cut sides of the marshmallows in additional confectioners' sugar. Shake off excess sugar and store the marshmallows in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to two weeks. Its important to make sure any tool you use to cut marshmallows is dusted in confectioners' sugar to prevent sticking.

Makes about 24 marshmallows, or more depending on how you cut them.

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa (Dutch-process preferred)
2-3 cups powdered milk
pinch salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Mini chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and incorporate evenly by using a whisk until all ingredients are well-blended together. The mixture will be super light and fluffy. Mix in the chocolate mini morsels here and distribute evenly, they are just an added touch for a bit more chocolate flavor.

Fill your mug 1/3 - half full with the cocoa mix (about 1/4 cup) and pour in hot water. Stir to combine. (I printed these instructions on a label and stuck it on the jar).

Homemade Snickers Bars

Need a Snickers? Why wait? Make up a batch! I cannot believe I didn't take a picture of these! I paired these with my molasses sugar cookies for neighbor treats this year and it was perfect. These snickers bars are so rich you just need tiny squares to serve, so they go a long way. There are 5 layers, so this recipe will look a little different...

1st layer
Melt:
2 c. milk chocolate chips
1/2 c. butterscotch chips
1/4 c. peanut butter
Press into a 9x13 baking dish. Cool in fridge while making next layer.

2nd layer
In a saucepan, combine:
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter/margarine
1/2 c. milk
Boil for 5 minutes, then add:
1/2 c. marshmallow cream
1/2 c. peanut butter
Pour this layer over the first layer.

3rd layer
Sprinkle 2 c. peanuts in pan.

4th layer
Melt 40 caramels and 2 tablespoons of hot water in microwave or on stove. Pour over peanuts.

5th layer
Repeat the first layer. Chill in fridge until solid. Cut into small squares.

Apple Pie Caramel Apples

I've seen this recipe floating around a few blogs lately and decided it was time to try it. And let me tell you, we were not disappointed!

Granny Smith apples
Caramels
White almond bark
Sugar & cinnamon mixture

*Grease wax paper and lay over a plate. Wash and dry apples and insert popsicle stick into tops. Dip in melted caramel and place on plate in fridge until set up. Take out and dip in white chocolate; let it sit for about 30 seconds and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Put back in fridge and let them set up for a few minutes. Enjoy!

Debie's Turtles---Totally Life Changing!!

Debie is a super cool lady that I grew up knowing. Every year on my birthday and for Christmas I would get my very own bag of homemade turtles from her. I have craved them around those times of the year ever since I moved 2 states away from her. This year, being 39 weeks pregnant the week of Christmas, I had to succumb to those cravings and finally got my hands on her recipe! It turned out amazing. I have to say I did try other turtle recipes online and they were terrible compared to these, so consider yourself very privileged right now! Enjoy! (You can thank me later!) They're actually NOT hard at all, either, and didn't take nearly as long as I had planned.

1 lb. chocolate almond bark

1/2 lb. pecan halves

*First, you need to make the caramel. The recipe is found HERE. I've tried using store-bought ones and it makes your turtles way too hard.

*Cover some baking pans with wax paper. Spread out 5 pecans for each turtle, as shown in picture 1.

*Melt about 4 squares of your almond bark and then drizzle it over the center of the nuts, to help them stick together; cool until set.

*Once your caramel is cooled and your first layer of chocolate is set, put a blob of caramel on top, as shown in picture 2. (About the size of a half dollar)

*Melt the rest of your chocolate and then cover the caramel, making sure you leave some of the pecans sticking out. Stick baking pan in the freezer for just a few minutes, until set up. (Any longer and your chocolate will get shiny). And that's it! Easy, right?! And they're SOOO cute! Yield: Approximately 45 turtles

Betty Crocker's Homemade Caramel

This is really easy and turns out super soft and delicious!

2 c. sugar

3/4 c. light corn syrup

1/2 c. butter/margarine

2 c. half & half, divided

*Butter an 8x8 pan.

*Heat sugar, syrup, margarine/butter, and 1 c. half & half over med heat until boiling; stir constantly.

*Stir in remaining half & half. Cook over med heat to 245 degrees on candy thermometer. Immediately spread into pan to cool.
*To use caramel on candies or plain, first spray a metal spoon with Pam and then it will scoop out easily.