All About The Treats
It’s the season of sweets, give these tasty options a try
You could call treats the Swiss Army Knife of entertaining. Friends stop by? Bring out the treats. Off to a holiday party? Bring the hostess some lovely packaged sweets as a gift. Having a gathering? Savor some of this sweetness as guests mingle. Have a neighbor that graciously cleared off your sidewalk? Thank them with a treat.
Since we all tend to sweeten up the holidays with our favorite cookies and desserts, I decided to pull out some of my favorites. I’ve highlighted these recipes in the past, but they are so good that I decided they needed a rerun. From Butterscotch Haystacks and Fudge to Spicy Pecans and Three Nut Candy, all are easy to bring and a favorite of guests.
And, who needs a holiday to enjoy? A little secret — they are great to have around for game night or for an evening when you plan to binge watch a new season of your favorite series.
Enjoy!
STELLA’S FUDGE, makes 5 pounds of fudge
~ From Stella Ziegler, former owner Stella’s Kitchen and Bakery
- 4 ½ c. granulated sugar
- 12 oz. can, evaporated milk
- 18 oz. chocolate chips
- 12 oz. jar marshmallow cream
- ¼ lb. butter (1 stick), room temperature
- 2 c. chopped walnuts
Combine the chocolate chips, marshmallow cream and butter in a large bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring the sugar and milk to a full boil; boil for 12 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour the hot mixture over the chips in the bowl and beat on low with hand mixer until smooth and thickened. Add the chopped walnuts and mix again. Pour into a greased cookie sheet with sides and let sit overnight.
BUTTERSCOTcH HAY STACKS
From Stella Ziegler, former owner Stella’s Kitchen and Bakery
- 12 oz. butterscotch chips
- 1 c. salted peanuts
- 2 c. chow mein noodles
Melt butterscotch chips in double boiler. Stir until smooth. Add peanuts and noodles and mix well until all coated. Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
SWEET & SALTY TOASTED PECANS, makes two 2-cup packages
From Marti Miller
- 4 c. pecan halves
- 1½ c. water
- 3 c. sugar
- 2 T. mild vegetable oil
- 2 t. vanilla extract
- 1 t. kosher salt
- ½ t. ground cinnamon
- ¼ t. freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 325. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and brush them lightly with vegetable oil. If you use the nonstick foil, no oil is necessary. Combine the pecans, water and sugar in saucepan and, stirring occasionally, bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue to boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove the nuts with a slotted spoon and spread them on the prepared baking sheets in a single layer. They should not be touching. Bake the nuts for 25 minutes, or until they turn a deep, toasty brown. Remove the pans from the oven and let the nuts cool slightly. Leave the oven turned to 325. Push the nuts into a mound in the center of each baking sheet, making sure the nuts are not stuck together. Drizzle half of the oil and vanilla over each mound and toss to coat evenly. In a small bowl, stir together the salt, cinnamon and pepper until well mixed. Sprinkle the mixture over the nuts, again using half for each baking pan. Toss until the nuts are evenly coated with the spiced mixture. Spread the nuts out in a single layer. Bake for 10 more minutes, or until browned and crisp. Let cool completely. Store the nuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.
THREE NUT CANDY
Recipe from Jule Glasrud
3 c. granulated sugar
2 c. cream
1 c. white syrup (like Karo)
2 c. Brazil nuts
2 c. walnuts
2 c. pecans
Place in large saucepan over low heat. Cook until mixture reaches soft ball stage (234-240 degrees) — about 30 to 40 minutes — no longer. Remove from heat and while it’s still warm, stir until creamy. When it begins to stiffen, place in a buttered pan. Wrap and store. (Slice thin for serving.)
