Ah, the chex mix variations brigade. My kids love this stuff, made from roasted cereal with butter and seasonings. I make several versions of it, traditional, ranch, and Moroccan (sweet and fruity). You can make it in the microwave, but it’s so much better in the oven. However, it’s not really kid safe if you’re making it in the oven (unless your kids are older) You don’t have to use exact measurements for any Chex Mix snack, feel free to add your own favorite snacks.

Ranch Chex Mix

Ingredients:
4 cups Rice Chex Mix
4 cups Corn Chex Mix
2 cups Wheat Chex Mix
2 cups Sun Chips
2 cups Pretzels
2 cups Goldfish crackers

2 sticks margarine
2 packages Ranch salad dressing mix
1 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions: Mix the snack ingredients together in a large bowl and mix well. Dump into large roaster pan. Melt butter, add ranch mix and cheese, stir well. Dump over cereal in roaster pan and stir. Bake at 250 degrees F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool on paper towels and store in an airtight container.

This is my daughter’s favorite, she picks out all the goldfish.

Ah, traditional hard candy. Pure sugar with some flavoring and food coloring, but kids love to suck on it (and it makes the whole house smell like peppermint) Like other candies, have everything ready before you start cooking, and don’t let kids help with this, also be careful, we don’t want any burns!

Hard Candy

Ingredients:
3 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
2 drams (2 tsp) flavoring
liquid food coloring as desired

Powdered sugar

Directions:
In a large saucepan mix together sugar, corn syrup and water while stirring until sugar dissolves. Insert candy thermometer, making certain it does not touch the bottom of the pan. Bring mixture to a boil and do not stir.

Remove from heat precisely at 300 degrees F. After boiling action has ceased, add food color and flavor. Please be careful - the steam can burn!

Pour syrup onto lightly greased cookie sheet and allow it to cool completely. Lightly dust with powdered sugar on both sides, brushing off excess. Break into small pieces. Store in airtight containers between waxed paper.

This is probably the longest lasting of Christmas treats… You can poke holes in the pieces and hang them on the tree, they look like shards of stained glass. Or put them in sugar cookie cutouts to make yummy, beautiful cookies.

This is hard butter toffee, not the gooey kind (which is more like hard caramel) This is also deadly, anyone left alone with a bag will devour it all. It is probably my husband’s favorite Christmas sweet. This is another candy, so a good candy thermometer is essential. Also this is not something children should be involved in making.

English Toffee

Ingredients:
2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
Sliced almonds

Directions:
Stir together butter, sugar, water, and salt in large heavy saucepan over high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Remember to use a wooden spoon. Stop stirring and watch the temperature until it reaches 300° F. Be careful! The heat will rise very rapidly after the 260° F point. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Warning: the vanilla will boil instantly and the steam can burn so be careful. Pour the mixture into a buttered jelly roll pan and spread to the edges. Allow to cool slightly, until the mixture is no longer liquid but still quite warm. Pour the chocolate chips over the mixture and allow to sit until the heat from the toffee mixture melts them. Use a head resistant spreader to smooth the chocolate chips into a thin layer of chocolate. If you waited too long and the chocolate chips don’t melt fully, place the pan in the oven on low (200° F) until the chips are melted enough to spread. Top with sliced almonds. Allow the mixture to fully harden and then drop the pan on the floor to break into pieces. Store in the freezer.

I hope you enjoy the toffee as much as my family does! Be sure to hide some for yourself!

Ah, yummy gooey caramels, the kind that stick to your teeth and taste great! Warning- to make great caramels you need to follow the directions carefully, and have a good candy thermometer. This is also not something you should make around kids, you’ll be dealing with very hot temperatures.

Caramels:

Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (do NOT substitute margarine)

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
In a heavy large pan, mix the first four ingredients and set on high heat. (The mixture will boil up to twice it’s original volume, so make sure the pot is large enough) Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then add the stick of butter and stir constantly until the butter is melted and the mixture begins to boil. Now stop stirring. Watch the candy thermometer until the mixture reaches 248° F Turn off the heat, pour in the vanilla and stir rapidly. Be careful, because the vanilla will boil instantly and the steam can burn. Then pour into a buttered pan to cool. When totally cooled, cut with a knife and wrap inside wax paper squares.

Warning: these are highly addictive! They also get gritty if stored for too long, so give them away to friends!

These have always been a favorite of my brother, Joshua. They take very few ingredients and are fun to make with kids.

If you leave an un-dipped portion at the top of the ball, then these treats are known as “buckeyes” due to their resemblance to the nut from the Ohio Buckeye tree.

Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients:
1 cup butter (do NOT substitute margarine)
2 cups peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
4 cups confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)

Dipping Chocolate (also known as Almond Bark)

You can also use regular chocolate for dipping, but to get good results you should add a small amount of food grade paraffin wax - it’s easier just to buy dipping chocolate

Directions:
Beat the butter and peanut butter together. Add the confectioner’s sugar until the mixture becomes very solid. Roll into small (1/2 inch diameter or less) balls and place in fridge or freezer to harden.

After balls are hardened, melt the chocolate according to directions, dip the balls in the chocolate, and allow to harden on wax paper. Should be stored in the freezer or fridge for best longevity.

These are very rich, and kids love them, so don’t leave them within reach or you’ll soon find them gone!