Monday, December 17, 2007

MUDDY BUDDIES--right off the CHEX cereal box

9 cups Chex cereal(I prefer the corn or rice or a combination of the two but think the wheat would be a better nutritional choice--as if that is going to make this recipe nutritious.)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Heat chocolate chips and peanut butter over very low heat, stirring. The box says to use a microwave for 1 minute on high, stir, microwave 30 seconds longer but we don't use a microwave so I don't know if this is accurate or not. Stir in vanilla.

Pour mixture over the cereal, stirring to coat. Sift powdered sugar over the top and mix well. OR put cereal into a 2-gallon resealable food-storage bag, sift powdered sugar over the top, close bag and shake to mix. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container.

RUSSIAN TEACAKES

Roll the dough into small balls.
Bake them.Dust them with powdered sugar.Do it again.Store them in tins.
Russian Teacakes are also called Crescents (shaped like a new moon), Mexican Wedding Cookies, Snowballs, and, the very creative name (which Gilmore Girl and I prefer), Little White Cookies.

1 cup butter (to make these vegan use 2/3 cup oil)
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

1½ cups flour
1 tsp. cornstarch
¼ tsp. salt
¾ to 1 cups finely chopped almonds--you can use walnuts but once you taste them with almonds you'll never use walnuts again

Additional powdered sugar

Mix butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla together well. Add dry ingredients and nuts . Shape dough into tiny balls. Chill. Place 1 inch apart on un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until brown on the bottom, about 18-24 minutes--my oven takes about 21-22 minutes. Dust cookies once with powdered sugar while warm, then again after they've cooled. Makes about 4 dozen.

Note: I make the cookies into dough balls and keep them in the cold garage until needed to bake.

Store in a Christmas tin in the garage where it is cold. Sneak into the garage and eat a cookie when "the craving" strikes. Remember to brush off the tale tale powdered sugar that drops off the cookie onto your shirt.