Vintage Recipe ~ Aunt Mary’s “Quick Crunchies” aka Rice Krispie Date Balls

I love looking through Aunt Mary’s little recipe box.  She was one of the best home cooks I ever knew and I always enjoyed eating at her house.

Many days she would call my mom at work and tell her the soup was on.   She almost always had homemade yeast rolls rising in muffin tins.  She’d sit the trays on her hot water heater behind the kitchen door.  I’d lift the tea towel that covered the rolls to inhale the yeasty smell of dough rising.

Good memories.

I found this quick little candy recipe in her recipe box.  I’ve been wanting to try a recipe with dates so I decided this one would work nicely.  This is just one candy I made during the past holidays.  Hope you enjoy!

Aunt Mary’s “Quick Crunchies” aka Rice Krispy Date Balls

1 stick butter
3/4 c. sugar
1 (8 oz.) chopped dates
1 c. pecans, chopped
2 c. crispy rice cereal
1 tsp. vanilla
coconut, for rolling

In saucepan, melt butter and sugar over low heat. Add dates and
cook 3 minutes or until mixture thickens and remove from heat.

Add nuts, crispy rice cereal, and vanilla. When cool enough to handle,
form small balls and roll in coconut.

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More of Aunt Mary’s Recipes

Holiday Candy and Cookie Trays

Happy New Year!

And Happy Birthday to me!

Yesterday I turned another year older.

Since I was so busy over the holidays, I didn’t get to share with

you the holiday candy and cookie trays I made for my family

and friends.   Here’s just a few that I sent out.

Peanut Butter Balls, Coconut Macaroons, Peanut Butter Fudge

(I used my PB Fudge recipe and added 3 tablespoons of cocoa)

Nut Crescent Cookies (recipe below)

Coconut Macaroon, Choco Chip Oatmeal Bars,

Peanut Butter Balls, Peanut Butter Fudge,

White Chocolate Dipped Pretzels,

& Applesauce Nut Cake

(same items as above)

Hello Dollies, Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

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Here’s the recipe for the cookies:

Nut Crescent Cookies

• 1/2 cup unsalted softened butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup ground nuts (I used walnuts and pecans)
• dash salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• confectioners’ sugar

 

Preheat oven to 325°. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Mix in flour, walnuts, salt, and vanilla to make a smooth dough.  Roll into balls and shape into crescents.  (I also flattened some into round cookies.)

Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheets for about 8-11 minutes, or until just set.  Let stand for 2 minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool.

Dredge in or sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.  Keep in air-proof container.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

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Over the next few days I’ll be sharing some other dishes I made over the holidays.  Some will be low carb, others not so low carb, but my plans are to go back to the low carb lifestyle full time.  I just feel better that way.

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My family doesn’t eat low carb and insists on the old fashioned Southern-style dishes and desserts that I make on occasion.  So be sure and stop by soon as I’m sure there’s a recipe coming up soon that you’ll enjoy.

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Also this year, I want to focus more on things other than food and recipes.  My daughters want to their rooms redecorated and there’s some ideas I have for redecorating my kitchen that I’ll be sharing.

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Another goal I have this year is to exercise at least 4 times weekly.  I have started walking in the evenings and I want to continue to do that as well as adding some light weight lifting and stretching.  So I may be sharing these updates as well.

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Once again, Happy New Year to you and yours!

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Holiday Goodies

A crazy, hectic day at work means I get to re-post some goodies from the past.

When I think about all the great recipes and cooking I’ve done over the years that I never took pictures of…that I could blog about…I get sad.

All the years of Taste of Home and Quick Cooking subscriptions and all the recipes I made when my kiddos were young and I was a SAHM…they got me where I am today.  Needing to lose some inches!

The longs lists of goodies made for the holidays, candy trays made for my mom to share at work, loaves of bread I baked for a sick friend…great memories.

My diet has changed, out of neccessity.  Now I try to be a little smarter in my cooking and a little more choosy in my recipes.

Some of the old family favorites haven’t changed and probably never will.

Here’s some of my favorite candies and treats for the holidays…treats because that’s about the only time they get made!  :)

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

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Pineapple Cheese Ball

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Peanut Butter Balls

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Cheesy Sausage Balls

Another Brownie Recipe

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What’s your favorite can’t-live-without-holiday treat?

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Today I’m strutting my stuff over at

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

2 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup milk

1 cup marshmallow creme

1 cup peanut butter, creamy or chunky

1 teaspoon vanilla

Boil sugar and milk in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally, to soft ball stage*, or about 236° on a candy thermometer.

Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Beat well with a wooden spoon until the fudge begins to turn glossy.

Pour candy into a greased 8×8-inch pan.   Cut peanut butter fudge into squares when firm.  Enjoy!

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*To Test for Soft Ball Stage
A small amount of syrup dropped into chilled water forms a ball, but is soft enough to flatten when picked up with fingers (234° to 240°).

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