World's easiest Christmas candy
I have to admit, I've been feeling a little left out.All around the blogosphere I'm seeing these beautiful Christmas trees, Christmas decorations, Christmas crafts, Christmas gift ideas... and here I sit, on the couch, without a speck of Christmas anything in our home, dreaming of not a white Christmas, but just one day without nausea, so that I could maybe participate a teensy bit in the festivities.
We usually keep Christmas really simple, but not this simple, er, nonexistent. Besides the Christmas music playing in our home, you'd think it was Fall or Spring or any other time of the year - just most certainly not December.
So, armed with my lentil and brown rice casserole success, I sat out to remedy that yesterday and made what arguably could be the easiest Christmas candy on planet earth. Nothing elaborate for sure, but at least it made me feel like I'd contributed something to the Christmas spirit of our home!
For anyone looking for a super simple Christmas candy (or anytime of the year candy), here you go (recipe from Queen of the Castle: 52 weeks of encouragement for the uninspired, domestically challenged, or just plain tired homemaker by Lynn Bowen Walker - Just finished the book and very much enjoyed it, by the way):
On a baking sheet, spread out:
1 sleeve of Saltine crackers
In a small saucepan over medium-heat, melt:
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
Once the mixture is gooey, pour evenly over crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for five minutes, until bubbly. Remove from oven, and sprinkle on top:
2 cups chocolate chips
As the chocolate melts, spread it evenly around. Pop into the refrigerator until set, then cut apart the candy and put into gift containers.
I might recommend you double or triple this recipe if you're planning on giving any away as gifts. Judging by how quickly it went at our home, you might not have any left for gifts if you only make one batch!
posted by Crystal Paine at 7:14 AM
19 Comments:
I ordered the One-Armed cook from the library yesterday so I'll have to order this one, too. Sometimes I feel like I have NO arms for cooking (baby in sling, one year old in arm and three year old holding other hand). Perhaps we should write a book called "Cooking with your teeth without losing your mind". LOL I have been ever so thankful for our Sunday School class's merciful dinners in that they've provided us!
I have to say, the Schwan delivery truck is a welcome sight. amazing how many snacks of chicken fingers can amuse three little men and keep mom away from hot stoves while holding some brown-eyed tree frogs.
Katie in Ohio
who needs to change her identity to Mom of Three Boys
We love this candy! We call it poor man's toffee, or just toffe candy.
My recipe is almost identical (and I've made it your way), but mine calls for a can of condensed milk. It makes a little more of the sweet stuff to spread over the crackers, and a little easier to spread.
I love this stuff - I got the recipe last year and made it for everyone and everything!!
I wonder if it would be good with graham crackers instead of the saltines? Hmmmm, I'll have to try that!
Lindsay, I think that the Saltines give it a sort of sweet and salty taste so that it is not too sweet. I also think it would be yummy with Ritz crackers. However, feel free to try graham crackers! :)
Sounds yummy! I can totally relate to not having a festive house, Crystal. I've been too sick to do much too. Our Christmas tree is cut, but currently sitting in a bucket of water in front of our garage. I'm not sure if I'll ever get stuff in the living room rearranged enough to get it in and then decorated! Oh boy...
Yum, my mom used to make this and I always loved it!
Hi Crystal,
We call this "Brutzal Bars". I am Dutch/German. "Brutzal" means to bring to a boil. We eat this all year around. For the holidays, I like to sprinkle red and green jimmies (like you sprinkle on icecream) right after you spread the melted chips, and then put it into the refrigerator. Yes, it is a great gift. It tastes almost like a Heath bar. Ruth, PA
Crystal, I just had this book in my hands but bought the Homeschooling Mother (actually hubby bought it for me) instead, by Michael Farris... I am facing some burnout right now... I just had another miscarriage (2 in 3 months...) did you like the book? let me know! Homemakerang
Milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips???
Brenda
Homemakerang: Email me your address and I'll send you my copy. I was looking for someone to pass it on to! :)
Brenda: Either would work. I used Milk Chocolate chips.
I got your kind note... It is actually encouraging to hear of someone having a baby in their 40's (your mom)... I am so glad I did not wait to start my family in my mid-30's and had the 4 children in my 20's! I would be even more discouraged right now. I don't know why this is happening? I have hope for more babies and this was encouraging to me... THANKS
Saltines work great, and also those club crackers give it a special touch, too! I agree with Crystal about the Ritz crackers--I haven't tried them, but I bet they'd be good!
Krista
Here are more easy recipes:
Microwave Fudge
2 bags milk choc. chips
1 can eagle brand milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
Put in microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 2 min. Stir well. Pour on wax paper. Let firm in the refrig. Cut and Serve.
Pretzel Kisses
Small "Waffle-shaped" Pretzels
Hershey Kisses
Red and Green M & M's
Pre-heat oven to 170 degrees. Place pretzels on wax paper lined baking sheet. Put a hershey kiss on each pretzel. Warm in oven for 5 - 7 minutes. (white choc. kisses are done sooner). Remove from oven and place a red or green M & M in the center of each one. I recommend the mint chocolate kisses if you can find them. Toddler can even help with unwrapping the kisses, if you can keep her from eating them. (LOL)
Hope this helps! I am expecting my fourth baby in April. I love easy recipes! (I use them whether I am preggers or not!)
My husband thought I was nuts while he watched my daughter and me make this today. He turned up his nose made a grossed out face at the thought of chocolate and saltines.
I don't think I need to say however, that he absolutely loved the candy when it was finished.
Thanks for passing along this awesome recipe! This will definitely be a regular treat in our house now.
I got this recipe from Kim C. last year, and it is a big hit at our house. The saltines are perfect- making it taste something like heath bars or English toffee. Yummmy.
Another very easy recipe for fudge is to melt a bag of chocolate chips, stir in about 6 tablespoons of peanutbutter and a cup of wheat germ. Spread quickly in a buttered pie pan (or square cake dish) and chill. Slice and serve- crunchy, sort of like a Nestle's Crunch, and very yummy.
I make this treat each year at Christmas but have a slightly different twist - I add crumbled Heath Candy Bars to the top - YUM!
What a fun memory - my mom used to make these when we were little!! Thanks for the afternoon smile. :)
I just made a batch of this using Ritz crackers and it is delicious!! Thanks so much for posting this.
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