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Candy

Nana at Oven
Almond RocaChocolate Kiss  

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Baby Ruth BarChocolate Kiss
Caramel Corn
Chocolate Covered PeanutsChocolate Kiss
Chocolate FudgeChocolate Kiss
Divinity
English ToffeeChocolate Kiss
Goo Goo ClustersChocolate Kiss
Jell-O Rainbow Popcorn
Nerds (variation 1)Chocolate Kiss
Nerds (variation 2)Chocolate Kiss
Peanut Brittle
Peppermint Bark Chocolate Kiss
Rocky Road CandyChocolate Kiss
Two Minute FudgeChocolate Kiss
Walnut Bourbon BallsChocolate Kiss
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Almond Roca
From the kitchen of June (Pelgen) Nordin

Grease bottom of 9-inch square pan and generously cover bottom of pan with walnut pieces.

In heavy pot or pan, mix 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar and 1/2 pound butter; heat until mixture comes to a boil, continue cooking and stirring for 7 minutes after mixture begins to boil.

Pour hot mixture over nuts, sprinkle 6 ounce package chocolate chips over syrup. Cover pan with aluminum foil until chocolate chips are melted.

Spread mixture evenly with spatula. Let cool until chocolate is hard; turn pan upside down (candy comes out easily) and break into pieces.

Original Recipe
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Baby Ruth Bar
From the kitchen of Eleanor Comins

Melt margarine in microwave or in a sauce pan on low heat. Add brown sugar, syrup, peanut butter, oatmeal and vanilla.

Mix together thoroughly; be sure that the oatmeal is well covered with the margarine mixture.

Press mixture in an un-greased 9x13 inch cake pan. Bake at 350° for about 15 minutes.

Topping:

Melt above ingredients together in a sauce pan over low heat; spread over top of warm baked oatmeal. Allow to cool and cut into bars or squares.
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Caramel Corn
From the kitchen of the Kramp family

Combine first 5 ingredients in a 4 quart pot; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to stir boiling mixture until it reaches hard boil stage, 260° on a candy thermometer.

Remove from heat, quickly stir in soda and mix thoroughly. Place popped corn in a large roasting pan and pour caramel over popcorn. Stir gently until all kernels are coated. Bake at 200° for 1 hour stirring 3 times. Cool on waxed paper until caramel dries.

Original Recipe

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Chocolate Covered Peanuts
From the kitchen of Margaret (Perri) Rupnow

Melt chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and paraffin in a small pan over hot but not boiling water. Remove from heat, add peanuts, making sure that all the peanuts are coated with the melted chocolate.

Drop from a teaspoon onto a waxed paper covered cookie sheet. After completely cooled, store in an air tight container.
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Chocolate Fudge
From the kitchen of Erma (Sherwood) Welton
Go to Nana's How-To Kitchen for a step-by-step recipe pictorial.

In a large pan mix 4 1/2 cups of sugar and evaporated milk. Bring to a full boil. Boil 6 1/2 minutes, stir to keep from scorching.

Quickly add to above mixture: 24 ounces chocolate chips, 1/2 pound butter or margarine (cut into pieces), 2 heaping tablespoons marshmallow cream.

Mix until all chocolate chips and butter is melted, and the marshmallow cream disappears. Add 2 cups chopped walnuts, 2 teaspoons vanilla and a pinch of salt.

Spread into a 9x13 or 10x14 buttered pan. (If you prefer a thicker piece of fudge use the 9x13 pan.) Cool in refrigerator. Allow to stand at room temperature after cooling for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting into bite size squares.

Nana's Tip: Some folks have reported that their fudge did not fully thicken. An option for firmer fudge is the addition of 1/8 stick paraffin wax. Another option is special dipping chocolate (more info).

Recipe History: The rich treat is a Christmas tradition in Nana's Kitchen. Nana has prepared this recipe as a birthday present to her brother Bud Spence for years. The handwritten recipe was copied by Patti (Welton) Seebode from her Grandmother Erma's original recipe and given to me.

Original Recipe

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Divinity
From the kitchen of Millie Hockin

Place sugar, syrup and water in pan over low heat, stir only until sugar is dissolved. Cook mixture until a little tried in cold water forms a soft ball (234°).

Beat egg whites until stiff at No. 8 speed; continue beating and pour one-half the syrup slowly over the beaten egg whites. Continue beating while cooking the rest of the syrup until it forms a hard ball (280°) when tried in a cup of cold water and cracks when hit against side of the cup.

Add this syrup gradually to the syrup and egg mixture you are beating. Add vanilla and continue beating at No. 9 speed until candy is thick enough to drop from a spoon.

Place by spoonful on a buttered platter. Makes 35-40 pieces.

Nana's Tip: If desired, add nut meats or candied cherries just before candy is ready to spoon. The picture shown has candied cherries added.

The temperatures shown are taken with a candy thermometer.

The blender speeds refer to a scale of 10 (with 10 being the fastest speed), adjust the your blender speed accordingly. Recipe contributor Millie Hockin tells us her Mother used a hand mixer -- this would be much more difficult!

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English Toffee
From the kitchen of Margaret (Perri) Rupnow

Combine sugar, salt, water, butter and almonds into a pan and bring to a boil. Cook stirring constantly on hot fire until it reaches hard cracked temperature on a candy thermometer.

Pour into a large shallow buttered pan and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. While chocolate chips are melting spread evenly with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top.

When cool, break into pieces.
Nana's Tip: I use a long handle spoon to stir. I use two sticks butter and 1/2 stick margarine.

Original Recipe


Goo Goo Clusters
From the kitchen of Eleanor Comins

On low heat, melt chocolate chips in pan with condensed milk. While chocolate and milk is heating, mix marshmallows and peanuts in a large bowl. Pour melted mixture over nuts and marshmallows; blend together both mixtures.

Place mixture into a buttered 9x13 pan. Chill 2 hours and cut into squares.

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Jell-O Rainbow Popcorn
From the kitchen of Norma (Nana) Welton

Heat oven to 300°. Line a 15x10x1 inch pan with foil or wax paper. Place popcorn and nuts in a large bowl.

Heat butter and syrup in a small sauce pan on low heat. Stir in sugar and gelatin. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Reduce heat to low; gently simmer 5 min. Pour syrup immediately over popcorn; toss to coat well.

Spread popcorn in prepared pan, use two forks to spread evenly. Bake 10 minutes. Cool. Remove from pan and break into small pieces.
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Nerds (variation 1)
From the kitchen of Margaret (Perri) Rupnow

Go to Nana's How-To Kitchen for a step-by-step recipe pictorial.

Put peanut butter into a large bowl, add alternately (small amounts at a time) butter and sugar. Mix well until all sugar disappears. Add rice and continue mixing. Form into balls the size of walnuts.

Melt morsels and wax in a double boiler, remove from heat. Leave water on the stove at medium temperature. Do not let water boil.

Dip balls into the chocolate mixture with a large spoon, lift out with two forks, rocking back and forth to remove excess chocolate. When chocolate gets too thick, return to hot water until soft enough to dip again. You may need to return mixture back to hot water two or three times.

Place dipped balls on wax paper to cool. Makes three or four dozen.

Nana's Tip: One way to make chocolate candy at home is to add paraffin wax to the chocolate to achieve the texture and shine of professional candy. Unfortunately, some of today's paraffin wax packages warn that it’s not suitable for human consumption. Though, some specifically state that the wax is "food grade" — so carefully read the package before using for food.

A better alternative might be using specially designed dipping chocolate that replaces the need for semi-sweet chocolate morsels and paraffin wax. More info.

Nana's granddaughter, Emily, put a small handful of chocolate morsels in the dipping chocolate for some extra chocolate flavor.


Recipe History: This treat has been a Christmas tradition for many years. We have no idea how the name "Nerds" became associated with this peanut butter and chocolate candy. Adding to the mystery, in the original recipes the candy is spelled as "Nurds."

Nana's Note: I prefer smooth peanut butter, but you may want to try chunky as an alternative.

Original Recipe

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Nerds (variation 2, baking dish)
From the kitchen of Norma (Nana) Welton

Line a 13x9-inch glass baking dish with double pieces of aluminum foil extending 2 inches above the top of the pan on each side. Apply cooking spray to the foil but not to the extending 2 inches. Place waxed paper (cut to fit the bottom of the dish) on top of the sprayed aluminum foil. Set aside.

Melt 12 ounces of the chocolate chips in a microwave oven or a double boiler. (See “Nana’s Tip” below for more information.)  Spread half of the melted chocolate on the waxed paper in the baking dish—make sure to spread to the edges of pan. Put the baking dish in the refrigerator to harden the chocolate.

Place peanut butter in a large bowl. Alternately add melted butter and sugar in small amounts until all sugar disappears. Add puffed rice and mix. It will be a stiff mixture; use your hands to mix if necessary.

Remove the baking dish of hard chocolate from the refrigerator. Press the peanut butter mixture on top of the hard chocolate to the edges of the dish. Melt the remaining 12 ounces of chocolate chips. Spread the melted chips evenly on top of the peanut butter mixture. View image of baking dish.

Place the candy in the refrigerator to harden. When the chocolate is hard, carefully remove candy from the baking dish by pulling up on the extra 2 inches of aluminum foil.

Place candy on a flat surface. When candy reaches room temperature, cut into 1 or 2-inch squares using a sharp knife. After cutting, remove waxed paper from the bottom of candy pieces. If the candy is cut before it reaches room temperature the hard chocolate will crack. Serve at room temperature. Will keep in refrigerator for several weeks.

Nana's Tips for Melting Chocolate Chips

Microwave:
Place 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) morsels in uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on high power for 45 seconds. Stir. Then heat in 10-15 second intervals, stirring after each interval until all the chocolate is melted. Once melted, use immediately.

Double Boiler:

Place 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) morsels in top of double boiler over hot (not boiling) water. Do not cover. Prevent water from coming in contact with morsels. When morsels begin to turn shiny, stir constantly until melted. Once the morsels are melted, immediately remove top pan and spread chocolate.

Some of you may not have an official double boiler. There’s no need to buy one — you can fashion a double boiler out of any large and small saucepan. Place water in larger pan and nest the smaller pan inside the larger one.


Nana's Note: This is a faster and easier method to make Nerd Candy. The original method is variation 1. I prefer smooth peanut butter, but you may want to try chunky as an alternative.

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Peanut Brittle
From the kitchen of Norma (Nana) Welton

In a 1 1/2 quart casserole stir together sugar and syrup. Microwave on high 4 minutes.

Stir in 1 cup roasted salted peanuts. Microwave on high 3 to 5 minutes until light brown. Add 1 tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla to syrup, blending well. Microwave on high 1 to 2 minutes more.

Peanuts will be lightly browned and syrup will be very hot. Add 1 teaspoon baking soda and gently sir until light and foamy.

Pour mixture into lightly greased cookie sheet or non-stick coated cookie sheet. Let cool 1/2 to 1 hour. When cool, break into small pieces and store in air tight container.
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Peppermint Bark
From the kitchen of Cindi (Welton) Nichols

Spread 1/3 of the crushed peppermint candy over a 9x13-inch baking pan lined with wax paper.

Melt the milk chocolate in one of two ways:

  1. In the top of a double boiler over just-barely simmering water, stir frequently and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, just until melted.
  2. In a microwave, set for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat heating and stirring at short intervals until chocolate is melted.

Pour the melted milk chocolate over peppermint candy in the prepared pan.

Sprinkle another 1/3 of the candy on top of the milk chocolate. Refrigerate until the chocolate hardens, about 30 minutes.

Melt the white chocolate chips in one of the two methods described above. If you choose the microwave method, be especially cautious with white chocolate, because it will seize up and become hard if over-heated.

Pour the white chocolate over the milk chocolate, then spread the remaining 1/3 peppermint candy on top.

Refrigerate until the white chocolate hardens, about 30 minutes. Cut or break into pieces to serve.

Nana's Tip: Double bag the peppermint candies and hit with a hammer or rolling pin.
Adapted from an allrecipes.com recipe
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Rocky Road Candy
From the kitchen of Margaret (Perri) Rupnow

In a very large bowl or eight quart pan, mix nuts and marshmallows, set aside. In a separate pan melt chocolate chips, butter and milk over low heat. Pour over nuts and marshmallow mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Line a 9x13 pan with waxed paper. Place Rocky Road mixture into pan and press evenly. Allow to cool, cut into bite size pieces.
Nana's Tip: After preparing the Rocky Road recipe and placing it into the wax paper lined baking dish, prepare another mixture of the 2 tablespoons butter, 2 cups chocolate chips and 1 can Eagle Brand milk. Melt this mixture following the original Rocky Road recipe. While it is still warm pour it over the prepared Rocky Road for a double chocolate lovers delight!

Original Recipe
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Two Minute Fudge
From the kitchen of Norma (Nana) Welton

In a 1 1/2 quart casserole stir sugar, Hershey's Cocoa, salt, milk and vanilla together until partially blended. Mixture will be too stiff to thoroughly blend in all of dry ingredients.

Put butter over top in center of dish. Microwave on high 2 minutes, or until milk feels warm on bottom of casserole dish. Stir vigorously until smooth. If all butter has not melted in cooking, it will as mixture is stirred. Blend in nuts.

Pour into a waxed paper lined 9x5 inch glass or metal loaf pan. Chill 1 hour in refrigerator. Cut into squares.

Nana's Tip: If you are in a big hurry to eat this fudge, put it in your freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. This recipe is perfect for any Chocoholic who needs a quick dose of chocolate.


Walnut Bourbon Balls
From the kitchen of Erma (Sherwood) Welton

Mix together vanilla wafer crumbs, cocoa, powdered sugar and nuts. Add syrup and bourbon to wafer ingredients, mix well.

Form into walnut size balls, roll in powdered sugar, store in an airtight container.

Original Recipe
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