Kelley's Trail Mix

My dear friend Kelley gave me this recipe years ago. I finally got around to trying it - it's a huge hit with The Spawn and Diva! I did burn the pretzels slightly, so I'll need to reduce the baking temp next time I make this.

3 cups of chex cereal (rice, wheat or corn)

2 cups of cinnamon teddy grahams [I like goldfish cinnamon grahams]

2 cups of pretzels
3 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of honey
yogurt covered raisins [I used 6 oz yogurt covered cranberries]
chocolate candies or chips [I used about 1/2 cup M&M's]

Mix cereal, grahams and pretzels together. Melt butter and honey together (make sure butter is melted). Pour butter/honey mixture over the cereal/grahams/pretzels.

Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Take out and let cool. The bears will be mushy right out of the oven but will harden back after sitting out to cool!

Add yogurt covered raisins and chocolate candies.

Baked Pretzels (ABM)

I was slightly disappointed with how these turned out. I thought they'd be darker in color. I think next time I'll try a dark beer (I used good ole Miller Lite). I also did not roll the dough into a rectangle and cut into strips, I formed mine into half-palm sized balls and rolled out into little "snakes" to make into pretzels. Both kids had fun making these. Eat quickly because they do not keep well.

For Dough:
1 cup beer
1 Tbsp margarine
2 Tbsp white sugar
1 tsp salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp active dry yeast

For baking:
1 egg
1 Tbsp warm water (around 110 degrees if you want to be anal)
2 Tbsp kosher salt

Place dough ingredients into bread machine. Mix using dough cycle.

When cycle is complete, remove dough to a lightly floured surface. If necessary, knead in enough flour to make dough easy to handle. Roll into a 14x9 inch rectangle. With a sharp knife, cut into 14x1/2 inch strips. Gently pull each strip into a rope 16 inches long. To shape into pretzels: Curve ends of each rope to make a circle. Cross ends at top. Twist ends once and lay over bottom of circle. Place on greased sheets. DO NOT LET RISE.

Combine lightly beaten egg and water, brush on pretzels. Sprinkle with salt. Bake in a preheated 350 deg oven for 18-20 minutes or until done. Remove from sheets and cool on wire rack.

[click here for printable version]

Cinnamon Grapes and Peanut Butter Dip

1/3 cup plain yogurt [I used vanilla]
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 (of a 7 oz jar) marshmallow creme
1 Tbsp finely chopped peanuts
1 lb. red seedless grapes
ground cinnamon or cinnamon-sugar

In a bowl beat yogurt and peanut butter with mixer. Beat in marshmallow creme. Transfer to bowl; sprinkle with peanuts. Cut grapes into bunches and rinse. Dust with cinnamon or cinnamon-sugar.