These are fast and easy recipes for delicious treats that will impress with flavor and appearance without requiring the time to bake.
These recipes allow an individual to create a delicious dessert dish to share with minimal time investment and no baking. When budget and time constraints are an issue, try one of these treats for friends and family; at the office potluck or neighborhood cookie exchange.
No-Bake Peanut Butter Fudge
- 1/2 lb Velveeta cheese
- 2 lbs powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 cup peanut butter
- Melt the first three ingredients together in a saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients to saucepan. Remove from heat and stir until all ingredients are incorporated. Put onto silpat or rolling mat. Knead like bread dough until you can no longer see the sugar. Roll candy with a glass, metal or marble rolling pin. Spread into greased pan. Refrigerate until set. then cut.
- 3 1/4 cups crushed graham crackers (or vanilla wafers)
- 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts, pulsed to medium fine
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup rum
- Combine crushed graham crackers (or vanilla wafers), 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, cocoa and nuts. Blend in corn syrup and rum. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in additional confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container several days to enhance flavor. Roll again in an equal mix of cocoa powder and confectioners' sugar before serving. Makes about 70 medium rum balls.
Chewy S’more Nut Bars
- 3/4 cup honey
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 3 cups rice krispie cereal
- 1 cup salted peanuts, optional
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt together the honey and peanut butter and bring to a boil. Stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows, stirring until smooth. Add the cereal and peanuts. Blend well and remove from heat. Pour into a lightly greased 9x13 inch pan and pat firmly with spatula. Let cool and cut into bars before allowing to completely harden. Makes about 24 bars.
- 2-1/2 cups flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 1-1/2 cups honey
- 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
- Candy sprinkles
- Powdered sugar
- Cocoa powder/cinnamon mix, equal parts
- Put flour on a board and make a well in the center. Add eggs, egg yolk, oil, sugar, salt, nutmeg, lemon and orange zest. Mix and work dough well. Shape dough into very small balls about the size of marbles.
- Fry dough balls in small batches in the hot vegetable oil until golden brown. While dough balls are frying, melt honey in saucepan and add orange peel. When balls are golden, remove them from the oil and drop them in the honey and orange peel mixture.
- Remove with a strainer spoon. Pile on a serving dish building from a larger foundation into a conical mound. Think Christmas tree. Let cool. Top with candy sprinkles, powdered sugar and a sprinkle of cocoa powder and cinnamon.
Copyright Catherine Laurenzi-Bridges. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.
Catherine Laurenzi-Bridges - Catherine is a published author, recipe contest winner, freelance writer and Le Cordon Bleu trained professional chef. She has been ...
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