PIZAZZ PARTY MIX

Adapted from : http://simplefarefairlysimple.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-crack.html

Ingredients:

1 (13 oz.) box Honey Nut Chex cereal – or Rice Chex or Corn Chex

1 (12 oz.) box Golden Grahams

1 (7 oz. ) bag shredded coconut

1( 4 ounce) bag slivered almonds

1 cup pretzel sticks

1 ½ cups butter (3 sticks)

2 cups sugar

2 cups corn syrup

1 cup mini baking M&Ms (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 4 baking stones or baking sheets with parchment paper. with Combine Chex , Golden Grahams, coconut, and almonds in a large mixing bowl.  Stir to combine.  Spread on 4 cookie sheets.  Bake for 5- 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Remove from oven and put back into the  In a large sauce pan, cook butter, sugar and corn syrup to the “soft ball” stage…about 234 degrees on a candy thermometer.  Pour over cereal mix and stir until all is well coated.  Pour onto 4 large baking sheets or baking stones lined with parchment paper.  Let cool a little, then stir in the M&M’s.  Stir every so often as it cools so that it does not become one large clump.  Store in an airtight container.

Ingredients

Ready to Bake

Corn Syrup, Sugar and Butter

Baked  and with Corn Syrup mixture poured over it

With M&Ms mixed in

Ready to Serve

PERFECT PATRIOTIC PIE (Cheesecake with red and blue M&Ms)

With Mini Baking M&Ms

A Slice with Mini Baking M&Ms

This will make a very festive dessert for any patriotic occasion (Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Veteran's Day, etc.)  Delicious Cheesecake with Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate M&Ms make this an amazing treat.

No Eggs were harmed while making this recipe.  (This is an egg-less cheesecake that is set using gelatin)

Loosely adapted from

 from http://www.snackpicks.com/en_US/recipes/details/star-spangled-pie.html

Preparation Time: 30 Mins.
Total Time to Serve: 5 hours.
Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup extra fine baker’s sugar

1 package plus 2 oz. (10 oz.) cream cheese, softened* 
¾ to 1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

½ cup confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar)

Red and blue M&Ms put through the food chopper to make ½ cup chopped (I used both Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate M&Ms) –  or mini M&Ms for baking*
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
1 Keebler® Ready Crust® Shortbread Pie Crust, or a chocolate crumb crust
Red, white and blue sprinkles 

Whipping Cream and Red and Blue M&Ms for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1.       Chop M&Ms in food chopper.  Set aside.

2.       In small saucepan, combine gelatin and water; let stand 1 minute.  Add sugar; stir over medium heat until mixture is hot and gelatin and sugar are dissolved.  Set aside to cool.

3.       In small mixing bowl beat cream cheese on medium speed of electric mixer until fluffy. Add sour cream and vanilla. Mix well. Slowly add gelatin/sugar mixture.  Add confectioner’s sugar. Beat until combined.  .  Mix well.  Fold in whipping cream. Carefully(to avoid color mixing and ending up with purple) stir in the chopped or the mini baking red M&Ms and blue M&Ms.*

Spread in crust. Refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight until set. Garnish with sprinkles, red and blue M&Ms and whipping cream. Store in refrigerator.  May be frozen.

Ingredients

Gelatin

Cream Cheese

Cream Cheese and Sour Cream Mixture

Gelatin Added

Gelatin Mixed In

Whipped Whipping Cream

Chopped Red and Blue M&Ms

Mini Baking M&Ms

With Chopped M&Ms added

Added to the Shortbread Pie Crust

Whipping Cream in a Ziplock Bag for Piping the Garnish

Garnished with Whipping Cream and M&Ms

Garnished with Whipping Cream, M&Ms and Red, White and Blue Sprinkles

With Strawberry Freezer Jam/Syrup

With Mini M&Ms Ready to Set

Garnished with Whipping Cream

Garnished with Whipping Cream and Red, White and Blue Sprinkles

A slice of Pie

SERVING TIME!