From The Family Vault

Our annual holiday party is coming up shortly before Christmas and I've been slaving away in the kitchen, though this year I've had little direction when it comes to my obsessive cookie baking. Last year it was all about the Martha Stewart Cookie book (and this year I've already pulled a couple of those out). I also very recently got a reprint copy of Betty Crocker's The Cooky Book, which I'm completely obsessed with and want to bake through Julie and Julia style (I know, I've used this analogy before, but it's true). But it's come to me so recently, I haven't been able to organize myself to make many recipes from it (though next year I might restrict myself to ONLY baking from it). I'm also trying to cook my way through my family cookbook, which brings me to the next two recipes.

What you see above are something that I grew up calling "choco-balls." I have no idea where the recipe comes from. It's a no-bake cookie that includes raw egg. I could not bring myself to include raw egg, knowing that my children would want to eat them, so I substituted with corn starch mixed with water. I don't know if it was the lack of egg or what, but they did not form into balls unless I chilled the mixture first. But not too much, or it gets hard. Either way, it wasn't hard to figure out and they're quite delicious if you want to give it a whirl (though I do admit, they look like meatballs).

1/2 cup butter, melted
2 squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 beaten egg (I strongly suggest some kind of egg substitute to avoid poisoning yourself)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped walnut.

Mix together. Form into 1 inch balls. Chill until firm.


Next up, my Grandma's Nuts And Bolts. These call for Rice Chex, which I don't think they make any more (or at the very least, don't sell in Canada any more). I substituted it with something called Crispex Krispies, which are in the Rice Krispie family of cereals and pretty much look and taste like Rice Chex. In fact, I only just now noticed that there's a very similar recipe on the Crispex Krispies box, only it omits the Cheerios (not Kellogg's, you know) and adds onion powder and lemon juice (which may be more delicious). I do warn you, this recipe makes a boatload of this stuff. Also, the quantities are 1950s sized, so you'll have to just use your judgment on what size of box to buy (I got large boxes, not "jumbo"). In fact, I was asking my mom about it, because I remember eating tons of this stuff at home every Christmas, and she told me she's never actually made it. My Grandma just had so much excess after her own holiday entertaining that she handed it off to all of her children. Either way, it's tasty and very old school. Enjoy!

1 large box Rice Chex (or Crispex Krispies)
1 large box Cheerios
2 boxes stick pretzels
1 lb bbq peanuts
1/2 lb melted margarine (I used butter)
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp garlic powder

Combine in a roasting pan. Bake at 200F for 2 hours