Crunchy Stuff....from Louisiana

My guest poster today is my sweet sis-in-law, Christine....from Louisiana.  I love that she did this post for me, one of the main reasons is it gives me a reason to show off my {cutie pie} niece and nephew!   I seriously have to control myself from hugging the screen!  I've never hugged and kissed my sweet baby niece yet, but just love her to pieces anyway!

Today, Christine is sharing two yummy recipes with us.  I love this first one's name....it's just simply called

Crunchy Stuff

" Great for snacks or Gift giving! 

{Never met somebody who didn’t love this stuff!}

 Crunchy Stuff Recipe

1 Box Quaker Oatmeal Squares Cereal, Brown Sugar or Cinnamon 

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1.      Heat oven to 250°F. Spray a foil lined 13 x 9-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Combine cereal and pecans in pan; set aside.

2.      In 4-cup microwaveable bowl, combine corn syrup sugar and vegetable oil spread. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute 30 seconds. Stir. Microwave 30 seconds to 1 minute 30 seconds or until boiling. {Make sure bowl is large because you don’t want this stuff boiling over in your microwave.}

3.      Stir vanilla and baking soda into mixture. Pour over cereal mixture; stir to coat evenly.

4.      Bake 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Spread on baking sheet and cool completely; break into pieces. Store tightly covered.

Holiday Wassail Recipe

         1 gallon apple cider

         1 cup brown sugar

         1 6oz can frozen lemonade

         1 6oz can frozen orange juice

         1 tsp. ground nutmeg

         4 cinnamon sticks

         1 orange

  12 whole cloves

1.      In a large pot or crock pot combine apple cider, sugar, lemonade, orange juice, nutmeg and cinnamon sticks.

2.      Slice orange into ¼ and stick whole cloves into the skin side of the orange. Float orange in mixture.

3.      Set on low heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.

4.      Served in big mugs and enjoy!

* Will make your house smell like the holidays. This is my husband, Jeremy’s, favorite holiday "dish", if you can call it that.

There is a  holiday tradition I'm starting with my kids.

  You have probably already heard of it, but in case you haven't,

I'm going to start doing a

"Happy Birthday Jesus" Cake.

Philip started thinking that Christmas was all about presents,

 so I explained to him that we were celebrating Jesus's Birthday.

  My son seemed to get this but then insisted that Jesus needed a birthday cake!

  Telling him that it is His birthday that we are celebrating has been great.

  Now he asks if all the stuff we are doing is for Baby Jesus.

It is so cute and really helps keep Jesus in the season."

Thanks so much for sharing, sis.  Wish I could be close to you for the holidays, Love