IDEA ALLEY

Tumbleweeds: A high-fiber snack?

— Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Don’t let the names of these sweet treats from Sharon Kroening dissuade you from making them. They would make a great addition to the sweets table at an office holiday party or family get-together .

“When I was working, this was the time of year I would go through my recipes and find some that I could use for gift exchanges. These two were always favorites,” Kroening writes.

Puppy Chow

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/4 cup peanut butter 6 cups of Crispix cereal 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

In a large microwave bowl, melt chocolate on high for 1 minute. Stir and reheat for 30 seconds until melted. Stir in peanut butter. Gently stir in cereal, until well coated.

Place sugar in a two-gallon storage bag. Add the coated cereal and close the bag. Gently toss cereal mixture until well coated.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Makes about 8 cups.

Tumbleweeds

1 (12-ounce) can salted peanuts 1 (7-ounce) can potato sticks/shoestring potatoes 3 cups butterscotch chips 3 tablespoons peanut butter

Combine peanuts and potatoes in a bowl, set aside.

In a microwave-safe bowl melt the butterscotch chips and the peanut butter (70 percent power, stopping to stir every 30 seconds works best).

Add the melted peanut butter mixture to the peanut/potato mix, and stir to coat evenly.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto wax paper-lined baking sheets.

Refrigerate until set, about 5 minutes. Store in an airtight container

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen.

Jeannine Gilbert pays dues with this recipe for chicken and dressing that is partly prepared in a slow cooker.

“I make it every Thanksgiving,” Gilbert writes.

Crock-Pot Chicken and Dressing 1 whole chicken Water 2 (6-ounce) boxes Stove Top Stuffing mix with seasoning

packets Poultry seasoning, to taste 1 (11-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup 1 (11-ounce) can cream of chicken soup 1 onion, diced 1 hard-cooked egg, chopped, optional

In a large pot, combine chicken and enough water to cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove chicken from cooking liquid, reserving liquid. Remove bones and skin from chicken. Chop the meat into bite-size or smaller pieces and add it to the reserved cooking liquid. Add the stuffing mix along with the seasoning packets and poultry seasoning to taste. Stir in soups and onion and mix well. Transfer mixture to the cooking vessel of a slow cooker. Cook on low for at least 1 hour before serving. If mixture is too moist, add additional stuffing mix; if too dry, add a little chicken broth. Stir in egg just before serving.

REQUEST

White tortilla soup like Perkins Restaurant serves, for Gilbert.

Send recipe requests, contributions and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; e-mail:

[email protected]

Please include a daytime phone number.

Food, Pages 40 on 11/14/2012

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