Old-fashion Recipes for Fun Snacks

Show you kids and grandkids how much fun it can be to make and enjoy old-fashion snacks.  Let them know we didn't always have a convenience store on every corner and if we wanted a snack, mom got out the ingredients and we helped her make it.  What a fun way to spend time with the kids and/or grandkids.  They'll have a blast and you will enjoy it, too.

Our first recipe is for elephant tracks.  What fun to make this dough and enjoy the cinnamon taste.

ELEPHANT TRACKS

1 1/2 cup milk

1 cup oleo

1/4 cup sugar

2 pkgs dry yeast

1/4 cup lukewarm water

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp salt

5 to 5 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

Scald milk; add oleo and the 1/4 cup sugar.  Cool to lukewarm.  Dissolve yeast in water.  Add to milk mixture along with eggs.  Add salt and flour.  Stir well with spoon to make soft dough.  Let rise once.  Roll dough into rectangles 1/2-inch thick.  Spread with oleo and sprinkle with cinnamon mixture made with remaining ingredients.  Roll up as for cinnamon rolls and cut into 3/4 inch slices.  Dredge slices in cinnamon mixture and roll out until thin.  Place on greased baking sheet and bake 12 minutes at 400 degrees.  Ice while warm with a thin glaze.

Our second recipe is for caramel corn.  Who doesn't love carmel corn?  Show your kids that it doesn't always come in a tin or a bag.  Sometimes it comes straight from their own kitchen!

CARAMEL CORN

2 cups brown sugar

2 sticks margarine

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp margarine

1/2 tsp baking soda

8-quarts popped popcorn

Cook brown sugar, 2 sticks margarine, corn syrup, and salt until melted.  Boil 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.  Add 1/2 tsp margarine.  Add baking soda; pour over popped corn.  Stir well to coat all the corn.  Bake in  two cake pans or large roasting pan at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  Spread out on waxed paper to cool.

And our third recipe is for rock candy.  Kids love making this and they can add the colors and flavorings of their choice.

ROCK CANDY

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup white corn syrup

Flavoring of your choice*

Food color of your choice

Mix sugar, water, and syrup in a heavy saucepan.  Heat to 300 degrees, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; add flavoring and color.  Stir and pour into a pan that has been well greased with margarine.  When cool enough to handle, cut into pieces and roll in powdered sugar.  Put onto a plate to cool. 

*Note:  If using extract flavorings, use 2 to 3 teaspoons.  If using oil flavorings, use 3 to 4 drops.