Did You Say No Christmas Knits???

Yup.  That was exactly what I said.  This is a first: No knit gifts.  No crocheted ones either.  In order to achieve full disclosure, I will say that there is one quilted item, but it's small...and not exactly quilted. 

Last Christmas, I decreed that hence forth, handmade gifts were for birthdays.  We do seem to have several birthday clusters, but this in no way compares to having all the presents fall due on the same date.  Or earlier, in the case of those going into the mail.  This year - no carrying projects around everywhere, knitting frantically, in the car, in line at Walmart, at parties, at events, at the doctor's office. This year - knitting, yes.  But no duress knitting.

It's been lovely. 

Also new this year, the lovely elves at Amazon helped us along, and we didn't even need to do the usual hand-to-hand combat thing that passes for shopping at the mall. 

And now, today's recipe - which has a story.  My mom clipped this recipe from the May, 1955 edition of Seventeen.  (That's not the story.  Just be patient.  Read the nice recipe now.)

Nestle's Candy Quickies
Basic recipe: Combine and melt over hot (not boiling) water: 1 cup Nestle's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels; 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) light corn syrup; 1 T. water.  Remove from heat.  Add 2 cups of any ready-to-eat dry cereal.  Stir gently until coated.  Drop by teaspoonfuls on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.  Chill until firm.  (Yield: 2 1/2 to 3 dozen candies)
Variations: Follow the basic recipe, but use 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup instead of the larger amount.  In place of cereal, add any of the following:
1 1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 7 1/4 oz package dates
1/2 lb. candied fruit
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 cup peanuts

This is one of those virtually no-fail candy recpipes, very consistant results and so good it's probably illegal.

But wait - there's more.  The recipe is, as I'd said, on a sheet torn from a Seventeen magazine.  For a quick lesson in irony, turn the page over. It's a full page ad for...(drum roll here)... 

"Introducing the first girdle to give you That French Look and the Freedom you love."  The product is the new Playtex High Style girdle.  "Miracle latex outside...slims sleeky from waist to thigh - like magic."  (The wording and odd capitalizations are all verbatum from the ad.  It was 1955, seriously.)

I am going to assume that the magic will be assisted if you do not turn the page and find the candy recipe.  The ad does claim that it will "trim you to your sleekest lines...no matter what your size!"  (Hummm...actually that may be a disclaimer.  It does say it trims to 'your sleekest lines'.  It never mentions how sleek this may or may not be.)

Oh yes - the price is also a miracle. "An amazingly low $5.95!"
(I'm no expert on the economy of 1955, but I think that would actually be fairly pricey. Less magical girdles mentioned in the ad were $3.50.)

The laundring instructions are a hoot, too.  "Washes in seconds - and you can practically watch it dry."  (Now there's a thrill.)  'Whatcha doin'?' 
'Oh, standin' here watching my girdle dry and makin' some candy...'