a special feature by Arlene Bronstein, Author & Grandmother Extraordinaire*

Years ago my husband’s aunt, Mitzi Tucker, gave me this recipe. She taught me how to make these pretzels with my children. Today my grandkids love making them with me. I keep the ingredients in my pantry and pull them out when we need a fun activity. My grandkids love to choose what types of kisses to use, unwrap them and then decide which color M&M to place on which pretzel. This may seem like a simple task, but they spend a lot of time in the decision making process!

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Ingredients:
1 bag small round pretzels
2 large bags Hershey Kisses (any kind that does not have a nut in the center)
2 large bags M&Ms (any kind will work)

Directions:
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Fill the pan with pretzels rounds.  Place an unwrapped kiss in the center of each pretzel with the pointy side up. Place in the preheated 275 degree oven for 2-3 minutes, until the kisses start to melt. Remove from the oven and lightly press down the center of the melting kiss with M&M. Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator until the treats are set.

Hints: For a special party, you can buy M&Ms in specific colors, like red, white and blue for the 4th of July. You can also replace the M&Ms with a nut of your choice.

I have used all different kisses.  The stripe ones look really great.
The dark chocolate ones can be “health food”…ok, maybe not!

Sometimes it is hard to find round pretzels.  I have used the mini twisted pretzels and they work just as well.

These “treats” can be frozen.

*Arlene Michlin Bronstein is the author of a number of cookbooks, including her latest Beautiful Buffets II, http://www.amazon.com/dp/1500288330 She also wrote the book My Word is My Bond, using interviews of 21 traders from the Chicago Board of Trade. Using that material, she was the Executive Producer of a documentary by that same name for PBS. In Spring 2013, Arlene’s first children’s book, How Did Nonnie Get to Heaven? http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692449388 was published. She has been married for 44 years.  Arlene and her husband Keith have 3 children and 5 grandchildren.