Budget Friendly Gift For Grads

Do you remember the first care package you received in college? Those homemade chocolate chip cookies? Sharing with your roommate?

Make a special memory for a high school grad by letting them know that you'll be sending them their first college care package!

Don't forget to mark it on your calendar and then be ready to bake, pack & ship come September!

The Budget Diet girl's favorite care package recipes…

Homemade Chex Mix

The recipe can be found on every box of Chex!

White Chocolate Crunch Snack Mix

1 cups M & M's (if you're making this for the fall, you might want to substitute Reeses Pieces and candy corn
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
2 cups Chex cereal (any kind)
2 cups thin pretzel sticks
1, 12 oz. bag white chocolate chips
 
 
1. Mix first 4 ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave according to package directions.
3. Pour melted white chocolate chips over other ingredients, toss until coated.
4. Spread on cookie sheets lined with wax paper.
5. Break into pieces when white chocolate has hardened. If you need to speed up the hardening process, just pop the cookie sheets in the refrigerator!
6. Yield: 6 cups

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups creamy peanut butter
2 cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
1, 12 oz. package semisweet chocolate chips
 
 
 
1. Beat together first 4 ingredients until smooth.
2. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Roll into 1″ balls and place 2″ apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 9 minutes at 350. Cookies are done when they are still soft in the center!
5. Cool in pan 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Yield: 4 dozen

Oreo Balls

1, 18 oz. package Oreos
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 package Wilton's white candy melts (available at Michaels or JoAnn's…these taste the best & are the easiest to work with!)
 
 
1. Using a food processor, grind Oreos (frosting & all) into a fine powder.
2. Mix together Oreos, cream cheese & powdered sugar.
3. Roll into 1″ balls & chill for 30 minutes.
4. Melt white candy according to package directions.
5. Dip balls, place on wax paper & chill.
6. If you want to be fancy, drizzle with dark chocolate!
7. Yield: 4 dozen

Please let me know if you have a favorite care package recipe that you'd like to share!