Aunt Becky's Treat

Oh my goodness, this stuff is dangerous. My mother-in-law said she could never be around it again. If you have a problem sharing then you should probably just skip this recipe. My mom made this snack for us when we were kids and since I have a favorite Aunt Becky I thought this recipe came from her benevolent hand but my dear mother said she didn't know where she acquired this recipe. Whoever came up with it was a genius and all their family and friends were blessed indeed. I always make it in my iron skillet from Grandma, it tastes better that way.

Aunt Becky's Treat

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 cups Cheerios

1 cup oatmeal

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup raisins

Melt the butter in a skillet or large saucepan. Stir in the honey and brown sugar and mix until smooth. Add the Cheerios, oatmeal, pecans and cinnamon. Stir, stir, stir until everything is coated. If you used a saucepan then turn the mixture into a greased 9x13 pan, if you used a skillet then bake in that. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. As soon you take it out of the oven, mix in the raisins. Spread it out on waxed paper to cool and enjoy!

A note about the photograph. I used golden raisins because that's what I had on hand but it's best with regular raisins. Also, you may notice the absence of any pecans. My parents own a pecan orchard but someone had eaten all the pecans her loving parents had given her and she is eagerly awaiting this year's pecan harvest. My dad shelled pounds and pounds of pecans by hand that he had gathered last fall. Several pounds found their way into my freezer and subsequently onto my bowls of homemade yogurt and countless bowls of hot oatmeal this past winter. I can't buy pecans at the store, it's just not the same after eating pecans grown, gathered and shelled by your sweet dad. So, no pecans were to be had for my Aunt Becky's Treat but it was still great and only survived one snacktime around here with the ravenous horde, not too bad I'd say.