Carmel Corn Heaven

I have the world's best caramel corn recipe acquired from my Aunt a few years back.  I have a serious caramel addiction and this stuff is like caramel crack to me.  I'm not kiddin'.  It's that good.

Here's the recipe.

Caramel Corn

8 oz. corn puffs (no kernels)
2 sticks butter
1 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. light corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda

In a large sauce pan bring butter, brown sugar and syrup to a boil over medium heat.  Keep stirring and boil for 2 minutes.  Add baking soda (will foam) and keep stirring until dissolved.  Pour mixture over puffs and mix together until puffs are coated.  Put on cookie sheet and bake at 250 degrees stirring every 15 minutes.  Remove puffs from the oven.  Separate puffs on wax paper immediately before it cools.

Lets do it together-- shall we?

This right here is the secret ingredient.  You HAVE to have the corn puffs.  It insures that you won't be picking seeds out of your teeth for the next week.

Butter, brown sugar and syrup.... in you go.

melty melty (keep stirring)

boiling for 2 minutes (keep stirring)

add the baking soda and it will fluff up nice and big (like me after four kids)

I put the puffs on a cookie sheet, poured the mixture over the puffs and mixed it in nice and good.  (sorry no pictures for that step-- the phone rang and I couldn't do that many things at once)

These are our puffs after the first 15 minutes.  You need to flip them all.

Here we are after the full 45 minutes.  (three flips later)  Nice and golden crispy-- yum!  I poured them out on wax paper so we won't have a big gooey ball.

Separate them quickly before they cool.  I mean right away OK?  I once tried to press my luck with this step and I ended up with the world's largest popcorn ball.  So stick to the plan and you'll be a happy camper.

Then after they are all separated start sorting through and take out a few of these extra gooey beauties.  (Now this is the most important step so listen up.)  Eat 'um-- quick, before someone starts sniffing out your stash.

There you have it!  Caramel Crack!  Thanks for coming to cook with me today.  That was fun!  Enjoy your new favorite treat!

Monkey Cake

This weekend I made the most amazing recipe I have ever tried.  It was in my book of family recipes from years ago and I've never really given it much thought.

My mom says it is knock-your-socks-off good.  So I thought I'd give it a test run this weekend.

It was a raving success.  I ate a healthy portion of the thing by myself.  It is everything good in this world wrapped up into one recipe.  You sooooo have to try it.

Monkey Cake

3 tubes refrigerated biscuits (10/can size, not flavored)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 C. sugar
3/4 C. butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 C. brown sugar
nuts (optional and so not my style)

Mix 1/2 tsp. sugar and 1/3 C. sugar together in a bowl.  Cut each biscuit into four pieces and roll each piece in cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Grease bundt pan (place nuts in the bottom of the pan or skip it if you are anti-nuts like me).  Drop sugared biscuit pieces in the bundt pan. 

Combine butter, 1 tsp. cinnamon and brown sugar in sauce pan; boil for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly.  Pour over biscuit pieces and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Cool and flip it out of the pan. 

Enjoy the buttery gooey goodness!

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

My sister sent me this recipe to try a few weeks ago.  It's been on my list of "to dos" and today was the day.  I was intrigued by the quirky measurements and I thought I'd give it a whirl.  It has that wonderful hint of almond extract that reminds me of Christmas cookies.  It is super yummy!  Give it a try, you won't be sorry.


Poppy Seed Bread

3 cups flour, sifted

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/8 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 tsp butter, melted

Grease and lightly flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a large bowl mix all ingredients, then beat for 2 minutes. Pour into pans and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Pour glaze over hot bread in pans. Let cool before removing from pans.

Orange Glaze

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp butter, melted

In a small bowl combine all ingredients together. Pour over hot bread or orange rolls.

** Don't look too closely at my bread; it's a little over cooked.  The mister was in charge of taking it out of the oven while I ran to my sister's house.  He heard the timer beep and he just left it because he "figured I would be home soon."  I just love that guy, but he does have a long history of oven issues.

Orange Juice Cake

I am a sucker for a good piece of cake. I've been looking for something new to add to my rotation for company and I found this.

Maggie at Smashed Peas and Carrots has amazing taste in recipes. I've tried several of her recipes and I have been pleased every time. My absolute favorite is her Orange Juice Cake. I've made it twice and my kids tell me it's their favorite. They keep asking me to make it again. That right there is a miracle. If my kids liked it-- you know it's golden.

I've decided to try to make spring come in my own way. On of my favorite things about nice weather is cooking out on the grill.

...and by cooking out on the grill I mean, prepping some food for the mister to grill for me. One of our family favorites is my secret burger recipe.

Freakishly Good Burgers
1 lb. hamburger (the good stuff)
1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
½ tsp. seasoning salt
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
¼ C. real bacon bits

Mix the above ingredients and let sit over night. (If you get antsy, you can cook them right away.)Then form patties and grill to perfection.


I suggest serving them with toasted buns, lettuce, tomatoes and a zippy sauce. Try mayo and BBQ mixed together in equal portions. It’ll be a crowd pleaser.

If you want an easy side, here is my version of a classic.

Pasta Salad

1 box of twirly colored noodles. Boil and cool.

1/2 lb. cubed cheddar cheese

1/2 C. cubed summer sausage (peperoni also work)

1/2 C. diced cucumbers

1/2 C. diced red peppers

1/2 bottle of Kraft zesty Italian dressing

mix and serve

(This recipe is easy to tweak and make your own. Just put in your veggie, cheese and meat choice and you've got it the way you like it.)

I love a good cook out.

Do you think if we all grilled out at the same time and generated enough heat, the snow would melt? ...a girl can dream, can't she?

Chocolate

There are moments in your life when the entire world seems to be against you. Things get out of control and the only thing that helps you through your pain is chocolate. Chocolate never lets you down. It does not judge you. It smooths out kinks in your brain and helps you make sense of your own chaos. Chocolate is my friend. It is most calming to me in the form of cookies, cakes and baked goods. Last night I reached out to my friend chocolate and this is how he spoke to me.


Mint Brownies

Take one box mix of brownies and follow the directions as stated on the box. Then mix in one bag of mint chips (or as I prefer Andes Candies mint baking chunks). Bake as directed.

While your brownies are baking and filling your house with their intoxicating aroma, you can prepare your finishing touches.


My Secret Chocolate Frosting

1 stick of butter (softened)
1tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 C. powdered sugar (depending on the thickness you desire)
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. milk
2-3 T. of cocoa powdered (the more the powder, the darker chocolate the taste)


Frost cooled brownies.

Pour yourself a big glass of icy cold milk. Grab a big piece of brownie (or sit down with the whole pan-- I won't tell). Then go to the couch, put your feet up and turn on your favorite show. Take a break, you really do deserve it.

For Cheaters

I know you are thinking that you are above cheating. Well, not me—at least when it comes to cooking that is. I find that you can’t be perfect all of the time. To be realistic, you won’t be making things from scratch every day of the week. Here are a few tips that I use to speed up a few of my favorite dishes.

Spaghetti

1 jar of your favorite brand of spaghetti sauce
(If you have super picky eaters that don’t like to see their veggies try Ragu organic—no chunks.)

Now have some fun with a few add ins:

Try one of these meats,

1 lb. cooked and ground beef
½ lb. cooked and cut chicken

Then add,
1 C. mozzarella cheese

It sounds easy but it’s super yummy.

Another variation is:

½-1 lb. spicy Italian sausage links cut up
8 oz. fresh sliced mushrooms
1 red pepper cleaned and diced
1 C. mozzarella cheese
(cook all of the sausage, mushrooms and peppers in a splash of olive oil for a few minutes and then add the sauce and cheese. You will not be disappointed!)

Don’t forget to cook some of your favorite pasta to compliment your amazing sauce.

Happy Cheating!