Caramel Popcorn Balls!

So for a family function in September, we decided to make Caramel Popcorn Balls!  It was Czeck family gathering at the home farm near Foley.

We wanted to make Caramel Popcorn balls.  I know that Aunt Aggie, used to make them every year at Halloween, so I called her daughter Maureen for the recipe!    So this recipe comes from the DeGross family!

Caramel Popcorn Balls with Chocolate (Photo Credit to Cousin Terry)

CARAMEL POPCORN BALLS

First we popped 2 batches of pop corn in the air-popper.  (About a total of 1 cup of un popped corn.  We did it in 2 batches (1/2c each).  DO NOT SALT THE POPCORN!

For the Caramel:

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Heavy whipping cream

1 cup Caro syrup

1 tsp salt.

Bring to boil.  Keep Stirring.  You need to bring the mixture to 242-248 degrees.  It will get foamy and start getting thick.  if you don't have a candy thermometer, you can use the "Firm Ball test"  Firm ball: Forms a firm ball that will not flatten when removed from water, but remains malleable and will flatten when squeezed. 

When it's done, add  1 tsp Vanilla.  Stir in and then pour over popcorn.  Wearing rubber gloves with butter on can help form the balls.  if you caramel, wasn't quite hot enough, you might have to let it sit a bit longer before forming balls.  If you got it too hot(very firm ball), You may ned to form balls immediately!

Enjoy!

Wedding Jam

A few people have asked me and my mom for the tasty Jam recipes that we used to make our wedding jams.  Sadly, We didn't really write down recipes for any of them, but I can tell you we followed the same pattern each time.

4 cups fruit
1 cup fruit juice
1-3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice(depending on the acidity of the fruit...You want enough acid to prevent botulism)
3 Tablespoons Pectin (this is less than the recipe on the jar calls for!)
1 1/2 cup sugar

Here is the Recipe for those who want an 'accurate' recipe for the "Favorite".

2 Cups Apricots (pitted and diced)
2 Cups Nectarines (peeled, pitted and diced)
1 Cup "Simply Naked" Orange + Mango Juice
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
3 Tablespoons Pectin

Put ALL of the above ingredients in a kettle.  Stir.  Bring to a boil.  Let boil for abour 2 minutes

Then add 1 1/2 cups sugar.  Keep stirring.  Bring back to a boil and let boil for another minute.

Then Jar into jars.

After jarring, put in a hot water bath and boil for 5 minutes, then remove from water and let rest on the counter.  Listen for the 'sealing' pop!  Then Enjoy!

What do you do with extra Pumpkin?? Pumpkin Banana Muffins

What do you do when you make a recipe that uses 1/2 cup of pumpkin and you have a 15oz can?

 You find another recipe!

Here it is:
http://www.alidaskitchen.com/2012/09/pumpkin-banana-muffins.html

Pumpkin Banana Muffins

Yields 30 mini-muffins (or 15-18 standard muffins)

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour (or 1 cup all-purpose flour/1 cup whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 bananas, mashed
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

All mixed up!  I recommend adding sugar with the wets, not in the dries....that was strange...

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray muffin tins with baking spray and fill empty cups with water.  Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the bananas, pumpkin, oil, eggs and vanilla, until well-blended.
4. Add banana mixture to flour mixture, gently folding until combined.
5. Divide mixture evenly among prepared muffin cups. 
6. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes for mini muffins / 13 to 15 minutes for standard muffins, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Finished!  This made 19 muffins.  PS I LOVE Silicon Baking cups!  Thanks Aunt Sandra!

Overall:  

These are a little bland.  They need a bit more cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice!  I ADDED Chocolate chips to the last 7 muffins, they are good :)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies - a pinterest recipe!

I spend very little time on Pinterest, but occasionally something catches my eye.  I have 'pinned' a lot of recipes, but I have never made any.

This is my first use of something from Pinterest.

Siting the source of my recipe, here is the link of where I found it:
http://penniesonaplatter.com/2010/11/02/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-brownies/

I made this today, when I got up at 7:30 because of daylight savings time!

I, of course, didn't follow it to a T, I never do.  I am providing my modifications!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies

Yield: 24 small brownies

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips & Ghiradelli chunks combined (about equal parts, whatever you have in the fridge works!)

Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Spray a 11″- x 7″-inch pan(Quarter Baking Sheet) a cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs and oil until smooth.  Add Sugar and beat until smooth.  Set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt.  Add to the wet ingredients and mix until thoroughly incorporated.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

This is just to show you, it doesn't make much batter.

Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly.  Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until passes toothpick test.  Cool completely before cutting.

Because there wasn't a lot of batter, it wasn't easy to spread evenly!

IN THE OVEN

DONE!

These were very tasty.  I was scared of the Allspice.  Also, I would NOT call these "Brownies".  They are a chewy chocolate chip bar that has pumpkin in it.  they aren't thick enough for me to call them a brownie...

I'd DEFINITELY MAKE AGAIN.  I'd also DOUBLE the recipe.  Maybe even triple it, in order to use  a whole 15oz pumpkin can!

WHAT DID I DO, with the other part of the pumplin?

Stay tuned.  I'll post about it on TUESDAY, but lets just say I had some bananas that needed to be used too....So I found a way to use them both!

9 week anniversary - Mushroom Risotto

Today is our 9 week anniversary!

We celebrated with Steak and Mushroom Risotto(and Strongbow!)

Here's the Recipe as close as I can get as I make Risotto from a feeling, not from a recipe!

Mushroom Risotto

Some Olive Oil (1-2 Tbsp)

1 onion diced

4 cloves of garlic

1 1/2 cups ARRBORIO Rice(this is important!)

1 cup white wine

 24 oz mushrooms (we used 16oz white button mushrooms sliced and 8oz baby bellas sliced)

4-5 cups Broth (Beef in this occasion)

1/4 parmesan cheese, shredded

- Get the pan hot(I used a Le Creuset pot)

- Add the oil

- Add the onions.  Cook until translucent

- Add the Garlic partially through

- DO NOT let Garlic and onions burn, try to get them to sweat and turn translucent

- add the rice.  You want to "Roast" the rice.  You'll see the hulls start to change color.

- Add the wine.  Cook til reduced by half

- Add the mushrooms and about half of the beef broth.  Stir

-  Keep stirring until most of the liquid is absorbed.  Then add more.

probably the first add of liquid

- Keep Stirring

-  After all liquid is added and almost all absorbed, taste the rice to see if it is 'soft' or still a dente.  If it is soft, you can be done, else find more water to add.

-  You want the Rice to be "a lungo" like the waves.  So it should be a bit saucy and form 'waves'.

-  Add the cheese at the end, stir in until melted. Then serve..

8 week anniversary

This week (October 26th) we celebrated with RICE KRISPIE TREATS!

For added fun, we put Candy Corn in with the cereal as well :)

woohoo


Aren't you excited for the 9 week update now too???

I'll try taking pictures....

I've been told it should be "Make Ice Cream for your friends".

ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR OTHER WEEKS?

(this is kinda fun to 'celebrate' with something dorky!)