Caramel Corn

Caramel Corn

6 cups of popped corn

2 sticks of butter

2  cups light brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

11/2 to 2 cups cocktail or raw peanuts  or other nuts if desired (optional)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Pop popcorn and add peanuts. In a large saucepan melt butter, add sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Let boil for 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and baking soda. stir well. (Baking soda will cause mixture to foam). Pour syrup over popped corn and mix thoroughly. Spread on to baking sheet. 

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes turning every 15 minutes until no longer sticky. Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Mom's Fudge

 Fudge Recipe

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups sugar

 1 1/2 cups of butter

1 can of evaporated milk

2  7 oz jars of marshmallow creme (use only 12 ounces)

3 cups of chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups rough chop toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)

Chop and toast walnuts or pecans if using.

In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil over medium stirring constantly. Boil at a steady rate for 8 1/2 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips, 12 ounces of marshmallow creme, and toasted chopped nuts. Stir until combined. Pour into buttered 15x11 baking dish. Allow to cool completely, and cut to desired size.

Mom's Rolls

 Mom's rolls

(Clista's biscuits)

Makes approximately 24 large rolls

Ingredients

6-8 cups of flour (start with 6 and add more as needed)

3 packages of rapid-rise yeast (or 6 3/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast proof before using)

6 T sugar

3 tsp salt

3 T oil

3 cups of hot water (if using rapid-rise yeast, warm water if using active yeast)

If you are using active dry yeast proof your yeast otherwise continue as follows.

In a Kitchenaid stand mixer (using a dough hook) combine 6 c flour, yeast, sugar salt, and oil. Turn the mixer on low speed and combine the ingredients. Slowly add hot water (just hot tap water, not boiling water) mix well. 

While mixing add additional flour (up to two cups) so the dough no longer sticks to the side of the mixing bowl. You want to add about one-quarter to one half a cup at a time and let it incorporate. 

Allow the mixer to knead the dough for 5 minutes.

Cover and allow the dough to rise until double in size (approximately 30 min)

When the dough has doubled in size, punch down the dough and shape it into rolls. Place in two greased  9x13 metal or glass baking dish (12 in each pan).  Place rolls close together in rows of 3. Cover and allow to rise on the stovetop for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (I like to turn my oven on to a low temperature of 200 or 250 degrees)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Bake rolls one pan at a time for 20 minutes. Brush tops with butter and remove from pan and allow to cool.

 

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

This is a great dish as a side or add some chicken for a great summer dinner or without for a vegetarian meal. It has a nice kick to it but it isn't super spicy. If you are sensitive to spice consider adjusting spicy ingredients tasting the finished product and adding more if desired.

Ingredients

2 cups mini farfalle pasta, uncooked
1 16 oz package of frozen corn (about 3 cups any variety) or 3-4 ears of corn
6 strips of bacon cooked and chopped
3 green onions sliced
1/2 of a bunch of cilantro chopped
1 jalapeno finely chopped (you can use less if you like it milder)
1/2 can of black beans (or more if desired)
(optional- 1/3 cup cotija cheese or up to a 1/2 queso fresco, or Mexican blend cheese)
1-2c avocados, chopped
Dressing

1 cup regular mayonnaise (you can use as
2 limes juiced (about 3 tablespoons) plus a little lime zest (about 1/4 teaspoon)
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder (we like the hot blend, it isn't really hot)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (can be adjusted according to the desired spiciness)
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions to al dente (don't forget to salt the water).  Drizzle with a little olive oil. completely drain and cool in a large bowl in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes.
Cook bacon. Allow bacon to cool, then chop and set aside.
Defrost corn and then cook in a single layer on the stovetop with a little butter in a cast iron or other skillet for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Stir once after 2 1/2 minutes. You want the corn to get that nice roasted look, so don't be tempted to stir it.
If using ears of corn, heat the grill to medium. Pull back husks but do not remove them. Remove the silks and put the husks back up around the ear of corn. Soak the ears of corn in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of salt for 10 minutes. Remove from water and dry. Place on grill, cover grill, and cook corn for 15-20 minutes turning every 5 minutes. Remove corn from the cob.

Add corn to pasta. Chop avocado, green onions, cilantro, and jalapeno. Add all to the bowl with the pasta and corn. Add black beans, bacon, and cheese if desired. (If you are making the night before hold back the avocado, bacon, and cheese until just before).
In a small bowl mix all of the dressing ingredients together and pour over pasta and stir until combined. I like to let it sit in the refrigerator for a bit in order for the flavors to meld together, but it can be served right away.

Chocolate Almond Ice Cream

The original recipe was a little unclear on some parts so I took the liberty of clarifying some steps. This recipe asks for extra rich milk which I don't believe is sold in most grocery stores anymore. In my quick online research some people suggested using whole milk and adding a little butter to increase the fat content. I also saw some suggesting using half and half. In my research it said that extra rich milk had a higher fat content than whole and less than half and half.
I am not sure if this recipe was from Blue Diamond or if someone just liked the brand. I just chopped up whole almonds and toasted them in the oven. I added the directions for that method below. You could also just purchase chopped almonds or almond pieces. Toasting them really brings out the flavor of the almonds so don't skip this part.

You will need an ice cream freezer, rock salt or ice cream salt, and ice.

Ingredients
2/3 cup of cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 cups extra rich milk*
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups whipping cream
2-1 oz squares of semi sweet chocolate
1 cup chopped almonds (Blue Diamond Original)*
Optional: 2 cups mini marshmallows to make Rocky Road)

Directions

Chop almonds and toast in the oven at 350 for 7-8 minutes stirring once. Meanwhile, in a saucepan mix cocoa and sugar. Add rich milk. Cook on low heat stirring until sugar and cocoa dissolves. Cool at room temperature. Once cool add chocolate mixture to ice cream freezer. Add vanilla, salt, and whipping cream and stir. Stir in shredded chocolate and almonds and freeze in ice cream freezer according to instructions.

Strawberry Ice Cream

You will need an ice cream freezer, rock or ice cream salt, and an ice cream freezer

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup whipping cream
4 cups half and half
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp almond extract
3-10 oz packages of frozen sliced strawberries-(loosely chop in a blender or food processor if slices are too big).
Directions
Mix together sugar, whipping cream, half and half, vanilla, and almond extract together well in ice cream freezer. Add strawberries.
Freeze in ice cream freezer according to  instructions-
Makes 4 quarts (1 gallon)

I made this 5/254/2020 Strawberry slices must have been much smaller in the past than they are now. I bought a big bag of sliced strawberries at Winco and they were too big for the ice cream freezer. They kept getting stuck in the paddle. I updated the recipe to suggest running the strawberry slices in the blender so they were more chopped than sliced.

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb smoked bacon, chopped
1 large or 2 small leeks chopped (only the bottom part of the leek not the green)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large (29 oz.) can of pumpkin
7 cups of chicken broth
1 to 1 1/2 cups cream
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Cook bacon in a soup pot. When it is almost done add the onion, leeks and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent (about 20 minutes). Add the pumpkin and stir. Add the broth. Mix well and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the cream and salt and pepper to taste.