Caramel Pops

In the fall around here, you can get Barrel 0'Fun Corn Pops in plain or kettle corn flavor.  We love both of them.  One year Syd's sister showed the recipe on the side of the plain bag for Caramel Pops.  We quickly found we loved them.  I must be honest and say I have never made them.  This is Syd's speciality.  We  hope everyone likes them as much as we do. 

one 8oz bag of Barrel O'Fun Corn pops*
Place in a large roasting pan (we use the one we cook our Thanksgiving turkey in)

Caramel Coating (use a 2 qt sauce pan)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda

In a 2 qt sauce pan, mix together the butter, corn syrup and brown sugar. Cook until  melted and bubbly around the edges, remove from heat.  Add one tsp baking soda to cause foaming (this will allow for proper coating of pops). Pour caramel slurry over corn pops and stir until pops are properly coated.  Place in a 250 F oven for approximate 45 minutes, stirring ever 10 minutes.  Remove from and oven and pour onto waxed paper.  Break apart (before pops can cool) to desired piece size. 

*Barrel O'Fun Corn Pops come in two sizes, 8 oz and 16 oz.  We have been known to double the recipe and use the 16 oz size.  Sadly these are only available in the fall.  Luckily Frito Lay makes some called Chester's Puffcorn - Butter flavored. It comes in 3 1/2 oz bags so you will need at least two.

Brazilian Lemonade

We didn't try this in Brazil, but when I tried it at the neighbor's cooking class it was obviously Brazilian. In Brazil, they call limes lemons, and use sweetened condensed milk in so many things. True Brazilian sweetened condensed milk is slightly different, not quite as sweet and thick as ours. This can not be made very far in advance as it spoils quickly, thus you wouldn't want to use it for a party, but your family will ask for it frequently, once they have tried it.

1 cup sugar
6 cups cold water
4 juicy limes (smooth, thin skinned limes are juiciest and least bitter)
5-7 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
Crushed ice

Mix cold water and sugar until sugar dissolved. let chill until ready to use. (this part can be made in advance).
Wash limes really well with soap. You will need to get the wax and pesticides off they skins as you using the whole lime. Cut the ends off, then cut into eighths.. Place half the limes in the blender and half the sugar water. Pulse 5 times (or more if necessary) to release the flavors. Place a strainer over the pitcher you are serving out of and pour mixture through the strainer. With a spoon press out the rest of liquid. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk and serve over lots of ice. Serving cold is important.

Pina Colada Salad

Once a month, our neighbor offers a cooking class. Not only is she an excellent cook, but the evening is quit entertaining. It's always fun to go, not to mention tasty. Sometimes she has a recipe that just has to be shared and this is one of them. The combination may seem strange, try it you will be surprised, and it looks so pretty.

1 cup cashews (salted or raw, try it bot ways)
2 cups dried cranberries (I have used cherry flavored craisins, just make them fresh)
1 cup diced celery
2 cups diced FRESH pineapple (canned may be used but it won't be quite as good)

Pina Colada Dressing:
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup pina colada drink mix (usually found in the liqueur aisle)
1 1/2 cup sour cream (or be healthy and use plain yogurt)

Mix the cashews, cranberries, celery and pineapple together. Whisk the sugar, pina colada drink mix and sour cream together and pour over the salad. Mix well. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

If serving immediately you could also try chopped apples in it.

Gorgonzola Pear Cheeseball / Dip

I was asked to make a cheeseball for an activity. I have many recipes that I like but I wanted something different. I had been to a cooking class where they had a Gorgonzola Pear Salad that we fell in love with. I had recently made it and had some left over ingredients so I go on line and found a recipe, made a few minor changes and this is now our new favorite cheeseball / dip.

1 firm pear, peeled, seeded and cubed
splash of olive oil
8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
3/4 c Gorgonzola cheese crumbles (you may also use blue cheese)
1 Tbsp grated onion
1/2 c craisins or dried cherries, chopped
toasted pecans or hazelnuts, chopped (optional)

1. Heat oven to 400 put pears in shallow baking dish. drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 10 - 15 minutes. Drain off juices and mash.
2. Cream together cream cheese and Gorgonzola cheese. Add pears, onion and craisins. Mix until well blended.
3. Top with nuts.

You can make it without roasting the pear and omit the nuts if necessary.

High Protein Wheat Bread

I don't know if I ever mentioned that my mother worked as a cook in the hot lunch at one of the local elementary schools. They would get some fun recipes and she would break them down so the average family could use them. This is one of them. Some of the ingredients are unusual bread ingredients but that's what makes it moist and tasty.

5 c white flour
2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp yeast
1 c water (add up to 1/4 c more for moister bread)
1/2 c. honey
1/8 c butter
1 c cottage cheese
1/2 c oats
1 egg
1 c nuts or sunflower seeds (or part raisins or craisins or ?)

Mix flour, salt and yeast. set aside. Heat water, honey, cottage cheese and butter till war. Add to dry mixture. Add eggs, mix. Add oats and nuts. Knead 8-10 minutes. Let raise until double, put in greased bread pan. let rise. Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes.

Firewater or Primary Punch

This was served at many, many socials. It's name was determined by which social you usually had it at. Primary, Relief Society or YW Punch and when we added pop or club soda we called it Firewater. We loved it.

12 oz orange juice concentrate
12 oz lemonade concentrate
1 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
9 c water
1 12 oz can up to a liter of lemon-lime pop, or club soda (optional)

Hot Spice Punch

Some foods, or in this case drinks, are filled with memories. Christmas wouldn't be the same with out a big pot of Hot Spice Punch. Another favorite memory is o several winters going to the mountains to play in the snow. I'd mix up a crock pot full of this and keep it on low for all to enjoy when they would come in from the cold. This is similar to Wassail, so it is easy to be creative and make changes.

1 6 oz can of orange juice, mixed up
1 c lemon juice
2 quarts apple juice or cider
2 c. sugar
1 quart water

In a tea or cheesecloth bag:
2 Cinnamon sticks
8 whole allspice
10 whole cloves
a tsp chunk of ginger

Let the spice bag steep at least 5 minutes in the juices. Longer for spicier.

Variations I have tried:
Using pineapple or a other juice
Leaving out the ginger
Using a 6 oz can of lemonade
More or less of any of the juices.

Be Creative