Holiday Sugar Rush: Caramel Corn Balls

This caramel corn is perhaps the most delicious I've ever tasted. I know, that's kind of a bold statement. But this is really delicious. The last time I made this, I told myself I would only take a bite out of one of the balls. But once I started I couldn't stop! I have to be very careful when I make this because it is just so good I'm quite certain I could eat a whole batch. I got the recipe from the ever reliable AllRecipes and with just a couple tweaks I think it's perfect. I'm feeling pretty bold today. :)

For this recipe, I recommend using a candy thermometer just because it makes really easy. You can get them pretty inexpensively at WalMart. My thermometer is pretty nifty and even has "soft ball" printed right on the exact temperature that makes it perfect. However, if you don't have a candy thermometer, you can still make this without it. Just see the note below about cooking candy to soft ball stage.

This recipe can be cut in half pretty well. If you want to cut it in half, I recommend using about three bags of popcorn. The other ingredients easily divide in half. 

Soft Caramel Corn
 Recipe adapted from AllRecipes
 Makes: approx 40 popcorn balls, about the size of my fist or slightly larger


5 bag microwave popcorn, popped {or the equivalent in home popped}
2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Spread the popcorn onto a clean surface and carefully pick up the popped kernels, putting them in a bowl, until all that is left is the unpopped kernels; discard.
In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, cook the brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter, stirring constantly. Heat to 235-245 degrees, soft ball stage {see note below}. In my experience this takes between 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully pour in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla; stir until smooth.
Slowly pour about 1/4 of the caramel sauce at a time over the popcorn, stirring the popcorn after each addition until all the popcorn is equally covered. Cool about ten minutes before forming into balls.
Store in an airtight container and it will stay nice and soft. :) 

*Note: Soft Ball Stage refers to syrups being cooked to between 235-245 degrees F. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can test the syrup to see if it has reached the right stage by placing a small spoonful of the hot syrup into really cold water. You'll know the stage is right if the syrup balls up easily with your fingers in the water but flattens out when you remove it from the water.

Holiday Sugar Rush: White Chocolate Popcorn Bark

This popcorn treat is perhaps the easiest treat you'll make all winter. Because you will make it. I'm just sure of it. :)

White Chocolate Popcorn Bark

2 bags microwave popcorn {I like it with extra butter to give the bark a nice sweet & salty flavor} or equivalent of home popped popcorn
3 large squares white chocolate almond bark
1 1/2 cups pretzels, lightly broken into pieces
Any add-ins you desire {see below}

Directions:
Pop your popcorn according to package directions. Spread the popcorn out on some waxed or parchment paper and remove the unpopped kernels. Melt the white chocolate almond bark according to package directions and drizzle over the popcorn. Sprinkle the pretzels and any desired add-ins over popcorn/chocolate mixture. Allow chocolate to harden, break into pieces, and enjoy!

Possible add-ins:
Chocolate chips
Smooth & Melty Mints {as seen in the photos}
Candy Corn
Reece's Pieces
M&M's

Note: you can also substitute the white chocolate almond bark for milk or semi-sweet for a chocolatey flavor. 

Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting

This is the next recipe that came from Crazy About Cupcakes. The ginger in this frosting gives it a subtle, enticing flavor that really pulls you in. It is delicate and sweet and the perfect combo with Caramel Sauce and the cupcakes recipe above!

Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe from Crazy About Cupcakes, page 86

1 8oz package cream cheese, at room temperature
6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground ginger


Directions:
In a medium bowl cream together the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, usually about 1 minute.
Slowly sift in the confectioners sugar and continue beating. Mix until all lumps are gone and it starts to be slightly stiff* {please see note below}. Add the vanilla and ginger and mix until fully integrated.


*Note: this will not be buttercream stiff. It will be slightly stiff in that it will begin to hold it's shape, but thanks to the cream cheese, if it gets very warm it will be melty. This frosting doesn't need any more sugar than I listed above. If you don't really care about piping your frosting {but I'm telling you, it's so much faster and more fun than spreading with a knife}, you can even use about 1/2 cup less. You only need all the sugar if you want it to hold it's shape enough to pipe. 

Caramel Sauce

This recipe comes from a book called "Crazy About Cupcakes" by Krystina Castella. I really love this book. My wonderful cousin {hi, Tierra!} gave it to me several months ago when she read my bucket list and saw that I had a desire to learn how to make gourmet cupcakes. Anyway, this caramel sauce goes with one of the cupcake recipes I made recently. It is truly delicious sauce and I would totally just eat it with a spoon!

Caramel Topping
Recipe adapted slightly from Crazy About Cupcakes, page 95

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick)  butter {you can use unsalted but I like the taste of salted better
1/4 cup cream
2 tsp vanilla extract



Directions:
In a saucepan over medium heat bring the brown sugar, butter, and cream to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer (just above low on my gas stove) and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Stir in the vanilla.

Tuesday with Tierra! (Saltine Cracker Snack)

Can you believe it is already Tuesday again?! How time flies! Well this particular post has been a snack that I have loved for years. When I lived in Rigby a very close family to me made this snack all the time. It is the perfect combination of salt but yet sweet.
Now i dont quite know the exact name of this snack so I just call it the Saltine Cracker Snack. Now dont hate this snack right off the bat cause it may seem weird and you might be thinking how could I possibly like that... Give it a chance! Trust me you will not be let down!

Saltine Cracker Snack
By: Denise Bowcutt

You will need:
1-2 pkgs of saltine crackers
1 C butter
1 C brown sugar
1 Bag Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees
Grease cookie sheet and lay out saltine crackers
In a medium sauce pan boil together brown sugar and butter together for 3 minutes.
Pour over the saltine crackers so that all the crackers are covered equally.
Bake for 5 minutes or until bubbling.
Melt chocolate chips in a small saucepan and then pour over the caramelized crackers. Spread evenly.
Cool until the chocolate has become firm. (You may put this in the freezer for 5-10 minutes if you just cannot wait any longer for this yummy goodness!)

Enjoy!!

Pecan Tartlets - Variation

It may seem silly to do a completely different post on a variation of a recipe that was posted yesterday. There are just so many photos that I wanted to do this differently. I'm not going to be including ingredients in this post so if you want to know how to make this tartlet variation, check the Pecan Tartlets post first.

I made 3 dozen pecan tartlets and decided that I didn't want to make any more. However, I had enough dough and filling to make at least six more tartlets so I had to come up with something to use up what was left. My dear hubby helped me. This variation is what we came up with. We can't think of any good names for it though. Suggestions?

I actually really enjoyed this little variation. It tasted so yummy and had a less sweet flavor than the tartlets themselves. It also looked so pretty!

Directions:

Roll out pastry dough in a circle to be between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick. Place on a greased cookie sheet and roll the edges up to create a barrier. Be sure your barrier is between 1/4 and 1/2 inch high and that it is rolled tightly so it won't come undone.

Sprinkle chopped pecans on the crust. I also used up a few walnuts I had leftover from making Lemon Tea Cakes.

Pour some corn syrup mixture over the nuts.

This is why that barrier is so important. You don't want your syrup leaking out and making a mess all over your pan. Actually, forget the mess you'd get on your pan. Let's talk about how sad it would be to end up with a pastry with nuts and no syrup! That would be a sad day indeed. You really want it to stay on top of the pastry. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Serve cut into triangles.

Yummy!

Buckeye Bars

These are some delish bars that I made up to put on neighbor's Christmas goodie plates a couple years ago. Terrible that it's taken me this long to share the recipe with you! I found the recipe in a Kraft recipe book. One of the best things about this recipe is you can make it ahead of time and freeze it to keep for when you need it. 

I do apologize about my photo. I know it pretty much stinks. I promise they tasted good!

Buckeye Bars

½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened

¾ cup crunchy peanut butter

22 vanilla wafers, crushed (about ¾ cup)

2 cups powdered sugar

½ of 8oz tub of whipped topping (do not thaw)

3 squares of semi-sweet baking chocolate {I prefer milk chocolate}

Directions:

Line an 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Beat butter and peanut butter with mixer until blended. Add wafer crumbs; mix well. Gradually add sugar, mixing well after each addition. Press onto bottom of prepared pan.

Microwave frozen whipped topping and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on high for 1 minute; stir. Microwave for 15-30 seconds more or until chocolate is melted; stir until blended. Pour over peanut butter layer; spread to cover peanut butter layer.

Refrigerate for 2 hours. Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting.

Can be made ahead and stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

Homemade Twix Bars

I am not a chocolate lover. Anyone who knows me knows this is true. But lately, I just can't seem to get enough Twix candy bars. Awful. Horrible. Weird. I know. So I decided to try my hand at these homemade Twix bars. Naturally they are different from what you'll buy in the store - I'd dare say they are better! Super yummy and really pretty easy to make.

Homemade Twix Bars

Crust:

1 ¼ c. flour

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter; room temp

Caramel:
½ c. butter
½ c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
½ c. sweetened condensed milk


Crumble crust ingredients together {if your butter is still slightly cold instead of at room temperature, you'll find it easier to get everything crumbled together}. Be sure it's mixed very well. You don't want any large pockets of  butter making things difficult. Pack into 9x9 inch pan that has been sprayed, lined with foil and sprayed again {I didn't spray my foil and didn't have any problems}. Bake on 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Note: I used an 8x8 inch pan and everything was a little bit thick. If you don't think you'll like thick crust or caramel, just reserve some of the crust or filling from the pan or try to cut down the ingredients.

Put the butter for the caramel filling in a heavy saucepan and melt. Combine remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly as it burns easily {I'm no culinary expert but my caramel was cooked too long. I would suggest timing the boiling as soon as you see little bubbles form - this way, it should still be slightly soft but cooked enough to remain firm. I timed it from when it was really boiling and my caramel was too hard}. Remove from heat. Stir with spoon slowly until it shows signs of thickening {about two minutes or so}. Pour over crust and let cool a little.

Top layer:

Melt approximately 1-2 c. chocolate chips with 1 tsp shortening over low heat or in the microwave {because my pan was 8x8 I used 1 cup of chocolate and thought it was plenty}. Pour over caramel layer and spread carefully. Chill. Cut into bars.

Valentine's Chex Mix

This is a recipe I found from BettyCrocker.com and it was really quite good. I made it for a ward party, hence the fluted pan (I didn't have anything else that was red!). For those are familiar with muddy buddies, it's a very similar recipe only this one uses white chocolate so I liked it a whole lot more!

Ingredients:

• 9 cups Rice Chex cereal (I actually used about 7-1/2 cups corn chex and 1-1/2 cups wheat chex)
• 1 cup white vanilla baking chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar (I used more than this so it would be more white)
• 1/2 cup red, white and pink candy-coated chocolate candies
• 1/4 cup red or pink jimmies sprinkles, optional

Directions:
In large bowl, place cereal. In small microwaveable bowl, microwave baking chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute/30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.
Place 1/2 of the cereal mixture in 1-gallon food-storage plastic bag. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake well to coat. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool (about 15 minutes).
Meanwhile, stir candies and sprinkles into remaining cereal mixture. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool (about 15 minutes).
In serving bowl, mix cereal mixtures. Store in airtight container.

One of the things I like about this recipe is that is can be used for virtually any holiday - a little change of the colors of the candies, and it works for anything!