Easy Caramel Corn

This has got to be the easiest recipe for Caramel Corn there is and it is super super yummy!!

2-3 bags of popped popcorn (about 12 cups popped)
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup white Karo syrup
1 stick butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Pop your popcorn and put into a bowl careful to remove the unpopped kernels. In a large mixing bowl combine sugar, syrup and butter cut up in approximately tbs cubes. Put in microwave and cook on high for 2 minutes, pull out and stir and then put in for two more minutes. Now here is the part my kids love, take bowl out and stir until butter well combined, add baking soda and vanilla, and watch it fizz, then stir and watch it foam up. Pour over popped popcorn and eat.

If you like it more crispy you can transfer to a baking sheet and cook at 300 for approximately 20 minutes stirring every 7 or so. I got the recipe HERE it has step by step pics if you want to see.

No Bake Cookies (aka Chocolate Oatmeal)

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs peanut butter
3 cups Old Fashioned Oats

Combine sugar, milk, cocoa and butter in a pan on the stove top. Bring to a boil over medium heat (I usually keep it about a 6 and when boiling turn to a 5). Boil for 4 minutes exact! It is important to follow the directions to a T for these to be cooked just so, so that they set up. Remove from heat and add peanut butter, vanilla, stir to mix and then add oats and stir again. Drop onto wax paper to harden.

A few tips, put paper under the wax paper to avoid having the heat from the cookies leaving wax on your countertops. You can use more peanut butter, but we have found that if the pb is even a little bit "oily" it can cause the cookies to not set up. We like them super chocolaty so we just use the little bit. As soon as the cookies harden transfer to an air tight container or big ziploc bag to keep them from drying out too fast.

Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup butter- room temp
1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter, shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add flour, tartar, soda and salt. Mix well. Roll into balls about the size of a walnut and then roll in mixture of cinnamon and sugar. I have a bowl of this made up and really let the dough get coated really well. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes.

Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter- room temp
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour

Cream butter and sugar until well blended. Add milk, egg, baking powder, soda, salt and vanilla. Gradually add flour, mix well. Chill for at least 3 hours. Roll out on floured surface until about 1/4 inch thick, cut out desired shape. Bake at 400 for 5-7 minutes. Cool and frost.

Cinnanmon Rolls

1 1/2 cups warm water (approx 110-120 degrees)
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbs. yeast

*Mix these 3 ingredients and let sit for approximately 10 minutes, until nice and bubbly.

Add:
2 eggs
1/2 cup Oil (I use Canola)
1/4 cup dry milk
1 tsp. salt
5 cups flour- added gradually

I mix the first three thing in with the water and yeast and then start adding flour 1 cup at a time may need more until dough pulls away from sides of bowl, the dough shouldn't be sticky. Either let machine knead for 10 minutes or do it by hand.

Let sit and rise until doubled.

Divide dough in half, roll our half of it until flat and in a rectangular shape (if you have a silpat that is an excellent guide!). Spread room temperature butter on it and then a generous helping of cinnamon sugar (I make it with cinnamon and brown sugar). Roll up and pinch edge to "seal" it closed. Use a sharp knife to cut into about 1 inch increments and place on pan. Space them with a little space in between as they will need to rise again (about 4 across and 5 down on a big jelly roll pan). Repeat process with second batch. You will need more than one pan. *Note if you are making these in advance for something this is the point you could put them in the freezer for later baking, it is good up to 1 week*.

Let rolls rise until about doubled again and then bake in preheated oven at 375 for 15 minutes. Place pan on cookie sheet and let cool for 5-10 minutes and then frost.

Frosting:
1/2 stick of butter- room temp
4 oz package of cream cheese- room temp
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. of powdered sugar

Mix these four ingredients until desired consistency, if needed you can add a little milk.

Makes approximately 2 dozen.

This fabulous recipe is from my mother in law Vannie.

Pumpkin Pie

2 cups pumpkin (or one can of pure pumpkin if you go that route)
1 1/2 cups evap milk
3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
2 eggs-beaten

Preheat oven to 425. Mix pumpkin and sugar, salt and spices. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Gradually add evap milk and stir. Put in unbaked 9 inch pie crust. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes then turn down heat and bake at 350 for approx 50 minutes. Pie is done when knife is inserted near center and comes out clean.

I always have to cook mine for an extra 15 minutes or so, but I don't know if that is my oven or because I am using tinfoil to protect my crust, I ususally base it off that knife coming out clean.

Monkey Munch (aka Puppy Chow)

Courtesy of Jon and Kate plus 8! And for the record I think Monkey Munch sounds much better than Puppy Chow!

1 box Chex mix (any flavor, I did Rice)
2- 2 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

12 oz of Chocolate Chips
1 cup Peanut Butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter

Place those three items in microwavable bowl and melt (approx 2 minutes)

In a large bowl to mix everything, put entire box of Chex mix in. When p.butter, chocolate chips and butter are all melted and mixed well, pour over cereal and mix to coat well.

In a large Ziploc bag (or you can use a large paper bag) place 1 1/2 cups of powder sugar, spoon in cereal mix, place another 1/2 cup of sugar on top, seal bag and then mix to coat cereal with powdered sugar, if you need more add another 1/2 cup.

When it is all well coated, dump on wax paper to harden up, enjoy!

*My kids love this show and when they saw the kids help making it the other day they started begging me to make it.

Carmel Popcorn

1/4 cup butter/margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 15 oz can of condensed milk
1/2 tsp of vanilla
5 qt of popped PLAIN popcorn

Combine sugar, butter and corn syrup in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in milk and simmer until mixture comes to a soft ball stage, stir in vanilla and poor over popcorn. You can then form into balls if you want.

Brownie, Strawberry Trifle

K this recipe I kinda just winged but here is what I did:

2 boxes of brownie mix, mixed and baked (you probably won't need all of these for the dessert, but better safe than sorry). Once you have baked, and they have cooled, cut into bite size pieces.

Strawberries (I used 2 pts.), washed, sliced and sprinkled with a little sugar.
Chocolate Sauce
Whipped Cream *check bottom of post for this recipe*

In a trifle bowl I took my bite sized brownie pieces and put a layer across the bottom, then a layer of strawberries, sprayed on some Chocolate Sauce, then a layer of whipped cream. Then start the process all over, top with the rest of the whipped cream and if you have strawberries left decorate the top. Keep refrigerated until you serve.

Home made whipped cream: (I did a double batch)
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Put ingredients in a bowl and beat on medium until stiff peaks start to form (this will take a good 5 minutes or so), refrigerate until you use. (makes 2 cups of whipped cream).

Strawberry shortcake with a twist

Not the best of pictures, but you get the idea.

1 box of yellow cake mix, made according to directions
1 can of cream cheese frosting
1 pint of strawberries, washed and sliced
1 container of strawberry glaze

Make the cake according to the directions on the box. When cooled frost with a thin layer of the cream cheese frosting. Lay out the sliced strawberries, however you want to try and make it look pretty. Top with container of strawberry glaze.

This is a really yummy and easy dessert.

Strawberry Cheesecake

Crust:
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
5 Tbs Margarine, melted

Mix in a bowl, them press into a round cake pan or spring form pan. You can use a measuring cup to press everything evenly up sides and on bottom. Set aside

Cheesecake:
4 (8oz) pkgs of Cream Cheese (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs

Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together on medium speed, once blended add eggs one at a time on low speed. Once blended well, pour into crust. Bake at 325 for 55 minutes, when cheesecake starts to barely crack at edges you know it is done. Let sit for at least 4 hours before serving, overnight or all day is better.

Topping:
1 pt strawberries, sliced
1 container of Marie Calendar's strawberry glaze (usually right next to the strawberries in the grocery store)

Mix together and put on top of cheesecake and serve.