Soft and Chewy Caramel Popcorn

This caramel popcorn is so easy, festive, chewy and gooey--delicious!!!  It would be perfect to make for a fun movie night, your child's sleepover, Christmas party, or even packaged and given as a homemade gift!  I did just that, by filling a pretty disposable pie box with the caramel popcorn, tying a ribbon around the box, and hanging a cute gift tag to complete the gift!  This batch makes popcorn for several, so you could have enough left for your family, too.

I've made poppycock before and as delicious as that is, the chewiness of this soft caramel makes this popcorn amazing and down-right addicting!   I ran out of corn syrup, but I made a wonderful discovery by substituting the rest with molasses!  It really adds depth of flavor that's even more perfect for the holidays, so that's how I wrote the recipe below.  Salty and sweet, you can't beat homemade caramel corn for very special treat!

Chewy Caramel Popcorn

Adapted by Six Sisters Stuff

1 lb. (2 1/4 c.) Brown sugar

14 oz. Can Sweetened condensed milk 

1/2 c. Karo syrup, light corn syrup

1/2 c. Molasses

1/2 c. Butter

Salt

1 cup unpopped popcorn

Pop your popcorn in an air popper or--like I do-- over the stove top with a little less oil than usual.  Salt it as you normally would while still hot.

In a saucepan, cook the brown sugar, Karo syrup, molasses, and butter over medium high heat and bring to a boil.  Add the sweetened condensed milk and stir continually for about 3-4 minutes until it gets to soft ball stage (clings together when dropped in cold water).  It will burn if you cook it too long, so make sure you're continually stirring and watch closely.

When it's finished cooking, take the pot off the heat and carefully pour the caramel sauce over the popped popcorn.    Mix until it's all coated well.  You'll need a very large bowl or maybe even two bowls to stir it.  This makes a huge batch!

Sweet & Salty Poppycock!

 

Here's a yummy treat that I've been meaning to share with y'all for a little while!  I made this a couple of weeks ago and ate on it all week long.  It's called Poppycock, and it's like a delicious nut filled, toffee-caramel glazed popcorn!

 

This snack is incredibly addicting!!!

 

The nuts provide saltiness that's delicious along with the caramel-toffee sweetness for a perfect balance for your cravings! It also has that crunch factor everyone loves so much. I like when I find a big cluster of popcorn and nuts held together by the caramel...it's almost like the best little popcorn ball you've ever had!

 

There are a couple of things about the recipe I feel like I should explain:

 

I did half the entire recipe, but added an extra cup or so of the popped popcorn (13ish cups).  Since I added extra popcorn it looks like the popcorn isn't completely covered in the caramel.  It was still so sweet and delicious, but if you don't want really any white showing on the popcorn, follow the recipe exactly if not make a cup of popcorn less.  Does that make sense?? (Sometimes my explanations can be confusing! :P )

 

Also, I found that most of the nuts just fell to the bottom of the pan (because they weigh more than the popcorn) before I had a chance to pour the caramel over them, therefore they never got a good coating.  So!  The next time I will pour the popcorn out on the pan, pour the caramel over top, then sprinkle the nuts over it all and stir it together.  I think that way the nuts will have a better chance of getting coated and clustered with the popcorn.  Small changes but good either way!

 

 

Poppycock would be a perfect treat to take along to share on the family hayride, a long car ride to Thanksgiving dinner or while at a Christmas parade!  I think it's especially good with a glass of cold milk but also apple juice would be delicious. 

 

There's a thing in our family where we love to eat homemade popcorn with apple juice or cider in the fall!  They just seem to go so well together. :)  You should try it sometime!

 

I'm going to enjoy this blustery and cold October day, and I hope you do, too!

 

 

Poppycock

 Adapted from: Noshing with the Nolands

 

24 c. Popped Popcorn

2 c. Brown Sugar

1 c. Butter

1 c. Corn Syrup

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 tsp. Baking Soda

4-5 c. Mixed Nuts, Roasted

 (Or just use your favorite nut!)

Salt, to taste

 

 

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. 

 

Place popped popcorn in two large roasting pans. 

 

Divide nuts between the pans.  (Here is where I would hold off on putting in the nuts until the caramel has been poured.) 

 

Salt the popcorn.

 

 In a large saucepan, bring butter, sugar and syrup to a boil, stirring constantly.

 

 

Let boil 5 minutes on medium heat without stirring.

 

 

Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda. 

 

 

 Quickly and carefully pour the glaze over the popcorn. (Now, I would add the nuts.) 

 

 

 Stir until coated.

 

 

 Place roasters in the oven.  If they don't fit then place one in and then the other or half the recipe. 

 

Bake for 1 hour, but stir every 10 minutes so the mixture doesn't burn and everything get coated. 

 

Cool completely and store in Ziploc bags, tins or plastic containers sealed tight.

 

Enjoy with your loved ones! 

 

 

 I'm linking up with friends at:

 

 

 

 



Lovely Baked Apple Pancake with Homemade Caramel Sauce

  
     February is the month of love!  Valentines Day is on the way, and I'm reminded of all the wonderful family and friends that God has placed in my life.  You know, Valentines Day isn't just a celebration of love for couples, but I find that it's a time to share with any loved one in your life how much they mean to you!  Of course this is something that we should try to do all throughout the year, but I think that it's pretty neat for there to be a specific day set aside to highlight romance for couples and God's love to our family, friends...also lonely elderly people and widows that are too often forgotten.  Thank you Lord for blessing us with loved ones!  Happy Valentines Day!!!

  
     Where do I start telling you how much I LOVE this beautiful pancake?!  My amazing husband actually was first to make this!  The morning after getting back home from a week long girl's trip with my mom and sister he surprised me by waking up early to prepare this lovely, personal sized heart shaped pancake that he drizzled with luscious homemade caramel sauce!

Talk about love!!!

He's such a thoughful husband that I have to brag on for minute.  As busy as he stays being in medical school (and trust me whenever I say that "busy" is an understatement), he has always taken the time to make me feel as though I'm the only important thing to him on this earth!  He never forgets the details in life--and he knows that I appreciate every one of them:) Honey, I love you so much!

  
     So, back to this scrumptious breakfast treat.....This is a pancake that is baked in the oven and is made to slice and share.  It consists of a batter that is poured over sugary apples and pecans in a buttery skillet and baked to golden brown.  The delicate pancake is then turned over onto a platter for the pretty apple design to show.  It is then showered with snow-like powdered sugar and drizzed with caramel sauce for a perfectly wonderful presentation that will not be left for long!!  This is a recipe that is every bit tasty as it is beautiful!  I love the heart shape pancake my husband made me.  That would be perfect for a Valentines Day treat for your Love or your lovely children!  Otherwise I use my 7 in. cast iron skillet, and it turns out great!  The recipe calls for Granny Smith apples originally, but we use Jonathan's when they are in season.  The caramel sauce is an added decadence since it is homemade!  Rich, dark and almost buttery--it's the perfect combination with the tart apple!  While the pancake is baking is the perfect time to make the sauce, and that way it's still warm and ready when you flip out the pancake.

     I really hope that you've been inspired to try something different, like this Baked Apple Pancake to treat yourself or someone special in your life!  Let this melt in your mouth and it will feed your soul as well as your tummy!  What are you waiting for?...go get your apron and get ready to surprise someone YOU love!

Baked Apple Pancake with Homemade Caramel Sauce


8 eggs
1 c. all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
cooking spray
1/2 c. butter
3 Granny Smith or Jonathan apples,peeled & thinly sliced
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
Powdered sugar

Chopped, toasted Pecans

Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients.  (Mixture will be lumpy.)  Add buttermilk and vanilla, whisking until batter is blended.

Coat a 7in.(ish) oven safe skillet with cooking spray, and sliced stick of butter.

Bake at 425 degrees for about 5 minutes or until the butter melts.  Place apple slices evenly, going around in a circle into the skillet.  Pour the batter into the skillet to coat the apples.  Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and 1/2 cup chopped pecans.  Bake 35-45 more minutes.

Carefully turn out the pancake onto a plate or platter.  If a few apples are out of place, don't worry, put them back!  Right before serving, dust the pancake with powdered sugar and drizzle with homemade caramel sauce or maple syrup and sprinkle with chopped, toasted pecans.  Serve warm!



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Caramel Sauce
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. whipping cream
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine brown sugar and whipping cream in a heavy saucepan; cook over med-low heat, stirring constantly for 3 minutes or until bubbly. (mixture may look curdled)  Cook, stirring constantly 2 more minutes.  Remove from the heat; add butter and vanilla, stirring until blended.  Cool 3-5 minutes.

Linking up with:

Toasted Pecan Turtles

     I'm on a dessert kick!  Told you I would be:)  This is one of the things I enjoy making for our family's Thanksgiving, although they are probably thought to be more of a Christmas treat.  When I think of homemade candies I usually think of Christmas time, but why wait?  Thanksgiving desserts are all about pumpkin and pecan and cranberry.  While I love those too, somebody has to bring some chocolate, right!?   Leave it to me.  These toasted pecan turtles are the combination of perfection.  They start off with pecans that have been toasted in the oven to bring out an even more nutty, fragrant flavor that is hugged by a dollop of creamy caramel and topped with velvetty semi-sweet chocolate!  They begin to slightly melt in your fingers as you bite into the chewiness of the caramel and chocolate, then find the crunchy pecan bottom. Yuuuummmy!

     These are an easy candy to make.  I don't go by an exact recipe, but I will walk you through it!  There is no way you can't love these pecan turtles.  Enjoy them this holiday season!

Toasted Pecan Turtles

Start off by toasting your pecans in a 350 degree oven for about 5-6 minutes.  All that you do is scatter them out flat on a baking sheet that not greased and put them in the oven.  They can burn quickly, though, so set a timer!  I used 3 pecan halves to one turtle and I made about two dozen turtles.  So I had 72 pecans or almost 1 1/2 cups.

Unwrap your caramels, place them in a glass bowl and add about 1/4 c. evaporated milk.  Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between.  Once melted all the way, stir well until thoroughly combined.

So, lay out a sheet of wax paper on a large cookie sheet...or two small ones.  Important step: Butter these very well so the caramel won't stick.  You must do this, or else you won't be able to lift them off the pan!  Divide pecans on the sheet into groups of three, and put in a "Y" position.  This is the base for your turtle.  Next, pour some of the warm caramel over each pecan cluster - probably about a tablespoon each.  The amount of caramel isn't a big deal, as long as you divide it evenly among them.  Once you've topped them with the caramel, place the baking sheet in the fridge to allow the clusters to cool.

While they are cooling, take your semi-sweet chocolate & chocolate bark, chop them and put 3/4 of it in a glass bowl. (I usually do a ratio of a little more Baker's chocolate to chocolate bark, because it has a better flavor -- the bark helps it to set up better, though.)  Microwave in 25 second intervals, stirring in between everytime.  Chocolate will easily burn, and these intervals and stirring will prevent that.  Once mostly melted, add the last 1/4 of chocolate and put in the microwave once more.  Then stir it very well until the chocolate is perfectly smooth and shiny.

Take out the pecan caramel clusters and pour about 1-2 Tbsp. of chocolate over each one.  You may need to use the spoon to spread it around a bit, but you don't have to completely cover the pecans or caramel.  Once evenly divided, put back in the fridge to cool.  Store in an airtight container with wax paper in between.

Grocery List

pecans
1 bag of caramels
evaporated milk
Baker's semi- sweet chocolate baking squares
chocolate bark (chocolate candy coating)

Autumn is Here! Caramel Apple Cake

  Here's the recipe that practically defines what a perfect autumn cake should taste like--in my opinion.  The name says it all.  Caramel. Apple. Cake.  Honestly friends, this cake is one of  the very best cakes I've ever had! For a minute, just imagine with me what a homemade spice cake with freshly sweetened Jonathan apples and a smooth, ridiculously rich caramel frosting that pools at the bottom of the cake that is topped with toasted southern pecans would taste like! 

     The cake recipe is one that came from Heath's Nana and is a delicious no-fail cake that's made with the season's best apple, Jonathan.  It's usually made as a sheet cake with a cream cheese frosting, but I have been wanting to make my own version.  I just loved the idea of an apple cake with caramel frosting.  Apples and caramel have been the perfect fall pairing for as long as hayrides and festivals have been around.  So, I just though why not put them together in a cake that's so sinfully good it would satisfy any one's sweet tooth!

   Caramel Apple Cake would be perfect for an autumn birthday or even a new tradition at the Thanksgiving dessert table!  Try it, and I have no doubt you will agree it will be a recipe to share! 

Caramel Apple Cake
3 c. apples, chopped fine
1 1/2 c. sugar (Sprinkle over apples, set 15 minutes.)
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter (1 stick), melted
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. toasted pecans

Mix all ingredients together by hand.  Pour into 2 8 in. plans that have been greased and floured.  Bake at 350 degrees for 26-30 minutes.  Allow the cakes to cool and frost with homemade caramel frosting.  Decorate with toasted pecans.

Caramel Frosting
 1/2 c. butter, (1 stick)
1 c. packed dark brown sugar
1/3 c. heavy cream, or more as necessary
1 16 oz. box confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in brown sugar and cream.  Bring to a boil and then transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Add sugar and vanilla.  Beat with a mixer until everything is creamed together well.  If the frosting is to thick, just add a bit of cream.  This frosting is very thick and rich, and once spread on the cake will actually smooth itself out for an beautiful finish.  Ice the cake once the frosting is cooled about 15-20 minutes, and re stir it before putting on the cake.