Carmel Corn

You would think I am a total sweet tooth by all of the treat recipes I've posted lately but with the holidays I've had to make a few things lately. I try to not make homemade treats....because then I just eat them. If they are store bought, they usually have so many preservatives in them they last forever so there isn't the pressure of eating them before they go bad.

This recipe is really good! It is very similar to the carmel corn they sell in specialty popcorn stores. I remember they used to have one in the mall and I'd always get some when I was a pre-teen who would go shopping with friends. Enjoy!

Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

7-8 C popped popcorn

3/4 C packed brown sugar

6 TBS butter

3 TBS light-colored corn syrup

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp vanilla

1. Remove all unpopped kernels from popped popcorn. Put popcorn into a 17X12X2 inch baking or roasting pan. Keep popcorn warm in a 300 degree oven while making carmel mixture.

2. For carmel mixture, in a medium saucepan combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils. Continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, without stirring, for 5 more minutes.

3. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla. *Pour carmel mixture over popcorn; stir gently to coat. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 15 minutes. Stir mixture; bake 5 minutes more. Spread carmel corn on a large piece of buttered foil to cool. Store tightly covered for 1 week.

*Mel's Notes: It is easier if you put the popcorn into a large bowl and then pour the carmel mixture over it. If you try to do it on the pan, it is difficult to coat it properly. Make sure you line the pan with tin foil for easier clean up. Use a rubber spatula, not a spoon to mix. If you use a spoon, it will break the popcorn into small pieces. After you take the carmel corn out of the oven, break it up into bite-sized pieces while it is still warm. If you wait for it to cool, it is more difficult to break and small pieces fly everywhere, making a mess.

Fresh Blackberry Vinaigrette Dressing & Spinach Salad

Fresh Blackberry Vinaigrette Dressing
4 oz fresh blackberries
2 tsp lemon juice
¼ C balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic
2 tsp red onion
½ C extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a blender, adding olive oil last and slowly. Serve over a bed of fresh spinach leaves garnished with feta or swiss cheese, toasted pecans and fresh blackberries cut in half.

Photo Source: Simply Scratch

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

This is a recipe straight from my mother-in-law. She is a really good cook and helped me learn how to make this delicious bread recipe over Thanksgiving this year. I'm sure there are better ways to do it, but I've been happy with the results of this recipe. This recipe also goes out to my friends in Nevada who have told me they have no clue how to make bread.....which is why I did the step by step pictures. Enjoy! Oh ya, and the slice of bread in the above picture has butter on it....which is why the color is slightly different than the loaf. I was in such a hurry to try a piece, I forgot about taking a picture haha!


Makes 4 loaves*
*Note(1 loaf recipe measurements in parentheses)

Mix the following in a large bowl (using a Kitchen Aide if avaiable):

6 C REALLY warm water (1 1/2 C)

1/2 C oil (1/8 C)

1/2 C honey (1/8 C)

1 TBS salt (3/4-1 tsp)

Add in the following order and blend:

The mixture will be thin.

6 C freshly ground whole wheat flour (1 1/2 C)

3 TBS instant yeast sprinkles (about 3/4-1 TBS)

3 TBS vital wheat gluten flour (about 3/4-1 TBS)

With the mixer on, keep adding whole wheat flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 6 additional cups if making a 4 loaf recipe, 1 1/2 additional cups if making a 1 loaf recipe.*
*Note: If not using a Kitchen Aide, then you must do the above step by hand. The dough becomes too thick and you can't use the hand mixer anymore. It doesn't take too long though, so don't let it discourage you! I should know....I don't have a Kitchen Aide.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bread pan(s).

Take dough out of bowl.

If making 4 loaves, cut into 4 equal pieces with a knife.

Knead dough for a minute or two on a floured surface.

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Place dough into the bread pan and smash the dough down with your fist so it fills the bottom of the pan.

Place your hand on the dough and turn the bread pan over, so the dough comes out into your hand. Turn the dough over and place the dough back in the pan, tucking the bottom over and roll gently so the top is smooth and round.

Cover dough with a cloth and let rise until dough reaches the top of the pan or so, but don't let it rise above that point. Depending on the temperature in your home will depend on how fast the dough rises. I let the dough rise on top of the oven when it is preheating so it will rise faster.

Bake 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown (for 1 loaf recipe). I haven't made the 4 loaf recipe so I'm not sure how long it would take to cook all 4 loaves at one time.

When done baking, use a rubber spatula to loosen the bread from the sides of the pan. Flip over and let the bread cool on a wire rack.

Side Note: My bread pan is way cheap, probably from the dollar store. I thought this would make a difference, but it worked out just fine. The bread was super soft and I have heard that having nicer pans helps the bread to cook more evenly and gives it a crispier, harder crust. Enjoy! And...please let me know how this works out for you!

School Lunch Peanut Butter Bars

Remember the peanut butter bars from elementary school lunch? They were the BEST! I searched the internet high and low and found this recipe that is very similar to the ones from elementary days. I even had the chance to do a taste test with the real deal at a Davis County School District lunch one day and I'd say they were about equal. Enjoy!

School Lunch Peanut Butter Bars

This recipe is for a large 18X13 inch pan.

Make sure to half the recipe if you are using a 9X13 inch pan!

Cream together:
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar, packed
1 C butter, softened

Add and combine:
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1 C creamy peanut butter, chunky also works

Add and mix with above mixture:
2 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Add last:
2 C oats (I prefer whole oats, but the original recipe called for quick oats)

Spread dough on greased cookie sheet cake pan.

Bake 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes until golden brown. (My oven is 20 min)

While hot, spread 1/2-3/4 C creamy butter on top. This layer should be thin. It is easier to spread the peanut butter if you microwave the it for about 15 seconds so it is hot and thin. The amount of PB listed above is just a guess. I don't ever measure it, I just guess as to how much I need to cover the entire sheet with a thin layer, with the PB being hot and thin from the microwave.

Cool so that peanut butter is solid again. It helps if you place pan into the refrigerator for 10 minutes after they are completely cooled off so the peanut butter will become very solid.

Spread chocolate frosting on top. This layer should be thicker than peanut butter layer.

Cut into bars.

Hershey’s Cocoa Best Frosting

18X13 pan:not needed to double frosting recipe.

½ C butter
4 TBS Hershey’s Cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
4 TBS milk
4 C powdered sugar

1. Melt butter over low heat in medium saucepan.

2. Gradually add all other ingredients and mix well. Make sure you put frosting onto peanut butter bars immediately because this recipe sets rather quickly.