Caramel Popcorn Balls and Caramel Fondue/Dip

Caramel Popcorn Balls

I got these two recipes from my mother-in-law, Janell Burgon.

¼ C Butter

1 C brown sugar

½ C light corn syrup

(Stir over medium heat until boils)

2/3 Cup sweetened condensed milk (Putting more doesn’t hurt)

(Stir in and stir constantly until soft ball stage)

Take off the heat and add ½ teaspoon vanilla

5 quarts of popcorn already popped sifted to get rid of the kernels, then mix together.

I also wanted to include another caramel recipe that is thinner and can be used for a fondue dip:

Caramel Fondue/Dip

½ C butter

½ C light corn syrup

1 C brown sugar

1 Can sweetened condensed milk

Bring to boil in saucepan and keep in a warmer, chaffing dish, or bowl.

Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Filling Pie

1 9-inch pie shell
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 egg
½ Cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
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2 eggs slightly beaten
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¾ Cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
1 2/3 Cup evaporated milk or light cream
¾ Cup sugar
½ teaspoon ginger

Beat cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Spread cheese mixture in bottom of uncooked pie shell.
Blend together the pumpkin with the rest of the ingredients and ladle carefully over the cream cheese to form a second layer. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes then at 350 for about 30 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. (I used a little bigger pan, maybe 10 inches, and had to add about 15 minutes. Time completely depends on your oven, check often.)
If you wish, serve cooled pie with whipped cream and sprinkles of crushed peanut brittle.

Sage, Sausage and Apple Dressing

Sage, Sausage and Apple Dressing

16-ounce bag stuffing cubes (OR: I used one 20oz loaf of French Country Artisan bread sliced to a #15 thickness at Harmons Grocery Store).
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan and topping
1 pound fresh sage sausage, casing removed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cooking apples, (Gravenstein, Rome, Golden Delicious) peeled, cored, and chopped.
1 to 2 ribs of celery chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
(I also added a few sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary-yum!)
½ cup walnut (or pecan) pieces, toasted (I did over a cup-I like the crunch)
2 eggs, beaten

Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Put the stuffing cubes in a large bowl and set aside. If using fresh bread, toast the cubes 5 or 10 minutes to dry them out. Butter a 3-quart (9X13 casserole dish).

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it loses most of its pink color, but not so much that it’s dry, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and pan drippings to the stuffing cubes. Melt the remaining butter in the pan. Add the onion, apple, celery, and salt. Cook until the vegetables get soft, about five minutes. Add the broth and parsley and bring to a boil.

Pour the vegetable mixture over the stuffing cubes and toss until evenly moistened. Mix in the walnuts and eggs. Loosely pack the dressing in the prepared pan and cook uncovered until the top forms a crust, about 40 minutes. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of turkey pan drippings or melted butter over the top. Cook until the top is crisp and golden, about 20 minutes more. Set immediately or warm.

To toast the nuts spread them on a baking sheet and toast at 350 degrees until golden, about 7 minutes.

Simple Pie Crust Recipes

Oil Pastry Crusts

8 or 9 inch one-crust pie
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup salad oil
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

8 or 9 inch two-crust pie
OR 10 inch one-crust pie
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup salad oil
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

10 inch two-crust pie
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup salad oil
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water

Measure flour and salt into bowl. Add oil; mix until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until flour is moistened and dough almost cleans side of bowl. (If dough seems dry, 1 to 2 tablespoons oil can be added. Do not add water.) Gather dough together; press firmly into ball.

For one-crust pie, shape dough into flattened round. (For two-crust pie, divide dough in half; place one half cut side down and flatten into round.) Place flattened round between two 15-inch strips of waxed paper (or tape two together to make wider strips).

Wipe table with damp cloth to prevent paper from slipping. Roll pastry 2 inches larger than inverted pie pan. Peel off top paper. Place pastry paper side up in pan. Peel off paper. Ease pastry loosely into pan.

Bake 12 – 15 minutes at 475 degrees.

For two-crust pie, roll top crust in same way as bottom crust. Cut slits after peeling off top paper; place over filling in pan.

Coconut Cream Pie: Paula Deen

Courtesy of Paula Deen, here is the most delicious version of coconut cream pie I have tasted. The key to success while making this is keeping the heat down low. If you turn it past medium and the filling heats too quickly, I guarantee (from experience) that the eggs will curdle. So remember: low and slow. Enjoy!

Coconut Cream Pie
(Makes 1 9-inch pie)

1 Piecrust
¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups half-and-half
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups sweetened flaked coconut; toasted and divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 8-ounce container frozen nondairy whipped topping

Prepare piecrust and let it cool. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and flour. Add half-and-half and eggs, whisking until smooth. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until mixture boils and is thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in 1 cup toasted coconut and vanilla. Pour mixture into prepared piecrust. Cover, and chill for at least 2 hours. Before serving, spread whipped topping evenly over pie, sealing to edges. Sprinkle evenly with remaining ½ cup toasted coconut.

Butternut Squash Bake

Butternut Squash Bake

1/3 cup butter softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 can (5oz) evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups mashed cooked butternut squash
(Bake about 1 hour at 350 degrees)

Mix together. This is a runny mixture
Butter or spray an 11 X 7 Pyrex glass pan with pam

TOPPING:
1/2 cup rice krispies
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Put topping on after cooking
Bake for another 5- 10 minutes

To fill a 9X13 pan, simply 1½ times the recipe.