I usually don't start making caramel corn until closer to the holidays because once I start I can't stop!   I started early this month making it for my monthly activity for allrecipe.com ambassador program as one of the brand partners is Karo Syrup.  I've made this several times this month and every time it gets devoured quickly.  Warning.....It's very addicting.  The recipe for classic caramel corn on allrecipes.com is very good but I have an all-time favorite recipe that I got from - Amateur Gourmet.  Both recipes are good so if you love caramel corn, make it at home, you won't be sorry.

6 quarts (24 cups) of Popped corn (place popped corn in a large roasting pan)

1 cup butter
1/2 cup light Karo corn syrup
2 cups brown sugar (use only C & H brand *see important note)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla (I used 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp maple extract)
1/2 tsp baking soda

Heat your oven to 250F.  Place popped corn in large roasting pan in preheated oven while you make the caramel.   (Keeping the popped corn and pan warm will help coat the caramel)  In a large saucepan melt the butter, stir in the corn syrup,  brown sugar and salt.  Stir until the mixture comes to a boil (medium-high heat). Boil (medium-high heat) without stirring for 5 minutes (making sure to use a timer because you don't want to go longer as it will burn).  Remove from the heat, stir in the soda maple and vanilla (Careful! it foams!). Pour over the popped corn and mix well in roasting pan.  (Don't be too concerned about coating all the popcorn as it will coat evenly when you are stirring every ten minutes that it's in the oven.)   Bake for 40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to evenly coat (making sure to mix all the caramel that forms on the bottom of the pan.   Let it cool and eat! 

*Important note:  Use only C & H Pure Cane Sugar.  Cheap grocery store brand brown sugar just doesn't have the same flavor and quality.  The caramel comes out velvety smooth, whereas the other types of brown sugar produces a grainy texture. 


It's also interesting to note that when you add the baking soda and vanilla the consistency becomes very strange--it almost looks like caramel shaving cream.  I have to admit the first time I made this never fail caramel corn I failed!   The problem I had is that I boiled the caramel on high heat and it burned.  I corrected that to medium-high heat and it turns out amazing.  

I use this 2 quart bowl to measure out popped corn.  Recipe calls for 6 quarts.

 

Use a large roasting pan to mix and bake caramel corn.  As it bakes you will stir every 15 minutes, this helps to coat all the popped corn into caramel goodness!

Lay out to cool on a piece of parchment paper.  Be warned......once you start eating this you may not be able to stop!

Here are a few other Karo syrup recipes that are keepers.

This is the best pecan pie, it's a keeper.  Here's the link to the recipe on Allrecipes - Premium Pecan Pie

These are a family favorite.  Here's a link to the recipe on allrecipes.com - Chocolate Scotcheroos

 

I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador(a voluntary position) and I’m not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com. Products received from advertisers are only used for experienced-based reviews on my blog. The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are solely my own.

Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup

 I love this time of year and soup always delivers the warmth and comfort I'm looking for.  Here is an easy soup that tastes like stuffed peppers.  The soup is stuffed with ground beef, bell peppers, onions, rice and a rich tomato beef broth.  A full meal in one bowl, great with some warm bread.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

2  cups green or red bell pepper, chopped (I used both)

6 cups beef broth (48 oz)

1 (14.5) can tomato sauce

1 (14.5) can petite diced diced tomatoes (undrained)

2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice 

1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a large pot brown beef and onions over medium high heat. Drain off any fat.

2. Add the peppers to the browned meat and saute for 3 minutes.

3. Stir in the beef broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with juice, brown sugar, rice, salt and pepper.   Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 50 minutes.  

Serves:  8-10

Caramelized Salmon with Savory Mango Salsa and Cilantro Rice

I will admit I'm not a salmon lover mainly because I haven't found a good source to get good salmon.  My brother told me to try the fresh salmon they sell at Sam's Club.  So I did.  I was sceptical but once I opened the package I noticed it smelled fresh, not fishy and it was already skinned, no waste.  I cut it into 8 nice size portions.  I just needed two portions for my husband and I so I just froze the rest.
This recipe is so good.  Since I only needed two servings I halved the recipe with no problem.  The cilantro rice, mango salsa and the caramelized salmon just go together perfectly.  This entire meal can be ready to serve in less than 30 minutes.   Start the rice first, then chop and assemble the salsa ingredients so the flavors have time to meld while the salmon cooks.   The original recipe comes from Bella Online, Karen Hancock.  Thanks Karen for this amazing recipe!

Caramelized Salmon with Savory Mango Salsa & Cilantro Rice

6 Servings

Cilantro Rice:

1 cup Rice
2 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lime juice
2-4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Savory Mango Salsa:

1 1/2 cups diced mango, (about 2 medium)
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1/4 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 medium Roma tomato, diced
1 small jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Caramelized Salmon:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet, 1/2-3/4 " thick, cut into 6 serving pieces

1. Place the rice ingredients in the pan and cook according to rice instructions.


2. Meanwhile, mix the salsa ingredients in a small bowl and set aside for the flavors to blend.


3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet; medium heat.


4. Mix the sugar, salt, and pepper on a large plate; dip the salmon on both sides in the mixture.


5. Place the salmon in the heated skillet and cook until the salmon is caramelized on the underside.


6. Turn and cook until the other side is caramelized and the salmon is cooked through. The time will depend on how thick the pieces are. Do not overcook.


7. To serve, place a bed of rice on each of six serving plates, top with a piece of salmon. Scoop a spoonful of salsa over the salmon.   

Zucchini Fries with Caramelized Onion Dip

Made these zucchini fries tonight for a side dish to go with burgers.  I found the recipe on Pinterest from the website King Arthur Flour.  I didn't make a full batch as it was just Kevin and I but the recipe was easy to half.  We loved these and will making these again soon!

Ingredients:

Dip:
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp mustard (I used  1/2 Tbsp Dijon)
1 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste (use very little)
 * In a saucepan, melt the butter and sauté onions on medium until onions are soft and carmelized.  Be patient, this will take between 15-20 minutes as you want the onions to be caramelized and brown in color.  Remove from heat and put onions into a mini food processor.  Add  in the cider vinegar, honey and mustard and process until smooth. Let cool before you add the mayonnaise.  Then  fold in mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper.  Spoon into container and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

 Zucchini Sticks:
3 medium zucchini, washed, ends cut off and cut each into 16 pieces
salt
1 cup panko
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan (I use the grated can Parmesan)
(original recipe calls for 1 Tablespoons pizza seasoning but I didn't use as the caramelized dip has so much flavor the Parmesan crust is perfect with out the extra seasoning)
Olive Oil cooking spray
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
 Directions:
* Place zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with salt.  Drain for 30 minutes to an hour. This will help release the liquid in the zucchini and help to crisp up when baked.
* Pat dry with paper towels (this will remove excess salt).
* Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
* Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil (or parchment paper), spray with olive oil spray.
* Combine panko and parmesan in small bowl.
* Dip the zucchini in egg, and then toss in the panko mixture.  So that the dry ingredients don't get soggy make sure you do one zucchini stick at a time.  Takes time but this way the panko doesn't get soggy with egg.  Line the zucchini on the baking sheet.
* Bake 12 minutes and turn zucchini over.  Bake another 10-15 minutes or until golden/medium brown.
* Serve with a side of carmelized onion dip

Source: Inspired by King Arthur Flour

Chuck Roast Chili

I found this recipe in the "Morton's The Cookbook".   I like that this recipe has tender chunks of beef instead of ground beef.  The texture and beefy flavor make this a keeper!

This recipe calls for 2 cups of chopped onions so I love to use my onion chopper.  The onions are chopped in a snap!

 My other shortcut is chopping the 9 cloves of garlic, I use my mini food processor.

Cutting the chuck roast takes time but it's worth it.

Serves 10 (Makes a ton, but recipe can easily be halved)

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions

3 Tablespoon minced garlic (about 9 cloves)

3 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed some of the fat and silver skin, cut into bite-size pieces (this takes time but so worth it!  Don't worry about some fat just cut off large pieces of fat) (get a large enough roast so that when it's trimmed of it's fat you'll still have around 3 lbs)

2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 Tablespoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 

2 -14 1/2 ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice (I used petite diced)

2 - 16-ounce cans spicy chili beans if you don't want it too spicy use mild or medium chili beans)

1 cups water
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce

1 Tablespoons beef base (bases are available in supermarkets in the soup aisle)

1 bay leaves 

Salt (1/2 tsp)
Garnish:
shredded cheese
chopped onion
sour Cream

1.  In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften.
2.  Add the beef, raise the heat to medium-high, and stir for about 5 minutes as it begins to lose its pink color.  Add the chili powder, cumin, and pepper and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to let the flavors develop.
3.  Add the tomatoes and their juice, beans and their juice, water, tomato sauce, and beef base.  Stir to mix well and then add the bay leaves.  Stir gently.
4.  Reduce the heat to low and let the chili simmer gently for about 2-3 hours, or until the meat is tender.  Stir frequently so the chili does not stick to the bottom of the pot.  Adjust the heat up or down to maintain a slow simmer.
5.  Thin the chili with water, if necessary, and add salt to taste.   Remove the bay leaves and serve.  Serve with shredded cheese, chopped onion,  and sour cream.
6.  The chili can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 1 month.  Reheat it gently, stirring frequently.

 With the leftovers, we added some extra cheese on top and had chili nachos (sour cream and guacamole on the side).  Let's just say, not one spoonful went to waste, it's that good.

Edwards Apple Orchard (Poplar Grove, IL)

It's that time of year again, time to go to Edwards Apple Orchard  (Poplar Grove, IL).  This place is what an orchard should be.  I've been going to Edwards annually since my kids were little and  I look forward to going every year.  My kids are grown now but if you have young kids Edwards has a lot to offer,  pony rides, a farm animal petting zoo,  playground, and even a farm museum.  Even though my kids are grown I still love going with friends.  My favorite is the barn with the gift shop.  There are many goodies for purchase.  Some of my favorites are apple butter, pumpkin butter, corn salsa, salad dressings and I always purchase a bag of apples.

I look forward to these apple spiced doughnuts and hot cider!  The doughnuts are warm and flavorful and along with the cider, I'm in apple heaven!

These are what apples are suppose to taste like.

 Here is one recipe that I make (several times!) when it's apple season.  It's so yummy!  

Apple Caramel Dip

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup caramel sauce (I used Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel)
1/4 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1/2 cup Heath English Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits
apples, sliced

1. Beat the cream cheese with brown sugar until smooth. Spread onto a small to medium serving dish (with sides). I used a 3 cup Pyrex glass dish.

2. Heat the caramel slightly (about 10 second in microwave) to make spreadable. Spread on top of cream cheese.

3. Sprinkle the nuts and toffee bits all over the top. Serve with sliced apples for dipping.

I found this recipe on Janetishungry.blogspot.com but I made a few changes.

Fiesta Chowder

I love Fall!  The cooler weather makes me want to spend time in my kitchen and what better to make than my favorite soup.   All the Mexican flavors I love in a bowl.  The recipe comes from the "Southern Living,  Our Readers Top Rated Recipes" cookbook.  The list of ingredients is long, but it comes together very quickly.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 package (1.4 ounce) fajita seasoning mix, divided
3-4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cubed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 can (15 1/4 ounce) whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained
1 can (15 ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounce) Mexican-style diced tomatoes
1 can (4.5 ounce) chopped green chiles
3 cups water  (I used chicken broth for more flavor)
1 cup uncooked instant brown rice (I only use 1/2 cup)
1 (2 1/4 ounce) can sliced black olives (optional) (I added)
1 can (10 3/4 ounce) condensed nacho cheese soup
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (I used 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

In a large Dutch oven sauté onion 5 minutes until soft, add garlic and sauté 1 minute more.  Add chicken and cook, stirring often, 4 minutes or until browned. Stir in flour and fajita seasoning and cook 2 minutes.  Add corn, beans, tomatoes, chiles, broth, rice, and black olives.

Bring mixture to a boil; then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove lid, and stir in nacho cheese soup, chopped cilantro, and lime juice.  Use chicken broth or water if chowder becomes too thick.   Serves 8