Walnut Caramels

Walnut Caramels

This recipe comes from a tea magazine given to me by my neighbor, Jan.  She's a sweet older woman whom I only talk with about twice a year, but she likes giving me food-related things because she knows how much I love it.  I've always wanted to make a good caramel candy, and this recipe seems to work for me.  I think I got second or third place with these at the 2010 Iowa State Fair, but since it wasn't first place, I don't really remember.  I also like making these with almonds and then dipping the bottom half in Dove chocolate (milk or dark, both are fantastic--see pics at the end).  

These really aren't very hard to make, and they keep for quite a while in the fridge.  

Walnut Caramels

Ingredients

1 cup heavy whipping cream ½ cup light corn syrup ½ cup sugar ½ cup light brown sugar ½ cup butter

¼  cup honey ¼ tsp coarse salt 1 cup walnuts, toasted seeds scraped from a 1-inch segment of vanilla bean pod

Instructions

1. Line an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with non-stick aluminum foil.  Set aside.

2. In a large heavy saucepan, combine cream, corn syrup, sugar, brown sugar, butter, honey, and salt.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often.  Cook without stirring until mixture reaches 240°F.  Remove pan from heat.  Add walnuts and vanilla seeds, stirring well to combine.  Pour into prepared dish, and cover with plastic wrap.

3. Refrigerate until set, 2 to 4 hours.

4. Using foil as handles, lift caramel from dish.  Remove foil, and place caramel on a cutting board.  Before cutting, let caramel return to room temperature.  Cut into 1-inch squares.  Wrap individually in wax paper or cello wrap if not serving immediately.

Caramels with almonds

Caramels with almonds and milk chocolate

Caramels with almonds and dark chocolate

Cream Cheese & Dried Beef Dip

Cream Cheese & Dried Beef Dip

I don't even know what the official name of this recipe is, but I know I love it.  One of my colleagues at Clive Elementary makes this once or twice a year for various staff luncheons, birthdays, what have you.  She brings a huge bowl of the stuff alongside a huge bowl of bagel pieces that she has lovingly cut into bite-sized pieces for us to devour over the course of the day.  And devour it we do.

I finally got the recipe and made it myself, and oh my goodness.  I need to limit myself to once or twice a year with this recipe too, because it's addicting.  One recipe is plenty, but if you're making it for a crowd, I suggest making a recipe and a half.  That way, you ensure leftovers for yourself.  What you see pictured above is actually a half recipe.

Cream Cheese and Dried Beef Dip

Ingredients:

• 2 packages cream cheese (8 oz. each)
• 16 oz. sour cream
• 1 teaspoon dry dill weed
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt, but garlic POWDER)
• 1 (5 oz.) jar Hormel dried beef*, chopped up
• 6-8 plain bagels, sliced and cut into 8ths or 12ths.

Instructions:
Mix the first five ingredients together, refrigerate, and serve with bagels.

*Dried beef is also sold in 2.5 oz. packages in the prepackaged deli meat section of some grocery stores.

Just so you know what you're looking for in the store.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

This is a relatively easy and VERY delicious chocolate cake. The only thing that I think might be difficult is that it calls for cake flour. I've never tried it with regular all-purpose flour, but it might be okay. The original recipe I got off of foodtv.com didn't call for any frosting, but I like to use the Ghirardelli Empress Frosting on this cake. It's more of a ganache than a frosting, and it's easy to make if you have Ghirardelli ground chocolate on hand.   

Be careful not to overbake this cake. It ruins it. And be sure to serve it with whipped cream.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
   --adapted from foodtv.com

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup real mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups cake flour
• 3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• powdered sugar, for garnish
• sweetened whipped cream

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the sugar and mayonnaise until blended.  Add the vanilla and blend.  Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, and add it to the mayonnaise mixture in 3 batches alternating with the buttermilk.

Pour into a greased and floured 9x9-inch baking pan.  Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack, dust with confectioners sugar (or frost with your favorite chocolate icing*).  Serve with whipped cream.

*Here's the recipe for MY favorite chocolate icing.  If you use it for the mayonnaise cake, half the recipe and don't go through the icing process.  Just pour the chocolate liquid over the mayonnaise cake and let it soak into any cracks in the top of the cake.  

Empress Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup half and half                                    
• ½ cup butter, cut up                                     
• 2 Tbsp. Sugar
• 1 ½ Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions:
In 2-quart heavy saucepan, heat half and half with butter and sugar, stirring until blended.  Add ground chocolate, mixing with wire whip until smooth.  Heat on medium-low until mixture is thick and shiny and runs off the spoon like syrup and the first bubble appearts on the surface (160°F).  Do not boil or overcook frosting.  Cool 5 minutes, add vanilla.  Place pan of frosting in a bowl of ice and water (or snow in the winter).  Beat slowly with spoon until frosting holds shape.  Frost cake.  Refrigerate to set frosting.  Makes frosting for and 8-inch layer cake.

Crispy Caramelized Chex Mix

Crispy Caramelized Chex Mix

Brown sugar, butter, Chex...what more could you want?  This stuff is even more delicious than caramel corn; plus, you don't have to worry about the popcorn hulls sticking between your teeth and gums.  Eew.
Although I think I've developed an immunity to the addictiveness of this sweet & salty treat, most people who try it can't get enough, and then they go home and make some themselves because it's a very easy recipe.
I got this off of the Chex website, but since I printed this one out, they've changed it a little.  Of course, I made a few changes too.  I don't include M&Ms like they do, and I substitute some pretzels for some of the Chex, since I like sweet & salty things.  I also added nuts because I'm an adult now, and I can take it.  Any nuts work.  I've used macadamia nuts which was a successful addition, but today I used pecans because they were what I had.  


Crispy Caramelized Chex Mix
     --adapted from Chex website

Ingredients:

• 6 cups Corn Chex cereal*
• 6 cups Rice Chex cereal*
• 6 cups pretzels*
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups nuts (pecans and macadamia nuts are best)

Instructions:

Heat oven to 250°F. Spray a large roasting pan with no-stick cooking spray. (If you don't have a large roasting pan, you can use two cookie sheets or two 9 x 13 inch pans).  Place cereal, pretzels, and nuts in prepared pan.

Combine brown sugar, butter and syrup in 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil (8 to 9 minutes). Continue cooking, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add baking soda; mix well.

Pour syrup mixture over cereal; toss gently until well coated. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, or until coating is set. Cool and stir for 5-10 minutes, or until they don't stick together any more.  Store in an airtight container.
Makes about 18 cups

*In today's pics, I used 8 cups Rice Chex, 8 cups Corn Chex, 1 cup mini pretzels, 1 cup Mini Club Crackers, and 2 cups pecans.

This recipe makes a lot of Chex mix.

Delicious Gluten-Free Waffles

Gluten free waffle looks "normal," doesn't it?

I'm trying to help my son go gluten free, at least mostly gluten free.  Gluten-full products make the boys spacey, which doesn't work out well for a 10-year-old who is trying to grow and learn.  I was nervous about trying gluten free for this waffle recipe because I tried frozen gluten free waffles one time, and Max gave them a resounding thumbs-down.  Since the gluten free pizza turned out well, though, I thought waffles would be a good follow-up.
This recipe comes from allrecipes.com. I changed a few things, but I have to give credit where it's due.
If you've been toying at all with the idea of going gluten free, this is a good place to start.


Gluten Free Waffles
  --adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum powder*
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
Preheat waffle iron.  
In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.  
In a large bowl, beat eggs in large bowl with hand beater until fluffy.  
Beat in buttermilk, milk, butter, oil, and vanilla.  
Beat in dry ingredients just until smooth.
Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour mix onto hot waffle iron.  
Cook until golden brown.
I like to serve mine hot with butter and maple syrup.  Yummmmmm.


*Xanthan gum powder gives gluten-free baked products a more "bready" texture.  I accidentally left out the xanthan gum the last time I made these waffles, and the batter was markedly more drippy, and the waffles much crisper.  So, if you want light, crisp waffles, leave out the xanthan gum, which is actually too expensive if you're an occasional gluten-free baker (e.g. $11.99/8 oz. package).

Banana Streusel Muffins

Banana Streusel Muffin

This is actually a great recipe for those times you have at least three large bananas that are just too brown to eat, but not exactly gross enough to go into the trash. All of the fruit in these make them super moist and banana-y, and the streusel topping makes them buttery sweet. Next time I make them I may ease up on the cinnamon in the streusel, but other than that, I'm very happy with this recipe which is based on a fabulous recipe from Allrecipes.com.

Banana Streusel Muffins
    --adapted from Allrecipes.com

Muffin Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 3/4 cup sugar (I used a white and light brown sugar combo)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter, melted & cooled
• 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (pecans and/or walnuts)--optional

Streusel Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons butter 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir in one cup of the walnuts; set aside.

Combine streusel ingredients in a medium bowl and rub with fingers until it's crumbly and butter is all mixed in.  Stir in the other 1/2 cup of walnuts. Set aside

Combine bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter in a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Scoop into muffin pans.  Top each muffin with a couple of tablespoons of nutty streusel.

Bake in preheated oven. Bake average size muffins for 10 to 15 minutes, and large muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Muffins will spring back when lightly tapped.
Makes about 18 average size muffins, or 6 jumbo and 5 average size muffins

Lego figures loved the muffin.

Thin Crust Pizza

Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza

Thin Crust Pepperoni & Sausage Pizza

Cheesy Garlicky Pizza Crust

I've been making pizza for years now, and I think I've finally narrowed down my favorite two crusts:  this one, and the ciabatta crust pizza.  This crust is crispy, and almost cracker-like.  Like most delicious things, it takes time to make this crust taste so, so good.  In order for this to taste the best, this dough should be made the day before it is to be baked and eaten.  Also, I highly recommend using a baking/pizza stone.  I keep my baking stone on the bottom rack of my oven at all times.
Tonight I made the pizza a few different ways: pepperoni, pepperoni & sausage, and just cheese, seasoned olive oil and Penzy's Brady Street Cheese Sprinkle (a cheese & garlic seasoning).
This recipe makes two very large pizzas that barely fit on my pizza stone. Lately, I've been dividing the dough into sixths, making smaller crusts, and freezing leftover crusts for a later date.

Thin Pizza Crust
   --adapted from pizzamaking.com

Ingredients:

• 3 ½ cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (or other bread flour)
• ¾ cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

In a heavy-duty stand mixer (like a Kitchen Aid) fitted with a dough hook, add the water, yeast and sugar.  Allow to sit for about five minutes to soften and it should start to bubble a little.

Add the oil, salt, and flour. Mix on low speed until all of the flour and water have mixed and a stiff dough ball forms, about 3-4 minutes.  (Often the dough will look way too dry.  Sometimes I’ll add water, 2-3 tablespoons or so.  Sometimes I will just work the dough with my hands until it forms a cohesive ball.)

Place the dough ball into a gallon sized zip-top bag that’s had a few drops of vegetable oil rubbed around the interior.  Let dough rise in the refrigerator about 24 hours before using.  This step is important, as it develops the flavor of the crust.

Preheat oven to 500°F.  When dough has risen 24 hours, remove from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature for about an hour.  Turn dough out onto a floured work surface.  Cut dough in half.  Roll each half into a very thin circle (or oval sometimes).  I try to get my crust to about 1/8 of an inch thick.  Dock the dough all over with a sharp knife to prevent large bubbles.

Place dough disc onto parchment paper and slide dough (with parchment) onto the pizza stone.  Bake at 500°F for 4-7 minutes, or until just starting to brown.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.  Then top with favorite toppings and return to the pizza stone to bake until cheese is bubbling (about 5-7 more minutes).

If you only want one pizza at a time, you can form the other half of the dough into crust, bake, cool, and freeze for later use. If you want the crust to fit into a gallon-size zip top bag, though, you'll have to make 6 crusts from this recipe.

Dove Peanut Blossoms

Peanut Blossoms with Dove, not Kisses

This recipe comes from King Arthur Flour.  The only thing I changed is that I use Dove Milk Chocolate Promises instead of Hershey's Kisses.  They taste waaaaaay better with the Dove chocolate. This is a favorite of mine and Ezra's now.  I can't make them just for the heck of it, or I end up eating half of them myself.  I have to wait for special occasions to make them, and when I do, they go fast.

Dove Peanut Blossoms
  --adapted from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter ¼ cup vegetable shortening ¾ cup creamy peanut butter 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 1 large egg 2 T milk

1 tsp vanilla 1 ½ cups KAF unbleached all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt granulated sugar 1 bag Dove Milk Chocolate Promises, unwrapped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, shortening, and peanut butter until well blended.  Add the sugars; beat until light and fluffy.  Add the egg, milk, and vanilla, and beat well.  Stir the flour, soda, and salt together.  Gradually mix into the wet ingredients.

Shape the dough into 1 ¼-inch balls.  Roll in sugar.  Place balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and immediately place one chocolate Promise on each cookie.  Then go back and press each Promise gently into the cookie.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Dove Peanut Blossoms all lined up.

Rainbow sugars make these cookies even more special.