Caramel Corn

Ingredients:
3 bags of popped microwave popcorn
2 sticks of butter
1 cup corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar

Directions:
Combine all ingredients together in a pot (except popcorn) and bring to a boil.
Boil until it reaches a soft ball stage on a candy thermometer.
Pour mixture over popcorn and mix together well.

Total time 30 minutes. Serves a lot.

Verdict:
My friend Cathy used to make this for me. She would send a bag home with me and I would eat it all myself. Because it is gooey, sticky, yummy goodness. If you are one of those people, like Blake, that like crunchy popcorn then this is not for you. But you "only like crunchy caramel corn popcorn eaters" are silly. That being said...when I asked Cathy for the recipe this was included in the directions and I thought it was funny.

"If you're feeling a whole lot of love for your family, it helps if you try to sift out the kernels that didn't pop before you pour the caramel over it."

Caramel Pecan Tart With Chocolate Sauce

For the dough:
Cream; Add:
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
minced zest of 1/2 an orange

For the filling:
Bring to a boil; Add and fold in:
1 1/2 sticks butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. light corn syrup
3 T. sugar
3 T. heavy cream
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. pecan halves, toasted

For the chocolate sauce:
Simmer; Pour over:
1/3 c. heavy cream
1 T. light corn syrup
3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips

For the crust:
Coat a 9 inch tart pan with nonstick spray. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Cream one stick of butter and sugar in bowl with a hand mixture until light. Add yolk and vanilla, beat until combined, then add flour, salt and zest. Mix just until a dough forms.
Press dough evenly into tart pan, trimming excess from the edges. Chill until firm, 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350.
Place tart on prepared baking sheet and bake until crust is dry to the touch but hasn't begun to brown, 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

For the filling:
Mix all ingredients for filling in a pan except for pecans and bring to a boil. Boil until it reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Off heat stir in pecans.
Pour mixture into tart shell, return to the oven and bake until filling is bubbly and crust is brown, about 20 minutes. Let tart cool completely before slicing.

For the sauce:
Simmer cream and corn syrup for the sauce in a small saucepan. Pour mixture over chocolate, let stand 2 minutes and then whisk until smooth. Serve tart with chocolate sauce over top.

Makes one 9 inch tart. Total time 1 1/2 hours + cooling.

Verdict:
Oh this was so good. I had to give away the remainder so I wouldn't eat it all. Because I would. Every last bite. It tastes like a turtle candy bar. Good.

Peanut Butter and Caramel Cheesecake

For the crust:

1 1/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c. crushed Oreo cookies
1/4 c. sugar
6 T. butter, melted
3/4 c. creamy peanut butter

For the filling:
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, warmed to room temperature
1 c. sugar
1 c. sour cream, warmed to room temperature
3 eggs, lightly beaten, warmed to room temperature
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 c. chocolate fudge topping, divided
1/2 c. caramel ice cream topping

6 peanut butter cups, cut into small wedges

Directions:
Combine cracker crumbs, cookie crumbs, sugar and butter in a small bowl.

Press on the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a greased 9 inch spring form pan.
Bake at 350º for 7-9 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
In a microwave safe bowl, heat peanut butter on HIGH for 30 seconds or until softened. Spread carefully over crust to within 1 inch of edges.
Beat cream cheese, sugar and sour cream until smooth in large mixing bowl. Add eggs and beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in vanilla. Pour one cup of cream cheese batter into a bowl and set aside. Pour remaining filling over peanut butter in crust.
In a microwave safe bowl, heat 1/4 cup hot fudge topping on HIGH for 30 seconds or until thin.

Fold into reserved cream cheese batter. Carefully spoon over filling and cut through filling with a knife to swirl being careful not to disturb peanut butter layer or the crust.
Bake at 350º for 55-65 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen but do not remove sides. Cool 1 hour longer on wire rack.

Microwave remaining hot fudge and caramel, separately, for 30 seconds or until warmed.

Spread over cheesecake. Garnish with peanut butter cups.
Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan and serve.

Total time 1 1/2 hrs. + warming time for ingredients and cooling.

Verdict:

Blake loves the peanut butter cheese cake from The Cheesecake Factory so I was on a mission to find one similar to that. Mission accomplished. This cheesecake is so rich and decadent that you may be only able to eat one piece...every hour. Trust me you are going to want to have this to share with people other wise you will want to eat the whole thing by yourself. There are a couple of things to note that will help in the success of this. First: make sure that the ingredients are all at room temperature. I can't stress this enough. I leave my ingredients out for 6 hours or so. Second: Don't over mix. Third: Don't cook too long. You want to have the center jiggly when you touch it. Last: Let the cheese cake sit in the fridge for a day until you eat it. You won't regret waiting.

Walnut Blondie With Maple Butter Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 t. baking powder
1/8 t. baking soda
1/8 t. salt
1 c. flour
1/4 c. walnuts, chopped
1/3 c. butter, melted
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 egg, beaten
1 T. vanilla extract
1/2 c. white chocolate chips

For the sauce:
3/4 c. real maple syrup
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. walnuts, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine all dry ingredients. Add chopped nuts and mix well. Set aside.
Combine brown sugar to melted butter and mix well. Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Add flour mixture, a little at a time, to brown sugar mixture until well mixed. Stir in white chocolate chips. Spread out in a 9 inch pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Use a toothpick or fork to test if it is cooked in the center.
For the sauce combine maple syrup and butter in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until butter is melted. Stir in brown sugar until completely dissolved.
Serve blondies warm with ice cream and sauce.

Makes 9 average servings or 4 big ones. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
Oh these taste so good. Soo good! We have already ate these 3 times and I am not the biggest brownie fan but they are good. When you make these use real maple syrup.

Meringue Clouds With Tangy Whipped Cream and Strawberries

For the clouds:
5 egg whites
1/2 t. cream of tartar
1 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract

For the berries and cream:
3 c. fresh strawberries, halved
3 T. brown sugar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 275. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
Beat whites and cream of tartar till soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar beating until the whites are stiff and glossy. The meringue is ready when you lift the beaters out and the meringue stays up.
Add vanilla; beat until stiff and glossy.
Drop meringue in mounds on baking sheets, spacing several inches apart. Make a well in each than bake for 45 minutes. Turn off oven and let clouds cool inside for 20 minutes. Carefully transfer clouds to a serving plate.
Mix berries, sugar and lemon juice and let sit for 10-20 minutes.
Beat cream, sour cream, 1/4 c. sugar, and vanilla to soft peaks.
Serve clouds with cream mixture on top and let stand 15 minutes to soften. Top with berries and garnish with powdered sugar.

Makes 7-8 clouds. Total time 45 minutes + cooling.

Verdict:
These were light and sweet and yummy. I liked the sour cream mixed in with the whipped cream. It gave it a unexpected twist. They were even yummy the next day.

Make sure you add the sugar to the meringue slowly...you could deflate the egg whites if you add it too quickly and then you have to start over again. I did that. Not fun.

Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

For the caramel:
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. heavy cream
pinch of salt
1 c. pecans, toasted and chopped

For the streusel:
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. flour
4 T. unsalted butter, sliced
1 1/2 T. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. table salt

For the cake:
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. low fat vanilla yogurt
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter,, softened
3/4 c. sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 9" cake pan with nonstick spray.
Stir together brown sugar, cream and salt for caramel. Pour into the pan and spread to coat the bottom of pan. Sprinkle pecans over top of caramel.
Process ingredients for the streusel in a food processor. Pulse until small clumps form. Set aside.
Whisk buttermilk, yogurt, and eggs together for the cake.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt onto a paper plate.
Cream butter and sugar with a mixer just until combined. Alternately add dry and wet ingredients, starting and ending with dry. Blend each addition just until incorporated.
Spread half of the batter over the caramel than sprinkle with half the streusel. Carefully spread remaining batter over that and top with the remaining streusel. Bake 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool cake for 5 min. and then invert on to a serving dish.

Makes one 9" cake. Total time 1 1/2 hours.

Verdict:
I had problems with this cake. When I first put the batter on top of the caramel it pushed it up the sides of the cake pan. Then when I was cooking it the caramel bubbled over and burned on the bottom of the oven. When we finally ate it the cake was a little dry and the caramel was hard around the sides. I think I am going to try it again but I will be smarter the second time around because I think it would be good.

Lemon Jelly Roll With Strawberries and Cream

For the cake:
Combine:
1 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
Blend; Whisk dry ingredients into:
4 eggs yolks
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. water
2 t. lemon extract
zest of one lemon, minced
Beat and gradually add; Fold into batter:
4 egg whites
1/4 c. sugar

For the syrup:
Simmer:
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. sugar

For the filling:
1 1 /2 c. fresh strawberries, diced
Bloom in 2 T. cold water;
Melt:
2 t. unflavored gelatin
Beat; Drizzle in:
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 13x18" baking sheet with 1" high sides with nonstick spray. Line baking sheet with parchment and spray again.
Combine dry ingredients.
Blend yolks, oil, water, lemon extract and zest in large bowl. Gradually whisk in flour mixture into yolk-oil mixture until smooth.
Beat egg whites in a bowl with an electric mixer on med-high speed until frothy. Gradually add 1/4 c. sugar to the whites and continue beating until they're shiny and hold firm peaks as beaters are lifted out.
Whisk 1/3 of the beaten whites into the batter to lighten it. Gently fold in the remaining whites with a whisk. Pour batter onto the prepared baking sheet.
Tilt the pan to evenly spread the batter. Using a spatula will deflate the whites. Then bake the cake 12-13 min. or until set. Cool to room temperature on a rack. As the cake cools prepare the syrup and fillings.

For the syrup:
Simmer syrup ingredients in a pan over med-high heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Bloom gelatin in cold water by sprinkling gelatin over liquid and then let stand about 5 minutes. Touch it. The gelatin will be stiff and bouncy. Melt the gelatin by setting the dish in a skillet of simmering water. (Don't let it boil or it could loose its jelling properties.)

For the filling:
Beat cream, sugar and vanilla until it begins to thicken. Drizzle in the slightly cooled melted gelatin and beat until cream is stiff. Less than 1 min. The cream will not appear smooth.

To assemble:
Dust a large sheet of parchment paper heavily with powdered sugar. Run a knife around the sides of the cake to loosen it then invert the cake onto the parchment. Carefully peel off the paper.
Lightly dab lemon syrup using a pastry brush over the cake. (The sauce should have the consistency of maple syrup.)
Spread the prepared whipped cream over the cake. Leave one inch margins around the edges.
Arrange the diced strawberries over the entire surface of cream.
Roll the cake by lifting the paper and gently but quickly rolling the cake to the other side. Wrap the cake loosely in the parchment. Transfer to a baking sheet and chill at least 4 hours in order to set the filling.
Serve with cake with powdered sugar on top .

Makes one 16" long cake. Total time 1 1/2 hours + chilling

Verdict:
Wow. That was a lot of typing. But it is worth it. This was yummy cake with yummy filling. It was moist and flavorful. I would recommend eating it the day you make it. Blake said it was a little soggy the next day. My sister Sarah froze her piece and she said that it was good. The filling froze a little too much but the cake tasted good.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Deliciousness

For the filing:
1 package cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
2 c. thawed Cool Whip
1/4 c. chocolate chips, melted
1 package Oreos or Nutter Butters
3-4 Tbsp. butter, melted

For filling:
Beat cream cheese, sugar, and peanut butter in large bowl until blended. Gently stir in cool whip. Melt chocolate chips and add them to 1 cup of mixture in another bowl. Set aside.

For crust:
In food processor mix Oreos or Nutter Butters until fine. Add butter to mixture and mix until slightly chunky. Press into bottom of any shape small pan for crust.

Finish:
Place peanut butter mixture on top of crust and smooth. Then place chocolate mixture on top of peanut mixture and smooth forming two layers. Place in freezer until set. Serve right out of freezer.

Verdict:
Yum. Both ways. Yum.