Pop Corn balls and Halloween...

It became a tradition when raising my children to make delicious pop corn balls around Halloween. I know what might come to your mind.... will all parents think this treat is safe for their kids to eat? I have been lucky enough to live in neighborhoods were I knew most of the trick or treater's and they knew me. It soon became known that I was the lady who made wonderful pop corns balls and many came early to ensure they got their pop corn ball for the year. I still love to do this every year!!! The only thing missing is that my children are grown....Recipe below...

Caramel Pop Corn balls

1 1/2 cups of white corn syrup

3 cups of brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup of butter

1 15 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

3 gallons of popped corn

Combine corn syrup and brown sugar. Cook and stir until it comes to a boil, then stir in your sweetened condensed milk. Continue stirring and cooking over medium heat until it comes to a boil again, then add your butter. Cook to a soft ball stage, remove from heat and pour over your popped corn. I find it works better to put this hot mixture into a big mixing bowl and pour your popped corn into the mixture in batches this makes it easier to stir and get all the popped corn covered with caramel. If you want to form balls use butter to butter your hands and form your balls.



Wrapped and ready to be handed out....

What's your Halloween Tradition?

It's fall.......

I am feeling overwhelmed...this is not like me. I love the fall season, from September on but for some reason I have not been able to quite wrap around all my thoughts...with that said I am going to play catch up and perhaps start fresh!!! Let's start with My Gardner Guy...his yearly crop of orange pumpkins, plus a few other colors!!!

2013 Pumpkins from My Gardner Guy

Up close...this is a big load, nice size this year!!!

Jaxson is pleased with the pumpkins

These pumpkins are heading South!!!

Every year when the pumpkins begin to ripen up it's my queue to start pulling out the fall décor!!!

Flat Bread with carmelized onions and butter nut squash!!!

Last weekend My Gardner Guy and tried out a new restaurant  Twigs, that opened near us in Farmington Station. They had a flat bread on their menu under appetizers that was very delicious...I have a lot of butter nut squash sitting on my kitchen counter so I decided I would make some of this flat bread myself...we loved it!!!

Roasted Butternut Squash
1 small butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes or smaller
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a baking sheet drizzle each sheet with a small amount of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until tender.

Caramelized Onions
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Cook until completely caramelized, stirring occasionally at first and more often as onions begin to brown. Depending on your stove, this could take anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour. Season with freshly ground pepper.

Flatbread

1 prepared pizza crust or make your own...

I love this simple pizza crust....

1 3/4 cups of flour

1/2 TBSP of yeast

1/2 TBSP of sugar

1/2 TBSP of oil

3/4 tsp. of salt

3/4 cup of warm water

mix all ingredients together and roll out to your desired shape

 Prepare...

Preheat oven to temperature indicated on pizza crust package. Top crust with caramelized onions, cheese, and squash. Bake for time on package or until squash is heated through and cheese has melted.

While pizza is baking, heat oil in small skillet over medium high heat. Add sage leaves and saute, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes or until leaves are crispy, but still green. Sprinkle sage leaves and walnuts on pizza before serving.

  Ingredients used...

1 prepared pizza crust

1/2 of caramelized onions

1/2 c. shredded Fontina or Italian blend cheese (try different cheeses that you may like)

1/2 cup or more of roasted butternut squash

2 tsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. sage leaves, cut into ribbons

side note:
nuts would also be good to add to this, and serving with balsamic vinegar tastes great!!!
also I like the taste of sage but cut up in small pieces....basil would also taste good!!!
Have Fun!!!!

 

 

Yellow tomato basil jam....my favorite this fall season....

Yellow tomato's make for a most golden delicious jam...I love this jam!!!

 

 

 

This year we enjoyed a few varieties of yellow tomato's in the garden. I have a stack of recipes, along with  quite a few book marked on my computer I want to try. So when the yellow tomato's came ripe I was excited to try this recipe. Trust me, I try a lot of recipes and if they make it to my blog that means I loved them and it will be added to my pantry to be enjoyed in my home...

Ingredients

• 4 pounds Sun gold or other yellow tomatoes
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• zest of two lemons, divided
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped basil

Instructions

1. Cut Sun gold tomatoes in half, or, if using larger yellow tomatoes, chop them into smallish pieces.
2. Combine chopped tomatoes with sugar in a large, non-reactive pot and stir. Let sit for at least one hour, or until the tomatoes release their juice.
3. When ready to cook, prep canning pot and jars and place jam pot over high heat. Add lemon juice and bring to a boil.
4. Cook at a boil for 30-35, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes have softened and the syrup has gotten thick. Once you’re satisfied with the set, remove the pot from the heat and stir in half the lemon zest and chopped basil. Taste and add remaining lemon zest only if you feel the jam requires it.
5. Pour jam into prepared jars. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings. Process jars in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.