Caramel Corn

Ingredients:

25-26 cups plain popped popcorn (use 1 cup popcorn kernels and then take out a few cupfulls)
2 cups dry roasted peanuts

2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Pop popcorn.  (6 tbsp oil and 1 cup popcorn kernels) in a large stockpot.  Pour most of the popcorn out in a giant bowl.  Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet and pour the remaining popcorn on the baking rack so that the seeds can fall through.  Caramel covered popcorn seeds are no bueno for teeth.  Make sure all seeds are filtered out and place the popped popcorn into a turkey roaster pan.  Add the 2 cups of peanuts to the popped corn. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees.   Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring enough to blend. Once the mixture begins to boil, boil on a VERY SLOW BOIL for 5 minutes while stirring constantly.  If your boil is too fast then the caramel mixture will be ruined.
3. Remove from the heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will be light and foamy. Immediately pour over the popcorn in the pan, and stir to coat. Don't worry too much at this point about getting all of the corn coated.  It will all melt together as it cooks and you stir it every 15 minutes.
4. Bake for 45-50 minutes, removing the pan, and giving them each a good stir every 15 minutes. Test for chewiness.  Line the counter top with waxed paper. Dump the corn out onto the waxed paper and separate the pieces. Allow to cool completely, then store in airtight containers or resealable bags.
5. Note:  When cooled, can drizzle with white and dark chocolate.  Yummmmy!

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

Ingredients:

3 cups raw almonds (1 Costco bag is 9 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg white
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon


Directions:



Preheat oven to 250 degrees. 

Beat the egg white and the vanilla together until very frothy, but not stiff. Add the nuts, and stir until well coated. Mix in the white sugar, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the nuts. Toss to coat, and spread evenly on the baking sheet with Silpat. 

Bake for approximately 1 hour, 15 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes. Allow to cool, then store nuts in airtight containers.

iSi Whipped Cream

Vanilla Whipped Cream:

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Whipped Cream

Directions:

1.  Mix ingredients in measuring cup.
2.  Make sure sugar is fully dissolved.
3.  Taste and adjust flavor, if needed.
4.  Pour only 1 cup of cream mixture into iSi.  Do not add more than that.
5.  Twist top onto iSi.
6.  Put charger into grey container and twist onto iSi.  Listen for hissing sound.
7.  Untwist grey container (you might hear more hissing, this is normal), and put on spout.
8.  Shake 4-6 times.
9.  Enjoy!

Lemon Curd

Lemon Curd:
Barefoot Contessa

3 lemons
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
4 extra-large eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice (3 to 4 lemons)
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt


Directions:

Using a carrot peeler, remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.

Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.

Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.

Note: The Lemon Curd may take longer than 10 minutes to reach 170 and start thickening.  Once it reaches the appropriate temperature (and approximate thickness), it will thicken up even more in the refrigerator.

Cheese Fondue

Cheese Fondue:

Garlic
2 packages cream cheese
4 ounces shredded cheddar
4 ounces swiss or gruyere (shredded)
Tiny box velveeta
White wine

Serve with:

Mushrooms
Bread
Kielbasa
Califlower

**Don't forget the Sterno**

Rub pot with garlic.

Microwave in intervals cheese and velvet.  Add white wine to thin.

Could also add:

Garlic salt
Sherry
Nutmeg
Cayenne Pepper
Dash of Tabasco

San Marzano Tomato Sauce

San Marzano Tomato Sauce:

1 - 28 ounce can San Marzano Tomatoes (whole, peeled)
1 medium yellow onion, cut in half and outer peel removed
4-5 Tablespoons Butter
1 teaspoon Sugar (optional)

Place all the ingredients in a medium sauce pan with the onion faced cut side down.  Using a spoon or another kitchen device like a whisk or a potato masher, press each whole tomato down until it bursts.

Place a cover on the pot and bring the sauce to boil for 3 minutes and then reduce the heat to a medium low.  Cook the sauce on a low simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Sauce is done when fat droplets start to bubble to the top.

Carmelized Onions

Carmelized Onions:

Slice 5 yellow onions.

Heat a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet.    Season onions with salt and a teaspoon of white sugar.

Sauté for 30-40 minutes until onions are brown and carmelized.

You can divide into portions and freeze.  Will stay good for 3 months in the freezer.