Caramel Corn (popcorn used at wedding from Janet)

6-8 quarts popped corn (remove old maids) put in a paper grocery bag.

Syrup:

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup margarine
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup white syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Boil five minutes in the microwave (start counting when it starts boiling)

Add 1/2 tsp baking soda and stir

Pour over corn in bag, stir, and roll down the top of bag and place in the micro. You need a long handled spoon or something to stir this cause it is hot hot hot cook at 700 power for 45 seconds at a time then take out and shake or stir the corn in the sack. Put back in micro. and do again. This will be the trial and error period cause each micro is different. (My old one I just put it on high which was 700 and did it twice to three times of 45 seconds.... My new one I have no idea cause it is a 1100 power.... I have a power level so will try the lower one first.....if I have time to make any more. Ha ha.)

You can do this on the stove top when cooking the syrup and you can put the Caramel corn mixture, takes a big pan, in the oven at 250 degrees and bake for an hour stirring every 20 minutes. Then take out and cool.

Good luck. It is easy once you have did it.

Peanut Brittle (10-Minute)

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1/8 tsp. salt
1 to 1 1/2 c. roasted, salted peanuts (pecans)
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. soda

How to Microwave Peanut Brittle: Combine sugar, syrup & salt in 2-qt. casserole or mixing bowl. Microwave at High 5 minutes.

Stir in peanuts (pecans). Microwave 2 to 5 minutes, stirring after 2 and 4 minutes, until syrup and peanuts are lightly browned.

Stir in butter, vanilla and soda until light and foamy. Spread to 1/4-in thickness on large, well-buttered heated cookie sheet.

Very-Thin Peanut Brittle: Cool mixture on cookie sheet 3 to 5 minutes. Lift from sheet & pull or stretch mixture to desired thinness.

Makes 1 pound

I appreciate now more how much work my mom did on cracking, shelling and husking peanuts -- it really takes a long time! I knew it for pecans, but didn't realize the time & effort for peanuts...

1 lb. butter
1 lb. sugar (2 1/4 c.)

Cook in heavy skillet rather fast, stirring constantly until the mass reaches the crack stage in cold water (265 to 280 deg.) When this has been reached, quickly pour it over (I think I like placing the pecans in this toffee before pouring in the pan because it's easier to spread evenly).

1 lb. chopped pecans (1 3/4 c.)

in a well-greased pan. While still hot, place

1 lb. broken milk chocolate candy (without nuts)

on top of the hot toffee. When chocolate is soft, spread evenly on top of toffee. When cold, crack into serving size pieces (I score with knife to hopefully keep the chocolate from falling off of toffee). If the chocolate does come off, I place chocolate on top & heat in microwave a little & press to adhere together.

Pound Candy with peanuts: I use raw peanuts (better if no hulls & broken in half) & add after the butter & sugar are heated together...

Pound Candy with grapenuts: I used 1 3/4 c. and added before pouring in pan stir quickly -- it really soaks up the toffee & gets stiff...

the scraps of pound candy, I use to make Better-than-Almost-Anything Cake - yum! yum!

Good Luck!

I started making it again in 2004 in remembrance of Karen (10/13/40-12/02/04) who gave me the recipe and courage to start making the candy. My daughter became an "expert" on making and gave me encouragement to try it again after several failures: if the toffee starts to separate just beat it, don't be intimidated!

	Pretzel Holiday Wreaths (Deb & Jeff)

white vanilla chips or 5 oz. vanilla-flavored candy coating or almond bark Miniature pretzels twists variety of decorations: such as red string licorice, sugar, red hots, peppermint pieces, nuts...

Directions:
1. Line 2 cookie sheets with waxed paper. In small saucepan, melt vanilla chips over low heat, stirring constantly.
2. Using 5-6 pretzels, form a circle on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet, placing side of pretzel with 1 hole on outside of ring. Remove 1 pretzel from circle; dip inner section (side with 2 holes) halfway into melted vanilla chips. Place dipped pretzel back into circle formation. Continue with remaining pretzels in circle.
3. To form top layer of wreath, dip 5-6 additional pretzels, one at a time, in coating. Place over first circle so that coated holes overlap 2 pretzels.
4. Sprinkle with candy decorations ...
4. Refrigerate wreaths 15 minutes or until coating is firm.
5. If desired, weave 1 piece of string licorice through coated holes in each pretzel. Tie bow with licorice ends.

1 T. egg white
2 cups. pecan or walnut halves
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon

Combine egg white and nuts in bowl; mix until nuts are mostened. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; add to nuts. Mix until well coated. Place in greased 9-inch glass pie plate.

Microwave, uncovered, 3.1/2 to 4 1/2 minutes or until coating losses its glose, stirring occoasionally. Yield 2 cups nuts.

Cook in heavy skillet rather fast, stirring constantly until the mass reaches the crack stage in cold water (265 to 280 deg.) When this has been reached, quickly pour it over (I think I like placing the pecans in this toffee before pouring in the pan because it's easier to spread evenly).

1 lb. chopped pecans (1 3/4 c.)