Yummy Goodness!

Here are some yummy recipes I've been asked to share. :)

First, an old family recipe and a Carling Christmas tradition. I make well over a dozen batches of this every December to send out to family like my Grandma Carling did for us growing up, and as her mom did for her family. It was too yummy a tradition to let die, so when Grandma Carling said she couldn't make it any more (too old with too large a family!) I took over.

Honey Taffy Popcorn

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light honey
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 quarts popped corn

Mix sugar, honey, and cream in heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat to 260* F (or soft-ball stage. I just keep a bowl of cold water next to the pan, and drop tiny spoonfuls of the taffy into it every few minutes once it starts bubbling. When I'm able to pick up what I dropped in and rub it between my figners without it completely discintigrating, then I know it's done).

Remove from heat and stir in baking soda, stirring till bubbles subside; add vanilla. Pour over popped corn that has been lightly salted and buttered. Stir till coated. Allow to cool for 3 minutes, then butter hands and form into popcorn balls, or scoop batch into 1-gallon zip lock bag (this is what I do when I'm going to be shipping it, since one batch exactly fills one 1-gallon bag). Or eat straight from the bowl. :)

I think it tastes best slightly warm, with a little bit of salt sprinkled on it.


Grandma Johnson's Scones (not MY grandma. LOL.) Got this from Allrecipes.com and it is a GREAT basic recipe. I'll post the original first (which is super yummy with strawberries and whipped cream! I don't use the raisins), then my "tweeks". You can tweek the original any way you want.

1 cup sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup raisins (optional)

Step 1: In a small bowl, blend the sour cream and baking soda, and set aside.

Step 2: Preheat oven to 350* F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet (do not use a non-stick sheet. they won't cook up as well)

Step 3: In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry knife. Stir the sour cream mixture and egg into the flour mixture until just moistened. Mix in the raisins.

Step 4: Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead breifly. Roll or pat dough into a 3/4 inch thick round. Cut into 12 wedges, and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake 12-15 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the bottom.

My tweeks to make these into Cranberry-Orange scones:

To step one, add the juice from half an orange, and 1 tsp vanilla extract.

To step 3, add the zest from one orange (the same one you juiced ;) ) when adding the sour cream and egg to the flour mixture. Add chopped dried cranberries instead of raisins.

After step 5, brush the freshly baked scones with a mixture of the juice of the other half of the orange and confectioners sugar. I don't have exact measurement of how much sugar I used, I just eye-balled it until the juice and sugar were a "glaze" type consistancy. Thick but still dripped off the basting brush when lifted into the air.

Also, I cut my scones into squares, since the 12 wedges recommended from the original recipe end up being huge!

Other ways to tweek the basic recipe:

For Cinnamon-Pecan scones:
Add 3 tsp vanilla extract to the sour cream, 3 tsp cinnamon to the dry ingredients, and add pecans instead of raisins.

For Almond-Cherry scones:
Add 1 1/2 tsp. almond extract to the sour cream, and add 1 cup dried cherries instead of raisins.

For Pumpkin-Chocolate scones:
Substitute 1 cup canned pumpkin for the sour cream, and 1 cup mini chocolate chips for the raisins. Also good with 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice added to the dried ingredients.

For Creamsicle scones: Follow the recipe for the cranberry-orange scones, except add 1 cup of vanilla chips instead of 1 cup of cranberries.

For Lemon-Blueberry scones: Add juice of one lemon to sour cream, add zest of one lemon when adding the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and substitute 1 cup dried blueberries instead of raisins.

Isn't it an awesome recipe?? :D


Banana Muffins (my kids wolf these down, and Raia loves helping me make them. She mashes the bananas and "dumps" in the ingredients I scoop out)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 large bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350* F. Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Combine bananas, sugar, egg, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Fold into flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Scoop into muffin pans.

Bake in preheated oven. Bake mini muffins for 10 to 15 minutes, and large muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Muffins will spring back when lightly tapped.


Baked Fruity Oatmeal (our Sunday-morning breakfast)

3 cups quick oats
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 small apple, peeled or diced
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350* F. In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In another bowl, combine milk, eggs, and butter. Stir into dry ingredients. Add apples, raisins and pecans.

Pour batter into a greazed 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cut into 9 squares.