Candied Walnuts!

Crunchy Candied Walnut Snack

Snack attack!  These candied walnuts are wonderful sprinkled on a salad with goat cheese or blue cheese.  They also are delicious all by themselves and really easy to make.  Store them in a jar with a tight fitting lid or in a zip bag for up to 2 weeks.  (They won’t last that long believe me.)

Ingredients:

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup water

1 pound walnut halves

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.  In a large skillet combine the sugar and water over medium-high heat and cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves and the syrupy mixture comes to a boil.  Add the walnuts, butter, and the salt and turn the walnuts continuously with the spoon until the syrup thickens.  When almost all the liquid is gone and the walnuts are goopy and well coated, spread them out on a parchment lined cookie sheet in a single layer.  Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let the walnuts cool completely on the cookie sheet on a wire rack.

Caramel Corn Weather!

EASY CARAMEL CORN

This is an easy treat that is reminiscent of a night at the movies or an afternoon at the Fair.  Only it is cheaper, no admission fee!  It is based on Paula Deen’s recipe called:  Grandma Paul’s Caramel Corn and it is delicious.  You can use either microwave popcorn or pop your own.  Just be careful to screen out or pick out any un-popped kernels.  Use a large turkey roaster pan to pour all of the popped corn into and then pour the caramel mixture over it.  You can keep it simple or add vanilla paste and other goodies to make it fancy.  Your only limitation is your own imagination.  Try making your own mix with M&M’s, mini-pretzels, raisins, salted nuts, etc, added to the finished and cooled caramel corn. You could give this away to co-workers or friends in cute cellophane bags sealed with a metallic twist tie for an afternoon treat.

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter

2 cups of packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt (you may not want to add this if you are using micro waved popcorn that is pre-salted)

½ cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 vanilla pod, cut open and seeds scraped out or 2 Tablespoons vanilla paste (optional)

8 quarts of popped corn

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Over medium heat, combine the first four ingredients in a medium sized saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda.  This will foam up, keep stirring for a few minutes, then add the vanilla seeds or paste, stir.  The popcorn should already be popped and in the roasting pan waiting to be anointed with this golden deliciousness.  Pour the hot mixture over 8 quarts (four bags of micro waved popcorn or pop your own) of popped corn.  Stir to coat well.  Bake in large roaster for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  Spread on parchment paper or waxed paper to dry.  Add any other ingredients to the mix after it is cooled and dry.  Pack into bags if desired.

Makes 8 quarts or more if you add additional ingredients.  Store in an airtight container.