Sweet Saturday, Caramel Corn

     I love to give home made gifts, more often than not the edible kind. This is a recipe for a gift that was given to me. The holiday bake offs and the resulting exchanges of cookies, cakes, fudge, candies and other delicious goodies are truly one of the holiday traditions I look forward to most. Even people who don't normally cook seem to have that one recipe they dust off and, voila, perfection.

     This is from my good friend Erin. It is her mother's recipe and I was lucky enough  to get not only the gift to eat but the recipe as well. I'm warning you ahead of time this is an "I can't stop eating this" recipe. It took iron will power not to eat the whole bag the minute I opened it. Considering my preserves were confiscated at the airport on her way home, I think I came out ahead on this one. LOL

Erin and her mother Eva

Now I know where Erin got her smile

All dressed up for their debut in my kitchen.

Okay, maybe not, but another picture of the lovely Psota women

     Here it is the Psota family recipe, as I received it.

Caramel Corn

- this is the original recipe - I usually add about 1/2 more popcorn and nuts and then double the caramel

Ingredients

3 quarts popped popcorn

1 cup almonds (I usually get the salted)

1 cup pecan halves

1 cup cashews (again, I like the salted)

½ cup butter

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

1) Combine popcorn and nuts in a lightly buttered roast pan.

2) In saucepan, melt butter over low. Add sugar and honey. Bring to boil.

Boil for 5 minutes without stirring.

Remove from heat. Add vanilla (it will splatter) and stir well.

3) Pour over popcorn and stir until evenly coated - it will cover better as it continues.

4) Bake at 250 for 1 hour - stirring every 15 minutes.

5) Spread out to cool when removed from oven.

6) Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

     The secret to to Erin's Mom's success is popping the popcorn on top of the stove old school.

     The combination of sweet and salty, not normally my taste, is amazing. You could use this for kid's party loot bags, Halloween, any festive occassion. Don't save it just for Christmas. From Erin's Mom's kitchen to yours. Enjoy.

     Any holiday recipes to share?

  

Marinated Mushrooms

  
     There are hundreds of different kinds of mushrooms available. Each with it's own unique texture and taste. Neither plant nor animal, mushrooms are very good for you and offer a variety of health benefits not found in other foods.  I don't really care about all that, I love the taste. The following recipe is one of my favourite ways to prepare them.

Marinated Mushrooms

Ingredients

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 lb mushrooms

5 cloves garlic

½ teaspoon oregano*

½ teaspoon basil*

2 green onions chopped

½ teaspoon chili flakes

1-2 bay leaves

10-15 peppercorns

1 teaspoon strained fresh lemon juice/ balsamic vinegar

Diced red pepper for garnish

Directions

Clean mushrooms thoroughly.

In a medium saucepan, bring all other ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 5 minutes. You are infusing the vinegar and oil with the flavours of the herbs and spices.

Add mushrooms, re-cover and cook for another minute. This blanches the mushrooms, allowing the marinade to penetrate more easily.

Remove from heat, uncover and cool. Stir in red pepper garnish.

Refrigerate, when cooled.

This can be used as soon as it cools but is better if left overnight. Keeps about a month refrigerated.

* If using fresh herbs, double the quantity. 

     The oil and vinegar are the legs of this recipe. I always use extra virgin oil but if you like the taste you can use any grade. I have used red wine, cider and regular vinegar to vary the taste but prefer red wine. All of the spices can be increased, decreased, omitted or substituted, it all depends on what you like.

    Don't cook this uncovered or let it remain at a boil. Vinegar evaporates quickly when heated. You'll end up boiling it off, then you have to start again. I know, I've done it making spiced vinegar for ketchup.

     This recipe also works for vegetables but the procedure is a little different. If you are marinating beans, carrots, broccoli or cauliflower the procedure is the same, just cook a little longer, 2-3 minutes, until the vegetables are tender or blanche them before you add them to the marinade.

     If you are using eggplant, onions, zucchini or peppers, grill them a little first and pour the marinade over them while both are still hot. I don't know how long the vegetables will keep, at least a week I would imagine, but mine never last. I usually drain the marinade after  a couple of hours, these can get a little soggy if left too long. These are also the ones I use Balsamic vinegar with.

         Add some olives and you've got you own antipasto plate. Toss them in a salad or use them in sandwiches. I serve mine at room temperature to allow all the different tastes to come through. Enjoy.

Chicken Wings

     I love chicken wings. Deep fried, baked, barbecued, saucy, or dry, I love them all. They are an easy cocktail party hors d'oeuvres or just a great snack. I have literally eaten thousands of them.

Terri and I

     One night, Terri, Ron (sorry Ron, no picture) and I ate 260 wings at a local pub, I thought that the waitress was going to faint when we ordered. Nothing succeeds like excess.

     This is my favourite dry rub for wings. It isn't spicy, just flavourful and delicious. You can ramp up the chilies if you want or add the heat after you cook them. This is Ferd's mother's recipe.

Ferd, well, being Ferd, you can almost hear that spontaneous burst of song coming on



Dry Rub for Chicken Wings

Ingredients

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon white pepper

¼ teaspoon chili flakes

1 pound/500 grams chicken wings

Directions

Combine all spices in a bowl and mix until well combined. Add chicken wings and toss until  wings are well coated with spices. Let sit at least one hour or overnight.

     I always cut up my chicken wings, they are easier to handle. I keep the wing tips, freeze them and add them to chicken or turkey bones when I make stock. Another frugal cook tip, nothing gets wasted.

     The spices are a guide, you can increase or decrease the individual amounts according to your taste. I like it exactly the way it is, even with all that salt.

    These freeze really well and Ferd and I typically make these in 10 or 15 lbs batches. That way we have some on hand. They never last though, fair warning.

     These can be baked, deep fried or put on the barbecue, I've done it all. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and cook for another 30 to 45 min. The initial high heat makes the wings come out crispy, I'm getting hungry just thinking about them. I have a deep fryer and cook these about 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees. They take about the same amount of time on the barbecue, maybe a little longer. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the wings. I have cooked them from frozen, but don't recommend it.

     Freeze them on a cookie sheet then bag them. That way they don't stick together in a big ball. They also thaw a lot faster if you can separate them.

    Serve them with blue cheese dip, spicy barbecue sauce or just eat them plain. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

Curried Lentils and Spinach

     I've posted a few recipes for sweets, so I decided to change it up a little. This is a recipe I have been promising to a friend of mine, Erin, for about a year, I guess it's time.

There she is, in the middle, out standing in her field

Given the nature of the blog this far, the field shot is oddly fitting

Look at that face, so sweet and wholesome

And that smile

The happy couple, Erin and her beau, Rauri

Don't let that sweet smile fool you

The pointy finger dancing shot, classic Erin

And finally

the Erin I love

   We met at working at a restaurant together, several years ago and have been friends ever since. She is a certified Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, currently finishing a residency in the States. I can hardly wait until she gets home. I unabashedly stole these pictures from her Facebook albums, I don't actually have any of her. I have the camera but always forget to bring it out. The person who took that last photo is also responsible for my Facebook profile picture. Thanks, Amy. LOL

     Erin and Rauri have often been taste testers for new cooking trials of mine and this following recipe is one she really liked. It is also the only vegan recipe I have. I have a few vegetarian, 'cause there's one in every crowd these days, but only the one vegan.

Curried Lentils with Spinach

Ingredients

2 tablespoons cooking oil *

1 medium onion, diced

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

¼ teaspoon turmeric

1-19 oz can lentils , drained and rinsed

1-28 oz can diced tomatoes **

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups baby spinach***

Directions

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat sauté onions in oil. Cook until transparent.

Add, curry powder, cumin, coriander and turmeric.  Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for about a minute until everything is well combined.

Add lentils and tomatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer about 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Remove lid, bring back to a boil and add spinach and garlic. Cook until spinach has wilted then serve.

* Use whatever cooking oil you prefer, olive, canola, safflower

** I use diced fresh tomatoes, usually Romas

*** You can use Swiss chard instead, tear the leaves into smaller pieces about the size of baby spinach.



     I'm pretty sure this recipe was meant as a main dish but I use it as a dip. I reduce it until it is about the consistency of hummus and mash the lentils a little until it kind of looks like bean dip before I add the spinach and garlic. Scoop it up with pita or flat bread, it's delicious and healthy too.

    Another friend of mine who is a vegetarian, thought it would make a good soup. If you wanted to try it out, I would add a couple of cups of good vegetable stock when you add the lentils and tomatoes and go from there. Enjoy