Licorice Caramels

My mom used to make these for us and it didn't take long for us to eat them all. This is her recipe and one that I am glad that I have. I made these for the first time myself this Christmas and they were such a hit I have made them several times since. I have tried a few different things with this recipe, but always go back to the original.

Even people who don't like black licorice LOVE these caramels.

It is important that you have a candy temometer. The first time I made these I didn't have one and thought that 'firm ball stage' meant that it would start to look like a firm ball. Wrong.

In a large heavy sauce pan add:

2 cups white sugar

1 -11oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 cups light corn syrup

1 cup butter (I usually use 1/2 marg - 1/2 butter)

1/4 tsp salt

Cook and stir over medium heat. Make sure that you scrape the bottom of the pot because it will start to burn.



Heat until you get to what is called firm ball stage. (**Please see note at bottom of post for temp details). As I metioned above the tempurature is important. If it doesn't get to the right temp it will be too soft and won't really hold its shape and will start to stick to the wax paper you wrap them in. But if it gets too hot they will be too hard and will eventually become rock candy. Which may not be bad if you wanted to make hard candy or suckers.

Remove from heat and stir in ;

3/4 tsp Oil of Anise (you can get this at a health food store)

3/4 tsp black food paste (you can get this at a craft store - Michaels has it)

Pour into a buttered 8 or 9 inch pan. You should butter your pan before you start cooking. And really butter it. Make a thick layer of butter. Pam won't work.

Cool throughly. I usually leave it overnight.

Turn out pan and cut or cut into strips while in pan.

Cut into 1 inch pieces and wrap in wax paper.

I also usually get hte wax paper ready before. I cut a piece about 6 inches and then cut that into 3 peices.

I did mention that I have tried different variations of the recipe. The basic recipe is the same I just changed the flavoring. At the health store you can get several other flavors. So far I have tried peppermint, maple, coconut, and root beer. All were good. I would add closer to 1 tsp of maple flavor.

Also you can't use extracts. It has to be the oil flavors. One more thing, is that other food paste colors don't work either. They end up black anyways.

This time I tried maple.

TEMPURATURE NOTE

** Firm ball stage is 244-248 degrees F.

But this temp will changed based on the altitude of where you live. You will need to adjust your candy tempuratures based on what your boiling point is.

Boiling point is 212 degrees. To determine your boiling point, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil for 10 minutes. Stick in your candy thermometer and let the temp register and determine what the water temp is. Then depending on where it is in comparison to 212 degrees adjust your candy temp.

For example. When I first started making the candy I lived on a lower elevation and my candy temp was 244. The candy always turned out perfect at this temp. But then I moved to the mountains and the altitude changed and therefore so did my boiling point. I did the boiling point test and got a temp of 205 degrees. So I adjusted the candy temp down to 237 degrees and the candy turns out great. If I were to let it go to 244, it would be rock solid. (even 240 is a little too firm)

So before cooking your candy, figure out your boiling point and then adjust your candy temp accordingly.

Don't be discouraged if it takes a few trys to get it right. This candy is so yummy it is worth the effort.

Mango Salsa

I love this Salsa. It has such a fresh taste to it. And because it is fruits and veggies you don't feel that guilty for eating alot of it.

The orignal recipe called for just two mangos, but I always use 3, just because I love mangos.

Chop 3 mangos.

Chop it as fine as you can, because the smaller the pieces the better it is.

You can also use peaches or fresh pinnapple.

Chop 1/2 Red Pepper

Add in 2 tbsp Red Onion, finely chopped

Add 2 tbsp Cilantro, finely chopped. I also usually add way more than this, just because I love cilantro

add

3 tsp fresh lime juice

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Mix it all together

Serve with Tortilla chips.

It is so colorful and vibrant. And so good!

It is also really good served over a ginger glazed salmon fillet.

Banana Muffins

Everytime we have bananas that are too ripe to eat I make banana muffins. Sometimes I swear Brett won't eat the bananas just so that I will make these muffins.

Cream:
1/2 cup of Margarine
1 1/4 cups sugar

Add:
2 eggs
1/4cup sour cream

Add: 1 cup mashed bananas

Mix in:
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Mix until well blended

Optional:
Chocolate chips (you can put in as many as you want)

Pour into muffin tins. Brett prefers the chocolate chips, I prefer without, so I use different color paper so we can tell the difference.

Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. I always do the toothpick test to make sure that they are done.

These can be made using the mini muffin tins aswell. Your bake time will be less. Probably closer to 8-10 minutes.

They taste just like banana bread and are even good if you freeze them.

Chocolate Banana Bundt Cake

This is something that everytime I make it, people ask for the recipe. It is really good. The first time I had it was at My Aunt's house and my mom and I got the recipe and we have made this cake alot.

The cake is so moist and so good. The sour cream makes it a very moist cake. I of course love it with thick chocolate icing, but it can be made with a chocolate-ganache or even something simple like sifted icing sugar over top.

Cream:

1 cup of butter or marg

2 cups white sugar

Add in:

1 cup mashed banana (it is usually about 2 or 3 bananas. Use over rippened bananas)

Add:

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream

Your mixture will have a weird texture, this is normal.

Add your dry ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup cocoa

Then add: 1 cup boiling water.

Mix until well blended. Pour into greased pan.

I have always used a bundt pan. But this recipe will make one 9X13 or two 8-inch round pans. If you have a funky shaped pan this is a great recipe for it. My mom always makes a castle.

Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. Check it after 45, but it is usually closer to 60 minutes. A toothpick won't reach the centre of this cake, so I used a wooden skewer.

Let the cake cool for awhile and then turn it on to a serving plate. You have to let the cake completely cool before you ice it. You can either cool it in the pan or you can cool it on the plate.

Once the cake has completely cooled you can ice it or put on the icing sugar or the ganache. If it is not cooled the warmth from the cake will melt the topping and it won't look as nice. I used your basic butter cream icing recipe.

cream together:

1/2 cup soft butter or marg

2 cups icing sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

Then add:

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp milk

1 cup icing sugar

You can add more milk or icing sugar depending on the consistency that you want.

You can see how moist the cake is. If you look close enough you can even see the black flecs of banana in there.

Chocolate Cupcakes

I feel that the proper first post on my blog should be something that I love so much. Cupcakes. I do have a serious love for them. Mostly the icing, but the cupcakes too.

These cupcakes taste great and were really moist. The best part is that they are really easy to make.

I found this recipe in the February 2008 Martha Stewart Living Magazine. They are the cupcakes that are on the front cover. I originally made the icing that they have on them, but it tasted terrible. And that coming from me, who is a lover of all icing, means that it was really really bad. Also, while making that disgusting icing, it broke my hand mixer! Luckily I had my kitchen-aid as back-up.

Sift together in a large bowl:

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1-1/2 cups all pupose flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking Soda

3/4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoons salt

Then add:
2 Large eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons safflower oil (I used vegetable oil, I am sure any oil works)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Mix until the batter is smooth.

Pour the batter into lined standard muffin tins. I made 12 'regular' cupcakes and 18 mini-cupcakes. Fill the cups until they are about 2/3 full.

Bake at 350. The standard cupcakes about 20 minutes and the mini-cupcakes about 10 minutes. Do the toothpick test to make sure they are done. Just don't over bake, because then they aren't moist.

Let them cool and ice them.

Like I said above, the original icing I did was terrible. I am shocked that Martha led me astray. I thought that I could count on her. I had to use the standard Butter Cream icing recipe on the back of the icing sugar bag!

Cream 1/2 cup soft butter (I used Margarine) with 2 cups icing sugar.

Beat 2tsp vanilla, 2tbsp milk and 1 cup icing sugar.

I actually added more icing sugar than that. Because I knew I was piping my icing on I needed it a little thicker so that it would hold the piping shape. Depending on the consistency you want you can add more icing sugar or more milk. Then add your color choice of food coloring or food paste.

I got some new food paste at Michaels the other day and I was so excited to use it. I think the color is a little shocking at first and almost looks radioactive. But I love the color.