Post by kitsunelady on Oct 29, 2012 13:05:42 GMT -5
Most of the other forums I've been a member of inevitably ended up with a thread like this. I've noticed people talking about food in the Tiki Bar and the Anyone Playing? Threads, so let's get together!
I'm about to make a couple of Halloween treats, and wanted to share. =)
The first is my grandmother's recipe for popcorn balls. The best thing about them is that she always kept them soft and chewy, so be careful when cooking the syrup mixture - if you go past soft-ball stage, they'll end up hard and crispy! Though, some people are into that, so whatever floats your boat. Here's how to tell :
"Definition: Soft-ball stage refers to a specific temperature range when cooking sugar syrups. Soft-Ball Stage occurs at 235-245 degrees. This stage can be determined by dropping a spoonful of hot syrup into a bowl of very cold water. In the water, use your fingers to gather the cooled syrup into a ball. If it has reached soft-ball stage, the syrup easily forms a ball while in the cold water, but flattens once removed from the water."
You can also use a candy thermometer; mine cost about $5 at the local grocery store.
Popcorn Balls :
6 quarts (24 cups) popped corn - this sounds like a lot, but you can fill a cup pretty easily with already popped corn!
For the syrup mixture :
2 cups sugar
2/3 cups white corn syrup
2/3 cup water
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
Boil until soft ball stage is reached. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla.
Pour over popcorn, stirring as you go to make sure you get it all over! Wait five minutes or so (don't burn your hands), then form 3-inch balls.
Great for gift giving. Just wrap in cellophane and tie with a bow! You can also add food coloring to the syrup mixture to make them even more festive.
Monster Cookies :
I think we called these monster cookies as kids simply due to the size. They spread out into large, flat cookies. I like to use the M&Ms they put out in special holiday colors on mine! I'm using the Autumn Mix at the moment. =)
1 cup unsalted butter or margarine
1 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cup quick oats, uncooked
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup M&Ms Plain Chocolate Candies
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Optional :
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup coconut
Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; blend in egg and vanilla. Add combined oats, flour, soda, and salt; mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Press 2 to 3 additional candies into top of each cookie. Bake at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet (this is important, because they are too delicate to remove until cool!) about 3 minutes; remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Notes : I like a lot of nuts, so I probably use a bit more than called for, actually. I dislike raisins and coconut, so I always leave those out of mine. I bake for 10 minutes, and in our oven, this brings them to just the stage I personally like - they do not cool to crispyness, and stay chewy when kept in a sealed container. How long you bake them/the level of crisp you like is up to you, and will take some experimentation in your particular oven, of course. =)
It's said you can tell how good a cookie will be from how good the dough is, and the dough for these tastes awesome. But I can't safely recommend eating it raw, due to the egg. I've eaten raw cookie dough my whole life, and never once gotten sick, though. So, consume raw at your own risk! XD
I'm about to make a couple of Halloween treats, and wanted to share. =)
The first is my grandmother's recipe for popcorn balls. The best thing about them is that she always kept them soft and chewy, so be careful when cooking the syrup mixture - if you go past soft-ball stage, they'll end up hard and crispy! Though, some people are into that, so whatever floats your boat. Here's how to tell :
"Definition: Soft-ball stage refers to a specific temperature range when cooking sugar syrups. Soft-Ball Stage occurs at 235-245 degrees. This stage can be determined by dropping a spoonful of hot syrup into a bowl of very cold water. In the water, use your fingers to gather the cooled syrup into a ball. If it has reached soft-ball stage, the syrup easily forms a ball while in the cold water, but flattens once removed from the water."
You can also use a candy thermometer; mine cost about $5 at the local grocery store.
Popcorn Balls :
6 quarts (24 cups) popped corn - this sounds like a lot, but you can fill a cup pretty easily with already popped corn!
For the syrup mixture :
2 cups sugar
2/3 cups white corn syrup
2/3 cup water
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
Boil until soft ball stage is reached. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla.
Pour over popcorn, stirring as you go to make sure you get it all over! Wait five minutes or so (don't burn your hands), then form 3-inch balls.
Great for gift giving. Just wrap in cellophane and tie with a bow! You can also add food coloring to the syrup mixture to make them even more festive.
Monster Cookies :
I think we called these monster cookies as kids simply due to the size. They spread out into large, flat cookies. I like to use the M&Ms they put out in special holiday colors on mine! I'm using the Autumn Mix at the moment. =)
1 cup unsalted butter or margarine
1 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cup quick oats, uncooked
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup M&Ms Plain Chocolate Candies
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Optional :
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup coconut
Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; blend in egg and vanilla. Add combined oats, flour, soda, and salt; mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Press 2 to 3 additional candies into top of each cookie. Bake at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet (this is important, because they are too delicate to remove until cool!) about 3 minutes; remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Notes : I like a lot of nuts, so I probably use a bit more than called for, actually. I dislike raisins and coconut, so I always leave those out of mine. I bake for 10 minutes, and in our oven, this brings them to just the stage I personally like - they do not cool to crispyness, and stay chewy when kept in a sealed container. How long you bake them/the level of crisp you like is up to you, and will take some experimentation in your particular oven, of course. =)
It's said you can tell how good a cookie will be from how good the dough is, and the dough for these tastes awesome. But I can't safely recommend eating it raw, due to the egg. I've eaten raw cookie dough my whole life, and never once gotten sick, though. So, consume raw at your own risk! XD
My mom (of course it was her recipe!) so enjoyed getting some in a Xmas package as she hadnt made them for years! Grandsons of course thought they were the best "new" candy they had ever had!!!! Lol
lol
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