Tasty Tuesday: I Cook Like My Mother

My Dad has told me on numerous occasions that I cook like my Mom. I consider that a huge compliment. My Mom is a great cook. She had me in the kitchen at a very young age helping mix cookies, peeling potatoes and other basics. I've mentioned in previous posts that the best gift she has given me was a cookbook of every recipe she has!  These are the foods I grew up eating, arranged neatly in a 3-ring binder.  This picture should give you an idea of how many recipes I have!

Growing up, snow days meant Mom would make something special. Usually something we didn't get often and that took a bit more time to prepare.  Caramel corn was always a favorite for my sister and I. And her caramel corn still remains a great treat! Knowing we'd be stuck at home today, I decided it was time to introduce my kids to their Grandma's Caramel Corn.

I started by digging through my special recipe book.  This caramel corn recipe actually comes from my Great-Grandma on my Mom's side of the family.  You start with 6 quarts of popcorn.  And this was my first learning experience today. As much as I hate to admit it, I've never popped popcorn on the stove.  I don't eat a lot of popcorn to start with.  And when I do, I just buy the microwaveable bags.  So I had to figure out how to pop corn on the stove top!! Doing it as I remember Mom doing it, I started with 3 tablespoons of popcorn oil and added 4 kernels.  I turned on the stove and waited for a kernel to pop.  As soon as it did, I added 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels.

It took about 2 minutes of constant back and forth movement of the pan, with a lid on top, to get the popcorn all popped.  I'm proud to say I didn't have any unpopped kernels either!  And the popcorn tasted so much better than the microwaveablee bags.

In total I popped 1 cup of corn, giving me 4 quarts of popcorn.  I divided the 2 batches of popcorn into two big baking pans.

To make the caramel sauce, I needed 1/2c light corn syrup, 2 cups of brown sugar and 2 sticks of unsalted butter. 

Bring those ingredients to a boil and stir constantly for 5 minutes.  Then pour the  mixture over the popcorn, to which you may  have added peanuts.  I did, although you wouldn't have to.  Stir the mixture so the popcorn is coated.

Place in an oven set at 250 and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  Let cool and store.

I wish you could scratch and sniff your computer screen.  This stuff is amazing!!  I completely skipped lunch and just nibbled on caramel corn!  And I sent the pan on the left to the barn with The Farmer.  Those guys braved ice and snow to get to work this morning and will be driving home in a blizzard tonight.  I thought they deserved a treat today.  Reviews have been great from them!  And giving some away saved me a few hours on the treadmill burning off the calories!