Caramel Popcorn

 Karo Syrup-Free Caramel Popcorn Recipes

 SWEETER VERSION (But with less butter)

  Popping Corn
4 Tbsp. (1/4 C.)  Butter
1/2 C. Honey
Salt
Sunflower Oil (or butter, for popping)


Put the honey and butter in a saucepan on the stove, over high heat. You may want to add a little bit of salt at this point, especially if you're using usalted butter. Make sure your sauce pan holds at least 5 to 6 cups, since the honey will bubble up quite a bit. Meanwhile, pop the popcorn, and dump into a large bowl. Now keep stirring the boiling, bubbling, honey butter caramel until it seems thick enough - about 3-4 minutes. Remember, it will harden when it cools. Working quickly, drizzle the caramel over the popped popcorn, scraping the pan. Toss the popcorn mixture with two spoons or your hands, until all of the popcorn is covered with caramel.

 MORE BUTTERY VERSION (But with less honey)

Simply pop a batch of corn (about 2/3 a cup of kernels). While it cools in a big bowl, melt half a stick of butter down with 2-3 spoonfuls of honey (it depends on your sweet tooth). Add a generous amount of salt and a splash of vanilla (optional, but it adds a great aroma). Let the honey butter mixture come to a foaming boil, stirring constantly. Once it has reached the boiling point, remove the pot from the heat and drizzle it over the popcorn, tossing the corn with a long-handled spoon as you pour.



                                                         MY VERSION

Equal parts honey and butter (about 1/2 c. to 1 c.)

Pop popcorn and set aside. Melt honey and butter on the stove in a pan. Stir continuously until the mixture starts to turn a brownish color (it may take a few minutes, just be patient...it will be noticeable when it happens).  Quickly pour mixture over popcorn and enjoy!



*I haven't tried this, but if you want to try and substitute some butter, you could probably try using coconut oil

Delicious Wassail Recipe

Here We Come A-Wassailing

We invited some friends over for a Family Home Evening. I felt like we needed a fall treat. I decided that nothing says fall and winter more than wassail. Super easy and delicious!

• 2 Quarts Apple Cider (Equivalent to 8 c. or 64 oz)
• 2 C. Orange Juice
• 1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice
• 2 (3 inch) cinnamon sticks or 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. whole cloves
• 1/2 c. honey

Combine ingredients in slow cooker until warmed and ready to serve! 

Liz's Delicious Pumpkin Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Liz shared this delicious recipe with me and I wanted my family and friends to enjoy it as well! I am picky when it comes to pumpkin things. I love the flavor, but there's nothing worse to me than undercooked pumpkin. If you like these more gooey, cook them for less time (Liz does it for 10 mins). If you're like me and want them not gooey at all, cook them for the alloted time of 14-15 mins. I feel like 14 is perfect for me, but experiment yourself. And...my cookies look nothing like these, but maybe it's because I use wheat flour.

Step 1

 -2  cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp salt

Step 2
- 1 cup unsalted butter  (Liz mixes 1/2 c. butter and 1/2 c. coconut oil)
-1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar

Step 3

- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg

- 1 TB vanilla extract

Step 4

- 2 cups rolled oats (oatmeal)

Step 5

- 1 cup chocolate chips

- 1/2 cup white chocolate chip 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.

2. Next beat butter, sugar and brown sugar until well creamed together.

3. Now add in pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Beat until combined well.

4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.

5. Next, stir in your oats. Mix well.

6. Stir in both the white and dark chocolate chips.

7. Drop cookie dough by the rounded tablespoon on to the prepared baking. sheet.

8. Bake cookies for 14-15 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. DO NOT OVER COOK. They will seem a little soft, but will firm up as they cool. You want to keep the nice, soft texture! Hope you enjoy these most delicious Pumpkin Oatmeal DOUBLE Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Coyne Family Memory:

I never can think about Halloween without thinking about the year Liz put on a Halloween Carnival for the kids she babysat. That was so fun! I remember bobbing for apples, a fortune teller, ghost stories, popcorn balls, bean bag tosses and a haybale maze. Thanks for all the great memories. I remember how well we all worked together as a family to put it together. I loved baking the popcorn balls with mom (or at least watching her make them). I feel like Liz was the fortune teller...or was it Jodie?