Recipes Reviews and Gadgets

How about making your own Cracker Jacks!!!!

4 Quarts Popped popcorn
1 Cup Spanish peanuts
4 Tablespoons Butter
1 Cup Brown sugar
1/2 Cup light Corn syrup
2 Tablespoons Molasses
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Combine popcorn and peanuts in a metal bowl or on a cookie sheet
and place in preheated oven. Combine all remaining ingredients in a
saucepan. Stirring over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil.
Using a cooking thermometer, bring the mixture to the hard−ball stage
(260−275 degrees). This will take about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove the popcorn and peanuts from the oven and, working very quickly,
pour the caramel mixture in a fine stream over them.
Then place them back in the oven for 15 minutes.
Mix well every five minutes, so that all of the popcorn is coated.
Cool and store in a covered container to preserve freshness.

A friend of mine sent me a PDF book of really neat make your own recipes this week. I am having a great time flipping threw the pages when I have time. Today, I found one for making your own sweetened condensed milk. I don’t know how many times, I have skipped a recipe because I do not have a can of this stuff handy. The only problem is you need powdered milk to make this, and I never have this either. I guess this is a no win situation for me, however it may work out for someone out there. It also sounds like it may be cheaper in the long run than buying those cans all the time.

Sweetened Condensed Milk

3/4 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup water
1 Cup plus 2 Tbls. powdered milk
Combine all ingredients. Heat to boiling.
Cook until thick, this will take 15 to 20
minutes. This equals one can.