Bryce's Caramels

I grew up with my Dad making these caramels for all of our special occasions. One of the great joys of my childhood. They are delicious! With the addition of new cooking tools they are now easier to make.

1C. brown sugar, packed
1C. white sugar
1C. white karo syrup
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) Blue Bonnet margarine or butter

Combine all ingredients in a non-stick, heavy gauge saucepan. Cook on medium heat stirring until the mixture comes to a rolling boil. Place a candy thermometer in the pan, and continue to cook until the mixture reaches a temperature of 244. Pour immediately into a buttered silicon 8x8x2 pan. If you would like chopped nuts on your caramels, let the mixture cool for 10 minutes and then sprinkle them over the mixture pressing them slightly into the top to set them. Let cool for several hours until firm. Turn the pan over and push slightly until the caramels come out. Cut with a non-stick knife (Kuhn Rikon) into squares. (Don't cut them in the silicon pan) They can be wrapped individually in wax paper.

Hot Cranberry Punch

Recipe from Linda Thompson

64 oz. bottle cranberry juice cocktail
12-oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate
12-oz. can frozen pineapple juice concentrate
3 Cups water
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. allspice
Garnish with orange slices, cinnamon sticks

In a 5 qt. saucepan or slow cooker combine cranberry juice, frozen juice concentrates, water and cinnamon. Simmer over medium low heat until well blended and hot. At serving time garnish with orange slices and cinnamon sticks.
Serves 12-14

Apple Cinnamon Cake

This is a recipe from Betty Crocker. It is easy and delicious. I always get many complements about this cake!

1 package of Betty Crocker Spice cake mix
1 can (21 oz.) apple pie filling
3 eggs
3 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Whipped Topping (cool whip)

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9x13 cake pan. *Beat cake mix(dry), pie filling and eggs in a large bowl on low speed for 2 minutes. Spread half of the batter in pan. Mix sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar on the batter in the pan. Spread the remaining cake batter in pan; and again sprinkle it with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool. Serve with whipped topping.

*High Altitude:(3500-6500 ft) Stir in 3 Tbs. all purpose flour into dry cake mix. Bake for 40-45 min.

Raspberry Honey Butter

This recipe was famous at the Inn At Temple Square

1 lb. salted butter
8 oz. honey
8 oz. raspberry preserves*
1 tsp. vanilla

Whip butter until light and fluffy. Add honey, preserves, and vanilla. Whip until well mixed. Chill.
* May want to use seedless preserves. Could try with other berry preserves as well.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles

From my good friend Marita and for those that are Vegan

1/2 C canola oil
1 C sugar
1/4 C pure maple syrup
3 T. almond milk (or other non dairy milk)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. chocolate extract (can use more vanilla or maybe almond)
1 2/3 C flour
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper ( I half this)

Topping
1/3 C sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Mix the topping ingredients together on a plate and set aside.
In medium mixing bowl, use a fork to vigorously mix together oil, sugar, syrup, and milk. Mix in extracts.
Sift in remaining ingredients. Mix until you've got a pliable dough.
Roll dough into walnut sized balls. Pat into the sugar topping to flatten into 2" disks. Transfer to the baking sheet sugar side up, and 2" apart. This should be easy as the bottom of the cookie should just stick to your fingers. Flip them over onto the baking sheets.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. They should spread a bit and crackle on top. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to cool.

Chocolate Chip Cookie for Wilton Giant Cookie Pan

1/2 C butter (1 stick)
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/4 C brown sugar packed
1 egg
3/4 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray pan with vegetable spray. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with sugars. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread dough into prepared pan with spatula. Bake 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool before cutting. Decorate.

Sugar Cookie for Wilton Giant Cookie Pan

1/2 C butter (1 stick)
1 C sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. baking powder
1 3/4 C flour
1 T milk
1/2 tsp. Pure Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray giant cookie pan with vegetable pan spray. Cream butter and sugar, add egg and mix. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Dip hands into flour and pat dough into prepared pan. Prick dough with a fork. Bake 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Place on cooling rack for 5 minutes. Loosen edges with spatula; remove from pan and cool.

Green Apple Sourdough Pancakes

This recipe came from the food network magazine

Sourdough Starter:
1 C. whole milk
1 tsp. active dry yeast (1/2 packet)
1/2 C. apple cider
3 T. packed light brown sugar
2 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 C. all purpose flour

For the Pancakes:
1/2 C. all purpose flour
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 small tart green apple, peeled and grated
1-2 T unsalted butter
Maple syrup
Chopped pecans for garnish

Directions:
Make the sourdough starter: Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat to about 110 degrees F. Transfer to a medium bowl, sprinkle with the yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the cider, brown sugar,butter, and 1 cup flour until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature overnight.
The next morning make the pancakes. whisk 1/2 C. flour, the egg, baking soda, salt and apple into the sourdough starter. Melt 1 T. butter in a cast iron griddle or non stick skillet over medium heat. Pour about 1.4 C batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Cook until the tops are bubbly and the edges set, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown. Drizzle with syrup and garnish with pecans.

Tortilla Soup

This soup is a favorite. It is more like a hearty chicken vegetable soup with Mexican spices and garnishes. Be creative- you could use almost any vegetable that you like

1 pkg. of Mrs. Grass Homestyle chicken noodle soup mix (made by Wyler's)**
8 cups of water
1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomato's with juice
1 onion chopped
2 celery sticks diced
Carrots 1/2 bag of baby carrots or 2 large carrots sliced
4-5Potatoes diced (I used red potatoes and leave the skins on. You could use any potato you want)
1 Cup of frozen corn or 1 can of corn drained
1 can of beans drained (red, black,white)
1 lb. of chicken (I use the frozen boneless, skinless chicken tenders and slice them up)
3 T Lawrey's seasoning salt
1T Cumin
1T Cilantro (more if using fresh. Fresh can be added as a garnish to the bowl)
Grated Mexican Cheese
Tortilla Chips crushed
Lime Wedges

Take a little bit of olive oil and put it in a large soup pot. Heat and add your chicken pieces. Saute for 2-3 minutes until they are slightly golden in color. Add in your celery, onion, and carrots.Saute for an additional 2 minutes. Remove chicken and vegetables from pot. Add water, soup mix**, stir together. Add tomato's, potatoes, and all seasonings. Bring to a simmer and let potatoes cook for 5-10 minutes until they are beginning to soften. Add back chicken, and other vegetables, corn, and beans. Simmer just until potatoes are soft enough to prick with a fork.
Place in bowls and have cheese, tortilla chips, lime wedges, and fresh cilantro as a garnish.

** I take the soup mix and remove the noodles.(use a strainer with big holes) I just like the vegetables and seasoning of this mix. You could use chicken broth in a pinch, but the flavor of this mix is amazing.

When I am in a hurry I do not saute anything before. I start with the water, soup mix, and seasonings. I add in all the ingredients in the order of how much time they will need to cook. Be careful to not let the soup boil. Keep it at a simmer, and don't cook the chicken till closer to the end or it will get tough. You could also use a roaster chicken from the grocery store that is all cooked. Just shred the meat and add to soup.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

2 C. buttermilk baking mix
1 C. milk
1 large egg
1 T. sugar
1/2 C. semisweet chocolate chips
syrup or chocolate syrup

In a medium bowl, whisk together the baking mix, milk, egg, and sugar until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.
Heat a griddle over medium high heat. Grease lightly. Pour out about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook until bubbles appear and the edges are dry. Flip and cook until the other side is golden brown. Serve with the syrup of your choice.

Volcano Punch

3 quarts Pineapple juice
2 cans (6 oz) frozen limeade concentrate
2 quarts ginger ale
2 pints orange or lemon sherbet
Fresh fruit garnish

In punch bowl, combine juice and limeade. Just before serving, stir in ginger ale and add scoops of sherbet. Garnish with fruit. Makes about 6 quarts

Candy Popcorn

Candy Popcorn
This is the recipe that my children loved to snack on. I got it from my good friend Julie Adams.

1/2 C. butter or margarine
1/2 C. light karo syrup
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix first 3 ingredients together in a microwaveable bowl. Cover and cook on high in 1 minute segments. Stir until the ingredients are mixed together well. Continue microwaving until the ingredients come to a rolling boil. Let boil for 1 minute. Take out and stir in vanilla. Pour over 6-8 Cups of popped popcorn. Mix together and serve.
You could add additional ingredients to the popcorn like nuts, cereals, dried fruit etc.