My Smartest Quilting Purchase…Schmetz Needles

This is my all time most favorite and smartest purchase I ever acquired for my quilting stash.

Schmetz Bulk sewing machine needles.  

I didn't even knew this was an option until I stumbled upon them.  You’ll never run out if one breaks and I’ve also found I’m less stingy with swapping for a new needle when needed.  I confess in the past I would push a needle as far as I could.  I put in a fresh needle more often now, which makes for cleaner stitches and seams.  

Purchase them through the affiliate link above and make sure your getting the size you need  :)  

Be blessed and be a blessing.  

All Recipes Caramel Corn Review

This recipe for  Caramel Corn from All Recipes has been my go to recipe for years now. 

I thought I would give you some quick tips I have discovered over time, which make it easier.  

(This post contains Affiliate links.  Thank you for your support.  

You help feed our Springer Spaniel Foster dogs)

Caramel Corn makes a great gift too.  My family begs for their share at Christmas.

Before we begin....

How do you pronounce Caramel?  

Being from Texas, I say it differently than my New England Yankee best friend.  

She always gets a kick out of my (mis)pronunciation.  

"Car-mul" 

The first thing you should know, this stuff is 
HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!!! 

Make it and promptly give it all away.  
~Put it in individual bags and sell it at a bake sale!~  
~Give it to a skinny friend with a fast metabolism.~ 
~Put it in pretty vintage tins and give as gifts.~ 

You have been warned!!!! 

I wish I knew how to load a PDF file of my Caramel Corn Recipe.  The one below is the best I can do. :)

Caramel Corn Recipe
1 Cup Butter
2 Cups Brown Sugar 
1/2 Cup Corn Syrup
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Vanilla
5 Quarts Popped Popcorn

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place popcorn in a very large bowl.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.
3. Place in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

Tips:

*I like to use a Hot Air Popper for my popcorn.  I think it's healthier this way but I can also control my portions, making as much or as little as I want.  For this recipe, you'll need 5 quarts POPPED Popcorn, not 5 quarts of unpopped kernels (are we clear??).  I just throw 5 full Pyrex 1-Quart scoops in without exact measuring.  I fill it up and dump it into my larger roaster. 

I make a ton of popcorn.  5 Quarts. 

   

*I keep my popcorn in the freezer, because I heard it kept better and popped better this way.  Is this rumor true?  I think I'm going to buy this popcorn next time too.  I like Bob's Red Mill
products and this got rave reviews.  

This photo is unnecessary, but I thought the dogs in the background waiting for spilled popcorn were funny.  

*The recipe calls for 1 Cup of butter.  If you use Salted Butter, you'll have a saltier caramel corn and it will resemble a "salted caramel" flavor.  

All the healthy ingredients you will need.  :)

*It calls for brown sugar.  I prefer light brown sugar myself.  If you use Dark Brown Sugar, you will achieve a richer "Cracker Jack" flavor.  Both sugars taste good, I just like the lighter brown sugar version better.  It's up to you.  Why not make 2 different batches and taste test?

Light brown sugar makes a lighter caramel.  Dark brown sugar makes a richer flavored one. 

*I always add extra vanilla.  Because I love vanilla.  

*Be sure to butter all your pans and utensils or use Pam.  Your tools will get sticky with the hot caramel.  It makes tossing easier.  

Obligatory photo of boiling caramel in a sauce pan.  :)

*When you first pour the caramel over your corn, you'll be disappointed that not Every. Single. Piece. of Popcorn isn't coated with your caramel. Don't worry about that.  In the baking process, it some how manages to melt and spread itself around.  All will be well in the end.  I promise.  Just keep GENTLY tossing it every 15 minutes as the recipe above directs. 

Pour your caramel over the popcorn and gently toss with a buttered fork or tongs.  

*When working with hot sugar, I like having an extra set of hands.  1 person can do the job, but I always like it when a family member pours the liquid while I toss and coat the popcorn with the boiling caramel...using a buttered utensil.  

*I like to use 2 pans for baking, rather than 1 deep one.  It bakes the caramel corn evenly.      

*TOSS your caramel with tongs, or gently FOLD it in, like you would fold egg whites into batter.  Don't be rough with your batch because your popcorn will break into a billion tiny pieces.  

Give me something good to eat.  My nephews beg for their own private stash of caramel corn

Caramel Corn holds up well in a care package too.

Package it up individually for friends or for a fall bake sale.  Everyone loves it.  

What's your favorite Fall treat?  

Share with me in the comments below.  

Thank you for stopping by.  

Be blessed and be a blessing!

Choose Joy. 

:) 

"Mom.  This is not caramel corn. I'm hurt. Deeply hurt." 

~Autumn~

"The season for enjoying the fullness of life ~ 

partaking of the harvest, sharing the harvest with others, 

and reinvesting the saving portions of the harvest for yet another season of growth." 

~Denis Waitley~

Sharing with:
Walking On Sunshine ~ Foody Friends Friday Link Up
2 Crochet Hooks ~ Snickerdoodle Sunday

Young Living Essential Oils with our Dogs

I would love to share how Young Living Essential Oils has been changing our lives.  My sister has been using them for 8 years.  Always a skeptic, I doubted.  I finally gave in for the sake of the dogs. What could it hurt?  At least they smelled good right?

Woah..........our dogs are different creatures.

I. Am. A. Believer.

Hit me up if you want some oils or want to become a wholesale member with Young Living.  This is an excited journey and I would love to travel it with like minded dog lovers.  :)

This is an UN-STAGED photo of our rescued dog, Olivia.  Where ever the lavender is being diffused, she will follow it, lie down and sleep.  She LOVES it.  It's the strangest thing.  Lavender, Peace and Calming, Valor and Joy have been helping another one of our dogs, Charlie.  He is high maintenance with a lot of anxiety.  I tried Joy last week and he stopped growling.  LOL  It's so funny how these things work.  I don't get it.  I don't understand it.  I don't care.  If it works, I'm sold.  :)

(If you click on the Young Living link above and want to order product or become a wholesale member yourself, please use my number #1873867.  Any sales or bonuses I make help us with our dog fostering.  The rescue group we work with pays the vet bills, but we feed them and pay for the gas to transport them, etc.  Thank you for your support.  Every little bit helps).  

Be blessed and be a blessing.  

Stop and smell the roses

Jude's first time to smell a flower or touch a rose.