Caramel Popcorn

6 quarts of popped popcorn (usually eyeball by almost filling my large Tupperware bowl; leaving room to stir popcorn with caramel sauce)

2 2/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup butter

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

Popcorn has been popped and is set aside in a large bowl.  

Place brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a medium sauce pan. Stir over medium heat until sugar has dissolved and mixture is boiling.  Add sweetened condensed milk and cook five minutes, stirring constantly.  

Pour caramel over the popped popcorn and stir until it is well-coated. You can eat it right out of the bowl, just don't forget to share. OR you can spread on a nonstick surface to cool and then place in an airtight container. OR you can form into popcorn balls and wrap individually.

Chewable goodness....ENJOY!

Cream of the Crop

This year to motivate the kids to read the Conference issue of the Ensign, I used an analogy.  I explained to them that the cream of the milk was always the most prized part of fresh milk.  This, along with other high quality farming goods, gave the saying "the cream of the crop" a place amongst American cliches.  When we use this cliche we are describing whatever is "the cream of the crop" as the best of the best.

General Conference (where the entire body of the Church meets together to listen to the prophet, apostles, seventies and other general officers; occurs bi-annually) is like the cream of the gospel.  While we are learning all the time from the scriptures and Sunday lessons, we get the most important, pertinent counsel for our time in Conference. 

"The Lord will tell you what he wants you to do with your life...the Holy Ghost carries the word of The Lord unto our hearts in terms we can understand...listen to these things, as if from the mouth of The Lord...live them.  He has spoken to help you, to strengthen you, and to lead you home into His presence." (Elder Robert D. Hales, Oct. 2014)

We set our goals and a date to have them completed by.  Once complete we all get to take part in an ice cream feast. Sundaes extraordinaire will be served with all the toppings imaginable!  

The best part is the motivation it gives me.  (I am part Robinson, ha!)  I love the gospel and I love ice cream--this way I get the best of both!

Flautas

I realized last night as I made these delectable flautas that food is a very important part of my happiness, or at least the happiness of my stomach.  It's a winner with everyone else too.

Chicken Flautas

Saute in a pan with 2 T shortening:
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced

Combine and stir in:
1 T cornstarch
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper

Mix well.

Add:
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 1/4 c. chicken, cooked and chopped
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies

Cook until thickened and remove from heat.

Spoon mixture into center of flour tortilla, roll up and fry in 1/4" hot oil.  Cook until lightly browned and crisp.

These are best served while hot.  Enjoy them with guacamole, salsa or sour cream.

Zucchini Galore

I'm sure you'll all be able to relate to the too many zucchini thing.  This year we are no different, as you can see...

I've decided that one family needs only one plant. Or maybe one neighborhood needs only one plant?  I'm amazed by their colossal size.  We found a few yummy recipes.  This one is a hit with Ben and me (from my mom's old Mormon Country Cooking)...

...though the kids prefer things like chocolate zucchini cake or double chocolate zucchini bread from Lion House. Oh, and my friend said she liked Zucchini Chili Nachos. I'm sure there are an endless amount of recipes.  I would LOVE your comments and you can share your favorite way to use zucchini!

Raspberries Galore

When we bought this house we knew we'd also be getting big raspberry patches.  Little did we know how many raspberries could come out of them.

This week, so far, I've picked enough to make 8 batches of raspberry jam (freezer and boiled). That doesn't include those harvested by two sets of neighbors before that.

I got the frozen raspberry jam recipe from my wise neighbor:

• To 5 c. crushed raspberries add 1 box of MPC pectin and let sit for 20 minutes.
• Stir 3 1/2 c. sugar plus 1/2 c. corn syrup into berries and cook until "blood" or "bottle" warm. (Just to dissolve sugar. DO NOT BOIL.)
• Pour into freezer-worthy containers.

The raspberry jam recipe comes from my mom:

• To 6 c. crushed raspberries plus 2 c. crushed blackberries (or more raspberries) stir in 1 box MPC pectin and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Measure 8 c. sugar in a separate bowl (later you will need to add it all at the same time).
• Bring mixture to a boil stirring continuously.
• Add all of the sugar while stirring, to avoiding clumps, and return to a rolling boil.
• Turn down temperature to maintain a good simmer (I learned the hard way that if it is not rolling then the jam doesn't get cooked good enough).
• Boil for 8 minutes.
• Test jam by putting some on a cold dish; if it "sets up" then it is done.
• Pour into clean jars, wipe jar rims, top with heated canning lids, screw on band hand-tight and turn jars upside down. Leave for ten minutes, then right the jars and let stand. You will hear the lids begin to pop/seal.  (Note: because I don't bathe the jars the jam may not last as long on the shelf, but at my house it never lasts long enough to worry!)

This morning I used the rest of the leftover raspberries in raspberry-blueberry muffins. They turned out fabulous. A good way to spoil the family after all the hard work put into making the jam!

thursday thoughts

It seems the Pack family has been adjusting well to Blackfoot, Idaho.

Hyrum "loves doing his homework as long as he gets Mommy to bribe him. When he's behind a week the big kahuna-bribe has to come out--extra time on Mommy's iPad! (Can't really take a photo of him playing on my iPad, but you get the picture.)

Ally made me promise not to post this one, but it is so Ally! She must be feeling comfortable to come out with her creative drawings like this one.

And Benji, what more can I say! (He loves playing Monopoly. He got Monopoly Deal for his Christmas present and loves it too.)

Daddy captured the essence of our holidays with this picture. We have become TV-holics where Psych, Once Upon a Time, Studio C or Sue Thomas FB-eye are involved. Before you get hot and bothered let me just tell you that the cold here will drive you to do things like this. ;)

I must say that this was another vision of our holidays as well. See, the TV didn't swallow us up entirely....

We've loved having so much time together as a family, even on a day to day basis. We appreciate Ben's sacrifice and love the blessings that have come with having each other through this change. We miss our friends and family but have so enjoyed not being "distracted" by an overly busy, friendly schedule.

Here's to many more family days!

thursday thoughts: A Month in Review

Just over a month ago I was privileged to attend a celebration of the life of my friend's mother (who has battled brain tumors for nine years).  She is a beautiful woman.  Her smile and hugs are an indelible part of my memory. Thanks, Teri, for sharing her and being my friend all these years.  

(Photo by Trent Nelson)

After spending a cozy night at my brother's house I enjoyed freezing my tail off at a BYU football game the next day.  I treated myself to a hot dog and extra long maple bar, hoping to warm up a bit. The Cougar Tail (no pun intended) may not have warmed me up but it took my mind off the cold for a while. Yummm! (No comment, Clark--who witnessed me tear the bag apart and lick the frosting.) I had the best chauffeurs too.  It just so happened that my Blackfoot neighbors were going down to attend the same game.  They managed to get me to and from Utah in one piece.  

Then, Sunday we had our first visitors.  Our Orem neighbors, the Goates, stopped by on their way to and from Yellowstone National Park. (There is an open invitation to all who might have the same inclinations...good food and comfortable sleeping arrangements...and most importantly, good company!)  It was good to see them and catch up on the latest in our old stomping grounds.

It didn't take long for the snows to come.  Hyrum takes advantage of it no matter how deep.

Our next big event was a Czech meal at Ben's missionary trainer's house--the McCalls.  His wife is Czech chef extraordinaire.  She asked me ahead of time to find out what we'd like to eat.  I just happened to tell her my all time favorite, albeit one of the most difficult dishes to make.  The picture above doesn't capture how amazing it actually was to the taste buds.  It's svickova na smetane--roast beef, dumplings with vegetable cream sauce, topped with cranberry sauce.  I think I may have to adopt this for future Thanksgivings it's that GOOD!  (I'm hoping to post a link to her recipe blog soon.)

Here is Ben with Walter McCall, both obviously full from dinner. Oh, and I didn't mention that after filling up on dinner Marketa served up ovocne knedliky (fruit dumplings) for dessert.  Let me just say that I was sick with pleasure.  (Fruit dumplings satisfy as a meal all by themselves, so you can imagine how full we were.  Don't hesitate to request this Czech dessert during your stay here at the Pack Motel.)