Caramel

This is how we do Family Home Evening in the foothills!

2 C sugar
1 C light corn syrup
2 C heavy cream
1/4 C butter
1 T vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

mix sugar and syrup in heavy saucepan, stir until dissolved and mixture boils. Cook to 270 without stirring. Slowly add one cup of warmed cream so that mixture never stops boiling. Cook to 250, stirring frequently. Carefully add remaining cup of cream, about one tablespoon at a time. stirring constantly. Now add salt and butter and cook to 250, stirring if needed (for softer caramel, cook to lower temp here, to do caramel apples, I cook to 244). Remove from heat, add vanilla. Dip apples while caramel is hot, it thickens quickly as it cools.

Microwave Caramel Corn

Ingredients:
one quart plain popcorn
1 cube butter or margarine
1 C brown sugar
1/4 C light karo corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Pop one quart of popcorn in an old fashioned popper or microwave popper - anything so long as it is plain. Transfer to a paper bag, making sure there are no seeds.

In a 4 cup microwave safe bowl, combine one stick butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup white Karo syrup, and 1/2 t salt. Microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make sure it comes to a really good boil.

Remove from microwave, and stir in baking soda until foamy. Pour on top of popcorn in bag, and shake well. Microwave for one and a half minutes. Remove and shake again. Microwave for another 30 seconds. Spread on wax paper to cool.