caramels

Since mom died, there has been a couple times where we wished we had a certain recipe that she would always use.  I decided that I would start archiving some of the recipes that I use frequently, just in case my kids would like to have it some day.

Homemade Caramels.

We made these for Christmas this last year.  They are yummi-o.  I actually got the recipe from my sister Amylee.  She is really good at making them.

You will need a candy thermometer to make these.
1 cup butter
1 lb brown sugar or 2 cups-
1 cup karo syrup
1 can sweet condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla

In large saucepan, melt butter.  Add brown sugar, karo and cond. milk to melted butter.  Stir until it reaches 236'.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Pour into buttered 9x13 glass pan.  Let cool.  Cut into 1/2"x 2" pieces.  Wrap individually in wax paper.

TIPS-
* I like to cut my butter up into chunks before melting.  It seems to help it melt quicker before it  burns.
* I like to weigh my brown sugar on a scale to 1 lb.  I feel like I get a more consistent result.
*I stir with a long fork.  I feel it has a wider end that is actually touching the bottom of the pan.  A spoon doesn't really have much touching the bottom.  Make sure to stir in the creases of the pan to get all the stuff off the bottom.  There may be darker flecks as you stir but they all even out as they set up.

Weekend Home

      I actually had a weekend where I stayed home, mostly.  Between Christmas Shopping, Dance competitions, being travel buddies with my sisters, I have been gone almost every Saturday since the start of December.  I wasn't sure how to act.  We actually did some house cleaning.  My kids weren't very excited about that.  I took the little kids over to the elementary to watch their friends play pee wee basketball for a minute.  We just had a chill day.  I loved it.  Savanna and Talon went out and Hallie hung out with Whitney and the littles just played cards and watched tv.  I did end up meeting Kell and KD in Burley for a quick girls dinner.  We met up at Stevo's and had some yummy food and some good laughs.
      Sunday I played my violin in the 3rd ward at Josh Lind's missionary homecoming.  I played, Nearer, my God to Thee.  So we went to their Sacrament meeting and called it a day.  We just chilled after. Kell and her kids eneded up coming over since we weren't at our regular late church.  The kids were so excited to have them over.  Since we moved to 1 pm church, we just haven't seen them much on Sundays.  It was a big football Sunday so unfortunately, we had football on.  It was cute to see Jase getting all worked up over the football game.
        We have started having Family Home Evening on Sunday nights because during the week is just a bit too crazy to really have a meaningful evening together.  So Hallie baked some no-bake cookies for our treat and she worked on getting our FHE board name tags made so I can actually hang it on the wall.  The kids actually asked about family night a couple times during the week, which makes me more motivated to make sure it happens.  I will admit, it is a challenge for FHE to happen at our house and it is one of our new resolutions for the year as a family.  I love my little family.