Caramel and Gourmet Pretzels Recipe

Good afternoon. I am having to hold onto my computer and everything else for dear life today. We have 20-40 mph winds with gusts up to 60 mph. It is cold and snowy and just plain yucky. I had to take our outdoor cats out to the barn today. Most of them didn't know about the barn. I had to lure them out with food. I haven't seen any of them up here so I hope they are all snug and cozy. They will have to come up to the house for food and water. It's too cold to trek out there to feed them. At least now they know they have somewhere warm to be.

I wanted to share a recipe for homemade caramels that I have been making for years. It has become a kind of expected treat each year. It was even featured in a Gooseberry Patch Christmas cookbook years ago. So far, I have made 3 batches and may have to do another.

Homemade Caramels

1 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
dash salt
1 cup light corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter in 3 qt heavy saucepan. Add sugar and salt. Stir thoroughly and stir in corn syrup. Mix well and add sweet milk. Stir constantly while cooking over medium heat to firm ball stage--245 degrees Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and pour into greased 9 x 9 pan. Cool completely, cut into small square and wrap.

It recommends wrapping in wax paper. This works but doesn't always look the nicest if you are giving as gifts. I buy foil candy wrappers from Nashville Wraps. I am sure you can find them in cooking stores as well.

Gourmet Pretzels

Caramel recipe above

1 bag milk chocolate chips

1 bag peanut butter chips

peanuts

2 bags pretzel rods--I break them in half

Chop the chocolate and peanut butter chips and peanuts. I use a food processor and do each separately. Put each in its own bowl. Take equal amounts of each and put into a pie tin or something so you can roll your pretzel in it. Mix together. ( I only mix a little at a time because you can save whatever you don't use for later.) Dip your pretzels in the caramel (I dip the broken end), let excess drip off and roll in your toppings. Place on wax paper to cool. Store in a sealed container.

These are both easy and tasty treats. Enjoy!!

Take care and stay warm!!
~Melissa~