Caramel Popcorn

 A little salty, a little sweet...perfect for game day nibbling or edible gift giving!

Ingredients:

16 cups popped corn

1 cup salted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1-2 tsps sea salt, divided

In a saucepan melt the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and half the salt together over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then keep on continuous boil for 4 minutes without stirring. (It's hard to resist stirring it though!) After the 4 minutes remove from heat and add the vanilla. Cool 2 minutes.

Pour the caramel over the popped corn. Use 2 bowls so you have room to stir it together. Keep stirring to coat the corn completely. 

Spread the popcorn out in 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, sprinkle with salt and bake in a 250°F oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The first recipe I tried called for 300°F and some of the caramel burned in the first 10 minutes! So low and slow is the way to go here.

Once cooled they're ready for snacking or gifting.

In this case we packaged up the caramel corn mixed with some regular butter popcorn as little party favours for an engagement dinner.

Cute eh?

Creamy Beef Tortellini with Asparagus and Kale

One pot and about 30 minutes is all you need to get your green on 💚!

Ingredients:

2 kale leaves

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp finely chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 1/2 cups 1" pieces asparagus

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy cooking cream

2 tsps cornstarch

1/2 tsp dry basil

1/2 tsp dry oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3/4 lb (350g pkg) fresh beef tortellini 

2 oz cream cheese, plain or herb flavoured

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup frozen and thawed green peas

juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon

2 tsps fresh chopped parsley to garnish

First take the kale and remove the stems. Then massage with a tsp of olive oil, chop and set aside.

Melt the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the onion and asparagus and cook 2 minutes. Then add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.

Add 1 1/2 cups broth, cream and tortellini.

Mix the cornstarch and remaining 1 cup broth with basil, oregano, salt and pepper and pour into the skillet. Stir and bring to a boil.

Simmer until the tortellini are cooked, about 4-5 minutes.

Then turn to low and add the cream cheese, stirring to melt. Add the parmesan cheese, peas, lemon juice and zest and the kale. Heat through then serve topped with chopped parsley.

So creamy! (And green 💚😀)

Serves 4

Marry Me Chicken

I had never made this recipe before but thought it appropriate for the coming together of two families in celebration of our children's recent engagement. It's not usually recommended to try out a new recipe at a special event, but luckily this one was a crowd pleaser. This recipe has immediately earned a place in our family favourites group of recipes!

Large batch serves 10-12 

(And see pasta option below)

Ingredients:

3 1/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast

3 tbsps olive oil, divided

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsps dried oregano

1/2 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy cooking cream

1 cup sundried tomatoes, slivered

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2 tbsps fresh chopped parsley to garnish

You could leave the chicken breasts whole, but I prefer to cut them in half. Some people will eat just one piece, but can always come back for more. Season both sides of the meat  with salt and pepper and, working in 2 batches, heat a tbsp of olive oil to medium high in a large skillet and brown 3-4 minutes on each side. 

Remove the chicken to an oiled baking pan large enough to hold the chicken with deep sides to accommodate the sauce. I used a 17 X 12" pan 2" deep.

Next reduce heat to medium, add 1 tbsp oil in the skillet along with the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes. Stir 1 minute scraping up any brown bits.

Pour the broth and heavy cream into the skillet as well as the sundried tomatoes and parmesan cheese. Heat through, simmering 2-3 minutes. Check to see if it needs more salt or pepper then pour over the chicken in the baking pan.

Bake uncovered in a 375°F oven for 17-20 minutes. Check the chicken for doneness at 17 minutes and only add more time if necessary. If it's done and you want to keep it warm while preparing other components of the meal simply cover the pan with foil and keep it in the oven (turned off) for about 30 minutes.

Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley and these Slow Cooker Lipton Onion Soup Mix Potatoes

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2020/09/slow-cooker-lipton-onion-soup-mix.html

This recipe is definitely going to be on heavy rotation! And...

... if you have any leftovers it makes a great pasta dish!

Just slice up the chicken in the sauce and toss with cooked pasta. Delicious!

Slow Cooker Lipton Onion Soup Mix Potatoes

Adapted from an oven recipe, this slow cooker version works very well and frees up your oven for other goodies you've got cooking. Also great in hot weather, no need to have the oven on. (Will have to keep this one in mind next summer!)

Ingredients:

2 lbs russet potatoes, sliced thinly about 1/4"

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

4 tbsps Lipton dry onion soup mix

1/3 cup olive oil

1 onion sliced (optional, see below)

Spray a large slow cooker crock with cooking oil. I have made these potatoes 2 ways so I'll tell you what I did. For this first go round I layered the potatoes in the pot, sprinkled the garlic, pepper and soup mix all over then drizzled the olive oil.

Set on high these potatoes cooked for 4 hours. Do not open the lid to have a peek!

They were delicious and the bottom layer was quite crispy.

I wouldn't call them burned would you?

But for this alternative place slices of onion on the bottom of the oiled crock and then layer the potatoes and continue as above. Only this time they were cooked for just 3 hours with no crispy bits only tender, flavoured slices. Both ways are equally good, it's just a matter of preference.

Serves 8-10

Original recipe from: www.themagicalslowcooker.com

Creamy Old Fashioned Rice Pudding

The days are getting cooler now so we're starting to transition to fall comfort foods. I haven't pulled out the pumpkin recipes yet, but they're coming!

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked and cooled white rice

2 1/2 cups milk, divided

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs, beaten

2 tbsps butter

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

a pinch to 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Combine rice, 2 cups milk, sugar and salt in a medium to large size pot. You want the sides to be high enough to be able to stir without sloshing milk out onto the stove. Using cooled rice keeps the grains from clumping together.

Cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture starts to get thick and creamy, stirring regularly. Combine the beaten eggs with 1/2 cup milk and add to the pot, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the butter, vanilla and cinnamon if using it.

Spoon into serving bowls. Serve warm or chilled. If you are chilling it remember to cover the bowls with plastic wrap to avoid the pudding forming a skin on top.

Makes 4 servings

Pan Grilled Parmesan Romaine

Have you ever grilled romaine lettuce? Hmm...me neither. I've seen recipes for it and my Mom has been telling me about how good it is for years! So I finally did it and you really have to try it to believe it! This humble lettuce transforms into a next level side dish!

Ingredients for 3 servings:

3 romaine heart halves 

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

coarse ground pepper

dried oregano

Clean and dry the romaine using paper towels. Cut in half leaving the core intact as much as possible and remove any wilted leaves.

Brush both sides all over with olive oil. Grill in a large skillet starting with cut side down for 2 minutes on medium heat. Carefully turn over and cook 2 more minutes. Drizzle with balsamic and sprinkle with parmesan, black pepper and oregano.

Serve immediately

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂

Sweet and Sour Glazed Shrimp

This fakeout takeout has the perfect blend of sweet and sour and is another recipe ready in under 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp avocado oil

3/4 lb shrimp, we used size 16/20

salt and pepper

2 tbsps Chinese plum sauce

2 tbsps ketchup

1 tsp soya sauce

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tbsp finely chopped onion

2 tbsps finely chopped sweet red pepper

2 tsps minced garlic

1 tsp minced ginger

1 1/2 tbsps rice wine vinegar

Clean and prepare the shrimp, then salt and pepper them and set aside for a minute. Combine the plum sauce, ketchup, soya sauce and red pepper flakes.

Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink on all sides, about 2-3 minutes. Remove to a plate.

To the same skillet add the onion, sweet red pepper, garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute. Add the rice wine vinegar to de-glaze the pan, then add the sauce and bring to a simmer.

Return the shrimp to the pan and toss together to coat. Then ready to serve over rice.

Serves 2-3

Adapted from Food Network's recipe of the same name.