The Best Caramels Ever

I got this recipes from a short lived, also my favorite ever, daytime talk show from the late 90's.  They said it would be the best and it really is.

Homemade Caramels

2 c. White Sugar
1 c. Brown Sugar
2 sticks butter or margarine
1 c. Milk
1 c. Whipping cream
1 c. Light corn syrup
1 1/4 tsp. Vanilla - to be added after cooking

• Add all ingredients (except vanilla) into a large pot, cook over low heat until butter melts (20 minutes).
• Over medium/high heat cook to 248 degrees on candy thermometer.
• Pour into 9x13 buttered metal cake pan.  Glass or stone will break due to high temperature unless preheated in the oven.  Lining the pan with buttered foil makes getting it out to cut easier but it is not necessary. 
• Cut and wrap in waxed paper or Saran self stick type plastic.  

Notes:  For softer caramels cook to 246 degrees, harder to 250 degrees. Cut the softer ones in 1x1 - 2x2 inch squares and the harder ones in 1x1/2 inch pieces and wrap. 

Upcoming Recipes

Upcoming recipes/areas I'd like to cover soon are:

• Allman Porzio - An Italian chicken with pasta dish.  Everyone that comes to my house asks me to fix this.
• Italian Turkey/Chicken Stew - So good!
• Chicken tacos - Easy and delicious dinner!
• Pizza - Homemade crust
• Italian Omelette
• Mexican Omelette
• Salmon Party Log
• Cooking Tips

Delicious Salsa - for Tortilla Chips

Your choice of chips. 1-2 bags, this recipe makes a lot!

2 cans of Rotel diced tomatoes, drained
1 can of diced tomatoes, drained
2 cans of Black-Eyed Peas, drained and rinsed
2 cans of Shoe Peg Corn, drained
1 can of Yellow Corn, drained

1 bunch of fresh Cilantro, washed and chopped
1 small-med red onion, chopped
1 small-med white onion, chopped
1 bottle of Italian Dressing, your choice of type.  It can be light, fat-free, spicey, whatever you like.

Make sure everything canned is drained well.  Rinse the Black Eye Peas...they're a bit smelly while you're draining and rinsing them.  Even after draining well in the cans...I usually have a lot more juices that need to be drained off after they are mixed into the bowl.  Drain off as much of the extra juices before adding the chopped onions, Cilantro and the Italian Dressing.  Separate into a few air tight containers and refrigerate.  Will last about 1 week if all ingredients are very fresh when made.

Grilled Asparagus

1-2 bunches* of Asparagus, washed, break ends.  Just bend closer to the cut end and it will snap in the right spot.  Spray with olive oil or a cooking spray.  Salt and pepper.  Add to a low to medium heat grill for about 10 minutes until tender.

If you have a large grilling surface and are grilling meats over medium to medium-high heat, you do not have to cook the asparagus directly over the heat if the grill is going to be left closed at 300 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.  Put it on a side with no coals and they will bake till tender but not char or dry out.

I have a little wire vegetable grilling basket that I love to use for asparagus it has a bottom basket with four sides and a top that locks on...and a handle to remove it from the fire when it's done cooking.

*1 bunch if you have large meat portions and several side dishes and a salad.  2 if you only have one or two side dishes and no salad.

Serves 2-3 people.

Grilled Cheddar Mushrooms

Use your choice of mushrooms.  Clean and wash.  Drain on paper towel.  Put on grill on a vegetable grilling tray (so you can remove them all at once without losing too much heat from the grill).  Grill over medium heat with the stem side down for about 2-3 minutes, turn over, when they are full of juices, turn dark and tender they are done cooking.  Add Cheddar cheese to the stem sides and salt with sea salt.  You can return them to the grill for a minute or so to melt the cheese well.

Grilled Italian Tomato Mushroom Tilapia

8 Tilapia filets
4 large mushrooms - I use the commonly available white mushrooms.
1 small-medium
4 stalks of asparagus
Olive oil
Cayenne pepper
Basil, 2 tsp. dried or 4 tsp. fresh
Salt

Foil - I like the non-stick type.  Grill at 250-300 degrees when closed.  Adjust the grate as necessary for the heat.

Wash and clean the mushrooms, chop very finely.
Cut the tomato in half and clean out the seeds, dice.
Wash the asparagus and chop finely.
If using fresh basil, chop the basil up and measure 4 tsp.  If using dry use about 2 tsp.

Add Cayenne pepper to the Olive oil, add all other ingredients.  Put in a cast iron skillet and heat over the grill until olive oil is infused with the Cayenne and turns orange-red.  Tear off 4 length of foil and add a small bit of olive oil (or lightly spray with PAM) to foil.  Add 2 Tilapia filets to each piece of foil.  Divide mixture into quarters and add 1/4 mixture to each filet packet.  Fold foil up to middle and crease together and fold over to seal, then fold each of the two open sides up to seal completely.

Put on grill and cook about 7 minutes on each side*.  You'll know it's hot enough and cooking perfectly if you can hear it cooking when it gets hot.  Juices run clear from fish when done.  Open the middle crease if you like to check the fish.  I don't feel it's necessary since the fish is always done if the coals are hot (if the grill is at 250-300 when you go to open it up).

*If you like your fish to get a crispy edge, put the fish on the grill with the creased middle side down first then when you flip it over open the creases to let the steam out and let the fish crisp on the edges.

4 servings.  We serve this with Grilled Asparagus that has been sprayed with olive oil and salted and Grilled Cheddar Mushrooms.

Smirnoff Ice and Blackberries!

Easy enough...plain Smirnoff Ice and add to that fresh picked blackberries.  To color the drink, crush a few berries and add those also.  Enjoy!