Oven Caramel Corn and More

By Susan M. Thigpen © 1991

Issue: November, 1991

This month's recipes are from the WYVE Radio Station's Cookbook/Photo Album. They range from snacks to main dish dinners to an unusual desert, but they're still just good country cooking and would be delicious this fall when the weather turns nippy. We hope you enjoy them.

Oven Caramel Corn

3 3/4 quarts (15 cups) popped corn
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda

Heat oven to 200 degrees. Divide popped corn between 2 ungreased baking pans, 13 x 9 x 2 inches. In saucepan, heat sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt, stirring until bubbly around edges. Continue cooking over medium heat 5 minutes.

Remove from heat; stir in soda until foamy. Pour on popped corn, stirring until corn is well coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. About 15 cups corn.

Glazed Peanuts (Walnuts, Other Nuts)
Recipe from Alice Hackler

Put 1/2 cup water and 1 cup sugar into heavy frying pan and cook until it spins a thread. Add 2 cups raw peanuts. Stir constantly until each nut is brown and glazed. Spread on brown paper to cool.

Sweet Potato Fritters

2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Combine butter or margarine, potatoes, sugar, milk, and egg yolks. Beat until smooth. Sift flour, measure, and sift with baking powder and salt. Add to first mixture. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Drop by teaspoonfuls into deep fat (365 degrees). Fry until brown. Drain on crumpled absorbent paper. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. 10 servings.

Potatoes In Cream

4 cups diced, cooked potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups light cream
Snipped parsley

In large skillet, combine all ingredients except parsley; cook slowly until cream is slightly thickened and potatoes are hot. Sprinkle with parsley and a little grated cheese if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Melt In Your Mouth Chicken Pie
Recipe from Kate Tharp

3 pound fryer
2 cups reserved chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup self rising flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1 stick margarine, melted

Cook chicken until tender. Remove meat from bones and skin, reserve broth. Cut chicken into small pieces and place in 9 x 13 inch pan. In a saucepan, bring to a boil the broth and soup. In another bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper, buttermilk and margarine. Mix thoroughly to form batter. Pour broth over chicken. Spoon batter over top. Bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Squash Pie

Unbaked 9" pie shell
1 3/4 cup cooked squash, mashed, strained
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon margarine, melted

Combine squash, sugar, salt and spices. Blend in eggs, milk and butter. Pour into pie shell. Bake in hot oven 400 degrees, 50 minutes or until silver knife inserted in filling 1" from pie's edge comes out clean. Cool.

NOTE: For cholesterol watchers - use 5-6 egg whites in place of the 3 eggs, and 1 or 2% milk. Enjoy!

Editor's Note... The above pie turns out similar to pumpkin pie.