Finally the last of the Holiday baking. My mom and I have tried to make carmels every single year, and they never turn out, they are rock hard or too soft. This year I had a recipe in my google reader that I wanted to try. I talked my mom into it and off we went.

The end result these carmels were AMAZING! They have such good flavor they didn’t make it into any of our goodie tins as we ate them all ourselves.

You have to try these carmels!

Carmels (From: Gimpy’s Kitchen)

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 c. corn syrup
• 2 c. heavy cream
• 1 c. butter
• 1 t. vanilla extract

Butter a 9 x 13 inch dish

In a heavy saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, 1 cup cream and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring often, then stir in remiaing 1 cup cream. Heat, without stirring to 242 degrees, or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a firm but pliable ball. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and pour into a prepared dish. Regrigerate.

When cool, return candies to room temperature then cut into 1 inch squares and wrap in waxed paper.

This sandwich was inspired from a local restaurant, they have a slow cooked pork and ham panini that is awesome! I was originally going to do slow cooked pork but then decided that corn beef would be AWESOME on it, these were awesome, and I cannot wait to make them again.

Corn Beef and Ham Panini (From: Myself)

• Corn beef cooked and shredded
• Sliced Ham
• Sliced Provolone Cheese
• Mustard
• Butter

Spread mustard across one side of bread, then later meats with cheese on top.

Butter each side of the bread and put on George Forman cook until cheese is melted.

After getting a horrible cold last week our meals didn’t plan out exactly like we planned, so some spilled over into this week.

Monday: Spaghetti
Tuesday: Teriyaki Chicken with rice
Wednesday: Baked Gnocchi
Thursday: Pork Chops of some sort… any yummy recipes?
Friday: Not sure yet

I find these lists of 100 things sooo fun and interesting. When I saw this one I knew I had to do it. The rest I was a little embarrassed with lack of bloded items, this one felt I would kick butt at.

My American 100

1. New York pizza
2. Hoppin’ John
3. New Mexico green chile
4. Homemade buttermilk biscuits
5. Tasso
6. Whole Maine lobster
7. Calabash-style shrimp and hushpuppies
8. Kansas City barbecue ribs
9. Hot glazed Krispy Kreme
10. San Diego fish tacos
11. Cheese curds
12. Key lime pie
13. Philly cheese steak
14. Memphis pork barbecue sandwich
15. Lowcountry boil
16. Huckleberry pie
17. New England clam chowder
18. Boiled peanuts
19. Buffalo burger
20. Eggs Benedict
21. Pastrami on rye
22. Corned beef and cabbage
23. Pancakes with maple syrup
24. Everything bagel with cream cheese and tomato
25. Thin Mints
26. Frito pie
27. Potato knish with mustard
28. Silver Queen corn on the cob
29. Soft pretzel from a street cart
30. Fresh-picked blueberries
31. Sourwood honey
32. State fair funnel cake
33. Chesapeake crab cakes
34. Candied yams
35. Oyster dressing
36. Snow cone or snowball
37. Wild Alaskan salmon
38. Sautéed morels
39. Persimmon pudding
40. General Tso’s Chicken
41. Frozen custard
42. Italian sausage with peppers and onions on a hoagie bun
43. Chili dog
44. Buffalo wings with blue cheese
45. Spam musubi
46. Saltwater taffy
47. Fluffernutter sandwich on Wonder Bread
48. Black and white cookie
49. Frybread
50. BLT with thick-cut applewood bacon
51. Baked beans
52. Pumpkin pie
53. Collards with vinegar and Tabasco
54. Tex-Mex fajitas with skirt steak and sautéed peppers
55. Fried green tomatoes
56. Succotash
57. Shrimp and grits
58. Hot water cornbread
59. Barbecue chicken pizza with red onions
60. Chicken fried steak
61. Carnitas burrito
62. Apple butter
63. Geoduck
64. Soft-serve ice cream cone dipped in chocolate shell
65. Pecan pie
66. Catfish supper at a church or fire station
67. Oysters Rockefeller
68. Homemade cranberry sauce
69. Pimiento cheese
70. MoonPie washed down with R.C. Cola
71. Pickled watermelon rind
72. Cracker Jacks at the ball game
73. Smithfield ham
74. Meatloaf and mashed potato blue plate special at diner
75. Chicken and waffles
76. Po’Boy
77. Green bean casserole with French’s fried onions
78. Stuffed sopaipillas
79. Turducken
80. Shad roe on toast
81. Sweet potato casserole with or without marshmallows
82. Cioppino
83. New York cheesecake
84. Pan-fried river trout
85. Jambalaya
86. North Carolina pig pickin’
87. California rolls
88. Burgoo
89. Penuche fudge
90. Fried peanut butter and banana sandwich (the Elvis)
91. Scrapple or livermush
92. Elk medallions in red wine reduction
93. Muscadine grapes
94. Cheeseburger at backyard barbecue
95. Open-face turkey sandwich
96. Chicago deep dish pizza
97. Cobb salad
98. Peach pie a la mode
99. Macaroni and cheese with Tillamook sharp cheddar
100. Root beer

60/100

I don’t like pumpkin, I love baking and I love the smell of it, but don’t like the flavor, Adam loves it so I am pretty good making it. Now that it is fall I keep thinking about pumpkin and apples. We are going apple picking in the coming weeks but for now pumpkin will do.

I was at Wal-mart a few weeks ago and bought the Hersheys pumpkin spice kisses, My mom and Adam both had one and were like their different. So I knew I would need to bake with them for them to get eaten. I plan to make cookies in the coming days.

 Adam really enjoyed these, he said they had the perfect pumpkin flavor.

Rich Chocolate Brownies (From: Myself Inspired From: Better Homes and Garden Baking Book)

• 1 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 t. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. butter, melted
• 1 T. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 c. baking cocoa
• 1/4 t. baking powder
• 12  pumpkin spice kisses, chopped
• 1/4 c. mini-chocolate chips.

Pour into a greased 8-in square baking pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean cool on wire rack.

Adams stamp of approval!