Grandma Munk's Taffy

I love how Grandma Munk always finds ways to contribute to her community like pulling taffy with the 4th and 5th graders every year. So, when I was in charge of pulling taffy with some 8 and 9 year olds this week, I called Grandma for her expertise. This is her cold taffy recipe - you can pull it when it is cold (better for kids) and it comes out more like Laffy Taffy than salt water taffy. So if you are feeling like a good taffy pull, here is her recipe. Grandma warns Taffy is temperamental, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Good luck.

Cold Taffy: 

2 1/2 C sugar

2 1/2 C Karo Syrup

1/2 C Whipping cream

2 tsp Coconut Oil

3/4 tsp Unflavored Gelatin

2 Tbls Cold Water

2 Tbls Hot Water

1 tsp Kool-Aid  I used fruit punch Kool-Aid thinking it would be a good universal kid flavor. It was fine but personal preference would have chosen a different flavor. You can also try red hots or experiment with your own flavors.

parchment or freezer paper

more coconut oil for pulling

Mix Gelatin with cold water to soften then add hot water to dissolve. Set aside.

Mix sugar, Karo syrup and whipping cream in a large sauce pot. Bring to a boil that you can't stir down. Say Prayer.  Add coconut oil, gelatin, Kool-Aid and stir to mix. Don't stir again! Cook until 242 degrees** (soft ball stage) Remove from heat. Let cool.

If you don't have a candy thermometer, google soft ball stage and you can see some videos of how to determine when the candy is done using a cold water test.

**Altitude will change the boiling point for water thus changing what temp soft ball stage is. It boils at 212 at sea level and goes down a degree for every 500 feet in elevation. I adjusted the 242 temp down to 232 for Idaho but in the end needed to cook it closer to 242 to make it hard enough to pull so you might need to just experiment).

You can pull this taffy when it is cold. Put a little coconut oil on your hands as needed. If it is too sticky, put a tiny pit of water in pan and heat it up again to soft ball stage and then let cool again. If it is too hard, place it in a 300 degree oven for 2-5 minutes to soften.

Pull taffy until it is light in color. Roll into a log, cut with scissors and wrap in parchment or freezer paper (it will stick to wax paper). 

Taffy can be stored in a cool place for several weeks, pulled or not pulled. 

Kale Chips

This is delicious recipie from Oh She Glows: Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2014/03/12/6-tips-for-flawless-kale-chips-all-dressed-kale-chips-recipe/#ixzz45SDpRCbJ  We can down a whole head of kale with no problem.

Ingredients:
PER BAKING SHEET:

• approx. 1/2 bunch kale leaves

• 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil

• 1.5 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt or pink Himalayan sea salt

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, but do it)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. Remove leaves from the stems of the kale and roughly tear it up into large pieces. Compost the stems (or freeze for smoothies). Wash and spin the leaves until thoroughly dry.

1. Add kale leaves into a large bowl. Massage in the oil until all the nooks and crannies are coated in oil. Now sprinkle on the spices/seasonings and toss to combine.

1. Spread out the kale onto the prepared baking sheet into a single layer, being sure not to overcrowd the kale.

1. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for another 12-15 minutes more until the kale begins to firm up. The kale will look shrunken, but this is normal. I bake for 25 mins. total in my oven.

1. Cool the kale on the sheet for 3 minutes before digging in! This really makes all the difference! Enjoy immediately as they lose their crispiness with time.

1. Repeat this process for the other half of the bunch.

Great Veggie and Fruit dips!

Vegetable Dip

1 cup sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon dill weed
1 teaspoon Bon Appetit (Use Celery salt same measure as a replacement if you can't get Bon Appetit)
1 Tablespoon minced onion

Mix and chill.

Fruit Dip

8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup powdered sugar
½ pint sour cream
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients and beat at high speed until creamy.