Food

Homemade Caramel Corn with Pecans & Candy Corn

A perfectly addicting, seasonal sweet snack
September 12, 2020
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Desserts

COMMENT
TWEET
PIN
SHARE

Homemade caramel corn with pecans and candy corn, the perfect recipe for fall, @waitingonmartha

I get very nostalgic when it comes to homemade caramel corn.  Memories of my dad whipping up a big batch as soon as the leaves started to change.  Melting it all low-and-slow, and then shake-shake-shaking the mixture in a big paper bag before spilling out the warm, sweet, crunchy goodness on the table for Mom and me to devour until we literally made ourselves sick. 

Being one of my favorite fall treats, I wanted to try my hand at making homemade caramel corn myself this year.  It seemed simple enough…traditional stovetop popcorn (which in my humble opinion is the only way to make popcorn) + pecans + candy corn + homemade caramel sauce.  And it really is simple as long as you have a few tricks up your sleeve.  Tricks I’ve finally perfected after a few trial and error test batches.

First, you’ll logically want to put the candy corn directly into the popcorn, pecan, and caramel sauce mixture before baking it all together in the oven.  Don’t.  Since candy corn is essentially all sugar what ends up happening is the candy corn pieces completely melt leaving you with patches of yellow and orange dotted throughout your mixture. Instead, you’ll want to sprinkle on the candy corn pieces right when you bring the mixture out of the oven when it’s still warm.  That way, they stick in the mixture but don’t melt.  

Second, line your oven with aluminum foil to catch any rogue drips of caramel sauce.  If you’re heavy-handed with the caramel sauce like me, then your sauce will likely bubble over during baking.  Trust me when I say, sticky caramel sauce on the bottom of your oven is a major pain to clean up. 

Lastly, when making the caramel sauce, constant stirring and timing really is everything, so make sure you read the recipe at least twice before beginning and DO NOT walk away from the sauce.  It can all go terribly wrong in less than 30 seconds, just trust me on this!  Happy fall y’all!  Truly, MKR

P.S. When the homemade caramel corn comes out of the oven, it’s my favorite time to indulge since it’s so warm, gooey, and not too hard, but try to show a little self-restraint and set some aside to package up for neighbors, teachers, and coworkers!  xo

SHOP THE STORY / CLICK LEFT & RIGHT ARROWS TO EXPLORE

 
Homemade Caramel Corn with Pecans and Candy Corn
Serves 8
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Ingredients
  1. 5 QUARTS POPPED POP CORN COOLED (1 PREFER STOVETOP, BUT MICROWAVE WILL WORK AS WELL)
  2. 1 BAG OF CANDY CORN
  3. 2-3 CUPS OF PECAN HALVES
  4. 2 CUPS BROWN SUGAR
  5. 1 CUP LIGHT KARO CORN SYRUP
  6. 1 CUP ORGANIC BUTTER UN SALTED
  7. 1 TEASPOON SALT
  8. 1 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
  9. 1 TABLESPOON VANILLA
  10. NON-STICK COOKING SPRAY
  11. INSTRUCTIONS
Instructions
  1. PREHEAT OVEN TO 250 DEGREES.
  2. SPRAY LARGE SHALLOW TURKEY ROASTING PAN WITH COOKING SPRAY. ADD POPPED POPCORN AND PLACE IN PREHEATED 250 DEGREES F OVEN WHILE PREPARING CARAMEL.
  3. IN A LARGE HEAVY SAUCEPAN OR DUTCH OVEN MIX BROWN SUGAR, CORN SYRUP, BUTTER AND SALT. STIRRING CONSTANTLY, BRING TO A BOIL OVER MEDIUM HEAT.
  4. BOIL 5 MINUTES WITHOUT STIRRING. REMOVE FROM HEAT. STIR IN BAKING SODA AND VANILLA; MIX WELL.
  5. POUR SYRUP OVER WARM POPCORN, STIRRING TO COAT EVENLY.
  6. BAKE FOR 45 MINUTES, STIRRING OCCASIONALLY. DURING YOUR LAST STIR ADD PECANS.
  7. REMOVE FROM OVEN AND SPREAD ON PARCHMENT PAPER. SPRINKLE IN CANDY CORN AND MIX LIGHTLY.
  8. LET COOL THEN BREAK APART AND STORE IN TIGHTLY COVERED CONTAINER.
  9. NOTES
  10. CHECK POST ITSELF FOR PLENTY OF TIPS TO MAKE SURE YOUR BATCH TURNS OUT PERFECTLY.
  11. BY WAITING ON MARTHA
Welcome by Waiting on Martha https://waitingonmartha.com/

Photography, Rustic White for Waiting on Martha

comments (1)

Pumpkin Spice Drop Cookies & Apple Cinnamon Fritters

The Trip to the Pumpkin Patch with Sweet Treats and Thermos, A Rye Family Tradition
September 11, 2020
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Desserts

COMMENT
TWEET
PIN
SHARE

2016-10-16_00062016-10-16_0009blog-donuts2016-10-16_0005 2016-10-16_0008

This should come to most of you as no surprise, but I’m one of those people that look forward to pumpkin picking on a Saturday (or any day) in September just as much as waking up on Christmas day.  Well, okay maybe it’s not quite like waking up to Christmas coffee and a glittering tree chalked full of presents, but it’s definitely up there. And over the past few years, we’ve really turned the hunt for the perfect pumpkins into a full day adventure.  With the windows down and songs from Hocus Pocus playing in my head, we pile into our car, loaded up with a thermos or two of warm coffee and apple cider, and our favorite snacks en route to the pumpkin patch. 

To us, it’s the perfect amount of time out of the house, away from the computer, and the best way to breathe in the crisp fall air that’s finally here.  And of course, it’s an excuse to wear my favorite fall uniform (think a great plaid shirt and the coziest sweater) and break out one or two of my vintage plaid blankets.  Because I mean, what’s better than rolling out your blanket with a thermos and sweets in-hand after you pick out this year’s pumpkins?  All the feels. 

Since this annual ritual is meant to be a fun, enjoyable day, it will never do to be stressed in the kitchen before the trek to the patch.  So I usually pick up a good mix of treats from a local doughnut shop (Revolution Doughnuts or Sublime Doughnuts are my favorites).  When I do have a little time on my hands, however, I whip up some super easy cinnamon sugar doughnuts or stick to two tried-and-true recipes that cannot be beaten: pumpkin spice drop cookies and apple cinnamon fritters.

The second you bite into these, cake-like cookies with their warm, spicy pumpkin flavor, you’ll see why they’ve been some of my favorites for years now.  I’ve found they’re the perfect big-batch recipe this time of year…they’re seriously so simple to make and are ALWAYS a hit with a crowd.  And I’m not sure how golden brown apple cinnamon fritters with a white icing glaze could ever disappoint; they’re lightly fried to perfection with light, pillow-soft centers.  I use THIS recipe because why try to improve on something that’s already pretty dang fantastic?!  

Tell me friends, have you made a trip to the pumpkin patch?  What fall treats are always on your list?  Truly, MKR

SHOP THE STORY / CLICK LEFT & RIGHT ARROWS TO EXPLORE

Photography, Kathryn McCrary for Waiting on Martha

Outfit: plaid shirt | wool hat | jeans | thermos | blanket | socks 

Baking: copper cooling racks | copper measuring cups 

comments (0)

4 DIY Immunity Boosting Tea Recipes to Try Today

Simple At-Home Recipes to Ease your everyday stress, detox & give your immunity a boost
April 19, 2020
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Everyday

COMMENT
TWEET
PIN
SHARE

4 Detox Teas to Try, Waiting on Martha

One of the best things you can do for your body and more specifically your immunity, is support its natural detox system.  Yes, that’s right; your body knows how to do it well on its own.  But the bonus here is that there are simple concoctions and DIY immunity boosting and detox tea recipes that can help your body get the job done even better, and kickstart healthier habits in general.  

After finally settling into a routine at home over the past month, I’m setting out to sip on these DIY immunity teas at home every night.  I’m thinking of it as a treat I’m giving myself to feel better from the inside out.  See, the teas—with their rockstar ingredients like dandelion root, cerasee, ginger, green tea and more—can do more than rid the body of harmful toxin buildup; they give you increased energy, stronger immunity, and even stress relief. That being said, herbal tea is one of my favorite ways to detox because it’s a simple, soothing addition to my daily routine, and it’s known to work wonders for the mind, body and soul.  Seriously, how good is settling into bed with a cup of hot tea in-hand especially with a slice of raw honeycomb to add a little bit of natural sweetness to my cup.

Check out the four easy recipes below, and tell me which DIY immunity boosting tea is calling your name!  And if DIY isn’t your thing, check out a few of our favorite teas you can get delivered to your door.  Truly, MKR

SHOP THE STORY / CLICK LEFT & RIGHT ARROWS TO EXPLORE

 

     

Apple Cider Vinegar Detox Tea

Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

Shop Now >

In case you didn’t know, apple cider vinegar has an incredible ingredient called the “mother.” Not only will it help your detox, its countless health benefits can help cure even pretty serious ailments, and it can help you feeling better ASAP when you’re feeling under the weather. 

When using apple cider vinegar to detox in particular, you have to drink it; this easy detox tea makes it easier to go swallow. Drink this detox tea before meals for maximum benefits.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR DETOX TEA
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 
1 teaspoon organic, raw, local honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed) 
1 cup hot water 

Directions:

Boil the water and allow it to cool off a bit before adding the other ingredients.
Mix in the apple cider vinegar and the raw honey.
Add roughly a teaspoon of lemon juice.

Dandelion Root Detox Tea/Water

Lakewood Pure Cranberry Juice

Shop Now >

Here’s a play on an excellent detox recipe that’s been popular for years now; a simple mixture of water, dandelion root tea and cranberry juice.  (Be sure to find the cranberry juice with NO sugar added.)  You won’t need to boil the ingredients, instead just mix them together and drink on a daily basis (one pitcher every seven days) to eliminate water weight. 

DANDELION ROOT DETOX TEA/WATER
Ingredients:
60 oz. distilled water
1 dandelion root tea bag
1 tablespoon pure cranberry juice

Directions:
Mix the water, cranberry juice and lemon juice together.
Add the dandelion root tea bag after.

Green Tea Detox

Yogi Teas Super Antioxidant Green Tea

Shop Now >

The MVP of natural detoxing is definitely green tea.  Green tea doesn’t detox toxins all on its own (your body has a pretty good system to do that), but it is packed with the natural polyphenols that support the body when it’s detoxin’. Polyphenols have a direct impact on your liver (the body’s major detox organ), and they’re antioxidants that fight free radicals. 

This detox tea is incredibly easy to mix up; simply add honey and lemon to your steeping green tea. 

GREEN TEA DETOX
Ingredients:
1 slice lemon
1 green tea bag
1 teaspoon honey
8-10 oz. water

Directions:
Brew the green tea bag in the 8 to 10 fluid ounces of water.
Add the lemon slice and honey.

Cerasee Detox Tea

Caribbean Dreams Cerasee Tea

Shop Now >

Cerasee leaves are grown in Jamaica, and known to be an excellent herb for your blood and has many overall health benefits. It has a bitter flavor and aroma, but it is an excellent source of calcium, iron, carotene, phosphorous, vitamin C and vitamin A.

The tea is known to protect your body from cold and flu symptoms, as well as headaches, stomach pains, fever and abdominal pain (including menstrual cramps). The leaves work to eliminate toxins, treat parasitic worms, liver conditions, skin problems and give constipation relief. 

CERASEE DETOX TEA
Ingredients:
Cerasee leaves with vines (or cerasee tea)
Ginger
Water
Raw honey

Directions
Boil the cerasee leaves and ginger in water. If you don’t have the leaves, boil water for the cerasee tea bags to steep, adding ginger once boiling.
Add honey and enjoy.

Photography, Rustic White for Waiting on Martha

comments (3)
Keep Browsing
Copyright © Welcome by Waiting on Martha  /
Back to Top