Great Balls Of Popcorn

There's always at least one popcorn ball in every trick or treater's bag. These treats are always a plus and rank right up there with candy cigarettes (see yesterday's blog). They're not only fun to eat but also a fun favor at any Halloween party.

Popcorn balls have been around for about 140 years. They were the number one confection throughout the late 19th and early 20ieth Centuries. People either made them with molasses or bought them from the many popcorn vendors that strolled through America's cities. Sometimes flaked coconut and almonds were added for extra flavor and crunch. The largest popcorn ball was made a century later in 1996. 2000 pounds of corn went into making it.

Popcorn balls are one of the easiest candies to make. You can take your own home popped or store bought kernels, mix them with marshmallow and butter for an easy method or go the more traditional route of cooking molasses corn syrup, vanilla and butter together. I found a cool one on www.popcorn.org. and a more traditional one at
cookie-recipe-club.com
Here they are:

10 cups popped corn
1 (1-lb.) bag miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1 cup diced dried fruit (papaya, mango or peaches)
1 cup butterscotch chips
Orange food coloring


Place popcorn, fruit and butterscotch chips in large bowl; set aside.
Heat marshmallows and butter in a large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Stir in several drops of food coloring. Pour over popcorn and candy, tossing to coat evenly. Cool 5 minutes.
Grease hands and form into 3-inch balls.
Yield: About 16 balls

Nutritional Information:
(Based on 1 serving)
Total Calories 250; Total Fat 8g; Cholesterol 10mg; Sodium 60mg; Carbohydrate 43g; Fiber 1g; Sugars 31g; Protein 2g

You can omit the fruit if you want or substitute coconut or even chocolate chips.

More traditional popcorn balls

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light molasses
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp. Salt
3 Tbsp. Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla
4 or 5 qt. popped corn (unsalted)


Mix sugar, molasses, syrup, water and salt in 3-quart pan. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until it boils. Boil gently until small amount dropped in cold water forms hard ball (about 260 degrees).

Remove from heat; add butter and vanilla. Stir thoroughly. Pour evenly over popped corn and mix well with wooden spoon.

Form quickly into balls with buttered hands.

Like I said the above recipe is not that difficult but boiling sugar to the hard ball stage can be intimidating to some and it’s certainly dangerous for kiddies.

Halloween Treat - Those Smoking Candy Cigarettes

As much as smoking isn't good for us , we had packs of cigarettes thrown into our trick or treat bags. Not the real kind, as everyone knows, but the bubble gum kind. These were the best thing to get. You could pretend you were an adult with a pack of Camels as you made believe smoked and then chewed on the chalky bubble gum. (be honest seen through adult eyes it was like eating a stick of chalk). Nowadays parents flip out if candy cigarettes are even seen ten feet from their children.

Candy cigarettes have been around since the 1800’s. Back then they were just chocolate sticks wrapped in paper. Sometime in the 20ieth Century they were then made of gum or a chalky white candy. They even mimicked the brands with Camel and Salems printed on their packages. Surprisingly enough their sales have been banned in Finland, Ireland, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain because officials feel that eating them may lead to underage smoking. To be honest most American parents nowadays frown on them as well.(my mom and I loved them yet we never became smokers. So that whole eating candy cigarettes leading to a lifetime of smoking is just a fable) Yet they are tasty, especially when you stick a whole pack of the bubble gum ones in your mouth (talk about a mega bubble afterwards).

If anyone has memories of candy cigarettes on Halloween, write to me here at Foodie Pantry. I'd love to hear what you have to say.

Mellowcreme Pumpkins Halloween's Sweet Treat

Along with candy corn mellowcreme pumpkins are one of the symbols of the Halloween season. They're fun reminders of childhood when we used to stuff a s many as we could in our mouths. They're also the fun decoration atop many a Halloween cupcake, to be taken off and eaten later. They even rank higher on the likability scale than their close cousin - candy corn.

Mellowcreme pumpkins were probably invented around the same time as candy corn, around the late 1800s' or early 1900's in Chicago. The pumpkins are created from corn syrup, honey and probably fondant and then poured into molds. orange and green dyes are added to give them their coloring. Candy companies such as Brach's put them in their candy corn mix where they're eventually picked out by mellowcreme pumpkin affectionados.

There's nothing like a good mellowcreme pumpkin. How here's the foodie question of the day- how do you like your pumpkins? Plain from the bag or on top of a Halloween cupcake (where you can get a extra sugar high from attached frosting). Let us know here at Foodie Pantry.

Halloween Candy Week- Candy Corn

This whole week Foodie Pantry will be devoted to Halloween candy. I'll be writing about favorites and classics; the treats we loved and sometimes hated. Today's entry will be focused on that Halloween must have :candy corn. This is as much a part of the holiday as costumes and pumpkins and as much a part of our lives as costumes and trick or treating.

Candy corn came about in the 1880's. It's origins are unknown with some thinking it was a home made treat. However because Americans were very familiar with it ,there is the theory that it was mass produced (and probably one of the first mass produced candies at that)by 1900 the Goelitz Candy Company in Illinois. Today Goelitz is known for being one of the creators for the famous Jelly Belly jelly beans.Candy corn is nothing more than honey, corn syrup, marshmallow and water, cooked together to form a fondant and then poured into triangular molds.When candy corn was first made each color was put into the mold separately and allowed to dry. Now it's automated.

Good news to dieters about this treat. It's fat free. Yes, even the chocolate tipped ones have zero fat. Snack on as much as you want although rinse or brush your teeth afterwards. (There's all that sugar to contend with)If you're hankering for corn after Halloween, remember there's the Reindeer Corn for Christmas (red, white and green colored kernels) Cupid Corn for Valentine's day (pink, red and white pieces) and Bunny Corn for Easter(pink, yellow, purple, green and blue striped candy).Nothing beats the Halloween ones though and they're always a fun munch when watching scary horror movies.

Candy corn is the one Halloween classic every candy dish should have. It is a part of the Halloween scene even more than a jack-o-lantern is. Treat yourself to a handful or even a few kernels today!

Atlanta Bread Comapny

I recently discovered Atlanta Bread Company on a trip to one of New Jersey's most beautiful towns, Madison, New Jersey. Madison already boasts an amazing restaurant row , full of chain and privately owned eateries.I was just looking for a quick place to eat and found this gem.

Atlanta Bread Company or ABC is sort of like a larger sized Au Bon Pain. However, unlike the former , it specializes in all sorts of homey, baked goodies. I couldn't resist the cinnamon raisin loaf which was promptly torn into upon arrival home. It is chock full of cinnamon and light on the raisins (which to me is a perfect mix). I love the fact that it was lightly dusted with confectioner's sugar. ABC also sells banana nut , and cranberry (not listed on their on line bread list) Of course they also sell regular breads such as crusty baguettes, sourdoughs and ryes.These looked fresh and wonderful. I bought their shortbread and chocolate chip cookies too. They looked too scrumptious to pass up.

Ah, yes, and the real reason I went into ABC was to have a light dinner.The restaurant has a wide array of soups , salads and paninis. There is a choice of five soups and I chose the vegetarian vegetable. This was a satisfying and hearty blend of different veggies in a vegetable broth. There was also onion soup, and chili amongst others to chose from. ABC also has a good selection of sandwiches (a definite must try on my next visit) along with paninis and a pretty good kid's menu.

I was already in love with the town of Madison but eating at the Atlanta Bread Company really cinched the deal. I will be back in the Rose City for Christmas shopping. My restaurant of choice? The Atlanta Bread Company!

go to www.atlantabread.com to see more about it.

Little Luxuries

During this economic crises it's nice to indulge in something not too costly but satisfying. It's easy with food and drink. There are so difference things to indulge in and if you do it once a month it's not a drain on your budget.

If you're going to splurge on liquor make it a fun buy. There are some flavored vodkas out there right now that are perfect on their own or mixed with other drinks and juices. You can get everything form chocolate raspberry to even banana. Champagne is another indulgent spend. You don't have to get the really expensive kind. Asti Spumonte, made in Piedmonte is the same as any bubbly made in the actual Champagne region of France. It's just as delicious and delivers the same kick. Fruit infused and flavored red and white wines are fun buys. They're not as expensive as some wines and are good for a night home with friends. if you want a really indulgent buy go with a moderately priced cognac and brandy. Use these to relax after a hard or scary week at work.

As for food, well, chocolate is always the way to go.There are some luxe brands at your local grocery store. Cote d'Or and Ghiradelli are premium brands and can be found next to the usual bags of Snickers and Three Musketeers. the bars are larger than average. Break them up over ice cream or eat plain. To me real Vermont maple syrup is an indulgent and I love when friends bring me back a bottle after a weekend tip there. I can also buy my store in house brand and indulge in waffles with the syrup and real butter. (yes butter to me is the ultimate indulgence). Another indulgence is avocados . These are expensive in my neck of the wood but worth it. Once can be made into a salad or guacamole. Certain fruits are indulgences as well, thanks to their high pricing. Shrimp or crab are other treats that you can have once month. Some supermarkets have pre made shrimp cocktails . Buy one for yourself for a weekend treat.

Remember treating yourself is important during these hard times. You can go off the budget every so often (once a month is good) . Just go for your favorite food or drink then enjoy!!!!

Good Food Cents

The financial crises has hit everyone across the board. All of us have been affected one way or another. We're faced with a lot of food related decisions right now. After all not only are out pocketbooks affected but our fridges and stomachs as well. How do we deal with this financial down turn?

As far as with grocery shopping the best bet is to buy generic, look for sales and coupon clip. In house brands are just as good and tasty as the national ones. They're also a lot cheaper. If your kids are brand loyal and hate the fact you're buying the store brand, explain to them that those cookies and chips are the same and even better than the real thing. Remember that in house brands are further discounted if you buy two or three of the same thing during sales times. This is great when stocking up on soups, rice, mashed potatoes, sauces and pastas. Sales play another important factor in today's economy. If there's a two for sale, go for it, especially for canned goods. It pays to stock up on canned veggies anyway and if you can get them for ten to twenty cents cheaper then load up that pantry. Also look at sales tables in your store's bread and cake aisles as well. Coupons are the third part of economical shopping. Scour your Sunday papers and look for ones you know you'll use. Also take advantage of store coupons as well as any on line ones. You'll also recieve coupons if you write glowing letters to your favorite brands. Companies are always appreciative of receiving fan mail and they will 'reward' loyal customers with something.

The big dilemma during this time is whether to eat out or not. You should support your local and favorite restaurants however go easy on your visits. Try to limit it to once a week or once every two weeks. Take advantage of early bird specials or discounts at the chain restaurants. Also look for coupons in the Sunday or local papers too. If anything you'll be able to get a free appetizer, drink or dessert. Fast food restaurants are another matter. Many like Wendy's have 99 cent meals or different combos at discounted prices. Again take advantage of these.A minus here is that fast food is fattening. Try to limit your burger and fries intake and go for the cheapest salad instead.

This money crunch doesn't mean that your diet has to be crunched as well. As with anything shop and eat wisely so that you'll be able to save. You can still eat well on a budget.