Microwave Cashew Brittle

My mom’s peanut brittle was SO good! She made multiple batches for friends, neighbors and family and during her later years always made it in the microwave. Everyone once in awhile she’d also make cashew brittle 

Microwave Cashew Brittle 

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 cup cashews chopped

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1. Line a cookie sheet with a silicon sheet or generously butter it; set aside.
2. In a large microwave safe bowl add the sugar and corn syrup;  mix. 
3. Put in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes. Stir. 
4. Put back into the microwave and cook for an additional 3 minutes – the mixture should be light amber in color.
   
5. Stir in the cashews. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes — stop at the end of each minute and when it turns golden brown in color, it is finished. (If cooked too long it will burn.).
   
6. Remove from the microwave and stir in the butter and vanilla. Continue cooking for an additional minute. Remove and stir in the baking soda—it will start to foam and become thick.
7. Spread the mixture on the buttered baking sheet and allow to completely cool. I like to wait until cool enough to touch and then stretch it so it is not so thick. 

   

   Above - brittle after being poured onto the silicon sheet.
   Below = brittle after being stretched. 

   

8. Break into pieces.

Recipe without photos . . .Microwave Cashew Brittle 

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 cup cashews chopped

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1. Line a cookie sheet with a silicon sheet or generously butter it; set aside.
2. In a large microwave safe bowl add the sugar and corn syrup;  mix. 
3. Put in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes. Stir. 
4. Put back into the microwave and cook for an additional 3 minutes – the mixture should be light amber in color.
5. Stir in the cashews. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes — stop at the end of each minute and when it turns golden brown in color, it is finished. (If cooked too long it will burn.).
6. Remove from the microwave and stir in the butter and vanilla. Continue cooking for an additional minute. Remove and stir in the baking soda—it will start to foam and become thick.
7. Spread the mixture on the buttered baking sheet and allow to completely cool. 
8. I like to wait until cool enough to touch and then stretch it so it is not so thick. 
9. Break into pieces.
10. . 
11. Break into pieces.

 

HOOT OWL CHEESE BALL for Chi Omega Reunion

This week the Kappa Alpha chapter of Chi Omega sorority celebrates 100 years on the Kansas State University campus. Just to clarify – I was an initiate in the late 60s; I do not date back to the 1915 pledge class!

            In anticipation, Shelly Bergerhouse Merriam has reunited what she terms the “Sassy Sisters of the Sixties” — we’ve been exchanging pics and bios and it’s been a HOOT!

            The owl is one of the symbols of Chi Omega so for the Friday night 60s gathering in Manhattan, I made a HOOT OWL CHEESE BALL.

HOOT OWL CHEESE BALL

About ¼ to ½ of a yellow or white onion

8 oz. block of cheese (I used a combination of sharp Cheddar & Colby-Jack cheese)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 to 4 drops hot sauce

Carrot

1 cashew, toasted

2 cloves

2 pointed tortilla chips or corn chips

Sliced almonds, toasted (Bake at 350° for 4 to 5 minutes until just golden brown)

1. Place onion in food processor fitted with the chopping (metal) blade. Pulse until onion is finely minced.
   
2. Remove metal blade from food processor and insert grating disk. Cut block of cheese into sizes that can be inserted into the feed tube of the food processor; grate.
   
3. Remove grating disk and reinsert metal blade. Add cream cheese that has been divided into chunks, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Pulse until mixture is well blended.
   
   
   
   
4. Remove mixture from food processor and place in a mixing bowl. Chill until it it partially firm.
5. Form the cheese ball into an "owl" shape (a rounded triangle), smoothing the surface as you shape. 
6. Cut lengthwise slices from the end of the carrot and cut out V-shapes to create the owl feet; insert under owl body.
   
7. Cut off the pointed end of carrot and slice out a V-shape to create a beak. Insert.
   
8. Insert a cashew nose above the beak.
9. Cut to thin carrot circles for eyes. Using a knife, bore a tiny hole all the way through the center of both carrot circle; insert a clove into each and then press eyes into the owl body.
   
10. Add triangle shaped tortilla chips for ears.
11. Insert sliced almond on the lower front, sides and back of the owl.
    

The owl was a hit and the party was a HOOT! 

Melodie OTT Friedbach & Shelly
BERGERHOUSE Merriam.

Oh look, Melodie made an
owl cheese ball, just like mine! 

Cheers! 
Marcia DIEKMAN Corey & Libby Dyke Randall.

Here I am talking to my
pledge mom, Marcia
DIEKMAN Corey.

Barry with Marcia.

Here's another owl recipe— Kay Emil-Powell's  Chi Omega Hoot Owl Cookies .

Recipe without photos . . .

HOOT OWL CHEESE BALL

About ¼ to ½ of a yellow or white onion

8 oz. block of cheese (I used a combination of sharp Cheddar & Colby-Jack cheese)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 to 4 drops hot sauce

Carrot

1 cashew, toasted

2 cloves

2 pointed tortilla chips or corn chips

Sliced almonds, toasted (Bake at 350° for 4 to 5 minutes until just golden brown)

1. Place onion in food processor fitted with the chopping (metal) blade. Pulse until onion is finely minced.
2. Remove metal blade from food processor and insert grating disk. Cut block of cheese into sizes that can be inserted into the feed tube of the food processor; grate.
3. Remove grating disk and reinsert metal blade. Add cream cheese that has been divided into chunks, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Pulse until mixture is well blended.
4. Remove mixture from food processor and place in a mixing bowl. Chill until it it partially firm.
5. Form the cheese ball into an "owl" shape (a rounded triangle), smoothing the surface as you shape. 
6. Cut lengthwise slices from the end of the carrot and cut out V-shapes to create the owl feet; insert under owl body.
7. Cut off the pointed end of carrot and slice out a V-shape to create a beak. Insert.
8. Insert a cashew nose above the beak.
9. Cut to thin carrot circles for eyes. Using a knife, bore a tiny hole all the way through the center of both carrot circle; insert a clove into each and then press eyes into the owl body.
10. Add triangle shaped tortilla chips for ears.
11. Insert sliced almond on the lower front, sides and back of the owl.

Lola Granola Bars — straight from Food Network

After watching “Home Made in American” with Sunny Anderson on the Food Network station (7/8/2013), I had to try Lola Granola Bars. Mary Molina developed the recipe through “trial and error.” Once she deemed it a  “success,” she wrapped up several bars and packed them in her husband’s lunch. After sharing them with co-workers, he came home with orders for more.

Eventually, she expanded her line and began selling in local grocery stores. Her bars are now sold in 40 stores. She continues to get requests and is hoping to expand beyond her home kitchen based business.

            The bars are simple to make and truly as good as all their TV hype.

 Words of Warning: Be sure to taste sunflower seeds before using in any recipe. I’ve learning this the hard way in the past. Yes, I know sunflower seeds tend to turn rancid so I always put them in the refrigerator or freezer if not using immediately. But, even in those controlled climates, the oil can turn, creating an unpleasant taste in your finished product.

Lola Granola Bars

Cooking spray

2 cups (old fashioned) oats

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup whole raw almonds, skin on  (I had sliced almonds on hand so that’s what I used)

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 cup flax seed meal

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup honey

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 7- by 11-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

2.  In a bowl, stir the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, coconut, flax seed meal and cinnamon. Transfer to a dry sheet tray and toast in the oven for 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Mixing up the dry ingredients.

3.  While dry ingredients toast, in a medium pot, add the honey, coconut oil and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the honey turns a copper color, 12 to 15 minutes.

Liquid ingredients go into the saucepan.

This is what the mixture looks like after 12 to 15 minutes.

4.  Pour the honey into the dry ingredients and mix until well coated with the honey mixture.

5.  Pour onto the prepared baking pan. Pack down the ingredients.

6.  Bake for about 10 minutes; the middle may seem slightly sticky but it will cool nicely.

7.  Let cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Flip over, take off the parchment and cut into rectangles. Serve.

For other flavors, make the following substitutions to the recipe above:

Ruby (Cranberry): Omit the almonds and add an additional 1/4 cup dried cranberries.

Nathan (Blueberry/Almond): Substitute the cranberries with dried blueberries.

Enzo: (Cashew/Almond): Omit the cranberries and add 1/4 cup cashews to the dry ingredients.

Ellie (Cashew/Date): Substitute the almonds with cashews and substitute the cranberries with dried dates.

Click here for access to the original recipe on FoodNetwork.  

If you like homemade granola bars, you might also like this recipe for Peanut & Jelly Power Bars.