Caramel Popcorn.

Ingredients

• 1 large package microwave popcorn (to yield 10-12 cups)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup w/ real vanilla {I use Karo}
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar

1.Prepare popcorn according to package directions. Pour into a serving bowl.

2.Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in corn syrup and brown sugar.

3.When the sugar is dissolved, and the mixture turns a caramel color, remove from heat and pour over poppped popcorn. Toss to coat well.

Dough Ornaments

*********Pictures to come***************

Materials

- 1/2 cup salt
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup water
- Rolling pin
- Cookie sheet
- Toothpick
- Miniature cookie cutters: star and Christmas tree
- Washable paints: green, yellow, and various colors of your choice for tree ornaments
- Glitter glue or glitter paint
- ribbon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

2. Mix together, salt, flour, and water until dough is formed.

3. Knead the dough on a floured surface until the mixture is elastic and smooth. If dough is too sticky, sprinkle with flour, continue to do so until stickiness is gone. Do not add too much flour, this will dry out the dough and will cause it to crack before you get a chance to bake it.

4. Roll out the dough to about ¼” thick with a rolling pin that has been dusted with flour.

5. Use cookie cutters to cut out as many trees and stars as you want.

6. Use a toothpick to make a hole toward the top of the shape. Poke the toothpick into the shape, then holding toothpick straight up and down, make a circular motion as if you were stirring something. Keep circling until the hole is the size you want. {I omit this step because my ornaments are so little. I just hot glue ribbon on the back after they are painted and dry.}

7. Place all shapes onto an ungreased cookie sheet and place into the preheated oven.

8. Bake for 2 hours.

9. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

10. Paint the ornaments.

11. When paint is dry, use glitter glue or glitter paint to put a sparkling cover coat on your ornaments.

12. When dry, thread ribbon through hole and tie in a knot in the back OR hot glue ribbon to the back like we did.

13. Hang on your tree, give as gifts, use as decoration on presents. The possibilities are endless.

Chocolate Bark

• 1 sleeve of saltine crackers
• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper, folding the edges up so the sides are covered as well. Lay the saltines in a single layer on the parchment paper.

3. Melt butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Adjust temperature as necessary. Pour butter-brown sugar mixture over the saltine crackers. Spread the mixture evenly, working quickly as it will begin to cool. Put jelly roll pan in over and bake for 15 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from oven and immediately sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Wait a few minutes for the chips to soften from the heat. When the chips are soft enough, spread them evenly over the entire layer of sugar covered crackers.

5. Put the pan into the refrigerator and refrigerate for one hour. When the bark has finished cooling, remove the pan from refrigerator. Using your hands or a pizza cutter, break or cut the bark into pieces.

6. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If layering the bark, place sheets of waxed paper between the layers to prevent sticking