Funeral Potatoes

Funeral Potatoes
Adapted from Pioneer Woman

8 tablespoons salted butter
One 28-32 ounce bag frozen hash brown potatoes
1 medium onion finely diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 cups chicken broth
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 cups marble cheddar cheese
1/2 cup swiss cheese
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 cups kettle-cooked potato chips crushed
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
6-8 strips of bacon cooked crispy and chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Take the potatoes out of the freezer while you are preparing the rest of the ingredients.
Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, then melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in it. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to incorporate. Cook for a minute or 2 to cook out the raw flour, but do not let it color. Whisk in the milk, making sure to get out all the lumps. Add the broth and whisk again if there are still lumps. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow it to thicken, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and stir in the marble cheddar, swiss, sour cream and sharp cheddar. Mix well and then add the bacon and the hash brown potatoes and mix everything together. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small pan. Put the potato chips and Parmesan in a bowl and crush the potato chips. Pour in the melted butter and toss to coat. Sprinkle the crumbs over the top of the potatoes.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking until golden brown on top and bubbling around the edges, about 15 minutes more. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Robyn's Caramels

Robyn's Caramels

Use: heavy sauce pan, wooden spoon, candy thermometer, ice water in cup for testing, have flavoring and color ready at your side to mix in, and parchment paper in pan.

In a large heavy saucepan, mix together:
2 squares real Melted butter (salted)
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup

Combine and then turn on burner to high stirring slowly until mixture comes to a boil. Once mixture is boiling, turn burner down to medium heat and add one can of sweetened condensed milk. Continue cooking and slowly stirring occasionally until mixture returns to a boil. Once it starts boiling turn burner to medium low heat. Cook until it reaches the softball stage. Stir occasionally.
Test in ice water to make sure it is in the soft ball stage. (This will usually take about 30 minutes)

Take off stove and add any of the following, if desired:
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. vanilla and 1 cup pecans that have been warmed in the oven
1 or 2 tsp any candy flavoring (cinnamon, butter rum, lemon, cherry...)
1 Tbsp. coco (will taste like tootsie rolls)
Candy coloring paste or jell

Stir in fast and off of the heat.

Pour caramel into 9x13 cake pan that has been lined with parchment paper. After it has cooled a little, cover it with plastic wrap. Next day cut into 1 inch pieces and wrap in parchment paper candy wrappers.

Candied Yams

4 Pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 cups mini marshmallows

Boil the sweet potatoes until tender (15-20 minutes). Drain and set aside.
In a saucepan, combine butter and brown sugar. Cook until well mixed and melted and then add 1 cup mini marshmallows. Stir frequently until marshmallows are melted. Mix syrup mixture with sweet potatoes and mash while combining. You can leave it as chunky as you like.
Pour potatoes into baking dish and bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Cover with remaining marshmallows and return to the oven until marshmallows are golden brown.

Sparkling Gingersnaps

SPARKLING GINGERSNAPS
Cream together then add to dry ingredients:
2 cups sugar (1 brown, 1 white)
2 eggs
2/3 c molasses
1 ½ c shortening
Mix in separate bowl:
4 ½ c flour
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp baking pwd
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
½ tsp nutmeg
Roll into 1 ½" balls; roll into sugar.  Do not flatten.  Bake 325 for 8-10 min.
8 min = soft and chewy
10 min = crunchy
Makes 6 dozen