Editor’s Note: Alabama Living’s recipes are submitted by our readers. They are not kitchen-tested by a professional cook or registered dietician. If you have special dietary needs, please check with your doctor or nutritionist before preparing any recipe.
M
aking candy with my grandmother is one of my most treasured recollections. I was around 8 when I first joined her in her kitchen to help her cook. We made haystacks, caramel and coconut confections that, when done, look just like mini versions of their namesakes. I carefully measured Karo syrup, mesmerized by the clear ribbons folding into a neat stack before melting together in her worn Pyrex cup. She handled all the stove work, sparing my little hands and forearms from the popping-hot sugar. It was just one of many times I stood
alongside her, chopping, stirring and testing her ability to carry out the precise tasks some of her recipes required while giving whatever I was non-stop talking about equal attention. In her kitchen, my grandmother and I bonded over a shared love of food and feeding others. Of course, thinking back on the tasty results-- each haystack a sticky but soft mouthful of caramel-coated coconut threads -- makes the memory even sweeter (and kicks my salivary glands into high gear).
getting excited about Halloween. Maybe because the hot-natured adult I am knows that candy making can push kitchen temps to swelter stage, and the coming cooler days make it a bit easier to keep the house comfortable. Maybe because I love to share the fruits of my labors and know that most folks are more interested in indulging this time of year since heavier wardrobes better conceal a few extra pounds. Whatever the reason, fall is a fabulous time to make candy, and our readers have shared some delicious ones to try.
And autumn always makes me think of candy. Maybe because the kid in me is
-- Jennifer Kornegay
Cook of the month: Savannah Letson, Joe Wheeler EMC Pumpkin Fudge 1 tablespoon plus ¾ cup butter, divided 2 cups sugar ¾ cup packed brown sugar 2/3 cup evaporated milk ½ cup canned pumpkin 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 package (10 ounces) cinnamon baking chips 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow crème 1 cup chopped pecans 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
We’d never heard of combining the texture of fudge with the flavor of pumpkin, but this month’s Cook of the Month thinks it makes a great combination. Savannah Letson, who is 15, loves to bake cakes and cookies. When she was looking for a good recipe to submit for the October issue, she settled on “Pumpkin Fudge.” Her instincts were correct, as we decided it was a deliciously different twist on an old favorite, and especially appropriate for the fall. Savannah is in the 9th grade at Lawrence County High School in Moulton, and is looking forward to learning even more about cooking in her home economics classes. We’ll bet we receive some more yummy recipes from Savannah in the future!
Line a 13-inch by 9-inch pan with foil and grease the foil with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside. Cube the remaining butter and place in a large saucepan; add the sugars, milk, pumpkin, cinnamon pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 238 degrees. Remove from heat. Stir in cinnamon chips until melted. Stir in the marshmallow crème, pecans and vanilla. Transfer to prepared pan. Chill until firm. Discard the foil; cut fudge into 1-inch squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Makes 3 pounds.
We welcome your recipes! Please send us your original recipes, developed by you or family members, and not ones copied from a book or magazine. You may adapt a recipe from another source by changing as little as the amount of one ingredient. Cook of the Month Alabama Living
winners will receive $50, and may win “Cook of the Month” only once per calendar year. Share a story about your recipe! Whether it’s your grandmother’s best cake or your uncle’s camp stew, every recipe has a story behind it. We’ll pay $50 for the best recipe-related story each month.
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Submit: Online: alabamaliving.coop
Email: recipes@alabamaliving.coop Mail: Recipes, P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124 OCTOBER 2015 47