Buttermilk Caramel Sauce

So I had some leftover buttermilk and went on a search to find a good use for it.  Imagine my delight to happen upon a recipe for Buttermilk Caramel Sauce on Our Best Bites!  I can see myself spending quite a bit of quality time perusing their vast recipe catalog in the very near future...

But back to the caramel sauce...

Here's the recipe as modified in my kitchen:

• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons(ish) homemade "corn syrup"*
• Splash of vanilla

Mix all ingredients except vanilla in a large soup pot over medium low heat.  Once the sauce starts to bubble, continue stirring for about 10 minutes.  The color will begin to take on a caramel tone.  Remove from heat and add the splash of vanilla.

Now prepare to pour a bit over some deserving ice cream, pear crumble, open mouth, or what have you.  B had a friend over tonight for a sleepover and they both loved it! 

I'm freezing the rest of my buttermilk in 3/4 cup portions to make this again.  I'll let you know how that works out.

*Homemade "corn syrup":  So, I ran out of corn syrup on Thanksgiving day this year.  Right smack dab in the middle of making my annual chocolate chip pecan pie.  There was no way that I was going to miss that pie so I decided to try my hand at making my own "corn syrup".  The pie turned out beautifully and the remainder of the syrup was waiting for me in the refrigerator door tonight when I needed it. 

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water

Cook and stir until all sugar is melted.  Enjoy.

Appreciation

I had to, I mean got to, get up with little E this morning at o'dark thirty.  My reward was the opportunity to welcome the morning with my little cuddle bug.  Check out this sunrise from our kitchen window! 

 The best part?  Little E showed her appreciation of God's beautiful greeting by blowing kisses to the sunrise!  Yep, it's official.  I'm totally keeping these kidlets!

May you have a blessed day and have the opportunity to blow kisses to the beauty around you!

Steel Cut Oats

I found a screaming deal at Sunflower Market on bulk steel cut oats last week and finally decided to test them out.  I'd heard a lot about the health benefits of these oats over the years but have to confess that I'd never even seen them.  They definitely don't look like the oats I've seen before...

I did a bit of research on how to use my slow cooker to cook them an opted for the bain marie technique.  My new slow cooker tends to cook hot and I was not interested in waking up to a burnt mess this morning.  :) 

It's so simple!  Here's the brief recipe I used:

• 1 cup steel cut oats
• 4 cups water
• kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in heat safe bowl that is large enough to hold all ingredients and small enough to fit in your slow cooker.  Place a bit of aluminum foil (I lightly crumpled two pieces) in the bottom of the crock and nestle bowl.  Add water to space between bowl and crock ~ I filled mine to the lower ridge of the bowl.  Cook on low overnight.

We woke the next morning to a tasty aroma and a huge amount of oatmeal!  B and I enjoyed ours with a bit of brown sugar and some pomegranate Craisins ~ it's what I had on hand.  Tas-ty!  Tomorrow I'm trying mine topped with banana and a bit of huckleberry honey...

Check out the amount of leftovers that we have!  I've got three E-sized portions and five portions for the rest of us.  A handful are going to the freezer and I'm saving the rest for my breakfast this week.  Almost makes me look forward to waking up....

Next time I'm going to try replacing some of the water with milk (maybe evaporated milk) and may even try cooking it directly in the crock to see if it browns a bit more.  I'll keep you posted.  :) 

This Crazy Life

Welcome to my new blog!  It's bound to be filled with all sorts of interesting information ~ it's about my life, after all.  


You should be able to find information on raising a toddler or school-age child, what to make for dinner, or simply an opportunity to feel better about your day when you get to see how colossally I fail at accomplishing even a single task!

All kidding aside, I clearly need an outlet and an opportunity to document this particular season of my life when being a mother is the most important job I have!