Caramel Fruit Dip / Stuffed Strawberries

Hi there! It's been a while, hasn't it? Can you believe that we're already more than half way through June?! I can't. I hope you all have been enjoying your summer.

It hardly feels like summer here. We've only had a few days that have been over seventy degrees. It still feels like spring. But, hey, I'll take it. At least it doesn't feel like winter!

Since it's supposed to be summer, I have a yummy fruit dip that I'd like to share with ya. It's SUPER simple and way good!!

Here's what you'll need:

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

1/2 C. packed brown sugar

1/4 C. caramel ice cream topping

Toffee bits (opt.)

Assorted fresh fruit

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, brown sugar, and caramel topping until smooth.

You can add toffee bits sprinkled on top or mixed in. Serve with fresh fruit. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

I decided to pipe it into strawberries rather than leave it in a bowl as a dip. They turned out way cute and super yummy!

I also decided to sprinkle the tops with toffee bits.

SO GOOD!!!!

Enjoy these some time this summer!

Homemade Raspberry Jam

I'm new at this. I've never made jam before - like REAL jam. Not that super easy and not very good freezer jam. I rarely will even eat that. I mean the real deal raspberry jam, cooked and canned, and soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo delicious!!!

So, I was a little nervous to say the least. I don't do a lot of canning, nor do I know a lot about it. As I was preparing to make this, I was wishing my mother-in-law was right next to me to help me through it. She's a PRO at canning. I'm a total rookie.

But it worked out! Yay!! I took some pictures to walk you through the basic steps of making jam. Now, one thing you should know is that depending on what pectin you purchase, the recipes vary. FOLLOW THE RECIPES THEY GIVE YOU INSIDE THE PACKAGE. Since the recipes are different, I'll just walk you through how to do it - no recipe included.

Here's what you do:

Bring a boiling-water canner, a little more than half full with water, to a simmer.

Wash jars and screw bands in hot, soapy water; rinse with warm water. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. I keep the flat lids in the hot water as well. Drain well and dry off just before filling.

Prepare fruit as directed. Whatever you do, do not puree the fruit! You want the jam to have fruit bits. So, crush with a potato masher or pulse in a food processor.

Measure exact amount of sugar in a separate bowl and set aside.

Measure exact amount of prepared fruit into a 6 or 8 quart saucepan. Stir in pectin and a 1/2 teaspoon of margarine or butter to reduce the foaming. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (it doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat; stirring constantly.

Stir in the sugar quickly, all at once. Return to a full rolling boil and boil for exactly 4 minutes; stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and skim off foam with a metal spoon.

Remove approximately 3/4 of the seeds then ladle into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads clean. Cover with lids and screw band tightly.

Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. Water must cover jars by 1-2 inches; add boiling water if needed. Cover; bring water to a gentle boil. Process jams according to instructions. Make any adjustments for your altitude if needed.

Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. If the lid springs back, it is not sealed and will need to be refrigerated immediately.

Let stand at room temp for 24 hours. Store unopened jams in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 1 year. Refrigerate opened jam for up to 3 weeks.

But if you're anything like us, the jam won't last for three weeks in the fridge. As you can see, one batch made only four pint sized jars and I MUST have more! So my next attempt will be Huckleberry Raspberry Jam. Mmmmmmm!!!!

Cinnamon Cream Syrup

One weekend, we decided to make breakfast - pancakes, I think. After I mixed up the batter and handed it over to my hubby to cook, I went to pull out the syrup. As I rumaged around the cupboard, I remembered that we had finished it off the last time I made breakfast. I didn't have time to run to the store and get some more, so I jumped online and started searching for recipes.

My kids love maple syrup but I soon found that I didn't have any maple extract either. So when I came across this recipe from allrecipes.com, I thought I'd give it a try since I had all of the ingredients. Boy, am I glad I did! This is our new favorite syrup and we all agree that it is WAY better than maple!! So, as promised, here is today's yummy recipe that you MUST try!

Here's what you'll need:

1 C. sugar
1/2 C. light corn syrup
1/4 C. water
3/4 tsp. cinnammon
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk

In a saucepan, combine first four ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in evaporated milk. Serve over pancakes, waffles, or french toast. Our favorite is to serve it with french toast because it makes it even more cinnammonny (is that a word?)! But we love it with any of those options!! It is so good; try it and let me know what you think!

Honey Butter

One of the BEST things to put on a fresh, warm slice of homeade bread, in my opinion, is honey butter. I love how it melts into the bread and tastes so sweet and buttery. Mmmmmmmm!! You just can't beat that!

The recipe for today has a secret ingredient that makes the honey butter stay so beautiful and fluffy, and it won't separate. It's really pretty great!

Here's what you'll need:

1 lb (4 cubes) butter

3/4 C. honey

1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow cream

Set the butter on the counter for 20 minutes to slightly soften it. You won't want it at room temperature, otherwise it won't whip up as fluffy as it should be. But you don't want to use it right out of the fridge either. Then you'll end up with chunks of butter. So 20 minutes on the counter will be just right!

Whip together butter and honey, then add marshmallow cream.

Mix well.

Store in covered container in refrigerator.

Try this out with my yummy potato bread - right out of the oven! You won't be dissapointed!!