Sticky popcorn, dipping sauce, salad and bread

Welcome to My Kitchen Facebook page has been quite active since launch the end of December. Each week I plan to post pictures from the test drive of column recipes and other kitchen hints. https://www.facebook.com/odessaiscooking/ in your search box, or if already on Facebook, type Welcome to My Kitchen in the search box to get to the page.

My friend Kathy Prater Taylor, Redfield, N.D., posted a picture of a Cranberry Orange Bread her son baked while visiting over the holidays. In response to many requests, she shared the recipe. Baked in a cast iron Dutch oven, the finished loaf has a nice crust and rustic texture, similar to sourdough but without the sourdough tang. Dried cranberries and candied orange peel add just the right amount of sweetness.

Commercial made candied orange peel has a bitter bite I do not care for, so I make my own. I posted pictures of the Facebook page of this easy, but a bit time consuming recipe.

Candied Orange Peel

3 navel oranges

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup water

Wash and dry the oranges. Cut the top and bottom from the oranges and score the rind into quarters. Remove the rind including the white part, and cut into 1/4 inch wide strips.

Place the strips in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Set pan on stove over high heat and bring to a boil. Drain water from rind strips. Repeat twice more.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together sugar and the 3/4 cup water until sugar is completely dissolved.

In dry saucepan, heat the sugar water to a gentle simmer. Let the mixture cook 8-9 minutes. Add the drained rind strips and cook 45 to 60 minutes, just until peels are translucent, adjusting heat to maintain a very gentle simmer. AVOID STIRRING, as this will cause sugar to crystalize. If needed, press rind gently into syrup with a heat resistant spatula.

When done, drain any remaining syrup using a metal colander (plastic will melt because this mixture it HOT). Spread candied peel on wire racks to dry for 4 to 5 hours. Store in airtight containers. Yield: about 2 1/2 cups.

Note: While waiting for the peels to simmer, divide remaining orange segments in zip closure bags for lunches or snacks. Also, the little bit of remaining syrup is enough to stir into 3 or four cups of coffee for cappuccino.

Cranberry Orange Bread

6 quart cast iron Dutch oven

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp yeast

1 1/2 cups water

3/4 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup diced candied orange peel

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, yeast, salt and water, mixing until mixture is smooth. Mixture will be very soft, batter like. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for about an hour.

Turn the soft dough out onto a floured surface. Sprinkle with about a third of the fruit, and knead in, repeating in thirds until all incorporated, about 5-8 minutes. Place in a large lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise 6-8 hours, or over night.

When ready to bake, place lightly greased Dutch oven in oven and heat to 475 degrees.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface to deflate slightly, fold/knead in edges to form an evenly round loaf. When Dutch oven is heated, remove lid. Roll loaf, kneaded side down into your hands and gently drop in the center of the Dutch oven. Cover and bake 30 minutes, remove lid and bake 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove loaf to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: one large loaf.

Debby Dammel brought a Cranberry Salad to the Christmas Day Potluck dinner and it garnered many requests. The recipe was her grandmother, Silvia Kneeskern’s original recipe. Debby notes, she doubles the recipe for a crowd.

Cranberry Salad

1 pint raw fresh cranberries

1 small can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained

3/4 granulated sugar

16 large marshmallows, quartered or about 2 cups miniature marshmallows.

1 cup whipped cream

Grind cranberries, combine with pineapple, sugar and marshmallows. Let stand, refrigerated, overnight. Fold in whipped cream before serving. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Nancy Floether shared a recipe for Sticky Popcorn she got from the late, Dixie Schuh Filion. Dixie used to make this, not only for the holidays, but also as a special treat in the school staff room. Nancy stated, “when ever we found a bowl in the staff room, you wanted to get some right away even if you weren’t hungry….because if you waited it would be gone and you wouldn’t get any”.

Sticky Popcorn

1 cup un-popped popcorn

1 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup Karo syrup

1 cup miniature marshmallows

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pop the popcorn with an air popper. Place in a large heat proof bowl or pan.

In a large microwave safe bowl, combine butter, sugar and Karo syrup. Stir, then microwave on High 3 minutes, stir, then microwave 3 minutes more.

Add marshmallows and vanilla and stir until marshmallows are melted. Pour mixture over popped corn and stir until well combined. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Yield: about 8 quarts.

With bowl games going on, this Dipping Sauce created by Jackee Winslow, Las Vegas, Nev., formerly of Odessa, is easy to prepare and keep on hand. It goes great with everything from chicken fingers to pretzels.

Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tsp prepared mustard

1 tsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp smoky barbeque sauce

Combine all ingredients until well blended. Yield: 2/3 cup sauce.

Share your recipes by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Odessa Record, P.O. Box 458, Odessa, WA 99159 or email therecord@odessaoffice.com or drop them in the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The Odessa Record office. Plan tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers into you flower beds and create edible beauty.