~ thanksgiving dinner ~

My contributions for this Thanksgiving dinner is homemade buns and caramel popcorn:

Homemade buns:  I've experimented with lots of different recipes, but I've managed to come up with one that is easy and delicious. 

• 1 cup water 
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 1/4 cup white flour
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1 Tbsp yeast

Place all ingredients into bread machine and select dough cycle.

Once dough cycle is completed, remove dough and need for 2 minutes. Divide dough into 12 rolls and place in 9x13 greased pan. 

Place a tea towel over the buns and let rice in a warm place for 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Melt 3 tsp butter and brush over the buns.

Place in preheated 375 degree oven for 12-15 minutes until the tops are golden brown. 

Caramel white chocolate popcorn -thought I would make this as a treat for while we played games. I've never made it before so I found a recipe as a guideline and then changed the amounts so the popcorn is not completely covered, therefore less sweet. The popcorn turned out great and the white chocolate was a good touch.

• 2 bags of microwave popcorn popped, remove unpopped kernals 
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 5 oz chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips

Directions

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. 
• Pop both bags of popcorn and place in 2 large bowls.

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, corn  syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt. Bring mixture to a boil and allow to boil 4 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and add in vanilla and baking soda and stir mixture until it thick and glossy. 

Pour quarter of the caramel sauce over each bowl of popcorn then toss several times, add remaining caramel sauce and toss popcorn until evenly coated. 

Spread popcorn onto a large rimmed cookie sheet and bake in pre-heated oven 1 hour, stirring popcorn every 15 minutes. Cool completely.

Melt white chocolate on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted. Pour melted chocolate into ziplock bag, cut a very small tip from the corner, drizzle onto popcorn.

Place cookie sheets in the fridge for white chocolate to harden. Ready to serve