EVER WONDER!!

.... Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin?
Why can't women put on mascara with their mouth closed?
Why don't you ever see the headline "Psychic Wins Lottery"?
Why is "abbreviated" such a long word?
Why is it that doctors call what they do "practice"?
Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?
Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?
Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?
Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?
Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?
You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?!
Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?
Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?
If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?
If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?

PARCHED CORN:

This item is always sold out in the better known Primitive Shops....Take a small, grocery store paper bag, put your finished corn in it, then wrap it in dirty cheesecloth and sell it for around $6, or make a canvas pouch to hold it...I like it with the brown bag and grungy cheese cloth...Just put some in a wood bowl and then set the bag on top to the side...

Parched Corn Recipe

Native Americans and the Early Pioneers knew how to make an easy nutritious snack. Parched corn was a staple of early Americans:
Things You'll Need:
Corn
Cast Iorn Skillet
lard
Spoon
Paper towel
Cloth or paper bags
2 tbsp. lard
2 ears dried corn, shelled
1 lg. skillet
Dry the corn ( I buy the squirrel cobs already dried). The primary ingredient of parched corn is dried corn. To dry fresh corn on the cob, hang it in a dry area of your home and allow it to dry out naturally. Frozen corn can be dried in a dehydrator or spread on a cookie sheet and placed in an oven set at 150 degrees. Leave the oven door open a little. This method can take a few hours and the corn should be turned occasionally to prevent burning.
Oil the skillet. Add a small amount of lard to a skillet. Heat the oil on a low temperature. Wipe the frying pan with paper towel to remove any excess oil. Only a thin coating should remain on the bottom of the pan.
Pour the corn in the skillet. Add enough dry corn to the skillet to just about cover the bottom. The actual amount will depend on the size of the skillet.
Cook the corn. Allow the corn to cook slowly. Stir the dried corn constantly to prevent burning. The parched corn is done when the kernels have swollen, and turned a medium brown. A few of the kernels may explode, just like popcorn.
Drain the corn. Pour the parched corn onto some paper towel and allow to thoroughly drain and cool. Turn the corn a couple of times to ensure that all excess oil is absorbed. Store the parched corn.
Here are the goodies I got at the Thrift Store yesterday...all for $18...

There are 4 decks of old playing cards, a children's card game, mix matched jewelry, a candle carrier, red handled potato masher, 2 small ovenex pans, 8 crocheted cups & saucers, a clock & recipe holder from the 50's, a sliver jewelry holder, shaped like a heart and a Family recipe holder...Below I picked up 3 old books from the 30's & 40's, 2 bingo games for ACT cards, napkin rings (for pin cushions) and an old bucket....


I will put it all up for sale in my store on ebay and etsy....

Halloween Munch!...Bark!...Brittle!...Snack!

Um, Um, Good!!!...Gonna like this Halloween Munch..

Fast and easy to make...Tastes like a Payday Candy Bar..

Recipe:

1-12 ounce can Cocktail Peanuts

1-11 ounce bag M & M'S

1-10 ounce bag Candy Corn

Pour all ingredients into a bowl and mix well

Peanut Butter Snack Mix Recipe

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons peanut butter

4 cups Chex cereal (assorted wheat and corn) 2 cups mini pretzels 1/3 cup peanuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 175F.

2. Combine honey, butter and peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until smooth. Combine cereal, pretzels and peanuts in a large bowl. Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture and toss to coat. Spread on baking sheet and bake for 1 and 1/2 hours.

Chocolate Candy Corn Bark

Ingredients:

2-cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1-cup white chocolate chips

1-cup candy corn

1. Prepare a cookie sheet by lining with alumium foil.

2.In separate bowls, melt the chocolates in the microwave or over a double boiler.

3. Stir 1/2 cup candy corn into the dark chocolate, and pour the chocolate onto the foiled pan. Ising a spoom or spatula, smooth the chocolate out in an even layer. It does not have to cover the whole pan.

4. Take a spoon and scoop small amouths of white chocolate over the dark in a random pattern. Use a toothpick or the tip of a knife to swirl the two chocolates together. Don't swril too much, you want to be able to see the distinct chocolates in the end.

5. Place the remaining 1/2 cup candy corn over the wet chocolates, sprinkling randomly and pressing them gently into the chocolate until they adhere.

6. Put the chocolate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to harden.

7. When the bark is firm, remove it from the foil and break it.

This great recipe is from Elizabeth LaBau.

Popcorn Brittle Recipe

This snack combines the sweet crunchy texture of brittle with the airy saltiness of popcorn. Great as a gift for the holidays or for the kids to munch on Halloween.

Ingredients:
14 cups freshly popped popcorn (made from 1/2 cup popcorn kernels and 2 tablespoons canola oil)

2 cups sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing

1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
1. Lightly butter 2 large (15 x 11-inch) baking sheets and a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

2. Working in batches, place 2 cups popcorn in food processor. Pulse until crushed into small pieces. Do not overprocess. Repeat with remaining popcorn.

3. Stir sugar, corn syrup, water and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is simmering. Clip a candy thermometer to the inside of the pan and continue heating undisturbed until temperature reaches 270F (about 10 to 15 minutes). Mixture will boil vigorously.

4. Stir in butter, molasses and vanilla. Continue heating until temperature reaches 290F (between soft- and hard-crack stages).

5. Remove pan from heat; stir in crushed popcorn. Working quickly, pour mixture over prepared sheets. Using the buttered rubber spatula, press evenly to flatten like peanut brittle. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack and break into chunks.

Makes 1 pound.