Zombie Boogers

The air is getting crisp, the leaves are turning beautiful shades of red and yellow, and Halloween is right around the corner.  I know, I know. It's still a bit early...but I had so much fun creating these Zombie Boogers treat bags, that I couldn't resist sharing them with you.  Plus this gives you plenty of time to plan and bake for your Halloween party.

The recipe for the Zombie Boogers popcorn is super, duper easy and is sure to make your guests shriek with delight.  The treat bags are available for purchase in my Etsy shop. Enjoy!

"Zombie Boogers" Green Candy Coated Popcorn

Recipe Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 8-10
Time: 1 1/2 hours

16-20 cups of popped popcorn

Mixture: 
1/2 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon green food coloring
1 teaspoon baking soda
(Depending on how coated you would like the popcorn, I recommend making a double batch of the mixture to achieve the same look of the popcorn as in the photo.)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C).

Place your popcorn in two large shallow baking dishes.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt buter. Stir in sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to boil while stirring consistently.  Boil without stirring for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and green food coloring until the mixture is evenly colored and combined. Stir in baking soda. Mixture will double. Pour the mixture over the popcorn and stir to combine and evenly coat.

Place the popcorn in the oven. Stir the popcorn every 15 minutes for 1 hour. Remove from the oven. Let cool for about 5 minutes and then break into pieces. Be careful popcorn will still be hot.

(Editor's Update: I've had several comments and emails from readers saying that they had to adjust or tweak the recipe. I've updated the recipe slightly due to these suggestions. Also, please note that I cook at altitude (above 5,200 feet). Depending on your location, you may need to adjust the recipe slightly to achieve the same serving size.)

Classic Creme Brulee

I love cooking. There is just something about sharing good food with friends and family that sparks great conversation and incredible memories... 

For my husband's birthday, he asked me to make creme brulee instead of a traditional birthday cake.  I'd never made creme brulee before. We received a kitchen torch as a wedding present that was collecting dust in our cabinets, and this was a perfect opportunity to finally use it.  I found the secret to a good creme brulee is great ingredients and patience to achieve that irresistible vanilla custard favor and texture and caramelized sugar crust. 

CLASSIC CREME BRULEE

Recipe Difficulty: Easy to Medium

Serves: 4-5 with 6-7oz. ramekins

Time: 8 hours (Custard can be made up to four days in advance)

4 cups heavy cream chilled 

2/3 cup granulated sugar

pinch of salt

1 vanilla bean and seeds

12 large egg yolks 

6-8 teaspoons granulated sugar for crust

Raspberry and mint leaves (optional for decoration)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position.

Combine 2 cups of cream, sugar, and pinch of salt in medium saucepan. Add the vanilla bean and submerge the pod into the cream. Bring to boil over medium heat stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and steep for 20 minutes. 

While the custard is steeping, separate yolks from egg whites in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until yolks are broken up and combined. Set aside. 

Begin preparing your bain-marie (water bath) for the creme brulee. Line a large baking dish with a kitchen towel or my preference a Silpat.  Bring a kettle or large saucepan of water to boil. 

After the vanilla bean has steeped, stir in the remaining 2 cups of cream. Then in the large mixing bowl with your egg yolks, whisk 1 cup of cream mixture at a time until the mixture is evenly colored and combined. 

Strain the mixture though a fine-meshed strainer to remove any large particulates from the vanilla bean. Discard solids. 

Ladle mixture evenly into ramekins, and place all the filled ramekins into baking dish. Pour boiling water into the dish about 2/3 of the way to the top of the ramekins and being careful not to splash any water onto the custard. 

Bake in oven for about 35-45 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 170-175 degrees in the center. The centers should be set and no longer sloshy. Don't be afraid to add additional time if necessary, but keep checking so you don't overcook. 

Transfer ramekins to wire rack and cool at room temperature for 2 hours. 

After they have cooled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold for at least 4-6 hours. You can leave the creme brulee in the refrigerator for up to four days. 

Uncover. If any condensation has collected, gently soak with paper towel. Sprinkle 1-1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar evenly over the top. Ignite kitchen torch and caramelize sugar using a circular motion to evenly distribute heat and prevent burning.  Be careful: sides of ramekins will be hot. 

Refrigerate ramekins uncovered for 30-45 minutes to rechill. Garnish with raspberry and mint leaves. Serve.