Love Recipes by Camp Chef for Camp Recipes

Love Recipes!
"I call these recipes my grandmother's Love Recipes because when she made these tasty candies, we knew she made them with love. These are mostly classic candies that every homemaker made way back when the shortening was in every pantry in American kitchens. Substitute butter or a vegan butter for the shortening below... have fun with these old recipes!"

Chocolate Turtles

2 cups walnuts
36 caramels
3 Tblsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup semisweet or milk chocolate
1-1/2 tsp shortening

Cover baking sheet with waxed paper and arrange walnut halves in 28 to 30 clusters.
Keep separated by at least 1-inch apart.

Unwrap caramels and butter and place in top of double boiler set over boiling water.
Heat until caramels are completely melted stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Add vanilla and stir until butter and vanilla are thoroughly mixed.
Drop caramel onto center of each walnut cluster making sure that caramel touches all the walnut pieces to hold them together.
Melt chocolate with shortening over hot but not boiling water.
Spread over caramels and candies.
Allow to set before cutting into squares.
Makes 28 to 30 Turtles.


Wrap your Turtles in groups of twos or threes in clear paper.
Tie a red and pink ribbon around the package and give them away as a gift!
Makes a perfect Love gift in the next few weeks for Valentine's Day!


More Love Recipes coming... stay tuned.

Update: just saw the new "Whitewater Cooks" books! A cool book of favorite recipes!


Thanks to all the holiday cooks that submitted recipes!

Scones from London

Our rafting friends found some wonderful scones in Knightsbridge in London while touring Europe. Scones would be easy to duplicate on a rafting and camping trip! Get that dutch oven ready for a very special treat!

Scones

1 cup of flour
1/4 cup of unsalted butter(cubed very cold)
1/4 cup of fine sugar
1/4 cup of currants(optional)
1 large egg (room temperature)
1 teaspoon of cream of tarter
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
small amount of milk (only if batter becomes too thick)

Mix all ingredients together with your hands, but don't mix too much or it will make the dough tough.*

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut small circles using a small glass turned upside down. Place on a silpat, parchment paper or seasoned dutch oven. (Just remember to use a seasoned dutch oven & you can forgo the parchment paper or silpat)

Brush lightly with milk and sprinkle sugar on top.

Place in pre-heated oven 450 for 8 to 10 minutes

Serve immediately with warm butter, cream and any jams that strikes your fancy.
This recipe serves four. Not to be saved, but enjoyed immediately with your favorite tea, coffee or fruit juice!

* Our Secret Chef says, "Don't over work the dough! Mix once and then roll-out; otherwise, you will end up with hockey pucks instead of tender, flaky scones! There is such a joy in baking these wonderful morsels of schoonbrood!"

... a little history about the scones:

Scones origins go back to Scotland where the Scots formed them into small round flat breads called "schoonbrood." The first mention of this word was in 1513 and was likely originated from the Middle Dutch. The Scottish would cut the flat breads into triangular wedges reflecting the current shape today. Today, the flat breads are called bannock and the cut out triangles are called scones.

Scones are popular in United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and United States. Most are made with wheat, barley and/or oatmeal. They are usually served with tea, Devonshire cream and jams.

Note: We think our friends will be surprised to see this on their group rafting trip this year!