Caramel not Carmel

Mom makes everyone caramels at Christmastime. 
She makes boxes out of old Xmas cards to hold the 
candy and writes everyone's name with her calligraphy pen. 
2004's packaging had a curvy shape:

Mom's been wanting to teach the girls how to make them. 

She came the house last weekend fully prepared. 
That's the girl scout and teacher in her.  

The recipe is from one of the volumes in 
her Woman's Day recipe encyclopedia.

Once everything was measured (and don't ruin it by adding nuts!)

all it needed to do was to cook on the stovetop.

Sammy went first. Notice tiny bubbles early on.

Stirring duties were transfered to another willing student.

Still stirring. Notice how the bubbles are larger.

That's the same wooden spoon we used when I was a kid. 

They tested the temp by dropping hot candy in cold water. 
I didn't take a photo of that.

The pan is from Martha Stewart's collection at Macy's. 

Nice even heat with a non-stick coating. 
It worked great and clean-up was a breeze.

Seems like they stirred for about an hour... 
think I'll check the photo records for the time.

Wow! I was right. They started at 11:20 and didn't 
pour it into the Fire King casserole until 12:24pm. 

And mom wasn't trying to be hip and trendy by using 
the old yellow glass casserole. 

She got it for her wedding in the 50s, 
and "that's the pan I make the caramels in".

The caramels needed to cool before cutting. 

After about a half hour, we put it in the fridge and 
went to the fabric outlet. All I brought home was my life 
(that place is a fire trap!) and this lovely photo.

Oops, we were gone a little too long. 
Now the caramel was a little too cold.

See the spatula marks where mom forced 
it out of the pan onto the cutting board.

After cutting into 1/2 inch strips and then into one inch-ish pieces with a chef's knife, 

Mom showed us how to wrap them in waxed paper.

 "Roll it than twist the outer end of the wrapper and push it in.

If you twist it too close to the caramel, it can tear the paper."

I put the bowl up high. When it's in full view, you're constantly into it.

Think I'll go have one--RIGHT NOW!