Positively Tuesday and Accepting Holiday Misses-Blogmas Day 15

      Day 15? Did I really type that? Yesterday was quite exciting, and I really had to wipe a tear away seeing the first NYC critical care nurse get her vaccine on televisions. I'm not letting my guard down, but I can see better public health conditions on the horizon. The US election was finally certified yesterday, despite what yahoos were still Tweeting about; that it really still isn't official now until January 6th. 

     Clearly failing, or acknowledging failure, is just not part of some peoples DNA. I on the other hand am pretty good at  accepting  losses and limitations. Sure, some sting worse than others. I still feel a bit salty from not receiving  the promotion back in 2007, but still did my job above and beyond. I've had my share of heart break over failed relationships and friendships that have gone south. Sometimes though failing ends up being a good thing, like when we were denied our home building loan in 1990, and ended up buying the house we still live in through a contract for deed sale.,We ended up with a slightly better home for us, on a better lot for less money.

     Every year I have visions of creating a Hallmark or Norman Rockwell Christmas. Every year there are fails. This year I seem to be having a lot of them, nothing major, and mostly due to ambition in my head, and then low energy level for execution. I am reminded again of Christmas Vacation and cousin Catherines turkey and Aunt Bethany's interesting jello.

     I've had my own moments. Take the vegan caramels I intended, did make, on Saturday. No pictures because the lot went into the trash. I had several recipe options and decided I was just going to do the most basic, whiz the dates in the Ninja, let harden, cut in squares, then dunk in dark chocolate. Sounds pretty fail proof. The Ninja whirled well, then kept hitting clunkiness. Ah, this is where I have to add a bit of hot water I thought. They never did get creamy, but I spread the mixture in a pan anyway. It wasn't until I went to cut into squares that I realized my error.  I thought the dates were already pitted-like raisins. I did not realize there was a hard put inside the dates. Well, some of the pits were in small bits, and a couple stayed whole, either way, the date puree was inedible-dangerously so! I was bummed out to have waste $5 worth of dates, But, I managed to taste a bit that didn't have busted pits, and it is pretty tasty. So at least I know next time, done correctly, I'll have  a tasty vegan treat. 

     While maybe not failures I've had other misses this year:

• Christmas village still not up
• Cards only 1/3 done, must be in the mail by Wednesday a.m. pick-up or some will be late
• What I thought I ordered was a paint by number set of an Eifel tower scene, turned out to be something called diamond painting, with little plastic beads-looks interesting, but nothing anyone I know would be interest in 
• I didn't read the fine print and the cribbage board in a cloth bag for DH came-as just the bag! I had to order the cribbage set last night. That likely will not arrive by Christmas Eve.

     This popcorn was not a fail. Bonus recipe-and it's not even Wednesday. It is an easy fail proof microwave caramel that I have made off and on through the years. I made it first with my 4 and 5 year old preschool classroom before I had kids. The caramel gets very hot, so be careful, but this is such a good way for kids to feel like they helped make treats.

Microwave Caramel Corn

12-15 cups popped plain popcorn, no butter or salt (If you use microwave popcorn that is already sealed, leave out the salt in the carmel)

In a microwave safe bowl melt

1/2 cup butter (I used vegan so DD1 would eat but melts better with real)

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup Karo light corn syrup

1/2 tsp salt

 Melt a minute, stir, and melt another 30-40 seconds until bubbly. 

     Quickly stir in 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp baking powder. It will bubbly up more as the sida  reacts to the other ingredients and as you stir, a golden caramel color emerges. 

Pour over popcorn, while folding and stirring to coat the entire batch. I have a massive Tupperware bowl, but a brown paper bag would work in a pinch and was what I used with the preschoolers and later with my own children as they love to shake the bake and make sure the pieces were coated.

     Some people might spread it out on cookie sheets and bake it to dy out and crips up, but I like it as it is, soft and gooey. It easily could be molded into popcorn balls with our without gum drops added. It's the easiest ever, and I like it so much I need to now give it away to get it out of the house. I made my sister a care package with this, puppy chow, and chex mix, along with a plate that had PB fudge (Wednesday share), rolo pretzels, oreo brownies, and mars bar candy. She's bringing it to share today for her lunch with two other sisters, but said the popcorn stays with her. So on that successful note, do you have any tails of a holiday fail? Any burnt or dog eaten holiday turkeys? Anyone  make spoiled eggnog and get anyone sick? Let's all get a good laugh sharing in the acceptance of a few failures.