Cousin Kimmy's Caramel Syrup and Food Truck Coconut Syrup

This recipe makes my in-laws like me better and my whole family loves it a double billion times better than the cheapy imitation maple from the grocery store.

Cousin Kimmy's Caramel Syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar (I've used all brown before. Same diff.)

1/2 cup water

1 cube butter

Stirring frequently, bring all ingredients to boil and remove from heat. It will boil up and over fast so keep an eye on it.
Then add:

1 tsp vanilla

Incredibly unhealthy and delicious on German Pancakes and French Toast!!!!

Recipe from my cousin Kimmy. Maker of all things sweet and delicious.

And now for a BONUS SYRUP RECIPE!!!

So there was this lady I met while standing in line at the Waffle Love Food Truck in Utah many summers ago who told me about an amazing recipe for homemade Coconut Syrup that she had somehow stolen from the neighboring French Toast Food Truck. I told her I had to have it.

This is that recipe:

Food Truck Lady's Coconut Syrup
1/2 Cup (1 cube) butter
3/4 C. Buttermilk (or milk with a little lemon squeezed in.)
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda (I use a little less because I don't want to taste it.)
1 tsp. coconut extract

Place butter, buttermilk and sugar in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and boil one minute. Remove from heat and add baking soda and extract, stirring constantly. It will bubble up, so if your pot is small, hold it over the sink to avoid spillage. Continue to stir syrup and let is rest for a few minutes before serving. Serve over almost any breakfast food.

Post Script: After typing that recipe,  I think next time I will make it with Coconut milk instead of Buttermilk and leave out the baking soda. I don't need the excitement of a science fair volcano early in the morning--I just need to eat. Once I try it, I'll let you know how it turns out.

German Pancakes

I have heard these called Hootenannies (my husbands family), Dinosaur Pancakes (Chappel family I babysat for as a kid) and Dutch Babies (The Pancake House down the street). I know them for what they really are...German Pancakes. I even had a German roommate in college (Peace Ursula!) who signed off on their authenticity. So I'm assuming my preferred name is the correct one. Family lore says my sister Laura brought this recipe home from her 8th Grade 'Cooks and Chefs' class at Butler Middle School. They were always a family favorite except the handful of times when Faezer tried to jazz things up by adding grated cheese. I love my mother dearly, but what a weirdo.

German Pancakes

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Put 3 Tablespoons butter or margarine in a 9x13 or split into two 8-9" pans and stick in pre-heating oven. (The butter will burn if you don't watch it. Don't put it in too early. Margarine won't burn if you want to use that. I prefer butter forever and always.)

In a large mixing bowl (I like my glass 8 cup batter bowl with handle and spout) combine:
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
6 eggs
dash of salt (You can add a lid full of vanilla too if you want.)

Beat together with electric mixer until smooth.
By now, hopefully your oven is completely pre-heated and the butter has melted and is bubbly and just starting to brown. Pull the oven rack out a bit and dump in your batter. Try to be quick so you don't let all the heat out. Also try not to burn your forearms.

Cook for 20 minutes. (Turn the oven light on so your kids can watch.)

Serve immediately with your favorite pancake toppings. 
(I prefer applesauce, Cousin Kimmy's Caramel syrup, and spray whip...but that's just me.)

(If we're being honest, this tastes almost exactly like the Yorkshire Pudding I've eaten in England so if you want to go totally crazy, throw some pot roast and gravy on top and go wild. Or, ya know, just some grated cheese...)

ENJOY!