Celebrating Mom with Salted Caramel and Vanilla Ice Cream Sundaes

If you've been following my blog for awhile you've probably figured out a thing or two about me, such as 1) I have a hearty affection for all things bacon and chocolate.  2) I absolutely abhor raisins.  3) I really like movies and books and tea.  4) I NEED to visit France.  5) I have a really good Mom.  When my sister was visiting a couple of weeks ago, we were sitting around and saying how much we are turning into Mom more and more every day.  We looked at our hands and saw Mom's hands.  Peeled off our socks, and yup, Mom's feet.  I hear my Mom's voice when my sister sings to her little girls, just like she did to us.  My dad passed away a month before my seventh birthday, leaving my Mom to raise 4 little ones under the age of 9.  So my Mom is kind of my hero, see?

 
Throughout the years, my Mom has truly been my rock, selfless in all ways.  And just very cool.  I'll never forget, when I was 18 she let me go with my friends into Edmonton through unpredictable March weather, to see my very first concert - INXS.  On a school night. Turned out to be one of the best days of my life.  And all of those years when I was living away, she never once broke down and cried when we had to say good-bye in airports and bus depots and drive ways.  I was a big mess, usually doing the whole Oprah ugly cry thing, but she kept it together.  And when I was moving back to Saskatoon three years ago, she spent her week's summer vacation painting all of the walls inside of my little house for me, so I could move in with ease when I arrived.  The green in my little kitchen was painted by a really wonderful woman.

Now that we live just a few blocks apart, Sunday dinners are shared together, and we talk everyday.  I borrow all of Mom's gardening equipment and she gives me advice on where to move my raspberry bushes.  We trade baked goods and fill each other in if we missed "Coronation Street".  Mom has taught me to be independent and strong, encouraging me to always follow my bliss and to never settle, be it for a crappy job or for a crappy boyfriend.  With her massive wealth of knowledge and strength and love,  I don't know what I would do without my Mom or how to thank her.  Somehow my bouquet of hydrangeas doesn't seem like enough. 

So this Mother's day weekend we gathered with my bro and his family.  I made some vanilla sundaes with salted caramel sauce.  I kind of love caramel so I was in a little bit of heaven.  Mixed with the creaminess of good vanilla ice cream and bits of waffle cone, we were all on a bit of sugar rush afterwards,  and thankful no one is diabetic.  Caramel has a mind of it's own, but don't be scared, it's really very straight forward to make.  Adding the bits of coarse salt adds another layer of flavour I kind of love.  Salt and sweet?
Yes and yes.  

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 cup of granulated sugar
6 tbsp butter
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp coarse sea salt
 
In a heavy sauce pan, melt the sugar on high.  Stir often.  Boil until it is an amber colour.  Add the butter and stir lots.  It's going to bubble really high.   When it dissipates, add the whipping cream and stir stir stir with a whisk until creamy smooth.  Add the salt.  Stir some more.  Let cool.  Drizzle over good vanilla ice cream, and break up some waffle cones or waffle bowl pieces if you like.  The caramel sauce will keep in the refrigerator for a week, but if you love caramel like I do, it won't last that long!