The Lazy Mom's Guide To Caramel Apples

Is it "caramel" or "carmel"? Is this a regional thing? I need to know. Today I asked for a "soda" in San Diego and everyone looked at me like I had snakes crawling out of my ears.

Anyway, I've spent way too many hours of my life on caramel carmel CANDY apples. Stove top, microwave, using the dips or from scratch. I'm over it.

Here is the easiest version known to man.

First, get some apples.

And, then, a package of Caramel Apple Wrap. (sticks are included)

Grab some punks.

Pass out the candy disks.

Calm your husband down because he's going to be super excited and it will probably turn into a distraction.

Peal off the candy and wrap it around the apple.

See? Even Jack can do it.

Lainey? Notsomuch. Thank goodness she's so pretty.

Go, Carter, go!

Place the apples on a cookie sheet. Put them in the oven for 5ish minutes at 200 degrees. Just watch for the candy to melt.

Bring them back out and apply m&m's or other embellishments if you wish. (nuts, sprinkles, crumbled oreos, etc) Watch the punks' hands on the hot sheet.

Voila! Easy as pie. Obligatory Halloween treat = done!


Back soon with a trip report on Julian, CA, where we found these apples. Tonight, I'm mourning my Tigers' loss and recovering from a 7 hour day trip with the kiddos. Exhausted doesn't cover it.

Spring Egg Nest

My dear Internet, why have you been hiding this from me?

I stumbled upon this precious snack on Kelle's blog.

I don't know her.

I wish I did.

She has impeccable taste. And, not just because she named her first child, Lainey. Do check out her blog.....admire her photography, drool over her doting husband, and notice the way she dresses her girls. Perfection, in my opinion.

Here is the simple recipe for these little nests......she mentions how she made them......but if you're like me, you need it spelled out in detail.

We made them on Sunday and it almost seemed like spring.....despite the 12 inches of snow on the ground!

Question Of The Week

Oops! Almost forgot.

I've been cooking and baking a lot lately with the kids and am stifled all of the sudden. Looking for new recipes....for any course....snacks, desserts, meals, etc.

***What is your favorite "go to" recipe?

(I write this as I am enjoying one of my favorite salads....that I found from a friend, Carrie, writing into the blog with the recipe....hoping for some more winners! I've made this one at least a dozen times since receiving it last year....broccoli crunch salad.)

Banana Bread

Michelle shared this recipe with me and it's absolutely delicious. I added walnuts and chocolate chips to make it even more decadent.

Read the notes below...lots of suggestions regarding whether or not to use an electric mixer (I did not) and slicing vs mashing bananas (I sliced).

Enjoy!

Black Eyed Pea Salsa

Being from the south, it was drilled into our heads that we had to eat black eyed peas on New Years Day, OR ELSE.

Or else, what?

A year of bad luck.

Well, I'm cooking less and less these days since the husband doesn't share the same zip code as us. So get this. We didn't eat them and everyone seems fine today. Really! But, my southern nature will have me worrying for the next 363 days.

Holding onto this recipe from The Pioneer Woman (pictured above) for next year's New Year's Day feast.

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Another super easy recipe for kids, as we continue "Sweets Week" up until Christmas.

Ingredients:
Pretzels (traditional shape and rods)
Candy Quik (or almond bark)
Sprinkles

Recipe:
Melt candy coating according to package instructions. Dip pretzels into coating. Roll in sprinkles. Place on wax paper and allow an hour to dry.

Sweets Week

Carter and I started our Christmas baking last night. Fantastic Fudge was first on our list and it's super easy. 4 basic ingredients. About 20 minutes total for the project. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups (12 oz package) semisweet chocolate morsels
2 tbsp butter

Recipe:
1. Line an 8" square baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray foil with vegetable cooking spray. In nonstick saucepan, combine milk and sugar. Stir over low heat to dissolve sugar. Add chocolate and butter, stirring until chocolate melts. Add nuts, if desired.
2. Spread mixture evenly in pan, and cool in refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours. Let your child use a wet butter knife to cut fudge into squares.

Grown Up Food

Since we're just a few days away from Lainey's 1st Birthday Bash, I figured I should take the focus off of the overwhelming amount of sweets that will be provided and put some attention on the actual "food". This is not a dinner party....so we'll have the usual party staples, plus the kid stuff....but enough to suffice for a meal, hopefully.

I've been in a rut over the past year or so....providing the same old standard dips and such. I'm afraid that if I make spinach dip one more time, our guests will protest and return home. Anyone have an easy option or two for adults? Dips, salads, appetizers.....anything....please....send me an email or comment!

In researching my favorite sites, I found this recipe for Bacon Appetizers. I've never heard of such a thing. Crackers and cheese wrapped in bacon. Is that legal?

Check it out:


The woman who runs this site is brilliant and so I trust her judgment. But, they do seem like an artery clogging nightmare.

I found this, too. Olive Cheese Bread. Yum.


And, Onion Strings. Not a real possibility in this house because I don't fry anything. Not because I don't like fried food, but because I hate the way my house smells for the following 3 weeks.

This does seem like an awfully unhealthy list of options.

Perhaps I need to take a walk around the block and re-evaluate which direction this menu is going in.

Potatoes

I tried a new recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks recently and although mine didn't turn out as pretty as hers, they sure were good. Blake suggested adding garlic next time and I simply can't deny him that. Garlic goes well on everything in my opinion.


Here is the link to her recipe. Again, much prettier. Everything this woman does is beautiful.

We ate it with steak and asparagus, a favorite meal in this house and one we don't have very often.

Sinful

I was searching for a recipe I promised Belinda recently and came across this on my site. Who would do this and how does one come across this idea?

I guess you could always have it follow the following for dinner:

Recipes

Every now and then I'll post a recipe that was actually easy enough for me to accomplish and delicious, too! This one is a new favorite, however, it takes a lot of prep time and many ingredients.

Check out this link from "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" for the Asian Noodle Salad recipe. Try it yourself. But, be warned.....your kitchen may look like this:



And, while you're at it, check out this one, too. It's much easier and includes only 4 ingredients. I don't have any pictures of it, but any family member can confirm that I've made this one and variations of it (with pork) several times since learning about it. And, I've fallen in love with the Hot Salt - about 1/2 the sodium of regular salt.

Visit her site anytime for ideas. She spells out her cooking methods with photos, so it's easy to follow along and learn.