Attack of the Girl Scouts: Knock off Caramel De-Lites

I’ve been slowly writing this blog entry in my head all week. It’s one of those occasions where you know exactly what you want to say, like when you’re rehearsing an upcoming argument you’re about to have in your head. In that situation, you are going to sound like the smartest person who ever lived. Really, you’re going to say that? Because I’ll say THAT and make it seem so off the cuff that you will literally be blown back in surprise.

That never happens.

Every time I rehearse some kind of conversation I’m about to have, all the words I’ve been storing in my head just come tumbling out of my mouth all at once. Oh you said that?? How about…about..this! That’s not a good comeback. That’s not even a good response. What happened to all that training? What a waste of preparation.

Anyway, I’ve been writing this in my head all week because I’m about to take a pretty bold stance against the Girl Scouts.

That’s right. I think you all know exactly where this is going.

Day 12: Peanut Butter Toffee Turtle Cookies

Just like all great things in life, our 12 Days of Christmas Cookies Rockette Winter Spectacular is coming to an end.

Right now I'm imagining us all sitting around the table as the man from the Chinese restaurant chops the head off the duck in A Christmas Story. "He's smiling at me". It certainly was a festive countdown, I hope you all enjoyed it as much as me.

Tonight's final recipe is a cookie I've been saving for last, because like all great Christmas movies, this cookie has a little something for everyone. [insert Jingle All the Way quote here].

Peanut Butter Toffee Turtle Cookies.
I'll give you a minute to think that over.

Day 10: Chocolate Caramel Chews

It's not something that I've ever done, but I've always wanted to learn how to make candy for Christmas time. I've messed around looking for recipes online, and every time I find one I never do it because the recipe calls for roughly half a day. Sadly, I just don't the patience.

What I do have is a quick google finger, so I'm on to the next recipe before I get too depressed thinking about my lack of candy making abilities.

On the Road with YIBT: Apple Pie Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

You did it! You made it through Thanksgiving! With any luck your body has starting working against the tryptophan and the cranberry sauce that's coursing through your veins, and you can finally sit down and read something without falling asleep. I'm so proud of you.

This post is a special one because it's our first (say it in the Oprah voice) travel edition post! Yeah, I'd Bake That packed up (which is an understatement I will explain later) and hit the road to a bigger and better kitchen!

Last week I committed to making these apple pie cupcakes, and hit the grocery store to pick up some supplies. I thought I was being responsible, picking everything up ahead of time so I wouldn't have to run out when we got to Jersey. I was even going to measure out everything I was bringing from home, pack my icing gun and the new cupcake corer I had yet to use. It was a nice thought.

We were 5 traffic miles and 45 minutes away from the house when I realized that I forgot everything. EVERYTHING. Not only did I forget to bring all of the supplies, I had completely neglected to pack any of it. So when we got to Jersey I called myself an idiot the appropriate amount of times and went back to the grocery store.

These cupcakes were fun to make because I actually had counter space to work with. Real counter space. When I'm in my own kitchen I use the top of my dog's crate as part of my work space (which enables me to act like I'm a guest on a talk show, pulling out the ingredients or finished product from down below) but it's not ideal. In the Jersey kitchen (which I'll so fondly refer to it) I could move around and actually do things. So much room for activities!

This recipe is extremely easy. The actual cupcake parts tastes more like an apple bread than a sweet cupcake. The insides are filled with apple pie filling, and the icing is a light whipped creme icing that makes the whole cupcake taste like a real apple pie. I would HIGHLY suggest them, and they're perfect for the upcoming holidays.

Apple Pie Cupcakes with Caramel Icing

http://www.justputzing.com/2011/10/caramel-apple-pie-cupcakes.html

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

1 cup of milk

1 stick of butter

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 pinch of nutmeg

1 pinch of ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling: 2 cups of apple pie filling

Frosting:

2 cups heavy cream

3 to 4 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/2 cup caramel sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350. Put your cupcake liners in

2. Heat milk and butter in small saucepan or in microwave until butter melts

3. In medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder cinnamon and salt together

4. In separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar until really thick for about 5 minutes. Add dry ingredients and mix until incorporated

5. Add the milk and vanilla mixture and mix until blended

6. Put batter in cupcake tins about 1/4 full

7. Bake 16-18 minutes. Cool in pans for 5 minutes and then move cupcakes to racks to cool.

8. When cool, use corer or knife to scoop out a hole in the center of the cupcake. Fill the hole with apple pie filling.

For the icing: Beat whipping creme and powdered sugar until thick.  

 Then you just have to drizzle caramel sauce over them!

Final products:

At the end of the day, I had a full batch of Apple Pie Cupcakes and a full batch of Red Velvet. I hadn't intended on making the red velvet ones, but I figured since I had the room and I was already buying the ingredients again I might as well. Red velvet is a post for another day!

If you were at the party and tried the cupcakes, leave a comment here and let me know what you thought! 

Source: Just Putzing Around the Kitchen

URL: http://www.justputzing.com/2011/10/caramel-apple-pie-cupcakes.html

Topical: Leftover Halloween Candy Cookies

If you're anything like us, you now have a mountain of Halloween candy on your dining room table that may or may not cause your friend Ben to catch diabetes. Every year on Halloween our block of row homes gets assaulted with little pirates, Michael Jacksons and regular teenagers who dressed up and went trick-or-treating as regular teenagers. But for some reason, this year we over prepared (I think it was the freak snow storm and the stock piling mentality) and now we have a table full of candy that's got to go. I mean, it's got to go.

So today when I was supposed to be writing lesson plans I was scouring the internet for ways to use these leftovers. I came away from the search with two ideas: 1. I'm not sure I want to use too many collaborative writing assignments in my classroom and 2. The following Pampered Chef recipe is an amazing way to pile up all that candy, throw it in a bowl and eat it all at once so you don't have to bother with the wrappers. Obviously, my thoughts on collaborative writing do not apply here.

The website I got the recipe from says you'll make a killing if you sell these at some kind of bake sale, so if you're looking for some extra cash you're welcome:

Coffee House Cookies
Link: http://leladavidson.hubpages.com/hub/Best-Ways-to-Use-Leftover-Halloween-Candy

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, divided
2 bars (1.5-2 ounces each, or the equivalent of mini bars) of your leftover chocolate goods*

*I haven't made this recipe yet, but I would think adding more to the recipe can't do a lot of harm. Just don't load up on too much caramel or rice products.

*This recipe makes 2 batches of 6 big cookies


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking soda and salt and mix well. In another bowl or mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture.

2. Stir 2/3 cup of the nuts and 2/3 cup of the chocolate chucks into dough. Cut candy bards into small pieces and set aside for later.

3. Scoop 1/4 cup of dough onto cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Leave plenty of space (about 3 inches) because cookies will spread as they bake. Press nuts and candy into cookies.

4. Bake 14-16 minutes or until cookies are almost set. Don't over bake. (Like you would on purpose?) Centers should be slightly soft. Cool on baking sheet for 7 minutes before putting on a cooling rack.



I'm going to be making these some time this week, so check back for pictures! And leave a comment below if you have any other ways to get rid of halloween candy!

This is our friend Ben. He loves candy corn.

Source: Best Ways to Use Halloween Candy 78
Author: Lela Davidson
Link: http://leladavidson.hubpages.com/hub/Best-Ways-to-Use-Leftover-Halloween-Candy

Amish Caramel Corn

Wow. I can not watch Dancing with the Stars and concentrate on writing this blog. It's too difficult! The shiny costumes...the mediocre dancing...it's all too much.

It took me awhile to figure out what to post this week, but I decided on a sweet recipe for caramel popcorn. I made it and gave it away for Christmas last year, but made it again last week because I had some extra time on my hands (and I was trying to get rid of the ridiculous amount of plain popcorn I had in the cupboards) Seriously, who bought that much plain popcorn?

Anyway, I give out cookies every year for Christmas because I'm cheap thrifty and before it was time to start all the baking my mom told me about this recipe. In my memory she kept going on and on about her Amish friend and her great recipe for caramel popcorn. Which made me ask her repeatedly who she knew that was Amish, and if she ever stayed with them or if they were the ones who made our fireplace. In reality, I'm sure she was rationally telling me about the recipe and how her friend (who was not Amish) gave her this recipe which was called "My Amish Friend's Caramel Corn".

This recipe is a few things. A. It's time consuming. B. It's awesome. C. It's sticky. 4. It'll go fast.

I'm posting the recipe below, but I encourage you to take a look at the link so you can read the comments. I don't think I've ever seen so many 5 star reviews. But maybe it's the Amish girl's friend just trying to make her feel better about her popcorn recipe.

My Amish Friend's Caramel Corn (I just wanted to say Amish once more)
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/my-amish-friends-caramel-corn/detail.aspx

Ingredients:
7 Quarts plain popped corn (I used 3 bags worth)
2 cups dry roasted peanuts (If you enjoy peanuts. I used them and would recommend them for sure)
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place the popped corn into 2 greased, baking pans. If you're adding peanuts, add them now. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 250. Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, margarine and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, over medium heat, stirring to blend. Once the mix starts to boil, boil for 5 more minutes stirring constantly.

3. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. It's going to look foamy. Immediately pour over the popcorn and stir to coat all of the popcorn.

4. Bake for one hour total. Every 15 minutes remove the pans and stir up the popcorn to cover all of it. Line a flat surface (in my case, the entire dining room table) with waxed paper. Dump the corn out and separate into smaller pieces. Let it cool, or eat it all when it's warm because it's awesome that way.

I'm not kidding when I say it took up the majority of my dining room table. 

So friends, take this recipe and put it in your Christmas bank. I have yet to hear anything negative about this popcorn. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell my mom's Amish friend. She's sensitive.

Source: Allrecipes.com

URL: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/my-amish-friends-caramel-corn/detail.aspx