[tips and tricks] Chocolate Caramel Apples

You asked for it...you got it!  Here's a little follow up to this post.

*Choose fresh firm and crisp apples.  Some like to use really large apples.  I don't mind the smaller apples.  There's a greater caramel to apple ratio that way!  I used some Jonathon apples from a local fruit stand that were marked down because of their smaller size.  I also used some golden delicious apples that we had left-over from making cider.

*Wash and dry your apples.  Remove the stems.

*I learned this little trick from somewhere...turn your apples upside down and insert your stick through the bottom.  The bottom of the apple holds the stick more firmly.  Weird, I know.  But it works.

*I like to use homemade caramel.  I could give you the recipe.  But I would have to kill you.  Sorry.  Use your favorite recipe.  It will turn out just fine.  Or, melt down your favorite caramel.  My recipe makes about two cups of melted caramel.

*Pour your melted caramel into bowl.  It needs to be a bit wider and deeper than the size of your apple.  I used a quart size glass bowl that worked pretty well.  Remember that when you push the apple down into the caramel, the level of the caramel will rise, so plan accordingly.

*Submerse your apple on a stick into the delicious caramel.  Let it drip for a minute or two to remove the excess.  I used a knife to scrape the extra caramel off of the bottom (which in this case is actually the top?) of the apple.  Place your caramel apple on a silpat or a greased cookie sheet.  The caramel will still continue to puddle at the bottom.  Delicious!

*Allow your caramel to cool and harden on the apple.

*Once your caramel has firmed up, you are ready to dip your apple into the chocolate.  You have lots of options here.  I melted some milk chocolate discs on 40% power for 40 seconds in microwave.  Repeat until the chocolate is smooth and melted, stirring between each warming interval.  Dip your caramel apple into the chocolate or drizzle it on with a spoon.  Set your chocolate dipped apple onto a piece of parchment and allow the chocolate to harden.  You may want to pop it into the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes.

*Embellish your delicious apples with white chocolate drizzle or nuts or candies.  I melted some white chocolate discs in the microwave (same procedure as above) in a small sandwich bag.  Once your chocolate is melted, snip the corner off of your bag and drizzle over the apples.  Again, allow your chocolate to set.


 
*Package your apple pops all cute-like, or just sink your teeth right in!

[tips and tricks] Storing Onions

It's been a while since I have shared a little helpful tip.  We have been deep into harvesting and canning and preserving around here.  I was given some of the hugest onions I have ever seen a few weeks ago.  You can store onions in your pantry.  But if you have more onions than you can use in  a reasonable amount of time, you will want to take a different route.  You can dry onions if you have a dehydrator.  You can also freeze chopped onions and they will keep through the winter.  Do you like to cook with onions?  I use onions quite a bit.  But I rarely use an entire onion...especially when it is as big as your face! 

Want to know one of my biggest pet peeves?  I hate it when you put a half-used onion in the refrigerator or freezer and within minutes everything smells and tastes of onion!  Cookie Dough Onion Ice Cream?  No thanks.  Strawberry-onion jam?  Yuck.  Orange-onion juice?  I don't think so!  You would think Ziploc could make a bag that would deter all of those onion tastes and smells from diffusing through the fridge.  Double bagging  doesn't work.  Triple bagging doesn't work.  Tupperware doesn't work.  Those pesky onions!

Let me tell you what does work.  This is life altering---are you ready?  Mason jars!  Mason jars totally work.  My good friend shared this idea with me a couple of years ago.  Bless her.  Chop up your bigger-than-your-face onion.  Throw a handful of onion chunks into your spaghetti sauce...and put the rest in a mason jar.  Be sure to securely fasten your jar with a lid and a ring.  Put it in the fridge or the freezer and save it for tomorrow's soup.  Or chop up a bunch of onions from your garden and freeze them to use all winter long.  It's magical!! 

[tips and tricks] Dishwashing

I thought I'd share this little tidbit today.  I like to think that I invented it.  But I doubt it.

I love, as is LOVE, expensive scented dish soaps.  Years ago my friend gifted me a bottle of this.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven.  It made dish washing not only tolerable, but almost delightful.  It started splurging on all the wonderful brands of designer dish soaps.  My favorite were by far, the citrus scents.  Then things seemed to get tighter financially and I could no longer justify the habit.  Luckily I had kept some of these wonderful bottles.  And I had a devious idea.  Why couldn't I just make my own?  Oh the deception!

I bought an inexpensive bottle of clear unscented dish soap from the WalMart or the Target.  Wherever I could find a good deal.  Then I grabbed my little bottle of lemon oil out of the cupboard.  (The kind you use for cooking)  I filled my designer bottle about half-way with the clear unscented cheap soap.  Then I added some lemon oil.  Between 1/4 tsp and 1/2 tsp depending on the size of your bottle.  Then I filled the bottle the rest of the way up and gently turned it up and down to distribute the oil.

Devious.  And Delightful.

[tips and tricks] Lunch Perks

Tired of the same old lunch?  Sandwich.  Chips.  An apple.  A cookie maybe.

Portion cups.  Condiment cups.  Souffle cups.  Whatever you want to call them.  I [heart] them.
The two ounce size.

A few years back I discovered these mini wonders at my local restaurant supply store.  You simply must buy the coordinating lids, or you will regret it forever.  These little cups revolutionized sack lunches around our place.  My kids were past lunch boxes, so we needed something disposable.  Something to hold all those delectable dips and sauces that take lunch from "ho hum" to "out of this world". Or something like that.

Need some ideas? Here are some of the things we have put in our cups and the items that go with them.

• Peanut butter and apple slices.
• Peanut butter and crackers.
• Peanut butter and celery. 
• Salsa and tortilla chips.
• Caramel topping and apple slices.
• Dulce de Leche and a spoon!  (I kid.  Sort of.)
• Nutella!
• One word--FROSTING!  (goes great with graham crackers or cookies)
• Salad dressing to go with your favorite salad.
• Ranch dressing and baby carrots
• Ranch dressing and cucumber slices.
• Ranch dressing and grape tomatoes.
• Ranch dressing and broccoli florets.  (I think you get the idea)
• Fruit dip and strawberries.
• Yogurt dip with pineapple chunks.
• Marshmallow dip and grapes or melon chunks or bananas
• Spinach dip with crusty bread or crackers.
• Artichoke dip with bread or crackers.
• Cream cheese and a bagel.
• Chip dip and potato chips
• Raspberry or honey butter with homemade bread.
• Velveeta cheese and crackers.

I probably use at least one of these in every lunch that I pack.  Sometimes two or three.  I recently spotted these little cups and lids at WalMart.  Awesome.  Saves me a trip to the restaurant supply.

I was in no way compensated for this post by the plastic cup companies of the world.  I just love them.  Thought you might too.  You're welcome.