Caramel Apple Scones

For World Card Making Day this year we had a Carnival theme complete with carnival type snacks.  What's a carnival without Caramel Apples, right?  Well, rather than making Caramel Apples, I tried this recipe for Caramel Apple Scones.  OMG...YUM!!!  They are soft and moist and oh so delicious!

The original recipe is from www.recipegirl.com.  I changed it a bit, so here's what I did!

Caramel Apple Scones
1 large Gala Apple
3 cups flour (I used 1 cup whole wheat, 2 cups all purpose)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup cold Butter (cut into chunks)
1 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt (choose a creamy one...I used Oikos because I love it!)

-Preheat the oven to 350.
-Mix dry ingredients well.  Cut in butter with a pastry cutter until you have coarse crumbs.
-Core, peel and cut your apple into small chunks.  Add to the dry ingredients.
-Stir in the yogurt.  Dough will be dry and seem like it isn't working...but it is!  Use your hands and gently work the dough until it comes together.
-On a lightly floured surface pat the dough into a rectangle (about 1/2-3/4 inches thick).  Using a shape knife, cut the dough in half the long way, then cut into squares and cut the squares into triangles (I got 16 triangles).
-Gently place the triangles of dough onto a pan, leaving some space between to allow for expansion during baking.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until they are no longer doughy in the middles (just lightly touch with your finger...it will feel kind of springy when it's done).
-Allow them to cool and drizzle caramel icing over them.

Caramel Icing
4 tbsp Butter
1/2 cup Brown Sugar (packed)
2 tbsp milk or cream
1/4 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup Powdered Sugar

-In a small pan, melt the butter.  When butter is melted, add the brown sugar and milk (or cream).  Stir over medium heat for about 1 minute.
-Transfer to a mixing bowl and allow to cool for a couple minutes.  Stir in the vanilla and 1/2 cup of the Powdered Sugar.  Beat until well blended.  To reach the desired consistency, add more powdered sugar if needed. 
-Drizzle over warm scones


**These scones are divine enjoyed warm, but the are also quite good the next day.  Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Spice Cake

Today I'm sharing my tried and true Spice Cake recipe that my Coffee & Cards ladies enjoyed at the September Coffee & Cards event.  I'm not even sure where I got this recipe...I have it written in my "Favorite Recipes" recipe book!  It's quick and easy and one I use every fall....or when I get a craving for spice cake!

Spice Cake
2 cups Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 cup Butter or Margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 1/4 cups Buttermilk (or sour milk...1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice and enough milk to make the total you need for the recipe)

-Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease a 9x13 pan.
-Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices.  Set aside.
-Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixer until well combined.  Add vanilla.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg.
-Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk.  Mix well after each addition.
-Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.  Frost as desired.  Cut into pieces and serve.


I like to frost this cake with a simple Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 block Cream Cheese (8oz)
1/2 cup Butter, softened
3-4 cups Powdered Sugar

Whip the Cream Cheese and Butter together.  Slowly add the Powdered Sugar until you reach the desired consistency (I like to stick with 3 cups because I like the frosting not so sweet!).

Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies

These are the BEST oatmeal cookies ever!  I refer to them as "never ending cookies" because it's a commitment to make them since the recipe makes about 10 dozen!  But, they freeze well...you can freeze the dough or bake them all and freeze them baked.  When I make them, I bake them all and freeze a good portion of them two at a time in snack size ziploc bags (then put into a large freezer bag).  It makes packing lunches super easy because my boys can just pull a little bag out of the freezer and put it in their lunch kits.  And, it makes it harder to eat them all myself if they're in the freezer!!!!!

This recipe is from the Nicholas Sheran Community School cookbook and was submitted by a child named Joe.  I don't know Joe or his family, but I thank his mama all the time for submitting this recipe!!!


Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies

2 cups Butter
1 1/2 cups White Sugar
1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar (packed)
4 large Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
2 cups Flour
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
5 sups Oats (any type that's not instant...I use quick oats)
2 cups Chocolate Chips

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  In a different bowl, cream the butter and sugars together.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix until smooth.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Scoop 1tbsp balls onto cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350F.  Cool and enjoy!  Store in an airtight container.

These cookies freeze really well.

Yield:  8-10 dozen cookies



*This recipe is easily halved.
*You can also freeze the unbaked dough...Pack into freezer proof containers with tight fitting lids.  Freeze.  Before baking, thaw slightly so you can scoop it out of the containers.  Bake as indicated above.
*I have substituted the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips, mini m&m's, caramel bits, cinnamon chips, raisins, etc

Corn Chowder

One of my favorite soups to make is Corn Chowder.  My family loves it too...in fact, my kids call it "Mom's Famous Corn Chowder"!  I'm not sure how famous it is outside our family, but I do know it's the perfect meal to warm you up on a cold day!

Now, this is one of those recipes that I make that I really don't measure.  It one of those "little of this, little of that" recipes.  So, I will do my best to explain what I do and try to tell you how much of each ingredient I use.
  
Let's start with the ingredients you will need.

In addition to these ingredients, I always add salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.  And, you will also need some bacon bits at the end!

Step one is to wash and cut your potatoes.  This time around, I had little potatoes, so we quartered them and used them.  If I just have regular potatoes (like Russets), I peel and dice them.

Once they're all cut up, you want to toss them in the hot tub just covered with water to get happy!  And, just before they're fork tender (don't over cook them, because they will cook more while the rest of the soup cooks) add in some onions sauted in butter (I do this in the microwave...1 medium onion diced with a tbsp or two of butter).

Now, it's time to add the milk.  Don't drain your potatoes...this is important!  That potato water is not only full of flavor, but also potato starch that will help thicken the soup.  And, I have a very technical measurement for the milk...see those rivets where the pot handle is attached to the pot?  I add milk up to there!  My best guess is that it's about 6 cups!

Now it's time to add the corn.  I use 4 cups of niblets (in the fall I blanch and freeze a couple sacks of corn just before it's out of season.  I freeze it in ziplocs...4 cups per bag).  And, one large can of Creamed Corn (did you know there's actually no cream or dairy in canned cream corn?).

And, of course, add in your seasonings...salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.

You want to let it simmer, stirring often to avoid having it burn, until the corn is cooked. 

Now, if it's not thick enough for you, you can take a little soup out of the pot and mix it with some flour.  Make sure you whisk it so there's no lumps! Then return it to the pot and make sure the soup comes back to a boil.  This will thicken it up nicely!

Finally, just before you're ready to serve, throw in a few handfuls of bacon bits.

I like to serve it with some grated cheddar sprinkled on top!

I also like to serve it with some fresh cheese biscuits or buns, but that is a whole other post!  Enjoy your soup!

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn

I came across an amazing Cinnamon Bun Popcorn recipe a while back and made some around Christmas.  It was a hit.  Warning...it's highly addictive!

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn
Adapted from Our Best Bites

12 cups Popped Popcorn (about 1/2 cup unpopped)
1 cup Pecan Halves (I chopped them up a bit)
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 cup Corn Syrup
1/2 cup Butter (yes, the real stuff...I use unsalted)
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
White Candy Melts (about a cup)

Pop the popcorn and mix with the pecans in a LARGE bowl.  A bigger bowl than you think so you dont burn your fingers with hot, gooey, sugary goodness.

Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a 2 liter capacity microwave safe measuring cup (trust me, you want a 2 liter size one!).  Chop the butter into chunks and put it onto the sugar mixture.  Pour the corn syrup over the whole thing.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir it well.  Microwave it for 2 minutes and stir well and then microwave for 2 more minutes.  At this point it should be bubbly and happy when you take it out of the microwave!  Add in the vanilla and baking soda (it will bubble up...this is why you want a big container) and stir well.  Pour over the popcorn and pecans.  Gently stir until the popcorn is evenly coated.

Spread the popcorn mixture on a cookie sheet (with sides) or two.  Place in the over and bake for 30 minutes at 250.  You will want to stir it a bit every 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and spread out on waxed paper.

Melt some candy melts and drizzle over the popcorn.  When the candy melts have hardened again, break up the popcorn into chunks and put in an airtight container.  Enjoy!


Note:  I used a box of Baker's White Chocolate Squares rather than the candy melts when I made it.  While the chocolate is really good, it didn't harden to my satisfaction and you ended up getting it all over your fingers...good, but not the result I wanted.  The candy melts gave me the result I wanted.