Caramel Apples

My friend Deseree made these apples for a good friends baby shower we planned back in April. They were honestly the best I have EVER had. The caramel was sooo good. There were quite a few asking for this recipe, including me. Definitely a keeper. 

1.5 cups sugar

1.5 cups brown sugar

1.5 karo syrup (light corn syrup)

1.5 cups butter

1 14oz. can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

 

Mix all the ingredients over medium heat and boil until they hit softball stage, about 238-240 degrees F. Let the caramel cool just until it coats a wooden spoon and doesn't all run off. Have your apples washed and ready to go with sticks already in the top. Spray a cookie sheet or other large, flat pan with cooking spray. Coat the apples and place on the pan. Let them set about 10-15 minutes, until the caramel is no longer sticky. While waiting for the caramel to set melt your chocolate. I use Guittard Milk chocolate chips, they are my favorite, but some of the most expensive. Just be careful not to use the kind of chocolate that would go in a fountain because it doesn't set back up. For white chocolate you can use just about any kind, but you have to be really careful melting it cause it burns really easy. Then just get whatever else you want to go on top- nuts, candy bars, cookies- chopped and ready to cover. You also want to have small plates, like salad plates, sprayed with cooking spray and clear out plenty of space in your freezer.

You will have a little bit of a base of caramel that has settled off the apple. We just fold it up under the bottom to give a little extra caramel. Have your toppings ready to go with a spoon in each one to coat or drizzle. When putting on the base coat just use a big spoon and spread it with the back of the spoon until it covers. Once you have it covered with what you want put it immediately in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes or until chocolate is no longer tacky (White chocolate will set faster than milk and tends to crack if you leave it in there too long so if you use a white chocolate base then it will probably be less than 10 minutes). Use a small spatula (like the Pampered Chef small server thing) to get it off the plate. If you want nuts or whatever topping all over the sides then you can roll the apple in them, that will coat it a little better.

Pumpkin Trifle Recipe

Oh my goodness this was delicious. I want to remember to make this again next year! I had people asking me to take this home. It was a good one, and very festive.

Photo taken from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 package (14-1/2 ounces) gingerbread cake mix
• 1-1/4 cups water
• 1 egg
• 4 cups cold fat-free milk
• 4 packages (1 ounce each) sugar-free instant butterscotch pudding mix
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon each ground ginger, nutmeg and allspice
• 1 carton (12 ounces) frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water and egg, beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into an ungreased 8-in. square baking pan.
• Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. When completely cooled, crumble the cake. Set aside 1/4 cup crumbs for garnish.
• In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Stir in pumpkin and spices until well blended.
• In a trifle bowl or 3-1/2-qt. glass serving bowl, layer a fourth of the cake crumbs, half of the pumpkin mixture, a fourth of the cake crumbs and half of the whipped topping. Repeat layers. Garnish with reserved cake crumbs. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving. Yield: 18 servings.

Yummy Berry Trifle

I'm a chocolate girl all the way but this is truly a fabulous dessert and major crowd pleaser. Just the other day I made it for Creed's work party and I came in the room to get some and it was gone! This is guarenteed to win hearts. It is SO good. I have a hard time not eating the leftovers for breakfast. I got this recipe from my friend Crescent.

1 cup whipping cream (whipped)
3 (8oz) pkgs. cream cheese (softened)
1 cup sour cream
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
2 bags of frozen mixed berries
1 large Angel Food cake (you can make it from the box or buy one if it's good) I used to buy them at Wegmans because they were great, but I can't find one out here that's good enough

*Mix together above ingredients except for berries & Angel Food Cake

*Break the Angel Food Cake into golf ball sized balls
*Stir into above mixture.
*In a trifle or glass bowl, layer 1/2 of the white mixture, then one bag of berries, then the remaining half of white mixture, then the last bag of berries.
This can be made right before serving or stored in the fridge the day before.

Buster Bars

I will never forget nights here in Buffalo at the Evans house. My friend Steph is the queen of desserts. She somehow manages to find all these delicious dessert recipes and invite us over for nightly talking. I love that she just invites us over too. It's not to play a game, just to have dessert and talk! That is my kind of get together. I will miss Steph (and her desserts) Thank you for this recipe. It is one of my favs. I have a thing for ice cream cake and Oreos.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pound chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
• 1 1/2 cups roasted Spanish peanuts
• 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine evaporated milk, 1/2 cup butter, chocolate chips, and confectioners' sugar. Bring to a boil, and cook 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla extract. Allow to cool thoroughly.
2. In a large bowl, mix together crushed chocolate sandwich cookies and 1/2 cup melted butter. Press onto the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan; freeze until firm. Spread softened ice cream over crust, then freeze until firm. Spread top with cooled fudge sauce, and sprinkle with peanuts; freeze until firm. Spread with whipped topping, and freeze until firm, or overnight.

Molten Lava Cakes

Photo taken from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for muffin tins
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for muffin tins
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
•  whipped cream, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter 6 cups of a standard muffin tin. Dust with granulated sugar, and tap out excess. Set aside.
   
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, beat in flour and salt until just combined. Beat in chocolate until just combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.
   
3. Place muffin tin on a baking sheet; bake just until tops of the cakes no longer jiggle when the pan is lightly shaken, 8 to 10 minutes. (If you cook it for 8 minutes it will taste like a truffle inside the next day, if you cook it for 10, it will be like cake) Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes.
   
4. To serve, turn out cakes, and place on serving plates, bottom sides up. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve with whipped cream, if desired.
   
   Serves 6
   

Mud balls

My friend Megan made these at a party and I ate to many of them. When I bit into them I immediately thought, "Maddie will love these." So I made them when we got home, and she did! I love these. I think they're delicious!

2- 4.25 oz hershey's bars (I like to use Symphony)
8 oz. cool whip
1 t. vanilla
chopped nuts
crushed vanilla wafers

Melt chocolate over double boiler. Let cool. Add cool whip. Fold in nuts and vanilla. Drop by spoonfuls in crumbled wafers (in cake pan). Form into a ball. Tap off crumbs. Store in fridge.

Simple as that!

Dirt cups

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

2 cups cold milk

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

15 OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 1-1/4 cups), divided

10 worm-shaped chewy fruit snacks

Preparation:

BEAT pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Let stand 5 min. Stir in COOL WHIP and 1/2 cup cookie crumbs.

SPOON into 10 (6- to 7-oz.) paper or plastic cups; top with remaining cookie crumbs.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour. Top with fruit snacks just before serving.

Banana Pops

This isn't so much of a recipe as it is an idea. I just took banana's and put them on sticks.

Then I coated them in Peanut Butter, Cool whip, and put sprinkles and mini vanilla wafers on them.

Last, I froze them in the freezer for a few hours, and we had dessert like that! It was good. Maddie loved it.

Variations-Chocolate rolled in nuts, or coconuts, sprinkles, reese's chips, mini choc. chip, oreo crumbs, or m&m's, or marshmallows. Drizzle chocolate over the top.

This may be fun to take to a party treat
             

Peanut Butter Oreo Pie

This pie is so good. I like making it when people come over because it is a bit of a process and feeds a lot because it is so rich. Maybe I am a nasty girl, but I could probably eat the whole thing myself.

 20 cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies, divided (oreos)
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 pkg. (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cup powder sugar, divided
1 carton(16oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
25 miniature peanut butter cups, chopped
1 cup cold milk
1 pkg. (3.9oz)instant chocolate pudding mix
Crush 16 cookies, toss with butter. Press onto bottom of ungreased pie dish(I used a 9x13 baking dish and added a little more oreos because I was feeding a bigger crowd)). In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter and 1 cup powder sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with peanut butter cups. (save a few for the top)
In a separate mixing bowl, beat the milk, pudding mix, and remaining powder sugar on low speed for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Spread over peanut butter cups. Crush remaining cookies, sprinkle over the top and sprinkle with last few PB cups. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours prior to serving.