Apple Week: Apple Cider Caramels

Welcome back to Apple Week...or more appropriately known as Apple Week plus a few more Apple Days.  I just couldn't seem to keep it to a week...or uh should I confess I couldn't bust out the posts as quickly as I thought.

I tell you what people, life has been crazy.

I would go into the oh-so-glorious details, but in short it all comes down to being a mom is super time intensive, I have four rowdy awesome boys, and being their mom is always my top priority.

So Apple Week turned into a week plus, but hey that is okay, right?

I mean it is kind of like getting a birthday card a couple of days after your birthday, it just prolongs all the birthday festivities and goodness.

A win win for everyone involved really.

More apples, more birthdays, more goodies. Huzzah!

Today let's make caramels.

Double Huzzah!!

Apple Cider Caramels to be exact.

Dare we Triple Huzzah??

Oh I think we shall!

I love caramels, and these kind of made my whole day.  Like a little concentrated cup of Apple Cider all rolled up into a soft and chewy caramel.

Fall in candy form.

Why I don't mind if I help myself to one..

or two...

or three.

Enjoy everyone!!! Happy Fall!

Apple Cider Caramels 
I Heart Naptime

2 cups Simply Apple Juice
1 cup heavy cream, divided
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of cloves
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 Tablespoons water
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter, cut up in cubes

In a saucepan, boil the apple juice down for about 20-30 minutes until it is reduced to about 1/3 cup. Set aside.

Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper. In a bowl, combine 2/3 cup of the cream, the spices, and the reduced juice. Set aside.

In a heavy pot, combine the sugar, 1/3 cup cream, water, and corn syrup. Cook over low eat until the sugar dissolves. Using a candy thermometer, simmer until the syrup reads 230 degrees. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the cider and cream mixture. Add in the butter and continue to whisk until it is completely combined.

Return the pan to the heat, cook over low heat, stirring frequently until the temperature reads 244 degrees (soft ball stage) and then cook for another 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and pour the caramel into the prepared 8x8 pan. Let the caramel cool completely at room temperature.

Once cooled, cut the caramels into squares or rectangles. Then wrap in wax paper.

Apple Week: Apple Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Sriracha Butter

Apple Week continues!! Today I am putting the lovely little apple in my very favorite kind of food.

My favorite food of all time is a sandwich.

I love sandwiches. When eating out, I am pretty sure I could always eat anywhere that serves sandwiches.

When I am pregnant, which I am NOT currently...just thought I should clarify that, I don't eat lunch meat. It kind of breaks my little hungry heart to give it up. I mean seriously, when I am at my hungriest, literally growing another human, I can't eat my very favorite food.

Oh well, their cute and squishy little faces are worth the sacrifice, right? Right!

You can guarantee though, the day I have that wee little squishy baby and we are all cozied into our room, Hubby has been sent out for a sandwich. Which I quickly inhale shortly after he hands it to me...I mean I did just have a baby and all.

So knowing that I love myself a good sandwich, and figuring that I have probably tried my fair share of sandwiches, you can feel secure my opinion of the awesomeness of this sandwich.

Because it is AWESOME.

I mean let's break it down people...

This sandwich has--

cheese
bacon
apples
white bread
butter...special butter at that

Did you see those sandwich all stars?!?

There really isn't one main star...although if you follow me on Instagram (@larissa_anotherday) you know how I feel about bacon.

There is however, a best supporting character. It would be this homemade sriracha butter. The slight heat that comes from this butter perfectly compliments the apple and the bacon. This butter is the secret weapon of this sandwich.

I use thick slices of homemade white bread. I know white bread is a little out of fashion, but trust me a good grilled  cheese sandwich really demands it.
 

Start with the bread.
Add a good slathering of the sriracha butter.
Next layer a slice of Muenster cheese.
Layer apples next.
Then add on a slice of American.
The bacon comes next.
Then finish with another slice of Muenster.
Last, top it of with the last slice of bread.

Grill it.
Slice it.
Smell it.
Eat it.
Love it.
Marry it...uh strike that...I am already married.

Oh Apple Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich, how I love thee.

The weather is getting chillier. Perfect time to make yourself a grilled cheese sandwich.

Get your sandwich on!

Apple Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Sriracha Butter

Sriracha Butter (recipe from Martha Stewart):
1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
2 anchovy filets, minced
2 Tablespoons sriracha hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

sandwich:
white bread
bacon
golden delicious or granny smith apples
Muenster cheese slices
American cheese slices
sriracha butter
butter for grilling

In a small bowl, make the butter, by mixing and mashing all the ingredients with a fork. I know you might be scared of the anchovies, but you can do it. Just DON'T skip the step just cause you are afraid. Once all the ingredients are well incorporated, set aside and make the sandwich.

Make the sandwich by starting with a slice of bread. Slather some of the sriracha butter on the bread. Then layer the sandwich with the Muenster cheese, apples, American cheese, bacon, Muenster cheese, and another piece of white bread.

Warm up a griddle. Melt several tablespoons of butter on the top of the griddle. Place the constructed sandwich on top of the melted butter on the griddle. Cook on the first side until it is golden brown. Then flip and cook on the second side until golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Slice in half and serve.

Apple Week continues tomorrow!!

See ya then!

Apple Week: Apple Picking Tote How-To

Welcome back to Apple Week! Yesterday there was a little break from all things apple for a Monsters University and Visa Gift Card giveaway. Don't forget to go and enter yourself!!

Now we are back for this Apple-tastic week.

In years past, we have used everything from plastic grocery bags, plastic storage totes, our shirts, and/or strollers to gather our picked apples. Nothing fancy, but it always got the job done.

This year I wanted to make an apple picking bag that was a little more fun and a little more lovely.

This bag was SUPER easy to make. Basically I upgraded an already made white canvas tote. You know the ones you get in packs of three from craft stores. Yep, this apple picking tote started out as one of those plain Jane bags.

Here is what you need:
plain white canvas tote
red and green Tulip fabric paint
1 apple cut in half
foam craft brush
red belting
1/2 yard coordinating printed fabric, I used gingham
thread

First, paint the bag.

Slip a small stack of newspapers inside the bag to keep the paint from bleeding through. Apply red paint to one half of the apple with a craft brush. Use the apple as a stamp. Firmly pressing the paint-covered apple where you want it. Repeat each time you stamp.

I chose to do rows of three by three. I did more of a randomly placed pattern (aka not perfectly straight). Your kids could totally help at this step.

I did nine red apples and one green. You could do any combo you wanted.

Allow the paint to dry for about 2 hours, or bring out a hair dryer and speed up the process (which is what I do because I am SUPER DUPER impatient).

With your tote painted, now we just have to add a few more pretties.

Measure the handles, and cut two strips of belting, that will be sewn to the handles, to the same size. Measure the bag. Cut two rectangles of fabric measuring 1" wider than the width of the bag and 1 1/2" taller than the height of the bag.

Pin the belting underneath the tote handle, centering the tote handle. Then sew the tote handle to the red belting.

Sew the rectangles of fabric together, right sides facing,  down one side, across the bottom, and back up the top. Leaving the top open. Hem the top by folding down a 1/2", ironing, and folding down another 1/2" and ironing again. Turn the bag out.

Insert inside the tote, wrong sides facing. Pin the hem of the lining to the top of the canvas tote. Sew around the top securing the lining to the tote.

DONE!

See how easy that was.

Go from a simple white tote, to a fun apple picking tote in no time!

Now all you have to do is fill it with glorious and delicious apples.

Hope you are enjoying Apple Week.

Come back tomorrow for more!

Linking Here:
Tatertots and Jello,

Apple Week: The Perfect Apple Crisp

 

Apple Week day two!

Did you know that some apples are better for certain things than others?

Some apples are better for baking and cooking. Some are better for applesauce. Some are the yummiest for eating. 

For example, Granny Smith are better for baking and cooking. McIntosh are good for sauce. Honeycrisp are the yummiest (by the way that is not just me saying that, I read that).

Then there is the saddest apple. Poor apple was ranked the lowest and/or worst for everything...including eating.

Poor little apple.

Poor, poor Red Delicious.

It would seem no one likes you for anything. Seriously, they were rated the worst for everything. 

Unfortunately for you Red Delicious, you are not really my favorite either.

Do you like Red Delicious? What apples do you like to use? What is your favorite apple to eat? 

I actually used golden delicious apples in the recipe I am sharing today.

When I think of Fall apple desserts, one of the first things that comes to mind is Apple Crisp. I have been on the search for a go-to Apple Crisp recipe for a couple of years.

A recipe with the right amount of apples and cinnamon. A recipe with the best ratio of crumb/crisp topping. Since the crisp part is my favorite part of the Apple Crisp, this part is kind of a big deal to me.

Aaaaannnnnd...

I found the elusive recipe. 

So exciting! The search is over.

I present The Perfect Apple Crisp.

The Perfect Apple Crisp

3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 Tablespoons
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
1 cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
4-6 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2" cubes
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, salt, and 2 Tablespoons of sugar.

Cut butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add in the oats and mix everything together with your hands, squeezing and squishing it until it is mixed and clumps form. Put mixture in freezer while you prepare the apples.

In another bowl, toss the apples lemons juice, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup sugar.

Transfer apples to a 2-quart dish. Sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake 55-65 minutes, until golden and bubbling.

Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Serve warm over vanilla ice cream.

recipe from Martha Stewart

Tomorrow there is a little break in Apple Week for a

fun little giveaway.

Come and see what you can enter to win...

Back to apple business on Friday!!

Linking here:
The 36th Avenue, 

Apple Week: Dutch Apple Pie Pancakes

Welcome to Apple Week here on Just Another Day in Paradise. All week long I am going to be sharing some apple goodness.

It really isn't a secret that I love Fall.

One of my favorite things to do in the Fall is pick apples. The last few years we have not picked apples. Say what?!?

Sniff. Sad. Right?

When we lived in Ohio, we had an orchard we went to every year. Without fail, I tell you. We loaded the kids in the Mini and headed out ready to pick a trunk full of honeycrisp apples (those are our very favorite). We may have eaten our fair share fresh off the tree as well.

I love seeing my Little Men's squishy faces all covered with fresh apple due to scarfing down of one apple after another.

The last two Falls have been a little less spectacular in the absence of apple picking.

Good news is this year Fall gets to be just as spectacular as is used to be.

WE PICKED APPLES!

Technically, we picked, and we picked again, and we picked some more. I currently have a kitchen full of apples. I have been canning, baking, cooking, and projecting it up.

Hence the fruition (hehehe...fruit...apples are fruit...is it not funny if I have to explain it?) of Apple Week.

Let the apple wonderfulness begin!! Huzzah! 

I am kind of geeking out about what I am sharing with you guys today.

One of my favorite apple desserts is Dutch Apple Pie. Kind of love it. Love it a whole lot.

Now I could just make myself a pie, or I could just make myself breakfast that resembles a pie. That way I feel a whole lot better, because I can tell myself it is breakfast and not dessert. You know because breakfast is always healthy...

So that is what I did. I made myself a glorious plate of Dutch Apple Pie Pancakes.

Guys.
Guys.
Seriously.

So good. Well hello morning, it is nice to see you. Thanks for bringing your friend along. 

Any Fall leisurely morning should really be started by the devouring of these pancakes. Just a friendly suggestion, but I am pretty sure you will thank me. All those gathered round your breakfast table will thank me.

No, no, don't send a thank you note...that is just silly.

I mean, it is thanks enough that you stuff your face happily with these pancakes.

Enjoy friends!

Dutch Apple Pie Pancakes

apples:
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3-4 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pancakes:
1 cup sour cream
7 Tablespoons flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

crumb topping: 
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 Tablespoons butter, softened

First, prepare the crumb mixture, by combining the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in the softened butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Set aside.

Next saute the apples by placing the butter in a sauce pan and melt on medium heat. When the butter melts, add in the apples and stir. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cooker for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add the sugar and cinnamon and raise the temperature to  medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are tender and glazed, about another 10 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.

To make the pancakes, place the sour cream, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Stir gently. Mix until just combined. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Then add the vanilla to the eggs. Pour the egg mixture into the sour cream mixture. Stir gently until combined.

Melt the butter on a hot skillet. Pour a little less then 1/4 cup of batter on the skillet at a time. Cook each pancake for about a 1 1/2 minutes, until there are bubbles on the surface of the pancake. Flip an cook the other side for less than a minute. Until done.

Lay one pancake down on a plate. Spoon a little bit of the apple mixture down. Lay another pancake on top of the apple mixture. Then top with more apple mixture and a generous handful of the crumb topping.

Eat. Wait for it....Wait for it...

A chorus of  yums.

Happy apple eating.

Come back tomorrow for more apple goodness.

Linking here:
The 36th Avenue, Chef in Training,Tatertots and Jello,

 

Apple Week is Here

I love Fall.

One of the things I love most about Fall is picking fresh apples. 

This Fall, I have gone a little apple crazy...if that is even possible.

I am going to share all the Fall and apple love with you guys this week.

A whole week just devoted to apples. 

Oh how delightful!

Come back each day all week long for all kinds of apple fun.

An apple a day....

You know the saying.

See you guys back here every day!