Gourmet caramel apples

When we moseyed on over to the apple orchard over the weekend, we inevitably picked too many apples to eat on our own. Though many remedy that situation by turning them into apple-centric baked goods, I'm not the biggest fan of apple pies or tarts. I enjoy the flavor of fresh apples, and I love when that tart and crisp flavor is encased in caramel and other confections. Candied apples are the best way to eat an apple, methinks. In fact, I am the biggest fan of these cheesecake apples, and used to succumb to them so often that dear friends would give me gift certificates for them for my birthday or for Christmas. So I thought it might be fun to make candied apples. It was my first time concocting them, and they were so simple to make, and thoroughly tasty, primarily because we used the crisp and tart heirloom Winesap apples we picked, which were perfect for caramel apples. The confectionery possibilities are endless with the variety of chocolate, chopped nuts, candies, and cookies out there, but I made cheesecake apples (because they're my favorite), and chocolate Butterfinger apples (because they're the husband's favorite). The husband has declared that we shall never buy a caramel apple ever again. I served them at a dinner party over the weekend, and had enough to bestow unto friends too. To spruce up their festivity, I wrapped the sticks with baker's twine, put the caramel apples in decorative goodie bags, and decorated the packages with washi tape and personalized manila tags. These gourmet caramel apples are perfect for the upcoming holidays, especially Thanksgiving, and even today, for Halloween. Happy Halloween!

Gourmet Caramel Apples
Ingredients:
6 medium apples (Winesap or Granny Smith varieties are best)
3 pairs of wooden take-out chopsticks or 6 wooden popsicle sticks
Homemade caramel or 1 11 oz. pkg caramel bits and 2 tbsp water
Chopped nuts (e.g. toasted almonds, pecans)
Crushed cookies (I used graham crackers)
Crushed candies (I used Butterfinger)
White chocolate chips
Milk chocolate chips
Dark chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Wash apples thoroughly, remove stems, and insert sticks in through the stem end. If your apples have a natural wax coating (which most apples do), dunk them quickly in a pot of boiling water to remove the wax. Dry thoroughly and refrigerate apples overnight (which will allow the caramel to harden more quickly the next day).
2. If using caramel bits, put them in a large bowl with 2 tbsp water and microwave in 30 second increments. Stir well after each interval until melted and warm, approximately 2 1/2 minutes. If using homemade caramel, melt in the microwave in 30 second increments. Stir well after each interval until melted and warm.
3. Dunk each apple into caramel, swirling to coat the apple, and spooning caramel over the apple if necessary. Let excess caramel drape off, and scrape off excess with a spoon. Caramel will continue to pool at the bottom of the caramel, so scrape off excess as much as possible.
4. For cheesecake apples, roll caramel apples in crushed graham cracker bits. Press in with hands to help the bits set. Place on a sheet of parchment paper coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to chill and set. Melt white chocolate chips in 1 minute intervals in the microwave for 2 minutes. Stir well at each interval until melted. Spoon melted white chocolate into a Ziploc baggie. Cut a tiny corner off of the baggie. Use baggie as an icing piping bag. Drizzle white chocolate swirls all over your graham cracker caramel apple. Let candied apples dry on parchment paper and refrigerate - they will keep for up to 1 week. Enjoy!
5. For chocolate Butterfinger apples, roll caramel apples in crushed Butterfinger candies. Press in with hands to help the candy bits set. Place on a sheet of parchment paper coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to chill and set. Melt milk and/or dark chocolate chips in 30 second intervals in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir well at each interval until melted. Spoon melted chocolate into a Ziploc baggie. Cut a tiny corner off of the baggie. Use baggie as an icing piping bag. Drizzle milk and/or dark chocolate swirls all over your Butterfinger caramel apple. Let candied apples dry on parchment paper and refrigerate - they will keep for up to 1 week. Enjoy!

Our political party

I must confess, I am not the most informed on the plethora of current events in our midst. We and some dear friends thought we'd remedy that with a dinner party where we'd discuss all the political issues on the table before election day. It was exceedingly enlightening to dissect the presidential candidates and the slew of propositions together, rather than succumbing to befuddlement by our lonesome. I whipped up chicken enchiladas with caramelized onions and fresh guacamole for dinner, and all-American caramel apples for dessert, which I made from the bounty of apples we picked from the orchard over the weekend. It was such a fun evening with the Erlbaums, who always encourage and edify us, as we all attempted to discern how we could vote with a biblical perspective in mind, with help from this book, this resource, and most importantly, here. We even cast ballots with little letters into a collecting dish for each ballot measure. I must say, I now feel a ton more prepared to vote confidently on November 6th, thanks to the healthy discourse. Mission accomplished!

Apples in autumn

We took full advantage of the free Saturday we had this weekend past and adventured out to the apple orchards, where, at this time of year, heirloom apples droop from trees that have thrived for hundreds of years.We had been strawberry picking together, and to the pumpkin patch together, but gallivanting out to apple country was another story of the most wondrous variety. The husband was skeptical of the whole shindig at first, but at the moment he picked his first apple, his face lit up like it does when a juicy steak is plopped in front of him. We now have a new apple-picking convert, and I daresay we gaped with delight at the fruit more than the rampaging toddlers there with their families did. Better yet, the orchard was adjacent to an 18th century colonial farm - a most fortuitous discovery, particularly since I've a predilection for the colonial era (thanks to my most favored childhood books, the American Girl series, in which colonial girl Felicity was my favorite). Wandering about there really felt like a step back in time, not only because the grounds appeared untouched since the 18th century, and that the workers there donned revolutionary era garb, but also because there was no cell phone reception. It was one of the most legit places we've ever been, and we were nearly convinced we were in Virginia circa the 1770s, far removed from modern civilization. So thankful we get to experience such faux time-traveling together. In short, it was a most lovely day.

Friday Fancies: what to wear

This weekend's goal shall be to finish our Halloween costumes. We've been envisioning them since summertide, and I am really hoping they materialize like they look in my head. It’s humbling to reflect on how I’ve been granting so much thought into what we shall wear for a few hours on an annual holiday, when I ought to put on Christ every day, which includes a heart of gladness that is grounded in the gospel. A life that resonates with love for the Lord and for others, every single day, because he loved us first. Thank the Lord that though I often fail, His grace spurs us on towards ultimate joy in Him. Happy Friday, friendly folks. What might your Halloween plans be, if any? 

Garlic and herb shrimp pasta

Learning to live on a budget is an ongoing, ever humbling lesson spawned since getting married. I am so thankful for the husband who is the financial planner in our little family because he takes the lead to keep our financial priorities in check by constantly evaluating whether we are stewarding the funds graciously given to us with an eternal perspective. Our grocery budget is larger than most families of two, primarily because we enjoy hosting dear guests on a constant basis. Once, the father-in-law went grocery shopping with us and asked as we were checking out, “Do you always buy enough food for a month in one trip?” We replied, “This is for a week.” His eyes bugged out, and he probably assumes we are on the path to Type II diabetes to this day.

We customarily carve out a block of time to head to the grocery store every weekend for the week's produce. Sometimes, that doesn't happen. This past weekend was one of those times. In an effort to be resourceful this week, I compiled the following dinner from arbitrary edibles tucked away in the little home: a package of shrimp from Costco, whole-wheat spaghetti noodles given to us by my grandmama who oft receives such complimentary foodstuffs as a senior, leftover fresh parsley from baking savory treats this past weekend, a few shallots sitting in the fridge, lemons from the mother-in-law’s backyard, an almost empty jar of capers, and items we always have on hand: extra virgin olive oil, fresh Parmesan and Romano cheeses, and garlic. I attempted to recreate a tasty pasta entrée we love to order at Italian restaurants: shrimp linguine with a simple but delicious white wine sauce that tastes much like an herb-packed broth. We didn't have white wine, so I added a squeeze of lemon for acidity, along with a few other adaptations, and it was still wholeheartedly delicious. The light but flavorful sauce made the dish a new favorite and as we gobbled it all up, we agreed that the challenge to create dishes from found items in the fridge is a welcomed one.

Garlic and Herb Shrimp Pasta (loosely adapted from here)
Ingredients:
1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined
5 tbsp garlic, minced
3 large shallots, sliced thinly
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup water (reserved from boiled pasta)
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp capers
At least 1/3 cup fresh Parmesan and Romano cheeses, grated
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 servings whole-wheat spaghetti pasta
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:
1. Boil a large pot of water. Heat pasta until cooked al dente. When pasta is done, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and shock it with cold water. Set aside.
2. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Soften (but don't brown) garlic and shallots in skillet for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Add shrimp, and stir into oil mixture.Add parsley, and stir to combine. Add lemon juice, pasta water, and capers. Stir to combine until shrimp are just cooked. Remove from heat and season sauce with plenty of freshly ground pepper and some sea salt to taste.
4. Toss garlic and herb sauce with pasta, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses. Top with a sprinkling of fresh parsley (and crushed red pepper flakes for a spicy kick) and serve immediately.

A maize maze

Spending time with my sweet auntie and little cousins this weekend past at a local fall festival adjacent to the pumpkin patch was a bona fide treat. It was a first for us all, so it was bushels of fun to race through the towering corn maze, partake in fresh cheesecake caramel apples, and scarf down vanilla bean cupcakes, all before noon. Such simple outings with my dear auntie and cousins were more frequent in previous seasons of life. At thirteen years apart, I more fondly regard my auntie as my older sister, for she was the closest to a sister I had growing up. As for my little cousins, it is surreal to realize I am no longer baby-sitting them in the first decade of their lives, but rather, that they are nearing the culmination of their middle and high school careers. Time passes so speedily, but the sweetness of family time never fades. Cheers to the upcoming holidays - they always ensure tons of family bonding.

The season's sensation

One of the pastimes synonymous with this season is gallivanting over to the much-awaited pumpkin patch. The dear husband had never meandered through an expansive field dotted with thousands of pumpkins before, so it was a blast hearing him exclaim with awe at the orange sea of squash. I am thankful for a pumpkin-centric respite with him this weekend past, which was one packed with so much evidence of God's grace. So grateful for all that the Lord continues to do in and around our lives, thanks to the hope of the glorious gospel, of which we were reminded in the husband's sermon yesterday. Hope you had a grand weekend as well, dear friends.