At the 1986 Crystal LIght National Aerobics Championships (hosted by Alan Thicke?) via OMG Blog
These cute little candy bites are a recipe that I found in the fun cookbook entitled "You Made That Dessert?" by Beth Lipton. The recipe calls for only four ingredients to make around 35 tasty candies. The candies are sweet and crunchy with a nice peanut butter butterscotch flavor. I added a little sea salt topping to mine for some extra flavor. The recipe is pretty basic and calls for rolling the candies into little balls. I decided to take it a step further and dress them up a little by using a candy mold and some melted chocolate. I think they turned out nice and would make a fun gift! Here is how you can make your own candies: You can find the basic recipe here. After you crush the cornflakes, add them to the melted peanut butter and butterscotch chips and mix in some vanilla extract. I used an organic unsweetened peanut butter because I wanted a true peanut flavor and not a whole lot of sugar as the butterscotch chips are very sweet! After the mixture is well combined set aside. Because I wanted my candies to have a more uniform shape I used this handy-dandy plastic candy mold that i got at the hobby store for around $2. I wanted to use up the left over candy melts from my caramel apple post, so i melted the chocolate in a squeeze bottle and poured a little into the mold. Next I used a small paint brush to brush the chocolate up the sides. The chocolate filled mold went into the fridge for 5 minutes to set. When set, I scooped out a small mound of peanut butter butterscotch mixture into the mold and then topped it with more melted chocolate. I sprinkled a little sea salt over the top of the chocolate and chilled the candies again for around 15 minutes. When completely chilled I popped the candies out of the mold and drizzled a little melted white chocolate across the tops. I placed the finished candies into individual mini-muffin cups that I found at the grocery store (73 cups for 99¢) and set them into a box for gift giving. You can also by-pass the chocolate and just scoop some of the peanut butter-butterscotch mixture directly into the molds and top with some chocolate sprinkles. Chill and unmold. Or even skip the mold by rolling the peanut butter-butterscotch mixture into small balls and then rolling the balls in chocolate sprinkles or chopped salted peanuts! Voila, you've got lots of yummy candies for you and your friends!
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and line two baking sheets with silpat mats or parchment paper. In a medium pot over medium heat melt together the butter, sugar and corn syrup. Stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the heat up to medium-high and continue to cook until golden brown and bubbly. Swirl the pot occasionally so the syrup doesn't burn, this should take around 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the salt and cayenne pepper then immediately pour mixture over the popcorn and stir to incorporate. Try to cover as much of the popcorn with the syrup as possible. Divide the popcorn evenly between the two baking sheets and bake for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let the baked popcorn cool before breaking apart into crunchy pieces. Put into a big bowl, grab a blanket and turn on the spooky movies. Happy Halloween Everyone & Thanks For Checking Out My Blog!
Wow, I can't believe it has been 2 months since my last post. I think the main reason is my iPhone hasn't been working for that long. The voicemail isn't working and I can't get internet access so I can't email pictures, so I have nothing to post. I wrote a good halloween post a couple years back, if I knew how to link to that I would. I don't really have anything to say. Nothing is going on. I'm fighting with Bank of the West. They really screw you over with the overdraft fees. I swear they hold them until applying puts you in overdraft, then apply them. They suck. Don't ever use Bank of the West. I fucking hate them. As soon as I can I am closing the account and switching to Chase. I don't care how big of a pain in the ass it is, I hate BOTW so fucking much. I hope a million people read this post and everyone closes their accounts. If any of the three people who read this blog have accounts there, please close them.
I am breaking from my hermetically sealed life to actually have brunch with my friend (and former co-worker) Lisa Chan tomorrow. I love Lisa. I'm actually looking forward to a social obligation for the first time in years.
Other than that, we are broke, I can't catch up on our bills, my back is killing me but I have used up the 30 physical therapy appoinments my insurance covers this year. I can't seem to get a day off from work for the life of me.
Oh, and fuck comcast too! I want to get AT&T Uverse so I can bundle in our iPhones and internet, but they don't offer it in my area. In othe words, they don't offer it to poor people so that Comcast can keep ripping us off. A few weeks ago we started losing random channels above channel 39 in the bedroom and kitchen until finally we had nothing above 39 left. Comcast told me I had to go to the comcast store and purchase converter boxes. Then I found out the same thing was happening to my parents and Comcast sent them boxes for free. So I called back and they did that for us. But you have to install them yourselves which was a pain and now I have an extra remote for each tv along with an extra little box that looks shitty sitting on my kitchen counter. Everything is bullshit these days.
Have a great day!
This recipe will make approximately six small-medium sized caramel apples. You will need:
• 22 oz. (2 bags) Kraft Premium Caramel Bits (or 22 oz. of regular caramels unwrapped)
• 2 Tbls. of bourbon & 2 Tbls. water (or you can just use 4 Tbls. water)
• 6 small-medium sized apples, all appoximately the same size and shape
• 6 sticks (some bags of caramel will come with sticks/can also find at hobby shops)
• white chocolate candy melts or white chocolate
• dark chocolate candy melts or dark chocolate
• wasabi peas (can be found at Trader Joe's)
• wasabi almonds
Choose apples that are relatively small as they are easier to coat in the caramel. I used bright green Granny Smith apples because of their crisp tart flavor/texture and relatively uniform shape and smaller size.
Start by washing the apples really well in warm water with some vinegar added. The vinegar helps remove the wax found on the outside of the apples. If you leave the wax on the apples the caramel will slide right off! After scrubbing the apples remove the stems and dry them thoroughly. Using your sticks, carefully skewer each apple thru the stem end going down an inch into the apple to secure. Line a 1/2 sheet pan with parchment or silpat, set aside. Make sure you have room set aside in your fridge for this sheet pan! Mix together the 2 Tbls. of bourbon and 2 Tbls. water with the 22 oz. of Caramel Bits into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally with a silicone spatula or spoon until the caramel is smooth and melted. Hold an apple by the stick over the melted caramel and coat with the caramel by spooning over the apple letting the excess drip off back into the pan. Transfer the coated apple to the lined 1/2 sheet pan. Repeat process with remaining apples then place pan of apples in fridge to chill for 30 minutes to an hour. While the apples are chilling, crush the wasabi peas to a fine crumb using a food processor. I wanted to go for the texture of Shake-N-Bake so I made mine as fine as possible. Place the finely crushed wasabi peas in a wide shallow bowl. Using the food processor again, chop the almonds until they are fairly fine. Place the chopped almonds in a wide shallow bowl and mix with some of the crushed wasabi peas. (Of course you can always keep your peas and almonds chunky if you prefer!) Set bowls aside. When the apples have finished chilling, place the white chocolate candy melts into the top pan of a double boiler set over medium low heat- try not to let the water boil. Alternatively you can melt them in the microwave, following the instructions on the bag. When the white chocolate has become smooth and melted, remove the caramel apples from the fridge. Holding the apple by the stick, quickly pour the chocolate over the apple using a spoon. You will notice that the chocolate will start to melt the caramel. Just keep working quickly and transfer the apple back onto the 1/2 sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining apples and place pan into fridge for a minute or two to lightly set the chocolate. Remove from fridge. Holding the apple by the stick roll/press it into the wasabi peas and/or almonds going all around the sides, about half way up the apple. Repeat with remaining apples. When finished, place the apples back into the fridge for another 20-30 minutes. While the apples are chilling, melt the dark chocolate melts in the top bowl of the double boiler (or use the microwave) until smooth and melted. I poured the melted chocolate into a large squeeze bottle to drizzle over the tops of the apples but you could easily just use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the apples. Remove apples from the fridge and drizzle the dark chocolate over the tops of the apples letting it run down the sides of the apple. Sprinkle chocolate with remaining crushed wasabi peas and almonds. Place apples back into the fridge to chill completely. When apples are finished chilling you can either serve them (they cut easier when left out to room temperature for a little while) or you can bag them up for gift giving or party favors. I made a "leaf" tag for my apples and tied each bag with a bright orange ribbon. For even more tips and ideas for caramel apples check out this great site: King Arthur Bakers. Whatever flavors you decide to use, everyone will love these caramel apples!
This place must have been really cool in 1960 or whenever it was built. The restrooms in the united terminal feel like prison.
My ticket lists no seat, only boarding priority BP2, no seat. When I asked if I needed a seat assignment the woman looks at my ticket, and says that she'll call me soon. She is evasive about my seat assignment. Even when I ask if my seat I guaranteed. I'll call you soon is all she says. They just announced boarding.
And it is just by fucking seating area. Why could she not just say that?
She just called me as a STANDBY passenger. Why didn't she say that I was standby when I asked her, am I standby? I'll call you about your seat.
But I'm on the plane.
This whole airport, from the exterior, to TSA, to boarding the plane, seems like prison.
I need to look into flights from other la airports.
Bob hope airport is a dream.
• Sketch out a design for your decorated cookie before baking— This saves time by showing how much icing of each color will be needed and the placement of the icing when you start decorating. To make a design, trace the cookie cutter onto paper and use colored markers to indicate where the icing will go. Try to stick to two colors (three colors max!) and keep the design simple. For each color you will need an "outline" icing for piping and a "flood" icing for filling in between the outlines. The outline icing in firm and holds it shape when piped and is great for details. The flood icing in a more liquid version of the outline icing and spreads easily creating a smooth even surface.
• Roll out the dough to a precise thickness, usually 1/4"— A consistent thickness ensures even baking for all your cookies. You can use these handy rings that fit over your rolling pin or just use two slats of wood that are the correct thickness and roll dough out between them.
• Chill rolled dough before cutting— Chilling the rolled dough until firm ensures the cookie cutter will make perfect cutouts with nice crisp edges!
• Chill cut-out shapes- I actually freeze my cutouts before baking! The colder and firmer the cut out shapes, the better detail in your finished cookie and the cold dough really helps discourage spreading in the oven.
• Before mixing royal icing make sure all utensils are grease-free- Fat and grease are the enemy of royal icing as they break down its texture. To ensure a grease-free surface, wipe down your bowl and beater with some vinegar before washing thoroughly with soap and water. You can find an easy recipe for royal icing here.
• Use a squeeze bottle to decorate with flood icing— Flood icing is the thinner icing using to "flood" the main shapes on your cookie. Squeeze bottles are easier to use and fill than piping bags plus they are reusable. You can find squeeze bottles here.
• Let finished decorated cookies dry, uncovered over night before packaging or stacking—Letting the cookies dry thoroughly ensures that your masterpieces will not be smeared or dented when you place them on a buffet platter or into a cute gift bag.
• For lots of decorating ideas and more tips try this book: Cookie Craft by Valerie Peterson
Why not break out your rolling pin and your imagination and try some decorated sugar cookies this holiday season, remember you can always eat the mistakes!
