Caramel apples are a favorite snack, and one you probably remember from your childhood. Learn how to make some of these sweet treats.
You probably remember the first time you bit into a caramel apple when you were a child. First you encounter the rich, sweet caramel coating (the part everyone likes) and then your teeth reach the firm, tart apple as you bite into it with a satisfying crunch.
Kids love crunchy, sticky caramel apples. Use you children's favorite variety of apple for that perfect blend of tart and sweet. Red Delicious and Rome Beauties are always a good bet. Another great variety of apple to use is the Jonathan; choose whichever apple is fresh and delicious (local orchards and farm markets will have the best varieties). Be sure to wash the apples well and dry them before applying the sweet caramel topping to the apple skins.
When working with hot caramel, we recommend keeping a bowl of ice-cold water on hand as an antidote to any splatters that threaten to scald your skin. In the event you do get any of the hot caramel on your hands and fingers, immediately plunge them into the ice water. Also, because of the risk of burns, never allow young children to handle hot caramel. You can find wooden ice-cream sticks at a craft store or a hobby shop. Or, try using wooden plant markers, which are sturdy due to their width.
RECIPE Caramel Apples
Makes 4 caramel apples
Ingredients:
4 apples
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions:
Wash and dry the apples well. Insert wooden sticks into the stem ends of the apples.
In a medium saucepan set over low heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, condensed milk, heavy cream, milk and butter. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees F. on a candy thermometer (or until a bit of syrup dropped into cold water forms a firm, pliable ball).
Stir in vanilla, then put the pan in a bowl of hot water to keep the caramel soft.
Dip the apples in the caramel, coating well. Allow the excess to drip off, then roll in walnuts (if desired) and let cool on waxed paper.
If you're shipping Christmas cookies this holiday season, it helps to keep a few tips in mind to make sure your baked goods reach their destination safely. Air-popped popcorn makes inexpensive, excellent packing material. Plus, it's environmentally sound. The popcorn will also soften the impact of any bumps your package will encounter along its way.
Taking time to prepare your cookie tins properly will also minimize the risk of having your cookies crack or crumble in their journey. Line the bottom of a cookie tin with a layer of parchment paper topped by a layer of waxed paper. To achieve a perfect circle, use the top of the cookie tin as a pattern or use a Fiskars Rotary Cutter. Line the inside of the cookie tin with a strip of corrugated cardboard cut to fit the dimensions of the inner edge of the tin and the ends taped together at the seam. Carefully place cooled cookies in tin. Cover cookies with a round of parchment paper. If your cookies are particularly fragile or are a wafer-type cookie, place a round of parchment paper in between each layer of cookies.
To embellish the outside of the tin, tape a strip of corrugated cardboard around the outside of the tin. Secure in place with a ribbon. Add any festive touch you prefer—such as an evergreen sprig or a nonbreakable ornament—and attach a label to the tin.
Place a scoop or two of popcorn into the bottom of your shipping box. Set the tin in the box and cover with a layer of popcorn. If you plan to send several tins, set up your packing materials in assembly-line fashion. Make sure the tin and your packing material fit securely in the box. The less opportunities you allow for shifting, the better chances you'll have to ensuring your baked goods won't get damaged during shipping. Seal the package shut with tape. Reinforce corners of the box with tape. Attach a big label to the box. Complete the label with the required information and send off your package.
Some families often challenge one another to create the year's scariest jack-o'-lantern. Roasted pumpkin seeds, seasoned with a generous sprinkling of salt, are a bountiful by-product of this annual competition.
I've updated this seasonal favorite by using such flavorful seasonings as coriander, cinnamon, ginger and freshly ground black pepper. For best results, pumpkin seeds must be dried in the oven before tossing them in the spices.
Whether for cooking or carving, choose an unbruised pumpkin that feels heavy for the size of the pumpkin; it will keep, uncarved, in a cool, dry place for up to a month.
RECIPE
SWEET-AND-SPICY PUMPKIN SEEDS
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients:
1 cup pumpkin seeds from 1 medium pumpkin (about 5 to 6 pounds)
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Open pumpkin from the bottom, removing seeds with a long-handled spoon. Remove pumpkin seeds from flesh and set seeds aside; discard flesh. Spread seeds on baking sheet in an even layer. Bake until dry, stirring occasionally, about 50 minutes. Let cool.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine 4 tablespoons sugar, salt, coriander, cinnamon, ginger and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook until sugar melts and the pumpkin seeds begin to attain a golden color, about 1 minute. Transfer seeds to bowl with spices using a slotted spoon and toss seeds in spices to coat. Let cool. Seeds may be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
I've collected my favorite ideas for everything you'll need for a delightful Christmas holiday. Peruse these ideas below for Christmas and holiday entertaining inspiration:
I've collected my favorite ideas for everything you'll need to put Thanksgiving dinner on the table. Peruse these ideas below for Thanksgiving Day dinner inspiration:
Looking for more holiday appetizers to serve to family and guests for Christmas Day dinner? Try these clever and tasty Puff Pastry Cheese Sticks.
Puff Pastry Cheese SticksRecipe Makes 36 Cheese Sticks
Ingredients:
1 17-1/4 oz. package of store-bought frozen puff pastry dough, thawed in the refrigerator
1 egg white, lightly beaten
Paprika
Cayenne pepper (optional)
1 1/2 cups finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Open one sheet of the puff pastry onto a cutting board. Brush the surface of the pastry lightly with the beaten egg white. Sprinkle the surface lightly with paprika (and, if desired, a pinch of cayenne pepper for added spice). Sprinkle the surface of the pastry with 3/4 cup of cheese, and spread the cheese so that it evenly covers the surface of the dough. Lightly roll a floured rolling pin over the puff pastry to gently press the cheese into the dough.
Cut the puff pastry into long 12-inch-wide strips with a pastry cutter. Holding the strip with one hand at either end, gently twist the strip several times to produce a corkscrew-shaped pastry twist. Place the strips 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat the above procedure with the remaining sheet of puff pastry dough.
Bake the strips in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese sticks are golden in color. Remove the cheese sticks from the baking sheet, and cool on a wire rack. These cheese sticks are best when served the same day, but they can be made in advance and stored overnight in an airtight container.
For an 8 to 12 lb. turkey, roast in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for 3 to 3-1/2 hours.
For a 12 to 14 lb. turkey, roast in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for 3-1/2 to 4 hours.
For a 14 to 18 lb. turkey, roast in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for 4 to 4-1/4 hours.
For an 18 to 20 lb. turkey, roast in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for 4-1/4 to 4-3/4 hours.
For a 20 to 24 lb. turkey, roast in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for 4-3/4 to 5-1/4 hours.
For unstuffed turkeys of the same weight, reduce the total cooking time by 15 to 30 minutes.
Thermometers & Food Safety
Temperature is the definitive guide to doneness. To assure that the turkey and stuffing have reached a safe temperature, always use a meat thermometer when you roast turkey. Whenever you insert a meat thermometer into the turkey to check the temperature, make sure it is not touching any bones. Since the bones conduct the heat of the oven, they will be hotter than the rest of the meat, and will therefore give an inaccurate temperature reading. When buying a meat thermometer, look for an easy-to-read dial with a stainless-steel face and shatterproof lens. If you're unsure whether your meat thermometer is accurate, you can check for accuracy by submerging at least 2 inches of the pointed stem in boiling water. An accurate thermometer should read 212° F, the boiling point of water.
Rules of Stuffing
Never stuff a turkey the night before cooking.
Allow 3/4 cup of stuffing for each pound of turkey. For example, 9 cups of stuffing will sufficiently stuff a 12-pound bird.
Don't stuff the bird too tightly; it won't be fully cooked when the turkey is done.
How lucky it is that just as Americans are celebrating the Fourth of July, probably the largest celebration of the summer season, that two of the country's flag colors are in full bloom in fields where shiny red and blue berries are growing in abundance and waiting to be picked. Why not take advantage of this happy circumstance and use these fresh berries in a tasty berry cobbler that can be made, packed in a picnic basket and taken to wherever you're going to enjoy some spectacular fireworks lighting the night sky. Even better, if you're going to be attending a Fourth of July barbecue or party, why not think of your hostess and put together a very patriotic-themed hostess gift?
Start with a flat picnic basket. You can find a variety of baskets at craft stores, home stores like Ikea and some department stores. Line the basket with some red-and-white dish towels and place some berry baskets filled with fresh raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. If you want, you can include your favorite pie crust and a recipe for making a delicious blueberry pie or berry cobbler. Don't forget to include the recipes: You can either handwrite them on recipe cards or print them out, attach them to card stock, and tie to the basket handles with red, white and blue ribbons.
RECIPE Summer Berry Cobbler Serves 8 to 10
4 cups fresh berries, such as blueberries, raspberries and strawberries
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the berries, juice, sugar and cinnamon. Place the berries in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
In a small mixing bowl, blend the butter with the egg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and sugar. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until the mixture begins to come together. Drop the cobbler topping by tablespoonfuls on top of the berry filling. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the juices from the fruits are bubbling. Allow the cobbler to cool for about 15 minutes before serving.
There are certain desserts that look impressive to make but are really simple to prepare. Coeur a la creme is one of them. Literally translated from French it means "heart of cream" and this heart-shaped dessert makes a perfect finishing touch to a romantic Valentine's Day dinner.
RECIPE COEUR A LA CREME
Serves 6
4 tablespoons raspberry puree (from about 1/2 pint fresh berries, or 1 cup frozen berries, thawed)
8 ounces cream cheese
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 ounces heavy creamRaspberry Sauce, recipe follows
Fresh raspberries and mint for garnish
Cut six rinsed 8-inch-by-8-inch squares of cheesecloth, three to four layers thick, for each small mold, or one 16-inch-by-16-inch square for a large mold. Line the molds with the dampened cheesecloth.
Make the raspberry puree by pressing the berries through a fine sieve, discarding the seeds. Combine the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla, and combine; add the raspberry puree, and mix well.
In a large mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream with a whisk until stiff peaks form. Fold the stiff cream into the raspberry mixture.
Fill the molds with the mixture, and smooth the top surface. Neatly fold the edges of the cheesecloth over the mixture, and place the molds on plates to catch the draining whey. Chill the molds for 24 hours before serving.
To serve, unwrap the cheesecloth, center a serving plate on top of the mold, and filp the plate and mold right-side up. Remove the mold; carefully pull away the cheesecloth. Pour on the Raspberry Sauce, and garnish with berries and mint.
Raspberry Sauce Makes 1 1/2 Cups
12 ounces raspberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup sugar
In a small saucepan over medium heat, boil the raspberries and sugar for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture thickens. Strain the mixture through a sieve; add water, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture resembles a sauce. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Sources: Ceramic coeur a la creme mold, available in 1/2-cup mold and 4-cup mold sizes, from Lamalle Kitchenware, 36 West 25th Street, New York, NY 10010; 212-242-0750 or 800-660-0750.
Add fun and whimsy to your holiday table setting with cookie place cards. They not only serve a functional purpose; they're also an edible treat your guests will enjoy.
Often an important part of a table setting for a large dinner party, place cards can often add sophistication to your table. If you're hosting a holiday dinner, try this idea: Bake a batch of cookies, then using a pastry bag filled with royal icing, pipe the name of each guest onto the surface of the cookie. You can select a favorite shape cookie cutter or one that is tailored to your dinner's theme. These fun cookie cards not only direct guests where to sit at the table, but they become an inexpensive favor that can be taken home at the end of the evening. For recipes that make the best bases for decorated place cards, try gingerbread cookies, chocolate butter cookies, or sugar cookies.
There’s a particular warmth and coziness from a gift that comes from your own home kitchen. At holiday time, homemade presents are a wonderful idea, like homemade fruit butters.
Pear butter is quite simple to make. Take pears that are very ripe—not rotten—but if they have a bruise or two, this is the perfect use for fruit that is slightly over the hill. Quarter the pears, core them, and peel them. A lot of people make fruit butters with the skin on, but this tends to add a little grittiness to the final fruit butter, and you don’t want that grittiness.
Use about 12 ripe pears, 1 cup of granulated sugar, ¼ cup of water and 1 vanilla bean. Combine ingredients in a heavy-bottom pot because this is going to cook for about two to three hours and you don’t want any scorching.
Add the juice of 1 lemon to the pears to prevent the fruit from darkening. You can also, if you like, use a little bit of the rind, just the yellow, in with the fruit for a little added flavor. Stir it up and put it on a low flame. Cook for two to three hours until the fruit is extremely soft and can be put through a food mill.
After cooking for two to three hours, the pears will have taken on an extremely golden color. Putting the pear mixture through a food mill gives you the really perfect texture for the fruit butter.
To fill a jar, use a wide-mouth funnel. You want to come to about one half-inch of the top of the jar. Just give the jar a tap to get out the air bubbles. Hold the center of the lid of a screw-top jar, screw on the ring and tighten it. There you have a jar of pear butter.
To cover the pear butter for a gift, you can use a round of parchment paper with a little bit of a pinked edge; it makes a decorative top for a jar. Dampen the piece of paper in warm water. It becomes much more pliable. Place it on top of the jar with a rubber band. As the parchment dries, it will stretch nice and tightly and give a very professional look to the finished jar.
A jar of pear butter will last for two to four weeks in the refrigerator. Once the parchment is dry and taut, tie a ribbon with a handmade gift tag. Write very clearly on the tag “refrigerate immediately,” and it’s ready to give as a gift. Adding fruit butters to your Christmas repertoire will make it a truly handmade Christmas this year.
Create holiday cheer at any gathering with this recipe for a seasonal favorite, eggnog.
As light and frothy as can be, this version of eggnog is topped with ground nutmeg and contains three types of liquors. When separating the eggs to make the eggnog base, it is imperative that no egg yolks touch the egg whites. Even the smallest particle of egg yolk will inhibit the whites from achieving a fluffy consistency. Make sure your mixing bowl is washed well with warm soapy water and dried very well. For best results, use a glass or stainless steel mixing bowl; plastic bowls will not work well. If a piece of eggshell makes its way into the bowl, remove it with a clean metal spoon and wash your hands with soap and water before continuing with the recipe. When beating the egg whites, stop the mixer when the whites form stiff peaks, about 3 to 4 minutes. Do not overbeat, as the protein linings of the air bubbles formed when mixing will dry out. The base of the eggnog can be made one day in advance. Simply beat in the stiff egg whites and whipped cream before you serve it.
EGGNOG Serves 16
12 eggs, separated
1 3/4 cups superfine sugar
1 quart whole milk
2 quarts heavy cream
2 cups bourbon
1 cup brandy
1 1/2 cups light rum
Freshly grated nutmeg
In an oversized mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks until thick and pale yellow in color. Gradually add the sugar to the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Whisk in the milk and 1 quart cream. Add bourbon, brandy, and rum, stirring constantly.
Just before serving, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the eggnog base. Whip the remaining 1 quart heavy cream until stiff peaks form, and gently fold into the eggnog base with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the top with freshly grated nutmeg.
Caution Raw Eggs: Raw eggs should not be used in food prepared for pregnant women, babies, young children, the eldery, and anyone whose immune system is compromised in any way.
Enjoy a bowl of homemade applesauce; our two recipes for this favorite comfort food rival the commercially prepared variety.
The sweet flavor of homemade applesauce makes it a perfect companion to potato latkes. During the holiday season, I like to make homemade applesauce—both stovetop applesauce and a pink applesauce, both kinds keep well in the freezer after they are prepared. I first learned about pink applesauce from Martha Stewart, who developed her recipe when she found out that when you add lemon juice to red-skinned apples, the acid from the lemon reacts with the skin of the apple to create a pink color. In my version of Martha's pink applesauce recipe, I like to use Ida Reds, but McIntosh apples will work just as well. It's important to alter the amount of sugar you use, since different varieties of apples will vary in their sweetness. The stovetop applesauce is prepared with spices to produce a flavor that can be likened to eating a home-baked apple pie.
RECIPES Stovetop Applesauce Serves 4
1/4 cup apple cider
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon juice, plus zest of 1/2 lemon1
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 Granny Smith or Macoun apples, peeled, cored, and cut into pieces
2 Empire apples, peeled, cored, and cut into pieces
In a large saucepan, combine the apple cider, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and zest, brown sugar, and butter. Add all the apples, and toss well to combine.
2. Cover the pan and cook, simmering over medium heat, until the apples are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the apples to the bowl of a food processor; pulse until the mixture is smooth. Serve warm.
Pink Applesauce Serves 4
4 Ida Red, McIntosh, or other similar red-skinned variety
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar (adjust to taste depending on sweetness of apples)
Cut the apples into quarters, leaving the skin on, and remove the seeds and the cores. Place the apples in a mixing bowl and add lemon juice; toss to combine.
Place the apples, sugar, and 3/4 cup water in a heavy saucepan. Cover the pan, and let the apples simmer over medium heat, about 20 minutes, or until the apples are very soft.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, uncover, and let the apples cool slightly. Using a rubber spatula, push the apples through a wire sieve. Pull out and discard the skins. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
If you've been invited to a Thanksgiving dinner, show your appreciation to your host or hostess with a thoughtful Spiced Pecan Hostess Gift.
Nutritious and delicious—nuts are a satisfying ending to a meal, work well as ingredients to a variety of dishes and almost any baked good, and can be savored by themselves as a snack. Their unique flavor adapts to a host of seasonings, including salty, spicy, sweet, or, as this recipe features them, a combination of all three.
RECIPE Spicy Pecans Makes 2 cups
Walnuts, almonds, and cashews may be prepared in the same way as explained here.
Remove pecans from the pan, and toss in a bowl with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container.
To find more ideas for everything you'll need to put Thanksgiving dinner on the table, visit our Food & Drink community for more Thanksgiving recipes.
RECIPE Mashed Potatoes with Herbs Serves 6 to 8
For stiffer mashed potatoes, use only 1/2 cup milk or cream; for creamier potatoes, add another 3 tablespoons butter.
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
3/4 cup milk or heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup mixed chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, chives or basil
Peel potatoes, and cut them into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place potatoes in a 4-quart saucepan, and cover with water. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt. Place pan over medium heat, and bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan.
Heat milk or cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer; reduce heat to low, and keep warm. Place a stainless-steel bowl on top of a pan of simmering water. Using a potato ricer, press hot, drained potatoes into bowl. Stir potatoes with a spoon until smooth, about 1 minute.
Stir in butter until fully melted and well incorporated. While stirring constantly, slowly pour in hot milk. Mix in fresh herbs, pepper, and salt to taste. Serve.
A day of pie baking helped my friend Sara Smith make fabulous pies for the holidays.
Some people have a penchant for baking. Others have a totally different attitude toward baking and avoid it completely—not even the holidays can persuade them to step into the kitchen. My friend Sara Smith belongs to the latter category, having baked only one pie in her life (and that was during a high school home economics class).
Last year, I invited Sara for a visit and a primer in the finer points of pie baking. Longtime food contributor to "Recipes" Tracey Seaman joined the group and shared her helpful advice on making great piecrust. Tracey and I explained how to prepare a basic, all-purpose piecrust using both a hand-blended technique and a food processor. We then demonstrated for Sara some different methods for embellishing the edges of a completed piecrust. Finally, Sara and I each made a pie from my recipe collection, one was an acorn squash-custard pie, the other was a pumpkin-molasses pie.
RECIPES How to Make Homemade Pastry Pastry dough is the medium for all types of pies and tarts, both sweet and savory.
Recipes on Suite101.com would like to feature some of your favorite dishes for the holidays, so that's why I'm putting the call to out for recipe contributions for holiday dishes. Whether you have a spectacular side dish that rivals green-bean casserole at Thanksgiving, or a spicy glaze for baked ham at Christmas, I want to hear from you! And don't forget too about Halloween and New Year's Eve as well.
Take some time to puruse through your recipe file and submit your favorite recipes. Here's how to get involved:
When sending recipes, please be specific with directions, measurements and sizes of cans, packages and pans. Send your recipes to me via e-mail at recipes@suite101.com. Also, please include your full name and the name of your hometown. If you would like to include a few words about the recipe, you can submit that as well.
Please remember to submit recipes that are your personal recipes only, not one from a friend, copied from a magazine, downloaded from an Internet website, etc.
By submitting your recipe, you grant the right to use your name and hometown and state on the Suite101.com Recipes page as well as publish your material on the Internet. We may contact via e-mail if there are questions regarding your submission.
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