Tasty Treat Tuesday: Mini Caramel Apples

Caramel apples are one of my favorite Halloween treats, but they are not even close to being kid friendly which means I basically never get to eat them anymore.  I just cannot stand the sticky caramel mess that seems to cover my children from head to toe even after just one bite of them.  How does one even do that?  I think my kids have a talent for messes.

I am so excited about this recipe for mini caramel apples!  There is way less mess involved and because they are bite sized you can eat several and not feel as guilty as you do after you have eaten a full sized caramel apple.

Here is what you need to make these mini caramel apples:

  • 4-inch lollipop sticks (or toothpicks)
  • Melon baller
  • Granny Smith apples or whatever you might have on hand (one apple makes about 8 mini
    apples)
  • Butterscotch or peanut butter chips
  • Chopped nuts, nonpareils, sprinkles, shredded
    coconut (optional)
  • Small paper candy cups

Here is link to the tutorial for mini caramel apples -> Mini Caramel Apples Tutorial



Tasty Treat Tuesday: Homemade Oreo Cookie Spiders

I am so excited that Halloween is almost here!  I love finding and making all the fun and yummy treats out there for the holiday.  This recipe is actually a spin on the traditional oreo cookies we make the rest of the year.  The best part about these cookies is that you can color the  frosting/filling to match any holiday.  We do red and green for Christmas, pink and yellow for easter, red and blue for Independence day… The possiblities really are endless.

Here is what you will need to make these Homemade Oreo Cookie Spiders:

1 Devil’s food cake mix

1/2 cup Shortening

2 Eggs

Black string licorice

Red decorating gel or small red candies

Here is what you need to make the frosting:

8 oz Cream Cheese

2 sticks of Butter

2 Tsp. Vanilla

2 to 4 cups Powdered Sugar (Icing Sugar)

Food coloring

Here is how you make the cookies:

Cookies:

Mix all cookie ingredients together (cake mix, shortening, eggs).   If dough is too sticky, refrigerate for a while.   Roll the dough into dime-sized balls and place on a cookie sheet.   Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.   Cool cookies.

Frosting:

Mix all frosting ingredients until smooth (cream cheese, butter, vanilla, powdered sugar).   If it is too thick, thin with vanilla.   Once you have the desired consistency, mix in food coloring until you have reached your desired color.  Frost the backs of cookies and place them together to make sandwich cookies.  Then cut licorice into 1 inch pieces and place them into the frosting on the sides of the cookies to create spider legs.  Then, use decorating gel or red candies to create eyes on one side of the cookie.

Tasty Treat Tuesday: Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies


These cookies are a family favorite!  My mother-in-law is a celiac and cannot have anything that contains gluten so this is one of the few flourless desserts I can make for her.  I was a little worried at first that the lack of flour would make the cookies hard, like most gluten-free cookies are, but these are surprisingly soft.  The best part of all… there are only four ingredients!

Here is what you will need to make Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies:

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

24 mini peanut butter cups

Here is how to make them:

-Preheat oven to 350

-Combine peanut butter, sugar and egg in a meduim bowl and blend until smooth.

-Divide out and place dough into 24 mini cupcake/muffin cups.

-Bake for 8-10 minutes.

-Remove cookies from the oven and press down an unwrapped peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie.

-Place cookies back into the oven for 2-4 minutes until cookies are set.

-Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.

NOTE:  This is another recipe from my sister Melinda!  I hope you’ve been enjoying all the yummy Tasty Treat Tuesday recipes she’s been bringing us!

 

Tasty Treat Tuesday: Monkey Bread


Eating monkey bread is a huge tradition in my husband’s family.  When we got married it was important for me to find a good recipe so I could carry on that tradition.  I don’t have the best of luck when it comes to baking breads so I needed a recipe that required as little effort from me as possible.  Seriously, if it requires yeast then I am going to find a way to ruin it… even with an automatic bread machine.  This recipe is both super yummy and super easy.  My kids love taking turns putting the dough into place and any time I can get them involved in the cooking process and learning, I feel like I am succeeding as a mom.

Here is what you will need:

4 cans refrigerated biscuits
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks
butter (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup
raisins (these are optional, it’s great with or without them)

Here is a link to the recipe -> Monkey Bread Recipe

NOTE:  This awesome recipe is brought to you by my sister Melinda, who will be bringing us even more great recipe and craft ideas as well as grocery store match-ups and the nightly round-up!  I also have to tell you that my family loves monkey bread, too!

Photo Credit:  MomsWhoThink