A Mayflower's Musings

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

For all of us that have failed in our first attempts...


Today I went searching for the perfect caramel apple recipe (I have never mastered this one). There were an abundance of recipes, but I liked this one because of the helpful hints at the end. Who ever knew! I had to share!





Homemade Caramel Apple Recipe with Packaged Caramels

When you're short on time or don't feel like putting in the effort, this caramel apple recipe is almost as good as the kind made with homemade caramel. Keep a close eye on the caramel to assure that it doesn't burn. This can be done on the microwave or with a double-boiler. To make this a cinnamon caramel apple recipe, stir 1/2 to 1 tsp. of ground cinnamon into the caramel while cooking.

Ingredients:700 g. (24 oz.) caramels, unwrapped
4 tbsp. whole milk
10-12 medium-sized apples, sticks inserted in tops

Instructions:

1. Melt caramels and milk together in a double boiler, stirring often. Or melt in the microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until melted and smooth.
2. Dip apples into hot caramel. In order to get as thick a caramel coating as possible, dip each apple at an angle and rotate within the caramel.
3. Pull apple out vertically and allow excess caramel to drip off. Then turn the apple right-side-up a moment (as if you were about to eat it) and let the caramel settle for a few seconds. This prevents large bare spots at the top of the apple.
4. Place apples on greased wax paper or foil.
5. While caramel is still warm and soft, decorate as desired. (Unless dipping apples in chocolate, in which case the caramel needs to be allowed to set.)
6. Let cool to set.

Tips for Perfect Homemade Caramel Apples

If you've never made a caramel apple recipe, or have had a recipe or two come out disastrous (it definitely happens), don't despair. When you get it right, making caramel apples is easy as could be. If you want to know how to make caramel apples perfect every time you make them, follow these tips:

1. If this is your first time, use packaged caramels-- it's easier to get the texture right. Especially if you don't have much experience candy making.
2. Be sure your apples are washed and VERY dry before dipping.
3. Choose smaller apples to make caramel go further-- after all, it's hard to finish a whole one, anyway.
4. Use cold apples for dipping to keep the caramel from sliding off.
5. If in doubt, decorate your apples. If they're coated in nuts, chocolate, etc., they won't stick together and can be packaged individually.
6. If using store-bought apples, the wax applied to them may keep the caramel from sticking. Scrub apples clean with baking soda, or dip briefly in boiling water to remove the wax.
7. When decorating with larger items, don't make them too big, as big items tend to be too heavy for the caramel to hold them.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Perspective


To all my diaper changing, dirty laundry cleaning, dish washing, bath giving, toilet cleaning, moms of mess making tyrants....this will make you feel better about your job today!

Friday, October 17, 2008

Why October 17th was a great one!



Daphne was off to "Grandparents Day" at 8am this morning.
She chose to get all dressed up, and although it isn't winter yet,
it sure was cold this morning.

My sister-in-law, sweet Meghann, prepped this great craft

for my moms group today! She led us all in making two of these

kids' art hangers. Visit her blog for the tutorial.

These were my table centerpieces and they

couldn't have turned out any cuter if I have to say so myself.

Please steal - super easy and cheap.


Meghann gave Ruby a headband she makes and sells, and

we ended the day playing outside in the awesome, and strangely

warm weather.

Perfect Day.

Monday, October 13, 2008

New Blog in the Family

Here's my sister in law's blog everyone....it's full of great ideas for us moms.



http://www.sisterlings.blogspot.com/



Meghann was the creative one who made the girls the flower headbands. She is now selling her creations. So cute!





She'll be my guest at moms group this week - I'll follow up on that later:)

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Ruby at 9 months...





Ruby is super mobile these days. She crawls all over and pulls herself up on things too. Daphne and Maisie walked at 11 months, so I guess I am in for it again!


She has four teeth and seems very frustrated with baby food these days. We are starting to do more table food cut up really small. We really hear from her when the girls get a special treat in the car and she is left just watching them devour a McDonalds cheeseburger. SOON enough, I tell her...


She is still a great sleeper and a very content little girl. I get some screams once in awhile, like when I peel the van keys out of her hands or when she has to get back in her carseat for the umpteenth time...but besides that...she's in my husband's words, a "SUPERSTAR"!


She also loves her sisters and gives her daddy huge flirtatious smiles. And she's definitely won over her Grandpa's heart. Not to mention how Phoebe has named all her baby dolls Ruby. I just love how the youngest child in the family becomes the adored one of all the kids, even if they themselves are just really babies/two year olds themselves...


My cup these days runneth over...and it's God's gift of little girls that is so filling me up!

Friday, October 3, 2008

Miniature Pumpkins

Today was our first moms group of the year! Here's how it went down:

Project Idea Born - This is how they looked in the magazine.

This is how mine turned out at 10pm the night before group!


The ladies each made two to take home!


With the extra stuff the girls made one each at home afterward.

Here's Daphne making her stem out of marzipan.

Watch out when Maisie has a bowl of frosting!


Maisie's Pumpkin.

Daphne's sprinkles...I mean, pumpkin.

And although blog posts can be deceiving sometimes...you know

how we pick the best pictures, tell the perfect story...

This last shot tells you the reality of a project like this at my home!

(my sink looked like that ALL day)

OH, but so fun...