Never Ending Caramel Corn

I've handed out 18 bags of the stuff so far. Here's another 12 bags worth waiting to be tied up. I think Karen is right- we need to start making something other than this to pass out to friends and neighbors.
If you have asked me for the recipe, you can find it here.
Instead of placing it on a cookie sheet, you are better off putting it in a turkey roasting pan when you place it in the oven to bake.

Worthless

"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most." Yes, you've all heard that line before. I don't know where my brain was when I made three loaves of bread today, but they are tasteless all because they are missing one key ingredient. Salt! These may as well be doorstops.

My Es-Spear-Mint Pan

I had a credit from Bed, Bath and Beyond. After wandering the aisles, I spied this pan.

Since I had trouble in the past with adding things to cupcakes that then sank to the bottom of the cupcake instead of staying in the middle, I thought this would take care of the problem. I kind of felt bad about stabbing the gingerbread man through the mid-section though.

I came up with a couple of creations. This one is a brownie base loaded with mint. It has a York peppermint pattie inside and is frosted with a peppermint flavored whipped cream frosting (it's actually a non-dairy product called Pastry Pride. You can find it at Gygi's, but don't go there unless you have a hundred dollar bill in your pocket).

I sprinkled some crushed candy cane on top. I thought they were quite good. LynnEl, what did you think? My other creation was using a chocolate covered caramel with macadamia nuts. You know, the kind you get from either Hawaii or Costco. This was the Costco version. You'd all know if I'd been to Hawaii lately. I really liked that brownie too, except for the nut part of it. So I'm thinking...chocolate and caramel in the middle...I've got a Cadbury bar with just that combination in the pantry. Who is up for treats being delivered soon?

Peppermint Fudge Cupcake Jars

Saturday was our December's Empty Nester party. I signed up for dessert (who wants to bring a boring salad?). I let Karen have one before we left. She took a bite (after some dilemma as to whether she should use a spoon or a fork- she opted for the spoon) and said,

"Mmm, that's good dessert!" 

When she got to the center she said,

"Mmm, the middle part is goooood." 

I asked her if I should hurry and snag one of these (there were only nine of them going to the party) and she said, 

"Yes, because I'm not sharing this one!" 

Another comment was,

"These are the perfect size too!" 

After she finished she said,

"Thank you for letting me have one. It was quite delicious." 

When I tried one at the party, I enjoyed it, but I thought I would like to experiment with it a little bit. I'll let you know if that happens and what the outcome was. Anyone want to sign up as a guinea pig?

Yesterday at church I asked a friend why he and his wife weren't there, and that I had made a special dessert just for them (well, sort of). He was disappointed he missed out and asked if there were any left over. I said I had two left and he could have them. I was surprised when he actually rang the doorbell to collect (but by then there was only one left because Karen liked them so much). 

You can find the recipe here (of course, it's OBB. Did you know that it was Kate's birthday last Saturday? Did you also know that she is pregnant? And, did you know that Kate and Sara are speaking at Time Out For Women in Layton on Feb. 4? Just trying to keep you all informed).

Let's Build A House

Yesterday we made a gingerbread house. 

Eventually, Karen came home from work and helped us finish it up. 

In the middle of everything, I had to go to the store for more roof shingles. 

One of these things is not like the other...one of these things just doesn't belong! Can you find it?

Caleb wanted the "Christmas lights" hanging from the bottom of the roof to be orange and red on this side...

...and green and red on this side. I let go of the OCD in me just enough to allow him to choose the colors, but it was a struggle.

Front- 

Back. 

Watch out! Something is crashing into the house! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's...

cracking us all up! 

We will miss this boy. Come back to be with us again soon, Caleb. Be safe on the airplane today. 

Another Taste Test

Karen was craving peanut butter cookies, but in peanut blossom form (you know, the pb cookie with the kiss on top?). However, I only had kisses with almonds on hand. Therefore, a trip to the store was necessary. While there, I figured I'd stock up on a few different kinds of chocolate. Hershey's Bliss and Dove Milk Chocolates made their way into my cart, along with two big bags of Hershey's Kisses (plain). I needed to fill up Santa's belly bowl.

I made the cookies. They tasted weird. I don't know why. Anyway, last night, just for fun, I asked Karen to do another taste test. I unwrapped a Dove and a Bliss. I gave her a bite of the Bliss first. After tasting both, she without hesitation asked me, "Really? The FIRST one! The second one was so chalky tasting." 

I was ready to write up the post as conclusive evidence that we should all be buying Bliss (I really had no preference, and kind of think the Dove is fun just to see what is written inside, and evidently I'm supposed to keep the promises I make to myself because I got that same one twice in three tries). Just to be totally scientific, I made Karen try another Dove. Evidently that first one was tainted in some way because the second one tasted nothing like the first. In fact, neither she nor I could tell the difference between the two at that point. Maybe our taste buds were just overly saturated by then. I don't know. I guess we'll just have to keep experimenting. Poor us. Do you have a preferred milk chocolate? Caleb likes the Kisses best. I think it is because they are the most fun to unwrap.