Over the years, Billy has requested numerous cheese and bean dips. I’ve happily obliged, because…who doesn’t love dips? I know I do! There are tons of recipes for them out there. This one happens to be my favorite. It’s not loaded with cheese, so I don’t feel too bad eating it, either. It’s also ridiculously simple to make--it’s a one pot deal!

Speaking of the pot, I don’t even need this served in a bowl. I can stand at the stove and eat it right out of the pan. I’m serious. I’m not even ashamed! Give me a bag of chips and this dip, and I’m going to town.

“What? Where’s the bean dip?”

…

“Did I say I was making bean dip?”

…

“Nope, not me. You must be imagining things.”

…

“Sorry. There’s no bean dip.”

__________________________________________

Yeah, it’s like that. It’s my favorite, what can I say?

Recipe!

I freaking love this Bean Dip

Makes about 4 cups

1 (16 oz) can refried beans
1 cup shredded cheese, I use a Mexican blend
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 tsp adobo powder
1 jar (8 oz.) taco sauce
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilies
dash of garlic powder
Corn chips for dipping

Mix all the ingredients, but not the corn chips, in a small saucepan.

Cook over low heat, stirring often, until thoroughly heated and cheese is
melted.

Keep warm. Serve with corn chips.

So simple! And if you want more heat, go ahead and add it.

For more Super Bowl Foods, check out my other posts here:

• Pizza Roll Ups, plus other recipe links
• Super Bowl Party Foods

Game day food! These would be a fun snack to serve at your Super Bowl parties. Not only are they ridiculously simple to make, but they’re a little something different among the other snacks. A mixture of cream cheese, shredded cheeses, pepperoni and green onions is spread out on flour tortillas, and browned in a hot pan. Serve with your favorite marina for dipping!

You could also change these up, making a Tex-mex type roll up, a spinach and feta roll up (Oooh, add some fresh dill to that one and I’m there!)--use your imagination!

Cream Cheesy Pizza Roll Ups

Makes 4 (8") tortillas, cut into 3 pieces each, so 12 pieces total.
Adapted from Cuisine at Home

In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, pepperoni, shredded cheese, green onions, pizza seasoning and basil. Mix well.

Spread each tortilla with some of the cheese mixture, and get it all the way to edges to help the rolls seal. Roll each one up tightly. Heat some oil in a pan over medium heat. Not too much, you're not deep frying, just browning the tortilla rolls. Depending on the size of your pan, place one or two rolls in the oil and brown on all sides. This should only take a few minutes for each one. Use tongs and turn the rolls so you brown them all over. Set aside, and finish browning the rolls.

Let them cool slightly before slicing. Slice each roll into 3 pieces and serve with your favorite marinara or pizza sauce for dipping.

If you’re looking for more ideas for fun Super Bowl foods, check out my post from last year. I collected some of my favorite past recipes for you to look over!

• Super Bowl Party Foods

And here are some of my favorites from the past year for you to check out:

• Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Cookies (This makes a lot to feed your crowd!)
• Turkey Pesto Parmesan Meatballs (Make meatball subs--add some sliced provolone!)
• A Ploughman’s Platter makes a great “nibbling” offering.
• Cosmic Brownies are super fudgy and you can personalize them with m&m’s in your team colors.
• Portland Eggplant Veggie Burgers--these are one of my faves!
• Game Day Buffalo Pork Meatball Subs--I’ll definitely be making these! I crave these constantly. Everything you love in a Buffalo Wing, but neater.
• Steak, Blue Cheese and Horseradish Cream Bites with Caramelized Onions. If making individual apps isn’t your thing, consider the parts of these apps in a sandwich!

The Super Bowl is coming! It’s almost here. There will be parties, food, drinks, screaming, yelling, crying (maybe), food…did I mention food? Don’t forget the kids when you plan your game day parties! They’ll be happy that you thought of them. This is great to bring to a party if your hosts have kids, too. You’ll score big points, for sure.

It’s an easy mix of Teddy Grahams, cereal, pretzels, and a few sweets, too. Also, completely versatile! Use what you can find--don’t feel limited to what I’ve used here. When my son was in preschool, I made this when it was my turn to supply the Friday snack. The kids LOVED it. Got a long car ride coming up? Pack some of this!

Confession. I love this, too. And I can’t keep Billy out of it! He’s asking me to give it all away because he can’t stop snacking on it. For me, I like to throw some nuts in my own serving, but only mine because the kids don’t like nuts.

Speaking of nuts, it may be a good idea to see if any kids at your party have nut allergies, and plan accordingly.

I can’t even call this a recipe--it’s more a guideline. One thing I've found is that dried fruit tends to make the crispy things kind of soft during storage, so that's why I use the yogurt and chocolate covered rasins. If you think it'll all be eaten on the same day you make it, I'd say go for it.

This makes a lot. I didn’t measure it out, but what you see in the photos isn’t even all of it. There’s more backstage, ha!

Teddy Graham Trail Mix

Makes a bunch

1 box (11.3 oz or 7 cups) Peanut Butter Multi Grain Cheerios
1 box (10 oz) Teddy Grahams (I've used chocolate here.)
2 cups mini pretzels
1 bag (12.6 oz or approx. 2 cups) m & m's
1 1/2 cups (10 oz) yogurt covered raisins
1 (3.5 oz) box Raisinets

Mix all of these in a large bowl, store in an airtight container.

I adore Baklava. I’ve never met one I didn’t like! But as far as making it, I’m not sure I have the patience, with all the layering that needs to be done. And then, after making it, I’d want to eat all of it! It’s so sweet and nutty--completely addicting. How could I turn it away, with all of those nuts, the sweet honey, and the crunchy, paper thin layers of phyllo dough?

I’ve found a way to get all of my favorite things from Baklava, without all of the work. How does it taste? Nutty, crunchy, sweet--but not too sweet, and there’s the telltale signature spice, cinnamon. I don’t see how I can go any amount of time without this in my kitchen.

The other day, while out shopping with Billy, I stopped to check out the cooking mags. I have an addiction, ok? I know, you do, too! The rack was filled with comfort food related issues for slow cookers (of which I don’t have) and casseroles (Billy strongly dislikes casseroles of almost any kind). I saw an issue of Cuisine at Home, which I’ve only ever picked up once or twice. But skimming through it, I saw quite a few promising recipes.

I didn’t even pick the magazine up to read it until a few days later when we got some free time. This recipe for Baklava Butter nearly jumped off the page while screaming my name. It’s true! I went out almost right away and got the nuts to make it.

Speaking of nuts, I know they can be expensive. Trader Joe’s has very reasonable prices on nuts if you’re near one. Whole Foods allows you to buy just the amount you need in the bulk foods aisle. If these aren’t options for you, try your nearest natural foods store. They’ll likely have a bulk food section. If none of these options are going to happen for you, then pick up the nuts you can. I’m sure this spread would be just as fantastic if you can only get one or two types of the nuts.

Don’t even get me started on the health benefits of nuts! By now, you should already know how fabulous they are for you, but if you don’t, check out this site. Every single nut in this recipe is so good for you! And it’s sweetened only with honey. Best part? You don’t have to mess around with blanching and skinning the nuts. Plus, it’s a no bake, quickie snack. So make some!

Baklava Butter

Makes just over 2 cups.
Adapted from Cuisine at Home.

1 cup almonds
2/3 cup walnuts
2/3 cup cashews
2/3 cup shelled pistachios
1/2 cup honey (Use organic! Cheap honey is full of nasty hidden chemicals and HFCS.)
1/2 cup water
Couple pinches kosher salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Pulse all of the ingredients in a food processor about 20-30 times. you still want to have some of the nutty texture, so don't overdo it.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Note: All of the nuts I used were roasted, not raw. You can certainly use raw if you'd like, and combined with honey, can be a raw spread for you to enjoy! If any of the nuts are salted, taste for seasoning before you add some salt.

So simple!

• Serve this with your favorite bread, bagel, roll, etc.
• Billy chose to swirl some into some Greek yogurt and said it was amazing. A must try!

Thanks for reading along! I’m looking forward to more fun and good food in 2012!

Counting down from 11 to #1…

11. Loaded Fries - Think Super Bowl food! These have grilled chicken, applewood smoked bacon, horseradish cheddar and other good things. 

10. It’s not a P-I-T-A to make Pita Bread - Easy, I’m serious. Pig out!

9. S’mores Rice Krispies Treats - Makes both little and big kids seriously happy! Is it a Rice Krispie Treat? A S’more? It’s both, sandwiched together.

8. Pistachio Praline Cherry Ice Cream - I could eat this every single day.

7. Bananas Foster Cupcakes - I even flambéed bananas for these!

6. Make Your Own Christmas Ornament Wreath - It blew me away how popular this one was!

5. Fresh Blueberry Pie - Bursting with fresh blueberry goodness. Most of the berries don’t get cooked, so it’s super fresh.

4. Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Cookies - I cracked the code!

3. Holiday Elfin Shortbread Cookies - Customizable for any holiday.

2. Cosmic Brownies - Who loves Cosmic Brownies? Everyone, it seems!

1. Woodchuck Draft Cider Sorbet - The most popular post ever in the the history of this blog. Super simple and so refreshing!

Do you set resolutions at the start of every new year? I usually don’t, and the reason for that is that I don’t stick to them, and I hate feeling disappointed in myself.

This year, I decided to choose a fairly simple one, and I hope I can stick to it. I want to get more exercise--at least three to four times per week, but preferably five. I used to do yoga almost every day, and I really miss how great I felt afterward. Not only limber and stretchy (?), but it really wakes your mind up, too. I felt smarter!

Cutting calories is a good way to make changes, too. Even small changes can add up and make a big difference! One way I’ve been cutting calories for the last few months is in what I drink. We rarely have soda, so that’s not really an issue, but I do love a tall, cold drink with my lunch and dinner.

My usual “formula” for a cold drink is a lot of ice, 3/4 of a glass of either cold tea or soda water (check your soda water labels for sodium and HFCS-make sure there isn’t any!), and 1/4 lemonade or fruit juice. I like my drinks to be a little sweet, but not too much. Adding the lemonade or juice makes it easier to stay away from too much sweetener. This could be an issue if you’re buying a heavily sweetened lemonade or juice, but I’ve really been enjoying Tropicana Trop50 Juice Beverage! I’d have to say my favorite is the Raspberry Lemonade. It goes so well with iced tea! The Pomegranate Blueberry is a close second! Or maybe the Pineapple Mango. They’re all so good! As I’m writing this, I’m having Trop50 Raspberry Lemonade with raspberry lime soda water. It doesn’t get any more refreshing than that!

Tropicana® Trop50® delivers the goodness of fruit juice with 50 percent less sugar and calories, and no artificial sweeteners. That’s fabulous in my book!

You can find Trop50 on Facebook and Twitter (hash tag #Trop50), and I think you should follow them so you can always be up to date on new developments and updates!

Trop50 juice beverage is currently running a promotion on Facebook called Trop50 True Resolutions:

Trop50 True Resolutions celebrates the real reasons behind New Year’s resolutions. Share your secret motivation and you’ll earn a coupon for $1 off Trop50 for yourself and $.50¢ off coupons for up to 50 of your friends. You can even submit incognito with a fierce disguise. Bonus: Whether you submit a resolution or not, you can also enter a sweepstakes to win a $1000 gift.

So head on over (you can click the graphics below to be taken right to their page), add your resolution, and download your Trop50 coupon! You won’t be disappointed--you’ll get fabulous flavor with 50% less sugar and calories!

I love boozy cakes! There, I said it. I do! I also like to make gingerbread at least once a year. What if I told you that you could make a gingerbread with 100% whole wheat flour, and still have it be moist, decadent and rich,without the heavy whole wheat taste? You can! I’ve done it here. I’ve been very generous with the spices, because I like a spicy gingerbread. No wimpy gingerbread for me! Also, I’ve added a healthy dose of good whisky that was just begging to be used in something special for the holidays. I also decided to add some Greek yogurt for extra points in the tender crumb/less fat department. It all works beautifully in this dark, rich cake, and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do.

I was asked by Hodgson Mill to participate in a recipe contest that they’re running for the holidays. They want decadent holiday treats, sweet or savory, made healthier by using their Whole Wheat Flour or their Best for Bread Flour. The very first thing that popped into my head was gingerbread. I knew the heavily spiced bread would lend itself well to the whole wheat flour. It’s a match made in heaven! The bread is dense, moist, spicy--and a little boozy. A little whisky is good for the soul--and I used my stash of Macallan Fine Oak 15. We always have Hodgson Mill products in the pantry. Their selection is varied and fantastic! Just take a look through their online store!

If I had my way, I’d have lightly spiced the whipped cream, too, but my husband thought the bread didn’t need any more spice on top of it, and he was right. He was, it’s true! Soft, subtly sweet whipped cream is the way to go with this. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature, and serve it for dessert, breakfast, afternoon snacks--whatever you like!

Holiday Whisky (Whole Wheat!) Gingerbread 
makes one 9x13 pan

1 (7oz) container plain Greek yogurt, or plain regular yogurt
3 tbsp canola oil
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup molasses
4 tsp ground ginger
4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
scant 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
2 tbsp cocoa powder (I’m addicted to Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa)
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 cups Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Flour 
1 tbsp baking soda
3/4 cup whisky (I used my Macallan Fine Oak 15)
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup heavy cream and a bit of honey or sugar if you want your whipped cream sweetened

Heat the oven to 325 degrees, and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper (or lightly grease it) and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl (I used my KA stand mixer), add the yogurt, oil and butter, mix well. Add the brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the molasses and blend that in, then add all of the spices--from the ginger all the way through to the salt. Add the flour and mix well.

In a measuring cup, combine the whisky and the water. Heat for about 1 - 1 1/2 minutes in the microwave, then stir the baking soda into the liquid, and stir until it's dissolved. Pour this into the batter--and using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, carefully stir it in a bit, otherwise when you turn the mixer on, it's splash all over you. Trust me, I know. Now turn the mixer on low and blend it in completely, and then lastly, add the eggs, blending until completely mixed in.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes, until a tester inserted into the cake comes out clean. Set aside on a rack to cool.

For the whipped cream, you can either whip it up with a mixer, or whisk it by hand. Add in honey or sugar to taste, and serve over the gingerbread squares.

• Gingerbread couldn’t be any easier to prepare, but it’s always so special to me. And it screams holidays! If you like your gingerbread super moist with lots of great spicy flavor, try this one.
• The spices and the whisky definitely make this cake warm you up on the inside. If you don’t want to use whisky, you can use all water instead. Or brandy, or rum, or…you get the idea.

Did you know that you can take a wreath form, some ornaments, ribbon, beads and a glue gun, and make a gorgeous holiday wreath? You can! It’s easy, too. It takes a little time, but in the end, it’s SO worth it.

I used to be crafty. All the time! Then I had kids, and all that goes along with them got in the way. Not that that’s a bad thing! I love my kids. But I got out of the habit of making things for myself, and into the habit of usually buying stuff already made.

A few weeks ago, all of that changed. I actually felt like grabbing a glue gun and making something. Something pretty, kind of funky…and my mind ended up thinking about ornament wreaths. Ooooh yeah.

I’ve wanted to make one of these for a few years now (but didn’t feel like it!), and I finally decided to just take the plunge. I hit a couple of stores, bought my supplies, and then…and then…had to wait. I hate waiting when I get an idea in my head! But I was so busy at the end of last week, that I couldn’t get to this until Friday night, and then finishing it up Saturday afternoon. So, yeah--my guess is this wreath took me about 2-2 1/2 hours in all. Not too bad, I think!

My husband teased me when he saw all of my bags of craft stuff. He said “So, how long are these bags going to sit here? You gonna make something we can finally use next Christmas?” Funny. I made both wreaths that I planned on making, and only have a few more decorations to hang in the windows. So he can suck on that, haha!

Let’s get to it. Here’s what you need, or what I used for mine:

1. A wreath form. The foam ones were squared off on the edges, and I didn’t really like them, but you can use one if you like. I decided to go with a straw one, center diameter 12 inches. Take the plastic wrap off, but don’t remove the thread that’s wrapped around it! $4.99 (Also, it was a lot cheaper than the foam one!)
2. Wide ribbon (I went with silver). You need a good amount. I picked up a large 90 foot roll at Hobby Lobby that was 50% off--it cost $5.00, normally $10. It’s more than enough.
3. A boatload of ornaments. Seriously. Buy more than you think you’ll need. If you have extra, you can always toss them in a pretty glass vase or bowl for extra decorating. I bought a large container with 45 shatterproof larger ornaments, 2 boxes of 8 count larger ornaments, and 4 cylinders of smaller ones--20 count in each one. $37.00 total.
4. A string of silver beaded garland. I have no clue how long this was, sorry. Oh, and you can use any color you like, but shiny is best! (Make sure they’re not just loose beads on the string, because you’ll be cutting it up.) $2.00
5. Not necessary, but instead of the traditional bow, I picked up a funky little glittery-curly-bow-type silver ornament. $2.00
6. A glue gun and plenty of glue sticks.

-Begin by wrapping the ribbon all the way around your unwrapped wreath form. Glue one end of the ribbon the the wreath, and spiral it all the way around once, snipping and gluing the other end when you’ve wrapped the whole thing. You shouldn’t see any of the wreath form when you’re done.

-Cut a length of ribbon and make a hanger. Figure out how long you want it to be, then loop it around the wreath, securely gluing the two ends of the ribbon together to form your loop hanger.

-Start with the large ornaments, and glue them around the inside and outside edges of the wreath form. When you’ve done that, glue some on to the top of the wreath. You’re not going to put any on the back of the wreath.

-Fill in the gaps and spaces with the smaller ornaments. Don’t worry if you have some small spaces showing through, just do your best.

-Now, take the beaded garland, and without being measurey or technical, just snip it into lengths about 5-6 inches. (First make sure they’re not loose stringed beads, or you’ll have a mess!) Glue the ends of each cut piece together to form little loops, like teeny bracelets. Look over the wreath from different angles, and with the glue gun, add some glue to the closest ornaments so you can stick the beaded loops into the gaps. I just draped them into the gaps and added a bit more glue if needed to make them stick. It’s not as hard as it sounds, really. Just maybe harder to explain.

-If you’re adding a “bow” or fun ornament to the wreath, glue it into place now wherever you want it.

-That’s it! You’re done! Easy, right? Now hang it up!

Back of the wreath and close up of ribbon wrapped wreath:

• I ended up using every single ornament. I could have even used a few more!
• When I started, I looked at my table full of ornaments and thought, “Wow, I may even have enough to make another, smaller wreath!” Ha! Not even close. As I worked on it, I began to think, “Whoa. I think I’m going to need more ornaments!” I kept going, though, and like I said, had just enough.
• During the process, my daughter came in and said, “I don’t think that’s going to fit between the two doors, mom. Did you even think of checking?” She offered to go measure, and sure enough, that smartass was right. SO, this is currently hanging on my dining room wall. Still gorgeous, no matter where it is!
• Don’t be afraid to make this. If you’re worried that you’re not crafty, you’re fine! It’s not hard--it’s just a matter of gluing ornaments on and filling in the gaps. And hey, you only have to make it once! This thing isn’t extremely fragile. Just don’t go tossing it around like a shiny, bulby frisbee!

Here’s a close up of the “bow” ornament:

And here, you can get a better idea of how the beads fill in the gaps:

Some of you may remember my last giveaway from Tate’s Bake Shop in Southampton, NY. I’m back with another one, this time focusing on their new line of Gluten Free goodies!

Winner chosen! The lucky recipient of the gluten free basket is commenter #66: Julie. Congrats, Julie! Stay tuned for more fun giveaways!

Now, I don’t need to eat gluten free, but these days, a lot of people do. I’m betting that many of you know at least one or two people that suffer from celiac disease, and are eating gluten free foods. This doesn’t mean that they have to cut out flavor and fun foods, it just means looking at food in a different way--and eliminating gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats.

Tate’s has used rice and almond flours in their gluten free line instead of traditional wheat flour, but they’ve kept in the traditional ingredients you know and love--like butter, chocolate, eggs, vanilla, and sugar.

Do you have family or friends that are gluten free? This GF gift basket, and the others at Tate’s would make fabulous holiday gifts!

The Gluten Free Basket I’m giving away includes:

• Three (8 oz) bags of Tate’s signature thin, crispy chocolate chip cookies, made with rice flour.
• Three dense, dark, gluten-free brownies, made with almond flour.

The real test? How do they taste?!

• Oh my gosh. Words can’t describe the rich, chewy, dense brownies. Pure heaven! Or sinfully good, if that’s your thing. I couldn’t even finish one by myself, and that’s saying something! These are no teeny little brownies! Tate’s doesn’t skimp when cutting these babies up--they’re good sized rectangular bars--perfect for sharing.
• The cookies are just what you’d expect from Tate’s signature crispy chocolate chip cookies. Buttery, crunchy, crisp, and flecked with rich chocolate chips. Did I mention buttery? I love these cookies.
• Did I say Gluten Free? If no one told me these were gluten free, I’d honestly never know. Seriously! Your GF family and friends will love you forever for turning them on to these treats from Tate’s.

It’s probably a good thing that I don’t live close to Tate’s Bake Shop, because it could be dangerous. I’d be in there every single day! I know I would. I’m weak that way.

Don’t forget, you can also pick up Kathleen King’s Tate’s Bake Shop cookbook right on the site! I have the book already, and it’s one of my favorites, with a special place on my kitchen shelf--reserved for my most used and favorite cookbooks. And like I said, a gift from Tate’s Bake Shop, gluten free or not, would make anyone you love happy--and they’ll remember it for a long time. If you can’t decide what to send, Tate’s also offers gift certificates. Are you a business owner? Check out Tate’s line of Corporate Gifts!

I have a special COUPON CODE for all of you to use and enjoy from today until December 31, 2011! The coupon code is BLOGGER. Use the code for 15% off your order until the end of the year!

Giveaway!

To win your very own Gluten Free Basket from Tate’s Bake Shop (US shipping only), and trust me, you’re going to want this one:

1. Leave a comment on this post with a valid email address telling me if the GF goodies are for you, or a GF friend/family member. (I’m not going to tell on you if you’re keeping them for yourself!)

2. Like Tate’s Bake Shop on Facebook, and stay up to date with the latest news and info from Tate’s. Leave a comment here telling me you did.

3. Follow Tate’s on Twitter. Leave a comment here telling me you did.

Bonus Entry:

4. Tweet this text below and leave an additional comment here:

 Giveaway! @TatesBakeShop Gluten Free Cookie/Brownie Basket @elleskitchen : http://tinyurl.com/6o6lwe9 Sinfully delicious! #giveaway

That’s it! I’ll choose a winner next Monday, December 5th. Good luck, and thank you to Tate’s Bake Shop!

Disclaimer: I received my basket free of charge, but my opinions are my own not paid for.

With just a few simple ingredients, you can have these delicious little tarts on the table and ready to serve to your family and guests. Puff pastry, apples, cranberry apple butter, plus a few other pantry staples and you’re all set! Simple, too! Yes, really.

I had two sheets of puff pastry kicking around in the freezer, and I couldn’t make my mind up about what to do with them. Fate took over when I found that Trader Joe’s was selling sacks of Macoun apples. They’re one of my favorites! They’re crispy, crunchy, juicy--and have just the right balance of tart and sweet. I look forward to their season every year. So with a sack of those, and a jar of Cranberry Apple Butter, I was on my way.

Cranberry Apple Tarts

Makes about 18 tarts

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
5 medium apples (I used Macouns) peeled, cored, thinly sliced, and tossed with
      one to 2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
2 tbsp sugar
Pinch of salt
Cranberry apple butter- 9 oz or so (you can use something else here, your fave fruit butter, an apple butter, jellied cranberry sauce, etc.-just be sure it's not too juicy or leaky)
Turbinado sugar

Heat oven to 400.

Roll the puff pastry sheets out into a rectangle. Cut each rectangle into about 9 rectangles or squares. The shape doesn't really matter, just try to make them all roughly the same size. Put the cut pieces on a parchment lined sheet and refrigerate while you get the apples ready.

In a medium bowl, toss the apples with the pie spice, sugar and salt. Mix well, and set aside.

Spread each pastry square with a bit of the cranberry apple butter (not too much, just enough to make a thin layer), and place one sheet in the fridge while you work with the other sheet. Layer the apples on each pastry square over the apple butter, and them sprinkle each tart with some turbinado sugar. Place that sheet in the fridge, and finish the second sheet, layering the apples and sprinkling the sugar.

Bake the tarts for 23-25 minutes, until golden brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and cool the tarts on cooling racks.

• Don’t feel stuck the the rectangular shape of these. You can cut out circles, or any other shape you like. You could even make one large tart.
• These were truly a hit, all the way down to the very last one. They were disappearing off of the cooling racks faster than I could keep track of!
• The cranberry apple butter added a very nice tart to contrast the sweet apples, so if you can find some, it’s worth it! I got mine at Trader Joe’s.
• How pretty would a tray of these be for the holidays? You can set them on the dessert table, or serve as a lighter version of a full fledged pie, with small scoops of ice cream or whipped cream. Cinnamon whipped cream! Yes.
• These would also be a lovely addition to an office party potluck, or any for any party when you’ve been assigned to bring a dessert.

Good.

Now, who loves coffee, but has to settle for burned, over roasted, weak, or just all around bad coffee? A show of hands, please…

Wow. That’s a lot of hands! I know, I used to belong to the “has to settle for” group. I know the frustration. And be honest. When is the last time you took that first sip from a mug of coffee, and just felt your knees go weak because it tasted so damn good? It had been a long time for me.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED. Winners are Lisa in the US and Sam in Canada. Congrats winners! Thank you to all that entered and stay tuned for more fun giveaways just around the corner. 

That was until I received an Aerobie AeroPress Coffee & Espresso Maker to try. It’s changed the way I look at coffee. It’s changed the way I brew coffee, to be exact. And I don’t think I can ever go back to any other method! It’s so simple (and fast!), and yet--the espresso/coffee that it brews…you’ll taste it and wonder where it’s been all your life! And incidentally, Aerobie is also responsible for bringing some very cool toys to the market, as well. Check the site for details!

Read through for your chance to win your own AeroPress Coffee & Espresso maker! I’ve got one for a US reader and one for a reader in Canada!

Here’s why it works so well (from CoffeeGeek.com) :

• Total immersion of the grounds in the water results in rapid yet robust extraction of flavor.
• Total immersion permits extraction at a moderate temperature, resulting in a smoother brew.
• Air pressure shortens filtering time to 20 seconds. This avoids the bitterness of long processes such as drip brewing.
• The air pressure also gently squeezes the last goodness from the grounds, further enriching the flavor.
• Because of the lower temperature and short brew time, the acid level of the brew is much lower than conventional brewers. Laboratory pH testing measured AEROPRESS brew's acid as less than one fifth that of regular drip brew. The low acid is confirmed by coffee lovers who report that AEROPRESS brew is friendlier to their stomachs.
• The AeroPress is made of totally BPA free plastic.

Until I was contacted by Constance, representing AeroPress, I’d never heard of it. Now, I’m shouting about it from the rooftops. Don’t believe me? Check out the 737 5-star reviews on Amazon! I’m not putting up with bad coffee any longer. The real test for me? I tried some black fresh brewed coffee from it the other day. I’ve never been able to handle black coffee, but brewed with the AeroPress--it’s smooth and rich with flavor. It was a pleasure to drink it that way!

Basically, you’re brewing a double shot of espresso. When you’re finished brewing, enjoy your shot as is, or top off with hot milk for a latte, add steamed milk for a cappuccino, or top it off with hot water for an Americano. The Aeropress will brew one to four espressos at a time. You can also make a full carafe of coffee using the AeroPress in less time than it takes to brew a pot of drip coffee. Two 3-scoop or 4-scoop pressings, topped off with hot water, will fill most vacuum carafes.

My method is simple:

My favorite coffee mug holds 24 ounces. (I like to heat up my mug by letting it sit for a couple of minutes with hot tap water in it while I heat the water for brewing. I pour out the water when I’m ready to brew.) I heat up 2 1/2 cups of water, then make two double shots. This means 2 scoops of coffee grounds, and then I pour hot water into the chamber up to the #2 mark. I then stir the water and grounds for about 10 seconds, and then push the plunger down through the chamber. I discard the grounds and rinse/reuse the filter, and repeat the steps to make another shot of espresso. The remaining hot water tops off the 2 shots, and I add half and half to complete my coffee Americano.

I could just pour all 4 scoops into the chamber, and add the water to the #4 mark, but it’s just as easy for me to do it the other way. And it’s still quick to do it twice, anyway. It’s also a cinch to clean! Just give it a quick rinse and air dry. It’s dishwasher safe, too.

A few things I’ve learned:

1. Your water should ideally be around 175 degrees. Too hot and it’ll extract all the bitterness from the grounds.
2. Slightly moisten the filter once you place it in the filter cap.
3. Grind your beans somewhere between Fine and Espresso on the dial. I set the dial smack in the middle of these two settings, and it’s just right.

There's also something called the Inverted Method that a lot of AeroPress fans swear by. It gives you a slightly longer brew time--about a minute, before you flip it back over and press to brew. You can see a video on my friend Josh's site, The Quest For Zest. I haven't tired this method yet, but I will be very soon--I'm intrigued! 

Here’s a great, basic video on how to use the AeroPress. If you look on You Tube, there are a whole lot of people dedicated to theirs.

The AeroPress is totally portable, too! So if you like, take your AeroPress to the office. Then you can drink fresh coffee all day! Or before you leave in the morning, just brew it right into your travel mug and take it to go.

Take it camping, or stock one in your RV.

It takes up barely any counter space. In fact, it’s so compact, you can store it away and use zero counter space!

It’s great for baking, when you need some brewed espresso or coffee.

It’s very affordable at just $25 and makes great gifts for the coffee lovers in your life!

Coffee lovers are so dedicated to the AeroPress, that they hold World AeroPress Championships! Last month, this year’s was held in Milan, Italy. Now that’s some serious dedication!

I’d like to leave you with a couple of the reviews I came across for the Aerobie AeroPress:

“You must try it to understand why this device is the only coffee maker I will ever own again. Making an AeroPress coffee takes only 30 seconds (start to finish) and best of all, only takes a few seconds to clean! The only negative aspect about the AeroPress is that I cannot drink the burnt espresso anymore at our favorite bakery.”

“A couple of years ago I bought a $1500 espresso machine. It works well – but it doesn’t turn out the consistent quality of the AeroPress. Now I use the AeroPress for ALL brewing and only use my expensive Italian machine for heating the AeroPress water and for foaming milk for my cappuccino.”

Giveaway!

The folks at Aerobie have agreed to give two AeroPresses away to my readers. I’m choosing one US winner and one Canadian winner. That’s right! Pay attention, all of you in Canada--I’ve got one for you, as well!

1. Please leave a comment here (with a valid email address!) telling me what kind of coffee maker you’re currently using. You must specify if you’re in the US or Canada so I can choose one winner from each.

Bonus Entries:

1. Let me know which you’ll try first: espresso, latte, or cappuccino.

2. Tweet about the giveaway if you like. You can copy this text:

    AeroPress Coffee & Espresso Maker #Giveaway @elleskitchen (US and Canada!) http://tinyurl.com/6bgjx65 Your days of bad coffee are over!   

    Be sure to leave a comment on this post letting me know.

3. You can share this on Facebook if you’d like to. Again, leave a comment on this post to let me know that you did.

I’ll choose two winners on Friday, November 11th. Good luck!

Disclaimer: I was given an Aerobie AeroPress to review and experiment with at no charge. My opinions are my own and I was not endorsed for them.

Yeah, that’s right. Freak out your guests and serve them charred roaches! They’ll quickly figure out that they’re really just pecans roasted with super dark cocoa and some warm fall spices.

Don’t say that! It’s Halloween party food! It’s supposed to taste good, but have a gross name, ok? Admittedly, these could probably have used a couple less minutes in the oven. They’re not burned, though--just super crunchy. Like cockroaches. Mwahahaha!! Cockroaches covered in cocoa and tasty spices!

Super easy to make, and if you don’t have the Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa, don’t sweat it--use what you’ve got. I wanted the flavors of cinnamon, cumin and cocoa in these, plus a little warming cayenne and some classic fall spices in the form of pumpkin pie spice.

Make some today for munchies, and serve at your Halloween party!

Halloween Charred Roaches (or Cocoa Spiced Nuts)

Makes 3 cups of crunchy roaches.

3 cups pecan halves
1 egg white
1 tbsp water
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa (or whatever cocoa you've got)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
couple pinches of cayenne (or more if you like your roaches spicy)
1/8 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg white and the water until frothy. Stir in the pecans and toss to coat well.

In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle it all over the nuts and stir, coating them completely.

Spread the nuts on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake for oh, 25-30 minutes, stirring at the 10 and 20 minute marks. I did mine for the full 30, but if you don't want them as crunchy, check after 25 minutes and see how they're doing.

Cool on the baking sheet and store in an airtight container.

I think we have an escapee…

It's that time of year again! Halloween. Exciting, isn't it? We get to dress up as someone--or something else, there's candy, parties, and all around fun. Spooky fun!

You need food to serve at these parties, and that's where these come in. They're not just any old deviled eggs--they're Zombie Eyeball Deviled Eggs! I've mixed my favorite guacamole ingredients up with the hard boiled egg yolks and made a hybrid deviled egg/guacamole squishy eyeball filling.

My daughter and I absolutely loved these. My husband, on the other hand, thought they could use more "bite." I know they could have, but my daughter seriously loves deviled eggs, and if I added too much bite, she'd have hated them, and wouldn't have been able to enjoy these. I'm not a mean mom, so I held back. I'd have loved to have added some hot sauce or horseradish to the filling--so if that's your thing, too--please go for it! Use this recipe as a starting point and go from there.

One last thing. Sometime between making these and today, I lost my notes on the recipe. What I'm giving you is what I remember, which I believe is all of it. Taste your egg filling and adjust to your liking. It may need a little of this or a little of that. As always, add ingredients in small quantities when experimenting. You can always add more, but once it's in there, you can't take it back. Oh! I don't normally use onion and garlic powders in fresh guacamole, but there were already enough tomato and jalapeno chunks in the filling, so I went with powdered. Also? Less dicing. (Listen, we've already talked about me being lazy occasionally, so that should come as no surprise.)

A bit more on the lazy front: don’t worry too much about cleaning up the egg whites. You know, a little egg yolk still showing or a crack in an egg white, or if they didn’t peel right and look bumpy. These are zombie eyes, not pretty princess eyes, ok?

Zombie Deviled Eyeballs

Makes 24 creamy, sorta chunky "staring back at you" eyeballs.

1 doz. hard boiled eggs, peeled, sliced in half lengthwise
1 medium avocado (halved, pitted and cubed right before adding to the recipe)
juice of one lime
few pinches kosher salt
1/2 cup finely diced tomato
1 jalapeno, finely diced (seeds and ribs removed if you don't want the heat)
1/2-3/4 tsp onion powder
1/2-3/4 tsp garlic powder
black pepper
2 heaping tbsp (the kind you eat with, not the measuring spoon!) mayonnaise
sliced black olives (alternatives: green olives, capers, roasted red pepper, fresh red bell pepper, etc.)

Set your cooked egg white halves aside, and toss the yolks in a medium bowl. Add the avocado chunks, lime juice and salt. Mush all of this together with a fork, the back of a spoon, or if your avocado is a little under ripe (like mine was), a potato masher will squish the bejeezus out of it.

Stir in everything else except the black olives and mix it all up. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Want more bite? Try horseradish, hot sauce or even wasabi if you've got it!

Scoop the ghoulish mash into a sturdy zip top bag, and snip off a small corner. You may need to snip off a bit more than you think to fit the chunks through, but start small and then adjust. Place the egg white halves on paper towels. Why? Because they slip and slide all over the place when you're trying to pipe the filling in. I chased one around a plate for about a minute before I realized what I was doing. Truth. Press a sliced black olive into the top of each one.

Place the filled eggs on a serving plate, and keep chilled till ready to serve. I wouldn't make these too far ahead--the day you'll be serving them is best.

Let me start off by saying right up front that these aren’t the prettiest photos you’ll see on my blog. But I don’t care. And neither should you. Who said game day food had to be pretty? If you love buffalo wings, then you’ll love these buffalo meatball subs! Tender baked (Yes, baked!) pork meatballs, smothered in Frank’s RedHot Sauce and butter, on a toasty roll with creamy blue cheese dressing, mouth cooling julienned carrots, and bite sized chunks of crunchy celery.

Sigh. Buffalo Pork Meatball Sub? I love you. Truly I do. I’d like to have you every single week, maybe even twice a week, and again on game day. You’re delllicious. Your leftovers aren’t sloppy seconds, oh no. You’re like hidden treasure in the fridge. Carefully hidden--because I want you all to myself. Cold, reheated, it doesn’t matter. I’ll still love you.

My buffalo meatballs have the classic Frank’s RedHot Sauce baked right in for extra flavor, and they’re also tossed in a mixture of Frank’s, a bit of butter, and some olive oil after baking. To get that crunchy exterior on them, I roll them in bread crumbs before baking. A couple minutes under the broiler at the end of baking, and they’re tender and juicy inside, and wonderfully crispy on the outside.

I was inspired by Erin's subs at The Spiffy Cookie. Once I saw those, U couldn't get the idea out of my head. Let's get to it!

Game Day Buffalo Meatball Subs

makes about 24-26 meatballs

1 lb. ground pork
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp plain bread crumbs
1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
2 tbsp fresh chives, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup Frank's RedHot Sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Extra bread crumbs, for rolling meatballs in (approx. 1 cup)

For coating the meatballs:
1/2 cup Frank's RedHot Sauce
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tbsp olive oil

Sub/sandwich rolls
Julienned carrots (Save time and buy the ones already sliced in the produce section!)
Celery, cut into a small-ish dice, about 1/2 inch chunks
Blue cheese dressing (Marzetti “The Ultimate” Blue Cheese is great!)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, mix the pork, bread crumbs, parsley, chives, garlic, egg, hot sauce, pepper and salt. When it's thoroughly mixed, shape into meatballs about the size of a walnut or golf ball. You should end up with about 24-26 meatballs.

Pour some bread crumbs (about 3/4-1 cup) into a small bowl, and roll each meatball in the crumbs to coat. Set the coated balls on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.

Bake for about 25 minutes, and then set the oven to Broil. Broil them for about 4 minutes so they get nice and crispy on the outside. You do not have to turn them. While they're baking, in a medium bowl, whisk the Frank's Hot sauce, melted butter, and olive oil and set aside.

When the meatballs are finished baking, remove from the pan and place them in the bowl with the sauce, butter and oil mixture. Gently toss to coat all of the meatballs.

Serve on toasted buns. Spread some dressing on both sides of the bun, toss in some of the celery and carrots, and top with meatballs. Serve with ice cold beer and enjoy the game!

• These are so simple to make! You can make up a big batch in no time, and be all set for the game. Make them ahead and keep them warm on the stovetop, and you won’t be in the kitchen while the game’s on and everyone's enjoying it in the other room.
• Don’t just limit these to game day! The meatballs on their own would make a great appetizer at any other party--just serve them up with the blue cheese dressing, carrots and celery sticks on the side. Yeah…I’m hungry, can you tell?
• One note. The first time I made these, I added some crumbled blue cheese to the subs. I found that it made them salty. If you want to add some, be careful and start with just a little sprinkling. You can always add more later.

You could call this “Caramel Corn, Part II.” I’ve posted my all time favorite caramel corn recipe already. As I said in that post, I’ve tried so many recipes over the years, but they were never just right. Always too sticky, too messy, too complicated…you name it. This one is simple and delicious. I thought I couldn’t make it any better. But I did! Which may or may not be a good thing, because damn, it’s addictive! I added mini pretzels, peanuts--and if that wasn’t enough, an over the top chocolate drizzle, that’s sprinkled with salt.

Oh. My. It’s funny--when you try it all together, it’s like a sweet and salty chocolate chip cookie! The chocolate, butter and brown sugar mingle on your tongue and you’ll just want more and more. And more! Which is why I sent most of it to the office with my husband this morning, and I just got word that it’s a big hit.

So, yeah. This is a microwave recipe. There’s no standing over the stove or wondering if your caramel is at the correct stage, and no baking. It’s so simple! But here are a few things I’ve learned over the years:

• Use a glass bowl--not plastic. I finally got a bigger microwave and thought I could switch to a larger plastic bowl, as opposed to the 2 QT. Pyrex glass bowl that I’ve always used. No. No, no, and no. I burned my first batch the other day, and as a result, the bowl melted on the bottom. Oops! What a mess. So stick with glass, and have potholders close at hand in case the bowl is getting hot. If you’ve got a 3 QT. glass bowl and it fits in your microwave, even better!
• In my old, small microwave, in the “cook for 4-6 minutes” step, I needed the 2 minute intervals to get the caramel to get darker. In my new larger one, it only takes a few minutes, stirring every minute, and maybe every 30 seconds toward the end to avoid burning. And I’ll be damned, but I cannot see how many watts our new oven is, no matter where I look! So play it by ear, erring on the side of shorter cooking/stirring intervals. Because it stinks to have to toss out an entire batch of caramel corn!
• When you add the popcorn into the caramel and start to stir it in, you may be thinking “Oh that Elle! What the hell did I get myself into?” But LISTEN. Add half the popcorn, stir, then add the rest. A few kernels may jump out of the bowl, but pop them back in. And keep stirring, because as the kernels get coated, it gets easier and easier to stir. Trust me.
• After you pop the popcorn, please be careful to remove the unpopped kernels. You definitely don’t want friends coming to you with a dental bill because they broke a tooth on your caramel corn.
• Speaking of popcorn, you can use microwave popcorn, or like we do, get out your Whirley Pop and pop your own! It takes just a few minutes longer, but it tastes so much better and fresher than chemically processed popcorn. I find that lightly spraying the popped corn with this canola oil, then sprinkling with salt makes it perfect! I don’t even miss the butter. I’m serious!

When all is said and done, this is a fast, easy recipe. Once you get it on the baking sheet, it cools in about 10 minutes and you can start pigging out. So you know what that means? This isn’t only good for planning ahead to serve, but it’s fantastic for a last minute snack attack! Oink!

• Game snacks!
• “At home” movie night with the family.
• Kid’s sleepovers.
• Holiday gifts.
• Office party snacks.
• Anytime!

Microwave Caramel Corn with Pretzels, Peanuts and Chocolate Drizzle

Makes about 4 quarts

For the caramel corn:

2 quarts plain, salted popped popcorn or 1 (3.5 ounces) bag microwave popcorn
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup light or dark corn syrup, or Lyle's Golden Syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp baking soda

For the caramel pretzels and peanuts:

4 cups mini pretzel twists
2 cups lightly salted peanuts
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup light or dark corn syrup, or Lyle's Golden Syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp baking soda

Chocolate drizzle:

One 11 oz bag of Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips, or your favorite
your favorite salt (I used Kosher)

Prepare popcorn as directed, either in your own popper or in the microwave. Remove any unpopped kernels. (This step is really important, because a broken tooth is not a good gift.)

In a 2 quart microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter on high until melted, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in sugar and corn syrup, and microwave on high for 4-5 minutes. Stir in vanilla and baking soda until well blended.
Stir in popcorn, mixing well. (It may be a bit tricky to mix the popcorn in at first, but the more you stir, the easier it gets. I like to add half, stir it to coat, than add the rest.)

Microwave on high for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring every 1-2 minutes to coat popcorn evenly. Watch it carefully--if you have a very powerful microwave, watch closely so it doesn't start to burn, and you may can reduce the intervals to 30-45 seconds. Transfer caramel corn to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to cool.

For the caramel pretzels and peanuts, repeat the same steps as above, but without the popcorn. When it's done in the microwave, transfer to another parchment lined baking sheet.

When cool, break up the caramel corn and the caramel pretzels and peanuts, and mix them all up in a large bowl. Spread it all back out on the two parchment lined sheets, and melt the chocolate:

In a small microwave safe bowl, melt 3/4 of the chocolate chips, stirring after one minute, and microwaving again for 30 seconds to one minute at a time, stirring after each time. When it's completely melted, add the remaining chocolate chips to the melted chocolate, and stir constantly until all the chips are melted. Transfer the melted chocolate to a squirt bottle (or a small zip top bag , then cut off a small tip.) I've found that drizzling chocolate is the easiest when you use a squirt bottle--and they're dirt cheap! I picked mine up for 99 cents, so stock up on a few!

Drizzle both pans with chocolate, and immediately, before the chocolate completely dries, sprinkle with salt. Let it all dry completely, and store in an airtight container.