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Friday, November 4, 2011

A Busy Week Ahead

Not that life is ever not busy, but this week is going to be crazy.  We leave in the morning headed south to West Palm and Miami Children's Hospital.  My 12 yr old nephew was diagnosed with Melanoma.  He will be having surgery on Monday.  We will be there for support during the surgery and to help out afterwards for about a week.  We will be logging in quite a few hours on the road this next week.  We are praying for a safe surgery, recover and time on the road.  I better be off to finish the packing. 

Five Minute Friday - Remember

Another Friday is here.  I haven't participated in Five Minute Friday for a while, but am excited to give it a go today.  Five minutes of writing no editing. For all the details and to join in, hop on over to The Gypsy Mama blog.




Today's topic: Remember

I remember the first little flutters of movement I felt, how precious and special they were.  The first time daddy could feel the kick. I remember the smell of  a newborn baby.  The sweet sight of something so fragile and new.  The awe and amazement I felt and still feel at the creation of such a tiny life.  The first cries from a new innocent life.  The first tingling sensations of milk.  The first time I nursed. I am blessed to have these memories. They are special and not to be taken for granted. I remember all this and am looking forward to experiencing it all once again.  There was a first time and there will be a last time, and each time is as special as the first.  Remember to cherish the moment.  Don't rush it or wish it away in the middle of a sleepless night.  There will come a day when it is gone and you will not get it back. Remember, cherish the moment!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Caramel Apples = Yummy Fun!

Who doesn't like caramel apples?  I came across this yummy recipe last year in a Rachael Ray magazine.
Making homemade caramel apples has been on my to-do list for a while now.  When I saw this recipe I knew this was the one I wanted to try.  Well a year later and I finally got a round to it.  These taste delicious!  The kids love them, the hubby loves them, I sneaked a quick taste and I love them.  The honey-vanilla caramel flavor is wonderful.  The only down side to this recipe is that it takes a while to cook the caramel.






Now that i have your mouth watering for these yummy apples, here's the recipe.


Honey-Vanilla Caramel Apples:
Recipe states that it makes 6 apples, this all depends on the size of your apples and how much caramel you put on each apple.  I made 6, but have enough caramel left over to make about 6 more.

6 medium red apples chilled (braeburn, cortland or fuji)
Ice water
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Skewer each apple stem with a lollipop stick or thick bamboo skewer. Fill a large bowl one-quarter of the way with ice water.
2. In a 4-quart, heavy saucepan, heat the cream and salt over medium-high heat until steaming hot. Stir in the honey and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower the ehat to medium and continue to boil, stirring constantly, until the mixture registers 260 degrees on a candy thermometer, 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla. Place the pan in the ice water, stirring the craeml with a wooden spoon until it"s thick enough to coat the apples without running off, about 5 minutes. (If the cramel thickens too much, return the pan to the medium heat and stir.)
3. Wipe the chilled apples dry. Working with 1 at a time, hold the apple by the stick and dip into the caramel, tilting the saucepan and twirling the apple to coat all but a 1-inch border around the stem. Place the caramel apples on the prepared baking sheet (if you want to add toppings now is the time to do it) and refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!