Book: You are Sharp! Chocolate Covered Pencils

These would be cute for a writer, or a teacher, or a student made to write a lot by their teacher.  ;o)  I made these in the fall for some of my friend's kiddos as 'first day back to school' after school snacks, BUT....with teacher appreciate coming up....and no time machine to go back and post these when I actually made these....I'm posting these now.  I saw these on a baking site online...just don't know which one at the time, and I just used my limited chocolate skills to recreate them from memory.  I have a label marked 'teacher gift' below with tons of ideas, add chocolate pretzel sticks to the list.  I've seen these out and about, but this is my version. 

 I took pretzel rods and covered them with melted yellow chocolate (I like the pellets they sell at the craft store in the baking section because it's easier for me to melt than some found in the baking row).  I scraped a knife along the chocolate to give it a little bit of a 'ridge' like pencils have.  Once it dried (which it should do in about ten minutes).  I added a drop of red to white chocolate and dipped on end in this for the eraser. 

 I melted some green chocoalte (again, you can die white chocolate if it's easier than buying three different colors).  I melted it in the microwave in a ziplock bag for about a minute and piped on the strips and #2 after snipping the edge off.  If it starts to harden, just pop it back in the microwave for a few seconds. 

I've also seen this done with the same rods snapped in half and dipped in multi colors with white piped designs made to look like crayons.  Maybe next year.  :O) 

Apple Pie Dip

I recently brought this dip to a shower.  I was in charge of a 'sweet' dip.....man, I loved this one.  It was easy to put together.  I was able to do it the day before, and it made a day and lasted several days.  I'm think this is a new fall 'go to' for me!  I found the recipe I ended up using at the peach kitchen. 

Apple Pie Dip and Chips

Combine 2 c. peeled, cored, and diced apples (use your favorites), 2 T lemon juice, 3 T. brown sugar, 1/4 t. cinnamon.  Microwave for 3 minutes until it's boiling and you see water extracted from the apples (it was a little 'soupy' at this point).  Dissolved 1 t. cornstarch in 1 t. water and add it to the apple mix.  Put the whole dish back into the microwave and cook until it's 'boiling' again (just 2-3 more minutes).  Store in the refrigerator until you serve.  You can serve it hot or cold (you can also prepare this on the stove....just bring it to 'boiling' both times in a pan). 

For the chips I cut up about 12  flour tortillas into triangles.  I sprayed the tops with cooking spray butter, and then sprinkled it with about 1/4 c. sugar with 1 T. cinnamon.  I then baked these at 400 for about 8 minutes (until brown). 

Bunny Bait

Need an easy Easter gift?  Me too.  I remember seeing this floating around the net.  Over.  And over.  And over.  I've had the pleasure of eating Almond Bark Popcorn before, and I agree, if I were a bunny, this would bait me in! 

I made these little baggies for my relatives this year for Easter.  If you haven't coated a bowl of popcorn in white chocolate, nows a good reason to try it out. 
Almond Bark Popcorn Recipe
1 popped bag of lightly buttered popcorn. 
1+ cup of pretzels
1 cup of M&Ms
3/4 c. white chocolate, or almond bark melted.  (I melt it in the microwave for 1 minute, stir, then melt it an additional 20 seconds at a time until it's smooth and liquid-eee). 
Pour the melted chocolate over the popcorn/pretzel/m&m mix, and stir (I like to use tongs to toss it).  Let the chocolate harden, and then bag it up.  It makes 6+ cups of mix. 
I added an Easter tag, and used pastel M&M's this go round, but you can add any mix of ingredients as long as you have the popcorn and chocolate mix, it can only get better from there. 

Candy Corn Trail Mix

 Last year I made some trailmix for New Year's Eve using bugels.  Instructions are here for that trailmix. 

I also made up another Halloween mix, cats and hats. 

I used this same basic principal to make this trail mix.  I originally saw the idea, and I fell in love via cookies and cups blog.  I heart candy corn.  I dedicated a week's worth of projects to the little boogers last year. 
This little candy corn mix would make a really cute hostess gift, and they are very easy to put together.  First up....melting chocolates.  Heat 1/2 cup for about 40 seconds.  Stir, if they are not smooth, heat for 10 additional seconds at time.  If you overheat they won't be smooth any longer, but rather crystalize. 

 Dip one side in yellow chocolate.  Place it on wax paper to dry.  To speed up the drying process, throw it in the fridge. 

 Dip side two in orange.  Repeat drying process, and then dip the tips in white chocolate. 

 I just mixed these up with a bagged trail mix...it made it look so much more homemade. 

Cats and Witch Hat Trail Mix

I whipped up some witch hat and cat trail mix as a part to a larger whole.  For the hats, I used the same technique I used on these New Year's party hats....here. For the cats I used mini oreos, and I pressed on a heart sprinkle for the nose, and two small chips for ears before it completely dried on wax paper.  I added these to caramel flavored trail mix. 

Linking To:  Under the Table and Dreaming Tip Junkie

On-A-Stick: (Light) Popcorn Balls On-A-Stick

I decided to try out a Weight Watcher recipe I've been holding in a file for awhile.  I adapted it to the supplies I had on hand, but these gals still turned out to be tasty, and a lot lighter than a traditional popcorn ball. 

To make a light vesion of popcorn balls, take 1 bag of 100 calorie buttered popcorn, cook according to directions.  Remover kernals, and add to a 8x8 baking dish. 

Melt 6 pieces of caramel in the microwave (you can also toss in 1 T of chocolate, I didn't-they used 5 pieces WW candy that is a caramel/chocolate mix, I only had caramel pieces on hand).  Stir and add 1 t. of milk. 

Pour over the popcorn and mix.  It won't mix too well, there will be some chunks, you'll be mixing several more times, so it should be fine. 

Place this mix in a bowl, and toss 5 large marshmallows on top. 

 Bake at 350 for 5 minutes.  Pull out.  Let cool for one minute, and then mix it all together, and form 4 balls (about 1 c. each), the original recipe recommended spraying your hands down with cooking spray, it did get pretty sticky, but still doable.  Place these back in the dish, and bake another 5 minutes.  Pull out, insert stick, and cool.  These held together really well, and taste great.  These would be really cute at a circus party, or fall holidays....I have another date with this idea in the fall. 

Chocolate Dipped Fig Newtons...On-A-Stick

I recently helped host a baby shower, the theme was Milk and Cookies.  Lots...and lots...and lots...of details and pictures to come next week.  Each of the gals hosting brought a cookie for our cookie bar.  I was trying to think of something different to add as a coversation piece to a cookie bar.  I also wanted something I could do a few days in advance b/c I knew I'd be in the middle of a cupcake-bake-a-thon the day before.  And then, on National Fig Newton Day, I saw this cute idea here.  This project was even easier than I thought it would be, and I heart sticks any day of the week!  I'm working on a 'week' of stick projects to post....soon...in between a bunch of parties and get togethers I'm also working on, and this little thing called a job that keeps interrupting.  Enough on that....on to fig newtons. 

The supplies are just fig newtons, sticks, and chocolate (semi sweet, or milk chocolate). 

One bag of newtons can be covered in about a regular size bag of chocolate chips.  I slipped the sticks in the center of the cookie...no breaking, very nice....

I did the whole bowl in the microwave/30 second/stir/repeat until the morsels are melted (about 1 1/2 minute). 

Dip or spoon over. 

Dry on wax paper. 

Taste test. 

Bag 'em up and add a ribbon. 

More to come....next week. 

Linking To: 
Sugar Bananas Paisley Passions Tatortots and Jello Along for the Ride A Vision to Remember Tip Junkie Topsy Turvy All Things Related Night Owl Crafting Trendy Treehouse Today's Creative Blog

Mardi Gras: Sugar Cookie Mask

I found the cutest cookie cutter at a local store called The Cake Carousel. 

You could actually cut out a mask shape with a sharp knife, and a steady hand...or even use a template to follow the edge with your knife, but that wouldn't appease my need to spend, so I bought the above cute little cut-er. 

I really wanted to go Batwoman on this project, but I couldn't stretch my words far enough to explain how Batwoman....ummm....likes to drive (?) through Mardi Gras parade routes, so....I stuck with Mardi Gras colors.  I just used extra sprinkles and icing to decorate.   It would be fun to have a group over to 'decorate' their own mask cookies.  That's assuming one has friends, and more importantly, that one is willing to share their cookies, and at least one of those criteria does NOT apply to me. 

The Decades: Pac-Man Cookies

Ms. Pacman is my all time favorite game.  This year at work, I made some of these and delivered them with some 'reading information' at the beginning of the year.  I marked off each new section with the fruit eaten in the game (instead of bullets).  I even researched the fruit Ms. Pacman eats, and the order she eats it in within the life changing game of Ms. Pacman.  I would like to file this post under-"Things I do, and spend too much time thinking about that nobody else will ever notice, but it matters to me, oh yes indeed, I would still be losing sleep if I didn't do this...."  Not to be confused with my file labed, "Run on sentence, why they make life more interesting, who should use them, why the world can't live without them, ever, never ever, not one day should go by without a run on."

In other news, Ms. and Mr. Pacman were easy to throw together.  I cut out a circle of sugar cookie dough, then used a sharp knife to carve out their mouths. 

I then iced them (the bows are actually heart sprinkles, and I think the mini kisses make her look like she has lashes, which she does, because she's glamorous. I left off her lips, though I could have used smaller hearts, it was just too much for me)  I used this method for icing, and I added a T. of light corn syrup to my icing, and let the sit on a tray in the (cool) oven overnight so the icing would harden, and they could be bagged, like this...

I'm sure these cookies, and the riveting reading information went a long way in changing the lives of the teachers I work with....In the immortal words of my childhood, 90's self, "Not!"
Linking To:
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Halloween-Ghost: Spooky Fruit

This year I added pears to my collection of ghostly fruit.  I found the idea and instructions here.  I did make one adaptation.  I left the top of the pear showing, I kinda like the idea of knowing' it's a pear. Maybe I watched too much Ghost Busters as a child and the green slime is stuck in my head.  
I've done this with strawberries, and here is last year's banana ghost post. 

My favorite is the strawberry.  I could make a whole fruit bouquet of ghostly fruit. But I won't, because I'm still feeling lazy....and cheap, not because a ghostly bouquet would be a little creapy. I ain't afraid of no ghost.
Linking To:
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The Apple: Mini Caramel Apples

*These are best served right away, if you want to make ahead, read all the notes at the bottom, and do a test run beforehand.  :O) 

I loooooooove caramel apples.  I know, I say "love" a lot, but I'm not kidding.  We are really in love.  I'm going to marry caramel apples, or have them at my wedding someday....or something.  It's true love. 

So, add this idea to my love of sticks, and mini things. I saw this is a Family Fun magazine over a year ago, I had to try it out!  I made one little adaptation, the pretzel 'sticks.'  I wanted the whole thing to be edible! 

It's a really easy process.  One green apple allows about 7 'mini' apples via a melon baller. 

I'm missing one b/c true to it's shaped, it rolled off my counter. 

I found these new balls of caramel, and melted them with a little water.  (I stirred every 30 seconds for about 1 and 1/2 min). 

I stirred, and then dipped. 

One bag of these caramels will safely make at least 5 apples (35+) mini apples.  Just be careful with the water to caramel ratio when melting, or it will completely fall off the apple over time if there is too much water.  (If you are serving these right away, no problem.  If you are serving these later, play around with this in advance, depending on the humidity where you live, the caramel likes to fall when it's next to the wetness of the apple.  I've read that freezing the apples after you dip them works, and the caramel won't completely freeze, but I haven't tested this yet.  Another alternative would be to use the caramel wraps you can buy near the apples in the fresh fruit section of the store.  Cut them down to size, wrap, and the caramel should stay put!). 

It would be fun to also add fun sprinkles, nuts, or other toppings, but I didn't waste my time....I just started eating.  I did reserve one for tomorrow's post.....In the immortal words of California's Governor circa 1990 something, "I'll be back...."

P.s.  Here are a few questions/comments coming up.  I used pretzel rods from Walmart.  I didn't have any problem pushing them in the apple.  I broke (maybe 2).  I had anticipated there MIGHT be a problem, so I was prepared to 'start' the whole with the sharp edge of a knife, but they really did pop right in.  A few people have said their pretzels got soggy, again it wasn't an issue for me, but I might try dipping them with toothpicks, and then replacing with pretzel rods right before serving, but I just thought I'd throw that out there.  As for the melting caramel, make sure your apple pieces are as dry as possible.  Pat them with a paper towel. (And see above caramel wrap alternative.)  My next mini apple extravaganza is going to include a 'make your own' mini apple bar.  I'm going to roll my apple bites in some lemon/water mix (thanks to the commenter on the pineapple juice  who says it works as well without the aftertaste, I'll be trying this, or sprite, which I just remembered also works the same way!) to prevent the apple from turning, insert the pretzel, then provide bowls of melted caramel and toppings for the guest to make their own carameled apples.  I always try ideas in advance to try to fix any of these issues, so let me know if anything else comes up!  Another suggestion for the tempermental caramel is to first dip the apple in a white chocolate, let is set, then the caramel.  Happy apple dipping!

Linking To:

Somewhat Simple

C.R.A.F.T.

Keeping it Simple

Between Naps on the Porch

Under the Table and Dreaming

Simsonized Crafts

It's a Blog Party

Anything Related

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Just a Girl

504 Main

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The Idea Room

Six Weeks to Spook

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Pie Pop Cookies

This is going to be filed under 'here's an idea'....and 'here's how it could be better.'  This was a test, this was only a test, should this have been an actual attempt, well....then I have some work to do....

  I saw an idea like this in Parenting Magazine.  I haven't decided to 'take up parenting.'  (I just heard some of my friends sigh in relief), but I did need to bust a little boredom while waiting for my dentist to clean my teeth, and as soon as I flipped to a page on circus ideas and pie pops of some sort...they called me back, so I actually have no idea how they did this, so here is my version from the 'visuals.'  I made real pies-on-a-stick a few years ago (sources, and methods are here), but this is certainly easier, though maybe a little less impressive.  I simply took some sugar cookie dough, cut a circle, pressed by (floured) fork along the edge, and then I sprinkled the top with cinnamon sugar. 

I baked the cookies on the stick.  Next time, I'd make the circle I cut smaller so they wouldn't spread so far, and I'd make sure the dough was colder when it went into the oven so it kept it's shape a little better.  It would also be fun to ice these cookies up like pies, which I did last Thanksgiving, and I wrote about here, I later saw this idea as a cupcake....CU-UTE.   These WOULD have been cute Thansgiving table markers with little names attached, but I didn't wait, and I have another idea,  and I don't know if I'm celebrating Thanksgiving this year, that's, like, 2 months away.  I could fall in love with some smooth talking Italian, and move to Venice and forget all about this American holiday...heritage, and the three dogs I left behind.....or not.  I just didn't want to miss this opportunity to try this little idea out...just in case.