amazing caramel apples

i'm obsessed with caramel apples...obsessed.  and since i got some really beautiful granny smith apples via farm fresh to you, i decided to make some yummy caramel apples!  this recipe is soooooooo easy to make...and the apples are fun to decorate for halloween or to share with friends and family during the holidays.  please enjoy!

ingredients:

- 4 apples (i like to use granny smith apples)

- 14 ounce bag of caramel, unwrapped

- 2 tablespoons vanilla ice cream (or 2 tablespoons of milk)

- 4 wooden sticks (i like to use chopsticks hahaha!)

- toppings...chocolate shavings, pecans, almonds, tj's sugar chocolate coffee bean grinder (which i LOVE!)

directions:

- in a large bowl, microwave the unwrapped caramel pieces and vanilla ice cream for 2 minutes

- meanwhile, either butter a baking sheet or dust it with a coat of sugar 

- remove the stems from the apples and push the wooden sticks through the top until secure

- once the caramel is melted, mix carefully

- coat one apple at a time with generous amounts of caramel; set on prepared baking sheet

- add toppings by either rolling or patting down...enjoy!

xoxo,

kara

milk chocolate chip and cherry cookie

here is another cookie recipe that uses the base from my amazing chocolate chip cookie recipe.  i like to add cherries for a nice tart & sweet bite that complements the creamy sweetness of the chocolate and cookie dough.  enjoy!

ingredients:

- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

- 1 cup butter @ room temperature

- 3/4 cup white sugar

- 1 cup packed brown sugar

- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

- 2 large eggs

- 2 cups milk chocolate chips

- 1/2 cup chopped cherries (or any dried fruit)

directions:

- preheat oven to 325 degrees; prepare a cookie sheet with a silpat or foil

- mix flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a bowl 

- in a separate bowl, cream butter with white and brown sugars and vanilla extract until well blended

- add eggs, one at a time and blend until incorporated

- stir in flour mixture and mix well; add chocolate chips and cherries and mix

- drop rounded tablespoons of batter on prepared cookie sheets

- bake for 7 to 9 minutes until golden brown; cool on baking sheet and enjoy!

xoxo,

kara

post-holiday candy cookie recipe

using my amazing chocolate chip cookie recipe as a base, you can make all sorts of different types of cookies.  here is my post-holiday candy cookie recipe (ie: use leftover valentines/easter/halloween/christmas candy).  enjoy!

ingredients:

- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

- 1 cup butter @ room temperature

- 3/4 cup white sugar

- 1 cup packed brown sugar

- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

- 2 large eggs

- 2 cups chopped leftover candy (i recommend rolos, twix, m&ms, snickers, milky ways)

directions:

- preheat oven to 325 degrees; prepare a cookie sheet with a silpat or foil

- mix flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a bowl 

- in a separate bowl, cream butter with white and brown sugars and vanilla extract until well blended

- add eggs, one at a time and blend until incorporated

- stir in flour mixture and mix well; add candy and mix

- drop rounded tablespoons of batter on prepared cookie sheets

- bake for 7 to 9 minutes until golden brown; cool on baking sheet and enjoy!

xoxo,

kara

amazing chocolate chip cookies

so a little tidbit about me...i used to pull all-nighters all the time in high school to study...and when i did stay up all night, i would take "breaks" and bake cookies.  i have baked hundreds of batches of cookies in the last 20 years, so when i say this chocolate chip cookie recipe is amazing, i mean it!  it took a lot of trial and error to get to this recipe...so bake a batch and enjoy!

ingredients:

- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

- 1 cup butter @ room temperature

- 3/4 cup white sugar

- 1 cup packed brown sugar

- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

- 2 large eggs

- 2 cups blend of chocolate chips: semi-sweet, milk, dark, bittersweet, etc

- 1/2 cup chopped nuts, totally optional

- 2 tablespoons dry milk powder, also totally optional

directions:

- preheat oven to 325 degrees; prepare a cookie sheet with a silpat or foil

- mix flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a bowl 

- in a separate bowl, cream butter with white and brown sugars and vanilla extract until well blended

- add eggs, one at a time and blend until incorporated

- stir in flour mixture and mix well; add chocolate chips and nuts/milk powder and mix

- drop rounded tablespoons of batter on prepared cookie sheets

- bake for 7 to 9 minutes until golden brown; cool on baking sheet and enjoy!

xoxo,

kara

double chocolate brownies

here is a really good, super fudgy brownie recipe that rob and all my friends love.  i've been using this recipe for a long time, so give it a try and enjoy!

ingredients:

- 6 tablespoons butter

- 6 ounces of any type of chocolate; i prefer semisweet but it really depends on how sweet you want it

- 1/4 cup unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder

- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1 cup brown sugar

- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

- 2 eggs

- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

directions:

- preheat oven to 350 degrees; prepare a square baking pan with butter or oil spray. i also like to use silicon mini cupcake pan

- assemble a double boiler by simmering water in a saucepan with a heat-proof bowl fitted on top 

- in the heat-proof bowl, mix chocolate, butter and cocoa powder until melted; set aside to cool slightly

- in a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt

- using the whisk attachment on an electric mixer, whisk together sugar, cinnamon, eggs and vanilla until pale, about 3-5 minutes

- add chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and blend until combined

- reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and mix until combined

- pour batter in prepared baking pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean; cool for 10 minutes or so before cutting.

xoxo,

kara

chocolaty praline baked french toast

so here's a new recipe that i recently made for brunch when i had some friends over.  trust me...it's quite delicious!!!!  the french toast comes out super moist and custardy, and the chocolaty praline topping adds a touch of sweetness and texture. 

french toast ingredients:

- 1 14 oz (or so) bread loaf (challah, brioche, french bread); approximately 14 oz

- 10 large eggs

- 2 cups half and half

- 1.5 cups whole milk

- 3 tablespoons sugar

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1 teaspoon almond extract

- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

chocolaty praline mixture ingredients:

- 2 sticks unsalted butter

- 1 cup brown sugar

- 1 cup pecans, chopped

- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

- 1 cup chocolate chips

directions:

- butter a 9x13 inch baking dish generously

- cut the bread loaf into 20 1-inch slices; arrange them into 2 rows in the baking dish 

- in a large bowl, combine then beat with a whisk the eggs, half and half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt

- pour mixture into the baking dish over the bread slices; make sure all the bread slices are soaked

- cover dish with foil and refrigerate overnight 

- in a separate bowl, combine well the butter, brown sugar, pecans, corn syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chips; cover dish with foil and also refrigerate overnight

next day directions:

- preheat oven to 350 degrees 

- break up chocolaty praline mixture and evenly spread over the bread mixture

- place baking dish over a cookie sheet (just in case ingredients ooze over the dish while baking)

- bake for 40 minutes until light golden brown

- enjoy!!

xoxo,

kara

best coffee cake ever

i've been making coffee cake since middle school - it was always so easy to make, and my dad loved it with his morning coffee.  anyway, after all these years, i wanted to share my coffee cake recipe with everyone.  it's crumbly but super moist, decadent but not too heavy, chocolatey but not too sweet.  enjoy!

topping ingredients:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, optional
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 stick butter, melted then cooled


cake ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick butter at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream (but not the nonfat, lowfat stuff!)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


directions:
- preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease a 9-inch square baking pan
- mix the topping ingredients together in a bowl and set aside
- sift together flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl, set aside
- in a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar for about 4 minutes until light and fluffy
- add eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated
- stir in the sour cream and vanilla extract
- fold in the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and salt); gently fold the ingredients until there are no lumps
- spoon half of the batter into the baking pan, followed by a layer of the topping mixture, then another layer of the batter. finish with a layer of the topping
- bake for about 40 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test  :)
- serve warm with some ice cream (oh yum!) or with your coffee the next morning (double yum!).  enjoy!


xoxo,
kara