Caramel and White Chocolate Pretzel Covered Apples

I've been busy this afternoon making my treats for those special Valentines in my life. I decided to make these pretty apples this year. My Dad likes white chocolate, so I made his apples dipped in caramel followed by another dipping in white chocolate. Then I rolled them in crushed pretzels bites. Think he'll like it? I made my friend Randy and my brother their own specials ones too...those are coming up next. 

Caramel and White Chocolate Pretzel Covered Apples

4 extra large Granny Smith Apples
4 wooden skewers
14 ounces (1 bag) soft caramel candy (I use Kraft caramels)
2 tbsp water
1 bag of Ghirardelli White chocolate chips
2 tbsp shortening
2 cups of pretzel bites, coarsely chopped

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spray it with a light layer of cooking spray, if desired, to prevent the apples from sticking. Wash and dry apples and remove stems. Insert your skewers or pop sticks. Set aside.

Place the unwrapped caramels and the water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, then stir, then microwave for and additional minute or until completely melted. The caramel should be smooth and liquid by the end.

Hold an apple by the skewer and dip it in the caramel, tilting the bowl at an angle and rotating the apple to cover it completely with a smooth, even layer. Bring it out of the caramel and twirl it upside down to remove excess, then set it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining apples. Place the caramel-covered apples in the refrigerator to set for at least 30 minutes.

Combine the chocolate and the shortening in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted, stirring every 45 seconds. Dip the caramel-covered apple in the chocolate. If necessary, spoon some chocolate over the top to ensure the apple is completely covered with white chocolate. Immediately dip the apple in crushed pretzels and roll until covered.

Place back on the baking sheet and drizzle on extra chocolate, allowing it to run down the sides. Simply take a spoonful of your white chocolate and drizzle while holding it about 6 inches above your apples.Repeat with remaining apples. Chill apples in refrigerator until completely set, about 45 minutes. Tie with a pretty bow. Store apples in the refrigerator.

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Oven Roasted Smoked Sausage and Potatoes

Love this simple little recipe from my Friend Marie over at the English Kitchen, who also has another blog called Recipes From My Blue Binder.... these flavors are just wonderful!

Oven Roasted Smoked Sausage and Potatoes

1 package of smoked sausage, sliced into rounds
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
5 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
olive oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
sweet paprika
dried thyme
1 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking tray (with sides) with several sheets of foil, and drizzle with a bit of oil. Spread the oil out over the pan. Set aside.

Put the sausage rounds, onions and potatoes into a large bowl. Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and season to taste with salt, pepper, paprika and dried thyme. Toss together with your hands until everything is evenly distributed. Pour this out onto the baking tray, and spread it out as much as you can.

Place into the heated oven and roast for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until the potatoes are golden brown and tender. Turn off the oven. Scatter the cheese over top of the cooked meat and potatoes, Pop back into the oven a few minutes to melt the cheese. Serve immediately.

http://recipesfromthebigbluebinder.blogspot.com/2012/08/oven-roasted-smoked-sausage-and-potatoes.html

Brownie Bites with Cream Cheese Frosting

I love these little brownie bites because you can change them to just about anything you can think of. Sometimes I sneak a Rolo Candy in the center and then frost them with caramel icing. I've also put a Kraft caramel candy or some peanut butter chips in the center. And I change the frosting all the time too. I make these a lot with just a bit of mint frosting on top. But this time I decided to just enjoy a brownie bite with some cream cheese frosting. Be creative and surprise your special valentine with whatever you want! 

Brownie Bites with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 box Ghirardelli fudge style brownie mix, plus whatever ingredients are called for on the box.
4 TBS. butter, softened at room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 cup confectioners sugar

Pre-heat oven to 325F. Prepare brownies according to package directions. Grease a 24 cup mini muffin tin with cooking spray and fill each cup 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for a couple of minutes then carefully remove the brownie bites from the pan to a cooking rack. Allow to cool completely.

To make the frosting, whip the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the confectioners sugar and whip until creamy. Add frosting to piping bag or a plastic bag with the corner snipped out and squeeze a dab of frosting on each brownie.

Need a mini cupcake or brownie pan? I got mine at Amazon for a great price. Click on the link below to see the one I use:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00091PNE8/ref=as_li_ss_sm_fb_us_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=399837&creativeASIN=B00091PNE8&linkCode=shr&tag=welchome08-20&qid=1392256683&sr=8-2&keywords=mini+cupcake+pan

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Cheesy Potato Casserole

I'm a meat and potatoes girl and this is one of my favorite side dishes. It's not actually scalloped potatoes and it's not Au Gratin potatoes. I call it Potato Casserole and it's delicious.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

2 cups mashed potatoes (you can use leftover made with milk or cream and butter)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 onion, sliced thin
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
2 cups grated Cheddar Cheese
4 medium whole potatoes, cooked and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread mashed potatoes evenly on bottom of casserole dish. Layer sour cream evenly over top. Sprinkle with a little garlic powder, salt and pepper between each layer. Saute onion in butter and then evenly layer the slices of onion and the butter on top of the sour cream. Next, layer with 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese. 


























Add a layer of your cooked sliced potatoes over the cheese until you have completely covered the top with sliced potatoes. Next add the remaining cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and for a real treat crumble bacon over top.

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Whipped Cream Éclairs with Strawberries

Last year I wanted to make my Valentine something special. It had to be wonderful and decadent...but light and airy and not too heavy. I wanted to make something beautiful and memorable. Something he might even want to take a picture of before eating ...like he does with his birthday cakes I make each year. So I made this special dessert for him and the first thing he said was, "Baby girl that thing is too pretty to eat. Let's take a picture!" The dessert and it's picture went to that special man in my life...my Dad.

Whipped Cream Éclairs with Strawberries

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
5 eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon water
3 oz. bitter sweet chocolate
honey and nuts optional
powdered sugar for dusting

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan set over high heat, bring water, butter, and salt just to boil. Remove from heat and add flour all at once, stirring vigorously with wooden spoon until mixture comes away from sides of pan, making a smooth ball.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook flour mixture, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until coating begins to form on bottom of pan. Turn into large bowl; stir for 30 seconds. Make well in middle of dough and, using electric mixer, beat in 4 of the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny and holds its shape when lifted.

Place dough into piping bag fitted with 3/4-inch wide tip. On parchment-lined baking sheets, pipe fingers of dough about 4 inches long and 1 wide. In bowl beat together remaining egg and 1 tbsp water; brush each bun lightly, being careful not to drip down sides.

Bake in 425 degree oven for 12 minutes; reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for 5 minutes longer or until golden brown. With sharp knife, pierce side of each éclair twice. Turn oven off and let éclairs stand for 5 minutes, then remove and cool on rack.

Slice the éclairs lengthwise. Brush tops lightly with honey and sprinkle with nuts if desired. Add filling and dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Pastry Cream

2 cups half-and-half (half whole milk/half cream)
½ cup sugar
Pinch salt
5 large egg yolks (save whites for another day)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Heat the half-and-half, 6 tablespoons of the sugar, and the salt in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and whisk until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture is creamy. Next whisk in the cornstarch until combined and the mixture is pale yellow and thick.

When the half-and-half mixture reaches a full simmer, gradually whisk the simmering half-and-half into the yolk mixture to temper. Return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula; return to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a few bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thickened and glossy. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla. Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 2 hours.

For the Whipped Cream

1 1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Chill your mixing bowl and beaters by placing them in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before using. When ready, remove the bowl and beaters and pour in the cream and sugar. Using a mixer, begin by beating the cream on low speed for about 30 seconds and then increase speed to high, continuing to beat until soft peaks form. Add your vanilla and beat until blended. Serve right away or refrigerate.

Once the éclairs have cooled completely, slice them in half with a serrated knife, making sure to leave the tops and bottoms of each éclair together so that they match up. Fill the bottom half of each éclair with a layer of pastry cream. Then line your strawberries on top. Then top off with a layer of the whipped cream. Place the top of each éclair back on, and dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

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Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake

It is a snowy day here in Maryland and a perfect time to bake. I made this wonderful cake this morning...just for you! So rich and moist and perfectly sweet with just a touch of lemon. So good!

Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake

1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup low fat cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon of lemon zest
1/4 cup squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 (8 oz) non-fat vanilla yogurt

Lemon Vanilla Drizzle

1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
4 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl beat the sugar, butter and cream cheese at medium speed with a mixer until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, lemon juice and then add
your zest.

In a different bowl measure out your 3 cups of all purpose flour. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of it all over the blueberries and gently stir to coat. Mix the remaining flour with the baking soda and baking powder and salt. Add four mixture to the sugar mixture a little at a time just until blended. Then lightly blend in the yogurt until combined. Next fold in your blueberries very gently. You do not want to stir too much or your cake will be blue!

Pour the batter into a 10-inch tube pan or a bundt pan that you have greased or sprayed non stick spray. Sharply tap the pan once on the counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 degrees for an 1 hour to an hour and 15 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 10-20 minutes on a wire rack then remove cake from pan. Cool an additional 15 minutes on a wire rack.

Combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over the cake.

Want a new bundt pan like the one I use? Go to this link and get it from Amazon and the proceeds will go to my Animal Rights group!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000D8CAM/ref=as_li_ss_sm_fb_us_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=399837&creativeASIN=B0000D8CAM&linkCode=shr&tag=welchome08-20&qid=1392496962&sr=8-5&keywords=bundt+pan

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Support For Animal Rights

I want to thank those of you so far, who have purchased my newest cookbook and have helped me support a cause that means so much to me. Most of you know that I put a lot of time and effort into writing and publishing cookbooks so that I can help support Animal Rights here in this country.

I made a commitment a long time ago to support various No Kill groups in their efforts to save the lives of dogs and cats who are killed unnecessarily while waiting for a new home. I definitely need your help as do our furbabies out there who do not have a voice and cannot defend themselves. I speak for them here and YOU speak for them by purchasing anything here at Welcome Home. This page can be quite expensive with all the cooking I do and sending out free recipes to all my friends and followers. I can really use your help so that I can continue to support my cause through this page.

You might ask what is done with the money that goes to these No Kill groups. Let me make something perfectly clear.... I do not support these big agencies like the SPCA or Humane Society or the NO KILL Advocacy Center. I make sure every penny goes directly for the care of dogs and cats and not for other expenses that these big agencies incur. I need to personally see where your money goes and what it is used for. I DO NOT want to make donations to big agencies for their marketing campaigns or for fund raising or their administrative costs.

While I support various No Kill Advocacy groups, I DO NOT support the large agency called the NO KILL Advocacy CENTER or any other large agency with NO KILL in it's name. I DO support smaller groups for Animal Rights and various No Kill groups and I make sure that every single penny goes to making sure these babies are fed, and sheltered and given blankets, toys and healthcare.

I make sure the money goes for spaying and neutering and vaccinations and getting them ready for their new foster or permanent homes. I do this by always pre-paying for veterinary care and buying gift cards from Petsmart and Petco or other retailers that are near the shelters. This way I am certain that my donation goes entirely to feed and shelter and get medical care for dogs and cats and not for marketing, advertising and fund raising.

Don't get me wrong, a big agency like the No Kill Advocacy Center is working hard for animal rights, but they focus exclusively on institutional reform of shelters through legislation, litigation, and similar strategies. They only accept credit card or Paypal or check donations and would not be interested in the format I choose. I do encourage you to continue to support their efforts as they need our help at a higher level. I just advise you to be careful that you are not in anyway funding any agencies that are still funding Kill shelters. Do your homework before you donate to any animal rights organization.

With that being said, I want you to know that your donation is well spent and I have seen many dogs and cats go to a good home. If you have not read some of the stories I have shared here at Welcome Home, I encourage you to do A search and read about my brother's adoption of Casey or my friend's adoption of Glory.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Here's that soup I made this morning. Not the prettiest soup I've ever made but out of this world delicious! I topped it off with some buttery flaky puffed pastry and it tasted just like a chicken pot pie!

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced...
1 store bought rotisserie chicken
6 cups chicken broth
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup onion, diced small
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup slice mushrooms
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
Pinch sea salt
1 sheet of Pepperridge Farm Puffed Pastry

Add diced potatoes to a large bowl filled with cold water. Set aside. Shred or chop chicken to the size you prefer and set aside 2-3 cups.

In a large skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, mushrooms, and the celery cooking until just tender...about 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and whisk until it forms a paste or roux. Add the Italian seasoning and pepper; cook for 2 more minutes.

Whisk the roux into the chicken broth and bring back up to a boil. Drain the diced potatoes and add them along with the carrots and the diced or shredded chicken to the broth. Cover and turn the heat down to low to allow to simmer until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cream and a pinch of sea salt and cook for 5 more minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lay one sheet of puffed pastry on baking sheet. I usually cut it into small squares but you can leave it whole and break into pieces later. Bake for about 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the puffed pastry squares. Oh yum!

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Shrimp Purses

I love these little snacks and I serve them often as appetizers at parties or when my friends and I get together. They are so good....soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. You and your guests will love them.

Shrimp Purses

3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup green onions chopped fine
1/2 tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound uncooked shrimp
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup milk
1 (16 ounce) package of wonton wrappers
1/2 cup butter

Add whole uncooked shrimp to a bowl and sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning. Set aside for at least 30 minutes. Chop shrimp as finely as possible. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the canola oil. Sauté garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the green onions and salt; cook and stir until onions are wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir the flour, finely chopped shrimp, ricotta cheese, and milk into the mixture; cook and stir until the shrimp turn pink, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Brush the inside of two wonton wrappers with butter and lay one buttered wrapper them on top of the other. Add a teaspoon of the shrimp mixture. Gather up all sides of both wrappers to form a purse and pinch the tops together. Repeat for the rest of the wrappers and mixture. Brush the outsides all filled wrappers with butter and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

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Ham and Cheese Wrap

My lunch today...just a simple wrap or roll up made with slices of that baked ham I made. Add some Monterey Jack cheese and some lettuce and tomato and you've got a wonderful lunch. Simple recipe but so versatile. Think of all the different cheeses or meats you can us. What's your favorite wrap?

Simple Ham and Cheese Wrap

4 tortilla wraps
Mayonnaise or butter
lettuce (I like iceberg or Bib but you can use your favorite)
8 slices cheese (Monterrey Jack, provolone, cheddar)
8 slices lean baked ham

I like to slightly warm my tortillas in the microwave for only 10 seconds per wrap. Lay each tortilla on a sheet of plastic wrap. Spread the tortillas with mayo or butter or your favorite mustard. Lay some lettuce on top and then some diced ripe tomato.

 Arrange two slices of cheese and two slices of ham on each wrap, then season with a little salt and pepper. Roll each wrap up tightly to secure the filling. If you are serving later, wrap each tortilla in the plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until ready to serve. If you plan to eat them right away, cut each wrap into portions and serve!











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