Caramel Apple Nachos

My sister shared a recipe for these Caramel Apple Nachos with me one weekend before visiting, and I think that we made them four times in the two days she was here.  It was amazing, and semi-healthy, as far as desserts go!

Caramel Apple Nachos
apples, any variety - Granny Smith would work well (I used Gala)
caramel sauce
white chocolate chips, melted
heath bar bits
pretzels

Slice your apples, then drizzle with melted white chocolate and caramel sauce.  Splash with toffee and pretzels and serve!  Then, try to resist the urge to lick the plate.  I was not successful at resisting that urge!  :-)

Cilantro Lime Rice (Chipotle Copycat)

Jason is slightly obsessed with this rice lately, and so I need to write the recipe down so others can use it too.  It is super easy and does add SO much flavor to white (or brown) rice, and goes well with all kinds of meals.  Yum!  

Cilantro Lime Ricerice, cooked
olive oil
salt
garlic powder
chopped fresh cilantro

Make your rice in the rice cooker.  When it is done cooking, put it in a mixing bowl, give it a tiny splash of olive oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, lime juice and then add chopped cilantro.  Viola!

Homemade Chocolates

Chocolates

Jason’s Great Grandma Squires came over this weekend and taught my mom, my sister and I how to dip chocolate and make old fashioned cooked fudge.  It was fantastic, and we all have the expanding waistlines to prove it!  We used most of a 10 pound bar of chocolate and made gifts for everyone on our “nice” list.  And then we started a new family tradition of decorating cookies!  What a fun weekend.

Easy Mints
¼ C. butter or margarine
2 T. water
¼ t salt
½ t. peppermint oil (3-4 shakes of oil preferred, or lots more of extract)
3 ½ - 3 ¾ C. Powdered Sugar
Heat over low heat butter and water, add salt and extract, gradually add sugar until smooth.  Yields one pound of mints.

Fondant Cherries
Marischino cherries and juice (1 large jar or 3-4 small jars)
6 T. butter
¼ C. evaporated milk
¼ C. reserved cherry juice
2 t. vanilla
½ t. salt
Powdered Sugar until it’s the right consistency, about a 16 oz bag, maybe a touch more

Dry cherries on paper towel, reserve the 1/4 C. of the juice. Warm the butter, milk, cherry juice, vanilla and salt over low heat.  Remove from heat and add powdered sugar until it’s the right consistency, sort of like play dough.  Get some powdered sugar in your hands, flatten the fondant, wrap around cherries and then chill well in the freezer.  Then dip in chocolate.

Peanut Butter Eggs (from Aunt Kat) 
Mix together
4 C. powdered sugar
1 1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
1/4 C. butter or margarine, melted
2-3 T. milk
Mix together, adding milk last.  Shape into eggs, or perhaps next time I will make these into ball-shaped buckeyes and leave the top showing peanut butter so you can tell them from the cherries.  Freeze and then dip into chocolate.

Almond Joys
2 pounds powdered sugar
1 – 1 ½ pounds shredded coconut (large package)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (maybe a little more)
2 T. butter, melted
Almonds
Mix all ingredients.  Shape into ovals, put an almond (or two!) in the center. Chill well, and dip!  

Grandma's Peanut Butter Eggs
3 C. powdered sugar
1 ½ Cup crushed graham crackers 
1 C. peanut butter
1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter, melted

Mix all ingredients.  Shape into eggs or balls, chill well, and dip!  

Chocolate Covered Almonds or PeanutsStir whichever kind of nuts you like in the leftover chocolate, and dollop by spoonful onto wax paper to dry.

Overnight Oats

I have seen recipes for Overnight Oats, but for one reason or another, I've not tried it... until earlier this week.  And it was really, really good!  The texture was great.  To make this, you basically stir all of the ingredients until combined, cover and let it sit overnight, or up to two days, according to my original recipe.  I didn't really care for it cold, so I microwaved it for 30 seconds.  Top with whatever you like and enjoy!

Overnight Oats
1/2 C. old-fashioned rolled oats (just regular oats, nothing fancy or expensive)
1/2 C. almond milk (or any kind of milk)
1 tsp. of honey, plus more for serving if desired
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

Optional Ideas:
maple syrup, raisins and walnuts
strawberries and almonds
bananas and peanut butter
granola
blueberries
spoonful of greek yogurt?
protein powder?
Could do lots of different things,
I bet.