Sweet from My Sweet

Mid-September, I went to Ann Arbor for pediatric board review.  It started at 8am on Sunday and finished at 2pm o!n Friday with days ranging from 8-10 hours of lecture.  Sigh...but it was good.  Before I got back, D told me that he was working on a surprise for me.  I love surprises!  Well, after I got settled, he came over to my apartment with some groceries he had picked up for me and my surprise...a caramel pie that he made! 

He's so sweet!  He is definitely a chocolate kind of guy...and I am definitely NOT a chocolate kind of girl.  He made it just because he knows I like caramel.  It was REALLY good!  So rich and good...one of those desserts that you WANT to eat and eat and eat but just can't because it's so rich.  YUM!  And I must say, it makes me feel really special when he make something because he thinks I'd like it.  He's a keeper!  :-)

 

Graham Cracker Crust from Allrecipes
1 1/2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  In a medium bowl, mix together crumbs, butter, and sugar.  Press into a 9-inch pie pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove to cool.

Caramel Pie
9-inch pie crust
2 14-oz cans sweetened condensed milk (no WONDER this was so rich!)
1 tub cool whip

Pour the milk into a heat proof bowl that will fit over your boiling pan.  Set over a pan of simmering water.  Cook, stirring occasionally...for about 2 hours, replace water as needed.  Don't run out of water!  When ready, the milk will be golden brown and thick.  Pour caramelized milk into crust and allow to cool.  Top with cool whip...and chocolate chips if desired. 

Enjoy!

Gooey Apple Breakfast Pull Aparts

During my studying over the past, oh, five months I must admit that I took frequent breaks.  It's just hard to study all day long!  Two weeks ago, I found a recipe for apple cinnamon monkey bread that looked really good.  I decided to make it for Sunday School.  We used to have some form of breakfast treat each week but haven't recently so I thought it would be fun to take something. 

Instead of using the traditional biscuits, this recipe used cinnamon rolls, which I suppose makes it easier since you don't have to toss it in cinnamon sugar.  This is actually a Pillsbury recipe.  It called for granola bars on "top."  Well, I used them but they kind of stuck to the pan...oh, well!  That just means they were super gooey and yummy!  I thought the apple actually turned out great.  It cooked perfectly.  A really yummy fall treat that you can portion as you want!  A couple of pieces for a little treat or several to "equal" a full cinnamon roll.  Try it out!

Apple cinnamon Pull-Aparts from Pillsbury
4  crunchy granola bars (2 pouches from 8.9-oz box), crushed (3/4 cup)*

1/4 cup Fisher® Chef's Naturals® chopped pecans

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup milk

 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 

 

2 cans Grands cinnamon rolls with icing set aside

 

1 Granny smith apple cored, peeled and chopped

 

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with Baking cooking spray. In small bowl, mix crushed granola bars, pecans and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Sprinkle mixture evenly in bottom of pan.

In large bowl, mix milk, brown sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Separate both cans of dough into 10 rolls; set icing aside. Cut or tear each roll into quarters. Stir roll pieces and apples into whipping cream mixture to coat. Spoon mixture into pan; spread evenly.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until deep golden brown. Immediately place heatproof serving plate or platter upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over (do not remove pan). Cool 5 minutes. Remove pan; scrape any remaining topping in pan onto coffee cake. Cool 5 minutes longer. Drizzle reserved icing over top. Serve warm. Enjoy!

 

What You Get When You Make Meatloaf Muffins!

Monday, D was on call, so I kept Miss K.  The next day, they were coming to my house for dinner because I needed an early night to get ready for my board exam the next day.  So, I decided to make dinner Monday to make Tuesday as easy as possible.  Now, D loves meatloaf.  I'm not the biggest fan because of the ground beef but can handle it because of the tomato sauce on it!  :-)  However, I didn't get around to making it until around 800 and I still hadn't eaten supper, was tired, and needed to study some.  Hmmm....how to make fast meatloaf?

 Meatloaf muffins.  It cuts the baking time from about an hour to about 20 minutes.  Winner!  Plus, it's preportioned, easy to reheat, and easy to transport.  I ended up using half beef, half turkey because that's what was in the oldest frozen ground meat pack.  Turned out good.  Tuesday D said he liked it (and then on Thursday when we had left overs..."This is good!"  Yay!).  K didn't care for it that much.  I can handle that.  Make meatloaf muffins for D and send them with him to work for lunch.  BTW, check out these beautiful pre-test flowers D gave me! 

They went home and I got ready for my test.  It was okay...not as awful as I was expecting but still difficult.  Now to wait for results in January!  YIKES!  For celebration, D and I decided to go out to eat.  He suggested a local Drive-In called Walker's.  YES! 

Now, this isn't your typical Drive-In.  Guy Fieri should totally visit here.  They serve mostly seafood.  We had redfish and red snapper...delicious!  D encouraged me to get dessert; so I had pumpkin, pecan, praline bread pudding....oh my!  Divine!  Then....whether it was the meatloaf muffins or something else....D asked me to marry him! 

Of course, I said "Yes!"  He picked out the ring all by himself and it is gorgeous!  I am so thankful that God placed him and K in my life, and that I am going to be able to be a part of their lives as a family. 

So, I guess there will be some different posts in addition to normal food stuff for a little while.  :-)

Meatloaf Muffins
1 pound ground meat, I used half beef, half turkey
20 crumbled saltine crackers
2 eggs
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
garlic salt
pepper

Sauce
Ketchup
Mustard
 Sorry...no real measurements, I did about 3/4 ketchup, 1/4 mustard.  Warm and spoon over muffins.

Preheat oven to 350F.  In a medium sized bowl, place all ingredients.  Mix together with a wooden spoon or your hands.  Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.  Spoon meat mixture into muffin pan.  It will make 12 muffins.  Place into preheated over and allow to cook for 25 minutes.  Remove and allow to cool.  Enjoy...you might even get engaged if you make these!  ;-)

Pre-test Pumpkin Patch...and Muffins

 Sorry I've been so absent but my time is full!  I have lots of yummy recipes to post and will soon...my test will be OVER Wednesday (hopefully for another 10 years!) and I'll be back with more.

 Just wanted to share some quick pictures with you from the pumpkin patch and a quick muffin recipe.  While D was mowing his yard, I occupied K.  I offered to make cookies or muffins (secretly hoping she'd say cookies)...but she chose muffins. 

So, I found a recipe from here.  I did change it slightly and should have cooked them for longer, but K still enjoyed it after she successfully ate all of her salmon and corn and bites of carrot and cauliflower.  We added a few chocolate chips on top.

Best Ever Pumpkin Muffin Recipe adapted from Cooking with my Kid
Prep Time: 15 mins  Cooking Time: 15-17 minutes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups self rising flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 (HEAPING!) cup Splenda (or use real sugar if you please)
 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 can 100% pure pumpkin
2 large eggs lightly beaten
1/3 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
1/2 cup lowfat Greek yogurt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Mix flour, sugars, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl whisk together pumpkin, eggs, oil, and yogurt. Combine wet and dry ingredients until just blended. Spoon batter into muffin tins. Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Transfer muffins to rack to cool. Makes 12-18 regular sized muffins.