Sea-Salted Caramels

It's not October yet, but it is officially fall. This puts me in the holiday mood to make homemade candies and fall treats. What could scream "fall" more then caramel? Caramel apples, caramel apple cider, or a chewy, melt in your mouth, buttery, salted caramel? Not much people! Some can be intimidated by homemade candy because you need a candy thermometer. But it's really not that scary. I bought mine at William Sonoma for around $20 and its digital so I love it. You clip it to the pan and it reads you the temp. Once your candy reaches the correct temperature, it's done. This recipe is from "San Francisco's most charming pastry shop" called Miette. If you ever go to San Fran, this adorable shop is on Octavia Street & Hayes Street. Please go there!! 

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/4 cups whole milk

2 cups sugar

1 1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup light corn syrup

3 tablespoons water

Place a buttered parchment paper in a glass or metal pan. Parchment paper should hand over the sides to be used as handles once caramel is cool. 

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients and whisk together. Clip the candy thermometer to the side and place on medium heat. Whisking constantly so sugar doesn't burn to the bottom of the pan. Once candy is 246 degrees F or 115-118 degrees C it is done. It will be very bubbly and fluffy. Will take 30-40 minutes. 

Remove from heat and pour into pan. Scrapping saucepan with spatula. Let cool for 15 minutes and sprinkle with a little more sea salt. Place in fridge for around 30 minutes to make cutting the caramels easier. 

Pull out of pan and cut into pieces. Wrap with parchment paper and share with friends :) 

It will get darker the hotter it gets! 

NOTE: I made a 1/2 batch for my first round. They are amazing! You can drop a piece into cider for flavor or if you want dip an apple. Give it a go! Have fun! 

Rainbow Sprinkled Sugar Cookies

I think everyone loves funfetti anything! It's a childhood classic cake flavor. Since cookies are my favorite, what better idea than making sugar cookies with rainbow sprinkles? Ok, the secret to making sugar cookies super soft is to bake the dough very chilled. I made my first batch after chilling the dough a few hours, and I left the rest in the fridge for several more days. Yes! days! The dough that had been in the fridge the longest made the best cookies. I know it's hard, but be patient and you won't be disappointed. 

1 stick of butter, room temp

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract 

1 1/2 cups flour 

2 teaspoons cornstarch 

3/4 teaspoon baking soda 

Pinch of salt

3/4 cup rainbow sprinkles 

Mix butter, sugar, egg and extra on medium till creamed light & fluffy. About 5 minutes.

Scrap the bowl and add flour, cornstarch, salt, baking soda and sprinkles. 

Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate till ready to bake. 

Preheat oven to 350 and bake 10-12 minutes. 

Note: these cookies should not turn brown. 

Jalapeño Bacon Beer Cheese Soup

I first tried beer cheese soup last fall and I was immediately in love with it! If you ever see it at Whole Foods, please buy a cup! Yummmm..... Anyway my husband and I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to give it a go. You can always leave out the jalapeños and bacon if you want. Also feel free to experiment with different cheeses. 

1/2 a large diced sweet onion

2 diced celery stalk

2 diced jalapeño 

5-6 chopped cooked bacon 

1 teaspoon minced garlic 

2 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup flour 

12 ounce ale beer

2 cups chicken broth 

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire 

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

Cayenne Pepper (optional)

Thyme (optional) 

Cook bacon till crispy, set aside. Drain grease into glass jar. 

In pot, sauté onions, celery, and jalapeños with 2 tablespoons of bacon grease. About 10 minutes.

Add butter and garlic. Sauté till bubbly, about 5 more minutes.

Sprinkle in flour and stir until golden brown. 

Add ale and broth. Mix well until everything is deglazed from pot. 

Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. 

Add mustard, Worcestershire, heavy cream, and cheese. Stir, but do not boil.

Sprinkle with S & P and cayenne if you want.

Serve with some crusty bread. Enjoy! 

Note: it will thicken as it cools if you prefer it that way.

If you like the flavor of thyme, add 1/2 teaspoon with the butter and garlic. 

Jalapeño 3 cheese Baked Macaroni

Homemade mac-n-cheese is seriously the best food on earth!!! This recipe is so good, you'll be disappointed with the restaurant version you've ordered in the past and the future. It's so cheesy and spicy, topped with golden bread crumbs. I used quinoa pasta, (which is gluten free) and almond milk to make it slightly healthier than usual. I've made it with bacon pieces in the past too. So if you want to add some, use 8 pieces or bacon chopped. But since I'm going sodium nitrite free these days, this recipe is without it. But it's ok if you want to add some. I can't say it isn't delicious either way. 

Ingredients: 

I box of elbow pasta cooked as directed on box

1-2 diced jalapeños (don't forget to remove the seeds) 

4 T butter

4 T flour

2 cups milk (or almond milk)

1 cup 1/2 and 1/2

2 cups mild cheddar

1 cup Monterey Jack

1 cup pepper jack 

Salt & pepper to taste 

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

Drizzle of Sriracha (optional) 

Preheat oven to 350

Sauté butter and jalapeños in sauce pot for a few minutes

Add flour, should look crumbled 

Whisk in both milks

Slowly add all the cheese and stir

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add small amount of Sriracha if you would like

Add macaroni noodles and mix 

Pour into buttered baking dish 

Sprinkle with breadcrumbs

Back 20-25 minutes

Teriyaki Chicken with Siracha cream sauce

Siracha cream sauce. Need I say more? It's awesome stuff!! And once you've made a batch, it can be saved and used on whatever you want. My mom loved teriyaki bowls. I remember her always ordering them from jack-in-the box. That's irrelevant but fun to share. Here is a recipe for you and your friends and family to enjoy. 

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts 

2 cups steamed broccoli

1-2 cups steamed carrots

1 sliced bell pepper

1 can water chestnuts 

1/4 soy sauce

1/4 packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 T honey

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 T corn starch 

Sesame seeds for garnish

1/2 cup mayo

3 T Siracha

2 T sweetened condensed milk

Whisk together cornstarch and 1/4 cup water, set aside

In a separate bowl mix, Siracha, condensed milk and mayo, set aside

In a sauce pot, mix soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, garlic powder, honey and add 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer.

Add cornstarch mix to soy sauce and continue to simmer until thickens. 

Cook chopped chicken in a sauté pan with a splash of olive oil and salt & pepper

Once chicken is cooked through, pour in soy sauce and veggies, stir

Cover with lid and cook on low for 10 more minutes

Serve over brown rice, drizzled with Siracha sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. You are welcome!

Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken

Yes another chicken recipe!!!!!! This one will be in your top 5 favorite chicken dishes I bet. Who doesn't love honey mustard? Especially when it is homemade honey mustard. Mmmm good on everything. Want to know the secret to making a breaded chicken stay crispy and not soggy-fall off breaded chicken? You toss it in flour first, dip in the sauce, THEN the breadcrumbs. And that is exactly how you will make these pretzel covered chicken pieces. 

Ingredients:

Pounded chicken breasts

2 cups toasted Panko bread crumbs

2 cups crushed pretzels

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/3 honey

3T red wine vinegar 

1/4 water

Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 400

Pound chicken breasts in large zip lock bag, then cut pieces in half.

Toast Panko bread crumbs over medium heat. Toss together in bowl with crushed pretzels. 

Whisk together olive oil, mustard, honey, vinegar and water. Pour 1/2 into a shallow bowl. 

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Toss in flour, dip in honey mustard, cover with pretzel/Panko crumbs and place in baking dish.

Bake 20-25 minutes. 

Once cooked, drizzle with remaining honey mustard. You can even drizzle veggies of your choice with the honey mustard. I choose garlic green beans. I hope you like it! 

Ryan's spicy italian sausage mac & cheese

My husband doesn't cook very often, but when he does he makes me this delicious dish! It's spicy so watch out! But if you dont think so, add some sriracha! Do not forget to remove the jalapeño seeds!!!! Once he forgot and it was so spicy I couldn't eat it and I made him buy me a pizza instead. This is what I like to call "the grown up" version of mac & cheese. Anyway here it is, Ryan's spicy italian sausage Mac & cheese....

Ingredients:

4 italian turkey or chicken sausage 

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 orange bell pepper

1/2 sweet onion

1 jalapeño

1 T minced garlic

2 T olive oil

1 cup almond milk or regular milk

2 cups of water

Box of Mac & Cheese

Dice up all veggies

Sauté veggies in 1 T olive oil

Brown sausage in remaining 1 T olive oil and then combine with veggies to finish cooking

Add milk, water and macaroni. It will look like slop according to Ryan! 

Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes

Add cheese powder and stir. (You don't need to use all the cheese)