INGREDIENTS:

1/3 oz. Tia Maria

1/3 oz. Brown Creme de Cacao

1/3 oz. Frangelico

DIRECTIONS: Pour the ingredients into a shot glass and serve. It doesn’t get any easier than that!

2 cup high-quality apple cider 

1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream, divided

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup real butter, cubed

Pour cider into a medium saucepan and boil on high for about 20 minutes or until the cider is reduced to 1/3 c. Keep an eye on it…it might try to run away. Set aside to cool.

Line an 8” square pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave about 1” hanging over the edges for easy removal. Coat with a bit of vegetable oil and set aside. 

In a small bowl, combine 2/3 c. cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and reduced apple cider. Set aside.

In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, 1/3 c. whipping cream + enough water to reach the 1/2 c. line on the measuring cup, and corn syrup. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Insert the candy thermometer and simmer until the syrup reaches 234 degrees.

Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cream mixture. Add the cubed butter and stir until the cream and butter are fully incorporated. Return the pan to heat and re-insert the candy thermometer. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the temperature reaches 248 degrees.

Remove from heat and pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Let the mixture cool completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator. I covered the top of the pan loosely with saran wrap and left it out overnight. You could cut the caramels into 1/2” squares and wrap each caramel in wax paper, but I’m lazy so I cut the caramel into 1/2” logs, which meant that I had exponentially fewer pieces to individually wrap. Store in an airtight container or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, but I can guarantee that they won’t last that long. These things are delicious!

czechmetz asked: For a party, I made two of your recipes yesterday: the orange slice jello shooters and the mini pumpkin pie shooters. They were delicious! The orange slice jello shooters were a hit. I have just two things to add: I highly recommend using a melon baller to scoop out the pulp of the oranges. I froze the orange slices a bit before transferring them to the refrigerator in hopes that it would prevent leaking when I cut them and indeed it did. : )

ohh that is so awesome to hear. :D I’m glad it went went well. And I will edit your tips into the recipe!

2 Honeycrisp apples

One 750-milliliter bottle unoaked Chardonnay

1/3 C. peach Schnapps

1/4 C. pisco (I could not find this so I used a bit more peach schnapps)

1/4 C. honey (I used orange blossom)

2 oranges- 1 quartered

1 lemon – quartered

1 lime – quartered

2 cinnamon sticks

2 quarter-size slices of fresh ginger

3 whole cloves

2 T. sugar

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

Ice

Club soda

Mint sprigs – for garnish (did not use)

Peel, core and chop one of the apples. In a bowl, combine the Chardonnay, Schnapps, pisco and honey. Add the quartered orange, the lemon, lime, cinnamon sticks, the chopped apple, ginger and cloves and refrigerate at least 4 hours. (I let mine sit overnight)

Strain the sangria into a pitcher. Peel, core and finely chop the remaining apple. Peel, section and chop the remaining orange. Mix the apple and orange in a bowl.

On a small plate, blend the sugar and cinnamon. Moisten the rims of wine glasses and dip in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Fill the glasses with ice. Pour in the sangria until three-quarters full. Top with a splash of club soda. Garnish with a spoonful of the chopped apple and orange and a mint sprig.

Ingredients

Vanilla Pudding

Non-pariels (in orange)

Crushed up Oreos

Tall shot glasses (mine are from Pier 1′s tasting line)

Instructions

layer a few spoonfulls of pudding, then non-Pariels, then more pudding, and finally oreos repeat until your glass is full.

Ingredients

1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice 

1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar 

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

1 cup sparkling mineral water 

Dash ginger ale 

2 - 3 cups ice 

1 cup vodka 

Frozen vodka or sparkling mineral water 

Mint sprigs and lemon slices for garnish 

Directions

Chill 4 serving glasses in the freezer. Combine lemon juice, sugar, mint, mineral water, ginger ale, and ice in a blender. Slowly blend until thick.

Remove the four glasses from the freezer and pour a jigger (1/4 cup) vodka into each. Top with frozen lemonade mixture.

Add a straw and garnish each glass with a fresh mint sprig and a slice of lemon. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients

Pudding: 

1 package gelatin

2 cups whole milk

1 cup sugar 

6 large egg yolks (reserve 2 whites for topping) 

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree 

Topping: 

2 large egg whites 

1/3 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 pinch fine salt 

Small candy, for eyes

For pudding:

Directions

Put 1 tablespoon of cold water in a large bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over the surface, do not stir, and set aside until gelatins softens and blooms.

Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a stand mixer’s bowl above the water. Whisk milk, sugar, yolks, cinnamon and salt in a heat-proof bowl. Set the bowl above the boiling water and cook, stirring constantly with a heat-proof spatula, until mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon and almost boils, 10 to 12 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat and pour over the gelatin, whisking constantly until gelatin is completely dissolved and evenly distributed. Whisk in pumpkin until combined and completely smooth. 

Evenly divide mixture into 12 small 3-ounce cups (paper works fine) and refrigerate until set, about 4 to 8 hours. 

For topping:

Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a stand mixer’s bowl above the water. Whisk the 2 egg whites, sugar, cream of tarter, and salt in the bowl by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and continue whisking until the mixture is hot to the touch and the sugar dissolves, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer bowl to mixer and beat with the whisk attachment at medium-high speed until eggs hold a stiff peak, about 5 minutes.

Spoon topping onto puddings in the shape of a ghost. Decorate with candy eyes and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons brown sugar

8 slices of bread

Directions:

Mix the eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, mutmeg and brown sugar in low flat bowl for easy dipping.

Dip the bread into the egg mixture on both sides and grill in a pan until lightly golden brown, about 2-3 minute per side.

Serve with maple syrup.

Recipe Ingredients

Bean Layer

2 cans (16 oz each) lowfat refried black or pinto beans

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp lime juice

1 Tbsp hot Mexican chili powder

1 tsp minced garlic 

3 large plum tomatoes, sliced

Middle Layer

1 1/2 cups thick and chunky salsa

1 cup (4 oz) shredded Mexican cheese blend

Guacamole Layer

4 ripe Hass avocados 

3 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp minced red onion

2 large jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced

1 tsp salt

Web

1 cup reduced fat sour cream

Decoration: a clean plastic toy spider

Serve with: blue, yellow, red corn tortilla chips

Recipe Preparation

Bean Layer: Scrape the mixture onto a 12- to 14-in. round serving plate and smooth into a 10-in. circle with a spatula. Arrange tomato slices around edge of bean layer to make a border.

Drain salsa in a strainer to get rid of excess juice. Spread over bean mixture, leaving some of the bean layer showing around the edge. Sprinkle cheese over salsa, leaving some of the salsa layer showing.

Guacamole: Halve avocados; remove seeds and spoon flesh into a medium bowl. Add lime juice, onion, jalapeños and salt, and mash until fairly smooth. Spoon over cheese layer and spread into an even layer.

Place sour cream in a ziptop bag; seal bag and snip a small tip off one corner. Pipe a spiderweb design over guacamole and onto the plate. Decorate with toy spider. Serve with tortilla chips.

You can make 4 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate.

1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach(thaw & sqeeze out liquid)

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 package Lipton Veggie Soup Mix

1 can water chestnuts-chopped

Combine all ingredients and chill for a couple of hours to let flavors blend. Serve with crackers and bread cubes.