Spiced Kettle Corn

I don't generally like kettle corn, but I must say I am in love with this version from Melissa d'Arabian.


Ingredients
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
4 tablespoons sugar
fine salt, to taste
ground cinnamon, to taste
cayenne, to taste

Get the oil hot over medium heat. (If you do high heat, you will burn the sugar!) Quickly stir in butter, then popcorn, then sugar. Put the lid on and shake it like you mean it!

See full instructions and original recipe here. She even has a video.

The changes I made: 1 added an additional tablespoon of sugar. (hey, I like it sweet!). I do not measure the salt, cinnamon, or cayenne. I spread my popped corn out on a sheet of wax paper and sprinkle with salt, cinnamon and cayenne to my liking.

Pupsicle! A frozen treat for dogs like Jack

Ok, this one can be filed under "super easy"! Just 3 ingredients: Apple sauce (natural of course. Jack is sweet enough; he doesn't need sugar), plain yogurt, and smooth peanut butter.

Whisk together: 

1 (4 oz/111 g.) container natural apple sauce

1 (6 oz/~150 g.) container plain yogurt

*about 3 tablespoons peanut butter

Pour into containers and freeze. I reused the applesauce cup and the yogurt cup. Then I had enough for 2 heart-shaped Reynolds foil cups. You can add a dog bone for the handle if you want. To get it out of the container, you may have to let it sit in a shallow pan of hot water for a few seconds. 

* I didn't really measure the peanut butter. I just put in a few spoonfuls until it was the right peanut butter color. You can taste if you want, but there's no sugar, so keep that in mind! 

                       

                       

Is this for me? 

Jack approves!

Yogurt

Some quick ideas for yogurt:

My favorite yogurt! :) Yummy! So many possibilities.

Layer yogurt and vanilla wafers. Top with a dollop of lemon curd. You can eat it
immediately, or you can store in the refrigerator until the cookies soften slightly.
Tastes like a decadent dessert. If you measure your ingredients judiciously, you will
have control over the calories you are using. Don't want cookies? It's great with just a
teaspoon of lemon curd. 

Top with your favorite granola. I like to place fruit in a bowl, top with
yogurt, then granola on top. 

More ideas:

• Plain yogurt with a drizzle of honey, a sprinkle of granola
• Summer oatmeal: Basically, combine equal parts oatmeal, yogurt, milk. Let set in refrigerator overnight. Serve cold. Top with fruit. 
• Try with a dollop of Nutella
• Try crushed up cookies, graham crackers
• Add lime curd
• Add chocolate chips or crushed candy
• Use banana and vanilla wafers for a banana pudding type experience. 
• Stir in fruit pie filling
• Add unsweetened apple sauce (another favorite of mine)
• Add a chopped up apple.
• Stir in apple butter

I'm looking forward to your comments. What do you add to your yogurt? 

Toasted Marshmallow Cake - Easy!

So, I found this recipe online tonight, and I just happened to have the ingredients. So why not try it?

1 package Jet-Puff toasted-coconut marshmallows cut in half.

1 box of your favorite chocolate cake mix prepared per package directions. 

Spread marshmallows, cut side down, on the bottom of a non-stick-sprayed (9x13 inch) glass baking dish. Pour batter over the marshmallows and bake per the package directions. The marshmallows will come to the top forming a glaze or frosting!

Original Recipe Found Here!

Yes, I admit for some reason or another there was a cake mix in my pantry. It probably stumbled into the house by accident. I probably got it for next to nothing or free with the purchase of something else. I don’t really remember!

Anyway, long story short. This recipe is easy. However, the glaze I was promised did not appear on my cake. I would have tried to turn it out but it proved impossible.

I thought, “oh well, I will just ice it…” The problem is, I haven’t made a box cake in I don’t know how long. It is much lighter in texture than most cakes I like to deal with. The result was cakeicide… I killed it. It tore up. It’s really ugly, but it tastes pretty good.

 

No, I didn't take a picture of the crime scene. It’s better left forgotten!

You might want to try it. You may have better luck than I did… Then, you can tell me what the heck I did wrong!