Owl Cupcakes

Gourmet Caramel Apples

• 1 lb. dark brown sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2/3 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. molasses
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 13-15 medium apples
• popsicle sticks I bought these large ones at Joann's
• various toppings
• dipping chocolate

Instructions

1. Wash and dry apples. Then put sticks in cores and place on a baking sheet in the fridge to chill. Prepare all toppings in bowls and have them ready to go.
2. To prepare caramel, combine first 8 ingredients in heavy 2 1/2-quart nonstick saucepan. Stir with over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves (no crystals are felt when caramel is rubbed between fingers), occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush or scraping with spatula, about 15 minutes.
3. Attach a clip-on candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat to medium-high; cook caramel at rolling boil until thermometer registers 236°F, stirring constantly but slowly with clean spatula and occasionally brushing/scraping down sides of pan, about 12 minutes.
4. Pour caramel into a bowl. Submerge thermometer bulb in caramel. Cool to 200°F, about 20 minutes. If it cools too much just heat it up a little.
5. While caramel cools, line 1-2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or buttered foil. Set up decorations and melted chocolates.
6. Holding stick, dip 1 apple into 200°F caramel. Lift apple out, allowing excess caramel to drip back into bowl. Turn apple caramel side up and hold for several seconds to help set caramel around apple, twirling it a bit to even out any heavy looking drips. If needed, gently scrape the bottom of the apple to remove excess caramel. Place coated apple on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining apples and caramel, spacing apples apart (caramel will pool a bit on foil). If caramel becomes too thick to dip into, gently heat in microwave, or add 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream and briefly whisk caramel in bowl over low heat to thin.
7. By the time you have dipped all the apples, the first ones should be ready partially set enough to add toppings. If not, chill in fridge for a few minutes. Lift 1 apple from foil. Using hand, press pooled caramel around apple.
8. To go above and beyond and make them ultra-gourmet, dip caramel-coated apples into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off, then roll in nuts or candy. Another option would be to drizzle melted chocolate over caramel-coated apples and sprinkle with decorations. Chill until decorations are set, about 1 hour. Cover; chill up to 1 week.

Pumpkin and Black Bean Chili

1 lb ground beef 1 tablespoon dried, minced onion 3 teaspoons minced garlic 15oz can pumpkin puree 28oz can diced tomatoes, undrained 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed 2 cups chicken broth 1 teaspoon dried parsley 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon oregano 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin sour cream shredded cheddar

Cook ground beef in stock pot until brown, drain, and return to pain. Add the rest of the ingredients (besides the sour cream and cheese, of course) and stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Serve in bowls topped with sour cream and cheddar. This chili is perfect with some good cornbread!

Oatmeal Pumpkin Creme Sandwiches

makes 30 mini sandwiches

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 and 2/3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg (or 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice)
• 2 – 2.5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup flour (to thicken, as needed)
• salt, to taste

In a large bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment or with a handheld mixer, cream the softened butter and sugars until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.
Slowly stir in the baking soda, cinnamon, oats, and flour. Mix together until just combined. Do not overmix.
Chill the dough for at least one hour in the fridge. Cookies will be very flat if the dough is not cold.
Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
Roll 2 teaspoons of dough into a ball and drop onto ungreased baking sheet or silicone baking mat. Bake for 9 minutes and let cool on baking sheet for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack.
While the cookies are cooling, prepare the pumpkin frosting. Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese, butter, pumpkin, and spices on medium speed until creamy.  Add 2-2.5 cups of sifted powdered sugar depending how sweet you’d like it.  If frosting is much too thin, add in the flour to thicken it.  Add salt to cut the sweetness, if you prefer.
Spread a generous amount of frosting on the underside of a cooled cookie and sandwich another cookie on top.

** The cookies will be very soft and may appear undone after only 9 minutes in the oven, but they will firm up as they cool.

Candy Corn Pretzel Hugs

• Circle or square-shaped pretzels
• Hershey ‘s Kisses Hugs
• candy corn

Preheat oven to 250F degrees.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.  Align pretzels on the sheet. Unwrap Hugs and place one on each pretzel.  Stick in the oven until the hug begins to melt down (mine took about 4 minutes; it depends on your oven).
While the Hugs are melting in the oven, get your candy corn ready because you will have to move quickly once the pretzels are out of the oven.
Remove pretzel hugs from oven and gently press a candy corn down on each one. The Hug should flatten out when you press the candy corn on it.  If it is not flattening out, place the pretzel hugs back in the oven for 30 more seconds.
Let the pretzel hugs cool completely and let the chocolate set for about 10 minutes in the refrigerator.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Streusel Pudding Cookies

 

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 small box pumpkin spice instant pudding mix dry, do not prepare
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• . STREUSEL TOPPING . .
• 1/4 cup butter cold
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions

1. TO MAKE STREUSEL TOPPING:: Sift together sugar, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cut in cold butter until small crumbs form. Set aside.
2. Cream butter, brown sugar and sugar together in a large bowl.
3. Add in dry pumpkin spice instant pudding mix and beat until well combined.
4. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
5. Add flour and baking soda and beat until well combined.
6. Roll dough into 1" balls. Gently press some of the streusel topping onto the tops of the rolled dough balls. Place them on a greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.

Reeces Pieces Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients:
7 cups Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Cereal
12 oz. Miniature Marshmallows
4 T Butter4 oz Box Reese's PiecesLightly spray a 9x13 pan and set aside.  In a large bowl, count out the cereal then set aside.
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the mini marshmallows.
Stir constantly, until marshmallows are completely melted, to prevent scorching.
Immediately pour over cereal and stir until completely covered.  Add 2/3 of the Reese's Pieces to the mixture... the pieces will become all melty gooey.  Spread into the 9x13 pan.  If necessary, spray hands or spatula with cooking spray to prevent sticking as you press the mixture into the pan. 

Pour the rest of the Pieces onto the top of the mixture, and lightly press so that they adhere to the still sticky marshmallows.