Caramel Apple Cookies

I'm a huge fan of caramel apples, I've been known to go to fairs and get nothing but caramel apples.  Caramel apples remind me of fall and fairs, which bring back some great memories of showing animals, good friends, and crazy times with other country kids.  There just something so good about biting into a crunchy green apple, covered in sweet gooey caramel and salty peanuts.  My mouth is watering as I write this... it's an instant reaction I swear.  So while it's not yet fall and apples aren't at their peak, I just couldn't wait to try this recipe.  I found it surfing the web and just decided I needed to try it.  They have a great consistency, aren't too chewy nor too sweet; they are basically just a perfect little bit or two.  I'm going to have a hard time not eating the entire batch, which made a ton of cookies!  I would suggest trying this recipe in the fall, because the smell of them baking in the oven would definitely go best with a nice crisp fall day, but they are still delicious and I'm going to enjoy every bite.  So next time you're craving a little bit of fall or a local fair, I suggest making these cookies instead of venturing out and battling the crazy fair crowds. 

Caramel Apple Cookies
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 3/4 cup of old fashioned oats that have been pulverized into flour
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp of baking soda
12 oz of caramel bits
2 cups of Granny Smith apples, chopped into tiny bits

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and put parchment paper on the cookies sheets (DO THIS, otherwise the caramel will burn). 
In a large bowl beat the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until fluffy.  Add the vanilla and the eggs, beat until combined.
Put the oatmeal into the food processor and pulse until ground finely.  Add the ground oats, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until combined. 
Finely chop the apples and add them to the dough.  Then stir in the caramel bits. 
Take a small cookie scoop and make balls of the dough, this will make them into perfect size cookies.  Bake for 10 - 12 minutes and let them cool on the pan for a few minutes (otherwise you'll rip the cookies apart).  Cool on a wire rack and serve.

NOTE:
  If you're not planning on using the dough that day, make it into balls, and freeze it immediately.  If you don't, the apples will leach their liquid into the dough and it will be too wet.  When using them frozen, put on parchment paper on a cookie sheet and then add a few minutes to the cooking time since they are frozen.  They can be stored up to a month in the freezer. 

Margarita Cupcakes

So last Friday was one of those hot, sunny days that just made you think of tequila, beaches, sun, sand, ocean waves, and a beautiful tropical location.  Since Central Pennsylvania is not one of those sunny, sandy, ocean front places, I felt the need to bring some of the beach to Pa.  Margarita cupcakes seemed to be the answer.  I happened to have some white tequila in my cupboard, an orange in my fruit bowl and lemon cake mix.  I needed to pick up a few things, but let me tell you, they were well worth the few ingredients I needed to stop at the store and pick up.  One bite of these delicious cupcakes and I immediately felt like I was transported to the islands with a cool drink in one hand and a scrumptious cupcake in the other hand.  These are a perfect summer cupcake to make; you can use either white or gold tequila, I used the white and it was very good.  If you're going to serve these outside on a hot day, I could totally see making them and then putting them in the refrigerator to cool them so they actually seem like a cool drink.  So definitely give them a shot (literally and figuratively) and enjoy being transported to an island oasis in your own kitchen. 

Margarita Cupcakes

1 lemon cake mix
1 box lime jello
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup tequila
3 eggs

Frosting
1 container of whipped white frosting
several drops of lime green food coloring

Decorations
white decoration crystals
a lime cut into small slices
umbrellas (optional)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.   Line a cupcake pan with cupcakes liners. 
In a large bowl combine the cake mix, lime jello, orange zest, water, oil, tequila, and eggs.  Mix for 30 seconds and then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Put the cake mix into the cupcake pans using an ice cream scoop, this is a great little trick that makes it easier to measure it out.  Fill 3/4 of the way full and then bake for 18 to 23 minutes.  Mine only took 18 and WOW!  the house smelled a little like a tequila party, so enjoy!  Let cool.
While the cupcakes are cooling, mix up the frosting.  Once the cupcakes are cool, ice, sprinkle with the crystals, put the slice of lime on top and put the umbrella on top. 
ENJOY your little slice of beach!