Making Caramel Apples

This was fun and easy and not nearly as messy as you might think! And they were delicious! We prepared these before dinner and popped them in the refrigerator. After dinner we went to the library and came home to enjoy our apples. Lily and Wendy could hardly wait!

Here's how we did them...

Anna washed and dried eight golden delicious apples

Anna and Lily unwrapped the caramels and put them in a glass dish.

I had planned to melt the candy in the crock pot, but she was busy baking potatoes for dinner! So I microwaved the caramel a minute at a time stirring after each minute. It took about three and a half minutes.

While the girls unwrapped candy, I put the sticks into the apples. The bag of Kraft caramels came with five sticks, and we saved some sticks from popsicles to use on the rest.

I chopped peanuts and made a pile of sprinkles.

We rolled the apples in the caramel, and scraped the excess caramel off the bottom of the apple with the edge of a knife. Then roll in the nuts and sprinkles. Some wanted only one topping, some did half nuts and half sprinkles.

It was best to tilt the bowl and roll the apple against the side to evenly cover the apple with caramel. We had to melt the caramel a couple of times for 10 seconds between apples.

I sprayed the glass dish lightly with cooking spray so they wouldn't stick.

Lily ate the WHOLE THING! I had more fun watching these two eat than eating my own!

Menu Plan

A little later than usual, but not too late! The fall weather calls for more cooking don't you agree. We continue to enjoy buying and cooking food from local farmer's at the farmer's market. Here's our fall inspired menu, though partially eaten:)

Monday
B-Cereal, toast
L-ham and cheese, leftovers
D-chili dogs, tater tots

Tuesday
B-biscuits with gravy
L-scrambled egg burritos, apples
D-broccoli, rice, and cheese casserole, grilled trout

Wednesday
B-blueberry muffins, hot tea
L-boiled eggs, leftovers, apples
D-baked potato bar...butter, sour cream, steamed broccoli, cheese
desert...crock pot caramel apples

Thursday
B-scrambled eggs, oatmeal
L-pbj, bananas
D-baked chicken, rolls, sweet potato casserole

Friday
B-apple scones
L-pbj, boiled eggs, leftovers
D- spagetti, veggies

New foods for Baby Rose...butternut squash, sweet potatoes.

CVS

We shopped CVS for the first time in several weeks because all of our ECB's were to expire on Tuesday. I decided to try a store in town that I had only been in once before. I checked with the manager first to make sure he accepted internet printable coupons and he did! I had several coupons I had printed for the post it note deal. Also an FYI for fellow shoppers, I called customer service last week to ask about store policy concerning expired ECB's. It is CVS policy to accept expired ECB's up to two weeks past expiration; however the final decision is up to the individual store managers. I had a customer reward ECB that had expired and I had thrown away. Customer service renewed it for me and it printed at this last trip! Thanks CVS!
In summary, I went in with a non-detailed list and a fist full of manufacurers coupons and did four transactions to roll my ECB's. I spent around $5 out of pocket!

I got these groceris at Wal-mart this week for $1.96! You can use links for Kashi and vlassic pickles and tons of great coupon matches for Wal-mart at The Centsible Sawyer.

The Centsible Sawyer and Money Saving Mom have all the details you'll need to shop CVS and Wal-mart every week!

Vacation

Wow! September is almost over and I have only posted twice. My girls want me to post about our vacation that we took on the sixth of this month. It was a good vacation. With gas prices, we decided to stay close and we only had to drive an hour and 45 minutes to get to Massenutten Mountain. We have been several times before. It is a great family friendly place. Here are some pictures from our trip.....
We enjoyed our first road trip in our "new to us" 12 passenger van. The kids are really enjoying the extra leg room!
We really enjoyed having my sister and her family with us the end of the week. Our time went fast, but we managed to squeeze in as much as possible! We had a little celebration for Elizabeth's 9th birthday.....
And Jackson was just happy to be there!

Wendy and Lily were very in to treasure hunting, and nearly filled a ziploc bag with pine cones, pine needles, rocks, moss, leaves, sticks, lots of acorns of various sizes and colors, some of which looked suspiciously like deer doo...(we are city folk you know).
Jacob tries to avoid and ruin every picture I attempt to get of him these days, but I manage to get a good on here and there:)
The deer were great entertainment and they were everywhere! Of course the babies were adorable. We learned that they like bread, but not cheetos....
Grandpappy groundhog was very grateful for the cheetos. I think if we would have allowed he would have came on in and sat at the table with us....a friendly chap indeed!
Lily was so wiped out by swimming, but tried her best not to nap in fear of missing something:) We had a great time, and I was glad to get home and back into school!

Lily Bug is "3"

Lily has talked about and anticipated her birthday since early this year (yes, that's about seven months now)! She celebrated and enjoyed six other parties while waiting for hers:) In our "full house" with lots of hustle and bustle, birthdays are pretty special. Not because we spend a lot of money or even have a big party, but because we try to make the birthday boy or girl feel special. We are celebrating the blessing of that son or daughter, brother or sister in our family. They get to choose their birthday dinner and cake and ice cream or desert. We sing, take pictures, and video and enjoy a few simple gifts, usually yard sale finds and hand me downs and homemade cards and letters. It's just plain fun!
Lily was patient for a couple of "cheese" shots, they had to have a star sprinkle!
One of her favorite gifts....pink heart shoes with lights from Nana:)
This is Lily with her favorite binky and blankey putting her baby in the "applesaucer".
Lily helping in the kitchen, washing grapes.

Happy Birthday Lils...We love you very much!!!

Snacking, "Wendy Style"

Yes, that is peanut butter and chocolate chips on whole wheat bread;) Wendy's own creation and she prepared it herself! That's my girl!

Menu Plan

Monday-
B-bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits
L-grilled cheese, apples
D-taco salad, cucumbers and tomatoes from our garden

Tuesday-
B-waffles, fruit
L- macaroni and cheese, apples, garden veggies
D- chicken, mashed potatoes, carrots and peas

Wednesday-
B-cereal
L-muffins, boiled eggs
D-chicken noodle soup, cornbread

Thursday-
B-waffles, fruit
L-leftovers, apples with peanut butter and chocolate chips
D-grilled burgers, tater tots, brussell sprouts

Friday-
B-oatmeal
L-egg salad sandwiches, carrots, garden vegetables
D-lasagna, salad, bread,
desert- eclair cake