Today: Hem Pete’s pants; buy last-minute stuff; paint toenails; rehearse; eat pizza; bowl.
Tomorrow: Hair; makeup; miracle undies; pictures, pictures, pictures; try not to cry while dear little brother gets hitched; dinner; chicken dance.
All posts by Nichole
Photojojo a-go-go
Once upon a time, when my computer worked and the world was at my command I only had one little’un, I applied for a writing gig at Photojojo: the world’s A-Number One, Top o’ the Heap source for all fun and funky things photo. (Really. They have all sorts of great tips and ideas.) Subsequently, a really nice guy named Amit called me for an interview and said, “You’re hired!” (Maybe not in those exact words.) and I started writing things about cars and comics, dads and creepy little bears.
I haven’t written anything for them in a good, long while (see: babies, broken computer). But I was beyond thrilled to hear that they’ve made a book
Amit sent me a copy, and it is chockful of terrific. If you own a camera, you ought to own this book. (It’s available tomorrow!) I’ll be happy to autograph my page for you.
A more accurate title: Apples with a light caramel glaze
Food Network, I’m losing confidence in you. Sure, your food looks delicious. But your track record lately has been less than impressive.
But Amy and I thought we’d give you another chance this week. So when I got my latest copy of Food Network Magazine, I had Poppy choose three random numbers. Then I lined those three numbers up, and voila! A page number! And the recipe looked like a great one. Caramel apples! How could they be bad?
They weren’t bad, really, but I wouldn’t call them caramel apples. It may well have been user error. The caramel would not stay on the apples. At first I thought maybe I’d tried to coat the apples too soon. But even after waiting several hours, it just slid off the apples.
But the caramel was wildly delicious anyway. I mean, I’m sure that it would have been, had I taken a spoon and scraped it from the parchment paper under the apples. Which I definitely would not have done.
Ahem.
Here’s the recipe!
Perfect Caramel Apples
from Food Network Magazine
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
pinch of salt
6 apples
6 sticksMix 2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup light corn syrup and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Cook, swirling the pan (do not stir), until the mixture is light amber and a candy thermometer registers 320 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; slowly whisk in 1/2 cup heavy cream, then 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Return to low heat and whisk until smooth. Let cool until the caramel is thick enough to coat a spoon. Insert sticks into the stem ends of 6 apples and dip the apples into the caramel, letting the excess drip off. Roll in toppings, then let cool on a parchment-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
Suggested toppings:
-crushed cheese crackers (gross!)
-salted peanuts and caramel popcorn (overkill!)
-diced crystallized ginger and toasted sesame seeds (no thank you!)
-chopped walnuts and dried cranberries (eh!)
-toasted shredded coconut and chopped macademia nuts (maybe!)
-crushed Oreo cookies and a drizzle of melted white chocolate (makes me wish the caramel had stuck!)