Easy Caramel Apples + Cararmel Dipping Sauce

When I see what some people charge for caramel apples, my thought, just like chocolate covered frozen bananas, is you want how much for that?  It isn't like they are hard to make.  Sometimes you can even get caramels free (not to mention apples can sometimes be found free in someone's yard or along side the road) if you save enough from parades or something.  I used reusable popsicle sticks to eliminate the cost and waste of disposable wooden sticks. 

Caramel Apples

approximately 50 caramel cubes
2 tbsp water
4-6 apples, depending on size

Remove wrappers from candies and place in a small saucepan with the water.  Heat gently, stirring constantly, until the caramel is melted and smooth.  Cover a plate with wax paper; heavily butter the waxed paper and set aside.  Skewer apples on popsicle sticks.  Dip apples into melted caramel, spooning over the apple to coat as needed.  Let excess caramel drip off back into the pan.  Place apples on prepared plate.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.  Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.

 I always end up not having enough caramel, because I try to do too many apples, or too much caramel, because I decide to play it safe and not do too many apples!  I figured out a way to use up the extra caramel though:  caramel dip!  I actually prefer dipping apple slices into caramel dip anyway, so I can leave the caramel apples for the kids.

Caramel Dip

1 part caramel
1 part milk

Melt caramel in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly.  Stir in an equal amount of milk and keep stirring until smooth and creamy.  Can be served warm or cold.  Refrigerate any unused portions.

The Big Secret--how I get so much stuff done in a day

I am very frequently asked how I get so much stuff done.  It seems to boggle people's minds that, with three little ones, I'm able to homeschool them, have an extensive garden, cook about everything from scratch, blog daily, take care all of the housework, sleep, and do whatever else it is that I do.  So here it the big secret:  to me, I never feel like I get enough done.  There just aren't enough hours in the day.  Still, others seem to think I do do a lot, so maybe if I go through my typical schedule where everyone can see it, maybe that will help clear up the mystery.

I wake up, usually in the morning, when my toddler tells me I have to.  We cosleep, so he's right there to let me know that it is time to be let out of the room.  He still nurses and is a fairly heavy night-nurser, so having him sleep with me is a major time saver, as well as being sweet and snuggly.  I grudgingly wake up, usually around 11am, and get some breakfast.  I think cold cereal is gross, so I almost always have a hot breakfast: eggs, sausage, & toast; waffles; pancakes; oatmeal; occasionally the baked treat such as muffins or coffee cake.  While I'm eating, I do my morning computer stuff:  checking email, the weather report for the day, my blog stats, and Facebook.  When I'm done eating, I glance at my to-do list for the day, select an appropriate outfit for the day, and hop in the shower. 

The shower is my main strategizing session for the day.  I let my mind wander and let my the goals for the day percolate in my brain as much as I can.  Of course, since I have a toddler and toddlers don't understand the concept of "mommy is unavailable right now", this is usually done with him in the tub with me, since he follows me in and takes off his pajamas even if he's not invited, which makes thinking more difficult.  Fortunately (for the task at hand), he doesn't talk much, so I usually get some good ideas on how to do what I need to do most efficiently.  After the shower, I get dressed, brush my hair and teeth, and get started with what I need to do.

Usually around this time, either while I'm in the shower or shortly after, my 6 year old will wake up, around noon or so.  I make sure he eats something and start pester him to do his schoolwork.  I put together packets of worksheets for him to do, usually doing the whole week's worth at one time, and leave one packet and any materials he needs like crayons or pencils on the table for him to find if I'm in the shower when he gets up.  Of course, he ignores his work until I get on him about it....  Anyway, he has to have his worksheets done before he can play with friends, so he makes sure to have them done before his friends get out of school.  While he's working on his schoolwork, I start doing something else nearby, so I can answer questions and teach him the new skills if there are any that day, with very little interruption of getting done what I need to do.  When he's done with his worksheets for the day, he empties the dishwasher, then he's free to do what he wants (within the boundaries of our rules) for the rest of the day, unless he has soccer practice that evening.

Meanwhile, I plug along on my list for the day, giving greatest priority to things that have to be done right away because the food the project involves will go bad, because the weather says so, or because I need to do something before I can get to the project I really need/want to do that day.  As I get something done, I cross it off my to-do list, maybe take a quick second to see if anything interesting is going on in computer-land (note: I don't sit down to do this.  That would be a productivity killer.  I keep my netbook on the kitchen counter and do just a quick check-in while standing up, so I don't get sucked into non-productive land). 

About an hour or two before dinner needs to be on the table, usually as determined by when my husband has to be to work that night, I seriously think about getting started with dinner.  If the toddler takes a nap, I try to do this while he's sleeping.  If his nap is a long time before dinner, I'll still get as much prep work done as possible so I'm not trying to do it all with a clingy toddler on me, melting down.  I like to give myself way more time than needed to make dinner to deal with the inevitable eighty-million interruptions. 

I try to get everyone around the table for dinner as often as possible, especially since that is the primary time the kids get to interact with their dad, since he sleeps during the day and works at night, as well as going to school online, which occupies much of his awake time at home. 

After dinner, if my husband has to be into work "early", 7-8pm, I usually try (note the keyword there: try) to get the kids to help me with housework, if it is something that they could/should be involved in, like cleaning up after themselves, or something they like to do like laundry.  I do a load of laundry, minimum, a day, but I don't always get around to folding it every day.  Other times, it is stuff I need to do myself, like dishes or vacuuming, so the kids play or read ("read"?) or whatever (okay, they usually are watching television by this time in the evening.  I admit it, they watch way too much television and I hate it.).

On days my husband doesn't have to be in to work until 10pm, we eat dinner at 9pm, then it is time to settle down for the evening, usually meaning dinner, bath, bed.  In theory.  In practice, I usually try to get them to calm down and go to bed for a while, then get frustrated because they aren't going to bed like I want them to and are still bouncing off the walls, so I'll retreat to doing something productive like folding laundry or writing while watching the 10 o'clock news, until they seem calmer and I try again.  Or until I get really irritated because it is getting so late and they aren't in bed yet and I am ready for some quiet time!  Either way, eventually, they end up settled down and trying to go to sleep.  Both the 4 year old and 6 year old refuse to sleep in their room at the other end of the house ("Mom, it is too scary down there!" *sigh*), so they end up on the floor of my room (how this is better than the nice, comfy beds in their room, I don't know, but they insist it is!) and eventually, usually around midnight for the toddler, 1am for the 4 year old, and 2 or 3am for my 6 year old, they go to sleep. 

Finally, I get some mommy-me-time.  Sometimes.  Sometimes there is a project I need to wrap up, or something like dishes that can't wait until morning, or I still need to put together the morning's blog post (big secret:  I'm not really awake when these things publish at 7am Eastern time).  After everything is done that I need to do for the night, I try to read a little to relax before bed, but sometimes that doesn't even happen.  I try to make it to bed no later than 3 or 4am every night.  (See why we aren't morning people?)

So, in summery, it may not be a typical schedule, it certainly wouldn't work if the kids went to school, but with my husband's schedule of working nights and the kids (seemed) and my natural rhythms of going to bed and getting up very late by normal standards, it works exceptionally well for us.  I think that is a big part of why I'm able to stay on task and do as many things as I do each day, because I'm not exhausted from trying to fit a time-mold that doesn't work for my body.  As a kid and young adult, when I had to get up and be somewhere by a certain time each morning, I was dragging all the time, not able to focus as much, and would revert to a later schedule, identical to my current one (except I might have slept into the afternoon more then to get rid of a sleep deficit...and because I didn't have kids to wake me up!), every vacation I had!

Another thing that I know enables me to do a lot more than most people (apparently anyway, from what other people tell me) is that I don't sit.  I sit for breakfast (and do my computer stuff), dinner (time spent with the family), and to complete specific tasks on the computer, whether it be writing, organizing homeschool stuff, taking surveys for money, or what-have-you.  I never just sit and watch television.  I watch much less television than most people, usually just watching the news and fake news (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report), very rarely maybe a movie or a documentary that strikes my fancy.  When I do watch television, I'm always doing something else at the same time, like folding laundry, making dinner, or completing aforementioned computer tasks.\

So that's it.  That's the big secret of how I get stuff done....even though somehow it never seems to be enough.  Now that I've gotten my computer stuff done for the night, it is time for me to sign off, finish washing the laundry I'm doing right now, and maybe read for a while.  I'll see people's reactions to this post, and anything else I've put out there, in the morning.  Good night!

Acorn Pound Cake--acorns have never tasted better!

I'm so excited that I learned that sprouted acorns are still good to eat the other day, especially since all the acorns around the wonderful tree I found were sprouted.  From my quicky research, it looked like some experts actually prefer sprouted acorns since they are less likely to be buggy (one thing I saw said they flat out weren't buggy, but I found some that were, so that isn't necessarily true!), sweeter, and actually more nutritious once they are sprouted.  I discovered when shelling them that they are also a lot easier to get out of the shell when sprouted, since it is basically already started for you!

I made my first batch of acorn meal for the year last night.  I was quite pleased to discover that the acorns I collected were very low in tannic acid and it didn't take long at all to flush the tannic acid out and move on to other things.  (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you'll want to read my earlier post on acorns.)

Anyway, as I've been promising, here is the first of the acorn recipes I have available to share (which I'll be sharing as I make them).  It is a long time favorite, as I can remember helping my mom gather acorns as a kid so she could make a version of this (I added whole wheat flour and changed the seasoning) and I'd take small loaves of it to school for my teachers, who had strangely never eaten acorns in any form before.  The two loaves pictured above is actually a double batch.  The recipe makes one loaf.

Acorn Pound Cake

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup acorn meal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a loaf pan and flour the bottom of it; set aside. Mix together oil, sugar, eggs, and acorn meal in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine flours, salt, cream of tartar, and baking soda.  Slowly mix the flour mixture into the acorn mixture, alternating with the milk.  Add vanilla and cinnamon and beat well.  Pour into the prepared loaf pan.  Bake for 1 hour.  Let cool before removing from pan.

Free Food All Around

It boggles my mind how much free food goes to waste in this country because either people don't see it as food, see it as an option, or just flat out don't realize what it is.   When driving down the road with my family yesterday, we noticed scores of black walnuts, smushed into the road, a man raking apples out of his yard (we presume to throw away.  If we hadn't been in a rush, we might have stopped and asked him, since windfall apples could still be made into some pretty awesome cider!), and my 2 year old excitedly was yelling "PEAR!  PEAR! PEAR!" when we approached where we had gotten a total of about 1 1/2 bushels of pears free recently because they had three pear trees in their yard, didn't want the pears, so they stuck a sign on the side of the road offering "free pears", an offer my kids and I were glad to accept!

I was actually contemplating this during my son's most recent soccer practice, as my 2 year old and I gathered black walnuts from schoolyard.  A woman was out walking her dog and approached me to see what I was doing.  She said she'd seen those green balls a lot when she was out walking and even stepped on a few.  She thought they might be some kind of apples or something and was quite fascinated as I described how they went from being annoying green balls that got in the way of the lawnmower to being high quality food for my family.  Later, as I was shelling acorns while supervising my kids on the playground after practice, she came up to me again and told her friend that was with her (who didn't seem so fascinated) about the walnuts and asked what I was doing now, if this was the next step in the walnut process.  I told her that walnuts were much too messy to be dealing with at the playground and that I was working on more free food, but a different kind of nut.  She seemed to think this was somewhat interesting, but I doubt it made any sort of long lasting impact in her life.  Like a person commented on my article about how everyone can afford healthy food, "I don't know many people who are willing to scourer <sic> around for fruit and nuts, that's just not realistic."

Why isn't it realistic?  Free food is all around us, from the broadleaf plantain and dandelion greens that I'm constantly tempted to slip in with my spinach that I'll be blanching and freezing (so no identifiable leaf could later be separated out and I couldn't then be asked "what's this?"), to the pears and apples I mentioned above, to the walnuts and acorns I've been "playing with" the past few days.  It wasn't even a big time commitment to gather the pears, just a quick walk with the family or popping out of the car for literally 5 minutes or less when we were on our way somewhere else.  The acorns were gathered at the trailer park's playground (yes, I should finally be getting some acorn recipes up soon!) while I watched my kids play, until they and their friends joined in the "fun" of helping to gather them.  And like I mentioned, the walnuts were gathered while I had to be at the school for my son's soccer practice.

You want to wear your grubbiest clothes when processing black walnuts...and thick, impenetrable gloves when handling the husked walnuts.  They are called "black walnuts" for a reason (and I now have blackened thumbs and fingers, as well as tanned palms for not heeding that advice more carefully.  Fortunately, I am not a princess, so I don't care).

The processing of nuts can be a bit trickier, but still can be very doable, even if one is short on time.  The neighborhood kids joined right in the fun of stomping the walnuts to get them out of their husks, then it was just a matter of separating them out from the goo, washing them off (with the freakishly warm weather we've been having, I mostly just "powerwashed" them with the jet stream on the sprayer nozzle), and setting them in a cool, dry, dark place (the back of my garage) to cure for two or three weeks.  Yes, the acorns are time consuming to shell, but I'm doing them at odd times when otherwise my hands might be idle, like while watching television or during the car ride I mentioned above (for the rest how to process acorns, see this post).

With the growing number of people going hungry in this world and even in this country, isn't it nuts that so much of this fantastic, free food just goes to waste?

1000 Facebook Fan PAR-TAY

Okay, as of the time I'm writing this, I haven't actually hit 1000 people liking my page on Facebook, but I'm really, really close! As of this very moment, there are 955 people who like the page. When it hits 1000, which I fully anticipate any day now, something wondrous and magical will happen: A PAR-TAY! That's right! Some of you will remember my 200th Post Par-tay a couple months ago, and this one will run pretty much the same way, but with even more prizes and more ways to enter to win!

To enter, post a comment on ANY of my nearly 250 blog posts. Each post is worth an entry into the contest. A second way you can enter is join paperbackswap.com (make sure you follow one of my links to do it, so you get credit for doing it!) and list 10 books available to trade (sorry, this way to enter is only for US residents). New followers on Twitter from now until the end of the contest will also be entered to win. A fourth way to enter is to submit a article, picture, or cartoon to ViewsHound.com (new authors to the site only, please) and put my name (Chris K) in the field that asks where you heard about the site). (The deadline for the ViewsHound entries has passed.  If you already submitted something to them, please make sure I know about it for this contest.) Finally, you can vote for me in either the Babble.com Food Blogger contest (a one time thing) or the Fabulous Food Garden contest on yourgardenshow.com (you can vote daily on this contest and each vote counts as an entry as long as this contest as going on as long as you let me know that you did so) and let me know you did so. So you have about a billion ways to enter, give or take.

Once the Facebook page reaches 1000 "likes" the contest will begin.  I will select one winner randomly at random times until the prizes run out.  Since there are a few ways to enter that might require a day or two to complete, I anticipate the giveaway to be going on for a few days.  I will tweet winner's name (which will then automatically show up on the Facebook page, since that's the way I have it set up).  The winner will then need to email me with their prize pick and mailing info.  One prize per person please.  Prizes are awarded in order of emails received, not name drawn so you'll want to email me as soon as possible to make sure someone else doesn't snatch up the prize you want!

Here are the prizes currently available.  More may be added at any time before the end of the contest if someone offers them up and I will update this page to reflect the prizes that have already been claimed:

2 dream catchers (to be awarded to two different people), provided by Allure of Hearth and Home:  The smaller dream catcher (the one with a large red stone on the webbing) is a six inch circle.  The larger dream catcher is 9 inches wide by 7 inches tall, and because of the size and tension, it's slightly warped - intentionally so - in a very pleasing manner. When set flat on a table, the side of the catcher curl up like a flower petal.  (When requesting, please specify which dream catcher you'd prefer.  Shipping only within the US please)

Patchwork placemat (given by reader Rachel W.):  I don't have details on this, but Rachel made it (will make?) it herself and it will be coming from Australia, so it must be cool!  (Congratulations, magreen!)

3 2 1 tie dyed flour sack towel (to be awarded to three two different people) by wilDandwackYuniversE's etsy store: They are super big and are really a pretty addition to the kitchen.  She says, "Whoever wins these can specify colors that they like. I can't promise anything but if I have something in stock with their color choices, I'm glad to send it rather than a random towel. The colors I use for my tie dye are: red, pink, yellow, blue, green, orange, black, brown, and purple. " (Shipping only in the US only, please) (Congrats to Amy S and Kristen W, for winning one each of these)

 4  3 2   1 Trailer Park Homestead seed assortment:  These don't come with a ton of seeds of each variety, but the ones that are included are heirloom (unless otherwise noted.  I might send some leftover other seeds too.  I'll have to see what I have floating around) so you can start off with a few plants the first year (just like I do on my 'stead) and save as many of the seeds as you'd like for a second planting the next time.  Each assortment includes a minimum of some Aunt Molly's ground cherries, moon and stars watermelon, and rostov sunflowers. (Shipping only within US please) (Congratulations to Carrie S, Theresa, and pattyloof for winning three sets of these)

Books (please note: these are all used, in varying states from "like new" to borderline "good"):

12 Best Foods Cookbook: over 200 delicious recipes featuring the 12 healthiest foods by Dana Jacobi:  From an award-winning food writer and chef-the breakthrough cookbook that identifies 12 micronutrient-rich foods that can help protect you against major disease and shows you how to turn them into mouthwatering dishes.


A diet rich in nutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, and vitamins, is not enough for our health. For optimum protection against heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic diseases, we also need an abundance of micronutrients. How to make sure we get enough of these vital micronutrients-and how to prepare them easily and deliciously-is what Dana Jacobi shows us in 12 Best Foods Cookbook.


After identifying the 12 foods containing the most potent micronutrients-broccoli, black beans, tomatoes, salmon, soy, sweet potatoes, oats, onions, blueberries, walnuts, spinach, and chocolate-Jacobi provides over 200 fabulous, remarkably varied recipes starring these ingredients. From appetizers and sandwiches to sides and smoothies, from Salmon and Creamed Corn Chowder to a stir-fry of Asparagus, Red Pepper and Curried Tofu, the recipes in this book prove that a diet rich in all the micronutrients science has shown to be indispensable to our well-being can be a parade of delectable dishes. And, since chocolate is the most powerful antioxidant food, The Ultimate Bittersweet Brownies is one of the sweet treats that will satisfy the yearnings of health-conscious eaters and passionate chocoholics alike. (Congrats, Cheryl!)

The Cereal Lover's Cookbook: Fun, easy recipes for every occasion, made with your favorite ready-to-eat cereals by Lauren Chattman:  In The Cereal Lover's Cookbook, the great American staple comes out of the kitchen cabinet and goes into delicious recipes for everything from baked goods and snacks to salads, soups, and main dishes. There are more than fifty homestyle dishes to choose from, such as mustard-dill salmon fillets with a crispy corn flake crust, jam-filled muffins with a Grape Nuts® streusel topping, blueberry parfaits with layers of Fruit Loops®, and even meatloaf made with Wheaties®. All of your favorite cereals are here—Cap'n Crunch®, Cheerios®, Kix®, Special K, and more—adding crunch and pizzazz to recipes that are easy to make and hard to resist.

Confessions of an Organized Homemaker:  the secrets of uncluttering your home and taking control of your life by Deniece Schofield:  Do you find yourself constantly picking up the toys and clothing that clutter your home?  Has your desk drawer become your filing cabinet?  Do dentist appointments and important evens seem to sneak up on you--if you remember them at all?  If so, then Confessions of an Organized Homemaker is coming to your rescue!


The author, Deneice Schofield, who at one time needed "a camel, a canoe, a priest, and a tourniquet" to get through her home, has personally discovered and tested methods that will help you gain control of the house.  Through trial and error she has determined the best organizational techniques and strategies and can now pass them on to you!


This practical and comprehensive guide includes sections on:

• ways to conquer the need to collect
• tips on handling interruptions--the "hidden destroyers"
• creating a time-saving personal planning notebook that will stop you from looking for things or forgetting events

If you follow these and many other valuable techniques, the confessions of this organized homemaker will keep the mess from being swept under the rug--and sweep you away!  (Congratulations, Patricialynn!)

Feed Your Kids Right: Dr. Smith's program for your child's total health by Lendon Smith, M.D.:  Illness, hyperactivity, and even stress can be prevented if your child eats right.  Lendon Smith, M.D.--"The Choldren's Doctor"--has developed a complete, yet easy-to-follow, nutritional program that insures your child's physical and mental well-being from infancy through adolescence.  At the core of the program is the "Prevention Diet," a general plan for eating that eliminates the "antinutrients"--foods that have been packaged, processed, added to, stabilized, colored, or preserved.  With his five health profiles, Dr. Smith shows how to recognize any fluctuations in your child's condition.  He also urges the use of vitamin supplements--clearly explaining the function of each vitamin and mineral--to counter such troubles as short attention-spans, skin rashes, muscle cramps, chronic colds, and allergies.  Dr. Smith's comprehensive plan addresses the total health of your child.


A Country Doctor's Common Sense Health Manual by J. Frank Hurdle, M.D.:  An easy-to-use guidebook for getting read of aches and pains all over the body, for building resistance to disease, and for "rolling back the years" so that you look and feel years younger! (Congrats, Mali!)

Green Living: the E Magazine handbook for living lightly on the earth by the editors of E/The Environmental Magazine:  Experts suggest that by 2005, 40 percent of American homes will buy organic, yet a large majority have only a limited knowledge of how to actually make informed, green choices. Green Living, from the editors of E/The Environmental Magazine offers a thorough, step-by-step plan for every aspect of your life, from the laundry room to the kitchen:


Maintaining a healthy home
Going organic and avoiding genetically modified food
Finding a planet-friendly car
Making socially responsible investments
Using personal-care products free of damaging chemicals


With advice on everything from planet-friendly cosmetics to home-based renewable energy, and straight talk on hemp, hybrids and hair coloring, Green Living is the ideal reference for both the neophyte and the experienced environmentalist. (Congratulations, Nicole!)

Today's Herbal Health for Children: a comprehensive guide to understanding nutrition and herbal medicine for children by Louise Tenney:  TODAY'S HERBAL HEALTH FOR CHILDREN contains valuable information to help concerned parents learn how to aid the healing process of their children through natural methods. Also discussed is the importance of prevention through building the immune system.(Congrats, Aine!)

You Can Be a Super Quilter!: a teach-yourself manual for beginners by Carla J. Hassel:  Create beautiful pillows, Christmas decorations, hot pads, placemats, bazaar items, and heirloom quality quilts that will be prized by your family and friends!