Caramel Acorns

 
I crave for Fall.


I know. Spring has barely sprung and I am already dreaming of the smells, colors, and the flavors of fall. 
Fall is still another 6 months away. Sigh...


To satisfy my craving I want to share with you a sweet autumn treat that will be sure to dazzle you Fall-fanatic friends.

This recipe is a labor of love but looks absolutely Fall-tastic!

2 sticks real salted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

1-1/2 tsp Saigon cinnamon
2-1/4 cups flour 
1 cup chopped nuts, divided
1/2 cup chocolate sprinkles (jimmies)
1 package (14 ounces) caramels

1-1/2 Tbsp milk


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Cream butter, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until fluffy.

Blend in 1/2 cup of the nuts.

Slowly add the flour until combined.
 

Form dough into one inch-sized balls, shaping into acorns with a pointed top. 

Place acorn-shaped dough with point up, 1" apart on un-greased baking sheets. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. 

Cool completely on cooling rack.

Combine the remaining 1/2 cup of nuts and sprinkles in a food processor - pulse until finely chopped. 

Pour mixture on a paper plate, wax paper, or silicone mat; set aside.

Melt caramels and milk in a bowl in microwave per package directions.

With a fork, dip acorn cookies into caramel, one at a time, turning to coat.

When coated, scrape excess caramel from bottom of cookie against top edge of bowl. 

Use another fork to carefully remove acorn from first fork onto nut and jimmie mixture to coat the bottom. 

Carefully pat nut/jimmie mixture about 1/8" up the sides of acorn cookie.

Transfer to a lined (silicone mat, wax paper, parchment paper...) cookie sheet.

Refrigerate finished cookies to set caramel.

Reheat caramel in microwave as needed to keep soft while dipping acorns. 

Store cookies in an airtight container at a cool room temperature with wax paper between layers for up to one week.

Free Gooseberry Patch Recipes

25 Mac & Cheese Recipes by Gooseberry Patch

2009 Ornament Swap

I want to share with you the ornaments I made for the 2009 Ornament Swap.

I was inspired by (copied) the pine trees I made to adorn the front cover of my Circle Journal (that I still have yet to send out).






I had so much fun making these Cozy Cabin Christmas ornaments.

Goodbye November

Goodbye November.

A Christmas Tree of Sisters

 
I set up this tree in the kitchen with every intention of decorating it with all things kitchen-y - cookie cutters, mini whisks, aprons, kitchen angels, mini baking and Bundt pans, and rolling pins.
 

As I was sorting through my Christmas decorations I came across a small box...

As soon as I saw the box I forgot about the mini kitchen tins, aprons, and rolling pins and immersed myself in the sentiments of the contents of the little box.

The scribble, GLU Ornaments 2008, may not mean much to you but it means so much to me.

You see, several years ago I met the most wonderful group of women through a message board and over the years we have formed friendships and a sisterhood. We gather through a private message board where we share our recipes, crafts, lives, and our hearts.

We have even gathered, across the miles, in each others homes.

In this little box are my sisters who were by my side when I decided to leave the comfort of my family and the town I had lived in for 20+ years to start a dream life, alone, in a tiny country town states away. In this box are the same sisters who shared in my crazy adventures. The beautiful women who prayed with me when my dad was diagnosed with cancer, who left silly birthday wishes on my nephew's answering machine while he was at school, and sent encouraging emails and get well cards to the children's hospital where my niece lived for weeks after fracturing her arm.

I am so blessed to know these wonderful women.

My Christmas Cocoa Mug Runneth Over!

Re-Post from The Podunkian Post Gazette

I jumped on the Polar Express this morning and it is full steam ahead to the North Pole!

I have a Crooner's Christmas in the CD player (and I don't even mind the Clay Aiken song - remember this post) and my home looks like it has been ransacked by a bunch of mischievous elves. There are dozens of  half emptied bins of Christmas decorations strewn through the house with stockings, lights, jingle bells, candles, and Christmas what-nots everywhere.

This is my first Christmas in my new home and have no idea how I'm going to decorate or where to put my trees. But you bet your sweet sugar plums and candy canes that I will savor every holly jolly moment of making it all Christmas cozy!

Sigh.... Remember the Christmas in July post..... Sigh....

Free Grungy Stockings Pattern

You can find this adorable pattern at Homespun from the Heart.