Fall in Love with Fall!

                         MINI APPLE-CARROTT CUPCAKES

If you love apples and carrott cake this is the cupcake for you!!!

What You Need:

for the cupcakes:



1/2 cup safflower or other light oil

1/2 cup softened butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups all-purpose flour

6 carrots (peeled or not -- I peeled mine)

3 small apples (peeled or not -- I did not peel these, and I used Granny Smith)

for the frosting:


1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup honey

5 to 6 cups confectioner's sugar

How it's Done:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line mini cupcake tin with papers or spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
Grate the carrots and apples and set them aside.
Beat butter, oil, and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions. Add vanilla extract.
Slowly stir in flour, cinnamon, and baking soda. Once all are incorporated, beat on medium-high 2 minutes.
Fold in apples and carrots.
Fill cupcake tins all the way to the top. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until top springs back when pressed gently. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting, beat together the butter and honey. Slowly add the confectioner's sugar until the desired consistency is met. If you want to color the frosting, do so before adding the confectioner's sugar. Frost as desired.


Ok a FALL DECORATING IDEA:

Also I decided that I will post a fall decorating idea just from pictures I have found everytime i post, (if i could find my camera i could post some of my own!) I love seasonal decorations! love love them! and pumpkins are my favorite!!!

Ok this one i just loved! If you have any indoor plants just go out and buy a a big enough pumpkin wrap the bottom of the plant container with a trashbag, cut a whole in top of pumpkin and use as a new plant holder! then once the pumpkin is getting mushy lol take the plant out and throw away trash bag...easy cheesy!!

STARTING NEW TESTAMENT TOMORROW:

Ok so we just finished up the old testament today! and I am going to miss it! I honestly loved loved it! If people would just give the bible a chance so they could see what it REALLY is about and CONNECTED it is, it's one big story, If read in chronological order you can start to understand different things which you may never before, for example i will list a ton of the things i learned that i had no idea about:

- who and what the 12 tribes of Isreal are
- the priest you hear in the bible are supposed to come from the line of Aaron(moses brother) who was a levite.
-about the tabernacle, how it was built and what it was used for
-the laws, and the sacrifices (and that when Jesus died on the cross he took the place of the sacrificing of animals and things like that but we still have to sacrifice things in our life, if that makes sense)
-geneologys are important and interesting!
-how much God loves his people even tho they keep messing
-i learned who solomon was..lol and so many others
-what the captivity was and the process in which it happened

the list could go on and on and on.  anyways.... ITS' REALLY AWESOME AND YALL SHOULD DO IT!!!!  READINGTHEBIBLE365IN2010.WORDPRESS.NET

So many hurting..........

It seems like there are so many going through things right now, either its health issues, mental, money, so much stuff so i would like to take this blog and dedicate it to all those hurting right now and in situations where you feel like there is no way out! I pray Jesus wraps his loving arms around you at this very second and comfort and give you peace. I pray for those people who are in the hospital and their
family members that God heal them! he's the only one who can! as my Aunt says we need to bombard heaven with our prayers for these people! One of the many issues i struggle with as a christian is wanting to fix everyone, wanting to make everyone's situations better but I realize i am not God and he's the only would who can truley step in turn situations around. If I made a prayerist right now it'd be almost a mile long! So if you are reading this, and you know somebody, (it may be you) who are going through something just pray! Pray pray pray!!! Praise God there will be a day with no more tears, sorrows or fears! In everything remember GOD IS FAITHFUL!!

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

On the note of prayer, please pray that my puppy MISS BETSY will quit eating poop and quit pottying in the house!! LOL it's been quite an expierince of having a puppy! As SOON as i find my camera (its M-I-A right now!) i'll will post some more pictures of our kinda sweet (not all the way sweet yet) Bassett Hound!


okayyyyyyyy cupcake time my friends!!! I sooo love love love fall time! it makes me sooo happy!!! When i think of fall i automatically think of festivals, pumpkins, apples etc! so these cupcakes are

                                    Caramel Apple Cupcakes!!!!

These luscious cupcakes are a childhood treat reinvented for the kid in all of us. Welcome fall with a few friends by baking up a batch of these challenging, yet satisfying goodies. The soft, tart apple shines through the spiced, not-so-sweet cake and the cream cheese filling lends a sweet smoothness. All this is topped with a robe of chewy, sweet, and slightly salty caramel.


Be sure to bake, cool, and stuff the cupcakes before starting the caramel. You want the cupcakes ready and waiting as soon as the caramel comes off the stove. Please note that you will need a candy thermometer for this recipe!



Apple Cupcakes

9 regular cupcakes / 350 degree oven



2-3 apples, granny smith

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup apple juice

1 teaspoon vanilla



1. Rinse and core the apples. Place them on an ovenproof pan or baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes until soft.

2. Remove the apples from the oven, let cool slightly, then remove peel and mush the apple with the back of a fork. Measure out 1 cup of apple mush and set aside to cool.

3. Combine flour, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl and whisk to combine.

4. Crack the eggs into a separate, medium sized bowl and beat with a form to break up. Add the oil, apple juice, vanilla, and cooled apple mush and mix to combine.

5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients until all ingredients come together.

6. Scoop into cupcake papers about 3/4 full so cupcakes will have a significant dome. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes, rotating the pan after 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.


Cream Cheese Filling
4 ounces Philly cream cheese

1/4 stick butter

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla


1. Be sure to bring the butter to room temperature by letting it sit out for 1 or 2 hours. Then beat the butter vigorously with an electric mixer.

2. Scrape the bowl and add the cream cheese and beat until combine.

3. Add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.


Fill Cupcakes

1. Cut out a cone from each cupcake. Flip the cone and cut off the excess. Set the top aside.

2. Fill each cavity with the cream cheese filling.

3. Replace each top.

CUPCAKE READY FOR FILLING

                                                             FILLING THE CUPCAKE

                                                             REPLACING THE TOP

Thick Caramel


1/2 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

6 ounces sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt



1. Bring the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk to a boil over medium-high heat stirring to combine.

2. With a wooden spoon, stir all ingredients together and then slowly add the heavy cream.

3. Continue to stir for about 20 minutes until the caramel reached 248 degrees. It is important to continuously stir the mixture and to allow it to reach temperature.

4. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Transfer to a bowl and continue to stir for 2-3 minutes allowing the caramel to cool slightly.



Final Assembly

1. Using a small offset spatula, frost each cupcake with the caramel.

2. If desired sprinkle warm caramel with any number of toppings, like coconut or crushed nuts.

3. Transfer the cupcake into the freezer to allow the caramel to set without dripping over the edge of the cupcake paper.

4. Continue frosting and topping the cupcakes and try to work fast. As the caramel cools, it becomes less spreadable. If possible work in pairs and let your helper top the cupcakes and transfer them to the freezer. By the time you reach the last few cupcakes, you will not longer need to freeze them and you can take all the cupcakes out and transfer them to the counter.

5. Top off each cupcake with a popsicle or craft stick to finish off the look.

                                                                FINAL PRODUCT!



* these are not my "own" recipes just incase you were wondering. I do not have time to come up with these all myself! LOL

IF YOU HAVE NEVER

Ok so if you have NEVER actually sat down and read the first 6 chapters of the book of DANIEL.....DO IT!! it's sooo awesome! b/c we grow up hearing all the bible stories but to read it now, and actually know the time period and what is going on it is sooo totally awesome!!! and even if you don't know the back ground of the time period it's still such a blessing to see how faithful God is, and the amazing ways he makes himself known, and the people he uses are the perfect example of a true faithful servant of God!! (puts all of us to shame big time!!!! LOL)

Been forever since i posted! almost a month...what the heck! Just totally swamped with homework literally, anyways..... this week my Uncle Tracy got to sing a 2 songs at National Quartet Convention, his first time since the heart attack!! He was overwhelmed with the love the crowd showed to him!!! Just ANOTHER example of HOW FAITHFUL GOD IS!!! He is a WALKING MIRACLE!! NO JOKE!! Continue to pray for him in his recovery! ps i was at their house last week and ate the best turkey burger ever!! i could get used to eating healthy like that!!! hahah.  Him and my aunt both are looking great!!!

I got a new puppy named Betsy and she's sweet as pie!! She's a 4th month old bassett hound! She's a hungry dog tho! When you have food it's like she in "i gotta get the food mode, i gotta get the food mode!" LOL she's such a turkey sometimes! haha

Okay cupcake for today!!  is for as the chilly weather start setting in....and the festivals begin!!

S'MORES CUPCAKE

2 and 1/4 cups of sugar PLUS 2 tablespoons more sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 20 squares)

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped



Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.

Sift 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix ingredients together on low speed.

In a large bowl, mix together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and continue mixing on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add boiling water and stir to combine; set cake batter aside.

Place graham cracker crumbs, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl; stir until well combined.

Place 1 tablespoon graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Use the bottom of a small glass to pack crumbs into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Reserve remaining graham cracker mixture for topping.

Place 2 teaspoons chocolate in each muffin cup. Transfer muffin tins to oven and bake until the edges of the graham cracker mixture is golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and fill each muffin cup three-quarters full with cake batter. Sprinkle each with remaining chocolate and graham cracker mixture. Return to oven and bake, rotating pans halfway through baking, until tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer muffin tins to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely.



MARSHMELLOW FROSTING


8 large egg whites

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.


Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a large plain round or French tip (such as Ateco #867 or Ateco #809). Pipe frosting in a spiral motion on each cupcake. Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet. Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown the frosting, taking care not to burn the cupcake liners. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container, up to 2 days.