mini carmel apples

with halloween around the corner, i thought i'd better write about these adorable mini carmel (they're actually butterscotch) apples i made for ella's class when she was vip at the beginning of the month and for andrews class for his birthday a few weeks ago (yep, still need to post on his b-day).

they were so fun & easy and i think they are just adorable.  they are the perfect bite size and with the sticks there are no sticky fingers left to wash.

ok, so here's what you need:
*apples
*popsicle sticks  (lolipop sticks would be really cute too - didn't have time to get them myself this year)
*bag of butterscotch or peanut butter chips

and here's what you do:
1. wash and dry your apples
2. take a melon baller or a small ice cream scooper and scoop out as many balls out of the apple as you can
3. dry them good (so the chips can adhere to them) with a paper towel or kitchen towel.
4. push your sticks into them
now, they should look like this:

5.  melt the chips in the microwave per the instructions on the bag
6.  dip those cute little apple pieces into the bowl of melted chips
7.  optional - sprinkle the dipped apples with halloween sprinkles
8.  admire those yummy little things

let them set for awhile (maybe an hour or so) and then wrap those babies up and put a cute tie on them...

i just used the cheap fold over sandwich bags and twine (i got a big roll in the target dollar section - it was indeed a great score) to tie them.

now put them on a cute tray and they're all ready for your kids to take to their class...

i wish i would have gotten a picture of ella carrying these into school.  she was so happy and looked so darn cute carrying them into her class.  and you would not have believed all the oohs and ahhs her classmates were giving when she walked in the door.

*this is a great activity to do with the kids.  they can help with pretty much every step.  ella scooped a few of the balls, and then i did the rest - that's the hardest part.  but she really helped with everything else.
* oh, and i found this idea somewhere on the family circle website, and now i can't find it.

saturday lunch...

i didn't know what it was going to be, and as i looked around my kitchen this is what i came up with

toasted french bread slice, mayo, smeared avocado, sliced tomatoes, sprinkled sea salt and ground pepper...fresh and delicious it was.

only christopher and john were home for lunch and they both loved it too.  i made two pieces each for each of us, and we all had seconds.  i drizzled some delicious balsamic vinegar on the second batch, and they were wonderful that way too.  we were full after our seconds.

we had some nice lemonade and sweet tea (fresh n easy has great sweet tea (refrigerated) - grab one when they're on clearance) with them, and had a lovely impromptu lunch together  - the four of us.

special treat(ment)

if you're lucky enough to be a 2 year old in our house, sometimes you get special treats and sometimes you get special treatment from your oldest brother who likes to make you awesome drinks when you're acting a little fussy (to get you out of your slump)...

yes, christopher made this all on his own for his little bro.  doesn't it look delicious?

oh, to be the youngest.  i wish someone made drinks for me like this.  actually, sometimes on sunday mornings my wonderful in-laws (either mother or brother) make me this lovely drink...

ya, i'm pretty lucky too.  here's to wonderful drinks, and wonderful family.