Apple Fritter Cake, Cute Quilts, and Shark Cupcakes. . .Good Stuff!

well my goodness...

even i don't know what to say after this latest absence!

sooooo much has happened in the past few months

that i want to write about.

one of these days i'll play catch up.

i have to...because i use my blog as a yearly memory album and there

are a few things i want included.

and i'm so sorry i haven't visited my special friend's blogs to

keep in touch.

i will...promise!

in the meantime, i have a shabby chicks facebook page 

that i post a lot of fun stuff on.

pop on over and like my page so you can follow along!

facebook.com/shabbychicksnaples

but for now, how about a light, kinda random post

to get me back in the groove.

ready?

let's do this:)

first off,

with school getting out, summer fun around the corner...

and shark week on TV,

how about some 

shark cupcakes?

awesome, don't ya think?

go to joanns.com for a supply list and info on the wilton shark cupcake kit.

summer decorating calls for a lighter hand, 

maybe a fresh new color or fun carefree accessory.

these pillows are just the ticket to lighten things up...

and you can find them at Pottery Barn Teen of all places!

speaking of teens (and the rest of us).......

great advice!

usually i make you wait till the end for the YUMMY recipe. . . . .

but not this time.

APPLE FRITTER CAKE. . . .

melt in your mouth goodness:)

Apple Fritter Cake

original recipe: http://nerdybaker.wordpress.com/2011/11/18/apple-fritter-cake-and-ufos/

Ingredients:

For Filling:

1 heaping cup of sliced apples (I cored and quartered and then sliced)

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

small pinch freshly grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons water

Plus

1/2 cup brown sugar (I used a 1/4 cup each of dark and light)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For Cake:

1/3 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup greek yogurt (you could use plain yogurt as well or sour cream)

For Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

For filling: 

Make your filling by combining apples, sugar, water, cinnamon and cornstarch in a small saucepan.  Cook on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce is thickend and the apples are a bit soft.  Set aside to cool.  In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together until well combined and set aside.

For Cake: 

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease and flour a 9×13 baking dish.  Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add applesauce and vanilla and mix till combined.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift the dry ingredients together.  Add the dry ingredients to the batter in three parts alternating with the yogurt in two parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Beat until just combined.

Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan.  Spoon the cooled apple mixture over the batter carefully and spread as evenly as possible.  Sprinkle 2/3 of brown sugar cinnamon mixture over apples and cover with the rest of the batter.  Sprinkle the rest of the brown sugar cinnamon mixture over the top.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

For Glaze: 

While the cake is baking, make the glaze.  In a bowl, mix the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until the glaze is desired consistency.  When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately but carefully pour onto hot cake.  Try to pour as evenly as possible.  You might have to pick up the cake and tilt it to spread the glaze evenly.  I even poured some out that pooled at the corners and repoured that over the top.  Let the cake sit for awhile for the glaze to set.

beware...it's reallllly good:)

 awwwww.....

how about some mini munchies. . . . .

don't you love these ideas?

last, i really love this quilt!

so plush looking with the velvet squares and the pom poms:)

okay, that's all for now:)  

hope everyone is happy and healthy!

xoxoxo

Suzanne

Yummy Apple Dew Dessert, Sharks Teeth, and Smiles. . . .

it seems everyone i know is on a diet.

oh, i know some say "it's a lifestyle, not a diet".

ya, okay.

if you have to cut out every. single. good-sweet-satisfying

 thing you ever loved to eat, that is a diet. . . . . . . . .if you ask me.

and that's okay too.

because i'm supposed to be losing weight myself.

and as we all know, it's one day at a time.

but does that mean every once in awhile, we don't come across a

super easy delicious recipe to try?

nope!

and this one is SO easy and YUMMY,

i have to share it with you!

it's one of those that takes only a few ingredients.

comes together real quick.

is so good, everyone will be lickin their plates and asking for the recipe.

the SECRET recipe.

with the SECRET ingredient!

(not so secret now I guess:)

here's what you do. . . . . .

Apple Dew Dessert

2 packages crescent rolls, separated

4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and quartered

2 sticks butter

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

12 0z. mountain dew (SECRET ingredient:)

~ ~ wrap apple quarters in sections of crescent rolls and place side by side in

a 9x13 pan.  Make sure apples pieces are totally covered with dough.

~ ~ bring butter, sugar and cinnamon to a boil and pour over apple roll ups.

pour the mountain dew over the apple roll up mixture.

bake at 350 for 45 min. till golden brown.

~ ~ serve warm with ice cream, whipped cream or both:)

*****even better with cinnamon ice cream. just soften a quart of vanilla ice cream,

stir in cinnamon to taste and refreeze.

DOUBLE YUM!!!

~ ~ apple dessert can be made ahead and reheated before serving.

well, enough about food, right?

SO, you know you live in Florida when you're walking. . . . .

in FLIP-FLOPS. . . . . . 

and you feel/hear something on the tile floor.

you reach down, thinking there is a staple or a nail in the sole of your flip flops,

you pull out the staple/nail thing and you see that it is neither.

as you bring it closer you realize,

there is a

SHARK"S TOOTH

 in the bottom of your shoe.

seriously...is that cool, or what???

i mean, how often does that happen?

a perfect shark's tooth!

my new lucky shark's tooth:)

yep, this is when you know you're not in kansas anymore:)

okay, now i just have a few more smile worthy things to share today.

like this. . . . . .

how can you not wake up with a smile to this big nose in your face?

gotta love my big boy Maui:)

so happy i had my phone by the bed to snap this pic!

and on the same subject, i love these guys!

they will curl up with me wherever and whenever.

my girls woke up to this picture...sweet, huh?

i made a facebook cover on smilebox the other day.

fun and very easy. . . .check it out and make one of your own someday. . . . .

well, that's it for now!

hope you smile today. . . .more than once if possible:)

xoxoxoxox

Suzanne

Cider Mills, Country Roads and Caramel Apples...

living in Florida is pretty nice...

most of the time.

but i figure after living here for 16 years, 

it's time to give credit where credit is due.

nothing beats fall in michigan...

or places like it "UP NORTH".

 (Petoskey, Mi)

and everything is up north when you live in

south florida:)
even the hospitals get into it...
here is my mom at an apple cart in the hospital cafeteria.

 it was so neat, i couldn't resist a picture:)

growing up there, i figure i have to share a few

favorites with you so here goes...

 a mini list of things you MUST do

if you go up north in the fall...

~go on a HAYRIDE

 ~drive...just get in the car and drive...

preferably down a COUNTRY road.

you'll see GORGEOUS colors everywhere as the 

leaves change.

~head up to northern michigan...

petoskey, mackinac island, traverse city...

 go on, just head north!

~ pop into Frankenmuth where they will say

WILLKOMEN (welcome in German)

and you will STUFF yourself at the Bavarian inn.

don't forget a visit to Bronners for your

first Christmas ornament of the year;)

~JUMP in the leaves.

go ahead...you're never too old!
and while you're there, make "leaf angels"
and have a leaf fight! haha

~stop at the nearest pumpkin patch

~and okay,  i have learned that college football

in the SEC (south) IS the equivalent of a national holiday...

and i am NOT exaggerating.

however, there is no stadium like

THE BIG HOUSE in Ann Arbor,

home of the Univ. of Michigan wolverines.

(ahem...it's ginormous...114,000+ watched a game Sept. 10,

that's why it's called the BIG house,

in case you didn't pick that up:)

~and my FAVORITE way to spend a Sunday afternoon

"up north"...

visit a cider mill!

 i happen to love Parshallville because that was closest

to me but they are all over. 

here we are at one near my sister's house.

you can't help but have a AMAZING day.

  

besides the CHARM of an old mill,

 the  red, crisp, delicious apples...

 there are the DONUTS!!!!!!!!

 omg...life doesn't get any better than a fresh,WARM

donut from the donut mill.

here is a link for homemade apple cider donuts...

or you can make the simple, easy version here...

you won't believe how easy and YUMMY they are!

(trust me on that:) the recipe is from one of my favorite sites,
southern plate.com and as they say...
they are "FOOLPROOF"
and NO, they do not taste like biscuits,
even though you make them with a can of biscuits:)
here is the recipe...

Melt In Your Mouth Doughnuts

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ten count can Texas style buiscuits (or your preference, just not flaky layers)
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 stick margarine, melted
• Vegetable Oil For Frying

Instructions

1. Pour oil into skillet to the depth of a little less than 1/2 an inch and heat on medium to medium high for about five minutes. In a bowl, melt margarine. In a separate bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar.
2. Using a plastic bottle cap, cut the center out of each biscuit. Drop dough into hot oil, watching carefully and turning when golden. Once doughnuts are golden on both sides, remove to paper towel lined plate. Repeat until all dough is cooked, including doughnut holes.
3. Dip both sides of each doughnut into melted margarine, then press both sides into cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve warm.
4. don't make them while you are home alone...you might eat them ALL! hahaha

and another cool idea for a party...

donuts on a stick in hot cocoa, cider...

 (from wedfully.)

as far as apple treats go, instead of a giant 

caramel apple that, while good, are sometimes a pain to eat,

how about CARAMEL APPLE BITES.

 i am soooooo making these for football saturday!

thank you Taste of Home for the tip.

okay, here i was planning a short post today.

tough for me to do:)

i'll post my giveaway later today or tomorrow.

like a hint? 

RUFFLES!!!!!

XOXOXOXO

Suzanne