Best Apple Recipe Ever!

Just made this recipe for my small group this morning. It is by far my favorite apple recipe. The recipe is from Paula Deen, so you know it has to be rich and tasty and full of butter!




Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping

serves 2 dozen

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Streusel topping, recipe follows
1/2 cup caramel topping
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping.

Streusel Topping:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

Yield: approximately 3 cups

Cooler Weather = Soup on My Mind

With the cool, rainy weather we had here in the Chicagoland area this morning, I couldn't help but think of soup. I love soup in the Fall/Winter and love it even more when I can pull it out from the freezer for a quick dinner. Please help me compile some favorite soup recipes! Please post a favorite soup recipe in the comment section below or send it via email at gardenofedengoods@yahoo.com. You have a week to submit recipes so open your recipe book/box and start typing!

Busy Day...In a Good Way

With all 3 kids in school this morning and 14 weeks to we see the new little guy, I had some relaxing "me" time. Ethan has been begging for homemade strawberry jelly. Ever since he first tried my Nana's, that's all he wants. So today was the day to attemp jelly. Not bad, if I must say. Still waiting for it to set (needs 24hrs), but the spoonful I had was delicious. I also bought some apples a few days ago on the discount rack so I made some applesauce. Again, I only grew up on homemade applesauce from my Nana (she is the best), and was craving some of that chunky applesauce. It is too easy, peel, core, chop, heat over medium heat for 15 minutes or so and mash with potato masher...no sugar needed.

If that wasn't enough, I tried a new little craft...pendants. This is too easy and so much fun, you must give it a try.






What you need:

Pluffy - bake-able clay found at Michael's (not Hobby-Lobby)
Mod Podge Dimensional Magic
Acrylic paints

Optional:
pendant bases - found at Hobby-Lobby
stickers
flower petals
leaves
twigs

Kids and adults can get creative. Shape the clay, poke a hole (so you can add an "o" ring or string to hang on necklace) and bake for 15 minutes. Directions are on the package. You can press designs in the clay before baking using leaves, twigs, thread, tin-foil, etc. After it has baked, paint away. You can paint in layers. Add the color that you want in the indentations first and then wipe away. Add layers of color on top. Top off with the Mod Podge Dimensional Magic (this would be a job for mom or dad). This helps seal the clay and add a smooth clear dome appearance to the clay. Have fun and be creative.

Ga-ga for Yo-yo's and Kanzashi Flowers

I saw these "yo-yo's" on a quilt and thought they looked fabulous, but the diagram looked confusing. Found out they are so much easier then I thought. I found a link on YouTube that made it seem effortless and it was. Go to this link to see the yo-yo tutorial. The girl who gives the tutorial shows many different flowers to make. One of these flowers is the Kanzashi flower. It is a beautiful form of fabric origami. I had seen the flowers before, but did not know the name. You can find her tutorial at here. I will be busy making Kanzashi and Yo-yo's up the wazoo! So much fun. Check out the tutorials and get busy yourself.





Another great site for the yo-yo tutorial is found here. It is laid out in pictures instead of video.



Of note, the Kanzashi flower in scarlet and white sells for $360 on www.esty.com and the delicate pink Kanzashi flower sells for $150, also on www.etsy.com. HOLY COW!!!!!