Caramel Apple Cupakes

It's hard to face the fact that my kitchen is gone.

Physically the kitchen is still here.  And right now the dining room table is in it so that new carpet can be put down.   But my kitchen is in transition as the movers came yesterday and packed up all the things that are going to Hawaii with me.  Including my favorite kitchen tools and baking supplies.     

With me is a loose phrase.   I will be there in less than a week.    My stuff may be there by Thanksgiving.   My bathroom is a holding area for everything that's going in my checked luggage and carry on.    Like Hunter Hayes sings, "who wants easy?  I want crazy."  

Even though I don't have a kitchen any more, I still have some of these cupcakes left.   

I'm not really cooking from scratch right now, so I was stoked to find Pillsbury Caramel Apple Cake Mix which was new to me.    It was a treat to see that Caramel Apple Milky Ways made it back into the stores for the season again this fall.

I put the two together, with a little homemade cream cheese frosting and served these at my Liquor Cabinet Liquidation and Aloha Party.     Just so you know, the moving company will not take liquor.   

So we had to drink it.

So sad.   You do what you must.  

What You Need

Cupcakes:

1 box of Pillsbury Caramel Apple Cake mix, and the ingredients on the box required to make 24 cupcakes.

Frosting:

1 8oz package of reduced fat cream cheese

2/3 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons caramel dipping sauce (or ice cream topping)

Garnish:

Caramel Apple Milky Ways

What You Do (in 3 super easy steps)

1.  Prepare the cupcakes using the instructions on the box.

2.  Prepare the frosting by beating together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and caramel dip in a small/medium size bowl. 

3.  Once the cupcakes are cool, put a light coat of frosting on top and garnish with a Milky Way.   If there is any frosting left, it makes for a great fruit dip.   

Share with friends.     Because of the cream cheese frosting, store cupcakes in the fridge.   

Do you like all the fall flavored treats that are in the store right now?   

If you're visiting for the first time, like Traveler in the Kitchen on Facebook.   I promise pictures of sunsets and palm trees when I get to Hawaii - it may be a while until I have a kitchen, but I'm guaranteed to be eating something fun.   I just read about Musubi sandwiches yesterday, maybe I'll be trying that!

Peanut Butter Snicker Corn

Oooh, fall colors!

I'm supposed to be enjoying the fall colors now, because once I get to Hawaii, the only way I'll know it's fall is because it's football season.

And since I don't really care about football, I guess that means I won't know it's fall at all.  

What in the world will happen to me when it's winter?

This weekend my sister and I hosted friends on Friday and Sunday, including my "Liquor Cabinet Liquidation and Aloha Party."   And you can't have a party without snacks.

A week or two ago, I came across this awesome recipe on Frugal Foodie Mama .    So easy to make and you can't stop popping it in your mouth.   Either commit to eating the whole bowl, or put it on the other side of the room and fill the middle of the room with hungry crocodiles.    Those are your two choices. 

Choose wisely.  

What You Need

10 cups of popped popcorn

8 oz Snicker Bars, chopped (in a 12 oz bag of Fun Size, I used about 12 bars)

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup salted peanuts

What You Do

Chop your fun-size snickers into small pieces.    It's ok if you eat a few here and there.  

If you're popping corn on the stove, like I did, use a large pot with a lid.    Drizzle a little vegetable oil in the bottom of the pan and put on medium.    Put one kernel of corn in the bottom.   When that pops, you know the oil is hot enough and you're ready to rock.    Pour the popcorn kernels into a single layer in the bottom of the pan (you don't need to cover all the area).    Continue to shake the pot periodically while the corn is popping.    Burned corn is sad corn, so when the popping slows down, put the pot on a cool burner and let it finish.      Measure out 10 cups for this recipe, pour into a large bowl and save the rest for another snack.

In a small sauce pan, combine the sugar and corn syrup and let boil for two minutes.    Remove from heat and add peanut butter and vanilla. 

Pour the peanut butter mix over the popcorn and toss to coat.   Every piece will not be covered.    Add the peanuts and Snicker pieces and toss again.    Spread popcorn out on waxed paper to cool and then break apart and store in an airtight container.    If there's any left after you try it for the first time and decide that it's much more delicious than anything you might make for dinner.   

Do you have a favorite fun popcorn recipe?                          

Share here or on Facebook!

My Kitchen is Quiet Because....

I'M MOVING TO HAWAII!

 

I apologize for the lack of posts in the past few weeks.  

 

But, Hawaii.

 

I accepted a promotion and will be moving to Maui in a little over two weeks.    In rapid time I've switched from dining out and trying new recipes to frantic cleaning, downsizing and (most importantly) socializing. 

 

Once I'm done living in a hotel and have a little Hawaiian kitchen of my own, I'll be back in the swing of things (now with more Aloha!) but for the next month, this will be more "traveler" and less "kitchen."   And lots of gratuitous palm tree pictures. 

 

If you've made a similar move, I'd love to hear about it in the comments or on Facebook.

 

Want to read a little more about this adventure?