No Bake Caramel Apple Cracker Bites Seasonal Recipe

Momma Told Me: It came from the microwave.

Momma didn't care much for the decorating aspect of the holidays, when I was a child- She was much more content whipping up some seasonal treat in the kitchen while my father silently cursed over the assembly of our artificial tree to the background tune of Mannheim Steamroller. Yes, they're the things my childhood holiday memories are made of. One year, Momma found herself low on energy and time, and decided to bring back a simple snack her own family had enjoyed, growing up. Most commonly known ad 'holiday bark,' or 'Christmas Crack,' a plate full of Saltine crackers covered in caramel chunks and chocolate chip cookies, melted, made for the perfect tradition. It was something so simple and delicious, Momma made it on demand every year after.

The crispy crunch of the cracker covered in gooey caramel, topped with smooth melted chocolate has stuck with me my entire adult life. I'm a sucker for the contrast of salty and sweet- and who doesn't love simple holiday snacking solutions? So, in homage, I devised these similar Caramel Apple Cracker Bites with just a touch of modern styling and food sophistication. While some of my guests call them 'cookies' they really rely on ready-made ingredients, so I have a hard time taking credit for their amazing texture and flavor.

Start with some round butter crackers and your favorite caramel sauce. I typically use a salted caramel jarred sundae sauce- just make sure you've either chilled your sauce, or are beginning with a thick/slow flow sauce that will not just run off your cracker. Drizzle or scoop a heaping teaspoon of caramel onto one side of your cracker 'sandwich,' place a pretzel stick in the caramel, sticking out, as your 'stem' and top with the other cracker half.

You'll want to chill your cracker apple creations a bit before dipping them, as the hot, or even warm, dipping chocolate will make the caramel want to run. I place my tray in the freezer for about 40 minutes, prior to dipping. Choose a chocolate dipping base that is sufficiently cut/thinned with coconut oil or shortening, but not too thin, to allow for quick and even coating. If possible remove your meting chocolate from the heat source before dipping.

Dip chilled cracker 'apples' with a quick 'flip' style roll in the melting chocolate. Here I've used Caramel Apple flavored Wilton chocolate baking melts, but you can also use any white chocolate tinted green. Once they are dipped, place them on a piece of parchment, on a cookie sheet, and immediately return them to the fridge or freezer. Be careful not to freeze the caramel, you simply want it chilled in a solid state for consumption!

When I first served these my guests were expecting dipped OREO cookies- since I'd made seasonal bats and pumpkins from OREOs a few weeks prior. They were certainly surprised to pick up this lighter treat with an addictive, crispy crunch. They were an instant hit with the perfect balance of salt, caramel, and chocolate. We specially love that they aren't overly sweet, and won't 'weigh' one down when grazing through a holiday spread! Have you ever served crackers in a sweet recipe such as this?

What Daughter Says:  There's no doubt, home cooked is best-not everything can take hours to make, though!

Kicking Holiday Heartburn + Split Pea Soup From Scratch Recipe

Momma Told Me: Taste the season to be jolly.

Don't judge- but for me, the holidays are all about food.


From January through October I exercise impressive self control when it comes to my at home, and even social eating. Don't get me wrong, I still love food during the rest of the year, but it's November and December I specifically reserve my splurging for. There are simply too many events, and seasonal specialties, I just can't turn down. And I may be shoveling every delicious homemade thing in sight onto my plate, or into my mouth, but that doesn't mean I'm not cultivating priceless memories at the same time. Because it wouldn't be the holidays without the seasonal flavors, and those flavors wouldn't tickle my tummy, and delight my inner child without all of the warm memories associated with them.

For example, ginger cookies remind me of the time I ate too many, gave myself a horrible tummy ache, and wound up with my head in my grandma's lap- her gently comforting caress of my hair, one Christmas Eve. The smell of molasses reminds me of the time my Uncle tried to smoke our holiday ham and we nearly wound up with the fire department at our Thanksgiving table. And coriander reminds me of that mysterious potato salad that would always wind up on my plate, whether I wanted it or not. Yes, food is one of the big reason's we get together- and it's the cornerstone of so many amazing memories and traditions. But for people like Jay, holiday cuisine can be a cruel mistress.

When we first met there was a slew of things Jay wouldn't eat- it not only dictated his food choices, but where we would go to eat for events such as dates. And, while there are many foods you may think of as triggers for heartburn, the ingredients and dishes which most greatly impact a frequent heartburn sufferer is as unique as the individual them-self. For example, Momma used to tell me to drink milk whenever heartburn would flair- but fatty foods such as milk and cheese actually increase Jay's discomfort, as they slow digestion and result in increased intestinal pressure.

When our first holiday season came around Jay began to make a fuss about sitting out family events- You can imagine the thoughts going through my head, I was certain it was all about me, and him not wanting to be around my family. As it turns out I was wrong. (Don't let him read that.) It soon came out that he didn't want to feel uncomfortable around all of the trigger foods he would inevitably want to eat. Frequent heartburn can truly sideline someone- and the holidays are no time to be feeling left out!

What's one of my biggest holiday indulgences? The holiday honey baked ham- you know the one- that sweet pork meat candy glazed with a golden sugar coating so aromatic you wish you could spritz your tree in it. (No, just me?)

Our family is big on the holiday ham tradition- we always make sure to order triple what we need to feed our guests and we still end up with minimal leftovers and a giant ham bone.Of course no matter how slick the family 'carver' thinks they are, there's still plenty of delicious ham flavor left on that bone, so I traditionally make a rustic split pea soup. It's kind of a holiday tradition.

Start by taking the bulk of the leftover meat off your ham bone with a paring knife. Reserve this meat, and any scraps/leftovers, diced, for the finishing touches at the end of your soup's creation.

Place a thick pad of butter in the bottom of an 8 quart pot and simmer your onion, celery, and carrots until they begin to turn soft, opaque, and slightly golden. Add some minced garlic and dried marjoram spice to really highlight the ham flavor you're about to introduce.

Add your ham hock/bone and the diced/trimmed ham to the pot and stir over medium heat just until sufficiently combined.

Next add your split peas and water, bringing the mixture to a simmer before lowering the heat and putting on a lid.

 Your soup won't look like much at this point, more of a vegetable stew, really, but shortly after adding the water savory aromas will begin to fill your kitchen thanks to the ham hock and marjoram.

You can't really over-cook your soup, aside from perhaps baking it to the bottom of your pot due to lack of stirring, so feel free to let it simmer until the ham is virtually melting off the bone.

Once your bone is clean, fish your hocks/bones from the soup carefully and smooth the mixture in a food processor a couple of cups at a time- I like to maintain a little texture, so I reserve 1-2 cups of the thicker soup as it is. Once processed, pour your blended coup back into the pot with the last of your reserved ham, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve this delicious rustic homemade split pea soup with a variety of toppings to garnish. Some of our family favorites include sour cream, bacon crumbles, bell peppers, cheddar cheese and fresh chives. Split pea soup, and all of the 'fixings' used to be a big trigger for Jay's frequent heartburn but Nexium® 24HR Capsules have changed the way his stomach greets seasonal cuisine.

Okay, now that his Holiday Heartburn Face is gone, he might be enjoying those holiday refreshments a little too much. Jay said this was his 'I'm drinking something I'm not supposed too, but I'm not going to pay for it later' face.

But in all serious-ness, I was trying to capture a nice holiday photo for our holiday cards, and the excitement of eggnog apparently got the better of both of them. Like father, like dog? I'm okay with it though, I'd much rather have a heartburn free partner in crime to eat my way through the holidays with than a scrunchy faced grinch! Do you have a traditional holiday dish you look forward to each year?


What Daughter Says: Don't sideline yourself this holiday season.

Rustic Split Pea Soup

***Click here for the printable Rustic Split Pea Soup recipe.

Make Your Holiday Gatherings #EasyCheesy With Stella®- Baked Pepper Romano Crisps Recipe

Momma Told Me: Who has time for that?

Growing up my mother's most popular recipes often involved 4 ingredients or less.

I recall, one holiday season, walking into my classroom's holiday play banquet- card tables lined up with Crock Pots and foiled platters. And, at the end of the line, on the dessert table, there was a beautiful tray of hand iced homemade sugar cookies with each child's name and silhouette on them. They looked as though they'd taken forever to make. Momma, however, was quick to comment under her breath how the mother who'd brought them should have put more time into how they tasted- not how they looked. But, truthfully, great holiday treats can do both- taste and look delicious, and you really only need one key secret ingredient- cheese.

Every year I attend countless holiday pot lucks, house warmings, family affairs, and seasonal affairs where I am expected to bring something tasty. There's always that pretense of  'it's the thought that counts' and bringing something is 'better than nothing' but as Pinterest inspires more than Martha Stewart ever dreamed to reach, expectations are definitely felt. I can't just slap some deli meat and cheese on a platter and call it festive- so I take a few extra minutes to layer my platter to look like a tree- with a few sprigs of fresh thyme in between. It never ceases to WOW everyone who walks by.

If your crowd isn't quite the finger food, platter type- perhaps you have an affair with some delicious wine involved? Making a delicious cheese ball out of your favorite soft cheese is the perfect way to seem pretentious when all you did was roll balls of cheese in colorful toppings. Cheese balls have been gaining in popularity over the past few years and can really become the centerpiece of a spread whether you go small with variety, or big with decor. In fact, I saw a cheese ball decorated with almonds to look like a pine-cone I intend on trying next Fall.

For those who like to feel like they've done a little more than take something delicious and slap it on a plate with fancy presentation, a delicious fondue-style cheese dip does wonders to elevate your culinary standing. Goat Cheese or Gorgonzola, for example, melts beautifully with fresh blueberries, and browns in the most delicious of bubbly ways. The purple color of the cooked blueberries is almost as delightful as the tart flavors mixed with the slightly sweet pungent cheeses. Serve with some sourdough crisps for a delicious pairing.

Of course my personal favorite way to serve cheese for a holiday gathering requires only one ingredient, and relies on truly delicious cheese, as it is the one and only star. I always keep an eye out for Stella® brand cheese, a brand with rich Italian heritage dating back to 1923. Their portfolio of fine cheeses includes everything from Blue Cheese and Feta or Fontina to Ricotta, Provolone, and Swiss. I find them locally in the deli cheese (that's craft and specialty cheese) cases at my favorite Ralphs or Vons, but you can find your nearest retailer here.

On my most recent shopping trip I happened across a few specialty varieties of Stella® Romano, including Black Pepper Romano, with the most inviting cracked peppercorn rind. I don't often bring hard cheeses to seasonal events- it's something I'll typically pair with wine, or use to highlight a recipe. However, when I tasted this particular variation I new it would be the perfect excuse to make 1-Ingredient Baked Pepper Romano Cheese Crisps.

Are you ready for my top secret recipe?

Grab your Stella® Black Pepper Romano cheese and grate it fine- about half  an 8oz wedge will yield 1 cup of loosely packed fine shredded cheese, and will make about 15 1.5" baked cheese crisps. Preheat your oven to 315F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (preferred, foil may be used but will cause cheese to continue cooking after removal and could cause issues with sticking.) Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of fine shredded Stella® Black Pepper Romano approximately 1" apart on your lined baking sheet. Don't heap your cheese, an even circle will bake most uniform.

Once your cheese begins to flatten and bubble, as to create pockets in the cheese, your crisps are about done. This typically takes about 3-4 minutes, but will vary depending on your cooking surface and style of sprinkling. If the cheese begins to turn 3-4 shades darker then you are ready to take them out and transfer them to cool- do not let your cheese brown or it will become bitter.

These single ingredient Stella® Black Pepper Baked Romano Cheese crisps make a delicious snack at any party, or can be crumbled on a variety of seasonal dishes, or even salads. Unfortunately, they never last very long though- nobody can ever eat just 1 or 2!

If you're as passionate as I am about fine cheese being a champion ingredient then head on over to Stella® Cheeses and enter to win a trip for 2 to Napa Valley, California!

What Daughter Says: Delicious doesn't have to be complicated during the holidays.

#ShareTheHoliday With Rubbermaid TakeAlongs- Maple Bacon Peanut Clusters + Stove Top Potpourri

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ShareTheHoliday #CollectiveBias

Momma Told Me: The best traditions are meant to be shared.

We're in the home stretch, the holiday season is upon us and there are just days until Christmas Day, which will roll into New Year's Eve, and in no time 2016 will be knocking at the door. This year has been an incredible one full of new experiences, new friends, unbelievable sights, and big changes. All of these things might tend to overwhelm someone, but, instead, I prefer to ground myself in traditions. You see, traditions are those things that remain constant no matter the time, no matter what is going on, or has gone on over the past year. Traditions remind us of who we are, where we've come from, and where we're headed. And the holiday season is the best excuse I can think of to share those traditions with others.

When I was a young girl Momma loved hand making gifts. Not only did she spend all year preparing for the Fall arts and crafts shows, but her commitment to crafting unique and special treats for those closest to us has remained an inspiration to my own adulthood traditions. Every year it was something different- one year we'd bake until the fridge was packed with the most delicious variety of homemade treats. The next year we'd carefully layer homemade bath salts and hand poured candles. It was something I looked forward to because it meant sharing time with my mother- while Momma found it the perfect excuse to retreat from the holiday hustle and bustle of department stores to revel in the comfort and cheer of her own home.

Naturally, I've made my own traditions- but the spirit of making gifts is one that's continued on in my own home. In fact, these days, it seems more and more people are hitting their kitchens, or craft rooms, to create meaningful gifts that say more. However, while Pinterest seems to make it clear that the best gifts come in baskets or mason jars- I'm here to tell you I have a garage full of baskets and more mason jars than I could use if I made an entire month's worth of meals in them. Isn't it time that which you gift your homemade gifts in was thoughtful as that which you were giving? Yes, that's exactly why I buy affordable, reusable, even stylish, Rubbermaid TakeAlongs containers from Walmart.

Rubbermaid is truly a generational brand- it's been in my cupboards since I got my first apartment, and my grandmother used to gift her own 'world famous' chocolate chip cookies in Rubbermaid food storage containers as well. Their unique rectangular Egg Keeper has saved more than one cookie decorating party with it's easy to store profile and uniform cradles perfect for portioning sprinkles. And the Quik Clik Seal™ technology of Rubbermaid TakeAlongs keeps even the messiest of holiday dishes safe for transport. They're perfect for gifting AND seasonal leftovers!

So, in the spirit of sharing holiday traditions, and a special $1 off 2 Rubbermaid TakeAlongs containers rebate offer from ibotta, I ran to my local Walmart this week for some last minute gift preparation. While many would consider this last minute- I prefer to gift fresh gifts that taste just as good as their initial presentation, timing and an air-tight storage system is essential. Besides, it was also the perfect excuse to make my grandmother's Slow Cooker Peanut Clusters, with a twist, of course.

Bacon has been on a hot streak for a few years now, and few things that come out of my kitchen get my family and friends as excited as when I make candied bacon- so I had the genius idea to put my own twist on this simple, traditional, recipe. First I had to line a few baking sheets with a generous, overlapping, layer of foil. Then I cut my bacon in half and rubbed both sides in brown sugar. For a little extra depth in flavor I even drizzled some pure maple syrup atop before sending them into the oven at 415F.

Making candied bacon is a tradition in our family- it's something we do for every potluck. It's simple expected. The process isn't too difficult, but it's certainly an art- and a sticky, messy, delicious one, at that. The bacon must be transferred off the baking sheet immediately after being removed from the oven, and placed on a cooling rack lined with parchment paper. If this isn't done in a timely manner one will end up with a solid sheet of bacon toffee- not the end of the world, but useless for this particular recipe.

While my maple candied bacon cooked and cooled I turned a small 2.5 QT slow cooker on high and allowed coconut oil and dark chocolate morsels to melt down amidst a few cups of lightly salted peanuts. The coconut oil is my secret to a smooth melt-in-your mouth peanut cluster that is easy to eat and hard to put down. Once the chocolate peanut mixture had been properly melted and combined I cut generous portions of candied bacon and set them in the grooves of a Rubbermaid Egg Keeper. The Egg Keeper is perfect for homemade candy portioning as it is freezer safe and offers defined grooves for even portioning.

On top of the candied bacon pieces I plopped heaping spoons of chocolate peanut mixture before sending the Rubbermaid Egg Keeper to the freezer. A little more than 15 minutes later my peanut clusters emerged, set, and easy enough to pop out and package in a Rubbermaid TakeAlongs container. While the rectangles work well for small batches and gifts I preferred the Red and Green seasonal Rubbermaid TakeAlongs in Deep Square for portions headed to families and offices.

Not everyone on my holiday list has a sweet tooth, and I also try not to bring treats as a guest, when bringing a hostess gift. For such occasions I prefer to keep my gifts just as fresh and inviting as my baked goods. A simple Holiday Stove Top Potpourri can be prepared in minutes with some basic seasonal ingredients and has a beautiful presentation when unwrapped.

Stove Top Potpourris often consist of 4 or 5 ingredients ranging from fresh fruit and flowers to spices. This year I made a fragrant Holiday Potpourri consisting of navel oranges, cinnamon sticks, thyme, cloves, and fresh cranberries. I portioned the ingredients in a fabric lined Rubbermaid TakeAlongs deep square container, sealed and topped with a bow. To the bow I tied a simple tag explaining what was inside the Rubbermaid TakeAlongs container and how to use it. You can grab the free printable gift tag, complete with ingredients, here.

Much like it's name suggests a stove top potpourri fills one's home with rich fragrance, similar to a strong candle. All one simply has to do is add the ingredients to a pot of simmering water. In our home we use the stove, and open flame, rarely, so I prefer to dump all of the ingredients in a small slow cooker, where it can sit on low for an entire day. It's amazing what a small container of simple ingredients will do to fill a home with fragrance and cheer!

Stove top potpourri is one of my favorite ways to bring the season home- and something I like to whip up whenever we have leftover ingredients. This particular recipe would, for example, be made with leftovers from an Orange Cranberry Muffin recipe. Rubbermaid TakeAlongs in seasonal colors even add an extra touch of style to my gift when prepared with a simple bow- they're prefect for holiday hostess gifting!

Making homemade gifts is just one way I share a little bit of that childhood joy I felt working alongside my mother as a young girl. Not only do I love and appreciate when I receive a homemade gift, but I am passionate about sharing a little touch of homemade love of my own. Best of all, when I package my gifts and treats with Rubbermaid TakeAlongs from Walmart I know I'll never be left with an excess of heavy mason jars or useless gift baskets. We can always use the leftover containers! Don't tell anyone, but I even gift packs of Rubbermaid TakeAlongs too! For more creative traditions and gift ideas follow Walmart on Pinterest. Now, share with me a holiday tradition that is important to you or your family.

What Daughter Says: Share your traditions, or start a new one this holiday season.

Dark Chocolate Maple Bacon Peanut Clusters

***Click here for printable Maple Bacon Peanut Clusters recipe.