Archive for October, 2011

Every year since I was young, my mom has served up chili and homemade breadsticks each Halloween night.  It’s a delicious stop for friends and neighbors along their trick or treat route.  About 10 years ago, she started serving piping hot homemade donuts on Halloween along with her other offerings.  There is standing room only these days in her home on the most haunted night of the year, and she goes through dozens and dozens of donuts.

I’ve continued her wonderful tradition in my own neighborhood.  My husband makes pots of his amazing chili and I made lots of homemade breadsticks, right out of the oven.  I love the IDEA of homemade donuts.  But they will have to wait for when my kids are older and don’t need help getting into spooky makeup and costumes.

I still serve donuts, just the store bought variety.  This donut tree would be just the perfect and charming way to serve my donuts.  Brittany, from one of my favorites sites- One Charming Party, shares a perfect step by step tutorial.  It looks so easy, I think my kids could help.

Thank you Brittany for letting my share your fun project here on Make it Do.

One Charming Party believes in celebrating your child every day — visit their online shop for full-length DIY party plans.

I am so excited to welcome AmberLee here today.  Her blog, The Giver’s Log is both inspirational, beautiful and one of my best resources for gift ideas.  Today she is sharing how to make one of my all time favorite treats: caramel dipped apples.  AmberLee knows a thing or two about making delicious sweets.  She is the chocolatier behind the Ticket Kitchen and the lovely hot chocolate on a stick.

Hello Make It Do readers! I’m AmberLee, and I blog at Giver’sLog and have a hot chocolate shop called the Ticket Kitchen. I am a long time-fan of Calli and Make it Do, so of course I’m so happy to be here to say hello, and to share one of my fall favorites with you.

Every year around this time, I love to make a big batch of homemade caramel.

Have you ever had homemade caramel? The only problem with making caramel is, once you’ve tried homemade, it’s hard to eat those little wrapped bulk-candy cubes again (not that I have anything against bulk candy, in fact I love buying gummi bears by the pound. It’s one of my favorite pastimes.)

I love making a big batch when company is coming over, and leaving it on the counter with a pizza cutter for everyone to slice off just a little bit here and there.

And I love, as the caramel cooks, to take out some caramel early to make an unbelieveably good caramel dip…

and then waiting a little longer to dip apples.

I am still working on getting the perfect caramel apple, but after this post and this post last year, I’ve picked up a few favorite tips. I now dip the apples in boiling water for just under a minute to get any added wax of the skin, then let it dry thoroughly while I make my caramel. Finally, as soon as that big apple sinks down into the caramel and back kup again, I pop it right in the fridge for better cooling. Or I dip it first in an obscene amount of nuts and toppings. Which I also reccomend. Happy dipping!