Cookies and Cream Popcorn

It has been quite some time since I have posted... again... and I have finally found a recipe that I feel might be what I needed to break my non-posting slump.  Yes, friends, it was so intriguing that as soon as I saw the recipe online while simultaneously eating lunch/checking email/catching up on my Google reader feeds I printed it out and stopped at the grocery store on the way home from work.  Which, by the way is not something that I usually do when it is raining...there is something about all those wet plastic bags that bothers me (yes, I use plastic bags...it keeps me from paying for them to be used as trash bags...so don't judge me!)

Anyway, the recipe is for Cookies and Cream Popcorn!  Now you may think that is really not your thing, but trust me it is excellent!  After making this batch, I found that I could not stop snacking on it and finally had to package it up so that I did not eat the entire pan.  What I like about this snack is that it is super quick and easy to make, as well as it has all the things that are great about a snack: sweet, salty, crunchy and doesn't leave your hands all messy when you are finished (good for sneaking a handful without getting caught!).

So here is the recipe that was inspirational enough to get me to brave my super slow internet to attempt a post...with pictures!

This is from before I realized what a mess it was trying to chop these by hand on a small cutting board!

Cookies and Cream Popcorn

modified slightly from Handle the Heat

1 bag of microwave popcorn (the home style kind, not the super buttery kind)

12 chocolate cookies with cream filling, aka. Oreos, chopped up

6 oz. of white chocolate chopped (or half a 12 oz. bag of white choco. chips)

• Pop the microwave popcorn.  I use the popcorn setting on my microwave, or just follow the directions on the package.  Allow this to cool while you are getting everything else ready.  
• Cover a baking sheet with non-stick foil or parchment paper.
• Chop the chocolate cookies into pieces about the size of a cheerio.  I ended up throwing mine in the food processor and pulsing, just don't over process them or you will end up with crumbs. 
• In a microwave proof bowl, melt the chips in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted.
• Put cookies and popcorn in a large bowl and mix gently.  Add about half the melted chips and then stir a bit so that you bring the un-coated popcorn to the top.  Then add the remainder of the melted chips and stir until all of the popcorn/cookie mix is coated.  Spread the mix over the foil covered pan and allow to cool until the chocolate has hardened.  Gently break apart into the desired size and put in sealed bags or containers.  This will keep similarly to caramel corn, don't refrigerate or it will get soggy.

This is a great take-a-long for parties or as holiday gifts!

Thank You Apple Pie

I was fortunate enough to be able to spend my Memorial Day weekend at the Beach! While it was perfect beach weather, my sister and I were not there just to enjoy the rays, but to also get the beach house in working order for the summer, yard work and some serious cleaning! Needless to say the beach was calling to us and so we were very efficient in our house work.

The weather and beach were fabulous and though it is still not officially summer yet, it sure feels like it now, I don't want to go back to work! But before I get to the food, a word of warning...don't ever use sunblock from the previous summer! Just go out and but a new bottle! I am speaking from a painful experience here. I used a new bottle of the spray stuff on Saturday and came home with a nice tan, but Sunday was a disaster! I used a bottle from last year and slathered the stuff on thinking I would be good to go. Not the case! I ended up cooked anywhere that the sun had not previously been exposed to. So at this point I am sporting a 28 year old Coppertone baby tan line!

Now for the food.

We are fortunate enough to have some fabulous neighbors at the beach who have been mowing the lawn for us since we are not able to get down there regularly. So I was thinking what better way to say "thank you" than to bake something. I was trying to decide what to bake and went back and forth between chocolate chip cookies, muffins, or an apple pie. My decision was made when our Friday "snack" at school had a bunch of extra apples. I took those home with me and carted them "down the ocean" to bake.

This pie was not anything special, I took the short cut with the crust and just used a store bought one, but it was made with lots of thanks in mind. It turned out beautiful and our neighbor Mike said it was great.

Basic Apple Pie
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
8-10 apples (depending on the size you may need more or less, you want enough that the fruit is about 3-4 inches above the edge of the pie pan)
3/4 cup sugar
1-2 tbs. cinnamon
4 tbs. butter
2 store bought pie crust (I will include a recipe for a easy pat-in-pan pie crust soon)

Peel, core and slice all of the apples.

Place the bottom crust in the 8 or 9 inch pie pan. Let the edges of the crust hang over the edges, do not trim them off. Place sliced apples in the crust.

Sprinkle the sugar over the apples evenly.

Do the same with the cinnamon. Then slice the butter and place pats of butter over the cinnamon evenly around the pie.

Now place the second crust over the pie. Use your fingers to roll the bottom crust and top crust together toward the edge of the pie plate so that you are creating a seal between the top and bottom crust. You can then use your thumb and forefingers to create a pinched edge around the pie.

The last step is to cut vents into the top of the crust. Use a sharp knife to cut 4-5 lines in the top crust. This will let the steam out while the apples are cooking and allow the crust to settle with the apples as they cook.

Besides peeling all of the apples by hand, this is a pretty quick and easy way to make a fabulous pie. It is also good to add a few Crasins, raisins or even chopped dried apricots to the sliced apples to give the pie a unique flavor.

Thanks to my lil sis for taking the pics this time. Much easier to have a photographer than balance dirty hands and a camera!

Finished!