Thursday, October 30, 2014

E! True Halloween Story Got the Best Costumes, Hair, & Makeup

By Laura Medina

You can be jealous now!  As an Halloween treat and who can take entertainment journalism seriously, E! is offering a marshmallow-rice crispy eye candy treat.

The crew and cast are dressed as Disney characters and “Saved by the Bell” highlighting the best in makeup, hair, and costume.

Starting last night with a Disney skit, tonight and tomorrow, they'll be doing a "Saved by the Bell." skit.

There's more to candy than just the ones you pop into your mouth.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

"Home & Family's" Fancy Halloween Candied Apples from the Hallmark Channel.

By Laura Medina

"Home & Family" Christina Ferrera & Ken Wingard making Candied Apples.  Ken & His Mouthwatering Apples.

The Hallmark Channel's cozy chatting and crafting show, "Home and Family" is all about taking the ordinary and the affordable then making them fancy and glamorous.

For Halloween, one of their resident "experts," Ken Wingard shares his recipe for mouth-watering Halloween/Autumn Candied Apples.  Drool. Drool.

These candied apples are a nice switch from the usual suspects of cheap Halloween candy and underneath all that gooey goodness are healthy apples that kids and adult kids have no problem munching on.

Ken even went as far as to substitute the sweeter whole apples for the much tart Crab Apples to cut down on the sweetness for adult taste.  You'll still have the crunch and the chewy-gooey texture and sweetness of a certain candy bar but with half the sugar.  

Okay, onto the fancy Halloween/Autumn Candied Apples for the Holidays...


These S'More Apples are the new Autumn/Fall candy classics.  Not just for Halloween, these healthy gooey-chewies are appropriate for anytime during Fall, right through Winter.

Remember, you can always trade the sweeter, bigger apples are the tartier Crab Apples as mini desserts for adults.
 
S'MORE APPLES
Ingredients:
6 apples

6 strong twigs
Graham cracker crumbs
1 bag of chocolate chips
1 bag of mini-marshmallos
Torch (optional)

Recipe:
- Wash and dry apples.
- Insert 1 twig into each apple center.
- Put graham cracker crumbs in a shallow bowl or large ramekin.
- Place chips in microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds at a time, stirring with a spatula after each time, until fully melted.
- Dip (well roll - see above) apples in chocolate.
- Immediately dip/roll chocolate covered apples in graham cracker crumbs.
- Set on cookie sheet
- Place large handful of mini-marshmallows on cookie sheet or in an individual ramekin placed on a cookie sheet. Arrange them into a nice 4" circle on the cookie sheet a couple of marshmallows high.  If you're using the ramekin, make a double layer of marshmallows.  Repeat six times on the same cookie sheet.
- If you're using the torch - torch away!  They will probably catch on fire at some point (as marshmallows are wont to do, just blow it out).  If you're using the broiler method, just pop the cookie sheet under the broiler until every things a nice golden brown.
- While the marshmallows are still gooey, place a chocolate and crumb covered apple on the top of each marshmallow mound. Let cool.
- If you didn't use the ramekins, you can transfer the cooled apples to shallow baking papers to make them easier to serve 
 


For the Fall classic gone "vampy," the Candied Red Apples gone vampire, Candy Blood Covered Apples..
CANDY BLOOD COVERED APPLES


Ingredients:
6 apples
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup corn syrup
red food coloring
6 strong twigs
Candy thermometer
Recipe:
- Place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Wash and dry apples.
- Insert 1 twig into each apple center.
- Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in a saucepan.
- Add candy thermometer and heat on high, boil until it reaches the hard ball stage (300 degrees).
- Remove from heat and add red food coloring, stir until fully mixed.
- Working quickly, roll each apple in the candy mixture until covered.
- Place apple on parchment until set.
 
Now, if these white decadent chocolated-coated apples were decorated in red and green sugar sprinkles, then they'll be Christmas Apples. Switch out the sprinkles then drip dark red sugar glaze, you'll get Bloody Mummy Apples.  Dipped in white chocolate, you'll fool your guests thinking you've spent a fortune buying from a fancy chocolatier shop but you didn't!



BLOODY MUMMY APPLES
Ingredients:
6 apples
1 bag of white chocolate chips
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup corn syrup
red food coloring
6 strong twigs
candy thermometer

Recipe:
- Wash and dry apples.
- Insert 1 twig into each apple center.
- Place chips in microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds at a time, stirring with a spatula after each time, until fully melted.
- Dip apples in white chocolate.  Well, it's more of a roll.  I tilted my bowl to the side and lay the apple in and just gave it a few good twists until it was fully covered.
- Place on a cookie sheet to set
- Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in a saucepan.
- Add candy thermometer and heat on high, boil until it reaches the hard ball stage (300 degrees).
- Remove from heat and add red food coloring and stir until color is fully mixed.
- Working quickly (the candy will set up in 10-15 minutes), take a small spoon and dribble the candy around the edges of the apple.  Also pool some around the stick to cover the exposed part of the apple as well. Don't worry about the little wispy strings that will form, you can break those off later.
- Let cool