Sunday, October 26, 2014

Salted Caramel-Apple Profiteroles

With three out of four of us feeling not so well, it's been a lazy weekend. Not exactly what I envisioned...maybe we'll get those pumpkins carved this week. But, today since we were all laying around, and I had a couple of Honeycrisp apples that I didn't want to let go bad, I decided to try this recipe. Delicious. And dressed up enough for company. I found it on the King Arthur Flour and pinned it to Pinterest...but I don't like that I had to refer to 3 different web pages and then sift through them to make this. So, I decided to post here. It is certainly not my recipe, all credit is given to King Arthur Flour!
(This iPad picture doesn't do it justice, but it really was delicious)!



I made a half recipe, which made about 12. Double this to make the original size batch of 24.

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons white whole wheat flour (I used whole wheat - it got darker, so next time I'll bake for a little less time)
  • 1/4 cup flour (bread flour if you have it)
  • 2 large eggs
1) Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line 1 baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
2) Place the water, butter and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat. Remove from the heat and add the flours all at once. Stir vigorously until well combined. Return to the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the dough forms a rough ball, about 15 to 30 seconds.
4) Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the contents to a mixing bowl. Let the mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the center reads 140°F. Beat in the eggs one at a time. The first egg should be fully incorporated before the second is added. Beat for 2 minutes after adding the last egg.
5) Drop the dough by heaping tablespoons (a cookie scoop is perfect). The mounds of dough will be approximately golf-ball sized. Leave a couple of inches between the balls of dough, as they'll expand quite a bit in the oven.
6) Bake the puffs for 8 minutes at 425°F. Don't open the oven door during the bake. After 8 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 375°, and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the puffs are golden brown. Remove the puffs from the oven and, using a sharp paring knife, make a small slice near the top of each, to let the steam out. Return the puffs to the oven. Turn the oven off, prop the oven door open slightly, and let the puffs cool inside for 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
I made 1/4th of a recipe which yields 7/8ths cup of caramel sauce.
(Follow the link for the original recipe and variations).
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1.5 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted
  • 2 T boiled apple cider
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Apple Pie Spice*
  • *No Apple Pie Spice? Substitute 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, pinch ginger, and pinch nutmeg or allspice
1) Combine the cream, corn syrup, sugar, butter, and boiled cider in a heavy-bottom, deep saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce to medium-high heat and cook until the mixture reaches 226-230°F on a candy thermometer, 8-10 minutes, depending on your particular stove. 
3) Remove the pan from the heat; stir in the salt and spice. Pour into a glass jar to cool. Store at room temperature for a few days. Refrigerate for longer storage.
For every two profiteroles you want to serve, core, peel, and slice 1 large apple. Sauté the apple slices in enough butter to cover the bottom of the pan, with brown sugar and cinnamon to taste.
When I did this, I used 1 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 teaspoons boiled cider, a pinch of cinnamon, and a few drops of brandy for each apple.
The filling kind of caramelizes on the apple and it is delicious.

Assemble and serve!
Puff pastry (bottom half), ice cream, apple filling, puff pastry (top half), and a drizzle of caramel. Enjoy!


Sickie

Yesterday, I woke up with an upset stomach and headache. Wayne told me he felt the same way on Friday (and was losing his voice yesterday and more today). So, Aubrey also woke up with a headache, I figured she had what we had. I gave her some ibuprofen and forgot about her feeling bad because she acted normal. 

Late afternoon she said she was cold. I was out of it, and sent her outside to play to warm up. Duh, Melody, that's not normal on a hot afternoon - it was in the upper 80's yesterday. Then I found her asleep around 4:30. She had been complaining of a headache. I took her temp and it was 104.3. I put her in the bath, gave her another dose of ibuprofen and her temp briefly came back to normal. Then it ranged from 100.5-103. 

I googled her symptoms (WHY DO I DO THIS!?!) and panicked when all I read was that fever + headache = meningitis. (She, of course, complained of neck pain soon after - one of the hallmark signs or something). Of course, someone I work with has been out on and off this year, most recently in the last 2 weeks, because of aseptic meningitis. I told Wayne that I didn't want to panic...but I was panicking and asked him to help me decide if I'm overreacting or if I should take her in. He came to look at her with me. 

After a call to the nurse on call who suggested checking a few things that seemed to confirm my fears-  Aubrey was difficult to wake up and said that it hurt to move her neck, and it appeared stiff - then the nurse said we should take her to the ER.

So, I took her. They did a strep test (which the PA suspected because of her red throat and swollen lymph nodes) came back negative. They said it doesn't appear to be meningitis. For both of those, they said it might be too early to tell but is likely just some other virus. When the doctor came in, he was a little pompous, so I chuckled inside when he appeared to stress out when she threw up (for the only time) while he was in the room. He immediately ordered Zofran for her nausea which seemed a bit of an overreaction. Not that I'm one to talk here. ;)

I was so relieved. I felt badly for taking her in for "nothing" and mostly because I expect the bill to be ridiculous. But, when she woke up numerous times in the night feverish, crying, sometimes making no sense, and complaining of a headache, each time I could reassure myself that it was okay.

While we were there, of course because of her fever, at least 4 people asked me whether we had been out of the country. Um, no. No Ebola here!

Waiting on the strep test in the ER.


She still has a headache, a fever, says her throat hurts, is fatigued, and her stomach hurts too. But she is much more herself today.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Jerry

We were so happy to have a chance to see Bob and Isabel. Ted and Sue brought them down for an evening visit on Tuesday. We were treated to a delicious dinner out and were able to catch up a bit afterward. Bad job, me. I didn't get any pictures.

This week, we were asked to send a 12-month outfit, 2 pairs of socks and a pie pumpkin to school for a project. I found the one baby outfit I had not passed down of Tyler's was this Steeler's outfit. So, that's what we sent.

Friday, Tyler came home with "Jerry."  How fun!

I think Jerry will become a permanent Fall fixture in our house. :) (With a newly decorated head every year, of course). 



Aubrey

Just ran across this picture from earlier this month...



One evening, October 7th to be exact, I had turned the garden sprinkler on (we're still harvesting tomatoes, peppers and basil), and Aubrey was playing in the garden.

A few of Aubrey-isms I don't want to forget.
- A massage is a "suhmahj." (I don't know how to spell it, but you get it, right)?

- Remember is "renember."

Papa's Pumpkin Patch - October 18

Last Saturday was a gorgeous day to go to the pumpkin patch.

My view while waiting on Tyler to go through the corn maze.


The slide


Barell train ride



Playground


Corn sheller - free labor ;)





The pumpkin patch is behind them...I was engrossed with actually looking for pumpkins and forgot to take a picture of that part. Oops. :)

Mr Peanut - October 18

Running errands on a Saturday morning and ran into Mr. Peanut. 


Fall Pictures
















Monday, October 6, 2014

Tyler is 10!

This morning started with birthday donuts - a pine cone for Tyler. And Wayne picked up donuts to take for his school birthday treat as well. After school, Aubrey and I picked him up from school. In the car, she asked if I could see my "ten year-old."

For dinner, we went to Kobe Steakhouse per Tyler's request. We enjoyed our chef. Aubrey was enamored and complimented him several times.  Tyler appreciated his punny jokes.


Nervously anticipating the shrimp toss...


Score!


Aubrey getting ready...



And getting hit in the nose by the shrimp. :)


Then home to Facetime with the Showalters and open gifts from the Showalters, Grandpa Millers, and from us.




A happy day. Hard to believe he's double digits. 

Last week, Tyler was the All Star Student at school for "Putting an outstanding effort into all of his assignments. He is kind to everyone!" At conferences, his teacher showed us his excellent grades, but also praised his quiet leadership, diligence in his school work and kindness to everyone. 
He made this mama very proud of the young man he is and is becoming. 

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Get Air

Tonight, Tyler celebrated his 10th birthday with some friends at Get Air.

Here he's showing me what he wants me to take a picture of. (Not wanting to pose for a picture just smiling, of course).


But, instead, jumping into the foam pit.


Abe diving into the pit.


Leo, Tyler, Aubrey, and Abe.


Kala, Aubrey, Devon, Michael, Leo and Tyler...clearly I can't get a decent trampoline shot with my iPhone.




Time for dessert...tiramisu, cupcakes and drinks.


Silly Leo.


Chatting with Michael.



Our party guests...Leo and Abe.


Devon


And Michael...Aubrey finally succeeded in photo bombing.



visitor

The weather has been beautiful this weekend. Last night, the kids were playing on the deck when they saw this little visitor. 



Art

We squeezed in a little art museum time last weekend because Aubrey specifically requested to go back to the glass floor (above Chihuly glass). Just a few pics from our visit...