However, I have to say, this was pretty darn easy.  I just followed the directions (it happens, occasionally) and even in my severely sleep deprived state, this was the best caramel I’ve ever eaten!!  I could have let it cool just a little bit more before dipping the apples in, and it wouldn’t have pooled quite as much at the bottom of the apple, but my kids enjoyed eating all the caramel off the pan!  They also ate just as many sprinkles/decorations as they used on their apples.

6 – 8 small apples, unwaxed, cold  *Granny Smith’s are really good

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup honey

Special equipment: candy thermometer, and lollipop sticks

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. *or tin foil since that’s all I had!

Push a lollipop or popsicle stick deep into each apple – in through the stem.

Fill a large bowl 1/2 full with ice water and set aside.

In a medium, thick-bottomed saucepan heat the cream and salt until tiny bubbles start forming where the milk touches the pan – just before a simmer. Stir in the honey. Bring the mixture to a boil. Now reduce the heat to an active simmer and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 15-20 minutes minutes or until the mixture reaches about 255-260F degrees. To stop the caramel from cooking, very, very carefully set the bottom of the saucepan in the bowl of cold water you prepared earlier – taking special care not to get any of the water in the caramel mixture. Stir until caramel begins to thicken up – you want the caramel to be thin enough that it will easily coat your apples, but not so thin that it will run right off. If the caramel thickens too much simply put the pot back over the burner for 10 seconds or so to heat it up a bit.

I tilt my sauce pan so all the caramel forms a pool on one side, and use my other hand to dunk and twirl each apple until it is thoroughly coated with caramel. Place each apple on the parchment lined baking sheets and allow the caramel to cool and set.

Makes 6 – 8 caramel apples.

First, I want to thank everyone who entered my first giveaway!  It was a lot of fun seeing all the comments.  And I’ll get right to it……..the winner by random drawing is……..

The Share a Spoon theme this week is Halloween!!!  Yay!  You know I love any holiday that is centered around candy 🙂  Head over to to link up and check out the other spooktacular treats!  I’m posting late today, but time is passing me by so fast I just can’t keep up! 

I can NOT believe it is already the end of October!  How did this happen?!  Every year I make caramel apples with my kids around Halloween.  I let them “decorate” their apples in whatever goodies they want….usually tons of sprinkles and such.  This year, we haven’t gotten to it.  As a matter of fact, we haven’t gotten to hardly any of the treats I wanted to do!  However, one thing I thought looked fun and the kids would like is Halloween Candy Bark.  AND it’s super easy.  Bonus.

I’m linking up with for Wordless Wednesday!  Hop on over and link up!  You can also link up !

**edit**  Forgot to remind everyone about my GIVEAWAY!!  Go enter, you have until Friday!

Two posts in one day…Mo’s got it goin’ on!  Not really, but I really wanted to share this Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal.  Yes, I said oatmeal!  Don’t stop reading.  You should try this, it’s warm, cinnamon-y (that’s a word, right?!) and just wraps you in a blanket of warmth and comfort.  It’s perfect comfort food.  And it’s good for you.  Always a bonus.

I’m linking up with Tasty Tuesdays hosted by , so head over to check out more yumminess or to link up and share your own recipes!

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal adapted from

1 c old fashioned oats (+ water or milk for cooking)

1/2 c pureed pumpkin

2 t cinnamon

1 large pinch nutmeg

1 pinch cloves

2 T maple syrup

yogurt & toasted walnuts (optional)

Prepare oatmeal on stovetop or in the microwave according to package directions.  When most of the liquid has been absorbed, and oats are soft, add in the pumpkin, spices and maple syrup. Give everything a stir. Divide mixture into 2 bowls and top with yogurt and walnuts, if desired.

-OR- The Mo’Betta Way

Before going to bed, add 3 cups water to 1 cup oats to your crock-pot.  Set to low, and let cook overnight.  In the morning, add your pumpkin and spices!  Super easy and super delicious.  My advice is to spray your crockpot or liners with cooking spray as it will stick.

 Recipe – adapted from  (and she has way more awesome pictures)

4 cups water

1 cup stone ground grits (also known as polenta) *whatever, just not instant 🙂

salt and pepper

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter *Smart Balance Light

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined without the tails

6 slices bacon  *al fresco apple maple chicken sausage

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice *or, if you thought you had fresh lemon, and you start cooking and realize you don’t, well, lemon juice from the bottle works.  This may have happened to me.

2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped

1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions

1 large garlic clove, minced

Bring water to a boil. Add grits to the boiling water while whisking to prevent clumps. Add a bit of salt and pepper. Lower heat, bring to simmer and cover until water is absorbed. Follow the directions on your box of grits or polenta. Cooking times vary. Once thick, remove from heat and stir in butter and shredded cheese.

Rinse and pat shrimp dry. Cook the sausage in a large skillet. When cooked through remove from the pan and add shrimp into the grease pan (I had very little grease from chicken sausage, but it was fine). Cook until shrimp turn pink. Add lemon juice, sausage, scallions, garlic and parsley. Cook for another three minutes.

Spoon the grits into a serving bowl and top with shrimp mixture. Serve immediately.

My mother-in-law makes a sausage casserole that is pretty delicious.  Sausage, cheese, pasta…what’s not to like?!  Well, saturated fat, calories, for starters.  So, I decided to give her recipe a makeover. 
taaa daaaaa

So anyway—the recipe!  Original from my MIL, my changes are in italics

Sausage Casserole

1 lb. sausage      1/2 lb. Jimmy Dean Reduced Fat Sausage & 1/2 lb. ground turkey
*time saver tip – I cooked a pound of each, then used the other half  for pizza that I posted the other day!
1/2 c. chopped onion   *sometimes I add this, sometimes I don’t
16 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 t. basil

8 oz. mozzarella cheese *part-skim of course

Okay, it’s time….I am hosting my very first giveaway as a way to say “thanks” to my peeps for supporting me in my blogging venture, listening to me whine about my kids discuss parenting issues, enduring my chocolate obsession, and leaving such nice comments!  You guys ROCK 😀

Jocelyn at CSN stores has agreed to give one of YOU a $35.00 online gift code to use at ANY of their 200+ online stores.  Hellooo?! Santa can use all the help he can get!  Christmas is coming at us quick, fast and in a hurry.  CSN stores has pretty much everything!  You need a ? They got it.  Need bakeware?  They got it.  Kid’s stuff?  Exercise stuff?  Yep, they got it! 

All you have to do is enter in my giveaway, following a few of the “rules” and a random drawing will pick a winner.  You have until midnight Friday, October 29, 2010 (eastern standard time) to enter.  Keep in mind that CSN only ships to the US and Canada.

Ready?! Let’s do it….Leave a separate comment for each entry.

MANDATORY ENTRY (this must be done for any other entries to count!)

*  Follow me via Google Friend Connect or let me know if you are already a follower! (1 entry)
*  Visit csnstores (you can use above link) and tell me one thing you’d like to order with your gift code! (1 entry)

OPTIONAL ENTRIES (these are not required but will increase your chances of winning!) **leave a link for these in the comments!

*Follow me on Twitter ( ) (2 entries)

*Tweet abt my giveaway  (2 entries)

*For 5 entries, mention my giveaway in your next blog post! Please include the sentence: “Looking for a new cookware set, or perhaps a for the holidays? Check out Mo’Betta‘s giveaway sponsored by CSN Stores!”

It can be any variation of this as long as “” is hyperlinked to / and it must be the first link on the post for it to count!
(yes there is something in it for me, if I can get at least 3 of you to do this one, I get a $20 gift code too!)

Good luck and thank you for participating!  Remember, all entries need to be in by midnight Friday the 29th (EST).

I haven’t posted anything sweet in, like, DAYS!!!  I was really wanting to bake something….and I have apples….and I had a pie crust in the freezer SO….

! (original recipe from allrecipes.com)

 I had to eat a large slice as soon as it came out of the oven so I could take this picture for you guys.  The sacrifices I make for my blog 😉  The lighter topping is where the butter didn’t blend in well…I used Smart Balance Light, so I’m sure that’s the issue.  I didn’t care, it was all good!

6 cups cubed peeled tart apples

1/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream  *I used plain non-fat (homemade) yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

TOPPING:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons cold butter  *Smart Balance 50/50 blend

Directions

1.Line a 9-in. deep-dish pie plate with pastry; flute edges. In a large bowl, combine the apples, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and allspice. Combine sour cream and vanilla; stir into apple mixture. Spoon into pastry shell.

2.For topping, combine the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over filling.

3.Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F; bake 25-30 minutes longer or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.
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And you may or may not eat large quantities while the pie is trying to cool.  I’m not sayin’ I did that, just sayin’, you might be inclined to do so.  Especially if you are really hungry and have been drooling over how good the baking pie makes your house smell!

Off to running with my girls in a bit (we have a local running club that started a running program for kids – and their parents!), then a family trip to the Pumpkin Farm!!!  Yes, I’m sure you will be bombarded with pictures of my little punkin’s with their pumpkins 🙂