Homemade Funnel Cakes

These taste just like the delicious treats you'll find overpriced at the fair!

oil
3 eggs
1/4 C sugar
2 C whole milk
3 2/3 C all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
powdered sugar

On low heat, cook your oil.  It is best to start out with a lower temp oil (I set my burner between 4 and 6) and figure out how quickly you can work with your cakes.  The oil will continue to heat up no matter what temp you leave it on, you will have to gain speed as you go.

Beat your eggs and sugar, then slowly add milk.  Throw in your dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Unless you're fancy, use a gallon ziploc bag to squeeze out your batter.  Clip your corner fairly small and widen it as needed.  You want the batter to come out more slow than quick so you're able to get "streams" more thin than thick.  Make sense?  You'll learn as you go...

This is waaay too thick.  The hole in my bag corner was too big.

I think it is best to make smaller cakes, don't try to attempt the size you buy at the fair; otherwise, you'll end up splashing hot oil all over yourself and breaking your cakes!

When you see the toasty brown color creeping up the edges of your streams you can flip your cakes.  They cook quickly!

Once a light, toasty brown, set on some paper towels, add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

I found this original recipe on food.com, recipe number 8445.

Pecan Caramels

2 tsp. plus 1 C butter, divided
1 1/4 C sugar
1 1/4 C packed brown sugar
1 C dark corn syrup
2 C heavy whipping cream, divided
1 bag of chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla

Line a 9x13 in. pan with foil, grease foil with 2 tsp of butter and set aside.

In a large, heavy saucepan, combine sugars, corn syrup, 1 C cream and the remaining butter.

Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Bring to a boil.  Slowly stir in the remaining cream.  Cook without stirring until a candy thermometer reads 245.

It is best to have a thermometer that will hang off the side of your pan without touching the pan (you can adjust the depth of your thermometer as well).  

Remove from ehat and stir in pecans and vanilla.  Pour into your prepared pan and let stand until firm.  Lift the candy out with the foil then discard foil.  You can go ahead and cut it or, I found it easier to chill in the refrigerator then cut with a butcher's knife when the candy is harder.  You can then wrap with wax paper and either devour yourself or give away as a gift :)

Really, Really Easy Pumpkin Muffins

This recipe is great for taking a snack to Sunday School, taking a dessert, or to just have for breakfast.  It is literally SO easy, a two year old could do it.  (with help with the oven, of course!)  Oh and it's a Weight Watchers recipe!!  If you make regular-sized muffins, they are 1 point each....so the minis are probably 1/3 point. haha But whose counting?

You will need:

One box of spice cake mix

One 15 oz. can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, just plain pumpkin)

THAT'S ALL!  No water, no eggs, no oil, no lard...

What you will need to do:

1.  Stir up the two ingredients.  It will look very dry at first but I promise, it will all get mixed in and be very moist.  So DON'T add water, ok?  It should look thick and "gloppy."

2.  Fill mini muffin tin 2/3 full, or a little more.  Or you can use a regular muffin tin (bake for 18-20 min instead).  They only rise a little bit...not as much as cupcakes or other muffins do.

3.  If you wish, you can add a few chopped pecans or walnuts and a sprinkle of brown sugar to the tops, just before you put them in the oven.  This probably knocks them out of Weight Watchers category though.  I added chopped pecans to half the batch.

4.  Bake at 350 for 12 minutes for minis.

5. Enjoy!  They can be served warm or room temp.  Not sure how they would be cold.  Picture shows one without pecans and one with pecans.

Recipe yields about 44 mini muffins or 12 regular muffins.

Easy, right? Yes.