Tobins' Tastes: September 2016

Friday, September 30, 2016

60+ Ways To Enjoy Apples This Fall



With Fall finally here I am so excited to start incorporating more of my favorite fall flavor into our recipes and daily routine. I know that pumpkin is usually the star of fall but apples are my true fall ingredient love. Many of the members of the Social Fabric community have gotten together to create this amazing list of over 60 ways to use apples this fall and all year round. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

DESSERT RECIPES
Home and Garden Cafe - Apple Pie Coconut Ice Cream
Kitchen Concoctions - Toffee Apple Pie Cookies
Basic N Delicious - Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake
Mostly Homemade Mom - Caramel Apple Pie Fudge
Little Blog in the Country - Pressure Cooker Canned Apple Pie Filling
Diana Rambles - Apple Spice Dump Cake
The Tip Toe Fairy - Apple Plum Skillet Cobbler
Home Maid Simple - Easy Apple Crisp
More or Less Cooking - Best Apple Fritter Coffee Cake
My Big Fat Happy Life - Skinny Caramel Ice Cream
Julie Is Coco and Cocoa - Fried Cinnamon and Sugar Apple Rings
Polka Dotted Blue Jay - Mini Carmel Apple Bites
Finding Sanity in Our Crazy Life - No Bake Oatmeal Apple Pecan Cookies
Upstate Ramblings - Caramel Apple Cake
Rebecca Lately - Baked Apple Recipe
Bento Lunch (dot) net - Caramel Apple Pudding Parfaits

MORE APPLE RECIPES
Happy Go Lucky - Bacon Cheddar Apple Dip
Creative Southern Home - Apple Bread
Beyond Mommying - Apple Bacon Grilled Cheese
Tiaras and Tantrums - Favorite Autumn Apple Snacks
Injenious Life   - Gluten Free Applesauce Muffins
Everyday Party - Simple Caramel Apple Cider
A Paper Arrow - Apple Bread for the Fall
Happy and Blessed Home - Delicious Apple Recipes
Mom Saves Money - DIY Dehydrated Apple Rings
Gluesticks Blog - Baked Apple Chips
Ava's Alphabet - Baked Apple Pancake
For the Love of Crust - Homemade Crockpot Apple Cider
Oat & Sesame - Maple Your Applesauce

ACTIVITIES
Jenny at Dapperhouse - DIY Apple Basket Sorting Game

CRAFTS
Creative Ramblings - Fabulous Fall Wood Apple Sign
Woods of Bell Trees - Quilted Apple Pillow
The Kennedy Adventures - Paper Plate Apple Craft

BEAUTY

Can you believe all these incredible Apple themed posts? Bookmark this page so you can come back and try out all the recipes, crafts and activities with you and your family!
Check back next month when Social Fabric features posts with a pumpkin theme. You can always search the hashtag #SoFabSeasons to find more of what you're looking for!

Friday, September 23, 2016

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip



So apparently it is "fall" all around America. Target has the Pumpkin Spice M&M's and Candy Corn on display. People are putting out door wreaths and taking in summer patio furniture. Every other post on Pinterest is fall this or pumpkin that. But here in South Florida? It's humid, sunny and 90 degrees. Not quite my idea of fall.

One thing fall-ish I can get into are apple desserts. Not Hot Apple Cider type treats but cool, crisp apples and no need to turn on your oven treats. And this Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip fits the bill.


This was actually the very first recipe I ever posted on the blog. And since it's been a few years and a name change, I think it is high time I reposted this recipe with photos that don't look like they were taken in a root cellar.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip is one of those recipes that people see set out at a party and are like, "Oh, apple dip how healthy!" And then they take one bite and realize that the only thing healthy about it is the apple slice they are using as a shovel to get the dip into their mouths.


And once the apples run out (and they inevitable will, because really, who ever gets the dip to dipper ratio right?) people will start using spoons, forks, knives, cookies or even their fingers if the evening gets late enough to scrape every last bit of caramel covered, powdered sugared, cream cheese off the plate. And why shouldn't they? The apples were healthy.

I got this recipe from a friend at a summer cookout and then have adapted it over the years. I make it at least once a month or more and each time it turns out a little bit different depending on what I have on hand. Feel free to spice it up with whatever toppings make you happy. And then serve it to your friends with a limited amount of apple slices and watch the social experiment begin : )



Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip
  • 8 oz. brick of cream cheese softened
  • 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • caramel syrup (I find the caramel dip/topping to be a little too thick)
  • mini chocolate chips
  • Heath Bar Toffee Bits
  •  Granny Smith apple slices (I buy the presliced CrunchPak for ease)
1.) Beat together cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.

2.) Spread mixture onto a serving dish and smooth out into a thin layer.

3.) Sprinkle on chocolate chips and toffee bits.

4.) In a pretty pattern, drizzle on the caramel sauce to lightly coat the candy pieces.

5.) I chill it in the fridge for an hour or so before surrounding it with apple slices and serving it.

Enjoy!



Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Making Your Trip Magical With The Help Of Disney World Baby Care Centers


This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MagicalFamilyFirsts #CollectiveBias


The first time we took Easton to Walt Disney World he was a teeny, tiny 8 week old. He still wore newborn diapers and needed to eat (nurse) every few hours. We completely relied on the Disney Baby Care Centers to help make our days in the park as smooth and as enjoyable as possible for everyone in our family.





Now that Easton is older, our trips have changed a little bit. He is more active, more aware of all the fun things to see and do and he generally just loves being at Walt Disney World. While we may not need to stop at the Baby Care Center every hour and a half anymore we still use them multiple times a visit.


I originally used the Baby Care Centers for nursing and pumping but now that Easton is almost one I find that they are great for older babies and families too. Here's some of my tips and suggestions for using the Disney Baby Centers with older infants.

1.) Know where they are located before you get to the park. Visit Walt Disney's website for the location of each center in each of the parks. They are usually near the entrances but detailed maps can be found online. Every minute counts when you have a screaming baby or a smelly diaper.

2.) Strollers have to be left outside so be sure to have everything you need in the diaper bag. It isn't difficult to head back outside to grab things but you might be in a bit of a bind if you are mid diaper change and realize the wipes are in the bottom of the stroller.

3.) All members of your party can join you in the Baby Care Center. Some of them are smaller than others so usually just Justin and I go in with Easton if we are at the parks with friends. The communal nursing/pumping areas are for moms only (Epcot & Magic Kingdom have these) but dads and other children are welcome everywhere else.

4.) Take advantage of all they have to offer. Each Baby Care Center has a clean and designated place to change diapers or outfit, an air conditioned space to feed babies and toddlers including high chairs and sink and microwave for food prep. They all also have places for parents and older children to use the restroom, as well as a water cooler where we like to fill up Easton's sippy cup with water (and mom & dad's water bottle too).

5.) They are the go to place to purchase anything you may have forgotten to pack. Each one has a fully stocked store just in case you forget diapers, wipes, formula, food, snacks, outifts and more. The Baby Care Centers are sponsored by Kimberly Clark so you know they will always have your favorite Huggies products on hand.

Huggies -9.jpg

Now that Easton is older his diaper needs have changed too. He just started wearing size 3's so on a recent impromptu trip to the Wilderness Lodge for the night I grabbed a bag of Huggies Little Movers from our diaper closet (shower gifts) and threw them in the suitcase. We had never tried them before but I thought the Disney characters would be perfect for a weekend at Walt Disney World.


Turns out both Justin and I (and Easton) loved them. He is crawling all over the place and starting to walk too so the double grip strips on the sides were perfect. They are Huggies most absorbent diapers with Leak Lock® for up to 12 hour protection so they were exactly what Easton needed for a busy day in the park.

When we got home I wanted to stock up on Little Movers so I headed to BJ's Wholesale to grab a big box of them. I was shocked at the Huggies diaper and wipe selection they had and the Walt Disney World Annual Passholder in me loved the Disney theming that many of the different diapers and wipes had. Easton was just excited to sit like a big boy in the shopping cart.


BJ’s and Huggies® are all about family firsts and they are teaming up to give one family a chance to experience the magical firsts of Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida. Every Huggies® purchase gets you a chance to win a 4-Day, 3-Night Walt Disney World® Experience.

To enter:
- Buy Huggies® at BJ's Wholesale
- Upload your receipt and visit HERE to learn more

Looking to plan your family's first Walt Disney World vacation? Be sure to visit Disney's family planning page for more information.

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