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So you’re ready to make caramel apples, eh? Well knowledge is power, so here are some ways to guarantee success.

10 TIPS FOR MAKING CARAMEL APPLES

1. BUY INDIVIDUAL APPLES. You don’t know what you are getting if you buy apples in a bag. Yes, buying the bag is cheaper, but you want to bite into a hard, crisp apple… not one that’s soft with bruises.

2. WASH THE APPLES. Apples produce their own wax naturally. Many growers (even organic) also add another layer of USDA-approved wax to give them shine and retain moisture. You’ll want to remove this wax so the caramel will stick. Simply place the apples in a colander and pour on boiling water. Dry completely to remove the white film.

3. USE FOOD-SAFE STICKS. Chopsticks, craft sticks or pop sticks are perfect for holding the apples. It’s very Pinteresty to use sticks you’ve gathered outside. Unless you’re going to boil these twigs and let them dry out thoroughly, pass up this idea. Do you really want to use something that a squirrel sat on earlier in the day?

4. CHILL YOUR APPLES. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, put the sticks in the apples and then put the apples on the tray. Refrigerate until ready to dip. This will help the caramel stick!

5. USE THE RIGHT POT. Use a heavy pot. A heavier pot distributes the heat evenly so you won’t get “hotspots” and burn the caramel.

6. GET A THERMOMETER. A candy thermometer is absolutely essential. Many recipes give you visual clues, but what I may consider “dark amber” someone else may find to be “already burned.” Don’t risk it.

7. USE A SILICONE SPATULA. A heat-resistant spatula allows you to really scrape the sides of the pot so the caramel doesn’t overcook and burn.

8. HAVE THE DECORATIONS READY. This goes back to basic mise en place; have everything in place before you begin. You want the decorations on plates and ready to go before the caramel on the dipped apples cools too much.

9. DECORATION PERFECTION. When decorating the caramel-covered apples, roll the apples in the decorations (nuts, candy, whatever) or put the decorations in your palm and press them gently into the apple. If you try to sprinkle on the decorations, they will just fall off. Get ‘em to stick the first time.

10. HAVE PATIENCE. Making caramel apples takes lots of patience. Waiting for the caramel to reach the right temperature. Waiting for the caramel to cool before decorating the apples. Waiting for the decorated apples to set before you can dive in and finally eat them…

Now that you’re armed with these 10 Tips for Making Caramel Apples, click here to find the Perfect Caramel Apples Recipe. And if, by chance, you have any leftover caramel… pop some popcorn and pour it on top. Now that’s enchantment!

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It has been a little cooler than normal around here, so all the fresh summer veggies I crave have been a bit delayed in making their usual appearance at my farmers market.

But that hasn’t stopped me from whipping up my favorite salad of all time: Cobb Salad inspired by the Hotel Bel-Air’s Cobb Salad in Los Angeles.

What’s not to love about this protein-packed totally indulgent salad? Eggs, avocados, tomatoes, roasted chicken, onion, bacon and blue cheese all in pretty little rows on top of mounds of crisp lettuce. Toss it with a little homemade herb vinaigrette and you’ve got a beautiful (and substantial) meal!

That’s a lot of ingredients, I know, but here’s an easy way to remember what to include:

EAT COBB

E is for egg… A is for Avocados… T is for tomatoes… ah, you get the picture.

Most recipes call for iceberg lettuce but I use romaine lettuce instead because that’s what they use at that fancy-do Hollywood hotel where I learned how to make perfect Cobb Salad!

My Dexas Kitchen Tools really helped pull this recipe together easily!

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Want more great salad ideas? Here are a few:

Crunchy Bacon and Broccoli Salad 

Old School Wedge Salad

Sriracha Potato Salad

Here’s how you buy a little more kitchen real estate without blowing out a wall: Dexas’ Over-The-Sink Strainer Grippboard®. This 22-inch durable cutting board has non-slip handles that grip the surface to keep the board securely in place over your sink. This means you’ve instantly got almost 2-feet of additional counter space to slice, dice, mince and chop that you didn’t have before.

Dexas’ Over-The-Sink Strainer Grippboard® has a removable silicone strainer basket makes it even more convenient to wash and strain fresh fruits and veggies. And it expands to a 2½-quart capacity so you drain hot pasta or vegetables. The board is made of non-porous and odor-resisting poly board, so it won’t dull your knives (I loathe dull knives!).

And when you’re finished… it folds flat for storage. How’s that for efficiency?

Click here to order, or find them at Bed Bath & Beyond, Crate & Barrel, The Container Store, Williams-Sonoma, Macy’s Dillard’s and Sur la Table! Check out Dexas’ website.  They design some pretty cool kitchen tools and gadgets as well as specialty products that will really stimulate your culinary creativity (as well as help you eat healthier!). Oh… and they’ve got some pretty great pet products, too!  

I food poisoned myself… and the same thing could happen to you.

Quite simply… I didn’t wash my vegetables carefully enough. Self-inflicted food poisoning.

How many times have you bought fresh veggies, given them a quick wash and then added them to whatever you were preparing? Didn’t think twice about it, did you?

But how do you know if that cilantro wasn’t accidentally dropped on the supermarket floor, then returned to the shelf and nestled in with the other bunches? It looked okay… green and fresh and supermarket floor dirty.

And what about those apples? No bruises, right? Well maybe the person who was searching for the perfect apple just before you had something very contagious and touched the very same apples you’re carting home. Sure, you’ll wash them… but how well?

I could go on and on and get even more gross, but there’s no reason to… you get the drift.

For a while I was using Rebel Green Fruit and Veggie Clean…. but I ran out and didn’t replace it. Mistake. Rebel Green is made with all natural ingredients that lab tests have proven remove some of the most common strains of bacteria and pesticides on fresh produce… more effective than rinsing with water alone.

I’ve pulled together some more quick tips to keep your family safe and prevent foodborne illness in your home.