Apple Nachos

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Apple Nachos (Recipe Courtesy of Taste Of Home Magazine)

1 recipe of Caramel Sauce (Recipe Follows)
30 large marshmallows
1/3 cup butter, cubed
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts
1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons Halloween sprinkles

For The Caramel Sauce (Recipe Courtesy of Food Network Kitchens) :
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
3 cups sugar
5 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
Cook the sugar and corn syrup in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is dark amber, 7 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Carefully add the cream and 4 tablespoons butter (it will splatter) and cook, stirring, until combined, about 3 minutes.  Remove the skillet from the heat and let sit 1 minute.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt marshmallows and butter. Arrange apple slices on a large platter. Drizzle with caramel; top with marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle with peanuts, chocolate chips and sprinkles. Serve immediately.

I am a regular subscriber to Taste of Home Magazine and always look forward to receiving them. They never dissapoint! The newest October/November issue was no exception to this. When I turned the page and saw this recipe I knew I had to make these soon. We had invited friends over for Sunday and I decided I would make these as an appetizer. They are very quick to put together and full of taste! I didn't add Halloween spinkles to them because, well I can be OCD about some things, and I couldn't find any that I liked. It was either sprinkles with a few Halloween shapes in them or glitter. I wanted just Halloween shapes. I know....but I had this idea in my head and there was no way around it. Until I couldn't find them....so I decided we just wouldn't have any. After they were put together though I realized I had some candy corn in a candy dish that would look really cute. I think it did the trick! We had these for an appetizer, Corn and Crawfish Chowder and Cilantro Cheese Biscuits for Dinner and Pecan Bars for dessert. Except for about 4 Pecan Bars, everything was GONE! So all in all, I guess it turned out pretty good. The Apple Nachos are a great dish if you need something quick, delicious and festive for a party or dinner. And if you can find the perfect sprinkles...I bet they would be even cuter!! As always, if you don't have the particular apple called for in this recipe, use the one you have. Same with all other ingredients; a jar of Smucker's Caramel Ice Cream sauce will work if you want to make this in a hurry. Use what you have. Recipes are a guideline...use your imagination and have fun. That's what counts! That....and well that it's slap your mama good !

(* A post for the Corn and Crawfish Chowder will be comins soon! ) :)

Pecan Bars

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Pecan Bars
(Recipe Courtesy of Martha Stewart)
It’s fall!!! Is everyone else as excited as I am about this? I love everything about fall and winter. I have always been an extremely hot natured person. So during fall and winter I am in my element. I love that during fall I can turn off my AC and my heat and open my windows to enjoy the crisp cool air. And not to mention knowing when I get my power bill it will be the lowest of the year! I love making homemade hot chocolate and drinking my coffee outside in the morning. I love how there is a hint of excitement in the air that the holidays are just around the corner. I love seeing the orange and red flowers everywhere and the pumpkins and scarecrows on people’s lawn. I love everything about fall! Unlike most normal people, I even have my Thanksgiving menu planned. I know….that’s going a little overboard. But I have been looking forward to fall since last fall ended!! When it finally rolled around I had a list of dishes I was ready to cook to welcome it in. On the top of the list was Pecan Bars.

This recipe came from Martha Stewart and it's absolutely heavenly! It has a buttery crust topped with a rich pecan filling and kicked up a notch with fresh honey. Honey is the ingredient that makes this recipe...but not just any honey...fresh, local honey! Lucky for me, I have a stash of honey we buy from a distant family member who is a bee charmer. I have yet to taste a better honey. I buy more every year, even if i still have some from the previous year. It's that good and very cheap compared to the stores and farmers markets.
Another reason I love this recipe so much is because I have issues with traditional Pecan Pie. Don't kick me out of the south just yet....hear me out! I have always loved Pecan Pie...just without the pecans! Since I was a kid I have always picked them off and ate the filling and crust. The pecans always tasted too cooked for me...almost burnt. Because of this I would not eat anything with pecans cooked in it growing up and well in to my 20's. I wasn't too sure I was going to like this recipe for that reason. However, when I watched Martha Stewart make them on t.v. they just looked too good not to try. I am certainly glad i did! The first time I made them and tried one I thought, "This is how Pecan Pie should taste!" Needless to say, I make these instead of Pecan Pie! And in case you're wondering...I leave the pecans on them! Am I allowed to remain in the south now? I think if you try them, you will replace your traditional Pecan Pie for this recipe....at least this Thanksgiving anyway! And if you still have to follow tradition and make your Pecan Pie I understand and won't judge. Southern traditions run deep! Just promise you'll try it. You're life will be complete!