Apple Nachos

If you know me you know I love crack apples... and if you don't know me you are now wondering, why does Deidre love crack? Well. By crack I mean caramel apples, and not just any, the ones specifically from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory that are so addicting I would compare them to a drug. Adam, being the smart man he is, decided to surprise me with a treat on Sunday. Not just a treat. An apple nacho treat. Combining my two favorite things. Nachos and caramel apples. Apple nachos. Not with cheese. With caramel and chocolate. We are still working on perfecting our nacho combo but for now all I can say is it was SO good.

INGREDIENTS

6 Apples || We used Granny Smith

Chocolate flavored Almond bark

Caramel Sauce

Toppings (optional)

There are two options for caramel

A jar of premade caramel

or

6 Minute Microwave Caramel

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

I prefer a jar of caramel because it doesnt stiffen like the microwave caramel

Toppings Ideas

Reeses

Oreos

Nuts

Peanut Butter sauce

Chocolate Chips

Coconut

Sprinkles

Directions for 6 Minute Caramel

Combine all ingredients together into a microwave safe bowl

Microwave for 6 minutes taking it out every 2 minutes and stirring ingredients together.

Towards the end of the 6 minutes the bowl will be VERY hot, have a hot mitt on hand.

If you make this caramel don't make it until you ready to assemble the nachos.

Assemble the Nachos

Cut apples and core apples into 16 slim slices

Lay slices across plate of cookie sheet

Break a few chunks of almond bark into a microwave safe bowl to melt

Heat in microwave for 30 seconds and stir, continue until heated through

Heat up or make caramel sauce

Once the caramel is done, use a spoon to drizzle over apples

Drizzle chocolate over the top of the apples and caramel

While everything is still soft add any additional toppings you want

And then. Enjoy!

Easy Chocolate Caramel Brownies || Recipe

It is a Saturday afternoon and your husband texts you, "Drew invited us over for (fill in the blank) tomorrow." In our case. It was the Super Bowl. And Adam didn't text. He told me when he got home at 7 PM from his baseball trip to St. George. "Great! We should probably take something, yeah?" But... I was tired and Adam had homework. And we didn't really want to make something from scratch. So we went to the store to figure out what we could buy.... what box mix? Brownies. But not just any brownies. Ghirardelli with a twist.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Caramel Brownies

Ingredients:

One box mix Ghirardelli brownies

One bag Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Squares

One egg

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup oil

8" x 8" pan and something to grease it

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix together brownie mix, egg, oil, and water.

Dear Melted Cake,

First things first. I am guest posting over HERE today. Go check it out. Because I am teaching you the art of the funny face. If you haven't been able to tell yet, I prefer a funny over a serious. You do NOT want to miss it... I repeat, you do NOT want to miss it. It might just be the best funny face slash most hideous one yet.

Remember when I said, "Always check the over before turning it on."

And when Adam said, "The oven can be used as a perfect place for storage. With a lack of counter space, the oven becomes the next best place to store a recently made cake. Its becomes the worst storage place when the other person in the house doesn't realize that a cake is in the oven, and turns it on to preheat for dinner."

Well... take a look at this cake. Looks pretty normal, right?

Take a closer look.

Plastic wrap. Melted right into the cake! Which brings me back to the previous statement. ALWAYS check the oven before turning it on. I should know that since my grandma stores crackers in her over. What a waste of confetti frosting.

Love,
Deidre

P.S. Don't forget about the GIVEAWAY!

Dear Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes,

That is the longest title for any treat. From here forward I am not calling these treats Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes. I am calling them EPCC [Epic] Cupcakes. And let me tell you this. They are epic and easy. A few ingredients and 2 dozen delicious cupcakes will follow. And at the risk of making your grossed out because everyone hates this word, they are very moist even though it comes from a box. And I only feel the need to mention that because three people said that. First... you get to see a few nice photos of my making these treats because Adam loves to use the fancy camera.

Can't you tell how HAPPY I am to have these delicious goodies? They really were so good.

Ingredients
1 package spice cake mix
1 15 oz.can of pumpkin (I prefer Libby's)
3 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
1 container (16 oz.) prepared cream cheese or vanilla frosting

Directions
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Paper-line or grease 24 muffin cups.
BLEND cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, oil and water in large mixer bowl until moistened. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 full.
BAKE for 18 to 23 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Spread cupcakes with frosting. I empty the frosting container into a bowl and whip it up. It isn't as dense and seems to go a little further.
Decorate with assorted sprinkles, if desired.

See? They look good. Right? And they were INCREDIBLY easy to make. And even better tasting. The party was at 7:30 and I baked them all starting at 6:30. I may or may not have put the cupcakes in the freezer right when they came out of the oven so I would have time to frost them... but either way. 2 dozen cupcakes prepared and ready to eat in an hour. That is what I like to call impressive. Also. I am slightly mad at my friends because they didn't take home the leftovers per my request... so I spent the next week eating cupcakes. I guess I am just putting on my winter coat a little early this year.

Love,

Deidre

Dear Candy Corn,

  

Dress: Fred Meyer | Scarf: Soel Boutique | Tights: Target | Boots: TJMaxx

Besides all of my favorite fall accessories shown above {tights, boots, and scarves} I have forgotten to mention one more fall item... time and time again. CANDY CORN. It is candy corn season. And lucky for me I have a whole bag in my kitchen thanks to my dear dear special friend Mallory. Candy. Corn. Forever.

Love,

Deidre