Caramel Apple Nachos - National Caramel Apple Day

Apples and caramel are a quintessential duo.  For years I've made this recipe.  Sometimes I use a big layer of caramel in the middle of a round platter, topped with finely chopped pecans and then place the apple wedges all around in a beautiful flower shape.  Sometimes I just place them in fun colorful rows and drizzle caramel over the entire thing.  You could also drizzle with melted white chocolate or even a chocolate sauce too.  And the toppings are endless.  Chopped pecans, peanuts, walnuts, mini chocolate chips, or even some chopped pretzels for a little salty flavor.  I used a crushed Butterfinger candy bar, some finely chopped peanuts and some mini M&M candies and some Halloween Sprinkles.  I think I told you I spent an entire day creating some frighteningly fun snacks to share with you for the month of October.  I fed Mr. Devilish Dish some Spooky 7-Layer Dip, Mummy Hot Dogs with Eerie Eyeball Pasta Salad on the side, and for dessert: Caramel Apple Nachos.  He's a good sport and ate all of it, silly as it was.  The Caramel Apple Nachos at the end of the night absolutely stole the show.  What's not to love about a fresh juicy apple drizzled with sweet caramel sauce? We both agreed the crushed Butterfinger was our favorite topping.  This could be a great use for leftover Halloween candy.  You know those big, beautiful juicy caramel apples you see in stores covered in all kinds of creative candy coatings?  Just like that.  Chop up those Fun-Sized Snickers and leftover Reese's Pumpkins and get ready for your own National Caramel Apple Day Celebration!

Happy National Caramel Apple Day
and Happy Halloween!

Choose your favorite apples, caramel sauce,
and toppings of your choice.

I gave my apple wedges a quick dip in
lemon lime soda to prevent them 
from browning.

Arrange your apple wedges on a platter.

Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle
with the toppings of your choice.

A great use for leftover Halloween candy.
Chop up those candy bars and enjoy.

A colorful and tasty treat.
Perfect for post trick or treating!

CARAMEL APPLE NACHOS

4 assorted apples (We love Honeycrisps, Braeburns and Granny Smiths)
Caramel sauce or topping of your choice
Assorted crushed candy and nut toppings (such as Oreos, peanuts, pecans, sprinkles, Butterfingers, crushed pretzels etc...)

Cut your apples into wedges.  If you aren't serving immediately you may want to give them a dip in lemon juice or lemon lime soda to prevent browning.  Place onto a serving platter and drizzle with caramel topping.  Sprinkle with your favorite assorted toppings such as candy bars and nuts.  Enjoy!

Spooky 7-Layer Dip

 A while back we had a "Nacho Bar" for our tailgate.  Which is honestly an easy way to feed a large crowd.  We all bring crockpots full of queso and chips and then pile on the toppings.  Grilled chicken, taco meat, pico de gallo, pickled jalapeno peppers, sour cream, guacamole.  The ideas are endless and it's a hearty treat that is always a hit with our football friends.  I had a few toppings leftover, and spent an entire day creating a feast of frightening treats.  Traditionally a 7-layer dip features layers of refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes and black olives.  Served with tortilla chips for dipping of course.  Since I had a host of nacho topping leftovers, I decided to get creative with what I had on hand, to create my own spooky version of a 7 layer dip.  I made a large batch of my Homemade Mexican Restaurant Relish, and even used some pickled carrots and jalapenos to make a cute little spooky spider to top off the dip.  It turned out really cute, and honestly what is not delicious about a layers of Mexican ingredients in dip form?  You could make your own version with whatever you have on hand, including leftover refried beans, salsa, queso, cooked chorizo etc...Just make sure you your top layer is a ghoulishly green guacamole and you have some sour cream to pipe the spider's web!

Your favorite Mexican Dip with 
a spooky twist for Halloween!

I made this with things I had on hand
leftover from our Nacho Bar Tailgate.
Feel free to use your favorite
Mexican ingredients.

Spread a layer of refried beans or 
bean dip into the bottom of a 
shallow dish.  Top with shredded cheese.

Add a layer of your favorite salsa or 
even chopped tomatoes.

Make your last layer a spread of 
ghoulishly green guacamole.

Make a little spider from pickled 
jalapenos and carrots.

Pipe on a sour cream web as your last layer.

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips
for dipping.

Isn't he cute?

I added a little garnish around the edge of my
dip with the pickled carrots and jalapenos from
my Homemade Mexican Restaurant Relish.
Honestly I did not have a single platter or dish to
serve this in that was remotely appropriate for Halloween,
so I decided to use the carrots and peppers to add 
a pop of Halloween color.  

SPOOKY 7-LAYER DIP

Refried Beans or - I used a can of Frito Lay Bean Dip

Your Favorite Salsa
Shredded Cheese
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Mexican Relish or canned Mexican Carrots & Jalapenos for the spider
Candy eyeballs for the spider
Tortilla chips for dipping

Spread the layer of refried beans or bean dip into the bottom of a shallow dish.  Top with a layer of your favorite salsa, and then a layer of shredded cheese.  Spread a layer of guacamole over the top.  With a pastry bag and thin pastry tip, pipe sour cream on top of the guacamole to create a spider web look.

Optional, use a pickled carrot slice and some pickled jalapeno pieces to create a spider and legs.  Top with candy eye balls.  Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

NOTE: The sky is the limit on the ingredients you can put in this.  Add some leftover taco meat, or black beans.  I literally just used what I had in my fridge leftover from a Nacho Bar party.  

Smoked Bologna - AKA "Oklahoma Prime Rib"

I've loved to cook since I was about 11-years old.  Just like my bio says, "I've been cooking since I was knee-high to a stand mixer, and when my mom only used garlic salt, I was riding my bike to the store for fresh garlic."  Heck I've even made a croquembouche once.  That's a big French word for a cone-shaped tower make of profiteroles (cream puffs).  So yes, sometimes I am fancy.  Other times I run straight back to my Oklahoma roots at enjoy a good fish fry or some smoked bologna now and then.  I don't know why, but you'll see smoked bologna at almost every true Okie Christmas get-together.  Maybe that's where the Prime Rib nickname came to be.  It's fancy and revered enough we only bring it out for the holidays.  Right up there with a Fried Bologna Sandwich.  Which is deep-diving into my Oklahoma childhood.  Everyone I know around here appreciates a good smoked bologna.  Whether they admit it or not.  A couple of years ago I made a "redneck charcuterie board" for a friend's birthday party.  A big ol gathering of friends that grew up in Oklahoma and Texas.  I added Easy Cheese and Crackers, Fritos Chips and Bean Dip, Twinkies, Honey Buns, etc... All of the stereo-typical redneck treats.  The star of the platter was smoked bologna and it was literally gone in a flash.  You just know everyone at that party remembers having a delicious smoked bologna when they were younger.  When we recently had a Fish Fry to celebrate my dad's 88th birthday, I asked Mr. Devilish to smoke a bologna.  There is absolutely no reason to save this for the holidays.  It's such a tasty treat.  You can slice it and eat it hot off the plate, thin slice it for a sandwich or even cube it up like an appetizer.  It is truly a nostalgic Oklahoma treat, and I'm all for bringing it back in style!  I'll share Mr. DD's method so you can enjoy our version of "prime rib" - just don't wait for the holidays!

A true southern treat.

You'll need a full chub of whole bologna,
 yellow mustard for a binder, and your favorite 
barbecue seasoning.

Unwrap the bologna.

Score diagonally with a knife.

Rub with a light coating of yellow
mustard and sprinkle generously
with your favorite barbecue seasoning.

Place in your smoker at 250 degrees
and smoke at least 2 hours.

Now you can stop here and eat it, dice it up as 
an appetizer or slice and enjoy.
OR you can take it a step further:

Place on a lightly oiled griddle or hot skillet and
fry on both sides until lightly browned.

Enjoy!

Oklahoma Prime Rib at his finest!

Here's our Redneck Charcuterie Board.
Check out that Chopped Smoked 
Bologna there on the left.

Mummy Hot Dogs

So I've told you about my Littlest Devils.  They are 2 & 4 and live in Colorado.  I wish they lived closer because I would 100% go all out for every holiday with them.  We would be cooking and baking and crafting as much as possible.  They love pigs in a blanket, so these Mummy Hot Dogs are right up their alley. Thank goodness Mr. Devilish Dish is a good sport and eats "toddler food" for dinner so I can try out new recipes that I will eventually get to make with my little guys.  These mummy dogs are so cute, and so easy to prepare.  They would be so fun for a school party, or a pre-trick or treating meal.  I served ours with mustard and relish on the side, but ketchup or barbecue sauce would be great as well.  You could also skip the candy eyes, and get creative with mustard, ketchup, peppercorns etc...But I bought a big jar of candy eyeball sprinkles and I'm determined to use them as much as possible this month.  Placing the eyes on the hot mummy dogs was honestly the most complicated part.  I would up using my husband's culinary tweezers.  Then I sent a picture of the finished Mummy Dogs to my brother-in-law the chef and said, "First time in history culinary tweezers have been used to place candy eyeballs on mummy hot dogs." His response was, "Culinary tweezers are like a pocket knife, handy for all sorts of uses." Even the chef was impressed with my Mummy Dogs. which means they are an ideal meal for kids of all ages!

Mummy Hot Dogs
Perfect for Kids of all ages.

Only 3 ingredients.

Remove the hot dogs from the package
and dry well with a paper towel.

Unroll the crescent dough and cut into 
4 even rectangles.  This step is even easier
if you can find the crescent sheets that
aren't perforate.  I couldn't but the regular
dough worked just fine.

Cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 thin strips.
I used my pizza cutter and it worked great.

Wrap each hot dog with strips of dough
to create a random wrapping like a mummy.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and 
spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray
or spray olive oil.

Bake until golden brown.

Add the candy eyeballs while the dough is
still warm enough to make them stick.

Why does that middle guy remind 
me of a Muppet?

Serve with your favorite
dipping sauce.

MUMMY HOT DOGS

1 package good quality hot dogs
1 tube crescent roll dough (even better if you can find the crescent "sheet" that isn't perforated into triangles)
candy eyeballs

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Remove the hot dogs from the package and dry with a paper towel.  Unroll the crescent roll dough and cut into four equal rectangles.  Cut each rectangle lengthwise into ten thin strips.  Wrap the strips of pastry around each hot dog.  I kind of went back and forth so it would have an uneven look.  Place the dough wrapped hot dogs onto a parchment lined baking sheet and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.  (I used an olive oil spray.  This will help them crisp up.)  Bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from the oven, transfer the hot dogs to a cooling rack and add the candy eyeballs while they are hot, so they will stick to the hot dog or dough.  Cool slightly and serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

Apple Cider Donut Muffins

Fall is here and while it's my favorite time of year (HALLOWEEN!) I have a confession to make.  I don't like pumpkin spice.  You won't catch me drinking a pumpkin spice latte or enjoying a slice of pumpkin bread.  Not sure if you've ever noticed but I think there might be one pumpkin-spiced recipe here at the DD, and that's the Browned Butter Pumpkin Pie Spiced Rice Krispie Treats.  Which only exist because I came up with them the time Mr. Devilish Dish taught a "Grid Iron Gourmet" tailgating-themed cooking class.  Literally everyone but Mr. DD and I love them, so I do make them frequently in the Fall, I just do not partake.  That's the only fall flavor I don't enjoy because I do love other fall flavors like Apple Cider.  Especially fresh at the Farmer's Market, even better when it's frozen like a slush.  It takes me back to the days we lived in Nebraska and frequented a quaint little pick-your-own-apple place.  These muffins have become a mainstay of my fall baking.  They have all the delicious apple cider flavor and texture of a donut, but the quickness and ease of a muffin.  It's just a handful of ingredients, two bowls and a dozen perfect muffins later.  I love these for a morning tailgate or watch party.  They are delicious, even made ahead, but one tip for perfection:  Once they are dipped in the butter and cinnamon-sugar mixture, let them COOL COMPLETELY before storing.  Otherwise the warm muffins will soak up the cinnamon-sugar.  They still taste great, but don't have that perfect look we've all come to love in the Fall when we see an Apple Cider Donut.  Just follow the instructions and you'll have the best little bite of Fall in the form of a muffin.

Here they are in their Fall Flavor glory!

The ingredient line-up

Mix the dry ingredients

Combine the wet ingredients and add 
to the dry ingredients. 
Mix and bake.

Immediately turn the hot muffins out
of the muffin pan.

Dip the hot muffins completely
into the melted butter.

Roll into cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Allow to cool completely.

These are the best muffins!

Perfect for fall 

Enjoy! 

APPLE CIDER DONUT MUFFINS

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup apple cider
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping:

1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a standard 12 capacity muffin pan and set aside.  In a bowl combine the apple cider, egg and vanilla.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, or bowl of a stand mixer combine flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  With the mixer running on low, slowing add the wet ingredients.  Mix until batter is combined but do not overmix.  Use a cookie-scoop, divide batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Immediately turn the hot muffins out onto the counter or cutting board.

Place the melted butter into a bowl.  In another bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup sugar with 1 1/2 teaspoons.  

Dip each muffin entirely in melted butter and then roll into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Transfer to a wire cooking rack to cool complete.  This step is very important, especially if you are making ahead, so the muffins don't soak up the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Makes 12 muffins.  Enjoy!

NOTE: Apple cider is unpasteurized and typically found during the fall season.  This is not the same as apple cider vinegar or apple juice.  I buy a jug and measure it out for this recipe and keep in the freezer.