Caramel Apple Dip (EASY!)

October 21, 2015October 21, 2015 Organic GloryLeave a comment

A few weeks ago, we went to the 1st birthday party of a close high school friend’s baby girl. Her mom had made the most delicious dip for sliced apples, and adults and kids alike were gobbling it up. When I asked her for the recipe (as Georgia kept digging into it!), she said it had just three ingredients that sound gross when you list them out separately, but tasted perfect when combined together. They are cream cheese, caramel sauce and granola. Weird, right?

But just like she said, it comes together magically. Thanks, Judi!

I love how fast this is to make, and how easy it is to find these ingredients. It tastes like a caramel apple that you’d buy at the orchard after a full day of apple picking! And the best part is that, for $10 in ingredients, you can feed a gigantic crowd of people, because a little bit of this goes a LONG way when served alongside fruit and crackers. I had friends over Monday night and made it, and six of us polished off half the pan; my co-workers took care of the rest when I brought it to work today!.

You can buy any brand of cream cheese, granola or caramel sauce. I picked up Trader Joe’s cream cheese and caramel and Bear Naked granola at the Roche Bros. downtown because TJ’s didn’t have any normal flavors of granola left. This can easily be made with a nut-free or gluten-free version if you so desire.

Caramel Apple Dip

INGREDIENTS

1 container whipped plain cream cheese (full or low fat, your preference)
1 jar of caramel dip (such as T. Marzetti) or sauce, like you’d find near the ice cream cones and toppings
about two cups of granola, any flavor you like
sliced apples and/or simple crackers to eat alongside

DIRECTIONS

In a pie plate or large bowl, layer the whipped cream cheese, caramel sauce (softening for 1 minute in the microwave if necessary) and granola evenly and serve at room temperature with sliced apples, cut large enough to scoop out the dip. Enjoy with a dozen friends!

This pairs especially well with cheese on an appetizer spread. Just like that slightly odd New England tradition of eating slices of cheddar with apple pie, right? What I especially like about this is how it doesn’t melt, congeal, separate, or otherwise morph into something inedible or gross-looking when left out at a party for a couple hours. You can also make it a day ahead, refrigerate, and it’s ready to go as soon as you are.

See our recent apple picking adventures here, and stay tuned for an apple crisp recipe coming soon. And for another easy fall recipe, be sure to check out my brown sugar kielbasa in the slow cooker! It’s perfect for Sundays spent watching the game with family and friends.

I’m signing off to get those darn wisdom teeth out tomorrow, so wish me luck and I’ll be back soon! XOXO

kid-friendly · Recipes · Tips and Tricks

How to Revive Stale Cookies

April 24, 2015April 27, 2015 Organic GloryLeave a comment

Don’t you hate it when someone makes you homemade cookies and you don’t have time to eat them all?

Yeah, that never happens to me either.

But I did recently have a huge batch of cookies left over from a get-together that was cancelled at the last minute, and I stuck them in the fridge where they didn’t spoil…but then they didn’t stay soft and chewy, either. So I adapted a trick I’d heard a long time ago for re-moistening stale bread, which calls for using your microwave and a glass of water, and found it to be a sure-fire way to bring hard cookies back to life. Pin it for later, you won’t be sorry!

All you do is place the stale cookie on a paper towel in the microwave next to a small glass of water. Heat for 30 seconds, see if it’s reached desired softness, and go for another 10 or 20 seconds if not. Voila! Moist, chewy cookies can be yours again, no matter when the goodies were baked or how long they’ve been hanging out in the refrigerator. This also works for stale bread, as I mentioned above, as well as hard pizza crusts and any other starch that’s turned hard and inedible. Enjoy!

Looking for a good cookie recipe? Don’t miss the easy Martha Stewart 5-Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe in my last post!

CSA 2011 · Recipes

Healthy french “fries”

September 12, 2011August 3, 2016 Organic Glory1 Comment

I got this great recipe for oven-baked fries from Brooklyn Supper, a beautiful blog about seasonal cooking. My husband said they tasted “like restaurant french fries.” I’d call that success!

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I used Yukon Gold potatoes from my Sparrow Arc Farm Share.

Step One

Cut four or five large yellow potatoes into finger sized strips, leaving the skin on.

Step Two

Carefully wash and scrub the cut potatoes under cold running water. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 and place an empty cookie sheet inside to warm.

Step Three

Let the cut & washed potatoes chill in a bowl of icy water for 5 minutes. This is very important — it washes away the starch and prevents sogginess.

Step Four

Thoroughly dry potatoes with paper towels.

Step Five

Remove hot tray from oven and drizzle with olive oil (about 2 TBSP) then lay out the potatoes.

Cook for 10 minutes, flip the potatoes with a spatula, cook for 10 minutes more, flip again, and then leave in for final 10 minutes (half hour total). Add more oil if you think they need it during cooking. They are done when they’re nice and crispy brown. Salt to taste right out of the oven and serve hot (preferably with ketchup!)