Cooking Up a Hooley In the Kitchen: Festive Fall Nachos
By Katie Gagne
A Great New Halloween Tradition ~ Festive Fall Nachos
Imagine the smiles and oohhs and aahhs you’ll have when you make this fun and creative treat part of your Fall holidays. Sweet and simple and so gooey good.
Ingredients
4 Granny Smith Apples – sliced
4 Red Delicious (or any favorite red apple) – sliced
½ cup Marshmallow Fluff – melted to a drizzle consistency
¾ cup Salted Caramel Sauce
½ cup Hot Fudge Sauce
6-8 oz Miniature Marshmallows
½ cup Mini Chocolate Chips
½ cup Peanut Butter or Butterscotch Chips (optional)
½ cup Fall Sprinkles/Jimmies
Spread sliced apples on a platter or in a shallow pan. Drizzle with Marshmallow Fluff, Caramel Sauce and Hot Fudge Sauce. Sprinkle liberally with Marshmallows, Chocolate, PB or Butterscotch Chips, and Sprinkles.
Dive in and enjoy!
The Best Homemade Caramel Sauce Ever
1 cup Granulated Sugar
6 tbsp Salted Butter cut into pieces
½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tsp Salt
Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a high heat resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn.
Once sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added.
Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted, about 2 minutes. If you notice the butter separating or if the sugar clumped up, remove from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again. (If you’re nervous for splatter, wear kitchen gloves. Keep whisking until it comes back together, even if it takes 3-4 minutes. It will eventually– just keep whisking. Return to heat when it’s combined again.)
Very slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup of heavy cream while stirring. Since the heavy cream is colder than the caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble when added. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.
Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt. Allow to slightly cool down before using. Caramel thickens as it cools.
Cover tightly and store for up to 1 month in the refrigerator. Caramel solidifies in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove to desired consistency.
(I have been using this caramel sauce recipe from Sally’s Baking addiction for years. It is amazing!)
Easy Hot Fudge Sauce
2 cups Powdered Sugar
12 ounce can Evaporated Milk
½ cup Salted Butter
¾ cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Bring to a boil and, stirring constantly, boil for 8 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly before serving. The sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Reheat as needed.
*Katie Gagne teaches English at Trinity High School in Garfield Heights. She is also the owner of her in-home bakery Sassy’s Sweets and Oh So Much More. You can contact her at (440) 773-4459 or at [email protected], or find her on Facebook at @sassyssweetsandmore.
