Pistachio Cranberry Crack

Pistachio Cranberry Crack

Pistachio Cranberry Crack

DISCLAIMER: I will not be held responsible for the amount of this you will want to eat!!!!!

This is the most addictive thing I have ever made……..hence the name. Seriously, I could not get enough. Tim and I almost made ourselves sick eating it…….it was that good!!!!

I know Christmas is over, but the Holiday season is not………not quite yet. I am sure many of you still have another Christmas or two, and there is still New Years Eve. Make this, take this, be the star……..if after you make it, there is any left to take…..lol.

Having all things I like…….dried cranberries, pistachios, white chocolate……..heaven……..I sorta sang that last word.

Pistachio Cranberry Crack

I have seen recipes with saltine crackers as a base and skimmed by them, saltines are something I am not overly fond of. They remind me of being a kid…….when we were sick we got saltines and flat 7up. But, they add the perfect touch of salty crunch to this recipe. A quick brown sugar, butter toffee over the saltines, then white chocolate topped with the cranberries and pistachios………salty, sweet, tart, nutty…….and in one bite! As if you can only eat one bite!

Pistachio Cranberry Crack Collage

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Pistachio Cranberry Crack

Pistachio Cranberry Crack

  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 24 servings 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 40 Saltine Crackers
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 bags (12-ounces each) white chocolate chips
  • 1 tablespoon oil (I used coconut but any oil will do)
  • 1 bag (5-ounces) dried cranberries, chopped
  • 1/2 cup pistachios ,chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and grease with cooking spray.
  3. Arrange the saltines, in a single layer; set aside.
  4. In a small saucepan combine butter and light brown sugar; cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until butter is melted.
  5. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil; continue to cook, stirring until it turns a caramel color; about 1 minute.
  6. Remove from heat and pour over the crackers.
  7. The crackers will start to move around slightly but you can push them back into place.
  8. Bake in 400* 4 to 5 minutes, or until mixture is bubbly.Remove from oven and set aside.
  9. Place chocolate chips and oil in a microwave proof bowl.
  10. Microwave in minute intervals until the mixture is just melted. Remove from the microwave and continue stirring until all the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth.
  11. Pour half of the melted chocolate over the crackers and smoothing with an offset spatula. Let stand 1 minute.
  12. Pour the rest of the melted chocolate over the first layer and smooth it out again using an offset spatula.
  13. Add pistachios and dried cranberries on top. Press down slightly to make sure the adhere to the chocolate.
  14. Place in the freezer or refrigerator until solid and cold. The freezer will work faster.
  15. Break up into pieces.

Keywords: dried cranberries, saltine crackers, toffee, white chocolate, dessert

 

Caramel Pecan Apple Pie Cups

Caramel Pecan Apple Pie Cups

Caramel Pecan Apple Pie Cups 1

I made Tim and I’s Thanksgiving feast……..the Sunday before Thanksgiving…….but we needed dessert.
I didn’t want to make whole pie ..……Caramel Pecan Apple Pie Cups!

We both are huge fans of dessert, we have it almost every night……..which is why we will be starting a Health page come January 1, 2015.

Although, in the coming year we will be changing some of our dessert ways, it was a Holiday and well, it’s not a Holiday without dessert, and Thanksgiving needs pie……with ice cream……and caramel sauce, with pecans and caramel in the pie, and……well, you get the idea.

Caramel Pecan Apple Pie Cups

I originally was going to wrap the apples with the pie crust and color egg wash red so they looked like apples, but time was running short and I did not have the time to be that crafty…..maybe next year!

Individual pies would be good……..custard cups could hold them and I could cover them with pie crust. I think I have mentioned before that in the world of pie and pie crust, my Mother was the Queen……she made the best pies ever, and her crust was flaky and perfect. I wish I would have had her teach me how she did it.

Since my pie crust is ……well, less than perfect…….I buy my crust. Besides it’s easy to have on hand for an “I need a pie now emergency”!!!!!!!

I peeled and cored the apples, dunked them in lemon juice, rolled them in a sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon mixture, put them custard cups, filled them with a caramel, pecan mixture, covered them with crust, brushed them with cream, sprinkled them with sugar and baked them……..whew!!!!!

Apple Pie Cups

Now, a really cool thing happen to them after I baked them. I wanted to make them slightly fancy, so I cut a cute little leaf in the center of each crust and placed it on the top. When they came out of the oven the little leaf had fallen inside so it looked like a little volcano……..great spot to put the ice cream………I know right! So, the ice cream kind melted into the apple………it was sooooooo good and the caramel sauce on top……….heaven in a custard cup.

This is one of those recipes that you can adjust to the number of people you are serving, so if it’s only two like us you can make just two. It’s nice also that there is no “his piece is bigger than mine” argument if you have kids.

Caramel Pecan Apple Pie Cups make a yummy addition to a Holiday or any meal that begs for an apple pie dessert ……..or if you are just in the mood for pie!

Caramel Pecan Apple Pie Cups Collage

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Caramel Pecan Apple Pie Cups 1

Caramel Pecan Apple Pie Cups

  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 large apples ( your favorite), peeled and cored
  • 1 ready made pie crust
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup kraft caramel bits
  • 1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
  • Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mix the granulated sugar, corn starch, apple pie spice and salt in a shallow dish.
  2. Juice the lemon into a small bowl. Dip each apple in the lemon juice and then roll peeled and cored apples in the sugar mixture and set in oven safe custard cups sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Mix caramel bits and pecans into the remaining sugar mixture. Stuff into the prepared apples, dividing evenly between them.
  3. Cut circles from the pie crust that are about 2 inches larger than the top of your custard cups. If desired you can cut a decorative whole in the center of each circle. Place pie circles over the tops of the apples, covering the apple completely and sealing to the custard cup. Add scrapes of pie crust to form an edge. If you have cut a decorative opening, place the cut out over the opening, do not seal. If you did not cut an opening cut slits for steam to escape.
  4. Brush the heavy cream over each apple cup and sprinkle the the crust with the turbinado sugar.
  5. Place custard cups on a lined cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the apple is tender.
  6. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve topped with ice cream and caramel sauce.

Keywords: apples, ice cream, caramel, pecans, single serving size, pie

 

Caramel Apple Burritos

Caramel Apple Burritos

Caramel Apple Burritos

Ahhhh fall………We love this time of year. The air has that edge of coolness, the leaves are starting to show their colors, sweatshirt and sweatpants are ready to be worn, and sweet crunchy apples are ready to picked and enjoyed!

Apples are a fruit that almost everyone loves…….including Tim and I. My assistant at work has a husband who loves to bake pies. He made a pie for Tim and I from ground cherries …….more on those in another post. But, Tim had mentioned an apple pie while we were marveling over the ground cherry pie.

Well, I had no pie crust……it is one of the things I buy instead of make………I am just not good at it, but I did have flour tortillas, and apples, and caramel bits……..Caramel Apple Burritos!

These were really easy to make, and if you use…… cough,cough…………canned pie filling they are even easier. But, with the variety of apples available this time of year you really should make your own filling. Besides, it’s really quite easy and homemade is always better. Maybe I will practice making crust……..

I recently purchased an apple slicer. The thing you put on top the apple and press down……..cores and cuts at the same time…….I love my new toy. For this recipe I did peel the apples first……used my handy dandy new toy, and diced the apples. A little brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and butter, made for a most excellent filling.

I must proclaim my love for the person whose idea it was to sell caramel bits! No unwrapping and trying to cut caramels. It would make caramel apples a breeze. But, for this recipe all I had to do was rip open the package and sprinkle them over that beautiful, luscious, apple filling.

Warm up the tortillas first to make them easier to roll. In the recipe I say to divide the apple mixture among the tortillas. Reason being that size is relative…….to some a large apple is really big…..like a softball, but to someone else it may be a bit smaller, so just divide it ……you don’t want some saying they were jipped.

Caramel Apple Burritos

Now, the cinnamon sugar ………..if you want a crispy sugary crust on anything….. turbinado sugar is your very best friend. It makes a pretty to look at, crispy sweet to eat crust, on these Caramel Apple Burritos.

Last weekend we had a wonderful stay at home, cook, cook, cook, weekend. The Italian Spaghetti and Meatball Burger was out of this world and our dessert of Caramel Apple Burritos……well all I can say is make a trip to your favorite apple orchard and get yourself a bushel of apples, cause you will want to make these again, and again!!!!!

Don’t forget to buy some ice cream…….:)

Caramel Apple Burritos Collage

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Caramel Apple Burritos

Caramel Apple Burritos

  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 large apples
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup water, divided
  • 6 large Flour Tortillas
  • 1/2 cup caramel bits
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 2/3 cup turbinado sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375*
  2. Peel and dice apples. Toss with lemon juice.
  3. In a small skillet over medium heat melt butter. Add chopped apples, cinnamon and brown sugar and 1/4 cup water and let cook on medium heat for about 4 minutes.
  4. Stir together cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup water. Add mixture to skillet and continue cooking until most of the liquid is gone and apples are soft.
  5. Mix together sugar and cinnamon. Melt 1/4 cup butter.
  6. Warm the tortillas in the microwave for about 1 minute so they are easier to roll.
  7. Divide the apple mixture and caramel bits between the tortillas. Roll like you would a burrito, folding in the sides, making a nice package.
  8. Brush each burrito with butter and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Place seam side down on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  9. Bake in a 375* oven for 15-20 minutes or until tortilla begins to brown.
  10. Enjoy with ice cream or whipped topping.

Keywords: apple, tortilla, caramel, bake, dessert