Caramel Apples Two Ways: Baked Caramel Apples with Autumn Glory

As mentioned from yesterday's post: caramel apples are the best, and after a little baking snafu, I had to improvise to fulfill my craving. My husband and I both have an epic sweet tooth. You'll rarely find us between 8 and 10 PM without some sort of treat in our hands. It's a not-so-great habit that we've developed over the years, so I'm always looking for ways to curb the craving for something sweet without totally succumbing to sugar. 

Enter the baked caramel apple. This recipe is super simple, and is absolutely perfect for a fall evening. Because it's a prep-it-and-forget-it recipe, you can do all of the work up front (all three steps), pop it in the oven and basically leave it there until you're ready to serve. I like using red apples for this recipe, and choose to use Autumn Glory, a unique apple variety from Washington state, because their crispness and flavor is the best out there. When you eat one, you can notice the sweet hints of caramel and cinnamon which are perfect for baked apples because the ingredients will only bring out those notes even more.

Here's how to make baked caramel apples of your own:

Baked Caramel Apples 

serves 1

You will need:

- 1 flavorful apple (I like Autumn Glory apples for their caramel/cinnamon flavors)

- 1 soft melting caramel candy 

- 1/2 tbs of butter 

- 1 tbs of brown sugar 

- 1/4 tsp cinnamon 

To prepare:

Preheat your oven to 350. 

Slice the top off of your apple. You want to cut past the stem, but not too far down. 

Remove the core using a melon baller or spoon and create a small circular hole for your filling. Discard core & scooped apple remains. 

Add your soft melting caramel candy to the center of the hole. 

Add the butter to the hole and top with brown sugar and cinnamon. 

Place your apple in an oven safe dish. I like these oven-safe ceramic bowls from Crate & Barrel for recipes like this. It's so fun to give each guest their own little apple bowl. 

Place your bowl or dish on a cookie sheet and gently pour water in cookie sheet until 1/4 inch covers the bottom of the dish. 

Bake in oven at 350 for 30-45 minutes, or until desired doneness.

Add a dollop of whipped cream for extra presentation pizzazz. 

*Note: when you remove your pan, be extra careful because of the water bath. You can probably skip the water, but I think it helps steam the apples to make them softer.

This post is sponsored by Autumn Glory Apples. All recipes and opinions are my own. 

Nutty Valentine's Day Snack Mix

Call me a total cheeseball, but Valentine's Day happens to be one of my favorite holidays. I know it's commercialized, but I love celebrating love. Even though you're supposed to show your love year-round and even though it can be labeled as a couples-only holiday, I firmly believe you should just embrace it for what it is: something fun! Be cheesy, be cutesy, be friendly...and be those things to everyone in your life. Whether it's your sibling, your pet, your co-workers, or your significant other.

A good way to have a little fun this Valentine's Day is to mix up a huge batch of this Nutty Valentine's Day Snack Mix. Pile it into small, food safe containers, add a cute note (or a Valentine like these from Minted) and deliver a little happiness to those you love. 

Get the recipe for the snack mix here (great for the big game, too!). 

Atlanta Eats: Foxtrot Liquor Bar

In the midst of all of the holiday bustle, my sister and I took a few hours out of holiday parties to meet up with our future sister in law and celebrate her engagement to our brother. Rachel happens to be a sweet friend and a pretty awesome blogger, so we definitely feel like we hit the sister in law jackpot. We met up at one of Atlanta's newest watering holes, Foxtrot Liquor Bar to explore their menu, have a few beverages, and chat all things wedding. 

Foxtrot Liquor Bar is in Midtown and happens to be directly next door to one of my favorite Atlanta hidden gens, Pasta da Pulcinella (more on that another time). Decorated in layers of plaids, ginghams, and leathers, Foxtrot certainly packs gentlemanly appeal while keeping ladies entranced as well. We sipped through beverages like Life on Mars (a gin and champagne cocktail), and I even had my first eggnog ever...delicious. 

Pub grub eats included things like pierogies (small dumplings filled with mashed potatoes), pimento cheese fritters (don't miss them...), and housemade sliders. Perhaps my favorite discovery of the night (beyond the wedding details, obviously) was that Foxtrot created their own, signature tonic water. As a gin-loving gal, this was music to my ears. Sign me up for a gin and tonic next time! 

Needless to say, Foxtrot is a must-visit. Snuggle up to the bar, chat with the mixologists, take in the ambiance, and enjoy the food. Tell them I sent you! 

How to Build the Perfect Cheese Tray

A cheese tray is pretty much a staple at my friends' gatherings, so it goes without saying that I'll be making one or two throughout the holiday season. Choosing cheeses used to stress me out until I discovered a tried and true way to build the perfect cheese tray: it's all in the clock. Allow me to explain. 

Before you ever go to the store, take a look around your cabinets and decide your cheese tray platter. It could be a white serving dish, a glass platter, or a simple cutting board like I've used here. Knowing what you're serving your cheese on will help you determine what cheeses & accompaniments to buy.

Next, think of your serving tray as a clock. Working clockwise, you'll want to add a variety of cheeses, crackers, fruits, etc. However, you'll want to start with your softest cheese (typically a goat cheese), move to a semi-hard or hard cheese (like Parmesan), and finish with a full-flavored cheese (like Blue Cheese or Gorgonzola). Fill in the areas between the cheeses with crackers, fruits, and jams. I always choose fruit that's in season, versus simply grabbing grapes and calling it a day. Apples are fantastic in the fall and early winter, and pomegranates would be beautiful for the holidays. Whatever fruits you decide, make sure you're choosing ones that fit with the cheeses you've selected. 

For this tray, I chose Stella Cheese. Stella offers a ton of cheese varieties, so it helped me narrow my selection at the store. By choosing one brand, I was able to select different types of cheeses without being overwhelmed by all of the options. Then, I used pecan crackers (also seasonal!), apples, and a little locally made jam. 

If you're salivating just thinking about a Stella Cheese tray (and maybe craving a little wine, too?), head to the store to pick up a few items for your own cheese tray. And don't forget to enter Stella's contest to win an amazing trip to Napa. If that doesn't say Christmas vacation, I don't know what does! 

What are your favorite cheeses to include on a cheese tray?! Spill your secrets! 

Friday Foodie: Tin Can Fish House & Oyster Bar

It's here! No, I don't mean the holidays, but rather, oyster season. I am, as some might say, an oyster snob. Before you judge my snobbery, hear me out: I can't help it. I was born in Mobile and was raised on quality seafood...including oysters, and that means only eating them when they're in season. According to folklore, you can eat oysters in months with an "R" which for those of you counting means: January, February, March, April, September, October, November, and December. Okay, so fine, oyster season has been around for a few months, but since it's been near 80 degrees here until just a few weeks ago, it finally feels safe. 

Of course there are many many exceptions to this rule, and I'd be lying if I said I only ate oysters during months with a "R," but I do maintain that the best oysters come from the highest quality producers and the coldest waters. Thankfully, there are people like Nik Panagopoulos who handle the difficult task of sourcing the best oysters around...who am I kidding? I'd freaking love that task, but I'm thankful he's more than willing to do the hard work for me. 

This week, I had the chance to dine at the newly opened Tin Can Fish House & Oyster Bar in Town Brookhaven, and it did not disappoint. The oysters were briny and plentiful, the menu was well-priced, and the ambiance was intimate. As my friend Lia said, the restaurant "knows itself." It's such a great observation to make because it's true. Tin Can knows its audience. It knows it's first and foremost responsible for bringing delicious, quality seafood to the table. It knows it provides fantastic service. It knows good wine and beer, so it skips cocktails. It was refreshing and wonderful. 

We dined on everything from raw oysters to oysters Rockefeller, from lobster rolls to tuna toasts. Everything I had made me more excited to see what was coming next. If you're looking for your next date night in Atlanta and could use a good seafood fix, give Tin Can Fish House & Oyster Bar a try. And order the oysters...any of them or all of them! 

Friday Foodie: Taco Cowboy Lassos Virginia Highland

Dining out around Atlanta has long been one of my favorite things to do. I pretty much pride myself on my restaurant recommendations, and the only reason I've been able to build such an arsenal is by continuing to get outside of my neighborhood and try something new. Recently, a few of my favorite foodies and I had a chance to give Taco Cowboy in Virginia Highland a go. 

Taco Cowboy is Chef Tom Catherall's latest concept. You might remember Chef Tom from his well-known Here to Serve restaurant group, and while that ship has sailed, Chef Tom is back to the Atlanta food scene and better than ever. Taco Cowboy marries creative Mexican street food with the freshest ingredients. Items include things like ceviche, calamari, smokey salsa, a variety of tacos, small plates, and entrees. Innovative selections abound on the menu, but one of my personal favorites was the Nashville taco. Hot fried chicken with pickles, ranch, and lettuce served on white bread (not a tortilla)? My kind of taco right there. Tacos range from $4 - $8 with the priciest selection being the lobster taco. 

The main entrees are not to be glossed over. The Mexican skirt steak (aka. fajitas) came perfectly medium rare and the chipotle mashed potatoes paired with the Springer Mountain Farms chicken were spicy, fluffy, and flavorful. Those might have been my favorite item of the entire night. And the pumpkin bread pudding dessert?! Gooey, moist, and comforting. It's not to be missed, y'all. Of course no trip to a Mexican restaurant is complete without margaritas. Taco Cowboy's are made with award-winning and Georgia based Karma Tequila. Arriving in personal pitchers with a striped paper straw, these were a nice touch with an added bit of charm and a huge hit.

Overall, Taco Cowboy has a lively atmosphere and quaint outdoor seating that left me wanting to return again and again; I'm already looking forward to my next visit. Margarita pitcher for one, please! 

Atlanta Eats: Tupelo Honey Bottomless Mac & Cheese

Yes, you read that right, and no this isn't clickbait: bottomless macaroni & cheese. Every Thursday at Tupelo Honey Cafe for...wait for it...$10. Okay, so now that you know the specifics, let's dig-in to what a Thursday night at Tupelo Honey really looks like. Brace yourselves, y'all. You're in for a treat. 

Asheville-based Tupelo Honey Cafe opened in Atlanta earlier this summer and has since become a Sandy Springs staple. With their knowledgeable staff, bustling bar, friendly servers, and fantastic food, it's no wonder they've been receiving rave reviews. Tupelo Honey features a dinner specials menu several nights during the week, but I have to say that the Thursday menu was the one that piqued my interest the most. Bottomless macaroni and cheese? Where do I sign-up? 

Every Thursday night starting at 8 o'clock, patrons are invited to try one of five macaroni and cheese combinations...and as many times as you'd like, too. We started with stellar recommendations (and cocktails) from Nathan, Tupelo Honey's amazing beverage manager. Nathan served up all four of Tupelo Honey Cafe's cocktails on tap: Gin & Tonic, Strawberry-Sparkling Sangria, Kentucky Mule, and the ever delightful (and frozen!) Peachy Belle. I unexpectedly loved the Peachy Belle the most, and while I'm not a huge frozen drink gal anywhere but the beach, this drink instantly transported me to a tropical locale. It was insanely delicious and full of robust flavors...and just a pinch of moonshine. Hey, it's the South. 

We noshed on on fried green tomatoes, grilled okra with homemade ranch dipping sauce, and of course, Tupelo Honey's famous biscuits. Then the main event arrived...bottomless mac and cheese for the win, y'all!

We each got two different loaded dishes to try. His? Buffalo macaroni and cheese. Hers? Savory apple. Both? Amazing. Sprinkled with blue cheese, jalapenos, and miniature chicken strips, the Buffalo macaroni and cheese was my favorite of the evening. I loved the subtle buffalo flavor that didn't overpower the dish. The savory apple was delicious, too! Loaded with caramelized onions, Granny Smith apples, and extra cheddar,  it was basically a cheese plate in macaroni form. We also had to get another round of the Crack of Dawn (which you can read about here), and I had to get my own Buffalo because it was just that good. 

Needless to say, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs last night, but we had a fantastic time filling our bellies with fabulous food surrounded by attentive staff. We'll definitely be back to try one of the other weeknights (fried chicken tower, I've got my eye on you). 

Thanks so much to Tupelo Honey Cafe in Sandy Springs for treating us like royalty and to Phase 3 PR for the invitation. It was worth every calorie. 

Atlanta Eats: Tupelo Honey Cafe

One thing that I absolutely pride myself on is knowing THE BEST places to go eat in Atlanta. I'm not talking about the places that everyone else goes either. I'm talking about the places that are worth your money, the places that are worth your time, and the places that are worth your calories. In terms of "worth it," Atlanta's new Tupelo Honey Cafe nails the trifecta. 

Based out of Asheville, North Carolina and with locations across the country, Tupelo Honey Cafe is hands down worth a visit. The restaurant is located off of Roswell Road in Sandy Springs in an absolutely beautiful space. When you walk in, you're immediately greeted by friendly staff and a stunning bar which features over 36 craft beers on tap along with four draft cocktails. While we didn't get to sit in the bar area this time, I am itching to go back and give it a try; the atmosphere was bustling and the ambiance inviting. 

If you've been to a Tupelo Honey Cafe before, you're likely to notice some favorites on the Atlanta menu. Signature dishes like shrimp & grits, ribs, and fried chicken find their place on the menu, but you'll also fine Atlanta-specific items like bottomless mac-and-cheese (say what?!) and a fried chicken tower (available Wednesdays & Sundays). 

We were treated to everything from Strawberry Sangria to homemade biscuits and blueberry jam. Our meal started strong with a sneak peek of the bottomless mac and cheese. Creamy and topped with an over easy egg, it was what I dubbed "Southern carbonara." Just what dreams are made of. 

The mac and cheese was quickly followed by cooked-to-perfection scallops which were one of my favorite things we had all night. Hunter doesn't even like scallops, and he left his plate absolutely clean; a true testament of scallop goodness. 

Next up? Fluffy, flakey, buttery, a pinch salty yet slightly sweet southern biscuits. I wish I had through ahead enough to bring the other half of my uneaten biscuit home with me for breakfast on Sunday. I cannot talk about how delicious it was. And the blueberry jam? Icing on the crumb cake. 

Our entrees followed: steak for him and shrimp & grits for her. The smoked gouda grits were incredible - rich and creamy which balanced the slight spice of the dish perfectly. I loved the red peppers that were included in the bowl, too. Yum. 

Of course, no fantastic meal is complete without dessert. Our sweet waitress, Golden, hooked us up with two desserts (even though we were only allotted one). Hunter devoured the strawberry shortcake (made with a biscuit, obvs) while I noshed on s'mores cake. Yes, you read that correctly. S'mores. Cake. 

Needless to say, we essentially needed to butter the doorways to get back out of the restaurant, but every moment of the meal was incredible. I highly recommend adding Tupelo Honey Cafe to your restaurant must-visit list. It's sure to be a staple in our house. 

Thanks so much to Phase 3 PR for inviting me to try Tupelo Honey! All thoughts, opinions, and calories are my own.