Apple Nachos

Our small group had a Christmas party on Friday night, and I signed up to bring appetizers.  I love spinach and artichoke dip, so I jump at any excuse to make it.  (I'll share my recipe another day.)  I decided that spin-art dip wasn't enough for a party of 20 people, and I know that sadly not everyone likes it.  I decided that I should make something else, and I saw this amazing idea for apple nachos on Pinterest, but there wasn't a recipe, so I made mine up using some recipes for a caramel sauce and chocolate/peanut butter drizzle that I stole from some other recipes.  They ended up tasting even better together than I had anticipated.  I love it when food surprises me like that; don't you?  It's the perfect combination of sweet and salty with a "healthy" kind of crunch.

What you'll need:

4-5 apples (I used Braeburn, but any crisp or slightly tart apple would work well)

water

lemon juice

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

2/3 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup chopped pecans

How you make it:

First, slice your apples and soak them in a water and lemon juice mixture.  I would recommend a 3:1 water to lemon juice ratio.  I started with 2 c. water and 2/3 c. lemon juice and added more as I needed it.  Make sure that the apple slices are completely submerged in water.  This will keep your apple slices from browning.  I let mine soak for a little over an hour, and the apple slices stayed white until after we got home from the party that night.  (Of course your results might also vary depending on the type of apple you use.)


Once your apples have soaked, drain the water, and pat the apple slices with a towel to remove any excess water.  Lay the slices out on a plate or tray.


To make the caramel sauce:  In a saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla.  Warm on medium heat until the caramel sauce starts to boil, whisking constantly.  Continue to stir until sauce begins to thicken and change color slightly.  If you leave it on the burner too long, it will begin to burn; you only want it on long enough to thicken and caramelize.


Remove from heat and let cool for 1-2 minutes.  Transfer to a liquid measuring cup for easier pouring, and drizzle over top of the apple slices.

To make the chocolate/peanut butter drizzle: Melt together chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter.  Transfer to a liquid measuring cup for easier pouring, and drizzle over top of the apple slices.


Top with chopped pecans.

I hope you love them as much as we do!