Caramel Apples

Trick Or Treat!

In Autumn I say a sweet goodbye to the lazy, carefree days of summer and my schedule fills up with a new school year, meetings

and obligations.  I am constantly trying to balance what I have to do with what I really want to do.  One way I ensure that family time and cherished traditions aren’t overlooked is by purposefully scheduling them in.

Visiting apple orchards and pumpkin patches have become two of our most treasured Fall traditions.  We get outside, spend time together

and celebrate being a family.  We come home with happy hearts and full bellies!

Here is one of my family’s favorite October treats!

Caramel Apples

8-10 large Granny Smith Apples

wood skewer for each apple

1 lb. brown sugar

1 cup unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup light corn syrup

1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Wash apples and remove stems.  If apples have wax coating on them, dip them in boiling water and use a paper towel to wipe off wax.  This will allow the caramel to stick better.  Insert wood skewers into each apple.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.

Add the sugar, salt and corn syrup and mix well.

Slowly pour in the sweetened condensed milk and stir to combine.

Continue cooking over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring constantly until caramel reaches 245 on a candy thermometer.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Dip each apple into the caramel and turn slowly to coat evenly.  Allow excess caramel to drip back into pan.

Place apples on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper to cool.

Enjoy!

**Nutrition Tip**

My kids love to eat caramel apples, but most days I prefer to feed them just the fruit minus the sweet coating.  One way to encourage nutritious foods is to set out colorful fruits and veggies on play dates and use peer pressure to your advantage.  Kids are more likely to try a broccoli tree if their friends are eating them!