"Apple Pie" Caramel Apples Dipped in Homemade Vanilla Bean-Bourbon Caramel, Rolled in Cinnamon Sugar, Dunked in Vanilla Bean White Chocolate & a Homemade Milk Crumb Topping

"Apple Pie" Caramel Apples Dipped in Homemade Vanilla Bean-Bourbon Caramel,
Rolled in Cinnamon Sugar, Dunked in Vanilla Bean White Chocolate & a Homemade Milk Crumb Topping

I always loved making caramel apples as a kid. Of course, we did it the easy way... either melting store-bough caramels with a little cream or even buying those sheets of caramel that you just wrapped the apple in. And ya know, they were always good to us, we couldn't ever tell the difference. But, now that I've gotten older, I'm all about making everything from scratch and I scoff at the idea of buying caramel, when it is so delicious when you brew it up on your own. And you can add flavors to it that make it so wonderfully amazing. I decided to make a Vanilla Bean-Bourbon Caramel as the base for all of our apples, and then I went crazy with the toppings!! I eventually came up with the idea of making an "apple pie" inspired caramel apple. What's more autumn-y + cozy than apple pie people?? I can't think of anything else. So, I began to brainstorm about how to make this lonely caramel apple into a slice of apple pie. I knew I would need a cinnamon-sugar rolling mixture that would mimic the filling used in a typical pie (and you could also use an apple pie spice or any other spices to bump up the flavor as well). I got a little stuck with how I could make a crust-like component. I finally landed on using a Homemade Milk Crumb Topping, which I used on my Spiced Carrot Cake Doughnuts with Liquid Cheesecake Filling, Vanilla Glaze, White Chocolate Coating, & Milk Crumb Topping, and it was just the perfect addition. It really does taste like that buttery pie crust that we have all grown to love since we were kids. At this point, I thought that I had all the components nailed down, but I couldn't stop thinking about how I wanted to make this caramel apple "a la mode". So, I made a Vanilla Bean White Chocolate to act like the ice cream on top of a warm slice of pie. The best idea I ever had... trust me. Decorating is so much fun and you can make them any way you like, just let your creativity flow!! Enjoy :)

For the Vanilla Bean-Bourbon Caramel:

2C Granulated Sugar

1C Heavy Cream

¾C Bourbon

½C Light Corn Syrup

4T Unsalted Butter

2t Vanilla

1-2 Vanilla Beans, Split & Scraped for Seeds

½t Salt (plus extra fleur de sel for sprinkling on the caramel after dipping, this is optional)

8-10 Small/Medium Apples, Scrubbed & Dried & Stems Removed (I like tart Granny Smith)

8-10 Sticks, For the Apples

For the Milk Crumb Topping:

1 ½C Milk Powder

½C AP Flour

¼C Cornstarch & Sugar

½t Salt

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, Melted

6oz White Chocolate, Melted

For the Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture:

½C Sugar

2T Brown Sugar

1t Cinnamon (or Apple Pie Spice can be substituted, as well as the addition of any other spices)

For the Vanilla Bean White Chocolate:

12oz White Chocolate Chips

1-2 Vanilla Beans, Split & Scraped for Seeds (depending on how much you like vanilla)

Directions:

1. Remove the stems from the apples and place a stick inside each of them. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and lightly spray with Pam. Place the apples into the refrigerator and chill the apples for at least an hour, this way the caramel will hold onto the apple better.

2. For the Milk Crumb Topping: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Whisk to combine 1C Milk Powder with the flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter and use a spatula to toss the mixture until small clusters form. Spread these clusters onto your parchment covered baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Add the remaining ½C of Milk Powder and toss, and then crush the large clusters with a fork. Pour the 6oz of melted white chocolate over the crumbs and t oss until large crumbs form again. Place the crumbs in the refrigerator or freezer to let the white chocolate harden. If the crumbs are too large, crush with a fork or spin them briefly in a food processor. Pour the crumbs into a bowl to dip the caramel apples into later.

3. For the Vanilla Bean-Bourbon Caramel Apples: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cream, bourbon, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, vanilla bean seeds and salt. Heat over medium high heat, stirring until combined and bring to a boil. Attach a candy thermometer to the side and cook without stirring until temperature reaches 245 degrees F. If the mixture starts bubbling up at first (it may because of the cream, do NOT take your eyes off of it), stir a bit with a pastry brush and reduce heat until it's a bit more caramel in color. The entire caramel process took me about 20-25 minutes, but may be a bit longer or shorter depending on your heat level and pan, so watch carefully. Once it reaches 245 degrees, remove from the heat. Keeping the candy thermometer in the caramel, bring the temperature down to 200 degrees, and then immediately dip apples into the caramel, let the excess caramel drip off, flip them upside down for a few seconds and twirl them around to keep the bottoms flat. You can also scrape off any excess caramel with a knife or spoon, so that you won’t have a pool of caramel on your plate (you can dip them in sprinkles or chocolate or whatever if you like at this time, but I like to do them in multiple layers). Place on wax paper. Let sit in the fridge until firm, about 30 minutes.

4. For the Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture: In a small, deep bowl, mix together the sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon until well incorporated. Once the apples have been dipped into the caramel, immediately roll them into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place them into the refrigerator to harden for the next layer.

5. For the Vanilla Bean White Chocolate: I n a small bowl, melt the white chocolate in a microwave or over a bowl of simmering water. If using the microwave, only heat for 20-second intervals, stirring in between each. Once melted, stir in vanilla seeds. Keep warm & melted until all the caramel apples have been dipped in them. Remove the caramel apples, once again, from the refrigerator, and submerge them into the vanilla bean white chocolate (I did mine about ½ to ¾ of the way up). Immediately dip the white chocolate covered-caramel apples into the milk crumb topping.

6. Let the layers of caramel, chocolate, and toppings firm up before enjoying.

The Ultimate Fried Chicken Biscuit with a Homemade Black Pepper-Buttermilk Biscuit, Spicy Fried Chicken Breast, Smoked Cheddar Cheese, Red Eye Glazed Bacon, & a Fried Egg

The Ultimate Fried Chicken Biscuit with a Homemade Black Pepper-Buttermilk Biscuit,
Spicy Fried Chicken Breast, Smoked Cheddar Cheese, Red Eye Glazed Bacon & a Fried Egg

Way back from my days at the University of Alabama, my Mountain Man & I would always make a mammoth breakfast sandwich right as we woke up. This kept us full until lunchtime tailgate food and it also became a superstitious tradition that had to be repeated every game day Saturday. Well, back then, it was all store-bought ingredients, but dang, it was still pretty darn tasty. I finally got around to revamping that boring 'ole lucky breakfast sandwich into something even greater. The bagel changed into a Homemade Black Pepper-Buttermilk Biscuit that is perfectly flaky and buttery. I added a fried egg, so that the runny yolk would add some richness and moisture. Then, I made a spicy battered chicken breast, very similar to Chickfila, so it gives a a yummy spiciness to burn the tongue a bit. I wasn't quite sure what cheese would complement all these flavors, but I eventually picked a smoked cheddar because I thought it would balance these strong components and bring them all together. But what's the best part, you ask? Well, it's the Red Eye Glazed Bacon. I know some of y'al might not know of Southern Red Eye Gravy, but it's delicious and certainly a staple at breakfast down here in the South. So, I thought to myself, "why not reduce down some red eye gravy and turn it into a glaze?" Well, I did and it was awesome. I first cooked up the thick cut bacon until crispy, and then used a brush to cover the bacon slices all over. They became sticky-icky, sweet yet salty, but candied in nature. And what's not good about candied bacon? I declare that candied bacon should be on each + every dish in America. Okay, that's slightly extreme, but I'd probably do it in my household... that's for sure!! Well, I hope y'all enjoy this Ultimate Fried Chicken Biscuit because we sure did :)

Runny Fried Egg

Lots of Red Eye Glazed Bacon

There's everything just slightly peaking out...

Ahhh, the first bite is so good

Homemade Black Pepper-Buttermilk Biscuits:

2 ½C AP Flour

½T + ¼t Baking Powder

2t Salt

4T Butter, Cut into Cubes & Chilled

½C + 6T Chilled Buttermilk (you might need a little more depending on the texture)

Extra Butter, Melted (for brushing)

Fresh Cracked Pepper, For Garnishing

For the Spicy Fried Chicken:

4 Chicken Cutlets (season them with paprika, cayenne, chili powder, & Cajun spices)

1 Egg

½C Milk

1T Hot Sauce

¾C AP Flour

¼C WW Flour

1T Dry Milk

1T Powdered Sugar

1t Paprika

¼t Baking Soda & Dry Mustard

For the Red Eye Glazed Bacon:

8 Slices of Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon

½C Coffee

¼C Coca Cola & Beef Broth

1T Honey

Salt & Pepper (if needed)

Splash of Water (if needed because the flavor might be too strong for some people)

 

For the Ultimate Fried Chicken Biscuits:

Prepared Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits, Warm

Spicy Fried Chicken Cutlets, Warm

Prepared Red Eye Glazed Bacon

Slices of Smoked Cheddar Cheese

Fried Eggs (or they can be cooked any way you like, scrambled eggs would be great too)

Directions:

1. For the Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits: Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Put the flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk well to combine. Add the cold butter and, working quickly, coat in flour, and then using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until it is coarsely blended and the flour-butter mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs, but small pieces of butter still remain. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Stir quickly, just until the dough is blended and begins to mass. The dough should be soft and a bit sticky and there should not be large amounts of unincorporated flour in the bowl. If dough is too dry, add a few tablespoons more buttermilk. Turn dough immediately onto a generously floured surface, and with floured hands knead briskly 8 to 10 times until cohesive dough is formed. Gently flatten the dough with your hands so it is of an even thickness. Then, using a floured rolling pin, roll it out to a uniform thickness. With a dinner fork dipped in flour, pierce the dough completely through at 1/2-inch intervals. Lightly flour a large biscuit cutter and stamp out rounds. (Do not twist the cutter when stamping out biscuits.) Cut the biscuits from the dough as close together as you can for a maximum yield. Arrange cut biscuits on a heavy, ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet so that they almost touch (I throw away the scrapes and don’t re-roll them because they become tough in texture). Brush the biscuits with melted butter and sprinkle heavily with fresh cracked pepper. Bake in upper third of the oven for 8 to 12 minutes until crusty golden brown. (Check about 6 minutes into baking and rotate pan if needed to ensure even cooking.) Remove from the oven and brush with more melted butter. Serve hot.

2. For the Spicy Fried Chicken: Place each cutlet between plastic wrap and pound until they are about ¼inch thick. Season the chicken heavily with spicy seasonings (you can make them as spicy as you like). Next, you have to set up a battering station. I use 2 pie tins. For the first station, I whisk together the eggs, milk, and hot sauce. For the second station, I mix the AP & WW Flours, dry milk, powdered sugar, baking soda, dry mustard, paprika, salt, and pepper. Meanwhile, heat about two inches of peanut oil to 325 degrees in a skillet. Working in batches, dip the chicken into the egg mixture, turning to coat, then dredge in the flour mixture, making sure to shake off any excess flour. Fry the chicken in the hot oil until golden brown and crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

3. For the Red Eye Glazed Bacon: In a saucepan, heat the coffee, cola, and honey on medium high until the mixture simmers. Reduce the heat just enough to maintain a simmer. Cook this mixture for 30 minutes or until it is a thick syrup (add a splash of water or seasonings if needed). Pour into a jar and let it cool completely (to plain taste, this might not be the most amazing glaze, but when brushed on bacon, it really brings it over the top, just trust me on this one). Cook the bacon in a skillet until golden brown & crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and let them drain of excess oil. Repeat with any extra bacon slices. Once the bacon is cool enough to touch, remove the paper towels, and brush heavily with the red eye gravy glaze (on all slides). It is important to make sure they are completely glazed. Next, immediately layer onto the biscuits.

4. Assembling the Biscuits: Cut a buttermilk biscuit in half and top the bottom biscuit slice with a piece of spicy fried chicken, smoked cheddar cheese slice, red eye glazed bacon, and a fried egg. Enjoy immediately while still hot.

Tuscaloosa Tollhouse Whiskey Pie with Vanilla Bean Pâte Brisée & Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Tuscaloosa Tollhouse Whiskey Pie

It's gameday yet again, folks. The best day of the week. I normally focus on dips, wings, fried food, burgers, dogs, etc. But, you always gotta have a dessert, and this is a go-to classic in T-Town. When you're walking through the Quad, almost every table or tent has one of these pies. It's a mix between a pecan pie and a chocolate chip cookie, but even better, it has whiskey in it. Oh take me home to Sweet Home Alabama, y'all because booze should belong in anything + everything. This pie I made is adapted from the guys at Baked Bakery in NYC (one of the guys actually went to the University of Alabama). Well, one tablespoon of whiskey just wasn't gonna do it for me, so I bumped it up to a fourth cup, ha. And lemme tell you, it tastes oh-so-good. I also substituted roasted, chopped pecans for walnuts... simply for the fact that I like them better. And for good measure, I practically doubled the chocolate chips in the recipe because everything is better with more chocolate, duh. You gotta bake this baby a pretty good while, so you just need to keep checking it until a toothpick of knife comes out clean. But, I will say this, do NOT over bake it. I like mine a little gooey, so I like to make sure it's slightly underdone, so as it sets it will remain luscious and soft. This pie is good at room temperature, chilled, or even better if it has been nuked in the microwave until the chocolate re-melts and it gets all gooey again. I also decided to make my own homemade vanilla bean ice cream and it just brought it over the top. I really fell in love with my recipe for this ice cream. I plan on using it in many of my recipes in the future. It is just like an uber vanilla ice cream (I think if I ever have an ice cream line, that would have to be it's name because of its overwhelmingly amazing vanilla flavor). So y'all, go make this for your next tailgate, or heck, it wouldn't be too shabby for Thanksgiving either. Now, let's hope that my Bama Boys can pull out a big win against LSU tonight. ROLL TIDE ROLL!! Enjoy :)

For the Vanilla Bean Pâte Brisée (makes 3 pie crusts):

3 ¾C AP Flour (plus extra for rolling)

3 Sticks of butter, Cut into ½inch Cubes & Chilled

1 ½t Salt

1T+1 ½t Sugar

12-18T Ice Water, Very Cold

3 Vanilla Beans, Sliced & Scraped for Beans

For the Tuscaloosa Tollhouse Whiskey Pie:

¾C AP Flour

1T Cornstarch

½C Sugar

½C Brown Sugar

2 Eggs, Room Temperature

1 ½ Sticks Unsalted Butter, Cut into Pieces & Softened

1t Vanilla

¼C Jack Daniels Whiskey

1C Pecans, Roasted & Finely Chopped

2C Chocolate Chunks (I prefer Bittersweet or Semisweet)

¼t Vanilla Bean Fleur de Sel

For the Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream:

1 Stick Unsalted Butter, Melted & Cooled Slightly

2 ½C Heavy Cream

½C Whole Milk

6 Egg Yolks

1C Sugar

½t Salt

1t Vanilla

2T Vanilla Bean Infused Rum (or any kind of infused booze that is clear)

1-2 Whole Vanilla Beans, Split & Scraped for Seeds 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a pie dish with Pam and set it aside.

2. To Make the Vanilla Bean Pâte Brisée: Start by cutting the sticks of butter into ½inch cubes and placing in the freezer bag, along with the flour, salt, and sugar. Place the bag of flour into the freezer and chill for at least 1-2 hours. In a food processor, pour the frozen flour bag in, as well as the scraped vanilla beans, and pulse 6-8 times until the mixture resembles a course meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add water 1T at a time, pulsing until the mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch of some of the crumbly dough and it holds together then it’s ready. Remove the dough from the machine and place on a clean surface. Carefully split the dough into three even pieces and shape into discs. Do not over knead the dough. You should still be able to see little bits of butter in the dough. Sprinkle the discs with a little flour on all sides and wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate one of the dough discs for at least 2-3 hours (freeze the other two dough discs for another pie in the future).

3. Preparing the Pie Crust: Remove the disc from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle some flour on top of the disk. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12inch circle (roughly ¼ inch thick). Place the rolled out disc into the prepared pie dish, lining up the fold with the center of the pan, trimming the excess and crimping the edges. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 2-3 hours.

4. For the Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream: In a saucepan, bring the cream, milk, vanilla bean pods, and vanilla bean seeds to a simmer. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until fluffy. Slowly whisk in the melted butter. Once combined, gradually and slowly into the simmering milk. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, until thickened (it should coat the back of a spoon). Strain the custard into a bowl that is placed into an ice bath. Stir in the vanilla bean infused rum and vanilla. Cool the custard base until completely chilled. Once the mixture is chilled, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. As soon as the mixture is done churning, transfer to a bowl or airtight container. Store in the freezer until firm.

5. For the Tollhouse Whiskey Pie Filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and sugars together. Set aside. In a bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs until foamy on high, about 3 minutes. Replace the whisk attachment with the paddle attachment, and with the mixer on low, a little at a time add the flour mixture. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 minutes or until everything is mixed together well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the butter. Beat on high until everything is combined. Scrape once more, being sure to get to the bottom, and add in all the whiskey. Beat on high again for 1 minute until all the ingredients are incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the chopped pecans and the chocolate chunks (but save some for sprinkling over the top).

6. Pour the filling into the frozen pie shell and spread evenly. It will be pretty thick, so be gentle. Top the pie with a sprinkling of some more chocolate chunks.

7. Bake for 30 minutes, then cover the edges of the crust loosely with aluminum foil and continue to back for 30-45 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. If there are clumps of batter sticking to the knife, it is not done yet. So, return it to the oven and continue cooking (while occasionally checking) until a knife comes out clean (but, I still like to have my pie a little gooey, so I don’t like to overcook it). My pie took about an hour to an hour and a half. Transfer the baked pie to a wire rack to cool before serving.

8. Once cooled, serve a slice of the pie with a big scoop of homemade vanilla bean ice cream. It is also even better when you reheat the pie in the microwave and the chocolate melts again.

Title Town's Famous BBQ Nachos with Pulled Pork, Pan Fried Red Onions, Candied Jalapenos, Pimento Cheese-Beer Nacho Cheese Sauce, & Green Onions

Title Town's Famous BBQ Nachos with Pulled Pork, Pan Fried Red Onions,
Candied Jalapenos, Pimento Cheese-Beer Nacho Cheese Sauce, & Green Onions

Have y'all missed me?? I know, I know... I've been gone for like two weeks. I'm like deathly ill and I've actually been in the hospital since Monday, but I have had a fever above 102 since October 14th. Crazy, right? So, forgive me, I have not been in the posting mood. But, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things and what's better than my favorite, tailgatin' recipes. And these hit home for me. Every game day in Tuscaloosa involved tailgating on the quad, partying with friends, and then ending the night with a night out on the Strip at the bars. Well, at one of our favorite hangouts, there was a small BBQ stand that made the best BBQ nachos. Can you think of anything else that would be better than nachos after a long day? Nope. So, I knew that I would eventually make my own version, kicked up just a bit. Big Bad Wolves' Nachos were pretty simple... chips, pulled pork, nacho cheese sauce, and jalapenos. Well, mine are loaded with pulled pork, BBQ sauce, pan fried red onions, candied jalapenos,  green onions, and a homemade Pimento Cheese-Beer Nacho Cheese Sauce. These are so good y'all and just perfect for game day. I mean, it's a rule that you gotta have these while visiting T-Town (or Title Town) as we call it. Now, let's hope that the good 'ole Crimson Tide will pull out a win for us tonight because I sure need one to make me feel better. I hope y'all are all doing great and I promise I won't disappear for that long again!! Enjoy :)

For the Pan Fried Red Onions:

2 Medium Red Onions, Sliced

4T Unsalted Butter

¼C Vegetable Oil

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

  

For the Pimento Cheese-Beer Nacho Cheese Sauce:

12oz Beer

1C Sharp Yellow Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

½C Pepperjack Cheese, Shredded

½C Colby Jack Cheese, Shredded

1T AP Flour

8oz Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

1 Clove of Garlic, Minced

4oz Pimentos, Drained & Diced

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the BBQ Nachos:

Tortilla Chips

Pulled Pork, Warmed & Tossed in BBQ Sauce

Your Favorite BBQ Sauce, For Drizzling

Shredded Pepperjack Cheese, For Topping

Prepared Pan Fried Red Onions

Prepared Pimento Cheese-Beer Nacho Cheese Sauce, Warm

Candied Jalapenos, For Garnishing

Minced Green Onions, For Garnishing

Sour Cream (optional)

Directions:

1. For the Pan Fried Red Onions: Cut the onions in half and then slice them into thin half-rounds. Heat the butter and oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, salt, and pepper and sauté for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.

2. For the Pimento Cheese-Beer Nacho Cheese Sauce: Add the beer to a saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a boil. While you are waiting, toss the shredded cheese with the flour. Once the beer is simmering, whisk in the cheese and all of the remaining ingredients. Whisk until all the cheese has melted and you have a smooth, creamy sauce. Keep warm until ready to serve.

3. For the BBQ Nachos: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with Pam. Pour tortilla chips onto the prepared pan and top with the shredded cheese and BBQ pulled pork. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is just melted and the chips have started to crisp up. Remove the chips from the oven and immediately transfer them to a serving platter. Top the nachos with the pan fried red onions, spoonfuls of nacho cheese sauce, candied jalapenos, a little more pulled pork, a drizzle of BBQ sauce, and green onions.

4. Enjoy while still warm and with a dollop of sour cream.

Pretzel Wrapped Sausages with Jalapeno-Beer-Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Pretzel Wrapped Sausages with Jalapeno-Beer-Cheddar Cheese Sauce

I haven't been able to post a tailgatin' recipe recently, but I'm back at it again. And these will be perfect for all the men & women at your parties :) Who doesn't love a good stadium dog? Or a good ole' salty pretzel? Or some of that store-bought nacho cheese? No one. We all love it. Especially while drinkin' at a football game. So why not make them at home and combine them all together? I was so excited when we made these because I knew that I could substitute beer brats for hotdogs, and lemme tell you, soooo much better. And when they are wrapped in soft, pillowy homemade pretzel dough, they are the perfect drunk/football/party food. You of course hav'ta dip them in the cheese sauce that is fully loaded with beer and jalapenos. This is the essential main course to any tailgatin' fiesta, people. And they are hand-held deliciousness!! Enjoy :)

For the Pretzel Wrapped Sausages:

8 Pre-Cooked Sausages, Hotdogs, or Brats

1 ½C Warm Water

1T Sugar

1 Package of Active Dry Yeast

4 ½C AP Flour

2t Salt

2oz Unsalted Butter, Melted & Cooled

For the Bath:

3 ½Q of Water

1C Baking Soda

1 Large Egg + 1T Water, Beaten

For the Topping:

Sea Salt

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

For the Jalapeno-Beer-Cheddar Cheese Sauce:

12oz Beer

2C Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

1T AP Flour

8oz Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

1 Clove of Garlic, Minced

2T Candied Jalapenos, Minced

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. For the Dough: Combine warm water and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and set aside for 5 minutes, until mixture is foamy. Add the flour, salt, and melted butter. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until well combined. Increase speed to medium and knead dough until it is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, creating a ball of dough around the dough hook, about 5 minutes. The dough will be soft, pliable, and just a bit sticky. Remove from bowl, form into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Dust the top with flour, then cover with plastic and let sit in a warm place and allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Place baking racks in the center and upper third of the oven. Preheat oven to 425° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and lightly brush the paper with oil (Don't skip the oiling, it’s important to brush the paper or the pretzels will stick).

2. For the Pretzel Wrapped Sausages: Combine water and baking soda in a large pot and bring to a boil. While the water comes to a boil, turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly oiled work surface. Divide the dough into eight even pieces (one per sausage). You want to make a rope with each piece of dough. Start with the fingers of both hands in the center of the dough, and roll, moving your hands outward as you go. Roll the dough along the oiled surface until you have about a 24" (for whole dogs) piece of rope. Starting at one end, roll the dough around a hot dog gently (without stretching too much), pinching and sealing each end well. When water has come to a boil, gently lower a few of the dough-wrapped dogs into the boiling water and allow it to boil for 30 seconds. Using a skimmer (flat, slotted spatula), carefully remove them and place on the oiled parchment. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle each with some salt and pepper. Bake in the preheat oven until they reach a deep, golden brown color, about 12-15 minutes. While they cook, prepare the cheese sauce.

3. For the Jalapeno-Beer-Cheddar Cheese Sauce: Add the beer to a saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a boil. While you are waiting, toss the shredded cheese with the flour. Once the beer is simmering, whisk in the cheese and all of the remaining ingredients. Whisk until all the cheese has melted and you have a smooth, creamy sauce. Keep warm until ready to serve.

4. Serve the pretzel wrapped sausages on a platter with the Jalapeno-Beer-Cheddar Cheese Sauce for dipping.

source: spicy beer cheese sauce. pretzel dogs.

Mountain House Trip 2012

Here are some pictures from our trip up to our mountain house this weekend.

We had a blast... carving pumpkins, spiked apple ciders, hiking, bonfires, and s'mores...

I am already counting down the days until I can go back again

Enjoy :)

Friends Since Forever 

One of my First Best Friends

The Family at Whiteside Mountain

View from our Porch

Saturday Dinner: Sweet-Tea Brined Chicken, Classic Mac n' Cheese,
Broccoli Salad,  & Grilled Corn

The Fog Rolling In... Isn't it spooky?

Girls at Whiteside 

We were really proud of our pumpkins :)

Before Our Hike

Me + My Mountain Man on Our Hike

Heirloom Pumpkins at the Farmer's Market 

What a Great View 

Hangin' at the House

So Pretty...

Kisses for my Friend 

Tophat Soccer Girls

Light-Up Pumpkins at Night

I was kinda obsessed with my heirloom pumpkin, haha

Check back tomorrow for another recipe, y'all!!

XOXO, Juliana