Caramel Apple Dip

Doesn’t it seem as though much of life takes place in the kitchen? I absolutely love to invite friends over to gather around my kitchen table to share food, stories, laughs, and even tears. We gals are relational and we need each other. One of my dreams for She Cooks is for women to share their family recipes with each other. I love sampling tried and true recipes as well as dishes that are unique to a families heritage or have significance to that specific family. We will be talking more about that later but today, I have invited my friend Karen Ehman to my kitchen. Karen is sharing a favorite family recipe that is just in time for back-to-school. She also has a giveaway so make sure you read all the way through

So… Friends, meet Karen! (Imagine her Michigan accent as you “listen” to her. Oh… and grab yourself a ‘pop’ because that’s what she will be drinking )

On any given fall weekend, you’ll find people at our house. Sometimes extended family. Sometimes adults from our circle of friends or Bible Study group. But mostly, you’ll find teenagers; lots and lots of hungry teenagers who just like to hang out while eating us out of house and home.

As a former Youth Pastor and wife, Todd and I always hoped our house would become the ‘hangout’ for our teen-aged kids and their gang. That wish has come true. And, it has often found me in the kitchen whipping up an impromptu batch of something. Here is one of our back-to-the-books fall favorites!

Caramel Apple Dip

Ingredients:

• 2 – 8oz blocks cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla
• 2-3 cups chopped dry roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

With a hand-mixer, blend all but peanuts in a bowl until smooth. Fold in peanuts just before serving. Serve with some sliced tart eating apples such as Granny Smith, Cortland, Yellow Delicious or Gala. If you must slice the apples long before eating them, soak slices in lemon-lime flavored pop to keep them from turning brown. Drain well and serve with dip.

Karen is a member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries speaking team, a Hearts at Home moms conference presenter, an author, a blogger, a wife, ad mom, a friend. Her passion is to help women live their priorities and love their lives. She does this by writing books and articles and practical blog posts or by traveling inside and outside her native Michigan on weekends to encourage a group of women. During the week, she homeschools her two boys, watches them play baseball–lots of baseball, texts her daughter who lives in North Carolina, cooks, cleans and teaches junior and senior high homeschoolers Speeech and Creative Writing. She also still loves just hanging out with her college-sweetheart-turned-hubby of 24 years, Todd.

Now for the giveaway! Karen is giving away a signed and personalized copy of her book on hospitality entitled A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart and Home to Others along with a nifty hand-held apple corer/slicer to make the job go quicker. Happy back to school!!

If ya’ll would like a chance to win Karen’s giveaway, simply post a comment and we will select a winner at random and notify you next week. I also encourage you to pop over to Karen’s site so you can really get to know my friend. I know that she will soon be your friend too

Sweetest Blessings,
LeAnn