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
{ 72 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for the Caramel Apple Dip recipe. I’ve just been asked to take a meal on Saturday to someone from church who is having surgery. I needed something sweet to finish off the meal. I’m going to add this dip and some apples for them. Sounds great!
Love this recipe!
We make it with “bits o brickle” instead of peanuts but I like your idea better!
it’s also delicious with heath toffee peices mixed in…yum!!
The Caramel Apple Dip sounds so yummy. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Sounds great! We’ll have to try it!
I will try this next week at my party.
This sounds delicious and a good recipe for my bible study meetings. My husband also loves caramel apples so I’ll try it soon! Thanks!!!
I love to get recipe suggestions from others. The dip sounds great! Thanks!
My apple tree is full of apples–this will be a delicious way to use some of them!
I’m not a great cook, but I love recipes that bring the family together! I also need this book because my husband has the gift of hospitality and I do not ~ I need God to teach me how to support him!
Carol,
I love apples, so I can’t wait to try this dip. Your book sounds like just the opportunity to learn how to share the love that the sweet Holy Spirit gives me daily. Thanks!
Gosh, I really love this site! It just puts a smile on my face everytime I visit. This recipe looks yummy. I love the addition of the peanuts!
The recipes you share on this BLOG are fantastic! Thanks so much, you are a blessing!
What a delicious recipe! I remember the days when my 2 children had friends hanging out at our house – yes, eating us out of a house and home. But what a blessing to have them around. Now the same things is happening in their own families. God is so good.
This recipe sounds yummy.. one of the regrets that I had with my son is not having my home be the hang out..I tried to know the kids he was hanging out with but you can’t know them unless you hang around them. I really need help in this area since I have a 4 year old… I get to try all over again.. need help on how to do this!
Yummy! Already planning a Fall party for my daughter’s friends in October and this will be a great addition!!
Looking forward to trying the Caramel Apple Dip. Sounds wonderful.
I love your recipe blog !! I have it marked as one of my favorites ! Thanks for all of the great ideas.
This recipe sounds great – I’ll have to try it this fall!
This is a great recipe. I have made it before and my family loved it.
Wait……we don’t have accents in Michigan!! Must be something going on with your ears……LOL Love the recipe. Thanks for the chance to win Karen’s book and apple peeler. God bless your day. Brenda
Thanks for the great recipe. As a parent to 6 I also have the dream of filling my house with the teenage friends. Hmmm, that could be a lot of kids
. I’m also not blessed in the hospitality area, so any recipe, like this one, that makes that easier is very appreciated. 
Sounds great…my girls love dipping apples so I can’t wait to try it!!
Recipe sounds great. I will have to try it next time I am assigned dessert for our prayer group.
I just want to say Thank you for sharing your recipes! I have tried a few of them and they are becoming some of my most requested! Especially the Tomato Basil salad from last week! We love it!!
What a great tip… to dip apples in Lemon-Lime soda (pop)! Never heard that before… I knew you could sprinkle lemon juice on them but sometimes that makes the apples a little tart. Anyway, this recipe looks yummy and my sons will love it! Thanks!
YUM! My four kids bring apple slices in their school lunches just about
everyday~~I usually give them peanut butter to dip them into, but I think they’ll love this caramel dip too!!
Thanks~
This sounds delicious and I also love the tip about the lemon-lime soda. Never heard that before!
This sounds great. My son is allergic to dairy so this will have to be for a time he is fishing with his Papa or I may have to figure out another way. Love simple recipes. My kids like to dip apples in Peanut butter too.
Still tickled pink to try your mac and cheese, now this one too! Thanks a bunch!
Can’t wait to try this recipe at a party I am hosting in a couple of weeks! Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you so much for the recipe. My 3 kids love to give apples a whirl through our slicer for snacktime. They will probably love this dip!
LOVE this recipe. I’ve made it with toffee pieces before, but will try the peanuts next time!
Just wanted to say that I already have this book – bought in on P31 website! : ) My mom always made our house the fave hangout for my me and my friends. I hope that when I have kids that will be the case for my home. I think my nephew already views it as a haven for him to come, which I am so thankful for!
The recipe sounds awesome! Can’t wait to try it.
Visiting to Apple Orchard with the family has been in the back of my mind for a few days! The dip recipe sounds wonderful! The word “simple” in Karen’s book title is what catches me. I overthink things way too much.
Yum. That sounds delicious. I’m also wanting to try the apple trick. I heard recently that honey will also keep them from browning, but I haven’t tried it.
I’m going to have to try this dip. It sounds wonderful.
Makes my mouth water just thinking about it!
Yum! You’re getting me excited for apple season. I’ve made this recipe before, but without the nuts – might have to try adding them.
Sounds like this one is soon to be another potluck favorite!
Ooh…that dip sounds wonderful. I will definitely have to try it. And I would love that book!
Cindy
The apple dip sounds great. Wish I had some.
Our kids love carmel dip and apples. I didn’t even think about having the ingredients on hand to make it myself. Thanks!
LOVE caramel apples! And I would love that book too!
When I was growing up, our house was the teenage hangout too. My oldest daughter is entering middle school this year and I hope that our house will become the teenage hangout too. I hope to try this recipe out! It sounds very yummy!!
Hugs,
Stephanie
I love this dip and it’s perfect for the approaching fall season!
I’m lovin’ reading all the comments here, LeAnn. Thanks for having me stop by! But I must say, I agree with Brenda S. We don’t have accents in Michigan. Y’all do!!! (wink, wink and a chuckle)
I’m from the Northern part of the Midwest. I drink soda.
And BTW… I most certainly do not drink pop, even though much of the Midwest does. Nope. ‘Pop’ was my husband’s grandpa
I know…I know…you in the south don’t drink pop or soda. You drink ‘Coke’. You call everything a Coke! {LOL and a smile} Oh how I love regional differences and how very much I LOVE the south!!! If I were there with you, I’d crack open my favorite kind of ‘Coke’ only found there and not here: a diet Cheerwine. And I’d even share it with you!!
Love you LeAnn! You, my dear, are the picture of sweet, Southern hospitality! And SHE COOKS rocks!!!!
I read this earlier and you inspired me to organize a trip to the local Apple Orchard with some friends and their kids. I would love to have the dip on hand to share. Do you think I could be that organized?! Hope so.
oh, i love carmel dip with apples! my son’s kindergarten class will be going to the apple orchard this month – can’t wait to try out the dip with fresh apples!