Caramel Apple Deliciousness!

Sorry about the lighting, I used my in-laws camera.

  I began my weekend intending on making an apple pie (something I didn't get to have over Thanksgiving). By Sunday I realized I had neglected to buy vanilla ice cream to go with the pie I would be making that day-I am the type who simply can not eat apple pie unless it is "a la mode". Being unable to go to the grocery store, I set out on a cyber-hunt for apple recipes. My hunt yielded dozens of delicious-looking results, but at last I settled on one; a variation on Annie's (from Annie's Eats) Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie. I varied the recipe by making little tartlettes instead of one large 9" pie. I did not have graham crackers so I made my traditional double pie crust, rolled the crust out, then used a cookie cutter to cut disks to fit my tartlette pan. I also changed the recipe a bit by omitting the pecans (I simply didn't have the time to worry about them, but they would have been delicious on it), and using only 4 apples since I knew I couldn't fit that many into each tartlette. Aside from those very minor changes, I followed her directions exactly (right down to the homemade caramel). Delicious!!!

  Now, because I did not use all the apples I had purchased for my pie, I decided this morning to tackle one of the other yummy-looking recipes I found on "Annie's Eats"; Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls. As I type this post, I'm still drooling from the roll I helped myself to not twenty minutes ago. If you like apples at all, or even if you don't, you must try this recipe! There is so much deliciousness baked into these rolls, it's amazing! I must admit, I used my own cinnamon roll dough recipe (mostly because it's familiar and I know I can't mess it up), and I doubled the apple filling because my dough recipe makes almost double the amount of rolls as hers. That aside, I again followed all her directions (using some of my leftover caramel from last night).

  I'm crazy over apples and after all the recipes I found yesterday, you better believe there will be more apple recipes coming your way soon (once I drop the pounds I gained from the last two days and can afford to put some back on)!