Apple crumble caramel tart

Gravenstein apples are in season here in Nova Scotia, I wikied the gavenstein apple and found out that those apples were grown here by a man by the name of Charles Ramage Prescott, a horticulturist that found his way to the Annapolis Valley were he set up shop and grew a wide variety of apples. The Gravenstein apple is one of the favorites among Nova Scoatians. Who knew?

Anyhow I knew we were coming into apple season here, and for some reason I couldn't stop thinking about apples and caramel! This is what I came up with for a dessert for dinner tonight.  We don't usually have dessert, unless its a special occasion or I feel like making something sweet, so this it.

I looked for graham cracker crumbs in the store but they had honey in them. I resorted to the ghetto oatmeal cookies, I am positively sure they are not healthy for you, but if you are eating dessert...do you really care?
I know I don't :P

Crust

2 cups oatmeal cookie crumbs
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp earth balance

In a bowl combine everything until moist. Press into a fluted tart pan.
Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.

Filling 

4 gravenstien apples- peeled, cored and sliced
2 tbsp organic sugar
1 tbsp flour

combine apples in a bowl with sugar and flour.
Mix up until coated


Crumble

1 cup oats
1/4 cup organic sugar
1/4 cup flour
pinch of nutmeg
6 tbsp earth balance

In a small bowl mix together until resembles course crumbs

Caramel Sauce

1 cup organic sugar
3 tbsp earth balance
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 tsp sea salt

Be very careful cooking sugar. Its HOT!!!
In a small sauce pan heat sugar and butter, until dissolved and creamy.
Stirring consistently. Remove from heat. Add milk.
Stir it up. 

Assembly:

Arrange the apple slices nicely in the pre baked tart crust.
Pour crumble on top. Press down firmly.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until apples are soft and crumb topping has golden.
Swirl caramel over top!

Caramel Popcorn

We have had guests for the past couple of weeks, and I have been cooking up a storm. It just that I haven't thought to much about taking pictures of my food:P Mostly because I am pre occupied about making sure it gets to the table hot and tasty. But I am back on track now, and last night I made this recipe with my oldest daughter.
It turned out perfect, I adapted the recipe from the joy of vegan baking, not for any other reason then I didn't have vanilla, and my youngest daughter was whining and holding on to my legs, that made me totally forget to add the baking soda at the end. The whole family loved it, and I will be making it for holiday gifts!

• 14 cups popped popcorn
• 1 cup dry roasted peanuts
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syurp
• 1/2 cup non-dairy butter( I used earth balance)
• 1/2 tsp salt

Lightly grease a shallow pan.
Place in popcorn and peanuts .
Preheat oven to 250
Combine sugar, syurp, butter and salt in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stirring enough to blend.
Once boils, boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly
Remove from heat, pour over popcorn in a pan.
Stir to coat. Bake for 1 hour
Stirring every 15 minutes.
Separate into while still warm pieces

Grilled pineapple with cardamon caramel sauce

1 pineapple- remove skin and cut into spears
1 tbsp sunflower oil

brush lightly with oil, place on BBQ until grill marks appear.

2 tbsp of earth balance
5 tbsp of cane sugar
3 cloves
1 tsp of ground cardamon
2 tbsp of soy creamer

melt butter in saucepan, add brown sugar, and spices
allow to bubble, add cream, simmer