Today’s the day of our 2nd Annual Garbage Can Turkey Day at the lake with my dad’s side of the family. It’s a gorgeous day here in the maritimes, a perfect day for a family get together.
Garbage can turkey is delicious! It’s just how it sounds too – a lovely juicy turkey cooked in a garbage can surrounded by hot charcoal to make a kind of outdoor “oven”.
That’s right, there’s a turkey under there!
Turkey being provided and all (and being cooked by my uncle Ben), the rest of us were charged with bringing the sides, sweets, and other nibblies. Right up my alley.
I opted to bring caramel “apple” grapes and cookie dough dip. Both got great reviews. I’ll share the cookie dough dip some other day.
A big thank you to Sarah, a friend of mine, for introducing me to these cuties. I loved them the first time I tried them. Hope you don’t mind me sharing, Sarah.
This easy recipe got me, “the look” from my family. You know the one. They put one in their mouth, then just look at you, their eyes saying the words their mouths can’t, “Oh my, how did you do this?”. I love that look.
These grapes taste just like a caramel apple, without the fuss and calories of making a caramel apple. You’ll think you’re a kid on a fairground when you’re actually just an adult on a patio.
[Recipe] Caramel Apple Grapes
Makes about 80 grapes
You will need:
1 package caramel candies (I used a 180g bag of Werther’s) – you could also use toffee pieces, about a cup and a half
3 tbsp cream
bunch of grapes
1 cup graham crumbs (salted peanuts would work fantastically here too)
toothpicks
Unwrap the candies. Put the candies in a heavy bottomed saucepan.
To the candies in the pot, add the cream. Melt the caramel candies and cream together over medium-low heat. This will probably take between 10 and 15 minutes. You may not think so, but it will eventually become a smooth liquid caramel.
While the caramel is melting, prepare the grapes by washing and drying them well.
I also took the time to prepare my dipping station: grapes, toothpicks, caramel, graham crumbs, parchment.
Once the caramel is melted, turn heat down to low.
Begin dipping the grapes in the caramel, using a toothpick inserted in each grape to dip.
Dip caramel-covered grapes in graham crumbs. While the graham crumbs are delicious, I might try dipping these in chopped salted peanuts next time I make them. I can’t imagine that being a bad decision.
Line those little grapey soldiers up on the parchment paper until set and ready to devour.
Serve.
Wait for the chorus of ‘mmm’s. These were gobbled right up.
