FALL FLAVORS: CARAMEL APPLE MARTINI RECIPE

Everyone loves a caramel apple but they aren't that easy to eat and there's always the risk of expensive dental repairs afterwards. For that reason, I came up with this cocktail a few years ago and it has certainly become a fall favorite. Serve it as a cocktail or as an adults only dessert at the end of the evening.

The perfect fall cocktail: my Caramel Apple Martini.

Put martini glasses into the freezer to chill them. Drizzle caramel sundae syrup into the chilled martini glasses and put them back into the freezer while you mix your drinks. Make a design like a flower, polka dots, a spider web for Halloween parties, etc. Be creative! I wanted mine to look like a caramel apple.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice mix:

2 parts Butterscotch Schnapps

2 parts Sour Apple Pucker Schnapps

1 part vodka-- use plain vodka or adjust the recipe by using vanilla vodka for a sweeter drink or Vox Green Apple vodka for an extra apple kick. I prefer the vanilla vodka but it may be too sweet for some people.

Shake and pour into the chilled and decorated glasses. Yum.  Now go enjoy the weekend. This will certainly make it better.

RECIPES: HOW TO MAKE S'MORES, INDOORS!

Do you love S'mores?  Just writing about them makes me want one. 

But why wait for a campfire to make up a batch of S'mores? I have perfected Indoor S'mores - and you can always get the perfectly toasted marshmallow with this recipe. Easy to make and serve for a party or even just a night in front of the TV; make some of these up for the best-ever comfort food treat. If you let them cool completely before packaging or wrapping them, they won't go soggy and will stay delicious for about a week.

INDOOR S'MORES

1 box of Graham crackers

1 bag of mini-marshmallows

Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut spread (you can find this at almost any grocery store- even Wal-Mart)

DIRECTIONS:

Fill up sheet pans with Graham crackers. Spread each with a thin layer of Nutella. Put 6-7 mini marshmallows on top of each. Put under the broiler for about 2 minutes. Watch to make sure they get golden brown. Take them out and let them cool slightly. Make sandwiches by pressing two together. Eat right that moment or let them cool completely and wrap each with plastic wrap. Keep cool until serving time but do not chill them in the fridge or the cracker will get soggy.

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You can even wrap these in plastic wrap or treat bags to give as a party favor. They will stay fresh for up to one week.

HALLOWEEN COCKTAILS: MARTIE'S GHOST MARTINI

I love dessert cocktails and my Ghost Martini cocktail is certainly one of my all-time favorites. I created it especially for Halloween when I saw the ghost marshmallows the Peeps folks have out this time of year. You can make the recipe without the Peeps garnish or make your own marshmallows using Alton Brown's recipe and cut them into the shape you want for your cocktails. I like to toast the marshmallows using my kitchen torch but equally good out of the box.

Martie's Halloween Ghost Martini- a wonderful dessert cocktail. The flavor is sweet and creamy and tastes exactly like a marshmallow. The calories (and the alcohol content) make this one a "one and done" kind of drink but they are delicious!

MARTIE'S GHOST MARTINI

2 ounces Pinnacle Whipped Vodka (tastes like sugar)

1 ounce vanilla vodka

1 ounce Godiva White Chocolate liqueur (you can sub white creme de cacoa if you don't have this)

2 scoops of very melty vanilla ice cream--- almost pourable

DIRECTIONS: Put ice in two martini glasses to chill. Put a handful of ice and all of your ingredients  into a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Remove the ice from the glass and pour. Garnish with a marshmallow ghost "Peep" or a dollop of whipped cream decorated with eyes and a mouth. You can use black sprinkles or candy for that.

Yield: 2 cocktails