apple fritters with caramel sauce

Most days we eat a normal breakfast of cereal or toast.  But on weekends, I like to treat Cookie Bandit to something fun and special.  That's when I bust out the waffle iron or the muffin tin and try out all of those wonderful recipes I keep seeing online.  Recently, I found this one and boy was it a winner!

These apple fritters are incredibly easy to make.  I modified the recipe a bit by adding more cinnamon and some nutmeg, but no matter how you do it, it's sure to be a winner.  You just peel, core, and grate the apples; mix them with a bit of flour, milk, eggs, and spices; and then cook them like a pancake!

Apple Fritters with Caramel Sauce
adapted from Tasty Kitchen

For the apple fritters:

• 2 large Gala apples
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. nutmeg
• 2-4 T. butter, for frying

Peel, core, and grate apples into a large bowl (do not drain).  Stir in milk, eggs, and vanilla.  Stir in all dry ingredients until just combined.  Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat.  Grease liberally with butter.  Brown batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto the hot surface.  Once edges have browned, flip to cook the other side.  Remove hot cakes to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.  Re-grease the pan with more butter and repeat until all the fritter cakes are cooked.

For the caramel sauce:

• 1/2 cups butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 dash salt
• 1/2 t. vanilla

Melt butter and sugar together over medium heat while stirring occasionally.  Let mixture simmer lightly until it starts to bubble and look foamy.  Cook this for 3-5 minutes.  Stir in milk, salt, and vanilla.  Turn burner off, but leave caramel sauce on the hot stove until ready to serve.