Spring is here!!  Looking forward to our new herb garden to liven up our veggies! Join us on Facebook and tell us what you’re looking forward to the most.

Need a dessert idea for a Christmas get-together?

Well, this delicious, mouthwatering recipe gives the impression that you worked a lot harder than you actually did! So yes, it is very easy. We here at Sunrise understand that the last thing you need is to slave over something else. Cleaning… decorating… wrapping presents… cooking a ham and all those other fix-ins for Christmas is just enough chaos for us!

Caramel Apple Pie

“Not Your Traditional Apple Pie. Composed of Sweet Caramelized Apples and a Just-Thick-Enough Apple Pie Syrup”

So let’s start off with the ingredients:

For the Caramel Sauce:

6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1/4 Cup White Sugar
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Hefty Pinch of Salt
1/4 to 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Cup of Water

Pie Crust:

1 (15 ounce) Package Double Crust Ready-to-Use Pie Crust — We use Pillsbury

The Filling:

Okay… considering the apples are the star ingredient of our caramel APPLE pie. It would make sense to use the freshest and best quality apples, and is there really a better apple than a Sunrise apple? No way:)

4 Large Fuji Apples, cored, thinly sliced, and unskinned (You could also use Pink Ladies, Galas, Granny Smiths, or a mixture of any! Whatever you prefer.)

**To make your filling thicker, you can always add a couple tablespoons of flour to your filling.

Options:

We love our apple pie with ice cream. Anything’s good with ice cream.

We also have for you a HOMEMADE whipped cream recipe near to the bottom of the page. You will never want whipped cream any other way.

The Whipped Cream:

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Tablespoon Confectioners Sugar
1 Teaspoon  Vanilla Extract (roughly… but we like to use a little bit more)

**This makes about 6 servings in our household… maybe.

CARAMEL APPLE PIE RECIPE

First thing’s first: make the caramel sauce. Melt butter over medium heat. Stir in white sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and water. Bring to a good boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Preheat your oven to 425.

Next, unroll the pie crusts. Press one into a 9 inch pie crust, and toss in those Sunrise apples.

Unroll the second crust onto a work surface and cut about 8 1-inch wide strips. Criss-cross the stripes over the apples to create the lattice top. Next, crimp the bottom crust over the lattice strips with your fingers.

Spoon the delicious caramel sauce all over the pie, covering the weaved portion. The remaining sauce will seep down to the bottom, later creating a rich, flavorful pool for the apple pie ( and possibly ice cream ) ? Excuse the lame analogy, but this part really does make my mouth water!

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.

And finally…….

Just kidding. You still have to cook it for 35 to 40 more minutes :) Reduce the heat to 350 and pop that sucker back in there. The crust should be golden brown, the caramel glaze on top should be set, and the apple filling should be bubbling.

Now before you devour this beauty, you must let it cool completely before serving… that’s just about the hardest part of this recipe honestly.

WHIPPED CREAM RECIPE

Whip heavy whipping  cream until stiff peaks begin to form, then add your confectioners sugar and vanilla. Whip again, but do not over-beat. The cream can become heavy and lumpy. Ew :(

THE FINAL PRODUCT

We Promise You: Everyone WILL LOVE This Spin On An American Classic

Leave comments or Post on our Facebook about the recipe. We absolutely love hearing from you!

Also, stay in touch! We post seasonal recipes every so often. In fact, a Peppermint Bark Recipe should be popping up within the next week or so. A nice little Christmas candy (and a simple, inexpensive handmade gift as well).

Hope everyone is enjoying this warm winter!  Stop in and see some of  our new goodies or just say hey cause it does get a lil lonely  this time of year.

So do you love Peaches?  We have sweet South Carolina Peaches all Summer long!  Great for eating or makin that cobbler we put up on our blog!

It’s summertime here in the mountains and that means a few things are guaranteed to happen on any given weekend: The fish will be bitin’ down at Lake Winifield Scott, the kids will be outside catching lightning bugs come dark, and somebody, somewhere- is baking a fresh peach cobbler.  Well, today it’s us.  And we’ve got a Peach Cobbler recipe that will, as we say in North Georgia- “Make you wanna slap your Granny down!” (For those of you who are unfamiliar with our mountain vernacular, that translates roughly into “really REALLY good” food).

Now, no disrespect to the Grannys out there- We all know that Grandmas are the best cooks around.  But this here Peach Cobbler isn’t your Grandma’s version.  We took a basic cobbler recipe and just gussied it up a bit.  You know, like Peach Cobbler goes to the Prom.  Or something like that. (We do think the mint spring does add a nice touch!)

So are you salivating yet? Well, just hang on to your hat, ‘cuz we’re gonna tell you how to make your very own hot and bubbly Mint Peach Cobbler.

All the Good Stuff!

First, you’re gonna need to gather the staples:

For the Fruit Filling:

6 large peaches

Peaches are peeled and diced

1  TBS chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup sourwood honey

1/2  tsp salt

1/2 fresh lime, squeezed

First thing you’ll need to do is peel and slice your peaches. We like using the ones that are maybe a little over-ripe because of the sweetness.  They work great in this recipe!  Next, you’ll add the mint, sugar, honey, and salt to the peaches.

(Now, if you don’t have any fresh mint, come by and see us at Sunrise and we’ll give you a sprig.  Heck, we’ll fill a basket full for ya.  We’ve got it growing out our ears here! )

Nuthin' but peaches, mint and sugar!

Take a half of a lime and just squeeze it over the fruit mixture.  It adds a nice citrusy “zing” to the cobbler.  You won’t really be able to taste the lime after it cooks but it will add a freshness to the peaches.  Put this fruit mixture on the stove top and simmer on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.  This will get those peaches to release that syrupy delicious goodness and thicken up the sauce for the cobbler.

Mmm... Smells delicious!

Now for that warm, sweet crust to top it all off-

For the Crust:

1 cup self rising flour

1 cup milk

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter

You can’t get any easier than this, folks!  Take your stick of butter and put it in a small casserole dish.  We use a 2 quart and it works like a charm!  Melt the butter in the casserole dish in the oven heated to 400 degrees.  Meanwhile, mix the flour, milk and sugar in a small bowl and let sit. Once the butter is completely melted (but not burnt, ya’ll!), pour in that thickened fruit mixture right on top.  Now you’re going to drizzle that dough mixture right on top.  Be sure to pour it evenly, because when it bakes, it will rise right to the top just the way you poured it.  Now put that baby in the oven at 400 for 30-40 minutes.

All done!

Now call your mamma and round up the kids, cause ya’ll about to eat something REAL good!

Happy 4th everyone!  Stop in for a sweet watermelon, juicy peaches, or a hot bag of boiled p-nuts!  We will be sampling some goodies Saturday too!

Native Union Countians and brothers, F.C. and Randall Collins, will perform in concert at the Old Courthouse on the Square in Blairsville at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, June 17.

We have fresh peaches this week!  Yum — they are so good!  Drop by and see us for a taste!  Be thinking peach shortcake, summer peach cobbler, or old fashioned peaches ‘n cream!

One of the best things about our week is going to the Union County Farmer’s Market.  Every Saturday morning at 7am, you’ll find us hanging out at the market with delicious produce, roasted peanuts, and those “Jawja bulled p-nuts” that have made us pretty famous around these parts.

What we love most about going to the Farmer’s Market is getting out and meeting all these great people.  Some are locals, some are here on vacation, and some have just moved to our neck of the woods and they’re so darn happy to be here!  (And we know why– We’re blessed to live here too!)

You’ll usually find “Ol’ Larry,” as Ava has affectionately named him, boiling up the peanuts and slicin’ peaches and cantaloupe for customers and friends to try.  The kids even love to come, especially Ian and Ava, because there is always something new to explore at the market each week.

There’s always a great assortment of goodies at the Market, and you’ll be treated to fresh, homegrown produce when you come.  Our friends at Logan Turnpike Mill are always there selling their delicious homemade bread and seasonal yummies like Strawberry Shortcake!  Our good friends Kenley and Paula Jean Redditt of the Country Smokehouse have the tastiest beef jerky around and they’re also usually at the market catching up with friends.

Jason and Anna compete in watermelon eating contest at the Farmer's Market. Anna went home with the prize! Better luck next time, Jason.

Come on out and join us at the Union County Farmer’s Market every Saturday on Old Smokey Road.  The market runs from June to September and is open from 7am until 1pm.

For more information on special events (like watermelon eating contests!), visit www.ucfarmersmarket.com.  Hope to see you there!

Collins Brothers at Old Courthouse