At the risk of being labeled an a$$-kisser by the other moms, I always send Buckaroo into school with a small gift for the teacher, bus driver, school nurses, and principal for all holidays. It’s the least I can do to show my appreciation for how much they keep him safe while he is at school. Trust me, I’ve asked for a lot of accommodations due to his severe food allergies and they continuously go above and beyond my requests.

Since there are 6-10 gifts that need to be given total (6 if it’s just his teacher, bus drivers, nurses and principal, but 10 if I include his physical education, art, music and library teachers, too), this can get quite costly, especially ’cause there are at least 6 times a year that I like to send them in something small.

I have some crafty bones in my body, and I am all about semi-homemade cooking, so these “Homemade” Caramel Apples were right up my alley. What makes them even better is that you get to use up some leftover Halloween candy, and they are less than $2 each to make!! These also make great hostess gifts to bring for any upcoming parties!

To make 10 caramel apples, here is what you’ll need:
** 2 packages of pre-made caramel wraps (about $4 each in your fruit section at your local grocery store)
** 10 medium apples (I paid about $6 at my local grocery store)
** small bag of melting chocolate ($2 in my local craft store)
** leftover Halloween candies (any type will do, I used M&M’s because I was avoiding nuts)
** 10 large clear cello bags ($2 for a pack of 30 in my local craft store)
** 10 gift tags (I printed mine on Microsoft Word and punched a whole in each corner)
** Curling Ribbon

Clean, remove stems and dry all of your apples, and you are ready to begin!

Step 1: Remove the caramel wrap from the wax paper and gently pull it to stretch it out. Line baking sheets with the wax paper.

Step 2: Lay the caramel wrap over the apple and gently stretch it to cover the apple completely, overlapping it at the bottom for a tight seal.

Step 3: Place the stick firmly in the center of the apple, and place on the baking sheets.

Step 4: Bake the apples for 5 minutes at 200 degrees.

Step 5: Right after you remove them from the oven, push on some leftover Halloween candy for decoration. Then, drizzle melted baking chocolate over each.

Finishing Touches: After the caramel apples have cooled completely, place them inside a clear cello bag and tie with curling ribbon and gift tag.

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