JD and I are supremely lucky to live in the coolest neighborhood on the planet. Who would have thought that a townhouse cul-de-sac could contain such fun people? We get together all the time...to watch Survivor/football/movies, and to celebrate birthdays, babies, Arbor Day, you name it. One constant with our group is food.  And lots of it. A recent trend at our gatherings is a focus on appetizers, so I've been trying some new recipes. I made these yesterday and they were a hit. Super simple and delish.

Caramelized Onion-Apple Bites
adapted from a recipe in Sunset magazine

3 tablespoons butter
1 pound onions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
3 ounces gruyere cheese, grated
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Melt butter in a skillet, add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and saute over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the apples, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 minutes, or until onions a golden brown. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon pepper and salt to taste. Set aside and cool for at least 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375. Unroll puff pastry and cut into 16 squares, then cut the squares into 32 triangles. Place triangles on parchment lined baking sheet, not touching. Top each triangle with a spoonful of the onion-apple mixture, a sprinkle of cheese, and a bit of minced thyme.

Bake 15 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.