Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bars

One of my favorite treats are chocolate and caramel covered pretzels. This combines those and chocolate chips cookies in one delicious square of ooey gooey goodness!

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup Mrs Richardson’s butterscotch caramel topping

1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed pretzel twists

Cream butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs together. Mix in flour, salt, baking soda and salt until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Press 2/3 of the dough into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. It should be a bit set but not golden brown.

Remove from oven and pour the caramel sauce on top of cookie. You may need to soften the caramel a bit in the microwave first.

Sprinkle caramel sauce with pretzels. Top evenly with remaining cookie dough. It will just be in small clumps over the top of the caramel and pretzels. Don’t worry, it will spread a bit while baking.

Bake for 15-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Let cool completely before cutting into squares. Don’t cut them too big, these things are pretty rich!

Tom Sawyer Donuts

Today my 15 year old son had to make donuts for a school project. I really thought he would consider himself too old to do it, but I was wrong… It involved donuts! LOL

He did a great job! I am embarrassed to admit that I never taught my boys to cook. I enjoyed the alone time too much. But it is a whole lot easier when they are 15 and you just tell them to do something or read the recipe and do it and they do… I didn’t even always have to be in the same room while he did it. ;o)

They turned out great! They aren’t Krispy Kremes, but they are just as good as the donuts we buy at the little stand at Pike Place Market in Seattle!

Now, I’m pretty sure the boys are going to expect homemade donuts more often…

First: Pour 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice in a measuring cup. Add milk to the 1/2 cup line. Let sit for 15 minutes. Stir.

Then pour 1/2 cup of very hot tap water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of yeast on top of the water. Sprinkle 1/8 cup flour on top of yeast. Lightly mix and let sit 5-10 minutes, it will start to get foamy.

Add the milk and the following ingredients to the yeast and water mixture.

3 Tablespoons melted butter

3 Tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flour (I used a bit of whole wheat flour, too)

Stir to make a soft dough. Add more flour if needed to make it stiff enough to knead.

Knead for 5 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Knead in more flour if it is sticky. You will end up using about 2 1/2 to 3 cups total.

Roll out to about 1/2” thick. Cut out with donut cutter. (I used a biscuit cutter and an apple corer for the centers)

Place on baking sheet, cover with thin towel and set aside in a warm place to rise for about 45 minutes. (I turn my oven to the lowest temp for about 5-10 minutes while kneading and then turn it off)

(this is what they look like after rising) 

Heat oil in deep fryer to 375.

Carefully place donuts, a few at a time, into the hot oil. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

Place on a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Then roll in cinnamon sugar.

Eat them while they are still hot. They are the best when still warm!

April Fool’s Day Cake & Flowers

I have never really successfully pulled off a good April Fool’s Day prank. And I have to say that I sort of had a complex about it. But not anymore… Yesterday I finally did it!

Our church has a potluck every Sunday night at our Family Nite service and I decided they would be my next target.

My contributions: Cake and a flower arrangement. Or were they???

I brought them both to the church and set them right on the dessert table. I stuck a server next to the “cake” and a spoon in the flower arrangement. I got my dinner and sat where I had a good spot to watch them. For the longest time, no one touched either of them. People went for the already cut brownies and the easy-to-serve cherry cobbler. No one ever wants to be the first to cut into the cake… And no one wants to figure out why there’s a spoon in the flowers???

Just when I began to despair that I had failed yet again, one of the youth group members took a slice of cake. I thought the reaction would be immediate. But he just slapped the piece of cake onto his plate with the rest of his desserts and went and sat down. How could he have not noticed??? Had I failed AGAIN after all??? Another girl took a piece and nonchalantly walked back to her table. I felt defeated. Well, at least I was going to get to take home my really yummy Flower Pot Mud Pie and I’d just eat the whole thing to make myself feel better…

No such luck, my children could no longer hold it in and (knowing what was really in the pot) eventually helped themselves to the dessert. At about that same time, I overheard quite a bit of laughing from the youth group table. Maybe it had worked after all??? Then I heard the, “Hey! What is this?” At the same time, Katie walked over half smiling and simply says, “I’m mad at you.” I have to confess that knowing I had made Katie mad actually made me very happy! ;o)

It turned out Robert hadn’t noticed either that his piece of “cake” was made entirely out of meat. Half of his table could clearly see this but all he saw was pink “frosting”, hence the laughter. Oblivious to all this, he went to take his first bite and exclaims, “Wait, is this meat?” The table begins to roll with laughter. It worked beautifully! About 5 minutes later, Katie walks back over to me and says, “Now I know why you did that!” Now I had to laugh.

No one suspected that my cake was actually meatloaf, nor that my flower arrangement was a dessert in disguise. But both were very delicious and were a big hit all the way around!

So if you’re looking for a fun and delicious prank for next year, here is the recipe for my Meatloaf Cake. The recipe is a bit of a variation on Sweet Anna’s smoky mini meatloafs. I also have to confess that this is the very first meatloaf that my family has enjoyed and only the second one I have ever made since being a grown-up!

3 pounds lean hamburger (I had 3 1/4 pounds)

1 1/2 cups quick oats

1/2-1 cup diced onion

2 cups milk

3 teaspoons salt (I didn’t use that much)

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Mix all ingredients together. I use my Kitchen Aid mixer but you can also do it by hand.

Press into a greased 9x13 metal baking pan. (you don’t want them to see through it).

2 cups ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

6 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon Chipotle Tobasco sauce (or more or less to taste)

Whisk together and spread on top of meatloaf.

Bake at 350 for about 1 hour or until it temps at 160-165.

*Mine had quite a bit of liquid around it when it was done baking. You can drain it off if you like but I just moved mine into another clean 9x13 baking pan.

When the meatloaf is almost done, prepare one 13oz box of instant mashed potatoes according to package directions. After they are done, whip them extra smooth with an electric mixer.

If you want to, add a bit of food coloring before whipping to give the potatoes that pretty frosting look. I did most of my potatoes in pink but left some white for decorations.

“Frost” your “cake” generously, making sure to cover it completely. If desired, serve with a lovely flower arrangement for dessert… ;o)   See recipe HERE.

Best Banana Muffins

These banana muffins are a just about perfect. They are moist, sweet, tender, light, banana-y… With a cup of coffee in the morning, they can even brighten up a dull rainy day. Yeah, I really like these muffins! If only I could find the perfect blueberry muffin…
The first trick is that you want 2 cups of wet ingredients. I measure them into my 2 cup Pampered Chef measure-all cup.
These are the things you MUST have:
1/3 cup melted butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons water
Then add 2-3 mashed ripe bananas.
Fill the rest of the measuring cup with sour cream.

In a large mixing bowl add:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient in the bowl. Stir only until combined. (Think of it more as folding the ingredients into each other) You don’t want to overmix quick breads! Don’t worry if the batter isn’t smooth.
Grease and sugar muffin tins (about 15-18) or use muffin papers. Fill 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops with sugar.
Bake for 5 minutes at 425. Without opening the oven, turn the temperature down to 350 and bake for about 10 more minutes or until pick comes out clean.

Slow Cooker Apple Cracked Wheat

What’s better than hot breakfast on a cold winter morning? Hot breakfast waiting for you in your slow cooker!

This is a rather sweet and fruity way to enjoy cracked wheat, but is so lovely with a cup of hot tea or coffee.

This recipe makes 2-3 servings. I make it in my really small 1.5 quart crock pot. Cracked wheat is pretty filling, you don’t need much to fill you up!

1/3 cup apple, chopped

1/3 cup cracked wheat

1/8 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup apple juice

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon butter

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

splash of vanilla

Stir everything together in your crock pot. Turn it on low before going to bed. Do not cook longer than 8 hours. Give it a stir and let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Chocolate Fondue

I love fondue, I love chocolate, I love dipping things into other yummy things! This is the best of all three!!! Some of our favorite dippers are: marshmallows, pound cake, brownie chunks, apples, strawberries, bananas.

A candle fondue pot works best for this. Just pre-heat the pot a bit before adding the chocolate.

3/4 cup half & half

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup liquor or strong coffee

Heat creams in double boiler until they bubble. Reduce heat and slowly add chocolate chips, stirring each addition until melted and smooth. When chocolate is all melted, add liquor or coffee. Stir well. Pour into fondue pot. Use for dipping your favorite treats and enjoy!

Honey Cranberry Chicken

I have made this for about 15 years now. I don’t even know where the original recipe is anymore. In fact, I just kind of know how to make it. I am going to have to really think about it in order to post this recipe….
But it is worth the effort on my part so that you, too, may enjoy this moist and tasty chicken. Simple enough for every day but elegant enough for a special occasion.

1/2 – 3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup butter
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup chopped green onion
3 Tablespoons honey or maple syrup
Place 1/2-3/4 cup dried cranberries in a glass bowl. Cover with boiling water and let sit.

Meanwhile, melt 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Salt and pepper 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
Brown the chicken in the skillet until golden brown on both sides.
Add 1/4 cup of green onion and sauté for about 30 seconds. Stir them to keep the onions from burning or sticking.
Pour in the cranberries and the water they have been soaking in.

Cover the skillet and turn heat to low. Simmer the chicken until it is done and no longer pink, 165 degrees.
Remove lid and return heat to medium-high, let most of the liquid boil away. Stir in honey or syrup.
Serve topped with cranberry mixture.