Caramel Corn

This sweet and crunchy Caramel Corn is delicious treat and makes a fun homemade Christmas gift!

Christmas is only 3 days away--is anyone else in shock?  It's finally starting to feel like Christmas since we had our first family Christmas party in Canada on Saturday.  We had a great time with our family and Summer loved seeing everyone!

Now we are back home and it's crunch time!  I have about half my gifts left to wrap and I still have some baking to do so I can bring some treats over to our neighbors.  Since I'm a little short on time I'll be making something quick and easy.  The recipe topping that list is my dad's Caramel Corn recipe.  I made a batch last week for my co-workers.  I filled little ramkins with the treat and packaged it up in a clear cellophane bag with a pretty bow.  My co-workers loved it!

This caramel corn is a recipe I grew up making.  My dad always made it in the microwave and my brother and I loved helping him pour it into a brown paper bag and then stir it up.  As kids we couldn't believe the magic that happened in the microwave ;)  You can make this recipe in the oven too if that's more your thing, I just choose to use the microwave because it's faster!  Either way, the caramel corn tastes amazing!

Caramel Corn

Makes 24 1 cup servings

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 quarts popped popcorn

1.  Melt the butter in a large saucepan.

2.  Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

3.  Allow the mixture to boil for 5 minutes without stirring.

4.  Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the vanilla and baking soda.  It will expand when you add the baking soda, so be sure to use a large pan!

5.  Microwave directions:  Coat the inside of a brown grocery bag with cooking spray.  Pour the popcorn into the bag and pour the caramel over the popcorn.  Stir to coat.  Fold the bag over and microwave for 2 minutes, then remove the bag from the microwave and stir.  Microwave another 2 minutes and stir, then an additional 2 minutes and stir.  Spread caramel corn on a baking sheet to cool.

6.  Oven directions:  Place the popcorn in a large bowl and pour the caramel over it.  Stir to coat.  Spread on two cookie sheets and bake at 250 for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool.

When the caramel corn is cool, break it apart and store in an airtight container.

Salted Caramel Fudge

A smooth chocolate fudge, with a surprise ingredient for the caramel, topped with a pinch of salt. And made in only 5 minutes! Could it be the best fudge ever?

Towards the end of last summer, Mike, Summer and I ventured out to a local blueberry farm. After seeing multiple television commercials advertising ask the farm had to offer we decided to check it out. It was our first real outing as a family of three and we were hoping to make an afternoon of it. Unfortunately however, we quickly realized that the small barn had been hyped up on TV and the farm was not at all what we expected. Our little trip lasted about 15 minutes.

We walked away with a box of blueberries, some donuts, and a box of assorted fudge. Yes, fudge from a blueberry farm. And it didn't disappoint! That box of fudge is what redeemed the blueberry farm for us.  We savored every last bite and are already looking forward to going back this summer.  Going to a blueberry farm for fudge...that's us!

I was assigned to The Kitchen Witch for this month's Secret Recipe Club.  It didn't take me more than a few minutes of browsing through Rhonda's blog to decide which recipe I would be making.  (Though so many o her recipes looked amazing!)  Her recipe for Salted Caramel Fudge immediately caught my eye and I was smitten.  Especially when I read the ingredient list and realized how simple the recipe really was.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that the caramel in the recipe came from one of my favorite candies--Milk Duds!

Seriously, could this recipe get any better?

I quickly found out it couldn't!  The fudge came together in about 5 minutes.  After 2 agonizing hours in the fridge it had hardened enough for me to cut into it. My first bite was everything I hoped for--a sweet and creamy fudge, with the perfect amount of saltiness, and a bite of caramel.  Delicious!

Salted Caramel Fudge

Ingredients:
3 cups chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
pinch of salt
1 cup Milk Duds
coarse salt (I use Himalayan Pink Salt)

1.  In a microwave safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and a pinch of salt.

2.  Microwave for 1 minute and then stir.  Return to the microwave and heat in 20 second increments, stirring each time, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture can be stirred smooth.

3.  Stir the Milk Duds into the chocolate mixture.

4.  Spread the fudge into an 8x8" pan that has been lined with foil.

5.  Sprinkle the fudge with coarse salt.

6.  Refrigerate fudge for at least 2 hours, until set.

7.  Cut the fudge into 1" squares.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge, but serve the fudge at room temperature.

Source: The Kitchen Witch

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies

Apple cider cookies stuffed with caramel, does it get much better?

This fall, I just can't get enough apple cider!  I pick up a gallon every week when I get groceries.  I love hot cider, so I'll typically heat up a mug and take it to work with me each morning.  There's no better way to start my day out than sipping some hot cider while checking my work emails.

When I saw this recipe a couple weeks ago, I knew I had to find the time to make it.  I mean, seriously, what could be better than cookies that taste like apple cider?  As I quickly found out, the answer is very few things.  These cookies are incredible!  I couldn't believe how much flavor they had!

I always keep a box (or two) of the Alpine Spiced Cider Apple Flavor Drink Mix packets in the house, just in case I run out of fresh cider or have a craving during off season. I was happy to be able to put a box of the packets to good use in these cookies. 

I loved the chewy caramel hidden in the center of these cookies.  In the days after making the cookies, I found that if I popped a cookie in the microwave for about 5 seconds, the caramel became perfectly gooey.

All this talk about cider...I'm off to pour a glass!

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 box (10 packets) Alpine Spiced Cider Apple Flavor Drink Mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups flour
1 bag caramels, unwrapped

1.  Cream together the butter, sugar, salt, and apple cider packets until light and fluffy.

2.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

3.  Add in the baking soda, baking powder, and flour and mix until combined.

4.  Scoop golf ball sized chunks of dough and flatten slightly in your hand.  Place a caramel in the center** and work the dough around the caramel, shaping into a ball.

5.  Place cookie dough onto a greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.

6.  Bake 12-14 minutes, until golden brown.

7.  Allow the cookies to cool slightly before removing from the cookie sheet and cooling on a cooling rack.

**If you want to have the caramel spread through the cookie rather than just in the center, you can flatten the caramel with the back of a spoon or a rolling pin before placing in the cookie dough.  I tried, but my caramels were too hard!

Source:  Mom's Test Kitchen

This post contains affiliate links.

Caramel Apple Pull Apart Bread

This fall flavored pull apart bread is filled with apples and caramel.  It is a family favorite!

Are you a bargain shopper?  I totally am!  Ever since I began grocery shopping (even while still living with my parents) I have loved clipping coupons and hunting for the best possible deals.  And, I've snagged some great ones!  I've made it into a game for myself, always competing to get the best deal, and the highest percentage of savings (check out the time I saved 95%!)  While I don't spend as much time couponing as I used to (before Summer was born), I still enjoy searching out the best deals and getting that savings high.

So, that's why I am excited to tell you about my new affiliation with Eversave.  It's a daily deal site with some fantastic deals!  Since becoming a member a couple months ago, I have saved hundreds of dollars.  It's easy--just visit their website to check out the daily deals.  Then purchase the deal and check your email for the voucher.  They have something for everyone: I've purchased baby items, toys, canvas prints, even a vacation!  Plus, they have one of the best referral and rewards programs out there: for every new customer you refer, you receive a $10 credit, and if you simply share a deal after you purchase it, you receive a $2 credit.  Those credits add up and make the deals even better!

I'll be posting the daily deals on my Facebook page, so I hope that you will check it out!  The holiday season is quickly approaching, and think of how much money you can save.  Just an example: today's featured save is an Android Tablet and it is 83% off.  Or how about a 2 night vacation plus a restaurant gift card at a savings of 80%.  Plus, there are local deals based on where you leave.  Check it out today and start saving!

Okay, now let's talk about this bread.  Wow.  All the best flavors of fall packed into a bread pan.  Can it get any better?  I'd have to say no, especially if you base taste on how quickly something is eaten.  This loaf of bread lasted about 2 days in our house!

It may look complicated, but don't let the instructions scare you off.  This bread is pretty simple to make, though it can be time consuming because you need to wait for the dough to rise.  While the dough is rising, you can work on the caramel apple filling though, so the time passes rather quickly.  The caramel apple filling seeps between the pieces of the bread, ensuring that every bite is filled with the flavors of fall.  Then, the bread is topped off with a caramel apple icing.

This bread is fall in a loaf pan!

Pull Apart Cinnamon Bread
Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:
For the dough:
2-3/4 cups flour, plus more if needed
1/4 cup sugar
2-1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs

For the filling:
4 Tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

For the caramel filling:
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 apples, diced

For the icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1-1/2 Tablespoons apple cider
1 packet Duncan Hines Caramel Frosting Creations

1. In the bowl of your mixer, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

2.  In a small saucepan, combine the butter and milk and heat until the butter melts.  Set aside and cool until it reaches 115-120 degrees.

3.  Add the milk mixture, water, vanilla, and eggs to the flour mixture.  Mix on low speed with the dough hook until a dough forms.

4.   Add additional flour 1 Tablespoon at a time, as needed, until the dough pulls away from the edge of the bowl.  Continue kneading bread until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes.

5.  Cover the dough and set it aside to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

6.  While the dough is rising, add butter to a small saucepan and melt. Set aside.

7.  Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Set aside.

8.  Next, in a small saucepan, melt 4 Tablespoons butter and add the brown sugar.  Cook until bubbly and the mixture begins to thicken.

9. Add the diced apples to the caramel mixture and set aside.

10.  When dough has risen, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and gently deflate.

11.  Roll dough into a ball, cover with a clean towel, and let it rest for 5 minutes.

12.  Roll the dough into a rectangle, approximately 12" by 20".

13.  Brush the dough with the melted butter.  Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar mixture, be sure to use all of it. 

14.  Cut the dough length-wise into 4 long strips. 

15.  Stack those strips on top of each other and cut into 6 equal slices. 

16.  Stack all the slices on top of each other and place vertically in a greased bread pan.

17.  Pour the caramel apple mixture on top of the dough. Gently separate the pieces of dough to allow the caramel mixture to seep between the slices.

18.  Cover with a clean towel and set aside to rise for 30 minutes.

19.  Set the loaf pan on a cookie sheet (in case the caramel bubbles out of the pan). Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes, until the top is golden brown. If the top is getting too dark before the bread is baked, cover with foil.

20.  Remove from oven and let the bread cool in the pan for 20 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge of the bread to loosen it from the pan and turn it onto a serving plate.

21.  While the bread is cooling, combine powdered sugar, milk, and Caramel Frosting Creations in a small bowl to make a thin icing.  Drizzle on top of bread after it has been turned onto the plate.

This post contains affiliate links.

Loaded Brownies

Yesterday one of my co-workers asked me if there is anything that I've been craving during my pregnancy.  Yes!  I told her I was always wanting Oreos and brownies.  The other day, I came home from work and I wanted brownies so badly!  I thought I had bought a brownie mix at the store not too long ago, and I planned to whip up a batch while supper was cooking.  For some reason, I couldn't find the mix I thought I had, but I did find a mix that I bought from a chocolate party I hosted.

I whipped up the brownies and was surprised when the recipe called for an 8x8" baking dish, yet the nutrition facts said the brownies made 20 servings.  The directions said to cut the brownies into 2-1/2" pieces.  I think someone needs to try their math again!  Anyway, the brownies were pretty good, but they certainly didn't hold a candle to these loaded brownies.  

I made these brownies a while ago, I just never got around to posting them.  It turns out that was a good thing, because this month's ingredients for the Lady Behind the Curtain Dessert Challenge are caramel and pretzels!  These brownies contain both, plus they're full of chocolatey goodness. They're everything I've been craving, and then some!

Loaded Brownies

Makes 1 9x13" pan, approximately 18 servings

1 box brownie mix
2/3 cup vegetable oil*
1/4 cup water*
2 eggs *
*or ingredients listed to prepare brownie mix
1/2 cup chocolate chips, divided
24 caramels, unwrapped and cut in half
1/2 cup pretzels, broken in pieces

1.  Mix the brownie mix, oil, water, and eggs together in a medium bowl.

2.  Pour half the batter into a greased 9x13" pan.

3.  Sprinkle half the chocolate chips and the caramels over the brownie batter.

4.  Pour the remaining batter into the pan and top with remaining chocolate chips and broken pretzels.

5.  Bake at 350 for 22-24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownie comes out mostly clean.

Caramel Apple Cider

 

Are you ready for Christmas?  Is it looking like Christmas outside your window?  I don't know about you, but when it's cold outside, there's nothing better than a hot drink to warm you inside and out!

This Caramel Apple Cider is the perfect cold weather drink.  The cider is heated in the slow cooker, so the hands-on time is quite minimal.  Plus, your house will smell amazing while you're making it!  I served this at Thanksgiving and I plan to make it for our Christmas Eve celebration tonight.



Caramel Apple Cider

Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 (64 ounce) bottle of apple juice
6 cinnamon sticks
8 Tablespoons caramel ice-cream topping

1.  Pour the apple cider into the pot of a slow cooker.  Add the cinnamon sticks.

2.  Heat on low for 6-8 hours, until the cider is hot and the cinnamon sticks have uncurled and are soft.

3.  Carefully ladle the hot cider into mugs. 

4.  Stir 1 Tablespoon of caramel ice-cream topping into each mug of cider right before serving.

Enjoy!

Apple Cider Caramels

I love caramel in many forms, but especially in a piece of chewy candy that seems to just melt in your mouth.  I also love a hot cup of Apple Cider when the air turns cold!

I'd seen other Apple Cider Caramel recipes but they all involved reducing apple cider down to a syrup and using that for the flavor.  It seemed like a lot of work to me, so I thought I'd try using the Alpine Spiced Cider Apple Flavor Drink Mix instead.  It worked perfectly and the cider flavor really shines through these candies.

Apple Cider Caramels

Makes approximately 64 candies

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 vanilla bean pod, split and scraped
1-1/4 teaspoons sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
4 packages Alpine Spiced Cider Apple Flavor Drink Mix

1. Heavily butter the bottom and sides of an 8x8 pan.

2. Bring cream, butter, vanilla, vanilla beans, pod, and sea salt to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside. 

3.  Stir the cider packages into the cream until it's dissolved.

4. Boil sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

5.  Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until mixture is a light golden caramel.

6. Remove vanilla pods and carefully stir cream mixture into the caramel (mixture will bubble up) and simmer, stirring frequently, until caramel registers 248 on a candy thermometer.

7. Pour into baking pan and cool 30 minutes.

8. Sprinkle another pinch or two of sea salt over the top of the caramel for a nice salty crunch and let sit until completely cooled.

9. Cut into 1-inch pieces (I buttered a pizza cutter), and store in an airtight container or wrap in waxed paper (directions below).

To wrap caramels: cut waxed paper into 4" squares.  Carefully roll each caramel into a small log and place in the center of the waxed paper.  Wrap paper around the caramels and twist the ends to seal.

Molten Caramel Apple Cakes

How was your Halloween?  Did you (or your kids) bring home a bundle of candy?  We had a surprisingly low amount of trick-or-treaters through our subdivision this year.  I think it was too cold and wet, as we were still dealing with the rain brought on by Hurricane Sandy.  I started handing out just one or two pieces of candy to each child, but about 15 minutes before I turned our light off, I started giving out handfuls!  And, I still have candy leftover!  C'est la vie...

Now that Halloween is over, I can focus on Thanksgiving...and then Christmas!  But how about Thanksgiving first?  Sometimes Thanksgiving seems to get skipped over, but we all have so much to be thankful for.  I think it's important to really set a day aside to be thankful for what we have (we should be thankful every day too!) 

The weather has drastically changed in the past week.  Last week we were setting records by how warm it was.  This week we've returned to fall weather and it's been cold, dreary, and blustery!  Of course, when it feels like fall I want to enjoy the tastes of fall too!  For me, that means lots of apple and pumpkin flavored foods.  I have a few more fall recipes coming up this month, and today I want to share these molten cakes.

I absolutely adore Molten Cakes.  I find it quite entertaining  to stick my fork into a cake and have a deliciously gooey center ooze out.   That was certainly the case for these Molten Caramel Apple Cakes.   Between the caramel and the apples, these cakes just scream fall!  Plus, because Mike and I can never eat an entire cake between the two of us, I was thrilled that this recipe makes just 2 single serving cakes.  Mike opted out of eating his (silly boy!) and so I enjoyed his cake for breakfast one morning!  Shhhh....don't tell!

Molten Caramel Apple Cakes

Serves 2

2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs

2 eggs

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup caramel ice cream topping
3 tablespoons flour
1 small apple peeled and chopped
Powdered Sugar

1.  Spray bottoms and sides of 2 8-ounce ramekins with baking spray. Sprinkle cracker crumbs onto bottom and around side of each cup.

2.  In large bowl, beat eggs with wire whisk until well blended.

3.  Beat in brown sugar.

4.  Beat in caramel topping and flour until well blended.

5.  Stir in apple.

6.  Divide batter evenly among custard cups. Place cups on cookie sheet.

7.  Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or until sides are set and centers are still soft but not liquid (tops will be slightly puffed). Be careful not to over bake the cakes!

8.  Remove the ramekins from the cookie sheet. Let the cakes for stand 3 minutes before running a small knife along sides of cakes to loosen.

9.  Immediately place a plate upside down over top of each cup; turn the plate and cup over. Remove cup. Sprinkle cakes with powdered sugar.

Serve warm.

Source:  A Crafty Cook

Apple Snickers Pie

It's time again for the Crazy Cooking Challenge monthly reveal.  October's theme was Apple Pie.  The Crazy Cooking Challenge has been revamped since it began last year.  It's laid-back and easy to participate in.  If you'd like to join, you can read the details here.

Back to the pie.  I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of pie.  I've made an apple pie before, and it was delicious, but this time I really wanted to make something different.  I used a recipe I found via Pinterest for my inspiration and whipped up a delicious Apple Snickers Pie.  It's basically Snickers Salad in a pie shell and it's absolutely decadent!

Apple Snickers Pie

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) tub Cool Whip
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
3 apples, cored and diced (plus a few slices for a garnish, if desired)
4 regular sized Snicker bars (or 20 minis), chopped (plus a few pieces for garnish, if desired)
1 graham cracker crust
1/4 cup caramel ice-cream topping

1.  In a medium mixing bowl, gently combine the Cool Whip and sweetened condensed milk.

2.  Fold in diced apples and chopped Snickers bars.

3.  Drizzle caramel topping over the graham cracker crust.

4.  Pour the pie filling into the graham cracker crust.

5.  Refrigerate pie for at least 2 hours before serving to allow it to set.  The pie will not be completely firm.

6.  Garnish the pie with apple slices and Snickers bars.

Slice and serve.

Adapted from: I Heart Nap Time

“I’m partying at the Pi Day Pie Party at Crazy for Crust today. Come party with us!”

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Can you believe it's August already?  I don't know where this summer has gone!  We've had a great summer, I just wish it wasn't nearly over.  Soon we'll be enjoying the crisper temperature of fall weather, along with delicious caramel apples--the inspiration for this cheesecake!

When Tina announced that this month's Crazy Cooking Challenge was Cheesecake, I was in luck.  I knew exactly what recipe I was going to make--in fact, I had already made it! 

I am typically in charge of making dessert for our Sunday dinners with my parents.  The Sunday that I made this dessert, we had dinner with my parents and Mike's parents, so I chose to make a fancier dessert than I typically would.

Everyone really enjoyed this cheesecake.  I loved the crunch of the apples on top, and the sweetness of the caramel topping.  This is a recipe I'll definitely be making again!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Serves 12-14

You will need:
2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
3 eggs
2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large apple, diced
1/4 cup caramel ice-cream topping

1.  In a small bowl, combine the crushed vanilla wafers and butter.

2.  Press into the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9" springform pan.

3.  Place pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust at 400 for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and set pan on a wire rack to cool.

4.  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.

5.  Add the sugar and flour to cream cheese and mix well.

6.  Add in the eggs; beat on low until just combined.

7.  Stir in heavy whipping cream and vanilla.

8.  Pour filling into crust.  Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes, until the center is almost set.

9.  Cool the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Then run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the crust.  Cool for 1 hour.

10.  Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight.

11.  Before serving, remove the sides of the pan.  Garnish with diced apples and caramel sauce.

Cover and refrigerate leftovers.

Slightly adapted from: The Taste of Home Cookbook

You can check out the other recipes I've made as part of the Crazy Cooking Challenge:
Double Coconut Fried Chicken--July 2012
Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothies--June 2012
Pizza Grilled Cheese--May 2012
Giant Streusel Topped Bluebery Muffins--April 2012
Spaghetti with Apple Tomato Sauce--March 2012
Chocolate Root Beer Bundt Cake--February 2012
Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles--January 2012
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge--December 2011
Garlic Mashed Potatoes--November 2011
Chocolate Chip Cookies--October 2011
Beer and Bacon Mac and Cheese--September 2011

Don't forget to click on the thumbnail picture for my recipe to vote for me! :)  Thank you :)

Caramel and Pretzel Bark

If your New Year's Resolution had something to do with eating healthier or losing weight, I apologize--you might just want to skip this post.  Oh wait, you already saw the picture though...I suppose this will be a test of your willpower.

I made so many delicious treats for Christmas and New Year's and all the parties involved, and there just hasn't been enough time to post them all.  Please bear with me, I'll try to limit the sweets so you're not incredibly tempted, but these recipes are just too good not to share!

My friend made this recipe for a bake sale and I was lucky enough to snag a plate.  When I was making my Melting Snowmen Cookie Balls, I had some melted Almond Bark left over.  I decided it was the perfect opportunity to throw together a small batch of this Caramel and Pretzel Bark.  The one great thing about this recipe is that you really don't need to follow the amounts--you can make as much (or as little) as you want!

Caramel and Pretzel Bark

You will need:
6 blocks Almond Bark
1/2 cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup Pretzels, broken into bite-sized pieces
20 Soft Caramels (unwrapped)

1.  Place almond bark in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir and microwave another 30 seconds.  Repeat as needed until bark is melted and can be stirred smooth.

2.  Spread melted almond bark on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.

3.  Sprinkle pretzel pieces over almond bark.

4.  Place caramels in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir and microwave another 30 seconds.  Repeat as needed until caramels are melted and can be stirred smooth.

5.  Drizzle caramel over pretzel pieces on the almond bark.

6.  Melt chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl.  I follow the same method as step 1 (above).

7.  Drizzle melting chocolate over the almond bark.

8.  Allow the bark to completely set before breaking it into pieces.  Store in an air-tight container.

Source:  Jennifer

Crock-pot Caramel Apple Cake

You will need:

1 C flour 
3/4 C brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
3 large apples, peeled and diced
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla

Caramel Topping

1.  In a medium bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

2.  Add diced apples to flour mixture and stir to coat.

3.  In a small bowl, mix eggs and vanilla.

4.  Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and gently stir.  

5.  Pour into a greased crock-pot.

6.  Cover and bake on high for 2 hours. 

7.  Drizzle with warmed caramel topping before serving. 

I think next time I make this, I'll do a double batch.  I have a large crock-pot and the cake ended up being only about an inch thick.  I think that's part of the reason it didn't slice nicely, it's more like a mess on the plate, but it still tasted great!

Source: Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Caramel Filled Molten Chocolate Cakes

Caramel Filled Molten Chocolate Cakes

I love Molten Chocolate Cakes.  The way you dig in and get a gooey chocolate center, so delicious!  I also love salted caramels.  I was going to make these Molten cakes for our Bible study one night and thought I would mix it up and put a caramel in the middle.  Am I ever glad I did, these are so good!  They're easy to make too~ try them tonight!  (I did complicate my recipe a bit by making my own salted caramels, but you could simplify it by using store-bought caramels)

You will need:
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
3 Tablespoons margarine
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar (I used vanilla sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon flour
6 caramels (I used my recipe!)

1.  Melt chopped chocolate and butter in a small bowl.  Set aside to cool.

2.  In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt.  Beat with a mixer until it becomes fluffy and triples in volume.  It took me about 5 minutes.

3.  Carefully stir in flour.

4.  Fold in chocolate mixture just until combined.

5.  Divide batter evenly between 6 greased ramekins.

6.  Place a caramel in the center of each ramekin and make sure it's covered with chocolate.

7.  Bake at 400 for 9-11 minutes.  I found that 11 minutes was a little too long as the cakes got baked almost completely through and there wasn't much "molten" part.  You'll want to serve these immediately so the caramel doesn't harden. 

Salted Caramels

When I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it! I was so excited to use a real vanilla bean, but first I had to find one! Not a lot of stores around here sell vanilla beans, but I discovered my new favorite store (and they carry vanilla beans)!!! I hope to make my own vanilla soon, and continue to make recipes using "fresh" vanilla, like the next recipe!

You will need:

1 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 vanilla bean pod, split and scraped
1-1/4 teaspoons sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water


1. Heavily butter the bottom and sides of an 8x8 pan.

2. Bring cream, butter, vanilla, vanilla beans, pod, and sea salt to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside.

3. Boil sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

4. Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until mixture is a light golden caramel.

5. Remove vanilla pods and carefully stir cream mixture into the caramel (mixture will bubble up) and simmer, stirring frequently, until caramel registers 248 on a candy thermometer.

6. Pour into baking pan and cool 30 minutes.

7. Sprinkle another pinch or two of sea salt over the top of the caramel for a nice salty crunch and let sit until completely cooled.

8. Cut into 1-inch pieces (I buttered a pizza cutter), and store in an airtight container.

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride

Caramel Puffs

Caramel Puffs (12/18/10)
I recently received this recipe from a recipe exchange. I decided to add it to my holiday baking this year and I'm so glad I did! I love caramel corn and this has the same taste, but no kernels! Over the next week, I'll be sharing some of the great recipes I made Friday and Saturday for Christmas, so stay tuned!!!

You will need:
2 bags Jays Corn Puffs
2 sticks butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Pour both bags of corn puffs into a turkey roaster pan.
3. In a sauce pan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla.
4. Bring mix to boil over medium heat. Once it begins boiling, boil for 2 minutes. (Don't over boil)
5. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda; the mix will become foamy.
6. Drizzle half the mix over the corn puffs and stir gently.
7. Then pour remaining mix over corn puffs and stir to coat fully.
8. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
9. After the puffs are cooled, break apart and store in airtight container.

Gourmet Caramel Apples

Gourmet Caramel Apples (11/09/07)

These are so easy and fun to make, and they're delicious!!!!




















Unwrap one bag of caramels

Put in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly. (Sometimes, the directions on the bag of caramels tells you to add some water to the caramels, this is fine if you are going to eat your apples right away. If not, the water causes the caramel to "melt" off the apple while it's in the fridge or on the counter.)

Poke a wooden stick in the top of each apple (I removed mine later, for a cooler look)

Dip apple into the caramel, you may need to use a spoon to spread the caramel evenly.

Then you can dip the apple into melted chocolate, peanuts, or whatever you desire!

Let the caramel harden (works best in the fridge)

Enjoy!!!!