Take Five Bars.

Happy Mother's Day to our mom, who inspires us every day and inspires us in the kitchen so much that we started this blog!  And Happy Mother's Day to all the moms who read our blog.  Thank you for trying our recipes and keeping us motivated here...even if there has been an 18-month hiatus...

But, the hiatus, was well worth it in regards to:

• First trimester of pregnancy = fatigue and no appetite = no reason to cook
• Second trimester of pregnancy = attempting to recover from the first trimester = limited cooking
• Third trimester of pregnancy = hottest summer record in a house without air conditioning = no oven usage
• Beautiful Baby Ella was born!
• Newborn with colic = baby cries all day, sleeps all night = momma tends to baby all day, sleeps at night = consumption of many apples with peanutbutter
• Colic ends...but...

Then there was the accident and surgeries:

• Friends and neighbors supply an abundance of food - thank you!
• Husband busy recovering = no appetite for him

And then there was trying to adapt to returning to work full time, being a mom, a wife, help on the farm as able, etc, etc, etc (something most of you moms have already figured out).

And now it is all finally jiving.  I couldn't be more excited to feel that I have found the balance that I've needed so badly the last few months!

That being said, I was looking to make a pan of bars to incorporate sweet and salty.  You know...to keep with the whole balance thing!  [And because I bought a few boxes of yellow cake mix on sale to find out that my husband doesn't like yellow cake].  Funny how he suddenly liked it when it was in bar batter and completed bar form.  :)

Take Five Bars.

(Recipe slightly adapted from Six Sisters Stuff)

1 box yellow cake mix

2 eggs (divided)

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons milk

2/3 cup crushed pretzels

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

4 ounces cream cheese (softened)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 heaping cup caramels (cut into quarters)

1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix together the cake mix, one egg, butter, and milk until combined.  Split dough in half - setting one half aside and mixing pretzels into other half.  Press the dough with pretzels into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Beat one egg, peanut butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until well combined.  Spread over the top of the baked crust.  Sprinkle caramels and chocolate chips over the top of peanut butter mixture.  Lastly, flatten pieces of remaining dough over the top of the bars.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Cool and enjoy.

While I don't think these taste a whole lot like a take five candy bar, they are good and helped me to use up one box of yellow cake mix.  

Mixed Nut Bars.

Today I am happy to be sharing a family favorite.  I remember these being on the dessert table at family functions as long ago as I can remember.  And they are delicious.  So delicious that, in most cases, I will pass on anything with nuts nine times out of ten.  But these.  They are the one.

A big thanks to reader and facebook fan Angie who requested the recipe after sampling a pan that my mom made!  I am surprised that I haven't shared these yet!!

Mixed Nut Bars
(Adapted from Mom!)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
6 ounces butterscotch chips
1/2 cup karol syrup
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups mixed nuts

Mix flours, butter, and brown sugar until crumbly then press into a 9x13 baking dish.  Bake in a 325 degree oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle nuts evenly across the top.  Melt butterscotch chips, syrup, and butter over low/medium heat until bubbly.  Pour evenly over crust.  Bake for an addition 10 minutes.  Cool.  Serve.

Chocolate Caramel Espresso Cookies.

Today I bring you a new recipe that just might have landed a permanent spot on my Annual Christmas Baking List.  Who doesn't love the combination of chocolate and caramel?  Add a hint of coffee?  Bliss.  These brownie-like cookies looked perfect from the moment I spotted the recipe and haven't let me down yet (I've already eaten two of them.)  The cookies are fairly simple to make, but do require a mini muffin pan.  Wish I had two.

 Chocolate Caramel Espresso Cookies.

(adapted from Land o' Lakes)

Cookie:

1 tablespoon chocolate milk (white would also work)

1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee mix

1 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup dry baking cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 package rolos (48-60 pieces unwrapped)

Drizzle:

1/2 teaspoon instant coffee mix

1-2 tablespoons water

1 cup powdered sugar

Combine milk and coffee mix in a small bowl then set aside.  Combine butter and sugars.  Beat until creamy.  Add dissolved coffee mix mixture and eggs.  Beat until well mixed.  Slowly add flour, cocoa, and baking soda.  With lightly floured hands, shape dough into 48-60 small balls (about the same size you would make for drop cookies). Place balls into lightly greased mini muffin tin. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 7 to 8 minutes or until puffed and set. Remove from oven and immediately press 1 candy into each cookie. Cool 10 minutes in the pan and then remove, placing on a cooling rack until completely cool.


Dissolve coffee mix into water in small bowl. Stir in powdered sugar (and more water if necessary) until you reach desired glazing consistency. Drizzle over completely cooled cookies.

Package in an air-tight container before you eat them all!  

Caramel Pear Bars.

After my long hiatus I am happy to bring you a delicious autumn recipe that you will want to make sooner than later.  I like to stock up on pears specifically for this recipe.  And its so good that I had this earlier this month as my birthday treat!

Caramel Pear Bars
(adapted from Taste of Home)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 cup butter (melted)
1 package of caramels
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
5-6 medium pears (sliced thin - peeled or unpeeled)

Combine flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Stir in melted butter - mixture will be someone crumbly.  Set aside 1 1/2 cups to use as topping.  Press the remaining mixture into an ungreased 9x12 baking dish.  Melt caramels and milk until smooth.  Place pear slices on top of crust.  Drizzle caramel sauce over the top of pears.  Sprinkle with reserved mixture.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.  Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes.

Most delicious served slightly warm with vanilla ice cream.  If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator.  Mmmm.  I think I need to get some more pears!

Caramel Crusted French Toast.

I am a sucker for French Toast. Absolutely love it! I am also a sucker for caramel. So, imagine my delight when this recipe for Caramel Crusted French Toast was delivered to my inbox on Wednesday! I couldn't wait for the weekend to come so that I could pull out the griddle and whip up a batch of caramel crusted french toast.

Caramel Crusted French Toast

(Adapted from Framed)

1 stick of butter

7 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup milk

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

12 pieces of french bread (cut 1-inch thick)

In a small bowl, combine butter and brown sugar until completely mixed. Whisk milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg until combined. Dip slices of bread into egg mixture - covering each side. Spread one side of the bread with the butter/sugar mixture. Place on a griddle butter/sugar side down. Cook until bottom is golden brown. Repeat with the other side of the bread. Serve with or without maple syrup.

The result: amazing! So good! A treat in itself! Take the time to make this, you will not be disappointed. I promise.

Sugarplum's Mayan Mudslide Brownies.

The wait for a recipe is so worth it today. These amazing little things are so good - even better paired with vanilla ice cream. Mmmm.

Mayan Mudslide Brownies

(adapted from Emily @ Sugar Plum)

1/4 cup butter

4 ounces Baker's semi-sweet chocolate (chopped)

1 teaspoon instant coffee mix

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt + 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1 avocado (peeled & pitted) - trust me - it's OK!

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup salted cashews

3/4 cup canned dulce de leche (I really hope you can find this ingredient. I could not, so I made my own "dulce de leche" with sweetened condensed milk. I tried baking it - it worked OK. I tried microwaving it - it worked GOOD but was a mess!! I think you could also use a caramel sauce....

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium; turn heat off, add chopped chocolate and instant coffee. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a separate bowl, stir together dry ingredients (including only 1/4 salt and excluding the sugars) until well combined. Use a mixer on medium speed to beat the avocado until creamy. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat until well combined. Beat in vanilla and egg then beat in the melted chocolate mixture until well combined. Slowly beat in dry flour mixture.

Spread batter in baking dish. Sprinkle half of the chocolate chips and half of the cashews over the the batter. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with warmed dulce de leche. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips and cashews. Sprinkle with remaining salt. Return to the over for an additional 10-15 minutes. Cool and enjoy.

I really hope you try these!!! I know the avocado might be intimidating, but it is so worth it!!! So, so, so worth it! The sweetness, the saltiness, the chewiness. Yum.

Carmel Kiss Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 tablespoon salt
1 stick of butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla1 cup powder sugar
about 1 bag of Carmel Kisses

Directions:
Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
Melt chocolate chips. Cool.
Beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.
Cover and chill for 1 hour.

When ready to bake preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Put powder sugar in bowl.
Form balls, then roll in the powder sugar.
Bake for 12-14 minutes.

When done baking, let them cool for a little while.
While still a little bit warm put the carmel kiss on top.

Chocolaty Caramel Thumbprints.

Hello Holly! Thanks again for inviting me to post to your blog! I am finally done with my christmas baking and I have found a delicious and very easy new cookie recipe. It is call Chocolaty Caramel Thumbprints. Here is the recipe!

1 egg

1/2 cup butter softened

2/3 cup sugar

2 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

16 caramels

3 Tbsp whipping cream

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate pieces

1 tsp shortening

Separate the egg. Refrigerate yoke until ready to use. In a large bowl, beat butter for 3o seconds. Then add sugar and mix. Next add egg yolk, milk and vanilla.

In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, and salk. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat until well combined. Wrap cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease cookie sheets. In a small saucepan, heat caramels and whipping cream over low heat until smooth. Set aside.

Slightly beat the reserved egg white. Shape the cookie dough into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in the egg white, then into the pecans to coat. Place balls about 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet. Using your thumb (or the bottom of a 1/4 tsp measuring spoon), creat an indentation in the center of each cookie. Bake 10 minutes. After you remove the cookies, you may have to put an indentation back in each cookie if it puffs up from baking.

Spoon in the melted caramel. Then, in a small bowl, microwave the semisweet chocolate and shortning until soft. Drizzle over each cookie! Super easy and looks like a lot of work.

Chocolate Caramel Oatmeal Bars.

It's been a while since I posted something sweet. I think these bars will make up for it. I promise that they will not disappoint. I really don't think it gets better than this - chocolate? check! caramel? check! oatmeal? check! They are phenomenal! And they come together quick and easy!

Chocolate Caramel Oatmeal Bars.

(adapted from Better Homes & Gardens)

2 cups flour

1 3/4 cups oatmeal

1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter (melted)

1 package caramels (unwrapped)

1/3 teaspoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add melted butter and mix until crumbly. Reserve two cups for topping and press remaining mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Melt caramel with milk - on the stove or in the microwave. Melt/stir until mixture is smooth. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and stir again.

Sprinkle 1 cup of chips over the crust. Cover with melted caramel mixture. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture and top with the rest of the chips.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool. Lift bars out with parchment paper and cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

ENJOY!!!

Caramel Apple Bars.

This delishous recipe comes straight from my mom's kitchen! Perfect for the upcoming season and perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Caramel Apple Bars.

(from mom)

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup butter

2 cups flour (I used one all purpose and one whole wheat)

Combine all ingredients. Reserve 1/3 cup. Press the rest into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

4 apples (peeled, cored, sliced thin)

2 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Toss apples with the flour/sugar/cinnamon mixture. Place on top of cooled crust.

20 caramels

1 tablespoon water

Melt caramel with water. Drizzle over apples. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Bake for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

If not eating it warm from the over, heat it in the microwave for 20 seconds and serve with ice cream. Your taste buds will thank you!

Better Than Sex Cake

You can decide if this cake really is all that it's cracked up to be! :) I will agree that it is VERY tasty though! This recipe was taken from my St. Patrick's Parish cookbook (my church's cookbook put together by the parishoners of St. Patricks) and it's original name is Symphony Cake so you can call it whatever you like!


Better Than Sex/Symphony Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix (I believe I used Devil's Food)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 jar carmel sundae topping
1 container Cool Whip (small size)
3-4 Heath candy bars, crushed

Prepare cake as directions on box instruct. When completed baking and still hot, poke holes in cake with fork and pour can of milk and jar of carmel over top of cake. Allow to cool. Spread cool whip on top and garnish with crushed Heath bars. Quite easy and really delicious!! :)

Be sure to let cake cool COMPLETELY. I, unfortunately, did not so my cool whip melted a bit.

Happy Mother's Day!

I would like to take this opportunity to Thank my Mom for teaching me about life it is from her love that I learned to be the Mother I am today. The girls asked me to be a guest blogger today and I thought what do I have to say then I thought...The reason I am a Mother is because I fell in love with the most wonderful man, even though there are times I would love to beat him senseless I truely LOVE him with all my heart. It is because of him that we have 3 wonderfully caring, thoughtful and loving children (Holly, Jake & Heidi), and because of them I came up with 3 recipes that are a favorite of theirs: Northwest Cheesecake Supreme with Cherries, Chocolate Eclaire Dessert and probably the favorite of the three Chocolate Chocolate Chip Carmel Bars.

Jack's favorite is the cheesecake:

For the crust combine: 1 c. graham cracker crumbs
3 T. Sugar
3 T. Melted Butter
Press into the bottom of a 9" Springform Pan. Bake at 325* oven for 10 minutes.

While that bakes beat: 4-8 oz. packages of Softened Cream Cheese
1 c. of Sugar
3 T. Flour
Add: 4 Eggs (1 at a time mixing well after each is added)
Blend: 1 c. Sour Cream
1 T. Vanilla
1 21 oz. can of Cherry Pie Filling
Mix until smooth, pour over prepared crust. Bake at 450* for 10 minutes then reduce heat to 250* and bake for an additional 60 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of the pan, cool before removing rim. Chill, remove from bottom base, place of serving platter and top with cherries just before serving. You can use the pie filling of your choice. My sisters got me a cheesecake pan and recipe book on year for Christmas and this is Jack's favorite one. Enjoy!


Next the Chocolate Eclaire Dessert...

In a medium sized kettle bring to a boil: 1 c. Water
1/2 c. Butter
When butter is melted turn burner down to low Add: 1 c. Flour
stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat, Add: 4 Eggs and mix.
Spread on a Greased 10 1/2" x 15" Jelly Roll pan. Bake at 400* for about 30 Minutes or until golden brown. Crust will bake lumpy thats ok! Cool.

Meanwhile Mix: Large Box of Pudding according to Package
Beat in: 1 8 oz. package of Softened Cream Cheese
Place pudding mixture on top of cooled crust.
Top with: 1 8 oz. Cool Whip and drizzle with Hersheys Syrup. Keep refrigerated. I got this recipe from my Sister-In-Law Cindy, turns out to be our son Jake's favorite. Yummy!


...and Lastly but the FAVORITE:

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Carmel Bars

Mix 1 German Chocolate Cake Mix with 1/2 c. Butter, add 1 Egg mix until mixture is crumbly Reserve 1 1/2 c. of crumb mixture, press remaining in a 9 x 13" ungreased cake pan. Bake at 350* for 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes
Meanwhile heat 1/2 c. Butter, 1/2 c. Evaporated Milk and 1 14 oz. package of carmels over low heat until carmels are melted.
Pour Carmel mixture over cooled crust, sprinkle with 1/2 c. +/- Mini Chocolate Chips (use any type you have) and sprinkle reserved crumbs on top. Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes. I found this on a cake mix box, probably the best thing I ever did guess what Holly and Heidi said about looking at recipes on the packages of the products we use is true . Cool and Enjoy!

Caramel Cashew Chocolate Peanutbutter Bars

I know the name is a mouthful but, trust me... these are delicious! :)

I was in the mood for all of these things, so I decided to come up with a fun recipe that incorporated them all. Here is the result!

Recipe:

Peanut Butter Cookie Bottom:

1 stick butter
2/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda

Combine all ingredients and bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Topping:

11 oz. bag of caramels
1/2 cup milk
chocolate chunks
lightly salted cashews

While cookie crust is baking, heat milk and caramel until melted.

Once cookie crust is done, pour caramel mixture over crust and add chocolate chunks and cashews in the amount of your liking. Bake for 10 - 12 additional minutes.

Let cool and enjoy!! :)