Caramel Chocolitas

One of my favorite new recipes that I discovered and tried!!!

2 c all purpose flour
1 3/4 c quick cooking rolled oats
1 1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 c butter, melted
12-14oz of vanilla caramels, unwrapped
1/3 c milk
2 c semi sweet chocolate morsels
1 c milk chocolate morsels
1/2 c mixed nuts

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line a 13x9 pan with foil, extending the foil over the edges of the pan.  Grease foil and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.  Add melted butter and mix until crumbly.  Reserve 1 1/2 c for topping.  Press remaining crumb mixture into bottom of prepared pan.  In a small microwave bowl, combine caramels and milk.  Microwave on 50% power for 4 to 6 minutes or until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth.  Stop and stir every 45 seconds to 1 minute to avoid burning.  Sprinkle chocolate morsels and nuts over crust in pan.  Drizzle evenly with melted caramel mixture and sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool pan on a wire rack.  Use the foil to lift uncut bars out of pan and cut into bars.  Store in a single layer and cover.

Cream Cheese Frosted Carrot Cake Bars

1 package of 2 layer yellow cake mix
1/4 c milk
1/2 vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 eggs
1 c finely shredded carrot
1/2 c raisins

frosting:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 c butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 to 3 c powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Lightly grease and flour a 15x10x1 inch pan; set aside.  In a large bowl, combine cake mix, milk, oil, vanilla, ginger, and eggs.  Beat with a mixer on medium speed until well combined.  Stir in carrot and raisins.  Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly.  Bake 20-22 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.  Cool in pan on wire rack. 

In large bowl, combine, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla.  Gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting is spreadable.  Frost cooled cake.  Cut into bars and serve in cupcake wrappers.

Peppermint Chocolate Snowballs

So for some reason I became obsessed with having a 45 hour baking marathon leading up to Christmas Eve... I was determined to complete 17 recipes (half of which were new to me) for cookies, bars, and a cake.  I have decided that I am officially insane.  Being nearly 8 months pregnant, I was exhausted and I only accomplished 14 of the 17 original items. In theory, I had thought I would really need that many baked goods for 5 normal sized cookie trays and one ginormous one.  Umm... no.  But anyway... the next few recipes are what I accomplished.

1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 1/4 c butter, softened
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
20 Starlight mints (red/white and green/white ones), crushed finely
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powdeer
2 c semi sweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a large mixing bowl, cream powdered sugar, butter, extracts, and egg.  Beat at medium speed until creamy, scraping sides.  Reduce to low speed and add flour, baking powder, and salt.  Continue to beat, scraping sides, until well blended.  By hand, stir in crushed mints and morsels.  Scoop by tbsp onto a prepared cookie sheet and bake 9-11 minutes or until edges set and start to slightly brown.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2 10oz cans of chicken, drained and shredded
1 c Buffalo style Frank's Red hot
1 c Ken's Ranch Dressing
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 8oz cream cheese blocks, softened
3oz Blue Cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, combine all of ingredients.  Bake in a 13x9 pan or 3 quart casserole dish 30 minutes or until bubbly.  Serve with tortilla chips or sliced toasted French bread.

Perfect Chocolate Fondue aka 'Crack'

2 c Hershey's Semi Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 c Hershey's Milk Chocolate Morsels
1/2 c Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine and melt the two types of chocolate heavy whipping cream.  Stir constantly.  Stir in extract.  Continue to heat until smooth.  Transfer to a small fondue dish (reserving any extra to refill... because you will need to) and serve with dipping sticks as well as a variety of dippers: strawberries, banana slices, marshmallows, pretzels, brownies, and cookies.

Caesar Salad

3-4 large heads of romaine lettuce, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1 package of croutons (I prefer Fresh Gourmet Deli Style)
Ken's Light Creamy Caesar Dressing and Ken's Caesar (non creamy version)
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c coarsely chopped parmesan cheese
10 basil leaves, coarsely torn

In a large salad bowl, combine romaine, garlic, and croutons.  In a small bowl, depending on how 'dressed' you prefer your salad combine 1/2 of that amount of each type of Caesar.  Toss into salad.  Add cheese and basil leaves. Grind pepper into salad (I think I use approximately 1-2 tsp of black pepper... I like it with a kick).  Serve.

Raspberry Jello Shots

1 package of raspberry jello
1 c water
1/2 c vodka
1/2 c raspberry sour pucker

Boil water, add jello.  Stir till well combined.  Add vodka and raspbery pucker.  Pour into small shot cups filling approximately 1/3 to 1/2.  Chill in frig at least 4 hours OR place in freezer until set (I prefer this way when I am non preggo).