Caramel Wonder Bars

Let me start by telling you that if you are looking for a waist friendly dessert, this is not your recipe.  However, if you are looking for something that makes you throw your arms up in rapturous abandon, then this is most definitely a dessert that will not disappoint.   

I got this recipe from my friend Carmel.  Not spelled the same so no pun intended...  

Carmel is a cookie diva!  Her hands are incapable of making a bad cookie.  Her cookies are always moist and delicious, unlike  mine that often turn out flat and greasy!  When she made these for me the first time I crowned her Queen Carmel of Enchanted Cookie Land.  I am sure there is such a place...

Ok, I'll get out of my own head and tell you how to make them.

For the Crust/Bar you will need Quick Oats, Flour, Brown Sugar, Baking Soda, Salt & Butter

In a large bowl add 1 1/2 c. Oats, 1 1/2 c. Flour, 1 1/4 c. Brown Sugar, 3/4 tsp. Baking Soda, & 1/4 tsp. Salt.

Mix all dry ingredients together.

Next, melt 3/4 c. Butter and pour into dry ingredients.

Mix together until well incorporated and you have a crumbly mixture.

Set aside 1 cup of this delicious mixture.

Pour the remaining mixture into a 9x13 Glass Pan (spray/grease the pan prior)

Press down so the mixture is evenly distributed in the pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, melt a 1 pkg (14 oz) bag of caramels and 1/2 whipping cream together in the microwave.  

Do this in one minute intervals, stirring in between intervals.

*Note: if you buy caramels in bulk like me you will need approximately 40-50 caramels to equal 14 oz pkg.

Now you need 1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 1/2 - 2 cups if you like bulk).

When your crust is finished cooking, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top evenly.

Then pour the melted Caramel mixture over the top of the chocolate chips.

Finally, sprinkle the reserved Oat mixture over the top.

Bake an additional 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Cut into bite size squares and be thankful these are not a sin to eat!

Caramel Wonder Bars

1 1/2 c. Quick Oats

1 1/2 c. Flour

1 1/4 c. Brown Sugar

3/4 tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 tsp. Salt

3/4 c. Butter, melted

1 pkg (14 oz) or 50 individual Caramels

1/2 c. Whipping Cream

1 pkg Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

In a bowl stir 1st five ingredients.  Stir in melted butter.  Set aside 1 cup of mixture for topping.  Press remaining Oat mixture into a 13.9.2 pan.  Bake at 250 degrees for 10 minutes or until light brown.  Combine caramels and cream in sauce pan or microwave bowl.  Cook over low heat until melted, stirring often.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over hot crust.  Top with Caramel mixture.  Sprinkle reserved oat mixture on top.  Bake an additional 15-20 minutes until top is golden brown.

Enchilada Sauce

Not long ago, on a day when I needed to throw together a fast dinner, I decided to make chicken enchiladas with some leftover chicken.  As I often do, I waited until the last minute before beginning my dinner preparations, only to find out that I had NO Enchilada Sauce!

To make matter worse, I had NO gumption, get up and go, mojo (or whatever you want to call it) to get myself in the car and drive to the store.  There wasn't even an effort on the part of the 'little voices in my head' to try and convince myself to go to the store.  So, I was forced to improvise.

This is not the first time I have had this happen, but luckily for me the last time it happened I was on the phone with my mother who walked me through making a homemade sauce.  It was good, but I didn't write down what I did...so when it happened to me this time I had to reinvent the wheel.

I checked my pantry and found that I at least had the ingredients to make a sauce - the only thing I had to do was get-r-done!  This is what I came up with...

Pantry Ingredients you will need: 

Tomato Sauce, Green Chilies, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Chili Powder & Cumin

(I love Cumin...but I don't want to marry it)

Place all ingredients in the blender.  Liquefy!  (Oh, I like that word!) 

Let me say it again, LIQUEFY!

Finish it off with a little salt & pepper.

When it is finished liquefying, it will be Enchilada Sauce.

If you are weird like Live-In #3 & Live-In #1 you will think it should be salsa...taco sauce maybe, but salsa no.  If you want Salsa click here.

I must say, this sauce is very easy to make and I like it way better than the canned sauce at the store and the seasoning packets which require me to sit over the stove and stir.  I think I will be out of enchilada sauce in my pantry more often!

Homemade Enchilada Sauce
1 29oz can tomato sauce
1 4 oz can green chilies
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients in blender

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

As you can tell from the photograph above...photography is obviously not my strong suit or I would have noticed the chip in the plate and chosen a different plate to photograph these little bites of wonder.  Please forgive me...or don't - but either way try this recipe...I promise my food is better than my photography!

This is my very own, authentic Carol, just me recipe!  I came up with this recipe as an alternative to our cream cheese and sausage stuffed mushrooms.  As usual I used our company as "guinea pigs" to my new recipe and luckily it went well and they are willing to come back again...which is a very good thing seeing how our company that night was my parents!  

To start you will need the following:

Mushrooms, Crab, Mayo, Cream Cheese (yes I know it is not in this picture, I forgot it...I blame it on my photography skills, but it's in there!), Bread Crumbs, Lemon, Green Onion, Red Pepper, Worcestershire, Tabasco, Garlic Powder, Salt & Pepper

Finely chop 1/4 cup each - Red Bell Pepper and Green Onion

Add 1/4 pound Crab meat.

I live in the Pacific Northwest where Dungeness Crab is readily available - so that is what I used.  However, you could use whatever crab you like.  Please promise me you won't use imitation crab though...I think I would have to have myself a good cry...

Add 1 1/2 Tbsp each - Mayo & Cream Cheese

Cut a 1/2" thick lemon slice and squeeze the juice into the mixture

Add a Dash (a few shakes of the bottle)

Worcestershire & Tabasco

Mix Together.

Add 1/4 c. Bread Crumbs, 1/8 tsp Garlic Powder, a pinch or two of Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper (to taste).

Mix Again.

For the Mushrooms:  You want to remove the stems and wipe down the caps to be sure they are clean.

Fill the caps with the crab mixture

We cooked ours on the BBQ, however you could also cook them in the oven.  

BBQ:  Med heat for 15-20 minutes, or until mushrooms are slightly softened.

OVEN: 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until mushrooms are slightly softened.

Once we removed these from the BBQ, Lover poured a little melted garlic butter over each mushroom  They are delicious without the extra melted butter, but if you are feeling like your diet for the day can handle the extra fat it does make them a little more scrumptious!

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms:

12 Mushrooms

1/4 pound Crab

1/4 c. red bell pepper

1/4 c green onion

1 1/2 Tbsp Mayonnaise

1 1/2 Tbsp Cream Cheese

Lemon Juice

1/4 c. Bread Crumbs

1/8 Tsp. Garlic Powder

Worcestershire - dash

Tabasco - dash

Salt & Pepper

Butter (optional)

Remove mushroom stems, wipe clean, set aside.  Mix remaining ingredients together in a small/medium bowl. Fill each mushroom cap with crab mixture.  BBQ or Cook in Oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until mushrooms are slightly soft and wrinkled.  Serve with melted garlic butter if desired.

Makes: 12 stuffed mushrooms

Creamsicle Martini

I'll let you in on a little known fact about me...I don't drink soda.  It's not that I don't like it, I do...especially if it is an ice cold Diet Cherry Coke or Mug Root Beer...but back in my teenage years I swore it off thinking it would help me in my weight loss endeavors.  Over the years I have gone back and forth with the soda thing, but in general I have found it is something I don't mind living without and therefore I do...  Call me mad, call me crazy, call me whatever you want...this is just a quirk about me you'll have to accept if we are going to get along.

So what does this have to do with martinis...well beside the fact that martinis are not something that I would be willing live without...I have a little story for you...

Last year I was introduced to Whipped Cream Vodka.  The person who told me about it suggested it be mixed with orange soda or root beer.  I did try it, but I found it to be way to sweet for me.  So recently I decided to play with the idea a bit and came up with my version of a Creamsicle Martini.

Bring to the Party:

2 oz Orange Juice, 2 oz Whipped Cream Vodka

Shake Together Vigorously

Pour into Martini Glass, Serve & Enjoy!

Easy, Peasy, Lemon Orange Squeezy!

Makes 1 Luscious Martini

Potato Salad

Summer food would not be complete without some sort of potato, macaroni or pasta salad.  Over the Father's Day weekend I had a craving for a good potato salad and the best recipe I know is my Mom's.  It is a staple in our family...my mama makes it, my brother makes it, my sister-in-law makes it...it cannot be beat!

I have to admit, when I first tried this recipe out I altered a few of the ingredients, but the potato salad was not nearly as good...so in a 'Mom, you were right' moment I decided to go back to the original...if it ain't broke no use trying to fix it!

So here it goes...

Potato Salad

Ingredients: Potatoes, Hard Boiled Eggs, Mayo, Mustard, Sour Cream, Sweet Pickles, Sweet Pickle Juice (secret ingredient), Celery, Green Onions, Garlic Powder, Celery Seed, Salt & Pepper.

Now you must know that exact ingredients are not necessary here, but I will try to give you my best estimate.

Chop the Sweet Pickles, Green Onion & Celery.

I probably used 4-5 sweet pickles, 3-4 green onion and 2 stalks of celery.

Note: Don't be tempted to substitute dill pickles here, it won't turn out the same, Trust Me...I have already made this folly!

Boil the Eggs.

I know everybody has their own way of hard boiling eggs, but here is how I do it:  Place eggs in cold water, bring to boil, turn temp down so eggs gently boil for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat, drain, fill pan with cold water and lots of  ice to cool eggs ASAP.

Chop the Eggs.  You want them to be large chunks.  I cut in half one way, turn & cut in half again and then cut into about 4-5 sections.

Note: I use equal part eggs to potatoes...8 potatoes = 8 eggs

Yukon or White Potatoes are best because they are creamy...

But I have been known to use Russets from time to time, just beware they may make for a grainier potato salad - a little more rustic if you will.

Boil potatoes in their skins until you can easily insert and remove a knife. 

Drain & Let Cool.

Peel potatoes and dice into small chunks.

Put all chopped items into a LARGE bowl - larger than the salad will be, you are going to need lots of stirring room...

Next you want a huge dollop, I love that word...dollop, dollop, dollop...

Eh, hem...yes a big dollop of Mayo and Sour Cream (about 1 - 1 1/2 cups each).  

I'll let you in on a little secret here...the equal parts mayo & sour cream are purely to mess with my head...you see, I am not a fan of mayo so I trick myself by adding the sour cream so as I eat it I tell myself the white stuff is the sour cream, not the mayo...it is the method to my madness,'C' in my crazy, the 'L' in my loony...but it works!

Now, add approx 1/2 cup Classic Yellow Mustard...I love mustard, I think it should be a staple in any good Americans diet.

Now for the 'Secret Ingredient'...pour some sweet pickle juice into the mixture.  Maybe about 1/4-1/3 cup. 

Mix it all up, add more or any of the above if you feel you need to - whatever floats your crazy train!

Add Onion Powder - about 1/2 -1 tsp - I just cover the top with a nice dusting...

Do me a favor?  If you you decide to take pictures of yourself making potato salad...do your nails first, it will look better and you won't berate yourself when you are reviewing.  Thank you.

Sprinkle Celery Seed over the top, probably equal to 1/4 tsp.

Do me another favor?   Wash the salad goo off your hands before they get photographed, you will be so much happier with the results.  I promise.

Add Salt - start with 1 tsp...but you will definitely need to add more at the end.

Do me one last favor?  If your daughter is taking your photos, instruct her to focus on the food so your arm and hand does not become front and center!

Liberally dust the salad with Pepper.  I probably did this twice.  

Now taste, does it need more salt, mustard, onion powder...God forbid, mayo???

Serve alongside BBQ or eat by itself.  It will be creamy and crunchy and oh so delicious!

No more store bought potato salad, no more being afraid if what you are about to put in your mouth will be good, bad or ugly.  This potato salad will be the crisp and cool side dish you have been dreaming of...or maybe I am the only one who dreams of potato salad???  If so, it is because...yes, it's that good!

Cake Mix Cookies

I have been craving cookies like you wouldn't believe.  A few days ago it was a toss up between Gingersnaps and Snickerdoodles...it took me so long to decide I ended up winning out over my sweet tooth.

But tonight...tonight was a different story...tonight my sweet tooth would not be denied and it had its heart set on peanut butter and chocolate.  The problem was my baking ethic...first of all I am not a huge fan of baking and second of all it was past 8 p.m. and I just wanted to curl up on the couch, watch TV and drink a glass of wine (my fav bottle was already open and calling my name!) - BUT my sweet tooth was insistent.

So I got my recipe box out and began looking for my peanut butter cookie recipe...when I stumbled upon a recipe that I haven't used in quite awhile...Cake Mix Cookies.  The idea of these cookies is to take a boxed cake mix, add a few ingredients and make pretty much whatever kind of cookies your sweet tooth desires (or in my case...demands). Which got me to thinking...

I had chocolate cake mix - I wonder if my sweet tooth would be appeased if I added peanut butter to the batter...lets see what happens...

In a mixer add:

1 box cake mix, 2 tbsp water & 1/2 c. oil

Add 2 eggs

Add a dollop of peanut butter - this was probably about 1/3 cup

Add 1/2 c. white chocolate chips

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes

Serve, Eat, Enjoy!

YEP!  These hit the spot.  They were soft, gooey, chocolate, peanut butter rounds of pure sinful deliciousness.  Sweet Tooth satisfied...now where is that wine...

Cake Mix Cookies
1 box Cake Mix
2 tbsp Water
1/2 cup Oil
2 Eggs
Optional:  add nuts, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, etc...

Mix together, drop by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes.

Strawberry Lemonade Martini

After the weekend I had I am declaring today to be "MARTINI MONDAY".

My friend Erin came over last Friday.  The sun was out and my mind was already on the weekend ahead so I decided it was high time to try a new martini recipe out...and Erin was my willing victim.  I call this martini a Strawberry Lemonade Martini....and I tasted it...and it was good...so good!  

Bring to the Party...

Strawberry Lemonade Martini

3 shots Citron Vodka (I prefer Absolut)

3 shots Sweet & Sour

1 shot Strawberry Puree

1/2 shot Cointreau

1 slice lemon, squeezed

Makes: 2

Shake it all up - Shake some more.  Pour.

Serve to a Friend on a Sunny Afternoon!