We also have a GREAT giveaway sponsored by Clorox so make sure you enter at the end!

Well, they ended up turning out great. Making them was super easy but also a little messy.  I don’t think you can make anything with melted chocolate without making a mess but I wasn’t worried about getting chocolate on anything because I knew that my  Clorox 2 could get it out.  I always know that I can bake and DIY with confidence thanks to Clorox 2® Stain Remover & Color Booster.

I was right about the mess.  My kitchen towels definitely took a hit.

But like I said, no worries because I know that Clorox 2 will make cleanup a breeze!  If you’re not sure how you would use Clorox 2, here’s a few tips!

• For best results, start the washer and add both detergent and product before adding clothes.
• For extra-dirty clothes, pre-soak the garments before starting in mixture of 1 cap-full of product (to the first line) and 2 gallons of water (the warmest water recommended on the care label). Pre-soak for 30 minutes.

And now….on to the recipe!

Items needed:

• Melting Chocolate – I used dark chocolate wafers that I purchased at my local gourmet kitchen store.
• Peter’s Caramel
• Ice Cube Trays
• Cooking Spray
• Craft brush
• Homemade Marshmallows

If you are wanting to turn these caramels into Scotchmallows as pictured, here is the recipe for Homemade Marshmallows

Slightly spray your ice cube trays with cooking spray. Don’t spray a lot as it will make it harder for the chocolate to stick to the sides of the ice cube tray.

Melt chocolate per your package instructions.  I just put my chocolate wafers into a glass bowl and microwave until it is smooth without any lumps.  Make sure you watch the melting process and don’t cook too long.

Spoon 1/2 Tablespoon of melted chocolate into each section of the ice cube tray.

With your craft brush, brush the melted chocolate on all sides of each section of the tray.

Put the ice cube tray into the refrigerator for 1-2 minutes or until the sides are fairly dry but the middle of each section still has melted chocolate in it.

Take the brush and coat all sides of each section again with a second coat of melted chocolate. You want to make sure that your sides aren’t too thin and have a good coat of chocolate.

Let set. After the chocolate has set, cut the Peter’s Caramel into rectangles and fit them into each section of the ice cube tray.

IMPORTANT! If you are wanting to make these into Scotchmallows, cut your Homemade Marshmallows to fit and insert them into the ice cube tray before you add your caramel.

If your dipping chocolate has hardened, re-melt by putting it back into the microwave again. Re-melt as needed while using.

After caramels have been placed, spoon about another 1/2 Tablespoon of melted chocolate on top of each section until the caramel has been covered and the top is flat.

Put into refrigerator for about 2-3 minutes to set.

After the chocolate has set, gently twist the ice cube tray as you would if there were ice cubes in there and gently pop out each candy.  If the bottoms of your candy are a little jagged, take a thin paring knife and shave off any bumps.

And there you have it!  My candies turned out great and my towels are beautifully clean!  Definitely a win-win!

If you have “pinned” projects that you are hesitant about creating because of maybe making a mess,  then I say to create away and leave the mess to Clorox 2.  Removing tough stains and brightening colors is easier with Clorox 2®. Use it to pre-treat set-in stains you thought would be there forever – even ones that have been through the dryer! For tips on how to get more out of life and laundry, visit https://www.clorox.com.

And now for our giveaway.  Enter below for a chance to win Clorox 2 Stain Remover & Color Booster Liquid, a Clorox 2 Pre-Treat Stain Remover Pen AND a $200 Michael’s gift card for YOUR next DIY project!  Giveaway ends Nov 7, 2016.  There will only be ONE winner. Winner must be 18 years or older.
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Now you are more than likely going to have some caramel left over so here are two recipes that can help you use it up. 

Take a look at these!

Twix Cookies

Apple Pie Caramel Apples

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The post Ice Cube Tray Chocolate Caramels and a Clorox Giveaway! appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

These ooey, gooey marriage-proposal-inducing s’mores are an indulgence that are worth every sumptuous bite.

Ingredients:

• White chocolate macadamia nut cookies (or any sugar cookie)
• Salted caramel buttercream frosting (recipe below)
• Square s’mores marshmallows
• Hershey bar chocolate ganache
• Caramel waffle cookies

To cut down on prep work, because there are a few homemade items on this list, go to your local deli and buy a box of cookies to use as the top and bottom layer. Then whip up the frosting from the recipe below. You can make your own salted caramel (this recipe from Brown Eyed Baker is my total favorite) or buy it ready made from the grocery store. You’re going to want to pipe or spread the frosting onto one side of the cookies as part of the s’mores sandwich.

Small Batch Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 stick salted butter
• 1 lb powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup salted caramel

Cream butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl on medium until it is light and fluffy–about 2 minutes. Add in the vanilla and salted caramel and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Pipe onto your cookies as shown in the picture above! Save some for the top of the s’mores later.

Take one of the square marshmallows and place it on top of the buttercream frosting.

At your option, you can toast the marshmallow a bit. I’d recommend a creme brulee torch or something similar, as popping these in the toaster will also melt the buttercream.

If you’re a purist when it comes to ganache – or any chocolate artistry  whatsoever – you’ll probably reach for the best quality chocolate you can find and chop it into bits to melt and make a sublime ganache. If you’re lucky you made it to the grocery store at all this week and are a little less particular, you work with what you have like I did. You can use chopped up Hershey bars or you can use chocolate chips, both will work well in this recipe. For a really in depth study on the art of making ganache, this article is an excellent read. But if you’re ok with a few shortcuts, my way also works!

Milk Chocolate Ganache Recipe

• 1 cup chopped milk chocolate bar or chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy cream

Heat cream in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbles start to form, remove from heat before it boils. Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate chips and stir until the mixture is smooth. Let cool.

Drizzle the ganache over the marshmallow…drippy chocolate never looked so good!

Place a second cookie over top to make your sandwich. Add a small swirl of buttercream on top and pop in a segment of Hershey bar and a caramel cookie wafer for a little extra special garnish.

If you do make these, and a marriage proposal does result, please do let me know. I love happy endings after sweet happy endings and want to hear all about it!

Thanks again to MFP for asking me to be a regular contributor! I’d love it if you’d stop on by Frog Prince Paperie for party inspiration, and maybe find some tutorials and recipes for a few other holidays, too! You can also find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Google+.

If you loved this post, be sure to subscribe to my email list! CLICK HERE!

You might also like these gems from my site…

S’mores Cupcakes with Bake Sale Packaging

Chocolate Salted Caramel Cheesecake

Best-Ever Carrot Cake

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I’m ready to wear warm fall clothing and start enjoying the all of the wonderful flavors of fall recipes.

Apple cider is a popular favorite around our house on chilly days. I knew apple cider cookies fresh out of the oven would be just as popular.

The original recipe doesn’t call for walnuts with caramel drizzled over them. The cookies taste amazing without it, but I couldn’t pass up going for a cookie that tastes like a caramel apple!

Adding the walnuts and caramel makes these cookies the perfect fall treat! My family LOVED them, the whole batch disappeared in a day.

Enjoy!

Print

Apple Caramel Cookies

Course Cookie, Dessert

Author Adapted by Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

• 1 cup softened butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 7.4 oz. box Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink Mix
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 14 oz. bag Kraft Caramels

Instructions

• Use a medium bowl to whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside for later.
• Use an electric mixer on medium speed to mix butter, sugar, brown sugar, and all ten packs of apple cider, continue mixing until fluffy. About two three minutes.
• In a separate bowl beat eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla to the butter mixture.
• On a low speed add flour mixture in three portions, mixing each just until incorporated.
• Refrigerating the cookie dough for 1 hour will make forming the dough into balls easier, it is not required but recommended.
• Take an unwrapped caramel and place it into 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough that has been rolled into a ball. Seal the cookie dough all around the caramel square, flatten slightly and place on parchment lined cookie sheet.
• Bake in over at 350 degrees F for 12-14 minutes, be careful not to over bake. Remove from oven as soon as you notice the cookies start to brown along the edges. The bottom of these cookies burn easily.
• Slide the parchment paper and cookies off the cookie sheet directly onto your counter. Allow cookies to partially cool on parchment paper. Twist cookies off the parchment paper and allow them to finish cooling upside down,

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Hi y’all! I’m Marye from Restless Chipotle, back again to share something yummy! These easy microwave salted caramels are perfect anytime. I love sweets… I love them way too much, as a matter of fact. I’ve made homemade candy for Christmas and special occasions for years but I’m making it more often now — for no reason at all except that it’s delicious!

I love salted caramel, don’t you? I wanted to make some this week but I didn’t want to drag out the heavy pot, the candy thermometer, and the whole shebang. Plus, we are now flirting with 100 degree days here in Dallas so I didn’t want to heat the kitchen up, either. As I was paging through Pinterest (Can we page through things now or is it just surfing?) I saw these microwave caramels on Spend with Pennies.

What a great idea! All the flavor without creating Dante’s Inferno in the kitchen.

Although the recipe didn’t call for salt I decided to use some of my vanilla salt crystals to add that salty-sweet combination that I love. You know what part of this recipe takes the longest?

Waiting for this stuff to cool!

The recipes instructs you to microwave it for 6 minutes, stirring every minute and a half. I followed it exactly but I think my caramels were just a touch harder than I like. You might try stopping it at 5 minutes if you like softer caramels.

Be sure to grease your pan well. I had a little trouble getting the caramels out so I think next time I will grease the pan, add parchment paper, and then grease the parchment before I add the salted caramel goo stuff. Also, when you’ve cut the candy after it’s cooled wrap it in parchment or it will attract moisture in the air and get sticky.

Vanilla salt is like a fleur de sel with pieces of vanilla bean in it. It has a faint vanilla flavor and scent and I love it on caramel and chocolate. If you can’t find it locally you can get it on Amazon. Just sprinkle it sparingly on the caramel when it is set but still quite warm. Press it in gently. The caramels in the image have a lot of salt on them — honestly that is so they would look better in the pictures. Just sprinkle a little of it on top.

By the way, the black specks are pieces of vanilla bean, not anything gross.

Print

Microwave Salted Caramels

Chewy, creamy caramels, made in a microwave in just 6 minutes. If you like that sweet-salty flavor you can sprinkle the caramels with just a touch of vanilla sea salt.

Course Candy

Servings 8 x8 square (36 pieces)

Calories 66kcal

Author Marye Audet

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup corn syrup
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
• Vanilla Sea Salt for sprinkling

Instructions

• Generously butter an 8x8 inch pan.
• Mix all ingredients in a large microwave safe bowl
• Microwave on high for 6 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds.
• Pour into a small buttered dish.
• Let cool for about 5 minutes, or until set.
• Sprinkle salt crystals sparingly over the top.
• Press in gently.
• Let cool completely.
• Cut into small squares.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 66kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.4g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1.6g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 38mg | Sugar: 9.8g

If you liked these easy, microwave  salted caramels you may like these recipes from my blog, Restless Chipotle. And, be sure to find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Creamy Pecan Pralines

No Bake Chocolate Billionaires

Grilled Dessert Nachos

This awesome post has been shared with Home Stories A to Z

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The favorite thing that I made was this Glass Soap Dispenser.   I absolutely love it sitting on my kitchen counter instead of a plastic soap bottle.  Even though this is  a little thing, it truly makes me happy and lifts my spirits.  A great lesson about this party was that it brought to our attention how we need to appreciate the small things in life!

I also had everyone bring their favorite appetizer and that was so yummy!  I too made one of my favorite appetizers which are these Veggie Bars that you can find at Mandy’s Recipe Box.

BUT the thing that I REALLY wanted to share with you today is this recipe for hot apple cider that I served!!  Because it is one of my all-time favorite things! It only took a couple of sips before everyone was asking how I made this and where they could find the ingredients so they could serve this to their families for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

So I had to fess up pretty quick that the apple juice, whipped cream and caramel sauce came from WalMart,  but the real secret is the Cinnamon Dulce syrup that you buy at Starbuck’s.  What a find!  Once you have this syrup, who needs to go to Starbucks when you can make something like this at home?  Once you have their syrup, that is!!!  Here is what it looks like:

It usually is less than $15 and you get a lot so I think that’s a pretty good deal.

Print

Recipe for Hot Apple Cider

Course Drinks

Author Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

• Any kind of bottled apple juice or cider
• Starbuck's Cinnamon Dolce syrup
• Whipped cream topping
• Smucker's Caramel Topping

Instructions

• Heat up your apple juice on the stove or microwave.
• In the bottom of the mug you will be using, pour in the Cinnamon Dolce syrup. I usually use around 2-3 tablespoons. Give it a little mix!
• Add your whipped topping (I used the spray can of Land o' Lakes that you can get at Costco)
• Drizzle with the caramel sauce.
• And now you have a fancy, schmancy drink that your family and guests will love!

I promise this recipe for hot apple cider will be YOUR newest favorite thing!

You can also find us on Pinterest │ Facebook │ Twitter │ Instagram │ StumbleUpon │ Hometalk

 This awesome post has been shared with Home Stories A to Z and Whipperberry

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Last month I threw a Bloggers Thanksgiving for the second year in a row. It’s wonderful cause we all bring amazing dishes and then after taking pictures we get to EAT and enjoy the amazing food. One of my favorites was this Chocolate Turtle Pie from Creations by Kara (one of my oldest blogging friends, I adore her and her recipes)!

Both recipes start in a pre-baked pie crust, you can buy one, but I have a great basic pie crust recipe that I love, and have never had a problem with! Some people are all butter, some are all shortening, but I’m a half and half fan for a flaky crust that tastes great, and is pretty sturdy.

Print

Chocolate Turtle Pie

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Author Ashlee Marie

Ingredients

• 1 9 ″ pie shell baked & cooled
• 2 Tbsp dark and semi sweet chocolate wafers
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 C peanuts chopped
• 1 1/2-2 C Caramel Sauce
• 6 oz dark and semi sweet chocolate wafers
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 16 oz Stabilized Whipped Cream 2 C cream, whipped

Instructions

• Melt the 2 Tbsp of chocolate and 1 Tbsp of butter in the microwave and stir smooth (don't over cook).
• Spread the chocolate over the bottom of the cooked crust and let it set.
• Sprinkle the chopped peanuts evenly over the bottom of the crust
• Warm the caramel and pour it over the peanuts.
• Melt the rest of the chocolate and butter, and stir smooth, let it cool a bit.
• Stir the chocolate into HALF of the stabilized whipped cream and let it set
• Cover with the rest of the whipped cream and top with chocolate curls or more chopped peanuts.
• keep the pie refridgerated

So here is how I changed the recipe:

Chocolate – Kara uses chocolate chips, but I’m a huge chocolate snob. Chocolate chips aren’t made to melt well, they have an ingredient that’s made to help them hold their shape at high heats (so they still look like chips in cookies) so I use chocolate wafers, made for melting and baking. I’m also a big fan of mixing chocolates, using more than one brand/flavor.

Caramel – Kara melts caramel squares and milk/cream together for her caramel layer. It’s a GREAT way to get a delicious thick caramel, but I didn’t have any caramels on hand and I DID have my Caramel sauce in the fridge (I always have a ton in the fridge) so I heated it up and poured it in, Mmmmmm, worked great.

Whipping Cream – I love fresh whipped cream and I am not a fan of cool whip. If you’re going to swap fresh whipped cream out for cool whip in recipes you need to stabilize it so it doesn’t just deflate in the recipe. It’s another step AND it changes the texture (a bit thicker) from hers, but since my husband and kids didn’t try the original they didn’t notice at all. I missed the creamier texture so I’ll probably just go with cool whip in the chocolate layer next time but stick with fresh whipped cream for the topping.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe and I hope you check out some of these others! It’s that time of year, I’m making tons of goodies and treats! Some for me… and SOME for neighbors and friends!

Thanks so much Ashlee for this scrumptious Chocolate Turtle Pie recipe.  It is definitely going on my Christmas-to-make list!

If you liked this recipe of Ashlee’s, check these out!

Sandies aka Mexican Wedding Cookies | English Toffee aka Almond Roca | Classic Sugar Cookies

This amazing post has been shared with Tatertots and Jello and Living Well Spending Less!

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I found a pin for these cute little pies from Whisk Away Your Worries and thought they looked mouthwatering awesome!  Seriously, who doesn’t love salted caramel and apples?  And combining that into pie form is perfect.  Actually, individual pie form = even more perfection! Built in portion control if you only eat one.  Sorry to say I failed in that department.

During the hectic holiday cooking frenzy it’s always nice to find things to make that are simple, yet tasty and impressive.  These little pies fit that bill perfectly.  I used store bought pie crust because 1) it’s easy, and 2) I’ve never made crust from scratch.  I’m sure if you have a fantastic pie crust recipe and love to make homemade pie crust you could use that instead. Go for it!  For the rest of us, store bought is just fine.

You might think only one apple isn’t enough for the filling.  I know I did when I saw the recipe but it really is.  In fact, I made 8 little pies and had some filling leftover which would have been enough for a couple more little pies.  You will also have leftover crust after cutting out the circles so you could re-roll and get a few more pies.  Otherwise, if you’re just making 8, grab yourself a spoon and eat the leftover filling while the pies are cooking.  No one will know but you!

The original recipe didn’t call for any caramel sauce drizzled on top but I couldn’t help myself and gave each of the Salted Caramel Apple Pies a drizzle of caramel sauce.  It makes them a bit more difficult (read: messy) to eat but I didn’t care much….bring on the caramel!  And keep a napkin nearby.

I hope you all enjoy these Salted Caramel Apple Pies as much as I did.  Have a Happy Thanksgiving and I’ll see you all next month.

Print

Salted Caramel Apple Pies

Course Dessert

Author Judy Heinrich

Ingredients

• 1 box refrigerated pie crust
• 1 large apple peeled and chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 6 store-bought caramels diced into about 4 pieces each

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• In a mixing bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, flour, sugar, and cinnamon and diced caramels. Set aside.
• In small bowl, mix egg with water and set aside.
• Unroll pie crusts. Using a circular cookie cutter or glass, cut out as many circles as you can. I used a glass that was 3 1/4" wide and got 8 circles per sheet of dough. If you want to roll out the pie dough scraps you could probably get a few more circles cut out.
• Place half of the crusts on cookie sheet. Top each pie crust circle with a spoonful of the apple/caramel mixture. Make sure each piece has about 4 or more caramel pieces on it. Sprinkle each with a bit of sea salt. Top each pie with another pie crust circle. Use the tines of a fork to press the edges of the crusts together to seal the top crust to the bottom. Make an X on top with a small knife to slice vents on each pie.
• Brush the tops of each pie with a bit of the egg mixture then sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake in until golden, about 12-15 minutes. Allow to cool on a cooling rack. Store pies in airtight container.
• Optional: Drizzle some of your favorite caramel sauce over each pie for extra caramel goodness!

If you’re looking for other Thanksgiving recipes, be sure to check out my Ancho Chile Brined Turkey,  Sweet Potato Noodles with Pancetta, Pecans & Craisins, Spinach Mushrooms & Cheese Casserole.

 If you want to see what else I’m cooking up at I’m Bored, Let’s Go you can follow me here:
FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | GOOGLE+| BLOGLOVIN

This awesome post has been shared with: Living Well Spending Less and Whipperberry

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It’s Jen from Bakerette.com and, as usual, I’m excited to be back at MFP to bring you a recipe that I think you will drool over! Are you ready for these amazingly chocolaty and gooey salted caramel brownies?!

Did you know brownies are a health food? No, really, they are….if you count mental health…and I definitely count mental health! I find that brownies are my reward for putting up with kids, and, well, just about anything in this life! LOL.

This brownie recipe is made with a homemade caramel sauce that is out of this world! Don’t cheat and use a store-bought caramel; you’ll risk the caramel making these brownies too sweet. Trust me.

If you’re looking for a truly rewarding brownie recipe that’s over the top, these salted caramel brownies are it!

Thanks MFP for allowing me to play in your space once again! Have a wonderful September and I’ll see you next month!

Jen
Jeni Scott, Sole Proprietor, Bakerette.com

Connect With Me:
Bakerette.com | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | StumbleUpon

If you like this recipe, you might like these other fall recipes at Bakerette.com:

Zucchini Banana Muffins

Thee Best Pumpkin Cookie

How to Make Pumpkin Puree

 

Print

Thee Best Salted Caramel Brownies

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Bakerette.com

Ingredients

For Brownie

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

For Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt

For Salted Caramel Layer

• 1 large egg
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup homemade salted caramel above
• 2 tablespoons flour

Instructions

Brownie

• Prepare an 11x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
• In a double broiler* melt butter and chocolate; stirring frequently until melted. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, vanilla and salt. Whip in eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Beat in flour a little at time until mixture is glossy (about 1 minute). Set aside.

Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

• On medium low heat, mix together sugar and water until sugar has dissolved. If any crystals remain, use a wet brush to remove. Increase heat to high and occasionally swirl the mixture in the pot using the handle to keep it moving until mixture begins to bubble. Do not stir. Continue cooking and swirling for approximately 5-7 minutes until it resembles a medium amber color. Add butter and cream. The mixture will broil rapidly. Whisk to combine. Add salt and stir to combine. Remove from heat.

Salted Caramel Layer

• Mix together all ingredients until well combined.

Assembly

• Divide brownie batter in half and set one portion aside and pour remaining batter into prepared baking dish.
• Reserve 3/4 cup salted caramel; set aside. Pour remaining salted caramel on top of brownie mixture. Next, layer remaining brownie batter on top of caramel. Lastly, drizzle the 3/4 cup caramel to the top of brownie and using a skewer or knife, softly swirl it through brownie in circular motions creating a pattern on top.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes in a preheated 400 degree Fahrenheit oven or until brownie begins to pull away from the sides.
• Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath by filling a large pan or kitchen sink with ice cubes and water until about 3/4-inch deep. When the brownies are done, remove from oven and place in water bath allowing the brownies to cool completely before removing. (Yes, this really does help the brownie.)
• Enjoy!

Notes

*You can make your own double broiler by placing a bowl over simmering water

Recipe adapted from Bakers Royale

We also shared this post with: Living Well Spending Less, Skip to my Lou, and Whipperberry

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For every one of those varieties, there must be at least one delicious recipe.  Fall’s favorite fruit is so versatile that it can be prepared in hundreds of delicious ways.  We’ve found a month’s worth of sweet apple treats and dessert recipes for you to drool over.

Caramel Apple Bar from Craftberry Bush

Apple Pudding Cake with Cinnamon Butter Sauce from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Brown Butter Apple Tart from Brooklyn Supper

Apple Butter Danish Ring from Taste, Love & Nourish

Apple Gingerbread Bars from Sarah’s Cucina Bella

Caramel Apple Crumble Pie from Averie Cooks

Apple Snickerdoodle Cobbler from Baked by Rachel

Mini Apple Pie Cookies from Made From Pinterest

Caramel Apple Upside Down Bread Pudding from Vintage Monday

Apple Stack Cake from Brave Tart

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls from The Recipe Critic

Apple Pie Wontons from Overtime Cook

Individual Cream Cheese Apple Dips from Made From Pinterest

Caramel Apple Brownies from Foodie Crush

Apple Upside Down Biscuits from Cookin’ Canuck

Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes from Delicious Everyday

Bavarian Apple Torte from Made From Pinterest

Apple Cranberry Cheesecake Pie Bites from Julie’s Eats & Treats

Apple Cobbler Cupcakes with Pumpkin Pie Frosting from Cupcake Project

Caramel Apple Bars from Inside BruCrew Life

Cinnamon Apple Macaroons from Desserts for Breakfast

Apple Pie Fries from Made From Pinterest

Apple Ice Cream Bowls from Dreyer’s

Sweet and Salty Apple Nachos from Wishes and Dishes

Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze from Life In Grace

Stuffed Apple Cinnamon Sticks from The Bitter Side of Sweet

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies from Scrambled Henfruit

Colorful Candy Apples from Made From Pinterest

Apple Pie Pizza from Dessert for Two

Dutch Apple Pie with White Chocolate Butter Sauce from Oh Sweet Basil

Yum!  Don’t those look delectable?  We’d love to hear about some of your favorite apple recipes.  Leave us a link to yours in the comment box if you have one you’d like to share with us.  Happy apple picking!

This post has been shared with: Living Well Spending Less

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Fall was definitely in the air at this weekend’s link party.  We could smell the pumpkin pie baking through our computer screens!  Here are nine of our favorite links that will help you welcome fall deliciously.

Apple Pie Jelly Donuts from The Crafting Foodie

Caramel Apple Funnel Cakes from This Silly Girl’s Life

Acorn Treats from The Coconut Head’s Survival Guide

Dutch Apple Pie Bars from I Dig Pinterest

Fresh Spiced Pumpkin Dip from With a Blast

Caramel Apple Cider from My Frugal Adventures

Pumpkin Cheesecake from Lady Behind the Curtain

Caramel Apple Muddy Buddies from Life with the Crust Cut Off

Apple Cinnamon Caramel Crunch Ice Cream from Sweet Baked Life

Thanks again for sharing your projects and recipes with us during Super Saturday #59!  We hope you were as inspired by these featured links as we were.   Please come back  for our next Super Saturday Link Party, starting at 7 P.M. EST on Friday night!  And keep an eye on your social media over the weekend, too.  We like to showcase links that catch our eye during the party via Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.  You might see your links featured there!

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There are some desserts that I do not make unless I have been asked to. Some desserts are so good that if I am left alone with a pan of it, by the end of the day I will have eaten myself sick!

Embarrassing I know. I wish it wasn’t true, but it is. Carmelitas is the perfect example.

I haven’t made them in a really long time because they are just too dangerous. Alyssa from The Recipe Critic should have included a “these are extremely addicting” warning with the recipe. The decadent chocolate and rich caramel sauce make this the absolute best dessert ever!

How to make Carmelitas

After preheating your oven and prepping your bakeware, grab your mixing bowls and start by mixing your melted butter and sugar. Don’t forget to line your bakeware with some aluminum or parchment paper. The melted caramel will be very sticky once it’s baked, so this will be really helpful for cleanup. 

In the bowl that you mixed the butter and sugar, add your dry ingredients: flour, oats, and baking soda. This is going to be the crust of your cookie bar. Once it’s all mixed, press it down into the bottom of your 8×8 pan. If you are doubling the recipe, press the cookie mixture down into the bottom of a 9×13 pan. 

Bake the cookie crust for 10 minutes and then remove it from the oven. 

While the cookie crust is baking, it’s time to work on the caramel sauce. Take your unwrapped caramel squares and heat over medium heat in a saucepan with heavy cream. Stir until this is completely smooth and set aside.

This step can also be completed in the microwave, just heat up the caramel and heavy cream for 30 seconds at a time, stirring when it stops. Watch it carefully and do not let the caramel burn. 

Building and baking your Carmelitas

At this point you have all of the parts of the Carmelitas ready, it’s time to put it all together! When the timer for your cookie crust goes off, take it out of the oven and sprinkle your chocolate chips over the whole thing. Very carefully pour your caramel sauce over the chocolate chips, and crumble the remaining cookie dough over it. 

Put it back in the oven and finish baking it for about 15-20 minutes. You will know that it is ready when the edges are lightly browned.

When you take it out of the oven, let it cool completely. Keep in mind that the caramel will be like molten lava at this point and can cause severe burns if touched right out of the oven. 

Carmelitas are a great dessert for events

I was asked to bring a dessert to a social function so I made these wonderful Carmelitas. I thought I was safe knowing I would take all of them to my social function, which meant I wouldn’t couldn’t eat too many. 

It’s a perfect option for making for events and potlucks since it’s so simple to make, and simple to make a lot of. And not to mention it’s simple to transport versus a bunch of cookies or a frosted cake or cupcakes. You will be the hit of any gathering you bring these delicious desserts to. 

To double the recipe for a big event, all you have to do is double the ingredients and use a 9×13 inch pan. 

Carmelitas can also be made gluten-free

My daughter wanted me to make a gluten-free batch as well so she and I could have some. We are the only 2 who are gluten-free in our family and having “some” translates into half a pan for each of us. I made these this morning, it is now late afternoon, I’m not feeling so well. (I’m hanging my head in shame!)

To make these gluten-free, use almond flour instead of all-purpose flour. As you can see above, this did not affect the deliciousness of this dessert. 

Please note that oatmeal is technically gluten-free, however, there is a chance that it is processed on shared equipment. Check the label to verify that your rolled oats are certified gluten-free if this is a concern. The other ingredients are also supposed to be gluten-free, but check your labels to be certain. 

Tips to make amazing Carmelitas

• You can add a pinch of salt to the oatmeal cookie crust to balance out the sweetness and make the flavors really pop. 
• The author of the recipe that I reference here recommends that you use high-quality caramel such as Worthiers Caramel candies. 
• You can use a larger pan to create a thinner crust. This can be a great way to get more slices of cookies out of one batch for parties and potlucks.
• Don’t forget to let the Carmelitas cool completely before diving in. I cannot stress enough how hot the caramel sauce gets when it’s in the oven, so please use caution when melting, pouring, and handling it. 
• You can use instant oats if that is all you have on hand. The author recommends rolled oats but does mention that instant oatmeal can also be used. 
• Store your Carmelitas in an airtight container. They can be stored in a cool space, although they will last longer if refrigerated. 
• You can even freeze your Carmelitas! After they have cooled, stack them in a freezer bag and store them for up to a month. Use smaller bags to create individual portions so you don’t have to defrost the entire thing when your sweet tooth hits. 

A delicious (and dangerous!) dessert

Yes, half of my half of the pan is now empty. It sounds better if I say 1/4 of the pan is empty. Either way, I have once again eaten too many Carmelitas.

This morning I needed every ounce of willpower to resist eating too many. As my teenagers would say… “epic fail”. This afternoon I needed some protein and a  5 – 10 mile walk! It really should be a run, but I only run in EXTREME emergencies. The protein is going to happen – I’m not so sure about the walk. If you are looking for an out-of-this-world,  fantastic dessert recipe, Carmelitas is for you because… This Pin Rocks!  

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Carmelita's

Course Desssert

Author Adapted by Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

• Ingredients
• 32 caramel squares unwrapped
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup butter melted
• ¾ cup brown sugar packed
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350. Grease an 8×8 pan or you can line it with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easier removal. The caramel gets very sticky. (This can also be made in a 9×13, by doubling the ingredients)
• In a mixing bowl, combine melted butter and brown sugar. Add flour, oats, and baking soda. Mix until combined well.
• Divide the cookie mixture in half and pat half of the mix into the bottom of the 8×8 pan. Bake for 10 minutes and remove from oven.
• While the crust is baking, combine the caramels and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat; stir until completely melted and smooth. The caramels can also be melted in the microwave, just stir after every 30 seconds being careful not to let it burn.
• Remove pan from the oven, immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over the crust. Pour warm melted caramel mixture over the chocolate chips and crumble remaining cookie dough on top.
• Return to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are lightly brown.
• Once removed from the oven, allow them to completely cool and the caramel to set up. The caramel is like molten caramel right out of the oven and you want to let it cool. You can speed up the cooling process by putting it in the fridge if needed.
• Gluten Free Version
• Use gluten free flour.
• Use certified gluten free oatmeal, can be found at Trader Joe's

If you loved this Carmelitas recipe from This Grandma Is Fun, be sure to check out these other delicious dessert recipes:

• 100 Rainbow Treat And Dessert Recipes
• Dessert Recipes Easy
• 25 Mouth-Watering Campfire Desserts
• 23 Mouth-Watering Muffin Recipes
• 10 Dang Delicious Muffin-Tin Desserts

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40 hours, 2,400 miles, 7 stops for fast food, 5 stops for gas, and 4 sore tushies = one crazy road trip that was totally worth it. Why would anyone do such a thing? Love. Isn’t it one of the most powerful motivators? Our family felt so blessed to witness the marriage of my niece to her sweetheart just a few days ago. There were so many good things about the trip. But the best was time celebrating with family. Because we love the whole crazy bunch and can never get enough time with them, even if the competition for the bathroom can get kind of fierce. One of our favorite ways to celebrate love in our family is our annual Candlelight Valentine’s Dinner. While the dinner menu changes from year to year (this year we are having Restaurant Steak), the dessert menu is set. Our favorite recipe for Chocolate Caramel Fondue is so easy the kids can do it, needs no special equipment, and will make your heart sing love songs. You can bake it in the oven, or microwave it. All you need is an ovenproof bowl, chocolate chips, caramel candies, evaporated milk and a dash of vanilla. We make ours in our favorite ugly stoneware bowl. We like it because it keeps the fondue warm, but you can always cover a heating pad with  tea towel and set it under your fondue bowl to keep it warm. You can even use a pretty bowl if you want to. Honestly, the fondue cooling off is not a big concern, because you are going to eat it all before it gets the chance to cool! Our favorite dippers are pretzels, strawberries, marshmallows, pound cake, bananas, apples and pineapples. Brownie chunks and little bites of cheesecake are pretty good too. So choose your dippers, and invite your loved ones to share a special Chocolate Caramel Fondue treat with you this Valentine’s Day. Because sharing love and chocolate makes for sweet memories!

This Fondue Rocks!

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Easy Chocolate Caramel Fondue

Author Adapted by Made From Pinterest from Pampered Chef's Kids in the Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 package 14 oz. caramels (about 50)
• 1 can 5 oz. evaporated milk - (This is the LITTLE can. 5 ounce, not 12.)
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels Do not use milk chocolate. It does not melt properly in this recipe
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

• Unwrap caramels and combine with remaining ingredients. Bake at 350° for half an hour. Mix together until mostly smooth. There will be some small yummy bits of caramel that do not melt all the way. Do not worry, these are very tasty.
• Microwave directions: Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Stir. Continue microwaving and stirring in 30 second intervals until melted.

We are happy to link this post to these great blogs: Lamberts Lately  – Living Well, Spending Less – Live, Laugh, Rowe – 52 Mantels – A Glimpse Inside – What’s Cooking Love – Live Love Create

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At one time, these Crunchers were the highest pinned pin on Pinterest from Twirl and Taste.  The day after I made them, I took them to the office where I worked (which I do alot!) and these received more requests for the recipe than anything that I had brought thus far!

The butter crackers make for a nice “crunch” (hence the name….doh!) and the caramel and chocolate make it decadent!

This comes with a money back guarantee that your family will love them!

Okay, maybe we can’t give you money back, but we can guarantee that these Crunchers are wonderful!

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Crunchers

Course Bars

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Author madefrompinterest.net

Ingredients

• 80 club crackers
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 1/2 cup butterscotch morsels

Instructions

• In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, milk and sugar. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. (Begin timing 5 minutes from when you see the first bubbles.) Remove from heat and spread half of butter mixture evenly over crackers. Place another single layer of crackers evenly over butter mixture, cutting to fit if necessary. Spread remaining butter mixture evenly over crackers. Top evenly with remaining crackers.
• In a small saucepan, combine peanut butter, chocolate morsels, and butterscotch morsels. Melt over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Spread evenly over top of crackers. Cover, and chill for at least 1 hour. Lift foil overhang and remove bars from pan. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Notes

Great with a nice, cold glass of milk!

This Pin Rocks!

Today’s Link Parties!

Living Well Spending Less  – Gingerly Made – Glued to My Crafts – Live Laugh Rowe – House of Hepworths – The 36th Avenue

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My memories are often connected with food. I once saw a woman I hadn’t seen in years, and as often happens, I couldn’t remember her name.  But I completely remembered what she had fed me for dinner all those years ago (she was the one who first introduced me to Fettuccini Alfredo. I still don’t know her name)! I am all about the good eats, guys and gals!From now on, salted caramel of any sort will always remind me of my niece. She lived with us for a while and we got to celebrate her birthday with her. I asked her what she wanted for her birthday dinner and she was really hard to pin down on the menu items. All except for one thing. She wanted something with salted caramel. So, off to Pinterest I went, and look what I found! This wonderful recipe is from Kimberly Taylor Images. Now, this recipe is for frosting. But the part of the recipe I fell in love with was the caramel. Only, not at first. It turned out wrong the first time (It hardened into a block because I cooked it way too long), and I knew it was user error. I had been presented with a challenge, and I was determined to master this technique. The payoff is amazingly worth it. This caramel is the most intensely silky, buttery heaven on a spoon! Yes I did eat it by the spoonful.  And then found out I shouldn’t have, because the frosting recipe takes one cup of the salted caramel recipe and it makes exactly one cup. So I just had to make a second batch. Perfect for drizzling…and spooning into your mouth. I wish when I first did this I had found this tutorial at Blooming on Bainbridge. I like how she has pictures of the various steps in making this dreamy concoction.
I was so glad I was not going to have to make a caramel salt lick out of it, like Debbie did with her 6 Minute Microwave Caramels. In fact, I would like to eat this caramel drizzled over ice cream with Debbie’s Salted Chocolate Caramel Clusters. There are so many ways to use these two recipes.

Don’t be afraid, you can do this! It really isn’t that hard. But, I learned a few tricks along the way. Get all your ingredients out ahead of time. Have them measured and ready to go. Make sure you have a kitchen timer on hand. With this recipe, timing is crucial. The only real problem with this recipe is that it only makes one cup of the caramel. It makes a ton of frosting! Good thing it doesn’t take long to make a second batch:)

This Pin Rocks! Make some soon and create some salty sweet memories.

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Salted Caramel

Author MadeFromPinterest.net

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt kosher or sea

Instructions

• Combine the sugar, water, and the corn syrup in a medium saucepan and stir over medium heat to dissolve sugar.
• Cook for 3 minutes over medium heat with the lid on.
• Take off the lid and increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil.
• Swirl (do not stir) the liquid around the pan so that the caramel doesn’t burn.
• Keep cooking until the caramel turns an amber color then remove from the heat and let stand for about 30 seconds. Set your timer! Don't let it sit too long! - This is the trickiest part of the recipe. It make take a little practice to find the right amount of amber color.
• Carefully pour the heavy cream into the mixture in a slow steady stream while mixing with a whisk. The mixture will bubble up significantly and is very hot.
• Add the butter, lemon juice, and salt. Stir until combined.
• Stirring occasionally, allow to cool until thick like molasses and warm to the touch, about 20 minutes.

Sites we love linking up with: A Bowl Full of Lemons – Chocolate Chocolate and More – A Glimpse Inside – Katies Nesting Spot – Hooking Up with the Hepworths – Katherine’s Corner – the 36th Avenue – Live Laugh Rowe – Glued To My Crafts – Gingerly Made – 52 Mantels – Real Coake – Mandatory Mooch – What’s Cooking Love – Easy Living Mom – Busy Mom’s Helper – Mums Make Lists

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