Apple Pie Cookie Bars

We celebrated a birthday in our family last week. Chris's birthday was last Friday, and naturally, I started bugging him about what he wanted for his special birthday dessert at least a week before that. He insisted that he didn't want anything and told me not to worry about it. Yeah, right. Since he would never give me an answer, I decided to try and be innovative. If you have read some of my other posts, you know that Chris really tends to favor the classics...simple, yet delicious, desserts. He loves oatmeal raisin cookies and I THOUGHT he also loves apple pie. Turns out that is Gene, Chris's dad, and Chris really loves pumpkin pie (which I did know that, too, but it didn't work with my idea, so I went with apple and ended up being wrong...OOPS!) Regardless of who really loved apple pie and who didn't, the end result of my attempt at innovation in creating a super duper deluxe birthday dessert tailored especially to Chris's taste turned out to be just that....a super duper deluxe birthday dessert that was DELICIOUS!

So in case you haven't got on by now, what I wanted to do was combine what I thought were two of Chris's favorite desserts into one treat. I started with an oatmeal cookie mix, threw in some raisins and cinnamon, and then pressed the cookie dough into the bottom of the pan for the crust. I then chopped up apples and tossed them in flour, sugar, and cinnamon and created a very simple apple pie filling. I pressed that down onto the oatmeal cookie crust, and then I finished off with a struesel topping. WOW- this served with some ice cream on top...it's practically begging you to eat it, savor in every bite, and welcome fall in with a bang!

Here is the recipe for Apple Pie Cookie Bars:

- 1 pouch Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix
- 1 stick butter, softened completely to room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 tsp. cinnamon

- 5 medium apples, peeled and sliced into thin pieces
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. cinnamon

- 1/4 cup cold butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 cup instant oats

- Extra flour for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13" cake pan with two pieces of overlapping foil, extending over the sides to create handles for easy lifting later. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the cookie mix, the butter, the egg, the raisins, and the cinnamon. Mix well. Press cookie dough evenly into bottom of prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the top with a little flour. (This helps absorb some of the extra moisture from the apple pie filling so your cookie layer is not soggy.)
3. In a medium bowl (I used the same one from the cookie dough), toss the apples, the flour, the sugar, and the cinnamon together to coat the apples. Press the apple pie filling evenly over the cookie dough crust. Sprinkle a little flour over the top.
4. In a medium bowl, use a fork or a pastry cutter to blend the cold butter, the flour, the brown sugar, the cinnamon, and the instant oats to create a streusel. Sprinkle the streusel over the top of the pie filling.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 32 minutes, until streusel is golden brown on top. Let cool. Cut into bars and serve with ice cream. ENJOY!

These were a perfect dessert to help get me even more ready for fall than I already was...Welcome back apples, maple, pumpkin, and all of those delicious fall flavors. I have missed you, and hopefully you readers have, too, because you will be seeing a lot of them in the weeks to come!

What are some of your favorite things to bake in the fall???

ChocoNilla Rice Krispie Treats

Rice Krispie treats are one of those classic childhood treats that are so simple, yet so delicious, that it is almost impossible not to enjoy them still as an adult. Now, being the one making them, there is an added bonus in the fact that they are ridiculously quick and easy. I whipped these up in less than 10 minutes- can't really beat that when you need a quick-fix dessert! I really enjoy adding twists to classic treats, in case you haven't noticed, even if the twist is only a minor modification to the original recipe. Here, I used both Rice Krispies and Cocoa Krispies... I know, I know, it's not exactly the most innovative thing I have ever done, but the taste is fantastic and well-balanced!

ChocoNilla Rice Krispie Treats

- 4 cups Rice Krispies
- 4 cups Cocoa Krispies
- 4 tbsp. butter, plus more for pan
- 1 small package vanilla pudding
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 10-oz. bag jumbo marshmallows

1. Line a 9x13" pan with foil. Generously grease the foil on all sides with butter. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, melt butter. Once melted, add the vanilla pudding and the marshmallows, stirring continuously to melt marshmallows. Once everything is melted together, stir in vanilla and mix well.
3. To the pot, add your Rice Krispies and Cocoa Krispies. Stir and mix until all of the cereal is well-coated with the marshmallow mixture.
4. Using a buttered spatula, press the cereal and marshmallow mixture evenly into the prepared 9x13" pan. Allow to cool, then ENJOY!



These are best enjoyed the day you make them, but if there ends up being leftovers, just pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and it will be as if they were just made, back to a gooey, delicious treat. The kids loved them, and so did the "big kids," i.e. my brother and his friend. We will definitely be making these again!

What are some of your go-to treats that you can prepare in a hurry that are sure to satisfy your family?

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Another busy weekend come and gone, so I have to apologize in advance for the lack of picture to accompany this recipe. It was scarfed down so fast by everyone we had over to join us for dinner that there was no opportunity to photograph leftovers like I had originally planned! That should tell you how delicious this soup is!

Soup is probably one of my favorite comfort foods, and once fall and winter set in, it will frequent our dinner table in many various forms. This particular recipe came from my beloved grandmother, and I have since adapted it a little to make it my own and adjust it to our family's tastes. It is easily modified to adjust heat, and ingredients can be added, interchanged, or removed altogether.

Here is what you will need to make A LOT of this satisfying and filling soup.

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- Cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, and seasoned salt, to taste
- 2 lb. block of 2% Velveeta Cheese, cut into small cubes
- 16-oz container reduced-fat sour cream
- 2 28-oz cans pinto beans, rinsed well and drained
- 2 28-oz cans Rotel tomatoes, one drained and one undrained
- Optional Add-Ins: Sweet corn, green chilies, jalapenos, diced bell peppers, olives, etc.

1. In a large skillet, brown ground beef, cooking until no longer pink. Drain excess fat and add all of your spices and onion to the skillet. Saute until onion is tender, between five and 10 minutes.
2. While the beef is cooking, start adding the rest of your ingredients to the slow cooker. Quite literally, just throw it all in! Couldn't be easier. Make sure to rinse and drain your beans well, and don't forget to add the juice of ONE of the cans of Rotel tomatoes. It adds extra flavor. As a helpful hint, the smaller you cube your cheese the quicker it will melt. Mix everything together.
3. Once your beef is cooked through and the onion is tender, add it to the slow cooker. Mix all of the ingredients together and let cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. If you have the opportunity, stir this often. If you want to make it before work and let it cook while you are gone, just be sure to allow an extra 15 to 30 minutes after you are home to give it a couple good stirs before you eat it. It helps to distribute the cheese throughout the whole mixture.

ENJOY!

How was your weekend? We went on a paranormal investigation at the Laramie Plains Civic Center on Saturday night. It was a blast, but holy cow it made me feel OLD! It's been a long time since I stayed up till 3 am, and I don't plan on doing it again anytime soon! Still recovering today, but the experience was well worth it!

Peanut Butter Dream Dip

Many of you may have caught wind of the peanut butter pie recipes that have been sweeping the food blogging world over the past week or so. Food bloggers across the board have been making and sharing recipes for their favorite renditions of peanut butter pie to honor the memory of a fellow food blogger's husband who passed unexpectedly. See In Jennie's Kitchen for the full, heartbreaking story, and also for a delicious-sounding recipe for peanut butter cream pie that her late husband listed as his favorite.  http://www.injennieskitchen.com/2011/08/for-mikey.html

This story is a good reminder that life is short. We should truly cherish each moment that we have with our loved ones and savor each day as if it could be our last. Let's not put off today what could be done tomorrow, especially when it comes to the things that bring us the most enjoyment. And when it comes to loved ones, as Jennie so beautifully wrote in her post, "hug them like there's no tomorrow because today is the only guarantee we can count on." Thank you, Jennie, for letting your loss help others remember just how precious life is and that we should not take anything for granted.

We had an incredibly busy weekend, and the time to make a pie unfortunately slipped away. But I came up with my own, quick version of peanut butter pie in dip form (basically deconstructed peanut butter pie if that helps you to visualize the connection) to help do my part to contribute to such a wonderful cause and remind my loved ones of how dear they are to me. Life is too short for it not to be sweet... 

Silky, smooth, peanut- buttery perfection! 

Peanut Butter Dream Dip

- 1 8-oz block of cream cheese, softened completely to room temperature
- 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 1/2 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Nilla Wafers, Oreos, graham crackers, or anything of the like (think pie crust) for dipping

1. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, creamy peanut butter, and honey, mixing until smooth and silky with no chunks. Stir in chocolate chips. Refrigerate.
2. Serve as a dip with your favorite cookie, cracker, or fruit/vegetable and enjoy! (Or, if you're like me and my family, you can grab a spoon and dig right in - it's DELICIOUS!)

Does your family have any special recipes that are their favorites? What are they and how often do you make them for your loved ones? I would love to hear about it! 

Summer Chicken Salad

Summer is slowly starting to wind down and we are on the brink of autumn. With it's cooler temperatures, fun-filled holidays, football, and beautiful landscapes painted by changing leaves, fall is one of my favorite times of the year. I also love fall because it practically necessitates the use of such delectable flavors as pumpkin, maple, apple, etc., and also, with the cooler temperatures comes chili, soups, and stews, some of my favorite dinners. So basically, fall means fabulous, hearty, comfort food and an excuse to always be baking.

Some people might find it strange, but I am a very "seasonal" person. There are certain colors, foods, and scents, just to name a few, that are more appealing to me during certain times of the year. So, as already mentioned, since autumn is just around the corner, I figured I had better enjoy another round of one of my new found summer enjoyments, as I am quite positive I will not be craving it anytime soon with colder weather approaching...

I had never really tried chicken salad before, but for some reason, I had a ton of leftover grilled chicken a few months ago and decided to give it a whirl. I just kind of dove in, head-first with fingers crossed, and hoped for the best. I was really impressed with the end result. The flavors work so well together and practically scream spring and summer. This chicken salad is sweet and savory, creamy and crunchy, and just all-around perfectly balanced. Plus, it is light, yet filling and satisfying. And, it is full of healthy ingredients, too!

We had a crazy busy weekend because we had a yard sale, so I don't have pictures for this recipe yet. But we are grilling a lot of chicken tonight, and, naturally, I will be using the leftovers to make some Summer Chicken Salad. In the meantime, here is the recipe!

Summer Chicken Salad 

- 2 chicken breasts (I used grilled, but any cooked chicken would work fine, I am sure), cut into small cubes
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 apple, cored and roughly chopped (up to you if you want to keep the skin on or peel it- I like the extra crunch the skin adds, plus all the nutritious goodness that comes with it!), sprinkled with lemon juice to help preservation and prevent browning
- 1/4 cup pomegranate-flavored Craisins (or whatever flavor you have on hand will work, too)
- 1/4 chopped pecans
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup Miracle Whip (I pretty much refuse to use mayo... just sayin'), depending on how creamy you want it
- 2 tbsp. yellow mustard
- 2 tbsp. honey

1. In a Tupperware container with a lid, toss together the chicken, celery, apple, Craisins, and pecans.
2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the Miracle Whip, mustard, and honey until well-combined.
3. Pour the Miracle Whip mixture over the chicken mixture, using a spatula to make sure you get every last bit of it, then mix well until all of the chicken mixture is coated.  For best results, refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Keep leftovers refrigerated in Tupperware container. ENJOY!

I love to use this Summer Chicken Salad on sandwiches, layered in between two pieces of a nice, whole-grain bread, but it would be delicious set atop a bed of spinach or other leafy greens, or even by itself. It really is SO delicious!!!

Do you have any foods that you only tend to crave during certain times of the year??? I would love to hear more from others who share in my seasonal tendencies! :)

Spaghetti Tacos

Any iCarly fans out there? Some of you without kids may have never even heard of iCarly, but those with kids surely have seen an episode or two (at least) of this fun-filled television show on Nickelodeon. I have to admit, even as an adult, I love watching this show with the kids. It's really entertaining and full of witty, good-natured humor.

Anyways, in many of the episodes of iCarly, Carly, Sam, and Freddy can be seen chowing down on Spencer's signature dish- Spaghetti Tacos. The first time I saw it, I thought to myself that that sounded like a disgusting combination. However, after seeing it numerous times, my curiosity started to peak more and more and I started to wonder if it might actually be pretty tasty. The kids started asking for them, so at that point I figured it was worth a shot to try them out. Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed them! The kids loved them, too, but that was not nearly as surprising as the fact that the adults loved them, too! They are unique, there is no doubt about that, but strangely satisfying. I invite you to step outside of your comfort zone and give these a try!



Here is a pic to give you a visual idea of this crazy combination and how it all comes together.

Hungry yet?

You should be! (Trust me...)

As I was brainstorming this dish in my head, I wanted to try to create these Spaghetti Tacos in a way that was neither too Mexican nor too Italian in nature, but that really brought out flavors that are often seen in both Mexican and Italian food. So, with that in mind, here is what I came up with.

Spaghetti Tacos

- 1 lb. lean hamburger

- 1/2 cup onion, diced

- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

- 1/4 tsp. chili powder

- 1/4 tsp. paprika

- 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt

- 1/4 tsp. black pepper

- 1/8 tsp. cumin

- 1/2 tsp. oregano

- 1 lb. spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained as directed

- 1 jar of your favorite tomato-based spaghetti sauce

- 12 hard taco shells

- Shredded cheese, for topping

1. Start by boiling your water for the spaghetti noodles. While the water is coming to a boil, start browning your hamburger and onion in a large skillet. Add noodles to boiling water and cook as directed.

2. Once the hamburger is mostly browned, add the garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, seasoned salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano. Stir in well to mix and continue to brown hamburger until cooked through. Drain any excess fat.

3. To the hamburger mixture, add about 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce. Stir in and continue to cook over low heat until warm throughout.

4. Heat the remaining spaghetti sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, cooking just long enough to heat throughout.

5. Once noodles have been drained, add a couple ladles of spaghetti sauce to the noodles to lightly coat the noodles and keep them from sticking to each other and getting stiff.

6. At this point, all of your different components are ready and you can start building your spaghetti tacos. Fill your taco shell with the saucy noodles, top with the meat sauce, then spoon a little extra sauce on top. Sprinkle with shredded cheese to finish. Or, if you want the cheese to melt a little more, put it on top of the meat mixture before the extra sauce.   :)



So, while you're in complete awe that this dish is actually successful, sit back, relax, and enjoy! You should have a perfect balance of Mexican and Italian flavors that compliment each other nicely and come together perfectly to create a surprisingly delicious dinner. The kids will love you, and it will give you a nice little vacation from adulthood, too!

P.S. This dinner gets messy! Be prepared, and don't say I didn't warn you!

Double Chocolate Mint Cookies and Cream Cookies

Oreo cookies are one of my all-time favorite store-bought cookies. Whenever I eat them, a flood of sensational memories washes over me and I am back reliving my childhood, sitting in my grandparents' living room, watching cartoons, and enjoying the good life. The simple life. We really had it made when we were younger- no responsibility, no worries, just a carefree existence that, unbeknownst to us, was shaping us into the adults we are today. Though the adult world is now full of responsibility and all of the other characteristics that our childhood lacked, there are still some things that just make everything seem all right and bring a sense of comfort back into our sometimes seemingly foreign world of jobs, children, and everything else for which we are now held accountable. For me, one of those things is Oreo cookies. And milk. What is an Oreo cookie without a big glass of milk to dunk it in? Needless to say, I jump at any chance to utilize these cookies and their perfectly balanced cookies and cream basis.

I first saw these cookies posted on Picky Palate's website. She has some fantastic and innovative stuff happening over there, and I highly recommend that you check out her page if you haven't already done so. Just click here and take a quick field trip before today's lesson starts... http://picky-palate.com/  See how easy I make life for you? :)

As soon as I saw these posted, I knew that I would have to make them. And so I did. And I put my own special twist on them... for any of you who love the Mint Fudge Oreos that come out only around Christmas as much as I do, these cookies are for you! They are really quick and easy to make, and you will find that there are so many wonderful layers of flavors going on in every single bite you take. These are, by far, one of my favorite cookies that I made recently.

Anyone else remember these??? I wait for them EVERY year- yet another thing I LOVE about the holiday season!!!

Anyways... those cookies were part of my inspiration for the changes I made to the original recipe I saw over at Picky Palate's site. But on with it....
Double Chocolate Mint Cookies and Cream Cookies:

- 2 sticks softened butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 18 whole Oreo cookies, crushed until mostly fine crumbs with a few larger pieces remaining

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a large cookie sheet with either parchment paper or a silpat liner.
2. Using either a stand or electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars until well-combined. Add eggs, vanilla, and mint extract, mixing until mostly smooth and well-combined.
3. Place flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add to the wet ingredients, along with cocoa powder, both types of chocolate chips, and the crushed Oreo cookies, slowly mixing until just combined.
4. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet, placing approximately 1 inch apart from each other. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. ENJOY!

(Recipe adapted from Picky Palate)

Ahhhh...perfection! 

Seriously... these cookies will make you some friends! We took them to daycare for Teacher's Appreciation Day, and let's just say word of mouth has done it's job- in a good way for once! Try them and let me know how you like them! 

Peanut Butter Fudge Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am one of those people who tends to obsess... once the seed of an idea has been planted in my brain, I can't seem to get it out, so the only natural thing to do is to let that seed blossom and run with it... Two little seeds have recently been planted... The end result? Peanut Butter Fudge Double Chocolate Chip Cookies!

To start, my mom's fiance kept bringing up the peanut butter fudge I gave to them last Christmas. He swears that it is the best fudge he has ever had and asked when I might be able to make them more. Things have been pretty crazy this summer, so I haven't got around to making it for them quite yet. But this was enough to get me thinking about and craving some delicious peanut butter fudge. On top of that, I have also been thinking a lot about my Grandma's chocolate chip cookies. I am sure that part of that comes from me missing her, but, regardless of the reason, her fabulous, simple chocolate chip cookies have also been ingrained in my mind lately.

I decided to be innovative and try and  come up with an excuse to bake  satisfy both insatiable cravings with one treat... IT WORKED!   And it worked well...So, of course, I had to share it with you all so you could bask in all of the peanut-buttery. chocolaty, gooey-ness that is this recipe.

These cookies are simple and quick. Here is what you will need to make them:

- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup butter-flavored Crisco
- 1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. milk
- 1 tbsp. vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 3/4 tsp. baking soda
- 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Using a fork, in a small bowl combine the peanut butter and the powdered sugar together until you have a Play-Doh-like consistency. Stick this makeshift fudge into the freezer for half an hour to firm up.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix Crisco, brown sugar, milk and vanilla together until creamy, using a hand mixer. Blend in the egg.
4. In a separate medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, mixing on low until well-incorporated.
6. Using a wooden spoon, stir in milk chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
7. Once you have completed all of these steps, remove the peanut butter "fudge" from the freezer. Break  or chop into small chunks and stir into cookie dough.
8. Drop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are light golden brown around the edges. 
9. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. ENJOY!!!



These cookies are a wonderful combination of chocolate and peanut butter, and I really like the different layers of chocolate flavor that the two kinds of chips add compared to only one. They are soft, chewy, and simple in an irresistible way.

They even met Chris's approval! He loves a lot of the crazy concoctions I come up with, but to him, simplicity is always the best. For him, sometimes there is nothing better than the classic. So, with only a slight addition to Grams' coveted chocolate chip cookies, he ended up loving the result! As did the kids! We were on the verge of having to hide the cookie container from Brooklyn, because EVERY TIME she saw it she would squeal and point at it. Obviously, we don't deprive our kids of sweets in case you couldn't tell, but even we have our limits! :)

Hope you enjoy!

German Chocolate Caramel Brownie Bars

One of my favorite kinds of recipes are the ones shared and passed around through families. We spent a lot of the month of July traveling, and one of the extra perks that came along with seeing wonderful family was acquiring this recipe from Chris's Aunt Deb and Grandma Ida. I had tried these bars once before during a previous trip to Kimball, Nebraska, but never thought to ask for the recipe until this time. I am so glad I did! They are super easy to make, and so delicious! As a family, we love them.

As an added bonus, one of my coworkers recently celebrated a birthday, and as one of the designated office "birthday bakers," I asked her what she wanted me to make and bring into work for her. She told me that two of her favorite things were brownies and caramel... and alas, the perfect opportunity to bake these bars and share them with you all came to be. (By the way, she also mentioned ice cream, and I think these would be heavenly topped with a nice, cool scoop of creamy vanilla!)

I really don't remember what these bars were originally called in the recipe that Aunt Deb and Grandma Ida shared with me, so I re-named them and came up with some possible suggestions for tasty variations of this recipe, but I am saving those for later when I have actually had a chance to try them. I don't know where the recipe originated from, so I don't really know who to give credit to since it is not my original creation... just one of those family recipes passed down through the generations I suppose?

Here is what you will need to make German Chocolate Caramel Brownie Bars:

- 1 box German Chocolate cake mix
- 1 stick butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 tablespoon water
- 14 ounces caramel pieces
- 1/3 cup evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13" cake pan with two overlapping pieces of aluminum foil, leaving excess foil at each end to create handles for easy removal later. Grease and flour the foil. Set aside.
2. Combine cake mix, butter, and water in a large bowl, using a fork to mix. Incorporate the butter and water fully into the cake mix. When you're done, the mix should be crumbly but still stick together. Set aside.
3. Combine caramels and evaporated milk over low-medium heat until melted and smooth, about 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Once melted, remove from heat and keep warm.
4. Take half of your prepared cake mix and press it evenly into the bottom of the 9x13" pan to create the bottom layer. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the milk chocolate chips. Pour caramel over the chocolate chip layer and spread evenly.  Take the remaining cake mix and press it evenly over the caramel layer to create the top layer. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. ***This part is a little tricky- be prepared to get your hands sticky! The good part is you can lick them clean after you're done and get a preview of the chocolate caramel goodness that is coming your way.*** 

Shhh.... don't tell anyone. Then you won't have to share yet!

5. Place your assembled bars into the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bars are mostly set. They will jiggle a bit at first because of the caramel, but they should still be done. They will solidify as they cool.

6. Cut into bars and share the love! Enjoy!

As I mentioned before, I thought of a couple variations that I think would work fantastic in this recipe. I have not actually had the opportunity to try them out yet, but I will eventually! Unfortunately, I can't bake as often as I would like, due to both lack of time and the fact I am attempting to slim my waistline a bit, but I try to write down ideas as they come to me so I can save them for a later date! So, with that in mind, you can expect AT LEAST one variation of this recipe still to come! Until then.... happy baking!