Salted Caramel Butter Bars

by penji1

These were really good but also really rich, in a good way. 

CRUST

1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla

3 cups flour

FILLING

14 oz caramel candies, unwrapped, about 50 pieces

1/3 cup heavy cream or milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

flake sea salt

1 For the crust, heat oven to 325. Spray 9 x 13″ pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2 Beat butter, sugar, and powdered sugar in your mixer with paddle attachment on medium for 2 minutes. Mix in vanilla. Turn mixer to low and gradually mix in flour until a soft dough forms.

3 Press 1/3 of dough evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Wrap remaining dough in plastic wrap and chill in fridge. 

4 Bake pressed dough for 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool for 15 minutes.

5 For the filling, add caramels and cream or milk to a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. If not completely melted, microwave for another 30 seconds and stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla.

6 Pour caramel evenly over crust and sprinkle with salt. 

7 Remove chilled dough from fridge and crumble evenly over caramel. 

8 Bake 25 – 30 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is lightly browned. Let cool before cutting into squares.

recipe from I Heart Naptime

Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Treats

by penji1

It was our corgi Finn’s 8th birthday on Monday so I made him some peanut butter dog treats. He loves peanut butter! These were really easy to make and the dogs loved them.

1 cup wheat flour

1/2 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 – 3/4 cup water

1 Preheat oven to 350. Spray molds lightly with cooking spray or if not until molds, cover baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.

2 Stir together all ingredients until well combined. 

3 Roll into balls and place on baking sheet or press dough into molds. 

4 Bake 20 – 30 minutes. 

recipe from Mama Teaches

Vanilla Quick Bread with Sea Salt Caramel Chips

by penji1

I totally forgot to take a picture of this yummy bread and this was the only piece left when I remembered. It was really yummy, a good base quick bread base for any kind of chip you might like to add in. I made if for Christmas Bunco along with a chocolate peppermint loaf and a gingerbread loaf both of which came in mixes. I served them alongside the flavored whipped creams from Target which come in Gingerbread, Hot Cocoa, Salted Caramel, and Peppermint and are delicious!

1 3/4 cups flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 cup milk

1 cup chips of your choice if desired (toss chips with a little flour before adding to recipe which helps to keep them from all sinking to the bottom of the pan)

1 Heat oven to 350. Spray loaf pan with cooking spray.

2 Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

3 Cream together butter and sugar with your mixer on low. Add eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla. 

4 Starting with flour mixture and alternating with milk, beat in just until mixed together. Mix in chips if using gently with a spatula.

5 Bake 50 – 60 minutes or until knife inserted comes out with moist crumbs. Cool on rack in pan for 20 minutes before removing. 

recipe from Oregon Transplant

Classic Pecan Pie Bars

by penji1

Don’t those look delicious? (They were!) Here’s another look so you can see the layers.

We ate them like pie, with vanilla ice cream and chocolate whipped cream which you can get at Target along with Gingerbread Whipped Cream and Salted Caramel and also Peppermint. All delicious! But back to the bars, they are easy and delicious so highly recommend!

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup corn syrup

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 Heat oven to 350. Beat flour, brown sugar, and butter on medium until well combined. Press mixture into bottom and 1/2″ up sides of ungreased 13″ x 9″ pan. Bake 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown.

2 Stir remaining ingredients in medium bowl until well mixed. Pour over crust.

3 Bake 30 – 35 minutes or until set. Cool until firm before cutting.

recipe from Betty Crocker

Busy Day Soup

by penji1

I made this last night for dinner. It was easy, quick, yummy and everyone liked it. It’s perfect for a cold winter day. And, there are a lot of of leftovers, which I also love since soup always tastes better the next day.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound ground beef

1 (1 oz) package dry onion soup mix

6 – 7 cups vegetable broth

2 (14.5 oz each) cans fire roasted tomatoes

1 (12 oz) package frozen mixed vegetables (I used a can of corn and a can of green beans, including the liquid so not drained)

2 cups dried pasta – I used elbow macaroni

I also added the following –

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon dried onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or large pot. Add beef and cook until no longer pink.

2 Add remaining ingredients except pasta. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.

3 Add pasta and boil until pasta is cooked through.

recipe from Southern Living

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

by penji1

It’s soup weather and I couldn’t be happier even though a loathe and despise winter and snow and cold. But I digress, back to the soup. This one was really good but really thick so maybe add a small can of tomato sauce when you make it?

1 pound hamburger

1 large onion, diced

1 (1 oz) package taco seasoning

1 (15.5 oz) can chili beans, drained

1 (14.5) oz can tomatoes, garlic and onions

1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes

1 (15.5 oz) can kidney beans, drained

1 (15.5 oz) can pinto beans, drained

1 (15.25 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (1 oz) package dry ranch seasoning

Toppings – sour cream, tortilla strips or chips, corn chips, shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro

1 Brown hamburger in large skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, 5 – 8 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink then drain. Add onions and cook until tender and translucent. Add 1 package of taco seasoning and stir until meat is covered.

2 Spoon hamburger mixture into bottom of crock pot. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours, stirring occasionally.

recipe from Southern Living

I’m an Ambassador for Pango Books!

by penji1

And yes, before you ask, this is an actual picture of one of my book shelves. (I have a few, ok, I have a lot!

So, slight deviation today from our regular recipe posts but I’m feeling OK with it because you can get cook books on this sight that I’m about to tell you about so it’s all good.

Have you heard of Pango Books? If not, then you are about to! It’s this great website where you can sell your used books or buy used books or you can do both like I do. I just found out today that I have been chosen as an Ambassador for Pango Books. What does that mean to you? It means you can use my special code and get $5 off a purchase of $20 or more.

Here’s the link to shop through https://pangobooks.com/PENNYFINNSMOM

I have sold over 50 books on the sight and have made over $100! You can leave the money you make in your Pango account to buy more books with or you can take the money out to buy other things like chocolate or movie tickets or whatever makes your little heart happy.

Give it a look and if you do, let me know what you think

Salted Toffee Bars

by penji1

These were really yummy and really easy, highly recommend!

1 (17.5 oz) pouch sugar cookie mix

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 cup toffee bits

1 (11 oz) bag caramel bits or caramels, unwrapped

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 Heat oven to 350. Line a 15 x 10 x 1″ cookie sheet with sides with foil.

2 Beat together cookie mix, butter, and egg on low until soft dough forms. Stir in 1/2 cup toffee bits. Press dough into prepared pan. Bake 14 – 16 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes on cooling rack.

3 Heat caramels and whipping cream over medium low heat in a saucepan, stirring constantly until caramels are melted, 5 – 10 minutes. Remove from heat and spread over warm cookie base. Bake for 5 minutes.

4 Return pan to cooling rack. Sprinkle with chocolate chips evenly over top. Let stand 3 minutes then spread melted chips evenly over filling. Sprinkle with sea salt and remaining toffee bits. Let set before cutting into bars.

recipe from Betty Crocker

Chocolate Dipped Halloween S’mores Pops

by penji1

Doesn’t that look yummy? One more pretty easy Halloween treat before the big day tomorrow.

8 graham cracker sheets

4 (1.55 oz) Hershey chocolate bars, broken in half

8 flat Jet Puffed Marshmallows

1 bag chocolate candy melts

Halloween sprinkles

Popsicle sticks or paper straws

1 Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Assemble s’mores by stacking one half of a graham cracker sheet with a chocolate bar and a marshmallow, then top with remaining half of graham cracker. Repeat.

2 Using a microwave safe plate, place 2 – 3 s’mores on the plate and microwave for 10 – 12 seconds on high , just until chocolate and marshmallows are soft but not melted. Place on prepared pan and insert popsicle stick or straw into marshmallow. Repeat.

3 Place pan with s’mores in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

4 Melt candy melts according to package directions in a bowl or tall measuring cup.

5 Dip each s’mores into melted candy melts and top with sprinkles while still wet. Place on parchment paper to dry.

recipe from Tidy Mom

Halloween Peanut Butter Monsters

by penji1

Here’s another pretty quick and easy Halloween treat that you can throw together if needed. I gave them all away and forgot to taste them so hopefully they were good.

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup marshmallow cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

2 cups powdered sugar

1 bag green candy melts

30 small candy eyes

Halloween sprinkles

1 Beat together butter, peanut butter, marshmallow cream, vanilla and salt until creamy. Slowly beat in powdered sugar.

2 Roll mixture into about 30 balls. Place in fridge for at least an hour.

3 Melt candy melts according to package directions. Use a small spoon to dip a peanut butter ball into the melted candy. Gently tap to get rid of excess candy melts. Gently place dipped balls onto a piece of parchment paper. Press a candy eye into the ball then top with sprinkles. Repeat.

recipe from Inside Bru Crew Life