Friday 11 October 2013

A Tart for Thanksgiving

Canadian Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  What I wouldn't give to head back to my youth for my mom's Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings and the beautifully decorated table, extended family gathered together, eating off the fancy china and everything.  Not that it couldn't happen now - it's just harder to get everyone together.  For one, it's a bit of a boat ride to head back for one dinner.  Not that time travel is any more of a possibility.


In looking for something to make with sweet potatoes other than the traditional sweetened version from my mom's recipe files or this more American version with marshmallows (don't knock it 'fore you try it!) I came across this recipe for a galette made with sweet potatoes, caramelised onions and goat's cheese.  And the star ingredient - balsamic vinegar.  The onions were caramelised with a little sugar and vinegar which I felt gave the dish a deeper flavour and the whole thing was absolutely delicious.




OK.  Not the whoooole thing.  And it had nothing to do with the recipe.  Having followed the recipe for the filling exactly, which turned out perfectly, I went severely wrong when I lacked some of the ingredients to make the pastry and decided to wing it.  Winging pastry results in, well, not so good results.  When making this again I will follow the recipe to the letter buy a puff pastry base. 


If I knew how to put a big red cross over this image I would.  No no no - don't wing pastry.

I did discover, however, that balsamic vinegar gives boring, old sauteed spinach a bit of a kick when I splashed a little in the pan thinking the side might complement the tart.  It really did.  So a minor disaster with pastry turned into victory dance for spinach.  And not just the metaphorical kind - I might have actually danced a little.


I think individual versions of this tart on a puff pastry base would make a great starter to Thanksgiving dinner.  Might be on the menu this weekend!  With a side dish of balsamic spinach.  If you're celebrating Thanksgiving this weekend, what's on your menu? 



Sunday 29 September 2013

Couscous Creation

We have had an amazing summer here in England.  I could probably count on one hand how many times it rained.  Best summer since moving here 7 years ago!  Can't say I spent it on the beach sunning myself or throwing backyard barbeques but I got a heck of a lot of laundry done.  We don't have a dryer so being able to rely on the sunshine this summer was great.  Sad, I know.  I'm blaming the gorgeous weather on why I haven't blogged in a while and of course, the obsessive need to get my laundry done before the next few years of rain set in.

 
I made a few dishes over the summer months that I obviously didn't share but since this week has been unseasonably warm (let's face it, the summer was unseasonably warm) I thought I'd share a couscous salad that was lovely and light for summer but also a good filling dish for winter and can be served warm too.

The hubs and I went to Tunisia a couple of years ago to get a bit (ok, a lot!) of sun and I loved all of the various couscous dishes we tried.  The other half hates couscous (he suffered a little on the food side of the trip) so I don't often make it.  So when he was away, I took the opportunity to make this salad:



I also made this version a few weeks later:


It's something you can just throw together with ingredients you have on hand.  I had leftover roast chicken, dried apricots, raisins and goat's cheese on hand, so it's what I used to mix up this delicious lunch.  Lasts quite a few days in the fridge so you could made this on a Sunday night and have lunch for the week.  Serve it with hummus for some extra flavour and protein.

The butternut squash, cranberries and goat's cheese couscous salad recipe can be found here at theKitchn.  I didn't use orange zest and substituted white wine vinegar for cider vinegar and all turned out well.  I also added chopped fresh basil.

Below you'll find the recipe for my chicken, apricot and raisin version.  Don't have leftover chicken?  I'd serve the couscous warm with all of the other ingredients along with cooked chicken legs. Yum.


Couscous Salad

Ingredients
1 cup cooked chicken, cubed
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup apricots, chopped
1 cup water
1 cup uncooked couscous
4-5 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoons salt
1 can chickpeas, drained
3 oz goat cheese

fresh basil and parsley, roughly chopped or torn

Cover the raisins and apricot with very hot water and set them aside to plump. Drain before combining with the other ingredients.
Place 1 cup of couscous in a bowl. Boil 1 cup of water in the kettle and pour over the couscous, gently stirring. Cover and let sit for about 10-15 minutes until the couscous has absorbed all the water. Fluff the couscous with a fork and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, spices, salt.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, couscous, chickpeas, and drained raisins and apricots and fresh herbs. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine. Crumble the goat cheese into chunks with your fingers and gently fold them into the salad. Season with salt if needed.










Tuesday 16 July 2013

Window Box Herb Garden

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous in England.  A few days ago, I actually uttered the words "Oh my God, it's hot out!" for the first time since moving here 7 years ago.  But I'm not complaining about the heat - I'll take it over rain any day.  I've worn summer pyjamas usually reserved for holidays abroad and I'm digging the criss cross tan lines I have going on on my feet from my sandals.  People here are going nuts for the weather - according to a report on Yahoo, there has been a "sausage surge" and paddling pool sales are up 816%.  I have indulged in a few sausages on a bun with a whole lot of mustard and even eyed up a pool which seemed to fit 2 adults and 2 children comfortably.  They looked like they were having a darn good time in the picture on the front of the box but I passed - I had visions of spending most of my time searching for holes to cover with duct tape (as I did in my youth) instead of floating around on my lilo.


A few weeks ago we spent some time sprucing up the back garden.  A new fence, some hanging baskets, a few potted plants and changing out the bark mulch for plum slate really made a difference.  One thing that does double duty, as in nice on the eyes and the tummy, is my window box herb garden.  I used two metal window boxes that affix to the wall and planted 4 different herbs that I purchased from the supermarket.  I went with living herbs from Morrison's for £1.00 each because I don't have a very green thumb or very much patience.  Just plant them in compost, water and they're ready to go.


I planted basil, chives, mint, and parsley.  The herbs last all summer and are used frequently in the dishes I cook.  And it looks darn purty when I look out my kitchen window.  Now I just have to remember to water them - something not generally required in rainy England!

Friday 24 May 2013

Something For The Weekend: A Full English Breakfast

Vegetarians, look away now.  It's a meat feast.


A full English typically contains: bacon, sausage, fried egg, black pudding, mushrooms, tomatoes, and beans.  Served with tea and toast it really is true to it's name; if you're not full afterwards, you've got problems.

 
Making this at home can be quite a challenge for the first timer.  Save it for the weekend - it takes some time.  Planning is key.  You need to have enough pans, know what your going to cook in each and where and get the timing right.  The microwave can come in handy for beans and tomatoes (if using plum from a tin).  I think I got it right last weekend when I cooked the bacon, sausage, black pudding and tomatoes together in my grill pan, beans in one saucepan and mushrooms in another.  I also threw a few hashbrowns in the oven, which is not exactly British tradition but it's sometimes included in cafe breakfast which makes the Irish in me very happy.  The husband thinks potatoes for breakfast are a no-no.


This breakfast has taken me a few years to get right - and it's by no means perfect.  But everything is ready nearly on time and most importantly tastes great - yes, even the black pudding (admittedly I can't eat the whole thing - it tastes great but then I begin to think about what I'm eating and I'm easily put off).  Now if I could just figure out a way to minimise clean up...


Oh yeah - go to the cafe! 

Wednesday 15 May 2013

Perfect for a Party: Strawberry Fruit Dip

I was visiting my aunt and uncle a couple of weeks ago along with my bro and the mister; a last visit before my brother went back to Canada (sad face).  I was telling her how I had pretty much cleared out my maple syrup stash and she started checking the cupboards for some Canadian treats to give me.  I wasn't going to take the last of her Kraft peanut butter but I think I came away with something even more tasty - and it wasn't from Canada!


Behold.  American favourite - Marshmallow Fluff.


The strawberry one.  I stopped myself from eating it straight from the jar...fine, I had a couple spoonfuls, but that's it I swear.  The rest was used to make this oh so fabulous dip.  It's easy, looks fancy and served with fruit it's a winner on the health scale - am I right?!  And though you can find it at shops specialising in American food, they're usually expensive.  I found some Fluff at TK Maxx for under £2.

Perfect for a birthday treat, get together or just for eating in front of the TV - which is how it was demolished (mostly by me) over here last week.  Just thoroughly mix plain cream cheese and fluff to desired taste.  That. Is. It.

Enjoy!

Tuesday 14 May 2013

Sweet and Simple Vanilla Birthday Cupcakes

Happy Birthday to meeeeeee!!!


It's no secret that I'm a huge cupcake fan.  I've been known to buy 4 cupcakes (hey, it's cheaper really) and eat them all - on the same day - okay within an hour!  The frosting to cupcake ratio has to be right - ie. LOTS of frosting per cake.  I like when my cheeks tingle from all the sugar.  The sweeter the better!

I had a look on Pinterest for some inspiration and scoured the regular old interweb for ideas but eventually decided on plain and simple vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream.  Simple and sweet.


Now to settle in for a takeaway (I'm not cooking on my birthday!) and top it off with a cupcake...or 6!  I've already had an appetiser cupcake - but that was purely to test it, of course!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream - Adapted from Joy of Baking
Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk

For the buttercream
2 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake cases.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Next, add the eggs one at a time beating well each time.  Finally, add in the vanilla extract.

With the mixer on low, add half of the flour to the butter mixture and incorporate.  Then add the milk and the rest of the flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Fill the cupcake cases evenly with the batter and bake for about 15 minutes.  Keep an eye on the cupcakes so as not to over bake or they will become dry.  Toothpick inserted the centre of the centre cake should come out clean.



For the buttercream:

Beat the butter until creamy.  Add the vanilla.  Gradually add the icing sugar.  Blend in the milk until icing becomes light and fluffy.




Monday 13 May 2013

Let's Start Birthday Week With Rice Paper Spring Rolls

It's my birthday this week.  Tomorrow to be exact.  I like it when my birthday falls in the middle of the week - easy to stretch the festivities for a week because you're more likely to celebrate at the weekend.  So, without further ado, let Chloé's birthday week commence.

A couple of years ago, due to a scheduling conflict (stag do organised on my birthday - how dare they?!)  I spent the night alone.  My brother and husband we're out for the night and I could eat whatever I wanted and watch whatever I wanted.  I was not complaining.  Of course, I made sure both parties felt a little guilty before they left but really I couldn't wait to get Top Gear off the telly and eat as much seafood as I could fit in my face.  As soon as they left I was out the door and made my way to the supermarket.  I had decided to go with Thai; rice paper spring rolls to start, followed by fish cakes, and a red curry with prawns for my main and had a leisurely stroll up and down the aisles filling my basket with all the required ingredients.  They must have known it was my birthday because they had every single ingredient in the store which is rare because it's small with limited "exotic" items and has a limited international aisle.  I mean they had lemongrass (they never have lemongrass).  This hasn't happened since.

The fella had bought me a food processor for my birthday (along with a coffee maker I'd been coveting for a couple of years).  The man is nothing if not practical.  His workmates we're worried that he was getting me appliances and not jewellery but he assured them it was fine; he'd bought me a Dyson for Valentine's Day the year before, which I carried home myself, and I was thrilled.  That's not to say I won't take jewellery.  Hint hint.

Anyway, I used the new food processor to make the fish cakes and blend my paste for the curry.  Everything turned out perfectly.  I stuffed my face to whatever 3 star chick flick I had decided to watch and enjoyed every minute of it.  This is where I would show you pictures because I definitely took some but when our computer died a couple years ago I don't think all of the pictures made it to the back up hardrive.  But imagine the finest Thai curry you've ever seen - that was my meal. 

It took me another two years to recreate even a little part of it.  And here it is:


 I made these rice paper spring rolls a couple weeks ago as a starter to a beef stir-fry.  I didn't follow a recipe (surprised?!) and you don't have to either.  Last time I made them I put prawns in them but kept these seafood free for the mister.  I went with thinly sliced cucumber, red cabbage and carrot, some noodles we were having with our stir-fry tossed in sesame oil, and crushed peanuts.  And they're pretty easy to assemble.  Breaking to get a picture of it; not so easy.

The lighting in my kitchen is so bad but you get the jist.

Just soak the rice paper pancake (one at a time) in some hot water for a few seconds until it becomes soft but not too much so it breaks up.  Lay it on a flat surface (I leave a little hanging over the edge of the chopping board to grab for rolling up), place your filling inside and roll by folding the two ends in and rolling the rest from one side to the other.  There are Youtube videos if your more of a visual learner (like moi).

For the sauce, I used about a 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar, a splash of fish sauce and finely chopped chili, garlic and coriander.  The next day this made an incredible sauce for a tuna stir-fry.


Man, now I want Thai food.  I wish there was some place nearby that delivered!



Friday 10 May 2013

Raspberry Pancakes for Mother's Day



It's Mother's Day in North America on Sunday.  Mothering Sunday as it's called here in the UK was in March and once again I forgot to buy a card to send my mother in May (sorry Ma!).  Instead, I've made her a virtual breakfast.  Maybe my brothers can make this a reality? (hint hint)  Possibly something a little more diabetic friendly?  In a quick search to see if she could even have pancakes with maple syrup (it's a must for me) I came across these two articles (from the interwebs of course so who knows how accurate they are); the first claims research has shown maple may help treat diabetes, the other is an email from a woman with first hand experience who has found her blood sugar levels are at their worst when she has consumed maple syrup.  So I'm not sure - maybe eggs and bacon for the Ma on Sunday?  I'm not a dietitian.


I've been making these pancakes for ages now and have memorised the recipe.  I've found this recipe to be the best at adapting from throwing in berries to mashed banana without having to adjust any of the other ingredients.



I was the only one to taste test these babies (much to the pups disappointment) and would make them again.  I loved the bursts of red as I cut into them and the tang of the raspberries with the sweet of the maple syrup.

We don't want any...really.

What? We can have some?

You're just teasing me aren't you?  (Yes, yes I am - have a gravy bone instead)

Raspberry Pancakes - adapted from BBC Food
makes about 8

135g flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
130ml milk
1 egg, whisked
2 tbsp melted butter
1 cup raspberries

Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside ( I don't sift).  Combine milk, egg and butter together in a separate jug and pour into dry mixture to thoroughly blend.  Stir in raspberries (don't worry too much if they break up).

With a frying pan on medium, melt a little butter.  Pour enough batter for small disks ( I use a about a quarter cup) and once bubbles start to form in the batter, and flip it over, cooking both sides until golden brown.

Serve with maple syrup and butter if desired or simply eat them on their own (as the other half does - because he HATES maple syrup.  Ugh!)




Wednesday 24 April 2013

Weird & Wonderful Wednesday

Will this be a weekly feature?  Maybe.  But probably not.  I didn't even post once last week so that tells ya a lot.  Will it be weird, yet wonderful?  I think so.  Is it Wednesday - for most of the world, it is.

I wrote about these fantastic roasted potatoes a couple of weeks ago and had some leftover which inspired my wacky creation.  However, in the interest of food safety, I must be clear that these posts (though I would like to be more up to date) are not in real time.  I ate the potatoes the day after making them, not a week and a half later.  Though I'm sure a few days old wouldn't hurt.  As my mom used to tell me when I frantically called her with food age questions, "Is it green (and shouldn't be)?  Does it smell bad? Then I'm sure it's fine."  Those are definitely words to live by when cleaning out the fridge for weird and wonderful leftover meals.

Here's what I made:


I quickly fried up the potatoes and reheated some spaghetti sauce and then layered everything together (a little sideways so the potatoes didn't get soggy from the sauce) : potatoes, spinach, sauce and crumbled goat's cheese on top.  It was delicious.  I'm not sure I'd purposely set out to make this from scratch but the next time I have these items in my fridge I will give it another go.  All things I love in one bowl (not the spinach - that was for a bit of greenery - I don't dislike it but I wouldn't say I loooooove it).

Tell me - what's your weird and wonderful creation?  It doesn't have to be made on a Wednesday (this wasn't).  Something you thought might be hit or miss but was a straight up hit from the start...

Thursday 11 April 2013

Cheap as Chips

"Potatoes are cheap as chips", a friend once said.  Well, yes, for obvious reasons.  As children we were raised on the potato staple.  How else was my mother to feed 4 children with hollow legs on a budget?  Potatoes can be used in such a variety of ways; just yesterday I watched a television chef make a creamy white sauce from leftover mashed potatoes.


I will eat potatoes in any form but I have to admit, I sometimes will make chips or roasted potatoes purely to have a little a lot of ketchup go along side them.  My dad used to ask me if I wanted some fries with my ketchup.  I still like ketchup and I'm not afraid to say it!

These potatoes are great whether you're a ketchup lover or not.  It's an adaptation of my mom's recipe; something she made a lot for us as children.  All you do is chop your potatoes into small cubes (about an inch or so in diameter), place them in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with oregano and salt and pepper and pop them in the oven for about half an hour at 200°C or until golden and crispy.


Until recently, I thought my mom was the whizz in the kitchen - and then she watched me make mashed potatoes.  I cut all the potatoes into small chunks so they cooked faster and she was impressed; she'd always boiled them whole.  I'm so glad I can make my mother proud in the kitchen with the little things.

Monday 8 April 2013

Peanut Butter Blueberry Smoothie

I remember the first smoothie I ever had.  My mom used to make them for us as a quick breakfast before school.  She would put milk, vanilla, banana and a raw egg.  They were delicious.  Today I would substitute the raw egg for vanilla protein powder but I don't think there's anything wrong with raw egg - though why we weren't allowed eat the raw cookie dough still evades me.



A quick and easy breakfast that can get all four food groups involved, I practically live off them.  I keep frozen fruit on hand and stick bananas that are starting to brown in the freezer (though sometimes I use those for banana bread) and I always have yogurt and milk in the fridge.  A combination of anything will do - just blend and drink!



After a night out on the town last year, a friend made me a smoothie that she dubbed a hangover cure.  It wasn't magic, let's face it, but it helped.  Though I was dubious about one of the ingredients - peanut butter.  I love the stuff but I wasn't sure how it would work in a smoothie.  Let's just say - it works.  It really works.



Inspired - I made this one for myself.  I had some blueberries in the fridge, a tablespoon or so of peanut butter, a cup of milk (you could use plain or vanilla yogurt) and a frozen banana and blend, blend, blend - I use a hand blender.  It's thick, creamy and because of the frozen banana, just the right amount of cold.  Get ready to start your day off right!



Friday 29 March 2013

Something For The Long Weekend

French toast, or as it's known here, eggy bread is one of my favourite weekend breakfasts.  Not so much for the other half.  So when he's not around, I take full opportunity to make it.  And, depending on my sugar needs, I'll top them with brown sugar and maple syrup or jam or icing sugar, just depends on my mood.  While I was in Canada, I whipped myself up this delicious treat:



I was about to dig in when my cousin sort of screeched, "Aren't you going to take a picture of it??!"  So here is my very selfish and indulgent morning breakfast.  And I only felt a little bad that I hadn't made any for anyone else, but as they say "you snooze, you lose".  I was on British time and the rest of the house was on normal sleep in Canadian time. Oh well.

Have a Happy Easter and enjoy your weekend!

Peanut Butter Banana French Toast for 1

1 egg
a splash of milk
sprinkle of cinnamon
3 slices of bread
peanut butter
1 banana
maple syrup
butter or oil for frying

Whisk the egg, milk and cinnamon together in a bowl large enough to lay 1 slice of bread into.  Dip either side of the bread in the egg mixture making sure all of the bread has been coated.  Fry for a few minutes on either side until golden brown.  

Spread peanut butter on one side of each of the French toast slices, top with banana slices and layer each piece of bread.  Pour over desired amount of maple syrup - for me, that means a lot!



Thursday 28 March 2013

Smoked Salmon Spaghetti

I may have mentioned once or twice (or three times) how much I like leftovers.  I like the challenge of turning one meal into something completely different, though sadly, not being able to replicate it ever again, because the same ingredients might not be available and I never ever write things down.  Until now.  Blogging about what I've made ensures I have a written record of my latest creation. 



About a month ago, I threw a dinner party for some girls I used to work with.  I had quite a few leftovers since I only used a little of the salmon to make the blinis and made an entire tray of roasted Mediterranean vegetables.  What followed was a dish so simple I'm surprised I haven't made it before.  I fried a little garlic and onion in some oil, tossed in some of the vegetables and the smoked salmon and threw in a few green olives.  Mixed with some whole wheat spaghetti, this was absolutely divine.  For something I just threw together it felt like I was eating in a restaurant; one where the dress code is very lax and so is the health code - think track pants and two dogs sitting next to me.

I won't be waiting for leftovers to make this again.  




Friday 22 March 2013

Baked Courgette/Zuchinni Sticks

I mentioned last week that I was in Canada, helping my mom out after her hip replacement.  I can say that she is doing amazingly well; 2-3 weeks ahead of average recovery rates!  By the time I left she was using a cane and doing most daily tasks on her own.  It's incredibly easy to take bending at the hip for granted; there are so many things you can't do if you can't bend or twist at the hip.


While I was there I did a few things to try and help out, like clean out closets, rearange the entire basement which involved the treadmill going across the room and back to it's original position and have the final result end up with the television moved 3 inches to the right and the buffet moved across the room; which my cousin and I found funny but my brother did not.  I also gave the fridge a little clean out, since my mom wouldn't be able to bend down to the crisper drawer anytime soon.  I now know where I get my condiment obsession from!


I came across 4 cougettes in the vegetable crisper and wondered who had ratatouille plans?  Really, what else does one do with courgettes.  I would only buy them if I had an intended recipe to include them in but I later found out that they are a great snack for diabetics (which my mom is - diet controled) but only after we used them all to make a few dozen baked courgette sticks.


Sidebar: I'm using "courgette" because it's what is said in England (for a country who aren't big fans of the French they sure use a lot of their words - and vice versa).  In North America they say "zuchinni".  If you want to read more about it (facinating stuff here) check out this page.


These were healthy and quick to make.  Especially since I had little to do with making them.  I cut the courgettes and probably barked a few orders to my younger cousin.  She did the dipping and the baking and I helped out with the eating.  They went really nicely with a tatziki dip but I liked the warm marinara sauce best.

Baked Courgette Sticks

1 cup Italian breadcrumbs (or substitute with plain breadcrumbs and add some italian seasoning)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 courgettes, cut into sticks
tatziki or warm marinara sauce for dipping

In one bowl, mix the breadcrumbs (Italian seasoning if using) and parmesan cheese together.  In another bowl, whisk the egg.  Dip each courgette stick into the egg and then into the breadcrumbs mixture.  Lay the coated courgettes on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius.


Wednesday 13 March 2013

An Unofficial Pinterest Challenge and Ooey Gooey Goodness

I have been following the goings on over at Young House Love for a few years now.  Along with Bower Power, Decor and the Dog and The Remodeled Life they hosted an unofficial Pinterest Challenge; take something you've pinned, put your own spin on it, blog about it and link up.  Well, I've made a few crafts I've pinned but had only drooled over the recipes.  So, I read the post, took a look at my Favourite Recipes board, had a quick scan of my pantry and 10 minutes later my challenge  began.



I first began by challenging myself not to leave the house in order to make what I wanted - no going to the grocery store to pick up missing ingredients.  That would involve dressing.  And running a brush through my hair.

This was my inspiration:

Image from The Bite Sized Baker
                         
I had the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies - only just.  I had exactly the right amount of flour needed.  Phew.  I made chocolate chip cookie dough.


I also had Carnation Caramel - or so I thought.  I had picked up regular old condensed milk.  The challenge became more intense.  I opted not to boil the can in a pot of water for 3 hours because I didn't want to wait that long and couldn't face the challenge of cleaning condensed milk off the ceiling when said can exploded.  Instead, I stood by the stove, constantly stirring the milk until it became caramel.



After half an hour it still looked the same.


Forty-five minutes later it stated to look like caramel.



An hour later I was satisfied with what I had and a little fed up.  Always, always, read the label carefully and know what you're buying.



How could I put my own spin on this?  Well, I made the bloody caramel from scratch - wasn't that personal enough?!  I really needed to get these made; I was getting hungry and grumpy.  The two feelings go hand in hand.  I grabbed a package of Reese's Peanut Butter Chips I had brought over from Canada on my last visit in October.  And then I began to layer.



I was pretty impressed with myself.  I had completed the challenge and I was still in my pyjamas.  I'm not even going to tell you what time it was.  I still needed to blog about it and link up to the post over at YHL but I'd get to it.  Sure.  I'd get to it.



Then I flew home to Canada for my mom's hip replacement and completely forgot about it (she's doing great by the way).  Challenge not completed.  But, I did make caramel from scratch and gave several people in my neighbourhood a major sugar high when I realised I would make myself sick if I ate anymore and posted a picture on Facebook asking those who wanted some to come and get 'em!


Make these - they're awesome.  Just be sure to have a lot of people around to help you eat them.

Chocolate Chip Cookie and Caramel Peanut Butter Chip Bars AKA Ooey Gooey Goodness
Adapted from The Bite Sized Baker

For the chocolate chip cookies either make your favourite recipe or follow this one adapted from the Joy of Baking:


1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

For the filling:
Carnation Caramel Condensed Milk
Peanut Butter Chips

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars.  Whisk in eggs one at a time and add vanilla.  In another bowl, whisk dry ingredients together.  Slowly add dry mix to wet mixture until fully incorporated.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Add half of the cookie dough to a square non-stick baking pan (I used a silicone pan) and flatten to cover the bottom of the pan with dough.  Bake at 190 degrees Celsius for 8-10 minutes.  

Remove from the oven and pour the caramel over the cookie base.  Sprinkle peanut butter chips to cover the caramel and add the rest of the cookie dough by placing dollops over the top and gently spreading it out to cover the chips.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cookie top is golden brown.  Allow pan to fully cool on a wire rack before slicing into bars.

Option:
If you can't get your hands on peanut butter chips try adding a 1/4 cup of peanut butter to the caramel and top with chocolate chips instead.  I haven't tried this but would have had I not had any peanut butter chips available.





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