My sister-in-law Debbie Halverson made these on the 4th of July.  They are so yummy!  Enjoy!

Debbie’s Chocolate Toffee Caramel Bars

1 pkg. Pillsbury Moist Supreme recipe cake Mix

1/3 cup oil

2 eggs

 1 (12 oz.) pkg. Semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup vanilla chips

3 (1.4 oz.) Heath bars cut into pieces (I just buy the bag that is already chopped)

½ cup butter

 32 vanilla caramels

 1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 ½ cup chopped salted cashews

Heat oven to 350.  Grease 9X13 pan.  Combine cake mix, oil and eggs; blend well.  Stir in chocolate chips, vanilla chips and candy bar pieces.  It will be very thick.  Press half of mixture in bottom of greased pan.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile combine butter, caramels an condensed milk in a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally.  Slowly pour caramel mixture evenly over partially baked crust.  Sprinkle coarsely chopped cashews over caramel mixture.  Top with remaining cake mix mixture.  I found it impossible to spread at this point, so I just make little balls and plopped them evenly over the top. 

Bake an additional 20 minutes.  Cool for 20 minutes.  Run knife around sides of pan to loosen bars.  Cool about 45 minutes more.  Refrigerate 1 hour and cut into bars.  Store in refrigerator.  (I didn’t so the refrigerator part.)  

Nordstrom Cafe Salad

Hello People,

Tomorrow I am going to make my favorite Nordstrom Cafe Salad . . . so exciting . . . I will post it for you!
Love,
Janette

Coconut Bread . . . for Betsy

Hi Betsy,

Here is the recipe. You will love it!

Coconut Bread

Here is the recipe:

4 eggs
1 c. salad oil
3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
2 t. coconut extract
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. coconut flakes
1 c. chopped nuts

Spray 3 small pans with Pam. Preheat oven 325 degrees.

Beat eggs. Cream in sugar, oil and coconut extract. Then add floor and dry ingredients. Then add milk, coconut flakes and nuts. Beat well.

Pour into 3 loaf pans. Bake for 45 minutes at 325 degrees.
(If you use a Bundt pan, bake 1 hour and 20 min.)
Loaves will be golden brown and crack a bit.

Glaze: In a saucepan:
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
2 T. butter

Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add 1 t. coconut extract.

While the loaves are still warm (fresh from the oven) pour the glaze over each loaf. Let them cool in the pan to let the glaze absorb all over the loaf.

Gently remove from pans, cover with saran wrap and refrigerate. It tastes great straight from the oven or even better nice and cold from the fridge!

Enjoy!
xo,
Janette

Pork Chops and Homemade Applesauce

My Mom used to love to make pork chops and homemade applesauce for dinner. It was yummy! So, since it is apple season, throw a bunch of apples (check which ones are best for baking at the store) into a pot, add some water and let it simmer down.


Just keep it simmering, add more water if necessary, stir and smash the apples as they cook, so easy and yummy. When it is done you can add cinnamon or a little sugar if you like it sweet. If you are in need of a real recipe, look up trustworthy Betty Crocker. The finished product:



My Mom would cook the pork chops in the broiler, there was often some good burned ones for dinner. I like to barbecue them. I also like the ones that have some bone in them, they cook easier, they are more tender and have more flavor, to me at least.


Then I love garlic potatoes, I do, I love them. I like to use the cute little red potatoes because you don't have to peel them, I don't like peeling, not at all.



Boil them until they are soft, smash them, add butter, whipping cream, Parmesan cheese, and lots of garlic . . . yummy!



Then I made my most favorite new bread, called, "The Bread" by The Pioneer Woman. So, good, I ate half the loaf. Gregg made me stop, it was serious.




If you want to see her pictures go to: www.thepioneerwoman.com, here is the recipe:

Recipe: The Bread
Prep Time: 5 Minutes | Cook Time: 15 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 12

Ingredients
1 loaf French Bread, Split Lengthwise
2 sticks Regular (salted) Butter, Softened
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread one stick of softened butter on each half of the loaf.
Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until butter is melted and starting to soak into the bread.
Crank on broiler and broil bread for 3 to 5 minutes, watching the whole time. Remove when butter has started to brown and blacken. Don’t under-broil it! The flavor really kicks in when the butter’s color changes.
Slice into strips and serve immediately.

Have Fun!
jpt

Quick Monkey Bread

I got this recipe from the very best Abby a long time ago. I was just looking at a can of refrigerator biscuits and the recipe was on the can of biscuits! They copied Abby! These my 8 friends are good, I do not lie. They don't love them as much when I put nuts on them but I love them more, it is a continual battle but they are good both ways and you will love them.


Quick Monkey Bread

1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. ground cinnamon
3 - 10 oz. cans buttermilk biscuits
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted

Sprinkle pecans evenly on the bottom of a well-greased Bundt pan (I just use Pam). Set- aside.

Combine sugar & cinnamon. Cut biscuits (use scissors) into quarters, roll in sugar and cinnamon mixture. Layer or I just toss them in the Bundt pan. Combine brown sugar and melted butter. Pour over dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 min. Cool for 10 min. They will tempt you like this:



Then invert onto a plate and you will have this:

Tuscany Potatoes

These are my Dad's favorite potatoes. He makes them everytime he comes to visit. He loves to cut then into perfect little cubes, which I have a hard time doing. My sister-in-law Becky, a fabulous cook and all round perfect person, gave me the recipe. They are soooo good though . . . here is what they look like before they are cooked:



Then after:


Tuscany Potatoes

Peel & cut Yukon Gold potatoes into 1/4 " cubes. Spread potatoes on greased cookie sheet ( this aids greatly in the clean-up). Drizzle olive oil, salt, pepper on top of potatoes, toss to blend. Add 1 - 2 bay leaves, crumbled on top.

Bake 400 degrees for 1 hour or 450 degrees for 45 min., until they are golden brown. Remove bay leaves before eating and enjoy!

60 Min. Rolls

Alrighty, you are going to thank me for posting these rolls. I make them on most Sundays, they are easy, fast and so yummy! So, break out your mixer and thank me later.

60 Minute Rolls
4 - 5 c. all purpose flour
3 T. sugar
1 t. salt
2 pkgs. active dry yeast (2 1/4 t. per package)
1 c. milk
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. butter or margarine

Place 3 1/2 c. flour, sugar, salt, and undissolved yeast into your mixing bowl. Mix.

Combine milk, water, and butter in microwaveable bowl. Heat in the microwave just until the liquids are very warm (the butter does not need to melt all they way). Take it out and stir it a bit to even distribute the heat, it should be warm!

While mixing, gradually add liquid to flour mixture, about 30 seconds. Mix 1 minute longer.

Continue mixing, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough clings to hook cleans to sides of bowl, about 5 min. Knead in mixer 7 -10 min. longer or until dough is smooth.

Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover, let rise in warm place, free from draft, for 15 min. I just put the lid on my Bosch and let the dough rise in there.

Turn the dough onto floured board. Shape as desired. Cover, let rise in slightly warm oven (90 F) for 15 min. I cover mine with a light dish towel and let then rise on the counter. Here is what mine looked like on Sunday:


Bake at 425 degrees for 8 - 10 min. Brush with a little melted butter and try not to eat them all before dinner!

There you have it friends, 60 Minute Rolls.
xo,
jpt