Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:

• Crust:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

• Cheesecake Filling:
  • 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• Apples:
  • 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• Streusel Topping:
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup caramel topping

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar.
3. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly.
4. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
5. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
6. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth.
7. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla.
8. Stir to combine.
9. Pour over warm crust.
10. In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
11. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
12. For the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.
13. Sprinkle Streusel topping over apples.
14. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set.
15. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool.
16. Serve cold and enjoy!

Salted Whiskey Caramels

Ingredients:

• 5 tbsp. butter
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 oz. (1/4 cup) whiskey (I used Jack Daniel’s)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. kosher (coarse) salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp. kosher (coarse) salt, for sprinkling

Instructions:

1. Line 9-inch square pan with parchment or wax paper, allowing the paper to drape over two sides; spray lightly with cooking spray.
2. In 1-quart saucepan, heat butter, heavy whipping cream, whiskey, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to boiling, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; set aside.
3. In 3-quart saucepan, mix sugar, corn syrup, and water. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat. DO NOT STIR. Boil until sugar turns a warm golden brown.
4. When the sugar mixture is done, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful — it will bubble up violently. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees F (firm ball) on a candy thermometer. Pour caramel into pan; cool 10 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt; cool completely.
5. Cut into squares; wrap individually in parchment paper.

Take 5 Brownies

• 1 family sized box of brownie mix (eggs, oil and water as indicated on packaging)
• 1/2 cup of caramel bits
• 1 cup of pretzels, broken
• 1 cup of Reese’s Miniature Peanut Butter Cups, chopped

Step 1: Preheat over to 350°F. Spray 9x13” pan with non-stick spray.

Step 2: Mix brownie batter according to package directions and pour into prepared pan.

Step 3: Bake batter for 5 minutes.

Step 4: Sprinkle caramel bits, followed by pretzel bits onto the top of the batter.

Step 5: Continue baking for another 20 minutes — or until a toothpick inserted into center of brownies comes out clean.

Step 6: Turn oven off. Sprinkle peanut butter cups on top of brownies.

Step 7: Return brownies to warm oven for 5 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt.

Step 8: Remove from over and cool. Enjoy!

Homemade Snickers Bar

Bottom chocolate layer:

• 1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup peanut butter

Step 1: Thoroughly grease you baking pan.

Step 2: Melt ingredients together in a saucepan or microwave.

Step 3: Pour into the baking dish and spread until even.

Step 4: Let cool and harden completely.

Nougat layer

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 1/2 cup salted peanuts chopped, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Step 1: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

Step 2: Add in sugar and milk, stirring until dissolved and bring to a boil.

Step 3: Let cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 4: Add in fluff, peanut butter and vanilla, stirring until smooth.

Step 5: Turn off heat and fold in peanuts.

Step 6: Pour over bottom chocolate layer.

Step 7: Let cool completely.

Caramel layer

• 1 14-ounce bag of caramels
• 1/4 cup whipping cream

Step 1: Combine ingredients in a saucepan over low heat.

Step 2: Let melt, stirring occasionally, until smooth – about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Pour over nougat layer.

Step 4: Let cool completely.

Top chocolate layer

• 1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup peanut butter

Step 1: Melt ingredients together in a saucepan or microwave.

Step 2: Pour over caramel.

Step 3: Spread until even.

Step 4: Let cool and harden completely.

Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving, then cut as desired. These can stay at room temperature, but they do get gooey.