Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Commotion Bars

From Denny: This bar cookie holds the ultimate for the sugarholic, peanut butter, marshamallow, chocolate and - or all of the above - lover! This comes from the Jif site too, though without a delicious photo.


Chocolate Caramel Commotion Bars

Prep Time: 45 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Yield: 2 to 3 dozen bars

Ingredients:

• Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

BOTTOM LAYER

• 2 cups (12 oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1 (14 oz.) canEagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour

FILLING

• 1/4 cup (4 tbsps.) butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1 1/2 cups marshmallow cream

• 1/4 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter

• 1 1/2 cups salted peanuts, finely chopped

CARAMEL LAYER

• 1 (14 oz.) package caramels, unwrapped

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

• 1 cup (6 oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 1/4 cup butterscotch chips

• 3/4 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter


Directions:

BOTTOM LAYER

1. HEAT oven to 350°F. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking pan lightly with no-stick cooking spray.

2. MELT chocolate chips and butter in saucepan over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Stir in flour. Spread in prepared pan.

3. BAKE 12 to 15 minutes or until set. Cool.

FILLING

1. MELT butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in sugar and cream. Boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. STIR in marshmallow cream, peanut butter and peanuts. Spread evenly over bottom layer. Cool.

CARAMEL LAYER

1. MELT caramels and cream in small saucepan over low heat until caramels are melted. Spread over filling layer. Cool until set.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

1. COOK and stir all glaze ingredients in small saucepan over low heat until melted. Spread over caramel layer. Chill 30 minutes or until set. Cut into bars.

Recipe: Simple Easy Chocolate Coconut Krispies, Plus Vegan Recipe

This is a S'Mores version, cool! Image by e.marie via Flickr

From Denny: People are always searching for a recipe of a food they fondly remember from childhood - and Rice Krispie bar cookie recipes are often a favorite! When this was featured in our local newspaper recently (no photo) I just had to include it here. What's perfect about this simple easy recipe is that it's perfect for this holiday weekend of Labor Day. You can make and take it any where easily, enjoy!

From: Susan Filopowicz

Yield: 12 muffin-size or 24 minimuffin-size servings.

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons butter

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1 (10-ounce) bag marshmallows

6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

2-1/2 cups shredded coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1-1/2 teaspoons water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

Directions:

1. Melt butter, 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate and marshmallows. Combine and add Rice Krispies and cool.

2. Spray palms of hands with cooking spray and while mixture is still warm press the mixture up to 1/2 full of the minimuffin cups or regular cupcake tins.

3. In a medium glass bowl, stir coconut with 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk. Microwave 1 minute on high. Stir and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to cool slightly. While warm, pour over the crispy mixture to the top.

4. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 ounces of chocolate and 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave for 30 more seconds. Add water and vanilla and drizzle over each crispy cup and top with several slivered almonds.

***

Vegan version of Rice Krispie treats Image by Jocelyn | McAuliflower via Flickr

Now here's another version of a Rice Krispie treat, vegan style from Jocely McAuliflower @ Brownie Points Blog.

Chocolate GORP Rice Crispy Treats

GORP: Good Old Raisins and Peanuts

Lightly oil an 8″ x 8″ baking pan and set aside.

Combine in a sauce pan:

light corn syrup, 1/2 cup

light brown sugar, 1/4 cup packed

1/4 teaspoon salt

Bring to a full boil and remove from the heat.

Stir in:

peanut butter butter (or any favorite nut butter), 1 cup
(Warming the peanut butter jar in the microwave makes the 1 cup easier to scoop out.)

vanilla, 1 teaspoon

crisp puffed rice cereal, 3 cups

With oiled hands, press the mixture firmly into the buttered 8″ x 8″ pan.

Directions:

Sprinkle the top with chopped raisins and enough grated or finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate to cover the entire pan, making sure to get the chocolate in the corners, as well as thick enough to form a layer. As I was working with a large block of chocolate and free-form with the raisins, I don’t quite remember the quantities required. A four ounce chocolate bar and 1/2 cup of raisins are a good place to start.

Using a blow torch (or a brief visit to the broiler), melt out the chocolate layer to help adhere the raisins.

This cuts best before the chocolate has completely hardened.


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