#3827 - Gooey Caramel Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines white OR yellow cake mix
1 cup water
14oz. Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1 cup canola oil
3 eggs
14oz. bag Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup Parkay margarine (melted)
1lb. Domino's powdered sugar
6 TBSP milk
1 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl add cake mix powder, water, 1/2 of the condensed milk, the canola oil and eggs--beat until mixed. Pour HALF of the batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes. In a saucepan over low heat add all of the unwrapped caramels and the remaining half of the condensed milk--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat--add chopped pecans--stir. Spread the caramel mixture over the warm cake. Pour the remaining cake batter over the caramel layer. Return to oven and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool completely. Frosting: in a mixer add melted butter and slowly add powderd sugar while beating. Add milk and vanilla--beat until mixed, then beat on medium speed for 5 minutes. If frosting is too thick, add a little more milk and beat again. If frosting is too thin add more powdered sugar and beat again. Frost the cooled cake.

#3826 - Cashew Brownies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
3/4 cup softened butter
3 eggs
3oz. Baker's UNsweetened baking chocolate (melted and cooled according to box directions)
1 TBSP vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped cashews
16 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
3 TBSP milk

In a bowl add brown sugar and butter--beat with a spoon. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Add cooled unsweetened melted chocolate and salt--beat. Add flour and chocolate chips--stir just until mixed. Pour the batter evenly into 2 - 9" square cake pans (lined with foil and sprayed with Pam). Sprinkle the chopped cashews evenly over the batter in each pan. Bake at 325 degrees 20-25 minutes just until brownies are firm to the touch--do NOT overbake. Cool for 30 minutes. In a saucepan over low heat add the unwrapped caramels and the milk--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Drizzle the melted caramel mixture evenly over the cooled brownies in each pan. Cool completely. Use the foil to remove the brownies from each pan and cut them into squares.

#3825 - Turtle Pecan Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup softened butter
3/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
12oz. Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 TBSP Crisco shortening
30 Kraft caramels (unwraped and each cut in half; caramels MUST be fresh)
chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place the unwrapped/halved caramels on a cookie sheet and set them on TOP of the oven (so they will soften a bit). In a mixer add butter and brown sugar--beat. Add vanilla and baking powder--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Refrigerate dough for 20 minutes, then scoop a teaspoonful of dough at a time and roll it into a 1" ball. Place the dough balls on greased cookie sheets 2" apart. Use the back of a spoon to slightly flatten each dough ball. Bake at 325 degrees 13-15 minutes. Place cookies on paper towels and cool them completely. In a microwave safe bowl add the chocolate chips and Crisco--microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Use your fingers to flatten one caramel half to almost the same size as one of the cooled cookies. Place a dab of melted chocolate in the center/top of the cookie and place the flattened caramel on top of the cookie. Place the cookie on wax paper. Use a small spoonful of melted chocolate and spread it so it covers the top and sides of the cookie. Sprinkle some chopped pecans over the melted chocolate on the cookie and LIGHTLY press the chopped pecans into the melted chocolate. Repeat with all cookies, caramels and melted chocolate. Cool completely.

#3824 - Caramel Brickles

(by Shirley McNevich)

100 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
2 - 12oz. bags Nestle's MILK chocolate chips
3 - 8oz. bags Heath Bits o' Brickle

Open all of the brickle bags and dump them into a bowl. In a double boiler over low heat add all of the chocolate chips--melt. Use a toothpick to stab one unwrapped caramel and dip it into the melted milk chocolate. Dip the chocolate coated caramel into the brickle, turning it so all sides get covered with brickle, lightly pressing on the brickle (if necessary) to get the brickle to stick to the chocolate. Place it on wax paper to cool. Repeat with all caramels.

#3823 - Caramel Toffee Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

8 TBSP softened butter
2 1/4 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits (chopped)
1 cup Nestle's white chocolate chips (chopped)
18 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
1 cup Heath Bits 'o Brickle toffee chips

In a bowl add flour, baking powder and salt--whisk to mix. In a mixer add butter and brown sugar--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Slowly add flour mixture--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add HALF of the mini marshmallows, HALF of the semi-sweet chocolate chips, HALF of the white chocolate chips, and HALF of the toffee chips--stir with a wooden spoon to mix. Spread the batter evenly into a buttered 9 x 13 cake pan. Sprinkle the rest of the mini marshmallows, semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and toffee chips evenly over the top. Bake at 350 degrees 30-35 minutes--test wth a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Melt the unwrapped caramels according to bag directions, then drizzle the melted caramel evenly over the top. Cool for another 15 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour. Cut into bars or squares.

#3822 - German Chocolate Caramel Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines German chocolate cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup + 1/2 cup Carnation evaporated milk (NOT condensed)
3/4 cup butter (melted)
60 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
1 cup Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a bowl add the dry cake mix, chopped pecans, 1/3 cup evaporated milk and the melted butter--stir to mix. Spread HALF of the batter into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. In a double boiler add the unwrapped caramels and 1/2 cup evaporated milk--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Spread caramel mixture evenly over the baked crust. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the caramel. Spread remaining batter over the top. Return to oven and bake at 350 degrees 18-20 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into bars or squares.

#3821 - Caramel Macadamia Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1 beaten egg
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup cold butter
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 cups flour
25 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)

In a bowl add flour, brown sugar, beaten egg and 1/2 cup of the cold butter--mix with a pastry blender to make crumbs. Add the chopped macadamia nuts--stir to mix. Reserve 2 cups of the crumbs mixture, then press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. In a saucepan over low heat add the condensed milk, remaining 1/2 cup butter and the unwrapped caramels--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Pour the caramel mixture evenly over the hot crust. Sprinkle reserved crumbs evenly over the top. Return to oven and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into bars or squares.

#3820 - Milk Chocolate Peanut Squares

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/4 cup Kayro lite corn syrup
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 TBSP vanilla
1/8 cup Jif smooth peanut butter
1 dash salt
3 cups Domino's powdered sugar
35 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
1 cup dry roasted peanuts (your choice if salted or unsalted)
12 oz. Nestle's milk chocolate chips

In a mixer add lite corn syrup, softened butter, vanilla, peanut butter and salt--beat well. Slowly add powdered sugar--beat until it forms dough. Remove dough from mixer and press it evenly into a greased 9" square pan. Refrigerate until cold. In a saucepan over low heat add the unwrapped caramels--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat--add peanuts--stir to mix. Remove pan from refrigerator--spread the caramel mixture evenly over the dough mixture--cool to room temperature, then refrigerate a few hours until firm. Remove from refrigerator--cut the whole thing into 1" wide squares. Melt all of the milk chocolate chips according to bag directions. Stab a square with a toothpick, dip it into the melted chocolate to coat and set it on wax paper. Use the toothpick to smooth a little chocolate to cover the hole. Repeat with all squares.

#3818 - Snickers Fudge

(by Shirley McNevich)

Note: it's very easy to make--just has a lot of steps and waiting in between (but totally worth it).

Layer One: 1 cup Nestle's MILK chocolate chips; 1/4 cup Nestle's butterscotch chips; 1/4 cup Jif creamy peanut butter

Layer Two: 1/4 cup butter; 1 cup white sugar; 1/4 cup Carnation evaporated milk (NOT condensed); 1 1/2 cups Fluff marshmallow creme; 1/4 cup Jif smooth peanut butter; 1 tsp. vanilla; 1/1 2 cups chopped salted peanuts

Layer Three: 14oz. Kraft caramels; 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Layer Four: 1 cup Nestle's MILK chocolate chips; 1/4 cup Nestle's butterscotch chips; 1/4 cup Jif creamy peanut butter

Directions for Layer One: in a saucepan over low heat add 1 cup milk chocolate chips, 1/4 cup butterscotch chips and 1/4 cup Jif smooth peanut butter--cook/stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until set. Layer Two: in a saucepan over medium heat add butter--melt. Add white sugar and evaporated milk--cook/stir until boiling. Once boiling, cook/stir for 5 minutes. Remove from heat--add Fluff marshmallow, 1/4 cup Jif peanut butter and the vanilla--stir well until mixed and smooth. Add chopped peanuts--stir to mix. Remove pan from refrigerator and evenly spread the marshmallow mixture over the cold layer one mixture. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until set. Layer Three: Unwrap the caramels. In a saucepan over low heat add the unwrapped caramels and the heavy whipping cream--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Remove pan from refrigerator--spread the caramel mixture over the cold layer two mixture. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until set. Layer Four: In a saucepan over low heat add 1 cup milk chocolate chips, 1/4 cup butterscotch chips and 1/4 cup Jif smooth peanut butter--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Spread the chocolate mixture over the set layer three mixture. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until set. Cut the fudge into squares using a sharp knife.

#3606 - Gooey Caramel Apple Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup softened butter
1/4 cup Crisco shortening
1 3/4 cups flour + 3 TBSP flour
1 1/2 cups Quaker quick oats
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 1/2 cups chopped tart baking apples (wash, peel and core apples before chopping)
1 bag Kraft caramels

In a bowl add brown sugar, butter, shortening, 1 3/4 cups flour, oats, salt and baking soda--mix with a pastry blender to make crumbs. Reserve 2 cups of the crumb mixture, then spread the remaining crumb mixture in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. In a bowl add chopped apples and 3 TBSP flour--toss to coat. Spread chopped apples evenly over the crust. Unwrap the caramels and place them in a saucepan--cook/stir over low heat until melted an smooth. Pour the melted caramels evenly over the chopped apples. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture evenly over the top. Use your fingers to LIGHTLY press the crumb mixture into the caramel. Bake at 400 degrees 25-35 minutes or until golden brown (apples should be tender). Cool completely. Cut into bars.

#3601 - Caramel Snickerdoodles

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter (melted)
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup Domino's light OR dark brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
12 Kraft caramels (unwrapped; cut each caramel into 4 equal pieces)
Coating: 1/4 cup white sugar; 1 tsp. cinnamon

In a bowl add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, 1 tsp. cinnamon and the salt--stir to mix. In a separate bowl add melted butter, 1 cup white sugar and the brown sugar--beat with a whisk. Add the egg and vanilla--beat with a whisk. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture--mix well with a wooden spoon. Cover the dough and refrigerate it for 1 hour. In a bowl add 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon--stir to mix. Remove dough from refrigerator. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, press your thumb into one dough ball, place 2 small caramel pieces into the thumb indentation, then wrap the other side of the dough over the caramels. Make SURE there is no caramel showing, then roll the ball in your hands to smooth it out. Roll each completed dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place it on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat with all dough balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes (cookies will be light and puffy). Remove from oven and let them cool for 10 minutes, then place them on paper towels to cool.

#3576 - Dove Chocolate Caramels

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 11oz. bag Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
1 - 9.5oz. bag Dove Promises (milk chocolate OR dark chocolate)
sea salt
Crisco shortening

Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper. Unwrap HALF of the dove chocolates. In a double boiler over low heat add the unwrapped chocolate and 1 TBSP Crisco shortening--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Stab one unwrapped caramel with a toothpick, dip it in the chocolate to coat, letting any extra chocolate drip back into the pot. Place the chocolate covered caramel on the wax paper and lightly twist the toothpick to remove it. Use the toothpick to get a little chocolate on the end, then spread it over the hole in the chocolate covered caramel to cover up the hole. Use your fingers to sprinkle just a bit of sea salt on the top of the chocolate covered caramel. Repeat with all caramels. If you run out of chocolate, unwrap the remaining chocolates and add them to the pot with another 1 TBSP Crisco shortening, then cook/stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Let the chocolate covered caramels sit until the chocolate has firmed up.

#3475 - Caramel Turtle Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough
2 cups shelled pecans (more if necessary)
20 Kraft caramels
2 TBSP milk

Prepare your chocolate chip cookie dough. Place 5 pecans on a greased cookie sheet (1 for the head of the turtle at the top, 2 for the top set of legs, 2 for the bottom set of legs) and leave a small circle empty in the center of the pecans. Drop a spoonful of cookie dough into the small hole you left between the pecans, making sure the dough is touching all of the pecans. Repeat with more dough and pecans (you'll probably only get about 6 cookies on one cookie sheet to give them room to spread when baking). Bake at 375 degrees for 9-12 minutes. Cool slightly, then remove from cookie sheets and place on paper towels to cool completely. In a microwave safe bowl add the caramels and the milk--microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until caramel is smooth. Drizzle the caramel mixture over the cooled cookies.

#3016 - Caramel Marshmallows

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 bag Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
1 can Eagle brand condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1 stick butter
1 bag campfire sized marshmallows
2 cups crushed Rice Krispies cereal (more if necessary)
toothpicks

Crush the rice krispies cereal and put the crushed cereal in a bowl--set aside. Place wax paper on a cookie sheet. Put a toothpick in each marshmallow and place them on the cookie sheet. Freeze the marshmallows for 1 hour. In a saucepan over medium low heat add caramels, condensed milk and butter--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Remove marshmallows from the freezer. Hold the toothpick of a marshmallow and dip it in the caramel mixture to coat, then dip one half of the coated marshmallow into the crushed rice krispies and set it back on the wax paper. Repeat with all marshmallows. Cool until caramel hardens. If the caramel doesn't harden enough, keep the coated marshmallows frozen. If frozen, let them sit at room temperature a few minutes before serving.

#2766 - Scratch Caramel Pecan Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 TBSP white sugar
3 TBSP melted butter
5 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 cup white sugar
3 TBSP flour
1 TBSP vanilla
1 cup Breakstone's sour cream
4 eggs
Topping: 12 Kraft caramels (unwrapped); 32 pecan halves; 1 TBSP water

Crust: in a bowl add graham cracker crumbs, 3 TBSP white sugar and melted butter--stir to mix. Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9" springform cheesecake pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Batter: in a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add 1 cup white sugar, flour and vanilla--beat until mixed. Add sour cream--beat. Add eggs--beat until smooth. Pour batter into the graham cracker crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 65 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate overnight. The next day put the unwrapped caramels and 1 TBSP water in a microwave safe bowl--microwave on high for 1 minute or until melted--stir until smooth. Arrange the pecan halves over the top of the cheesecake. Drizzle the melted caramel all over the top of the pecans and the cheesecake.

#2629 - Caramel Apple Squares

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup Quaker quick oats
1/2 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup cold butter
1 cup chopped walnuts
20 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1 - 21oz. can apple pie filling

In bowl add flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and butter--mix with a pastry blender to make crumbs. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture--set aside. Press the rest of the crumbs on the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Add chopped walnuts to the reserved 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture--stir to mix. In a saucepan over low heat add condensed milk and unwrapped caramels--cook/stir over low heat until smooth. Spread the apple pie filling over the baked crust. Drizzle the caramel mixture over the apple pie filling. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the caramel. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until set. Cool completely. Cut into bars or squares.

#2597 - Caramel Apple Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1 stick softened butter
1/4 cup Crisco shortening
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups Quaker quick oats
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 1/2 cups chopped baking apples (wash, peel and core before chopping)
3 TBSP flour
1 - 14oz. bag Kraft caramels (unwrapped)

In a mixer add brown sugar, butter and shortening--beat. Add flour, oats, salt and baking soda--beat (continue stirring with a wooden spoon if too thick for the mixer). Reserve 2 cups of the batter mixture--set aside. Press the remaining batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. In a small bowl add the chopped apples and the 3 TBSP flour--stir until mixed. Spread the chpped apples over the batter mixture. In a saucepan over low heat add the unwrapped caramels--stir/cook until melted and smooth. Pour the caramel mixture over the chopped apples. Sprinkle the reserved batter over the whole top and use the back of a spoon to press it down lightly into the caramel. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until apples are tender. Cut into bars or squares while still warm.

#2096 - Caramel Brownie Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 unbaked pie crust dough
1/2 cup chopped California walnuts
20 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1 beaten egg
2 TBSP butter (melted)
1 - 6oz. bag Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits (melted according to bag directions)

Grease a pie plate--insert pie dough, spray the inside of the dough with Pam and flute the edges. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the bottom of the dough. In a saucepan over low heat add caramels and 2/3 cup of the condensed milk--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Spread the hot caramel mixture over the walnuts in the pie dough. In a bowl add beaten egg, melted butter--beat with a whisk. Add the rest of the condensed milk--stir with a whisk until mixed. Add melted chocolate chips to egg mixture--stir until mixed. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the caramel in the pie dough. Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely.

#2045 - Caramel Pecan Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
20 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
2 TBSP milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 ready-made graham cracker crust (or make your own)

In a mixer add cream cheese, white sugar and vanilla--beat. Add eggs--beat. In a saucepan over low heat add unwrapped caramels and milk--heat/stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat--add chopped pecans--stir. Pour the caramel mixture into the bottom of the graham cracker crust. Pour cream cheese mixture over the caramel mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate overnight.

#2023 - Caramel Walnut Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups flour
3/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup cold butter
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
24 unwrapped Kraft caramels
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)

In a bowl add brown sugar and egg--mix with a spoon. Add flour--stir. Add 1/2 cup of the cold butter--mix with a pastry blender until it makes crumbs. Add chopped walnuts to the crumbs--stir. Remove 2 cups of the crumb mixture and reserve for later. Press the remainder of the crumbs into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 metal cake pan using the back of a spoon. Bake crust at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. In a heavy saucepan over low heat add condensed milk, unwrapped caramels and the other 1/4 cup butter--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Pour the caramel mixture over the hot crust. Sprinkle the reserved 2 cups of crumb mixture evenly over the caramel mixture. Return to oven and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbling hot. Cool completely. Cut into bars.