200th Post of Love: Salted Caramel Nutella Fudge!!

 Picked up the original recipe over at Doughmesstic, and it's worth every second!

This recipe makes one 9x9 pan, with as many pieces as you want (up to 50 if you plan accordingly!)

Bottom Layer

• 1 cup Semi Sweet or Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 cup Milk Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 cup Nutella

1. Melt the chips in the microwave, stir every 30 seconds until smooth, then add the Nutella.  

2. Spread in the bottom of a parchment paper lined and greased 9x9 pan.

Salted Caramel Layer

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1/4 cup sour cream

1. In a small saucepan, combine the cream and the salt.  Simmer over very low heat until the salt is dissolved.  Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan combine the sugar and corn syrup carefully. They will not combine well until the sugar begins to melt. Cook over high heat for about 6 to 8 minutes.  Just pull the sugar off the heat when it is a medium goldish brown – it will continue to cook in the heat of the pan.  Remove from the heat and let cool for one minute.

3. Add the cream mixture and the vanilla to the sugar mixture.  Whisk in the sour cream.  Let the caramel cool to room temp

 Middle Layer

• 4 Tbsp. Butter
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/4 cup Evaporated Milk
• 1 7 oz. Jar Marshmallow Creme
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla
• 1 cup Chopped Hazelnuts

1. Top caramel with chopped nuts.

2. In a medium pan, melt butter.  Add the sugar and evaporated milk.  Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. 

3.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and marshmallow creme.  Pour mixture evenly over the previous layers.

Top Layer

• 1 cup Milk Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 cup Semi Sweet or Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 cup Nutella

1. Repeat process for bottom layer, and pour evenly over the top of the previous layers.

Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, until firm.  Cut into bite sized pieces.  Caramel layer will be gooey, keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

* Make sure you refrigerate between layers so there is a better distinction between each one when you cut into it. *



It's funny how the first 100 took the longest.  This second set of 100 posts went by in a blink.  Here's to many, many more.

Enjoy!

Warm Pockets of Love, AKA: Nutella Puffs

Today, I dedicate this 199th post of my blog to my best friend in the whole world - Heidi.  We met one fateful day back in December of 1993, right before taking the high school freshman entrance exam at our high school.  She was going to move into the neighborhood, and while my mind is fuzzy, I believe we carpooled that early morning to the test.

Since then, we have (arguably) grown up: we've learned how to drive together, gone to away to different colleges, gotten married, she's had kids and cats, I've had gardens and dogs, and I've managed to move 2000 miles away.

However?  When I pick up the phone, or am lucky enough to visit home?  It's like I never left.  She is one constant in my life that I hope never changes.  I'm lucky to have such an amazing friend, and if I could send her warm pockets of love today, I absolutely would.  She deserves only the best.  Happy 32nd birthday, girl!  Here's to the next 19 years!!

On a side note - these other warm pockets of love (and Nutella) are super easy to make and take very little time or effort on your part, but everyone will love them.

 What you'll need...
1 pkg crescent dough (I used the sheets)
1/2-1 C of Nutella
1/4 C sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
1. Combine cinnamon and sugar and place in a bowl/shallow plate.
2. Unroll crescent dough - smooth out with fingers or a roller.

3. Using a rotary pizza cutter, cut the dough into 12, roughly equal, rectangles.
4. Drop Nutella into the middle of each rectangle.  You can use as much or as little as you want, just stay away from the edges.
5. Pinch all edges together (like a ravioli), then coat both sides in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
6. Place on a lined cookie sheet (for easy clean up)
7. Follow the instructions on the crescent roll package.  Just watch for the pockets to turn a nice golden color.

8. Serve warm and enjoy.

This is absolutely perfect as it is (To Bridget Jones!), but it would also be nice with ice cream.  (But, what wouldn't be?)

I served two to my husband, then he ate my second one, then he ate two more off the platter before I had even noticed he'd left the room.

Seriously addicting, like an awesome friend who's just waiting for you to come home.  Love you, Heid!

Caramelized Pecan Brie

I love a good baked brie.  Here's a way to dress up your brie and still have an amazing dish...

Ingredients:
6" round Brie
1/2 C lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 C corn syrup
1/4 C unsalted butter
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 C pecan halves (chopped, if you prefer)


Directions:
1. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup and butter over medium heat.  Stir until boil, then boil gently (NO STIRRING) for a minute.
2. Remove from heat, and quickly whisk in baking soda.  Then, stir in salt and pecans.  Let set for about 30 seconds.
3. Finally, mound warm nut mixture (hehe...) on top of Brie, enabling the caramel to artfully cascade down the sides.  I served it in a borl to make it easier to serve, but I'm sure I'd fine a pretty cascading picture if I looked online.  Too lazy, peeps, sorry!

Red Velvet Poke Cake

This recipe is so light and fluffy, it's worth all three seconds that it takes to make it... PROMISE!

What you'll need...
Red velvet box mix (plus necessary ingredients)
2 boxes of cheesecake flavored instant pudding
4 C of milk
8 oz Cool Whip, thawed
1/2 pkg Oreos, crushed

Directions:
1. Make and bake the cake, as directed, in a 9"x13" pan.
2. Using the round handle of a kitchen utensil (about 1/2" diameter), pole holes in the cake down to the bottom of the pan.
3. Mix the pudding mix and milk, then immediately pour/spread evenly over the cake, filling in the holes as much as possible.
4. Let everything firm up in the fridge for an hour or so.
5. Spread thawed, whipped topping over top of cake, then top with crushed Oreos.
6. Cut and serve.

This is so good that people thought I bought it at a store and re-plattered it.  FALSE.  Sure, I made it with a box mix, but I could've dug out my food coloring as much as the next girl.

Corn Casserole

I don't have much to say about this recipe.
It's great just like it is.

In hindsight, I wouldn't make it in individual cups because it's much harder to eat this way.  However, I need people to learn how to serve themselves smaller portions before I can trust them with a casserole dish.

This is directly from Paula Deen, but here's the deets...


Ingredients:
1 (15 1/4 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 3/4 oz) can cream-style corn
1 (8 oz) package Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish or large casserole dish.
Mix together the corn, Jiffy, sour cream and butter in a large bowl. Stir in the cheese. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes, or until golden brown and set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Apple Pie Bites

Once I saw this recipe, I knew it had to be mine.  In fact, it was part of my inspiration for my down home cooking party.  That, and the meatloaf, of course!

So few ingredients make such an awesome dessert! I love when things are simple, partly pre-made, and delicious when you're done!

What you'll need:
Pre-made pie dough (a 2 crust box)
1/2 C sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
3 T butter, melted
2 medium, tart apples (I used granny smiths), cut into 8 wedges

Directions:
1. Roll out pie dough (1 at a time)
2. Brush with  melted butter.
3. Combine cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle over dough.
4. Cut dough into 8 strips.
5. Roll apple wedges on cinnamon sugar side of dough strips.
6. Brush tops with additional butter, and sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar.  Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
7. Bake at 425 for 13-15 minutes, or until apples are softer and dough is lightly browned.