#7 - Homemade Kit Kat Bars

 http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-Kit-Kat-Candy-Bar-Recipe/

• 1 Box Club crackers or Waverly's (some kind of square butter cracker)
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 1/4 cups milk chocolate
• 1 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup peanut butter chips

If you try this the hard way (don't), you'll want two differently sized baking dishes, plastic wrap, and cooking spray.

If you want to do this the easy way (yes, please), one large baking dish and plastic wrap will suffice.

 Spray the smaller pan with cooking oil and lay crackers edge-to-edge along the bottom. 

Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the milk.

Add the sugars and bring to a boil.

Stir in the graham cracker crumbs and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Easy, right?

But trust me, this order of events is important.  Were you to, say, dump all the ingredients into a pan and just cook away, you might have to throw the whole sloppy, sticky mess into the trash.  (see pictures [and image notes] below)

If this does happen, don't worry, pet - fix yourself a g & t and give it another go!
Pour about half of the filling over your layer of crackers.

Make another layer of crackers in the same orientation as the first.  Or not.  I'm not standing over your shoulder judging you.

Pour the rest of the filling over your crackers.

Make a third layer of crackers on top.

Cover with cling wrap and put in the fridge to firm up.

To try and make something visually similar to a Kit Kat bar, I cut up the pan of crackers into sticks.  The plan was to make the familiar three-bar Kit Kat candy bar.  While I don't feel I was successful in doing so,  I certainly don't want to discourage you from trying this yourself.

If you do choose the hard path, let the candy come to room temp before cutting into bars. Trust me.
Now it's time to make the magic chocolate coating that tastes something like the chocolate you know, and something I can't describe as anything other than "candy bar."

Melt the chips together in a double boiler (or microwave) until all smooth and creamy.  I don't have a double boiler, and I tend to botch melting chocolate in the microwave, so I used one pan set on top of another pan with a small amount of simmering water in the bottom pan.

The melting process will take some active participation on your part, as the butterscotch chips don't like to play friendly and need some coaxing to melt smoothly into the rest of the mixture.


If you decide to go the route of making the three-stick bar, do as follows.  Otherwise, just pour the chocolate coating evenly over the top of the layers you made in Step 4!  ah, that my friends, is the "easy way."

Cover a larger baking dish in plastic wrap.  Pour in a layer of chocolate and allow to set.

Arrange the bars you cut apart in Step 5 on top of the chocolate layer.

Coat the bars in another layer of chocolate, making sure to cover the tops and sides.

Once they're set, break 'em up and see how you did!  Mine were almost completely indistinguishable from the real thing, as you can clearly see in the photos.

#6 - Homemade Snickers

Ingredients:
14 oz milk chocolate (about 2 cups chips, or coarsely chopped bar) divided in half
3.5 oz  (1/2 cup) butterscotch chips, divided in half
192 g (3/4 cup) creamy peanut butter, divided into 3 parts (1/4 cup, 64g each)
5.5 tablespoons butter (divided: 4 Tbsp and 1.5 Tbsp)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk, divided in half
156 g (1.5 cups) marshmallow fluff
1 teaspoon vanilla
1.5 cups salted peanuts, chopped (or substitute nuts of your choice)
1 pound chewy caramels

Optional: (if coating the sides of your bars)
7oz milk chocolate
1.75 oz butterscotch chips
64g creamy peanut butter

Materials:
one 9x13 pan
waxed paper or plastic wrap
microwave-safe bowl
small (1 quart) pot
heat-proof spatula
sharp knife
cutting board
microwave
stove

#5 - Baked Stuffed Lobster

Lobster is amazing and if you can get it at the right place, it isn't too expensive.  I went to a local grocery store that is not known for cheap prices and I got a lobster tail for $5.

This recipe is another easy way to pull off a really delicious, fancy meal.

Here is the recipe:

1 raw lobster tail

2 slices of toasted bread crumbs

1/2 cup vegetable broth (or water)

1 T. minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1/8 t. garlic powder

1/8 t. onion powder

paprika, salt and pepper to taste

Cut the raw lobster tail "hotdog-style."  Be careful not to cut yourself; lobster shells are easy to slip on. Wash the two halves of lobster tails, mindfully cleaning away the sand vein and any other green or strange colored substances.  (Note: if you accidentally forgot to wash out that stuff, it wouldn't hurt you)

Mix toast crumbs with garlic, onions and spices.  Stuff the lobster halves with the toast mixture.  (Make sure to get the mixture into all the nooks and cranies.

Pour vegetable broth over stuffed lobsters.  Dust with paprika.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.  Broil for the last 1-2 minutes to brown. 

Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve w/ lemon wedges, if you want.

#4 - Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

This easy dinner is perfect for the tomato-lover. Which I just became.  It is healthy, delicious, and looks much fancier than it is to make.  It is easy to adjust the recipe depending on hunger or number of people eating.  The recommended portion is 2-3 stuffed tomatoes per person.

Here is the recipe: (for one person - adjust for more people)

4 oz. ground beef

2-3 medium sized tomatoes

2 slices of toasted bread crumbs

1 T. finely minced onion

1 clove garlic crushed and minced

1/8 t. garlic powder

1/8 t. onion powder

cayenne pepper to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Hollow out the tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and turn upside down to drain for 10 minutes.

Brown ground beef in a small frying pan; add onion, garlic and spices.

Pack ground beef mixture into tomatoes, add small amount of water to bottom of dish, top with toast crumbs and salt.

Bake in 350 degrees oven for 20 minutes.  Garnish with parsley and serve.

#3 - Blueberry Pudding Cookies

 

These little soft cookies might have become my most favorite kind of quick/easy cookies.  Because of the pudding, these cookies are dense and soft and do not overwhelm you with a wave of sugar like some cookies do.

Here's the recipe:

2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (3 1/2 oz.) pkg. vanilla flavored instant pudding
2 eggs
2 c. blueberries (easily substituted with chocolate chips)
1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional, but recommended)

Combine flour and baking soda; set aside. 

Combine butter, sugars, vanilla and pudding, mix in large mixing bowl; beat until smooth and creamy.

Beat in eggs; gradually add flour mixture. Stir in blueberries and nuts (batter will be stiff). 

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls, about 2 inches apart, onto un-greased cookie sheets. 

Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 10-12 minutes. 

Yield: 4 1/2 dozen cookies. 

(via Cooks.com)

#2 - Black Cherry-Buttermilk Scones

Last week I used buttermilk for the first time and I decided I liked it.  It tastes gross by itself, but when it is combined with other ingredients it has this strong, wonderful taste.  And since I now love buttermilk, and had lots leftover from the cupcakes, I wanted to make some other things that require buttermilk.  Mmmmm....scones.

Here is the recipe:

2 c. flour (add 1/2 tsp. nutmeg)

2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. soda

8 tbsp. (1 stick) butter

3/4 c. buttermilk (add 1 egg)

1/2 c. black cherries

Combine ingredients. Knead briefly on a lightly floured board. Press into a circle and cut into wedges or roll out to 1/2" thick and cut into 1 1/2" rounds.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until light brown.

Serve warm with butter or with jam, whipped cream, or marmalade.

(via Cooks.com)

#1 - Lemon-Scented Blueberry Cupcakes

Today I made blueberry cupcakes with lemon frosting. (They are technically called Lemon-Scented Blueberry Cupcakes, but whatever.)  Simple and easy.

Here's the recipe:
Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups plus 2 T. all-purpose flour, divided

10 T. granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. baking soda

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 large egg

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/2 cup 2% milk

1 tsp. grated lemon rind

3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed

Frosting:

1/4 cup 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened

2 T. butter, softened

1 tsp. grated lemon rind

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Fresh blueberries (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place 12 paper muffin cup liners into tray.

3. To prepare cupcakes, lightly spoon 1 1/2 cups flour into mixing bowl.  Then mix the 3 ingredients after flour into the mixing bowl with the flour, adding an extra T. of flour with it.  Combine melted butter and egg in another large bowl; stir with a whisk.  Add buttermilk, milk, and 1 tsp. rind to butter mixture; stir with whisk.  Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist (important).  Toss in blueberries with 1 T. flour.  Fold blueberries into batter.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center come out clean.  Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.  Cool completely on wire rack before putting frosting on.

5. To prepare frosting, place cream cheese and next 4 ingredients in a bowl, beat with a mixer at medium speed just until blended (do not over beat).  Stir in juice.  (Optional: Stir in extra rind to your liking.)  Spread frosting evenly over cupcakes, garnish with blueberries and extra rind, if desired.  Store, covered, in refrigerator. Makes 12 cupcakes.