Caramel Bars

Taken from www.allrecipes.com

• 1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Peel the plastic wrapping from the caramels and melt them in a saucepan over medium heat along with the milk. ( If using a microwave, use a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt the caramels and milk in the microwave at medium power for 2 to 3 minutes, checking every 20 to 30 seconds.) Stir and set aside.
3. Melt the margarine and combine with flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt.
4. Press slightly more than half the oat mixture into a greased 11 x 7 inch pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the mixture, then pour the caramel over the chips. Top with remaining oat mixture.
5. Bake for 20 minutes; cool. Cut into bars.

Chewy Caramel and Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is taken from allrecipes.com for the base, but I added in a cup of chopped up caramels.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup caramels, chopped up (my addition)
  

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips (and caramels) by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

ET Brownies

Taken from recipezaar.com

• 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 cup butter
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup Reese's pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. Butter a 13x9 pan and set aside.
3. In a saucepan over low heat, melt together the 4 squares of chocolate and the butter
4. Remove from heat.
5. (You could also do this in the microwave.) In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs and sugar.
6. Add vanilla and pour in chocolate mixture; blend thoroughly.
7. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
8. Gradually add to chocolate mixture, beating well.
9. Stir in chocolate chips and Reese's Pieces.
10. Spoon batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until dry on top and almost firm to the touch.
11. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before cutting into squares.

Red Wine, Chocolate and Cherry Cookies

Taken from Food Network, originally named "Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies"

These cookies are delicious. The wine scared me at first but the combination tastes amazing together!

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup good quality cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dry red wine, such as burgundy
10 ounces dark chocolate, broken into chunks
1 cup dried tart cherries

Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl. In a bowl of an electric mixer, or with a handheld mixer, combine butter and sugars until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and wine and combine. Slowly in batches add the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the chocolate and cherries. On a nonstick cookie sheet, place a heaping tablespoon of dough for each cookie about 2 inches apart from each other. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until tops are still soft looking but edges look firm.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Berry Shortbread Dreams

Taken from www.allrecipes.com

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
• GLAZE:
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in extract; gradually add flour until dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle. Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center. Fill with jam.
2. Bake at 350 degrees F for 14-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Spoon additional jam into cookies if desired. Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over cookies.

Orange Slice Cookies

Taken from www.northpole.com, recipe by Karin

1 pound orange slices (candy) 1/4 cup flour 1 cup margarine 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup coconut 2 cups rolled oats 1 cup chopped pecans (I replaced these with chocolate chips)
Mix candy (cut into bite pieces) with ¼ cup flour. Cream margarine and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat eggs and vanilla thoroughly. Beat in dry ingredients. Stir in rolled oats, candy, pecans and coconut. Drop from teaspoon on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inch apart. Bake at 375F for about 13-15 minutes or until delicately brown. Makes about 7 dozen cookies.