SEA SALT CARAMEL BROWNIES: 2 Recipes for National Caramel Day!

Today is National Caramel Day! My favorite truffles are sea salt caramel, and the same goes for brownies! Salt, caramel, and chocolate are a great combination. So for Caramel Day, here are two recipes for Sea Salt Caramel Brownies -- one uses a fudge brownie mix and the other is for brownies from scratch.You can make or buy the caramel sauce. Both recipes are easy, and it just depends on what you have on hand and how much time you have!

1. SEA SALT CARAMEL BROWNIES FROM SCRATCH

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
5 ounces good quality dark (60-70% cacao) chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp instant espresso powder 
2 ounces chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
1/4 cup good quality caramel sauce
1 tsp good quality sea salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F
Grease 9 x13 inch baking pan.
In saucepan over another saucepan with simmering water, melt butter and chocolate, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar. Cool slightly.
In large bowl, beat eggs one at time. Stir in vanilla.
Fold in chocolate mixture.
Combine flour, 1/2 tsp salt and espresso powder (if using). Add to chocolate mixture.
Fold in chocolate chips or chopped chocolate pieces
Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
Drizzle caramel on top of batter
Using knife, swirl over surface.
Sprinkle sea salt over caramel.
Bake 30-40 minutes.
Cool in pan on wire rack.

2. Sea Salt Caramel Brownies using a Brownie Mix
This recipe is from Morton Salt. I always check product sites for recipes. Did you know that Morton Salt has an excellent Sea Salt? Found this recipe on their site. Of course, you can always use the sea salt you have in your pantry. I'm partial to Ghirardelli and Duncan Hines Brownie Mixes, but whatever you have on hand.

Ingredients
1 package fudge brownie mix
Eggs
Vegetable oil
Water
20 individually wrapped caramels
2 Tbsp milk
1 teaspoon Morton® Coarse Sea Salt

Directions 
Heat oven and prepare brownie mix as instructed on box.
After placing brownie mix in 8 x 8 baking pan, set aside.
Make caramel sauce as instructed below (or use a prepared caramel sauce), then drizzle sauce on top of brownie batter.
Bake brownie batter as instructed on package.
Remove brownies from oven.
Sprinkle with Morton Coarse Sea Salt.
Cool brownies before cutting.

Caramel Sauce:
Place unwrapped caramels and milk in microwave safe bowl.
Microwave on high for 1 minute and then in 10 second intervals, until caramels are easily whisked. Whisk until caramel mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined.

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HOMEMADE CARAMEL SAUCE 

Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions
In small saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and 2 Tbsp water to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and cook without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, until sugar is deep amber color (5-8 minutes). Remove caramel from heat. Add cream and butter and whisk to combine. Let cool slightly in pan.

PECAN PIE BROWNIES: Thanksgiving

Thinking about Pecan Pie for Thanksgiving? How about Pecan Pie Brownies instead? This recipe from Betty Crocker for Pecan Pie Brownies is easy and delicious. The recipe calls for a brownie mix, but you can always make your own brownies and just use the recipe below for the topping. Want a totally home-made recipe? Scroll down for a link to an amazing recipe from The Food Network.

PECAN PIE BROWNIES

Brownies
1 box Brownie mix; Water, vegetable oil, and egg called for on brownie mix

Pecan Topping 
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Line 9-inch square pan with foil, allowing some to hang over edges of pan. Grease bottom and sides of pan with shortening or cooking spray. Make brownie batter as directed on box. Spread in pan.
Bake 28 to 31 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. 

In 1-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and 1 egg until well blended. Increase heat to medium; cook 2 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture just begins to boil. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and pecans.
Spoon pecan topping evenly over baked brownie.

Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling along edges. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 2 hours. 

Using foil to lift, remove brownies from pan, and peel foil away. 

Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. If desired, garnish each brownie with a pecan half.

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And amazing Brownies from Scratch..  I made a batch of these, and I have to say they are outstanding.. 

PECAN PIE BROWNIES FROM SCRATCH (recipe from The Food Network)

 https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/pecan-pie-brownies-9380797

VETERANS DAY CAMOUFLAGE CUPCAKES: Veterans Day

I came across this recipe several years ago on TrendHunter. These cupcakes are very easy to make, and they are the perfect thank you for the Veteran in your house or community. Mix up a couple of batches for Veterans Day. Of course, you can always use your make your own from-scratch cupcakes and frosting. You get the idea!

CAMOUFLAGE CUPCAKES

Ingredients 

1 box (15.25 oz) Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Vanilla Cake Mix (and ingredients called for on the package) 

1 box (15.25 oz) Betty Crocker™ Delights Super Moist™ Dark Chocolate Cake Mix (and ingredients called for on the package) 

2 tubs (16 oz) Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy Vanilla Frosting 

1 tub (16 oz) Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy Chocolate Frosting 

Green food coloring 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake tins with paper liners. Prepare cake mix batter according to package directions in two separate bowls. 

You'll need four medium sized bowls. 

In first bowl: Pour 2 cups of white cake batter. 

In second bowl: Pour one cup white cake batter and one cup chocolate cake batter and mix together. 

In third bowl: Pour 2 cups white cake batter, green food coloring and 2-3 tablespoons of chocolate frosting. Mix together and adjust for the desired camo green that you want. 

In fourth bowl: Pour 2 cups of chocolate batter. 

Spoon tablespoon of each color into each cupcake tin. Repeat the colors until liners are 2/3 of the way full. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until cupcakes are set and spring back to the touch. Cool cupcakes. 

For Frosting 

Add one tablespoon of white frosting to chocolate frosting container and mix well. For green camouflage colored frosting add one tablespoon of chocolate frosting to a container of white frosting along with some green food coloring until desired color is reached. 

Spoon green camouflage colored frosting into gallon Ziploc bag. Spoon chocolate frosting into separate gallon Ziploc bag. Spoon remaining container of vanilla frosting into gallon Ziploc bag. Cut off corner of all of the bags and place side by side inside large pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.

SESAME CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES: Sesame Street Day!

Today is National Sesame Street Day! What an amazing show! I came across this recipe for Sesame Chocolate Chip Cookies on the Whole Foods recipe page several years ago and adapted it slightly. It's perfect for today, and I know the Cookie Monster would agree! I won't say it's totally healthy, but with sesame seeds, whole wheat pastry flour, and tahini, it's on the verge. I cut back on the sugar and chocolate chips. And who doesn't need another chocolate chip cookie recipe? Cookie Monster would love these. Perfect for Sesame Street and the Chocolate Chip Cookie holiday!

SESAME CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Ingredients
1/2 cup light brown sugar
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp tahini
1 egg
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (mini chips if you're making mini-cookies!)
1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted and cooled

Directions
In large bowl, beat sugar, butter, and tahini with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add egg and vanilla and beat again until combined.
In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt, and then add to sugar mixture and beat until combined. Stir in baking chips and sesame seeds and shape dough into 4 1/2-inch-long logs, wrapping them individually in wax paper and twisting the ends. Chill until firm, 4 hours or overnight. (To help maintain their shape, arrange the dough logs in a 9x13-inch dish to chill.)
Preheat oven to 325°F. Slice each log of dough into 12 (for bigger cookies) or 24 (for smaller cookies) coins, arrange on parchment-paper-lined (or silpat) baking sheets about 2 inches apart and bake until golden brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes for smaller cookies, 10 to 12 minutes for larger cookies.
Cool.