Chocolate Caramel Bars

My homemade Chocolate Caramel Bars have a buttery, brown sugar and oats crust that tastes like the best oatmeal cookie in the entire world, topped with luscious dark chocolate and whole roasted almonds in a creamy caramel sauce under a crumbly streusel topping. Take a moment to savor that thought...

Pumpkin Streusel Squares

Pumpkin Streusel Squares are easy to make from a box of Spice Cake Mix I dressed up with creamy pumpkin puree and a sweet cinnamon and brown sugar streusel. There is also a secret ingredient you don't normally find in baked goods that make these pumpkin squares super moist! I love simple holiday recipes like this one! You don't have to be a skilled baker to make these scrumptious squares, but everyone will think you are!

Mini Coffee Cakes

Recipe inspired by: Allrecipes Mini Coffee Cakes

 I discovered this recipe last fall when I was searching for something to make for Madison's Equestrian Team. Don and I were traveling to GA to cheer them on, and I wanted to bring snacks for the team.  Because it was a new recipe, I made a test batch to see how they'd turn out.  Well, they ended up being the most wonderful little coffee cakes I have ever tasted! They are so light it is like eating air - only really yummy tasting air with cinnamon!  We gobbled the test batch up right away, so I made another test batch...just to be sure you know - don't want to feed the kids nasty muffins.  Again, we gobbled 'em up! I really should NEVER make these - they are too dangerous to have in the house, but I really wanted to share them here on the blog so I sacrificed just for you - I'm nice like that <<grin>>

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 
  
• TOPPING:
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. I like to do this for several minutes to make sure it is mixed well - about 3-5 minutes

Beat in the egg 

combine flour, pudding mix, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk. Beat until blended. The batter will be thick - sorry I forgot to get a photo of it - I guess I was just so excited about the muffins!

 Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. 

Combine topping ingredients; 

sprinkle over batter. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until the tops bounce back when lightly pressed. Cool for 10 minutes; 

remove from pan to a wire rack and try not to eat them all at once!

By the way - the team LOVED them! They ate every last one!