Salted Caramel Pecan Shortbread Bars

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I don't really have any profound comments for this recipe, other than I just really wanted to combine pecans, caramel, shortbread and chocolate into something  delicious.  They were delicious!

I owe my mom and dad a big thank you though, because they got me a food photography "How-To" book, that I immediately read upon receiving.  I had to make something today so that I could try out all the tips, so that was really motivating my baking today.  Sadly, by the time I was done baking, I had lost almost all the daylight, but I worked with what I had, I will have more chances to practice.  It was so fun to implement what I learned, and hopefully my photos will continue to improve.

Salted Caramel Pecan Shortbread Bars

Ingredients:


Shortbread:
(Adapted from The Joy of Baking's Shortbread Cookies)

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup corn starch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Caramel:
(Adapted from Chewy Caramel from All Recipes)

• 1 cup butter
• 1 pound light brown sugar
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Other:

• 8 ounces roasted and salted pecan halves, broken up
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
•  course sea salt

Directions:

Shortbread:

1. Line a 9x13 in. baking dish with parchment paper.  Make sure it extends up all four sides.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. In a medium bowl  cream butter until smooth and creamy.  Add sugars and cream together for another minute, until smooth.  
3. Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated well.
4. Add the flour, corn starch, and salt and mix until just combined.
5. Using your hands or a spatula, press the dough into the prepared pan until it is evenly distributed.  
6. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until lightly golden.

Caramel:

1. While the shortbread cookies, in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Heat to between 242 and 245 degrees F.  Cook for 2 minutes at that temperature. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.    

Assembly:

1.  Once the shortbread is out of the oven and has cooled slightly, evenly distribute the pecan pieces over the entire shortbread.
2. Once the caramel is done, poor it evenly over the pecans/shortbread, making sure all of it is covered.
3. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the entire caramel surface and allow to sit until they all turn shiny, which means they have melted.  Once they have melted, use a knife or offset spatula and evenly coat all the caramel with the chocolate until none of the caramel can be seen.
4. Allow to cool on the counter for several hours, sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt,and then place in the fridge for 30-45 minutes, just until the chocolate hardens.
5. Remove from fridge, lift out using the parchment paper and place on a flat surface.  Using a large, sharp knife, cut in to approximately 72 pieces (6 rows by 12 rows).
6. Enjoy or put in fridge to continue to set up.  Store in refrigerator.    

Sunday's Sweet Confessions Link Party #16

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Sunday's Sweet Confessions Link Party #16

Welcome everyone to this weeks link party! I am so happy you all were able to stop by and party with me.  This week, I am posting the Sweet Links Spotlight Featured Posts from last week's link party at the beginning of the party, so you don't need to go search for a separate post. Make sure to check out all the features, link up your posts, and visit some other links.  

This week's most clicked link: This Gal Cooks' Butterscotch Pumpkin Muffins

WonkyWonderful's Chewy Eggnog Caramels

Making Memories With Your Kids' Turkey Cookies

A Sweet Baker's Brownie Bottom Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars

Second Chance to Dream's Bucket of Blessings Tutorial

Thanks everyone for partying and entering your links, they were incredible!  All the featured links will be mentioned on Facebook, Twitter, and pinned on Pinterest!

See you next week!

If you were featured, grab yourself a button and post it proudly :)

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Cheesy Cheddar Biscuits

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All that cheesy goodness oozing out from inside....so yummy!

 Ah, the taste of cheesy, tender, slightly salty, buttery, garlicky biscuits...like the ones that you get from that famous seafood restaurant.... Most of us know which one I am speaking of.  Well, my husband has never had the pleasure of trying their rolls, which I think is the only reason to go there frankly.  I made some cheesy straws a few days ago, and my husband turned to me after eating ones and said "I would be doubly happy if you could make these into rolls!!"  Well, my husband very rarely requests anything, so I jumped up from my chair (literally) and started pondering how I could do this.  Then it came to me--these taste just like that seafood restaurant's biscuits, and there are copycat recipes I have seen.  Of course, I looked through all my bookmarks, thinking surely I had marked it down once out of the 100 times I saw it, but of course I didn't.  After not being able to find it, I turned to my wonderful Facebook friends, and they helped point me in the right direction.  Since I did not have bisquick baking mix, I had to find a recipe that didn't need it.  I finally settled on Food Networks Almost-Famous Cheddar Biscuits recipe.  After making some changes to the recipe to make it closer to the cheese straws I made, and having now devoured one in like 2 seconds flat, I can say that I am so happy with how they turned out!  I think they are better than that seafood restaurant's.

These biscuits are tender, cheesy, not too salty, and have a light and fluffy interior.  Absolutely perfect.  I packed one in my husbands lunch, so I am anxiously waiting to hear what he thinks of them, but I am pleased with them.  These would be a beautiful addition to Thanksgiving dinner as well!  They only take a few minutes to throw together, and only 16 minutes to bake.  Nice and simple!

Mmmmm see the cheese crusty goodness on the outside, my favorite part!

Enjoying my new photo setup area, had to take lots of pictures since I had good light this morning...

CHEESY CHEDDAR BISCUITS
(Adapted from Food Network's Almost Famous Cheddar Biscuits)

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 ounces grated colby jack cheese (about 1 cups) 
• 1 ounce grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup 2% evaporated milk, or regular milk 
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Topping:

• 1-2 tablespoons butter
• garlic salt, for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. To make the biscuits, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.  Add the butter and cut in with a fork or your fingers, until you have pea sized pieces of butter throughout.  Add the colby jack cheese and parmesan cheese and mix together.  Add the yogurt and  milk and mix until the dough just comes together, it will have some dry bits.  
3. Drop by scant 1/4 cup portions onto baking sheet, 2 inches apart, and flatten slightly.
4. Bake in oven for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Right before they are done, melt the butter in a a small microwave safe dish.  When the biscuits come out of the oven, brush the tops with a bit of butter and sprinkle with garlic salt.  Serve warm.

Giant Double Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookies

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I bought a huge box of oreo cookies from Sam's Club to make the crust for the no bake nutella oreo cheesecakes, because it is cheaper to get a huge box at Sam's then a small one at the store. Of course, I only needed about two sleeves out of the 10 in the box, so I have had these haunting my cupboard for a while, begging to be used.  In dire need of making some chocolate chip cookies, I thought maybe I would use some up and through them in the cookie dough.  THEN I remembered I had white chocolate chips from a plan to make white chocolate macadamia nut cookies that never happened (macadamia nuts are EXPENSIVE!), so I thought I would throw those in to continue with the black and white theme.  And of course, who doesn't like a cookie the size of your hand?? It was a HUGE success!

These are chewy, chocolatey, sweet, a little savory, and just to die for.  Even my non-chocolate chip cookie loving husband has dived into the freezer several times since me making these last night.  They are bad news, and I will inevitably be 5-10 pounds heavier when they are finally gone.  Heck, even my 3 year old has been going around since yesterday going "Mommy, these are the best cookies you ever made..."  Best compliment ever :)

GIANT DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP OREO COOKIES

Makes between 14-16 large (5-6") cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks of butter (1 cup), softened
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbs. vanilla extract
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 3 oz. (1/2 cup) semi sweet chocolate chips
• 3 oz. (1/2 cup) white chocolate chips
• 13 oreo cookies, broken into quarters or fifths

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 365 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, and butter and cream together with a hand mixer until well combined.
3. Add eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
4. Add flour, salt, and baking soda and mix well.
5. Pour in chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and combine by hand or with mixer.  Add in oreo pieces and gently fold in until evenly distributed.
6. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, fill completely with dough and drop onto prepared pan, about 5 cookies per sheet, they get big.  Using the bottom of the measuring cup, press down the dough to flatten the center to about 1/2 inch for even cooking.
7. Bake for 12-14 minutes until they start to brown on the edges.  They will still look a bit light in the center, but will darken and firm up when they cool. 

Sunday's Sweet Confessions Link Party #15!

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Sunday's Sweet Confessions Link Party #15

Welcome everyone to this weeks link party! I am so happy you all were able to stop by and party with me.  This week, I am making up for weeks of not having a chance to put up the Sweet Links Spotlight Featured Posts from each link party, and I am putting up all of them from Link party # 12, #13, and #14!  Make sure to check them all out, link up your posts, and visit some other links.  

Most Clicked from Link Party #14: Cheesy Chilli Corn Bread from The Purple Pumpkin

The Recipe Critic's Copcat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets

 

Shades of Safhire's Snowman Head

Most clicked from Link Party #13: Everyday Insanity's Almond Joy Meets a Peanut Butter Cup

 

Lemons for Lulu's Samoa Biscotti

 

 Klerebearsweets' Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

 

Most clicked link from Link Party #12: The Dedicated House's Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls 



Moore or Less Cooking Blog's Peanut Butter Cake



Addicted to Recipes' Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes

Thanks everyone for your patience and your fantastic links!!!