Easy and Tangy Mac & Cheese

After a short hiatus, I'm back!  July has been quite eventful.  Since I last posted, we've celebrated our Independence Day, we've gone to a wedding, Mr. Bear and I celebrated our 1st anniversary, a new addition has been added to the family (in the form of a cute little maltese puppy named Genie), we hosted 20 people at my parents' lake house, AND I'm another year older.  Whew! I'm exhausted!

While I'm getting caught up on everything, I wanted to share one of the many recipes I made for the large group at the lake.  When hosting that many people, I usually look for recipes I can prep ahead of time, that are easy to make, can feed a lot, and taste yummy.  For lunch, I made a super easy and tangy Mac & Cheese.

Mr. Bear and I love homemade mac & cheese.  I've made it several ways, my favorite being a Vermont white cheddar version with pumpernickel croutons on top, however, that version takes FOREVER to make.  You have to grate a block of cheese without nicking your fingers, you have to make a roux and then a bechamel sauce, you have to cut up nice pumpernickel and create garlic croutons.  It is a process and is reserved for fewer than 4 people.  I'll post that one this winter.

A big pan of mac and cheese really does go a long way though so I've been making the recipe below for years when we want a quick mac and cheese fix.  It is a conglomeration of a recipe found here, one from Heinen's grocery stores, and my own tweaks.  I love this recipe because I can prep the ingredients, stick them in a freezer bag and when I'm ready to serve just bake the mac in a 13x9 pan.

Easy and Tangy Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

1 lb (16 oz) elbow macaroni, cooked as directed and drained

2 cups (16 oz) grated SHARP cheddar cheese + additional for topping (optional)

1 package (24 oz) of fat free small curd cottage cheese

1 package (16 oz) light or fat free sour cream (I like Daisy Brand)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese (can be grated or shredded)
Seasoned Salt
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F

2. Take cooked pasta and set aside to cool

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine cheddar, cottage cheese, sour cream and parmesan cheese. Mix well

4. Add pasta into mix and thoroughly combine, ensuring all pieces of pasta are coated

5. Sprinkle a light layer of seasoned salt, a layer of garlic powder, a layer of onion powder, and about 4-5 cranks of the pepper mill onto the cheese and pasta mix.  Mix well and taste a small portion.

6. Repeat step 5 until you can distinctly taste the seasoning without over salting.  This varies each time I make it, depending on the cheese brands used.  Just be sure to take a small taste of the pasta mixture before adding additional seasonings.  I'm heavy handed on the garlic, onion and pepper.  I try to only use as much seasoned salt as necessary to slightly taste it.  Salt can always be added by each person after the fact.

7. Pour pasta mixture into a greased 13x 9 pan, distributing evenly

8. (Optional) if desired, sprinkle some additional cheddar on top of the dish.  This will create a nice bubbly crust.

9. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes, or until the edges are browned and the topping is bubbly.

Tips:

1. Make sure to use sharp cheddar.  Cheddar cheese mellows out as you cook it.  You will lose the flavor if you use mild cheddar in this recipe.

2. Although I try to use light or fat free ingredients in this recipe to cut down calories, don't try to make this with the fat free cheddar.  It will not melt and you will be stuck with something not delicious.

3. If you are feeling adventurous, add a few splashes of hot sauce (I like Frank's Red Hot) to your pasta mixture.  Cheddar cheese and hot sauce go really nicely together.

4. Instead of topping with cheddar, you could also replace with a Cheeze-It crumb topping (mix melted butter and Cheeze-It crumbs).  Not low cal, but really delicious.

5. Tweak the recipe as necessary for your taste.  This is a great starting recipe, but you can do so much to it.  Broccoli would be delicious in the dish, or change up your seasonings. If you don't have enough cheddar, mix in other cheeses.  Mozzarella makes the cheese really melty.  This recipe is really flexible.

-Danielle

Recipe: Easy Baked Empanadas

As promised, here is an easy recipe for baked empanadas!

What is an empanada you ask?  Per Merriam-Webster, an empanada is a turnover with a sweet or savory filling.  It is typically fried, but I prefer to bake mine.

These empanadas are a great way to use leftover taco meat.  Since there are only two of us, if I make a full pound of taco meat, we typically have a decent amount leftover.  This is a great way to use up that meat without having tacos, again.

Fair warning, these are not the healthiest things in the world, even though they are baked.  I use pie crust to create the turnover, so I wouldn't recommend having this in your weekly repertoire, but it is a good treat every once in a while.

Easy Baked Empanadas

Ingredients:

approx 1/2 lb seasoned taco meat, chilled 

I use 94% lean ground turkey and taco seasoning for mine.  Once the seasoning is on the turkey, it tastes exactly like beef, but with less fat an cholesterol.  It is important to have the meat chilled in the fridge and not right out of a hot pan.  You will destroy your pie crust if you put a hot filling in it and then try to fold it over.  I recommend mixing veggies and beans into your meat for added flavor, however it is completely optional.  Corn and black beans are great!

1/4 cup shredded cheese

I usually use a low fat mexican cheese blend, or if I'm shredding the cheese myself I'll use a sharp cheddar

2 9in. pie crusts

I typically use a premade pie crust (found in the freezer section of the store), but if I'm feeling adventurous, I'll make a pie crust from scratch.  If you are going to make a pie crust from scratch, make a few and freeze the leftovers.  This will allow you to have easy access to a much better crust.  In a pinch, the freezer crust works well.

1/4 cup egg substitute, or 1 egg

I use egg beaters or egg whites.  This will only be used as an egg wash on the empanadas to give them a shiny and flaky outside.  It will also be used to help bind the two sides of the empanada together before you crimp.  The egg beaters and egg whites cuts down the calories a little bit more.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with foil.  Lightly spray the foil with oil (if you have something like the Misto) or nonstick cooking spray.

2. Roll out your pie crusts to 1/8".  Using a 3"-4" round cookie cutter, cut your dough into as many circles as possible.  Remove the scrap pieces of crust and re-roll the scraps to cut additional circles (depending on the size of your cutter, I usually end up with 6-10 empanadas).

3. In your first circle, place a small pinch of shredded cheese into the middle of the circle.  On top of the cheese, place about 1 tbsp of taco filling.  Be sure to leave about 1/2" all around the circle clear of any filling.  Repeat steps for the remaining circles.  Take your egg wash and brush around the perimeter of all of your circles.  Fold one side of your circle over to the other to create a half moon shape.

4. Using a fork, crimp the outside edge of the empanada to seal, carefully avoiding punctures to the filled portion of the pastry.  Repeat steps for remaining circles.  Place empanadas on cookie sheets.

5. Take the remaining egg wash and lightly brush onto the outsides of your empanada.

6. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Tips:

1. Don't forget to lightly flour the surface you are rolling your pie crust onto.  Additionally you will need to lightly flour your cookie cutter

2. If you don't have a larger side round cookie cutter, never fear!  There are tons of great alternatives in your kitchen!  I typically use the lid to the oatmeal tub or a tupperware lid.  Get creative!

3. If you don't have a pastry brush for the egg wash, use your fingers to brush on the egg wash.

4. Make sure there are no tears in your empanadas.  They will ooze once you start baking.

5. If you don't have enough taco filling left to fill all of the circles, feel free to try dessert fillings!

-Danielle

Green Monster Smoothies

Mr. Bear and I have been trying to lose some weight.  After analyzing what we were eating, I realized I hadn't really been reaching my veggie and fruit goals.  Additionally, I realized that I was eating lunch at about 11am because I was STARVING.  This led me to eat large lunches and then snack later in the afternoon.

To help with this, I have been reading about Green Monster Smoothies for a while now and decided it would be good to try.  I've been making smoothies for breakfast for about two weeks now, and I can say that it really does help curb my hunger.  It takes about an hour for me to finish, keeping my hunger levels in check for a while.  Hopefully curbed hunger = weight loss down the road.  For now, I can say that it at least is helping me achieve my goal of more fruit/veggie consumption.

I've included directions for my favorite fruit combination below.  I really like the combination because it masks the spinach flavor.  Since it has cherries, it turns a reddish brown (not so appetizing), instead of green.  I put it in a stainless steel travel mug so I can't see the color. :)

1. Add 1-2 cups of spinach to your blender with 1/2 cup of water and puree.  

I have a KitchenAid blender that has a puree setting.  If your blender doesn't have a puree setting, set to blend until it almost looks like spinach juice with small flecks of spinach leaves.

The more spinach you add, the more you can taste.  If this is your first time doing green smoothies, I suggest erring on the side of caution with the spinach, increasing the amount after you have gotten used to the taste.

2. Add 1/2-1 banana and puree.  

The banana is key.  It masks the flavor of the spinach and provides a creaminess to the smoothie.  I've seen other blogs indicating that you can substitute avocado for banana if you don't like bananas.  The banana sounded more appetizing.  I usually use 1/2 a banana, unless my bananas are getting too ripe and I need to eat them quickly.  If I buy a large bundle of bananas at the store, I'll split the bundle in half, leave 1/2 out on the counter to eat and use while freezing the second half.  The frozen banana is just as good in the smoothie, and then it doesn't go bad before you can use it!

3. Add 1 cup FROZEN peaches and 1/2-3/4 cup FROZEN dark cherries, puree.

I like frozen fruit so that I don't have to add ice to my smoothie.  It prevents it from becoming watered down and keeps ice chunks from scratching up your throat.

4. Slowly pour smoothie into container of choice, and Enjoy!  

Again, I like to put it into a travel mug with a straw.  This makes about 1.5 smoothies.  I pour the smoothie into the travel mug and then pour the remaining into a glass that I can seal with a lid.  The extra smoothie becomes a starter for my next smoothie.

Your smoothie will keep for up to 24 hours in the fridge.  The fruit will defrost and the smoothie will become more "juice-like" the next day, but like I said, it provides a great smoothie starter.

I was apprehensive of the taste on my first try.  Mr. Bear didn't seem too enthused about the first two I made. I think I have it down to a science now, and it takes about as much time to make as any other quick breakfast.

Feel free to substitute spinach for any other green, leafy veggie!

Other fruits I've tried that weren't as successful:

1. Mango--The frozen mango wasn't as sweet as fresh which resulted in a bit of a tart smoothie.  It didn't hide the spinach well.
2. Strawberry-- The strawberry seeds made it hard to drink.

-Danielle

Recipe: Pretzel Encrusted Chicken

A few weeks ago, I bought a large amount of chicken breasts on sale.  I cut each in half and froze them in sets of 2.  Since then, I've been trying to find different recipes  so that Mr. Bear doesn't have to eat the same thing three times a week.

Months ago, I found a recipe on Pinterest for pretzel encrusted chicken.  It required honey mustard dressing to dredge the chicken in before coating in the pretzel mix.  I love honey mustard, so I thought this would be the perfect recipe to try.  Mr. Bear, on the other hand is not a huge fan of honey mustard, so I ended up making the chicken two ways, one dredged in honey mustard, the other in an egg mix.  The chicken turned out well on both fronts, so I'll provide you with a recipe for both!

Pretzel Encrusted Chicken 

Ingredients:

2 boneless chicken breasts
2 cups panko bread crumbs
2 cups crushed pretzels
1 cup Ken's Steakhouse Light Honey Mustard dressing OR 2 large eggs scrambled  with garlic powder, onion powder salt and pepper to your liking.
1/2 cup flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a skillet, toast panko bread crumbs over medium heat until toasted to a golden brown.  Be sure to stir panko constantly or it may burn.

3. Crush pretzels until 2 cups of crumbs are created (make sure your crumbs are small enough to stick to the chicken.).  add to a shallow dish (like a pie plate) and mix with panko.

4. Put flour into a second. shallow dish, then in a 3rd shallow dish, put your honey mustard or egg mixture.

5. Pound your chicken breasts to an even thickness using a mallet, then season with salt and pepper.

6. Dredge chicken in flour first, then egg/honey mustard, and finally into your pretzel mix.  Be sure to coat all sides evenly during each step.

7. Place onto greased baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken.

Tips:

1. You can crush pretzels in a food processor by pulsing until they are small enough.  I didn't want to dirty the food processor, so I put pretzels into a freezer bag and crushed with a rolling pin until I got the size I was looking for.
2. If making with honey mustard, be sure to reserve enough honey mustard to provide as a dipping sauce.
3. I served with broccoli, but most veggies would work.
4. The recipe provided is pretty plain.  If making again, I'd up the amount of seasonings used as it turned out a bit bland.  It is a great starting point to adjust for your own taste.

-Danielle

Recipe: Super Easy Ranch Pork Chops

Once again, I apologize for the delayed posts.  Last week was another travel week for work, and I was so tired I didn't have a chance to post anything.

Continuing on with the excuses, Mr. Bear and I didn't get much done this weekend that was blog-worthy, so I will start you off with a recipe I really love because it is so easy.

Before I give you the details of this recipe, please know that I used to HATE pork.  Every time I had had pork, it was dry and in desperate need of gallons of sauce to make it palatable.  This recipe changed my mind.  After making this pork, I realized I had only really had pork loin.  Pork chops with the bone in have so much more flavor and are much juicier.

Also note that the first time I made these, I thought the idea of a ranch seasoning packet on meat was strange, but I promise, it makes the dish.

This recipe is adapted from the original here.

Ingredients:

1/2 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning/Dressing mix
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 pork chops (bone-in) 1/2"-3/4" thick
Dash of paprika

Directions:

Line a cookie sheet with foil.  Place a broiler pan over top of the cookie sheet.  (I don't have a broiler pan, so I use an all metal cooling rack.  I have one similar to this model from BB&B).  Spray broiler pan with non-stick spray that can withstand high heat (like Pam for grilling).

In a small bowl, mix your Ranch seasoning, and black pepper.  Sprinkle the mix liberally over both sides and rub into the pork chops.

Place pork chops in a single layer on top of your broiler rack.  Sprinkle each with a little bit of paprika (amount is up to you).

Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked thoroughly.

Baking time provided is for 3/4" chops, reduce cook time if you went with 1/2" chop.
Pork should be cooked until internal temperature at the thickest part reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tips:

1. I like to serve with a vegetable, salad and potato (mashed are my favorite with this dish).
2. Your pork chops will likely have a strip of fat along the outside (opposite of the bone, see photo below).  Leave this on during cooking to trap in moisture, but feel free to cut off before serving.

3. If you want, you can cut the chop off the bone before serving too.

Here is what it looks like if you do decide to de-bone.  I again will stress that you should use the bone-in chop, even if you plan to de-bone.  It provides so much more flavor and holds in the moisture.  These get dry if you use the boneless chops.

(image courtesy of food.com)

4. Adjust the amount of Hidden Valley to your taste.  I only like a mild ranch flavor so I tend to go light on the ranch seasoning.  Feel free to adjust to your taste.

5. If you don't know what a broiler pan is, read this eHow article.  It is very helpful. :)

-Danielle

Recipe: Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta

Hello blogosphere!  My apologies for being MIA for a week.  I was out of the country on business, then recovering from some severe jet lag/stomach flu issues in our household.

I hope all the moms out there had an amazing Mother's Day!  It was great to spend some time with and see my mom yesterday.

Since I've been out of the country for a week, I didn't really have any new recipes that I have tried.  I figured I would share with you a recipe I've made a few times that we really love!  I plan to make this dish as a side tonight to go with some chicken as long as Mr. Bear has recovered from the flu.

This is called Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta.  I use it as a replacement for Fettuccine Alfredo.  You can make it lighter, and it is similar in taste to Pasta-Roni's Garlic Parmesan pasta.  I originally got the recipe from a blog called "The Cheese Pusher".  Original recipe here.  My version cuts calories by using a light butter and a fat free half and half.

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta 

2 tsp olive oil (I use extra virgin)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp butter (I use Land o' Lakes light butter with canola oil.  It is lower in calories)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 cups chicken stock

1/2 lb angel hair pasta (you can use spaghetti, but I prefer the thin noodles)

1 cup grated parmesan cheese (you can use reduced fat if you prefer, but I usually just use the full fat parm)

3/4 cup fat free half and half (original recipe called for heavy cream, but I like to lighten it up and it tastes the same)

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

In a pot, bring the olive oil to medium-low heat.  Add the minced garlic and stir, allowing it to cook for 1-2 minutes.  Do not let the garlic burn!  Mix in the butter until melted.  Add the salt, pepper, and chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and let the mixture come to a rolling boil.

Once you see your mixture come to a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook for as long as the box's directions indicate.  After reaching the pasta's cook time, reduce the stove to medium heat and mix in the parmesan until it is completely melted.  Then, turn off the heat and stir in the half and half and parsley.  Serve immediately.

Tips

1. I prefer to make this in a non-stainless steel pot.  I use Anolon Advanced cookware so that the cheese isn't too difficult to clean out of the pot.

2. My favorite brand of fat free half and half is Land o' Lakes, but I find that if you can find a generic store brand it is frequently comparable.

3. This recipe usually makes 3 or so side servings in our household.  Adjust as necessary.

4. If you don't have fresh parsley, half the amount and use dried.

-Danielle

Bonus Recipe: Crunchy Peanut Thai Chicken

Since I was so busy earlier this week and didn't get a chance to post on Monday, you guys get a special bonus post today!

A few months ago, my mom made this chicken while we were over for family dinner.  It was interesting, delicious, and quick to prepare.  Always looking for recipes I can make in under a half an hour, I had her pass along the recipe.

Bear with me during the ingredients because you may stop and ask what the heck mayo is doing in this recipe, but I assure you it is necessary.  This recipe is adopted from a Betty Crocker recipe my mom had received from her friend.  This version serves 2.  Prep is about 10 minutes and it cooks in about 20.

Crunchy Peanut Thai Chicken

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 c. plain panko bread crumbs (I found these in the international food section of my grocery store)

1/4 c.  finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts (use a nut chopper for the easiest method for a fine chop)

1/4 c. purchased peanut sauce (I used Dynasty Thai Peanut Satay Sauce, also found in the international foods section of my grocery store)

2 tbsp. mayonnaise (I used Hellman's low fat to make it a little lighter in calories

Additional purchased peanut sauce, if desired

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit.  Line baking sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray.  Between pieces of plastic wrap, waxed paper, or an open large ziploc bag, place each chicken breast smooth side down.  Gently pound with flat side of meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/2" all over thickness.

2. In shallow dish, mix together peanut sauce and mayo.  In another shallow dish (I used pie dishes), mix together panko and peanuts.  Dip chicken in peanut sauce mixture, then dip in panko mixture.  Place on baking sheet.

3. Bake 15-20 minutes, turining once, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut or at 165 degrees and coating is golden brown.  Serve with additional peanut sauce.

I served with rice and vegetables, but a coconut noodle would also be good!  It was gobbled up and I didn't get a chance to grab a pic before running out the door, but here is the image provided by Betty Crocker.  The texture is crunchy but the warm peanuts also become smooth to the bite.  With the peanut sauce coating, it keeps the chicken very moist!

-Danielle

Weekend Recipe: Creole Lime Shrimp

Earlier this week, Mr. Bear was out for the evening with his brother.  Mr. Bear is a bit pickier than I am when it comes to food, so I decided to test out a new recipe while he was out.

Now that the weather is getting warmer, I'm looking forward to grilled dishes.  Shrimp just screams warm weather to me, so I decided to go in search of a delicious recipe.

After perusing several of my typical recipe sites, I noticed that the most common recipes included lime and/or cajun seasoning.  I didn't have any cajun seasoning on hand and didn't really feel like making my own, but I had some Zatarain's Creole seasoning that I felt would be a good substitute. I took an amalgamation of a bunch of other recipes to come up with this marinade.


I loved this dish because it was only 4 ingredients!

Ingredients:

2 heaping tsp. Zatarain's Creole Seasoning
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lime, juiced
1lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used 21/25 shrimp which means there are 21 to 25 shrimp per pound aka "Jumbo" shrimp.  I also prefer it with the tail off, but it is up to you)

The Zatarain's seasoning is pretty salty, so I only used 2 tsp. and it gave it a really good flavor.  If you are using a cajun or creole seasoning that is less salty, I would recommend upping your seasoning, with a maximum of 3 tbsp.

Directions:

1. Mix together the seasoning, lime juice and vegetable oil in a resealable plastic bag, or bowl with a lid.  Add the shrimp, coat with the marinade.  Marinate in the fridge for up to 20 mins. (I was in a hurry this past time so only marinated for about 10 and the flavor was still good)

2. Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate (I used PAM for grilling on my indoor grill).  Remove the shrimp from marinade and shake off excess.  Discard remaining marinade.

3. Cook shrimp on the grill until they are bright pink on the outside and the meat is no longer transparent in the center.  This was about 2 minutes per side for me, but I went a little longer because I like to get a nice brown, crunchy outside.

I served with broccoli and a side of rice.  It was delicious!

Tips:

1. I cooked on an indoor grill because I was just cooking for myself.  If you are cooking on an outdoor charcoal or gas grill, I would highly recommend rubbing the grates with oil instead of using PAM.

2. Also, if cooking on outdoor grill, I would recommend using skewers on the shrimp to make sure they don't drop between the grates.  I recommend metal skewers, but if you are using bamboo skewers, be sure to soak in water before use so they don't burn on the grill.

3. For a bit of a margarita flavor, you could add tequila to the marinade!

4. Be sure to start with defrosted shrimp.  I forgot to pull some out the night before, so I did the quick defrost method of putting the shrimp in a colander and letting COLD water run over them for about 15 mins. NEVER use hot water, you could introduce bacteria.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do, It is a great summer dish, and the shrimp would also be excellent on a southwest style salad!

-Danielle

Weekend Recipe: Chocolate Scotcheroos = The Best Rice Cereal Treats You've Ever Had

The weekend is finally here!  What a week!

Yesterday was a friend of Mr. Bear and mine's birthday.  We are celebrating by going to a baseball game tonight!

Although I won't be able to bring any treats into the stadium, I wanted to share a recipe I've made for our friend in the past.  He was recently diagnosed with celiac disease so I always try to make something gluten-free, but ever so delicious.  Dessert is usually the most difficult since SO many desserts have flour in them, but do I have a dessert for you!

I introduce you to the Chocolate Scotcheroo!

(Image courtesy of ricekrispies.com since I didn't get a chance to take picture of them the last time I made these delicious morsels)

The Chocolate Scotcheroo is like a Rice Krispie Treat taken to the next level.

When I was a kid, my mom ONLY made her rice cereal treats this way.  I was later disappointed to find out that not everyone makes such delicious rice cereal desserts.

The recipe contains corn syrup instead of marshmallows (which is good for gf followers since some marshmallow brands can be subject to gluten cross-contamination).  It also contains the 2 secret ingredients that make them ever so delicious, peanut butter and butterscotch.  Even if you don't like butterscotch, you will love these!  The peanut butter, chocolate and butterscotch blend together so nicely into an ooey gooey goodness, you'll blink and they'll be gone.

Chocolate Scotcheroos

  Ingredients

Original recipe makes 24 bars

• 1 cup Light Corn Syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (can use crunchy, but I prefer creamy)

• 6 cups crispy rice cereal (If making gluten-free, be sure to get the gluten-free Rice Krispies.  Traditional Rice Krispies contain malt which has gluten)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions

1. Cook corn syrup and sugar together in a large pan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Bring mixture just to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter; mix well. Add cereal; stir until evenly coated.
2. Pour into greased 13x9-inch pan and pat into place.
3. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Spread over cereal.
4. Cool at least 45 minutes, or until firm. Cut into bars.

• PREP 20 mins
• COOK 10 mins
• READY IN 1 hr 15 mins 

 

Tips:

• Make sure to just bring the sugar and corn syrup to a slight boil.  Do NOT boil for a long time.  If you boil for any length of time your bars will be very hard to eat once they cool. 
• In the summer it can get hot, and the chocolate can melt if left out.  You can put these in the fridge for a short period of time to re-harden the chocolate on top, however, be aware that the corn syrup hardens too, so make sure you let it warm up a bit after pulling out of the fridge so you will be able to chew. :) 
• Spray cooking spray into measuring cup for adding corn syrup, that way the corn syrup slides right out of the measuring cup

**Update**

• If making gluten free, make sure to use gf butterscotch chips.  Nestle's is NOT gf but Hershey's is.  I almost contaminated a whole batch because I bought Nestle's instead of Hershey's.  

-Danielle

Welcome to my Blog!

Welcome to my new blog!

I'm Danielle and my husband, Mr. Bear, and I were married in July 2012.  Our first year of marriage has been wonderful, and I hope to share tips and tricks I've learned (and continue to learn) along the way.

Look for posts on topics ranging from wedding planning tips (my friends are all getting married now :) ) to recipes and tips for home ownership.

-Danielle