Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

Rice Krispie Treats, you either don't like them or you love them.

Well, in this case you're going to LOVE them.

Firstly, they are super easy to make, secondly did I say you're going ot LOVE them :)

You, get the gooey, stickyness from the marshmallow, crunchiness from the Rice Krispies

And then in my opinion comes the best,

The salted caramel topping :)

Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

• 3 TBSP butter
• 1 10-oz package regular sized marshmallows or 4 cups mini marshmallows OR you can use marshmallow fluff a 7.5 oz size 
• 6 cups Rice Krispie Cereal
• 1 package Kraft Caramel Bits
• 2 TBSP milk
• About 2 tsp coarse sea salt

Melt the butter, in the microwave.

Today, I used the marshmallow fluff

 ( but if your using regular marshmallows, you will need to melt them)

Mix the melted butter and marshmallow together 

Add the Rice Krispies and stir well. I spray my spoon with non-stick spray. Our if you like to use your hands, you can spray them too, that way you don't get the mix stuck all over  your hands. Well, that part I don't mind - I get to lick it off! Albeit make sure you wash your hands before handling the treats again!

Press the krispie mixture into a sprayed pan. I used non-stick spray again.

Place the caramel bits & milk into a dish and pop in the microwave and melt for about 1 & 1/2 min.

Stir and if they haven't quite melted pop them back in and do 15 sec increments until ther are melted.

STIR well and then pour over the top of the Rice krispies. 

Next sprinkle the sea salt over the caramel.

Pop in the fridge to set. 

Take then out and cut into squares. 

ENJOY!

SALTED CARAMEL RICE KRISPIE TREATS

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Strawberry Cookies

I love cookies, whether they are chocolate chip, macadamia, oatmeal or many of the different varieties we can make or buy (I do prefer homemade, you just can't beat them)

Scroll down for The Recipe

And with a punnet of fresh strawberries on hand, I decided to make

Strawberry Cookies.

And they turned out wonderful, crispy around the outside, chewy in the middle, with the fresh burst of

Strawberry yumminess.

Strawberlicous!

I can't say whether the juice from the strawberries will soften the cookie on the second day

As in my home -- cookies NEVER last that long!

Go on... Bake some Strawberry Cookies.  You know you want to :)

I know they are the new favorite in our home, and what a better way to get my little girls

To eat fruit!

STRAWBERRY COOKIES

Adapted from, ButterBaking.com

Makes 24 cookies.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 punnet strawberries (250g, 9oz)
2 tbsp sugar

Preheat the oven to350 f and line 2 trays with baking paper.

Hull the strawberries and slice them. Mix them with the 2 tablespoons of sugar and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla until smooth and combined.

Add the egg, beating well.

Turn the mixer off, add the flour, baking soda and salt, and beat on a low speed until just incorporated.

Pat the strawberries dry with paper towel and very gently, stir them into the mixture.

Drop tablespoons of the dough onto the baking trays, allowing room for spreading.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through baking, until the cookies are golden brown.

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Creamy Carrot Soup

You look in your fridge and you see that you haven't used your carrots. What am I going to make? - Yet another smoothie or something else.

How about something else :) With Spring finally here and Bunnies all around, well the Easter Bunny and Easter not too far away that is - and with my girls loving to munch on raw carrots - why not make, a simple and quick soup.

If you're wondering if your little ones will eat this well heres what my girls did. Carys ate 4 bowls of the soup & Seren in her innocence said, "Mammy bunnies eat carrots, not carrot soup!" and ate 2 spoons full - well at least she tried it right :)

 Creamy Carrot Soup.

 12 good sized carrots

1 Large Onion

1 Stick of Butter

1 stem of fresh Rosemary

3/4 of  the carton of Half & Half 

(Or if you want it creamier, use Heavy Cream)

1 large Carton Chicken Broth

Salt and Pepper

Dash or two of Curry Powder

Clean & Peel the Carrots, then chop & dice carrots 

& Onion.

Using a large stock pot, melt the stick of butter

 &

 add carrots, Onion, Rosemary, Salt and Pepper.

Allow the melted butter to coat the veggies

Then add the chicken broth

Make sure the broth covers all of the veggies.

Bring to the boil.

Once the soup has come to a boil, remove the Rosemary & discard.

Turn heat down to a simmer & cook until the carrots are soft.

Next, add some dashes of Curry Powder

Then blend using a immersion hand blender

 Or

 Remove from heat & use a regular blender, until till smooth and you have

 NO LUMPS. 

Add the Half & Half

(Or heavy cream if you're using that)

Give it a quick Blend.

Give it a taste test and add more S&P if needed.

Serve with some freshly made Homemade Bread & an Arugula & Spinach Salad.

Creamy Carrot Soup

DELISH.

 

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Blackberry & Banana Cake

I picked up some large and juicy and delicious blackberries the other day. They sat on my counter begging to be used in something yummy, not that there already weren't yummy by themselves- because they were.

But, as you should know by now, I love to bake (my waistline groans in protest) LOL but I have to say, with me working out like a crazy mama and doing good with keeping my calories way- way under.

 So, those blackberries and some quite ripe banana's were going to be added into a cake. 

I used this recipe HERE although I omitted using the Cassis.

Here's what you will need:

Ingredients

Blackberry Filling

1 1/4  cups fresh blackberries (if frozen, thaw and drain well)

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

3 medium bananas (mashed)

1 cup sour cream

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Grease bottom and side of 10-inch tube cake pan with shortening and lightly flour.

In a small bowl, mix all the blackberry filling ingredients and set aside. 

Blend the Sugar and butter till smooth.

Then add 1 egg at a time and beat well.

Add the Spices and beat.

Until your mixture is soft, fluffy and creamy.

Add your mashed Bananas & mix. 

This next step you're going to add 1/3 flour, then 1/3 sour cream

 Until you finish with the flour lastly. Beat well.

I didn't have a bundt pan so I used a larger spring loaded pan.

I used half of the mixture in bottom.

Then add the Blackberry/ nut mixture over the mixture.

Then spoon over the remainder of the mixture. Pop in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until when a pick is inserted, comes out clean.

Leave to cool completely.

Once your cake has cooled you can make the glaze.

Go slow with the water till, you get the right consistency.

It will stick on the fork and still drizzle down

Drizzle all over the cake. Then, as i'm sure your tummy is grumbling with how yummy is looks and smells, cut yourself a slice and enjoy!

Blackberry & Banana Cake.

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