Old Fashioned Caramel Popcorn Bars

I saw this recipe in Everyday Food magazine and couldn't resist giving it a try. It tastes like something you'd buy at a candy store, and it was so easy to make! A great Halloween treat -- I'm only a month early ...

Old Fashioned Caramel Popcorn Bars

12 C popped popcorn (use 1/2 C kernels or 2 microwave pkgs)
4 C coarsely chopped salted pretzels
2 C sugar
1/2 C water
1/2 t salt
2/3 C heavy cream
2 C mini marshmallows
Kosher salt and/or cayenne pepper to taste

• Butter or spray a 9x13" baking dish.
• In a very large heat-safe bowl combine popcorn and pretzels.
• In a medium pan, combine sugar, water and salt and bring to boil at medium high heat.
  
• Boil, without stirring 8 to 12 minutes (8 minutes will give you a toffee-like flavor, while boiling for 12 minutes gives you a more distinctly caramel taste.)

• Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream -- there will be some sizzling -- and then mini marshmallows. Stir until melted.
  
• Pour caramel over popcorn/pretzel mixture and stir until combined.
• Spoon into baking dish. It will look like way too much, but push down with plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick spray and it will fit perfectly.
• Sprinkle with a very small amount of kosher salt and/or cayenne if desired.
  
• Cool completely before cutting into bars.
• Store up to 2 days in an airtight container.

Chicken Broccoli "Pot Pie"

Hungry for some real comfort food, but running short on time? Give this super simple casserole a try. All the creaminess of pot pie without the work of making pie dough. Gene liked it so much he almost licked his plate clean, and then we made it for Matt a few days later when he came home from college and it got his seal of approval too. A winner!!

Chicken Broccoli "Pot Pie"

1 1/2 C broccoli florets
2 onions, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
6T olive oil, butter or a combo -- divided
Salt, pepper and cayenne to taste (a little lemon pepper also tastes good)
1/4 C flour
1/2 C chicken broth or white wine (I used broth)
1 C half and half
2 C milk
3-4C good quality bread, torn into pieces
2 1/2 C shredded chicken (make it easy and use a rotisserie chicken)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Steam broccoli (okay to do this in microwave). Once cooked, give a rough chop (the size pieces you'd like to eat in one bite) and set aside.

In a large pot saute 2 onions in 3T olive oil or butter. When softened add minced garlic and cook for one minute. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne.

Add chicken broth or wine and cook a few minutes til evaporated. Add flour and cook several minutes, stirring. Gradually whisk in half and half and milk. Bring to boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Cook til thickened. Remove from heat. Taste for seasoning. Stir in cooked broccoli pieces and shredded chicken.

Mix bread with 3T olive oil or melted butter (or a combo) and a dash of kosher salt.

Place chicken mixture in buttered baking dish. Top with prepared bread and bake at 450 degrees for around 10 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and bread is toasty. (Watch carefully to prevent tips of bread from burning. See my picture for the example of what NOT to do!)

Make Ahead: You can prepare this dish the day before and place in a microwave-safe baking dish. When ready to eat, microwave about 7 minutes, stirring every few minutes, til heated. Top with bread just before baking 8 to 10 minutes.

Sweet and Creamy Coleslaw

Kelly and baby Ella joined us for dinner tonight so I wanted something quick to prepare. We were having burgers, and I love slaw on my burger, so this sweet and creamy coleslaw was just perfect. We ate so much that I had to find a new, smaller bowl to take a picture.

Coleslaw

16 oz bag coleslaw mix
2/3 C mayonnaise
1/4 C sugar
3 T milk
2 T vinegar
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper

So quick to prepare, this is a great go-to dish for potlucks, and even better the next day!

Pumpkin Pie Dip

When September comes around, my thoughts turn to pumpkin -- pumpkin cookies, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin fudge, pumpkin syrup in my Starbucks coffee ... pumpkin everything! Two years ago, in an effort to find another way to incorporate this wonderful seasonal food into my diet, I created this yummy and super simple sweet dip. It's great with apple slices, graham crackers, pretzels (love this salty/sweet combo), mini marshmallows and more. Now, off to share it with my good friends!

Pumpkin Pie Dip

8 oz cream cheese (regular or light)
3/4 C canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
3/4 C brown sugar
1 t molasses
1 t cinnamon
1/8 t ginger
1/8 t nutmeg
Dash salt

Combine ingredients in bowl and beat for around 3 to 5 minutes until creamy. Taste for sweetness and spiciness and adjust to taste, if needed.

Stained Glass Jello

I don't know why I like Jello desserts so much, but I go through seasonal "addictions" to them. Coffee jello has been my long-standing favorite, but after tasting this, it has some serious competition. And it not only tastes yummy, but it's gorgeous too -- think Christmas!!

Stained Glass Jello

4 small (3 oz) boxes Jello in different colors - I used cherry, orange, lime and "blue"
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 pkg. unflavored gelatin
Boiling water

Now, here's the "hard" part, or at least the most time consuming part:

Dissolve one flavor jello in 1C boiling water. Pour into a 9X9" pan. Chill til firm. (Can freeze for 8-10 minutes or so to speed process, but DO NOT LET FREEZE.) Cut into very small cubes and pour into 9X13" pan that has been sprayed with non-stick butter spray.

Repeat separately with each flavor of Jello.

In a medium bowl, add 1/2 C water and 2 pkgs. unflavored gelatin. Allow to sit a minute or so to thicken. Add 1 1/2 C boiling water and stir to dissolve and then add 1 can sweetened condensed milk. Stir to combine. Refrigerate til cool. Stir and pour over Jello cubes. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into cubes and serve.