Friends, during my more than 10 years of blogging, it is this moment that were my Grandpa still alive he’d say I hit the big time! I’ve partnered with Werther’s Original to help solve the “Great Caramel Debate”. National Caramel Day is April 5th and we want to know…is it “Kar-muhl or “Ker-uh-muhl” to you?

Before we get into the debate, let me tell you a little story about my Grandpa Hudiburg. He had the most amazing farmhouse and a constant stash of rare Werther’s Original candy hidden in a very special place in his house. He once shared his secret place with me – inside his big butlers pantry off his kitchen. As a young girl, as soon as we’d get to Grandpa’s house I’d sneak away from the rest of my family, head into the pantry, climb up on the step stool, then the countertop and reach into a glass bowl to grab a  Werther’s Original candy. …

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After the egg cream float, daycare days, we moved to the country. Well, it was 3 1/2 miles south of the tiny town I went to school in, but to a young girl, that was country. There was no Pizza Hut delivery. There were no friends just dropping in to see if I wanted to play. There was nothing but my family and the animals and the land. The worst part about it was there was no easy access to candy. I had friends who could just walk to a convenience store to get their candy fix. Not me… I had to wait until we’d “go into town” before I could get candy. Such a rough life I lead…

I never understood why my mom couldn’t just make candy bars. I mean, the ingredients were right there on the side of the package. How hard could it be to figure out how much Thiamine Mononitrate and Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate went into a candy bar? Once again, you can pity me because my mom never even tried… I was left candy deprived.

You can imagine my determination the other day when we passed an apartment complex right next to a gas station and I heard my 7 year old exclaim “That would be the best place to live, ever!” When I asked her why, she said “Because you could get candy easily any time you wanted!” Ahhhh…. the flood of memories came rushing back to me and I became bound and determined to give my girl what I never had… her favorite candy bar without having to wait until a “trip to town” to get it.

OK so – Homemade Twix Caramel Cookie Bars…. soooooo good, but no substitute for the real Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate filled goodness you can find at the convenience store. If you are looking for a shortbread caramel Twix type cookie bar, this recipe is for you. If you are looking for the real thing, move next to a gas station.  I’m pretty sure that’s the only solution.

Recipe: Homemade Twix Caramel Cookie Bars

For the shortbread layer:

• 2 sleeves Girl Scout Shortbread cookies, finely crushed (I used a food processor)
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 9 Tablespoons butter, melted

Combine cookies, sugar and melted butter in a bowl. Press into prepared 8-inch square baking dish. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you create the caramel layer,

For the caramel layer (from Liz at Hooiser Homemade)

• 1 cup graham crackers, crushed
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter

Combine all ingredients into a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil, while stirring, over medium heat. Continue stirring and allow the mixture to boil for 5 minutes, or until caramel starts to pull away from the side of the pan. Pour the caramel mixture over the shortbread crust, spreading so it is an even layer. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

For the chocolate:

• 1 package Milk Chocolate chips
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 Tablespoon whipping cream

In a microwave safe dish, melt the chocolate chips and butter together on low power for 2 minutes. Stir in the whipping cream. Continue the melting process at 30 second intervals until chocolate is melted and smooth. Pour over the caramel layer and spread until even and smooth. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until settled. Cut into squares, top with crumbs from the shortbread crust, and serve.

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I have received numerous emails lately about Adopt-a-Blogger and wanted to let you know that there will be an Adopt a Blogger #3 coming up before the end of the month. Make sure to keep watching Dine & Dish for details on how you can adopt a newbie blogger or how you yourself can be adopted by a more experienced blogger. I will be creating a round-up from Adopt-a-Blogger 2 and posting it shortly and in that post will be providing the scoop on Adopt-a-Blogger #3. Details to come very soon!

The post Adopt a Blogger #3 (and Chocolate Caramel Rolo Cookies) appeared first on Dine and Dish.

One of the most popular recipes on my site is a recipe I posted “way back when”. Back when I was a newbie blogger, I posted a recipe for Oooey Gooey Monkey Bread. In that post, I encouraged people to get messy with their kids. Allow them to use their hands to eat and let all of their inhibitions go out the window.

I know that people are going to that particular post for the recipe, as I get a ton of hits on that post each day. I hope what folks are taking away from it, besides a really yummy recipe, is the thought to let loose some, HAVE FUN (if you haven’t seen this video, you MUST!), and that living life without pristine cleanliness is often times a great way to live!

What are you doing to let loose a little? My mom called me the other day and shared something she read on the wall of her doctors office. It was something about raising happy children, and one of the suggestions was to make a cake and let your kids eat it without using their hands! Can you imagine the memory that would make in their minds? Well, we are doing it this weekend and I’ll let you know how it goes!

If you are stuck in a “can’t quite get the whole let loose thing” rut, I am posting a different recipe for a pull apart bread that can be a babystep for you getting started.  I hope that you are enjoying your life because it can be very short… you might as well make the most of it and have fun!

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