Northwoods Scrapbook

Thursday, August 11, 2022

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Hello Friends!

First of all, I wanted to thank you for the all the words, thoughts and prayers of support for my Mom. It touches my heart and I appreciate you all so much! I'm working on this post early and scheduling it to post because I will most likely be at the hospital for Cooking Thursday. My Mom is having bypass surgery. So, please feel free to keep the prayers coming. ♥️ I feel very positive about how things will go, though, and I'm leaving it all in the Lord's hands overall. 🙏

But I wanted to share this recipe because these bars were so delish! I found the recipe on TikTok under an account by erica.baty They are the perfect summer treat and they are kind of like amped up rice krispies bars.

INGREDIENTS:

5 c. peanut butter Cap'n Crunch

4 c. Rice Krispies

1/2 c. peanut butter chips

16 oz. bag of mini marshmallows

6 T. butter

1 cup peanut butter

1 & 1/2 c. chocolate chips

4 Reese's peanut butter cups (chopped)

In a large bowl mix the Cap'n Crunch, Rice Krispies and peanut butter chips. Set aside. On the stove over medium-low melt mini marshmallows with butter and once melted a bit mix in peanut butter & melt and mix all together well. Pour over the bowl with cereal mix and mix up well. It will be sticky so I often spray a rubber spatula with cooking spray to help mix and put into pan. Once mixed put into greased 9x13 and push into an even layer. In another bowl melt chocolate chips in the microwave at every 15-30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until all the chips are melted and stirred well. Pour over bars and spread with offset spatula. Cut up pb cups and sprinkle all over the top. Let the chocolate set and then cut into bars.

They are mouth watering yummy! Enjoy! 😋

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Wordless Wednesday

Monday, August 8, 2022

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello Friends 🌞

Happy new week to you! It was kind of a crazy weekend here. Concerning because my Mom had a heart event and had to be admitted to get an angiogram. Still waiting to see what the results will show and go from there. The good thing is she's doing very well, feels much better now being on a blood thinner drip, and feels very positive overall. All prayers welcomed of course!

But until that worry we had a fun weekend too. Annie and Matt & I went mini golfing one night and then out for dinner. And then later our friends the C's came over to hang out and have a fire on the deck and have treats and lots of catch up time. Their daughter had been away for the summer on an internship and she was home so we got to see their whole family (plus their daughter's boyfriend). And with my Aaron being home too, it was such a nice overall reunion. 💕

Then the next day an Uncle & Aunt of mine came over to hang out and meet Matt. I had promised them a pontoon ride this summer and even though it felt more Fall like in weather - we all went out for awhile (my kiddos too). We just wore sweatshirts and I brought blankets for all of us. We are people of the north and used to the weather. Lol We had snacks and just trolled in and out of the bays so it was more sheltered and warmer. Then came back and played games that had us in stitches laughing! If you've never played the game Telestrations - you need to!! PS: I made the yummiest bars from a recipe on TikTok of all places. I'll share it this week!

So now I'm just praying everything is really minor with my Mom 🙏

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

I needed to pick up my daughter from her final "on the road" drivers training - she passed everything and will probably have her license before the week is over! (where does the time go??) But she wanted a breakfast bagel from our local bagel place - so I had that and a coffee with vanilla almond milk foam.

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:
get oil changed, chiropractor, grief calls and hospice work at the facility, home projects

THINKING ABOUT:

Just wanting my Mom to be okay, her procedure to go very well and that they don't find anything major

CURRENTLY READING

last of my summer magazines

ON THE TV TODAY:

Grace & Frankie and Virgin River series, Blown Away (series about people that blow glass - done contest style) - all on Netflix, Becoming Elizabeth, America's Got Talent, Big Brother, Who do You Think You Are?, Grantchester

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

MONDAY - all on the grill: pork chops, baked potatoes, asparagus

TUESDAY - BLT's, chips, veggies & dip

WEDNESDAY - orange chicken, stir fry veggies, cauliflower rice

THURSDAY - pasta with marinara (meatballs for those that want), caesar salad

FRIDAY - maybe out for dinner?

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

walk, read out in the sun, lunch with a gf

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

FROM THE CAMERA:

The furry babies in my life. Bubba and Ruby. Bubba is Matt's cat. He had a dog he loved that he let his ex wife keep. He wanted to adopt another dog but when he went to the shelter he realized it was selfish of him because he was working so much. But this cat wouldn't stop loving on him while he was there. He left the shelter - got down the road and then decided to turn around and go back and get Bubba. He never had a cat in his life so he needed help getting all the things for a cat. Lol He's had Bubba ever since. 🐱 💗

PRAYER LIST:
For my Mom to go through her procedure great and heal well, and have nothing major wrong with her heart. For peace and healing in our world. 🙏

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

As so many of you know, I'm such a Fall loving person - but I also thought so many of you still stuck in heat or drought would really appreciate this too. 😉 🍂 🧡

I'm linking with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.

Thursday, August 4, 2022

Caramel Nut Bars

Happy Thursday Friends ☀️

I thought I would share the recipe for the bars I made this past weekend. I think I have shared them in the past - but if I did it's been a while. They're easy to make. Always a hit. And they're versatile because you can make them your own in any different way. I usually make mine caramel cashew bars. But the base is the same for any of the bars - a sugar cookie crust, and then you build from there. I brought them up to Matt's lake for is family this past weekend and they all thought they were delish. 😋

When I first put the pan in the oven and...

After baking. 😋

INGREDIENTS:

1 tube of pillsbury sugar cookie dough (or sugar cookie dough you like)

1 c. nuts of your choice (pecan, cashew etc) but do halves & pieces

1 c. chocolate chips

1c. shredded coconut

3/4 c. of caramel ice cream topping sauce

2 TBSP flour

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and preheat oven to 350*. Cut the log of cookie dough into slices and place in rows in the pan. Use a little flour on your fingers if needed and spread the dough until it forms a solid base to fill the pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes until dough is a little golden. While it bakes pour caramel topping in a pourable measuring cup to 3/4 c. (use a fresh jar of sauce so it pours easily without needing to heat it). Mix in the 2 TBSP of flour and mix well to form your thickened sauce. Take the crust out of the oven and pour your nuts, chocolate chips & coconut evenly over crust. Pour the thickened caramel sauce over all trying to pour it over as evenly as possible. Put back in oven and bake another 15-20 minutes until the caramel is hot and bubbling and crust fully cooked. Take it out and let it cool a bit before cutting into bars.

Here's a pic of my caramel cashew version - but you could use whichever nuts you like...add other extras like butterscotch chips too. It's a pretty versatile kind of bar. If you don't like coconut don't use it - it's all up to you! But any way I've made them they're always a hit.

Enjoy!