Crunchy Caramel Bars

One day I was going to a party with my family. I wanted to bring something that everyone could eat so I made these. I loved the sound of crunchy graham crackers with caramel and chocolate. This sounded perfect. When I brought these to the party, they were a big hit! these are a great snack and desert for anytime! I hope you enjoy!

-Jana

Crunchy Caramel Bars

Prep Time 25 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings 36

Ingredients
  

  • Around 20 Squares of Graham crackers
  • 11 ounces Caramel squares
  • 2 tbsp Heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup Chocolate chips
  • 1 tbsp Vegetable oil

Instructions
 

  • Line an 8 x 8-inch pan and line it with parchment paper.
  • Put one layer of graham crackers onto the pan. It's ok if you break some to make them fit.
  • Put the caramel squares and heavy whipping cream in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Then take it out and mix for a couple seconds then put it in for another 30 seconds. keep doing this until it is fully melted.
  • Pour the caramel over the graham crackers and spread evenly.
  • Then immediately put another layer of graham crackers again breaking some to fit.
  • Put the chocolate chips and the vegetable oil in a microwave safe bowl. Heat at 50 percent power for 1 minute, stir then put it back in the microwave and do it again until the chocolate is smooth.
  • Pour the chocolate over the graham crackers and spread evenly.
  • Then crush the remaining graham crackers in your hands and sprinkle on top of the chocolate. Chill for at least 2 hours.
  • Cut and serve!
  • Enjoy!!!!

Notes

These can be stores in an airtight container for up to a week.

Taste of the Seasons

Hi! Jana here. My topic for this post is the seasons. First of all, why did I choose the seasons? I choose the seasons because sometimes you might feel like you want to bake something related to the season you are in. Like if its summer you might feel like making lemon bars. Here are some foods I like making during the seasons.

SUMMER

In summer I feel like making lemon bars. Why? Because I feel like lemons are summery treat. Also, because lemons help me wake up with their sour taste. But lemon bars give you a sweet taste and aren’t sour but still waken you up. Just so you know, if you want to know how to make Lemon bars, then you can check out my lemon bar post. And also, if you like it feel free to leave a comment and a rating.

SPRING

In spring I feel like making mint lemonade and fresh strawberry arugula salad. I love making mint lemonade because we always have so many ripe lemons and mint, it’s a refreshing drink and is great on a hot day. I also love making strawberry arugula salad because my family has a lot of fresh arugula in our garden, also a lot of fresh strawberries. If you want to know how to make the lemonade, then at the end of this post I will share the recipe with you.

WINTER

In winter I feel making hot chocolate because, in the winter it’s pretty chilly and I like feeling something cozy in my chest. When I drink my cozy hot chocolate, I love the taste of the cinnamon and chocolate mixing together to make a nice warm feeling inside my mouth. Though there are many other things you can have in the winter I like hot chocolate the most.

FALL

In fall I love making gingerbread cookies because, when you make them, you can get just a little feeling that winter is coming. I love the feeling of the ginger flavor mixing into the cookie. I love the taste of a gingerbread cookie just nice and warm. When you make a gingerbread cookie, I love the fact that you get the option of frosting it or not, and whether frosted or not it will taste so good either way.

Mint Lemonade

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Drinks
Servings 10

Equipment

  • Citrus squeezer Its optional if you want to do it with your hands.

Ingredients
  

  • cups white sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 9 lemons
  • 7 cups cold water
  • ice
  • mint to taste

Instructions
 

  • add the sugar and the 1 cup of water into a saucepan. In your saucepan mix the sugar over medium heat. set aside to cool.
  • Roll your lemons on your counter to soften. then cut them in half lengthwise. Squeeze or juice your lemons, when your done you should have, 1½ cups of juice. Make sure to take out all the seeds.
  • Pour your 7 cups of cold water into a pitcher, then add your lemon juice. And lastly add ice to taste.

Chocolate Chip Banana Breakfast Muffins

Banana bread muffins are a yummy treat that you can have on any day. Also, they are quick and easy to make. The best thing about them is that whenever you have some brown bananas then you can just grab the other ingredients and start baking. In my house these muffins don’t last very long because we just gobble them up in about three days! We eat them at breakfast in our lunches for desert and for snacks.

Let’s get baking! Jana xoxo

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins

Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • Cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ Cup Brown sugar
  • Tsp Baking powder
  • ½ Tsp Cinnamon
  • ¼ Tsp Salt
  • 2 Large Bananas
  • 1 Large Egg
  • ½ Tbsp Vanilla extract
  • ½ Cup Butter
  • ¼ Cup Milk
  • 1 Cup Milk chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 ℉. Then line with muffin liners.
  • Mash your bananas.
  • In a large bowl mix together, mashed bananas, egg, vanilla extract, melted butter, and milk.
  • Mix in the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until you can't see any more flour.
  • Fold in chocolate chips.
  • Spoon the batter evenly into your muffin liners and bake for 20-25 minutes.
  • Let your muffins cool to room temperature before eating.
  • ENJOY!!!!!!!

TASTE BUDS KITCHEN

I have had my birthday party at Taste Buds Kitchen twice. My experience there was SO amazingly EPIC!! The first time I had my party there it was amazing, me and my friends had SO much fun! The second time I had a party there it was again so much fun, and I heard someone say that their child loved it so much that they begged their parents to let them come!

Taste Buds Kitchen lets you have birthday parties where you choose your own menu and the chefs who work there guide you through the steps. I have tried the Chocolate lover menu and the Pasta war menu. Personally, I liked the Pasta war menu more, but that is only because I am not really chocolate person. I also like the Pasta war menu because we got to make pasta from scratch, so we got to make the dough and then use the machine to make the pasta shape! Do you know you can also have after school classes and summer camps?

I love Taste Buds Kitchen because it is nut free, and watches out for allergies if you tell them, and you always have SO much fun! I’m so glad I have chosen to have my party here for two years and I really want to have my birthday party here again.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

Hi. Jana here. I’m doing a book review on the book The Complete Baking Book For Young Chefs. This book is how I started baking. I started baking when the pandemic had just hit in 2020. I wanted to do something because we were stuck at home, so I got a baking book and started baking.

I recommend this book for the ages 7 and older. Why? Because some things can be really hard in the kitchen for children under 7. And there are some things in the kitchen that could hurt them, like the oven, a pan, boiling hot water, hot things in the microwave, and much more.

What I love about this book is that for every recipe there is a compliment about the recipe. This book gives young bakers (like me!) a chance to make something and have fun! Some of my favorite recipes from this book are, Pumpkin bread, raspberry muffins, a fruit tart, and some other delicious things. Another thing I love about this book is that it has all different types of recipes.

This book has taught me so many great recipes and I hope you enjoy them too.Here’s my favorite recipe from this book, pumpkin bread. This recipe is straight from the book and not my own.

Let’s get baking!

Jana xoxo

Pumpkin bread

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

  • Vegetable oil spray
  • cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • ½ tsp Baking soda
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 2 tbsp Milk
  • ¾ cup Canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
  • ¾ tsp Ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • tsp Ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup White sugar
  • ½ cup Light brown sugar
  • ½ cup Vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup Chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oven to 350 degrees. spray the inside of an 8½-by-4½-inch metal loaf pan with vegetable oil spray.
  • In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Then in a small bowl whisk together the eggs and milk.
  • In a large saucepan, combine pumpkin puree, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Cook this over medium heat while stirring consistently until the mixture begins to bubble.
  • Turn off the heat and slide the saucepan onto a cool burner. Add sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil and whisk until fully combined. Then let the mixture cool for 10 minutes. whisk again until the mixture is very smooth.
  • Now add the egg mixture and whisk together. Add the flour mixture and use a rubber spatula to mix until no flour streaks remain. Add the chocolate chips to the mixture.
  • Scrape the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top.
  • Put the loaf pan into the oven. Bake for 50-1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the comes out clean.
  • After taking the loaf pan out of the oven place the loaf pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Then using oven mitts turn the loaf pan onto its side and carefully take the loaf out. Let it sit on its side for at least 1 hour then slice and serve!!!!

Lemon Bars

Lemon Bars are a yummy sweet treat that you can enjoy with family, friends, and others too. I love this dessert because I like how it combines a biscuit base with lemon flavor, and it reminds me of spring and summertime when the lemon tree in my garden gives us a LOT of juicy lemons.

If you like lemon flavored treats or need a dessert for a summertime picnic or party – I highly recommend these lemon bars. Don’t forget to dust them with powdered sugar once they cool so they look just like the bakery version (but I promise they taste better!)

Let’s get baking!

Jana xoxo

Lemon Bars

5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 20

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Softened butter
  • ½ cup White sugar
  • 2 cups All purpose flour
  • 4 Eggs
  • ¼ cup All-purpose flour
  • cup Lemon juice
  • Zest of one lemon
  • ¼ cup White sugar

Instructions
 

  • Set oven to 350℉
  • In medium bowl blend together softened butter, two cups flour, and ½ cup white sugar
  • Press into the bottom of a ungreased 9 by 13 inch pan
  • Bake for 15 to 20 min until firm and golden
  • In another bowl whisk together 1¼ cups white sugar, and ¼ cup of flour
  • Whisk in eggs, and lemon juice
  • Pour over baked crust after it comes out of oven
  • Put in oven for 20 min
  • Take out and let cool then cut into two inch squares
  • If you want you can sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top
  • ENJOY!!!!

Family Favorite Magic Bars!

Magic Bars are an easy but family favorite recipe, and a lot of people really like them. This is maybe the one thing we make the most in my house, unfortunately they never last long because we gobble them up!!!!

I bring this sweet to family, friends, and on my birthday this year I made a triple batch and brought them to school. I hope you will try this recipe and enjoy it like everyone else did.

Let’s get baking!!

Jana xoxo

Magic Bars

5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 3/4 cup pecans{ optional }
  • 1⅔ cups sweetened condensed milk

Instructions
 

  • Set oven to 350℉
  • Take crushed graham cracker crumbs and mix in the light brown sugar
  • Melt butter and mix into cracker mixture
  • Push down into a 8 by 8 baking pan
  • In layers sprinkle half of the chocolate chips half the coconut and then if you want add half the pecans
  • Do that one more time so there is no coconut, chocolate chips, or pecans left
  • Pour condensed milk evenly over the top
  • Bake for 30 min until golden, make sure it has cooled completely before eaten
  • ENJOY!!!!

Notes

Pecans are optional if you have allergies.