Carrie Lewis' Graham Cracker Caramel Bars

Carrie Lewis is wonderful friend from our parish and neighborhood.  She also happens to be a great cook.  Our kids swam together on the neighborhood swim team.  Carrie brought these caramel bars to one of the swim team parties several years ago.  They were so good that the parents hoarded them off away from the dessert table and devoured them before the kids even saw them!

I have made these numerous times especially for gatherings with my wonderful BSB's who affectionately refer to them as "Cornerstone Bars". 

I normally am not super picky about ingredients.  But for this recipe, it's really important to use real butter.  I have made these with margarine before and sometimes they get soggy because margarine contains water (sometimes a lot of water depending on the brand).  It's also important to follow the timing instructions after baking.  If you let them sit in the pan too long, they are hard to remove.  If you take them out too soon, all the caramel runs off. 

Enjoy this yummy little treasure!  Thanks Carrie!

Caramel Graham Cracker Bars

a.k.a. Cornerstone Bars

From Carry Lewis

 

48 graham crackers (12 large crackers cut to 1”x2”)

1 cup brown sugar

2 sticks of butter

1 cup chopped nuts

2 cups chocolate chips ( I used milk chocolate, but any kind is fine)

 

Cut graham crackers and line up in cookie sheet with lip  or jelly roll pan

 

Boil brown sugar and butter for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Add nuts and stir. 

Pour/spread over graham crackers

 

Bake for 10 minutes @350

Remove pan from oven

Let stand for 10 minutes until caramel begins to gel.

 

Remove pieces from pan and place on a cooling rack.

Melt chocolate chips in sauce pan.  Stir constantly to prevent burning.

When graham crackers are cooled, schmear with chocolate.  (A schmear doesn't have to be perfect - just a quick swipe).

Chill before storing.  

These freeze well.

 

Sally Landy's Award-Winning Gooey Butter Cake

Gooey Butter Cake

By Sally Landy

Sally Landy is what my family refers to as a BSB, which stands for "Bible Study Buddy".  We have been in a scripture study group (The Cornerstone) for nearly 20 years.  Sally is abundant in spirit and wonderfully creative.  So you can imaging how excited I was to see her name along side the runner up  winning recipe in the Ladue News Gooey Butter Cake Contest!  I made the recipe immediately after seeing  the  magazine article and, oh my goodness, it is fabulous!  As you may expect, it is very rich, so I cut the pieces very small and place in cupcake holders.  That way, they can be conveniently scarfed down by your delighted guests! 

Be on the lookout  for more fabulous recipes from Sally and other BSB's (such as Pat Gate's amazing carrot cake!). They are heavenly!  

Meanwhile, enjoy this award-winner!

Gooey Butter Cake

By Sally Landy

Crust

1 yellow cake mix,

1 egg and

1 stick of butter , melted 

With an electric mixer, blend above ingredients and Spread in a greased  13 x 9 pan.

Filling

1 - 8 oz Cream Cheese, - softened

2 eggs

1 TBL vanilla extract

1 box of powdered sugar (I believe a box is 16 oz, which would be half a 2 lb. bag or 33/4 cups).

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup white chocolate chips 

   

 

Beat together cream cheese and eggs until well blended.  Beat in vanilla until smooth.  Then add powdered sugar and mix well.  On a low speed, slowly add melted butter , mix well.  After beating this mixture well,  stir in chips by hand. 

Spread on top of the cake mix mixture in the pan.

Bake at 350  degrees for 40 -50 minutes.  Keep an eye on it.  It may not take 40  minutes to brown and have a toothpick come out cleanly.

 When it has had a chance to cool down a bit, sprinkle a light of powdered sugar to finish.

 

I received this cool covered cake plate as a gift (Crate & Barrel).  I use it to store my pastries.  They stay fresh and yet you can see what you have in inventory!



 

 

Pat Gates' Super Moist Carrot Cake

I have been blessed to live next to my wonderful neighbor Pat for over 25 years.  We have watched our kids grow up, shared many things and learned a lot from one another.  One thing I know with certainty is that Pat makes the most amazing carrot cake I have ever had.   It is a layer cake that is extremely moist and has a super rich, creamy cream cheese and butter cream icing.  The best part about it is that she splits the layers in half, so you end up making four layers with icing between each.  Splitting the layers is easy - you just need a really long sharp knife.  

It is an easy recipe that looks elegant and tastes incredible!  - A real crowd pleaser!  

Thanks Pat for sharing this treasure!

Carrot Cake

By Pat Gates

Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 ½ cups oil

2/3 cup chopped pecans

3 cups grated carrots (about a 1# bag or you can buy carrot shreds)

4 eggs

Prepare pans. 

Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter parchment and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. 

Batter

Sift  dry ingredients.  Add oil, nuts and carrots.  Mix well.  Add in one egg at a time, mixing well between each.  Bake in greased and floured round pans,  Either 3 – 8” rounds, or 2 - 9” rounds   30-40 minutes @350.  Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and transfer to a cooling rack , top side up.  Cool completely and peel off parchment paper. 

 If you use 2 – 9” rounds, once baked, split horizontally to make 4 layers.  If top half is rounded, then level off so each layer is flat.  

Icing (the best part)

1 8oz cream cheese

½ stick of butter or margarine

2 ¾ - 3 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Cream cream cheese and butter together

Beat in powdered sugar

Beat in vanilla.

For authentic looking carrot cake, ice between layers and on top, but not on the sides.