Morning by Morning, Recipe by Recipe

If there is something I am learning right now, it is simply to take life one day at a time.  I've recently been reading Regina Brett's book "God Never Blinks".  In her book, she encourages readers to live in the present moment and that if you aren't sure where to go, do "the next right thing".  So that's where I am right now, merely taking things step by step, morning by morning, day by day.  Honestly, that's the best way to do anything and get anything done well.  Most people never achieve their goals or live their dreams simply because they did not take that first baby step.  It's heartbreaking.  I talk to people all the time who read my blog or see my posts on Facebook about the food I make.  Often I hear comments like, "your food looks so good!  I wish I could cook like that" or "I wish I knew how to cook well" or "your food has so much variety!  I wish I ate __________".  I'm always puzzled.  In my head I respond, "...Well, why don't you?".  Of course, this would be rude and blunt to say, so I usually just smile and say thank you.  But really, what's holding you back?

What would be the first step for you?  For some, it might mean taking an extremely basic class.  For others, it might be going to the library and starting with a very simple children's cookbook (some of which actually have amazing recipes!).  For others, it might mean going to culinary school or having a friend help teach you. I think for many, it is getting beyond that initial fear of failure and fear of the unknown.  I know several cooks who use basically the same ingredients all the time, because they are afraid of using new ingredients, new foods, new recipes, new techniques.

My first step was cooking the first recipe on my Pinterest board, which at the time had over 2,000 recipes.  Yep, my goal is to cook my way through Pinterest.  The great thing about this is that I will probably never finish.  That's okay.  The first step is only one recipe.

I'll be honest: I don't love everything I make.  I don't even like everything I make.  Sometimes I know I'm probably not going to like it before I even buy the ingredients.  That isn't why I cook though.  Sure, I love to eat foods that taste good to me.  I also love eating things that are healthy (which sometimes means eating things I don't like).  But most of all, I love the journey from reading the recipe for the first time to grocery shopping to making the food to arranging it on plates to serving it to blogging about it.  I love the art of cooking.

I also love a challenge.  In school when projects were assigned, I would always choose difficult topics, usually ones I knew nothing about or ones that were highly specialized.  I was looking for a challenge.  I took some of the most difficult courses offered at my college.  My freshman year, I was advised to take Spanish as my language in college because I had a solid background in it and it would be easier than some of the other languages offered.  The moment I heard that, I had it in my mind that I would take Koine Greek (which is now a dead language) and Hebrew.

I am the same way when it comes to cooking.  The more odd ingredients a recipe has, the more likely I'm going to drive the staff at my local grocery store crazy trying to find them.  The more steps a recipe has, the better.  The more terms I don't know, the more fun I have looking them up.  The more time a recipe takes, the more anticipation I get for the final product.  I love complicated.  What's so funny about cooking (and a lot of other things in life, really) is that many recipes that appear complicated at first, end up being incredibly easy.

I want to encourage you all to step out of your food comfort zone.  Try a new food.  Try a new spice.  Try a new recipe.  Write the first paragraph for your own food blog.  Buy some cute plates to display your food on.  Wash off that food processor you've never used.  Sign up for a class.  Call up a friend.  Cook that first new recipe.

I say all this because two of the things I made last night were ones that I probably would not have attempted six months ago.  One of these looked too time consuming and difficult.  The other I knew I wouldn't like.

Bacon and Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

Original recipe can be found at: http://www.mountainmamacooks.com/2011/02/bacon-and-cream-cheese-stuffed-mushrooms/

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. Mushrooms (I used white button)
• 4 oz. Cream Cheese
• 3 strips Bacon
• 1/2 c. Red Onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 t. Minced Garlic
• 1/4 c. Parmesan, grated

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut the uncooked strips of bacon into small pieces and cook them in a skillet.
3. While the bacon is frying, de-stem your mushrooms. (I had never done this before.  I started by trying to cut them out and that didn't work well.  Then I tried twisting the stem out.  This resulted in broken caps.  Finally I discovered the secret is to gently rock the stem and then pull straight out.)  Finely chop the mushroom stems (I also chopped the broken caps).
4. Once your bacon has crisped up, transfer the pieces to a plate covered with paper towels.  Leave the grease in the pan and put your chopped onion in to saute.  Saute for roughly five minutes, until the onion is well done.
5. Add your mushroom stems and garlic to the onion and cook for about two more minutes.  Make sure you stir frequently so that the garlic doesn't burn.
6. Turn the heat down to low, and add in your cream cheese and parmesan cheese.  I would recommend adding the cream cheese in small chunks to help it melt.  Stir continuously.
7. Once your cheese is melty, put your bacon back in the mixture.  Make sure that the bacon is evenly distributed throughout.
8. Cover a large baking sheet (with sides) with foil.  Fill your mushroom caps and place on the foil.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Serve hot.

I had always thought that stuffed mushrooms were really hard to make and super time consuming.  They are usually expensive at restaurants and I thought that taking the stem off the mushrooms and filling them would take forever!  In reality, once I figured out what I was doing, it really wasn't that hard.  They ended up being so delicious, that I would recommend doubling the recipe!

I'll be candid, I did not really like this next recipe.  My husband loved it.  Until we got married, I had never eaten an avocado, save for in some guacamole at Chipotle.  One day, my husband came home with an avocado, cut it open, and ate it right out of the peel.  I tried a bite and found that avocados were not to my liking.  My husband LOVES avocados.  If I could come up with a way to incorporate them into every meal, he would be thrilled.  Marriage is about giving up your own wants and needs for those of your spouse.  As a token of my love for him, I have been trying to incorporate avocados into our menu once or twice a week.  I'm trying to learn to like them, although so far I have discovered I like them best in guacamole with lots of lime juice.  LOTS of lime.  Even so, we had these last night (and yes, my husband loved them)...

"Grilled" Avocados with Lime and Hot Sauce

Original recipe can be found at: http://morselsandmusings.blogspot.com/2011/09/grilled-avocado-w-melted-cheese-hot.html

Ingredients:

• 2 Avocados
• 2 T. Hot Sauce
• Juice of 2 Limes
• 1/2 c. Parmesan, grated
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

1. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits.  Cut a criss-cross pattern in the fruit, like in the picture above, so that the sauces will sink into the fruit.
2. Spoon 1/2 T. of the hot sauce over each avocado.  Spoon 1/4 of the lime juice on each avocado.
3. Fill the hole with 1/2 of the parmesan cheese.  Broil for about 2 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and sprinkle remaining cheese over the avocados and season with salt and peppers.  Broil for 2 more minutes.
5. Serve hot.  If the avocado has not warmed all the way through, put it back in for another minute or so.

This one just wasn't my thing.  I'm just not a big avocado person.

The last thing I made really wasn't a recipe per se, more of a new way of looking at an old favorite.  I love pound cake.  So much sugar and butter...yummmmm!  I thought I'd heard of everything you could do with a pound cake, but then I saw a pin on Pinterest for "Grilled Pound Cake".  I thought it was some different pound cake recipe, so I repinned.  I came back to it later, and there was not even a recipe for pound cake, just simple instructions on how to grill it.  I found a pound cake recipe in one of my cook books and made the cake.  You could even use store bought pound cake if you don't want to bake.  Slice the cake into slices that are about an inch or two thick.  butter both sides of each slice.  Grill in a pan the same way you would a grilled cheese, until both sides have reached a golden brown color.  Serve with ice cream, strawberries, blueberries, and powdered sugar.

Grilled Pound Cake a la Mode

Original recipe can be found at: http://www.nutmegnanny.com/2013/04/03/grilled-pound-cake-a-la-mode/

It was very good!  It allowed the cake to be warm and have a little extra flavor.  And it was so simple!!  Tonight I am working late, so tomorrow I'll have a Crockpot recipe for you.  Happy eating!

It's Summertime! ...Or Close Enough.

This week has been absolutely gorgeous here in Northeast Ohio!  Summer is in the air.  I love waking up every morning to the sunlight streaming through my window, a gentle breeze, and the sounds of birds singing beautiful songs to their Creator!  As anyone in the restaurant business can tell you, with the change of seasons comes changes in taste and eating patterns.  

Growing up, I loved summer time.  My dad always planted a large garden full of all kinds of vegetables and sometimes fruits.  My family waited with anticipation for that first sun-ripened, right off the plant tomato.  Nothing excited me more than that first batch of fresh green beans my mom cooked for us each summer.  I loved when my dad would bring in the first zucchini of the season, and loved just as much when the last one was finally gone!  

Summer time meant that veggies were our staple, the grill was the number one appliance, and salads were in abundance.  Now as an adult, summer time still brings out that same excitement and anticipation in me.  In our little one bedroom apartment we don't have a garden, but veggies will still be our summertime staple!

On Thursday, I was in way too much pain to cook and had chosen a recipe that was a little involved.  My sweet husband made the recipe for me so that I wouldn't have to cook.  It was amazing!  We rarely eat something that passes our test of making again (I prefer to make and try new foods constantly), but this will definitely reappear on our menu!  It's very healthy (yes, it takes quinoa!) and incredibly good.

Stuffed Pepper Enchiladas

Original recipe can be found at: http://www.onelovelylife.com/?p=4854

Ingredients

• 4 Bell Peppers (we used red and green, but you can use any color.  We used ones that were rather large and still had some filling left over, so you may want to get an extra pepper just in case)
• 1 c. Quinoa
• 1/2 Medium Onion (diced)
• 1 15 oz. can Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 Tomato (diced)
• 1 4 oz. can Diced Green Chiles (DO NOT DRAIN)
• 1/4 c. Cilantro (finely chopped)
• 1/4 t. Salt
• 1/4 t. Pepper
• 1 c. Monterrey Jack, grated
• 1 c. Cheddar Cheese, grated
• 1 28 oz. can Enchilada Sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Place quinoa and onion in a large saucepan with two cups of water and a little salt.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for five minutes, cover, and turn off heat.  Allow the quinoa to steam on the burner for fifteen minutes, then fluff using a fork.
3. Put the quinoa mixture into a mixing bowl.  Stir in black beans, tomato, green chiles, cilantro, salt, and pepper. 
4. Pour the enchilada sauce into baking dishes. (We tried a 9x13, but not all of our peppers would fit, so be had to use another small dish as well)
5. Divide the filling between the peppers, and place the peppers in the enchilada sauce in the baking dishes.  Sprinkle each pepper with cheese.
6. Bake 25-30 minutes.  Serve.

These were so good!  We had some extra filling left over and were starving.  We decided to eat the little that was left over while the peppers were baking.  It tasted like the inside of a Chipotle burrito, only better and healthier!  So if you aren't a fan of bell peppers, make the filling and place in tortillas instead!

As I said, this post is all about summer.  I normally don't associate pizza with summer, but this is a special case.  This sauceless pizza was delicious and gluten-free!  I myself am not allergic to gluten, but I have plenty of friends and family members who are (quinoa is also gluten-free, for those of you who have never tried it).  For this reason, I decided to try a recipe that was gluten-free.  I'll be honest, I was expecting a crust that tasted like cardboard.  I could not find the crust the original recipe suggested, so I decided to try a gluten-free crust mix I found at the local grocery.

One word of warning: If you are actually allergic to gluten, double check the ingredients on the cheeses you buy.  Some cheeses do contain gluten fillers, so it is always safest to double check.

Gluten-Free Pesto Caprese Pizza

Original recipe can be found at: http://www.glutenista.com/grilled-caprese-pizza-recipe--a-glutenista-gluten-free-recipe.html

Ingredients:

• 1 Gluten-Free Pizza Crust (I used the mix pictured above.  I made the crust as it said on the box, and baked it at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes.  I then took it out, put the toppings on, and placed back in the oven to finish baking)
• 7 Slices Provolone Cheese
• 1 Sliced Tomato (I would recommend using two if they are smaller)
• 4 Slices of a large Mozzarella Ball or Log
• 1/4 c.-1 c. Pesto (if you would rather skip the pesto, fresh basil leaves would work just as well)

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 375 degrees. (Follow above pizza crust directions if you are making the crust from a mix)
2. Salt tomato slices well and allow the water to drain from them for 10-20 minutes.  This keeps the pizza from becoming soggy.
3. Layer provolone on the crust so that most of the pizza is covered.  This will also keep the crust from becoming soggy.  Layer the mozzarella and tomato on top.  Distribute the pesto on the pizza.  Try to make sure that each piece will have some of each topping.
4. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.  Blot carefully to remove excess water and oil. Allow the pizza to sit for a few minutes before cutting and serving.

It was very cheesy and delicious!  I would highly recommend it!  Now most summer dinners just about require some kind of salad.  I personally am not very fond of leafy salads, but my husband likes them.  So I made a simple salad to go with our pizza.

Garden Salad with Lime Cilantro Dressing

Original recipe can be found at: http://laylita.com/recipes/2008/02/15/garden-salad-with-lime-cilantro-dressing/

Ingredients:

• 1 Head of Lettuce, washed with the leaves torn into large pieces
• 2 Tomatoes chopped into large chunks
• 1/2 Red Onion, sliced
• 1 Avocado, sliced
• 1 T. Cilantro, finely chopped
• Juice of 2 Limes
• 2 T. Olive Oil

Directions:

1. To make the dressing, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, and cilantro.  I would recommend doubling the dressing if you are more of a dressing fan.
2. Combine other ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss, and serve.

Yes, this is one of those "recipes" I don't really consider a recipe, however the dressing was good.  I hope all of you are enjoying the summer-like weather as much as I am!  Happy cooking!

Haters Gonna Hate

I'm starting off with a smidgen of a soapbox moment.  I think one of the stinkiest things people can do is to put other people down because of the hobbies about which they are passionate.  An acquaintance recently made a point of putting me down because of my passion for cooking.  It got me thinking about how often we may belittle people for no reason other than their passions for things we may not share.  God has given us all different gifts and talents.  I'm not really into photography, sports, or a host of other things, but I think it's awesome that I have friends who are passionate about these!  Sure, I post a lot of pictures of my food.  Some people post a lot of pictures of scenery.  Some people post a lot of their kids or pets.  Whatever your passion, go with it, develop it, and seek to be the best you can be at it!  Whatever your passion, work at it and give the glory to God!

Okay...soapbox moment over.  Now on to the food!  As you may be able to tell from my other entries, I am a big fan of having appetizers as meals.  They are usually easy and super delicious.  And that is exactly what I needed last night when I got home from work at 7 pm with a migraine and had done nothing towards dinner. So I quickly whipped up this nacho dip.  It's so easy, I hesitate to even call it a recipe!

Easy Nacho Dip

original recipe can be found at: http://alittlenorthofcrazy.blogspot.com/2011/04/gone-in-blink-nacho-dip.html

Ingredients:

• 1/2 T. Taco Seasoning
• 8 oz. Cream Cheese
• 1 c. Sour Cream
• 1 Jar Salsa (You can use a large or small jar depending on how much salsa you like)
• 1 1/2 c. Mexican Blend Cheese
• 4 Green Onions, chopped
• 4 Jalapenos, chopped and seeded

Directions:

1. Mix the first three ingredients together well.
2. Layer mixture in baking dish (I use a clear glass one because you can easily see the layers, but any dish will do).
3. Evenly top the cream cheese mixture with a jar of salsa.
4. Top the salsa with an even layer of cheese.
5. Garnish with jalapenos and green onions.
6. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (You can eat it right away if need be, but this helps the cream cheese mixture to firm up)
7. Serve with tortilla chips.

Tonight I again needed something relatively quick and easy.  We have church at 7 on Wednesday nights, so after working all day, I usually want a little break between work and church.  So tonight I made BLT Roll-Ups (yes, another appetizer).  These are super easy (yet again, I'm almost embarrassed to pass this off as a "recipe").

BLT Roll-Ups

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. Cream Cheese
• 1/4 c. Mayonnaise
• 8 slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 c. Diced Tomato
• 1/2 c. Shredded Cheese (I used Mexican Blend)
• 1/2 c. shredded Romaine Lettuce
• 2 Flour Tortillas (I'd recommend using 8" tortillas)

Directions:

1. Mix together cream cheese and mayonnaise well.
2. Add bacon and tomato to the cream cheese mixture.  Mix carefully, but well.
3. Spread mixture onto tortillas.
4. Sprinkle cheese on top of each tortilla.
5. Sprinkle lettuce on top of each tortilla.
6. Roll tightly.
7. Cut both rolls diagonally into slices and serve.

See what I mean?  Barely a recipe.  Please comment below and let me know if you have tried these or others of my recipes.  I'd love to hear from you!

I'm Back!

Hello cooking friends!  First of all, I do apologize for my rather long hiatus.  Planning a wedding and getting married are rather time consuming!  While I certainly have found time to cook, I have not had much time leftover to write to you.  I absolutely love being married to my wonderful husband and could not be a happier bride!

My job has also taken a toll on my body.  As anyone who works in food service knows, it can be utterly exhausting!  I have scoliosis and had surgery for it when I was sixteen.  I have pain every day, but until recently, it was manageable.  After work, I am now in enough pain that I usually have to lay down for the remainder of the evening and use various pain medications, ointments, and heating pads to subdue it.  For this reason, I now have to stop often in the middle of cooking to sit or lie down for a few minutes to prevent unbearable pain.  Unfortunately, this means cooking takes longer, leaving less time to write.

HOWEVER, I am back!  I will be doing my best to post regularly.  I will be doing some catch up by posting some of my requested recipes, as well as posting my current concoctions.  I am so excited to be back with you!

I am going to start out with a recipe that has been requested by one of my husband's coworkers.  I made these last week and they were delicious!  I will warn you, if you aren't a big fan of lemon flavor, these are not for you.  They tasted very lemony.

Lemon Supreme Rice Krispie Treats

original recipe can be found at: http://www.sweetasacookie.com/2013/04/lemon-supreme-rice-krispies-treats.html

Ingredients:

• Vegetable Shortening (enough to coat your baking dish.  Seriously, this makes the treats not stick and makes cleaning a breeze!)
• 4.5 T. Butter
• 15 oz. marshmallows (Use the small ones, not the jumbo size)
• Zest of 1 lemon (If you've never zested a lemon before, it isn't too hard.  Just use a cheese grater and grate off the bright outside layer.  Do not grate too deeply.  The white part is more bitter)
• Juice of 1 lemon (Yes, you can use the same lemon)
• 2/3 c. Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Cake Mix (If you aren't as keen on lemon as I am, cut this down to 1/3 c.  Use the mix dry.  DO NOT follow the directions on the box)
• 6 c. Rice Krispies

Directions:

1. Coat a baking pan or dish with your vegetable shortening.  I used an 8x8 baking dish.  My treats came out thick, so if you need more, I would use a 9x13 and make thinner ones.
2. This really is simple.  Promise.  Melt the butter in a medium to large sauce pan over low heat.
3. Add the lemon zest and juice to the butter.  
4. Add the marshmallows.  Stir until completely melted.
5. Slowly stir in the cake mix.  The marshmallow mix may not look very yellow, but resist adding more mix to it.  If you would like a more yellow color, add a few drops of food coloring.
6. Stir in the Rice Krispies.  Mix well.  It will be sticky and difficult to mix, but if you don't mix it well, the lemon flavor will not distribute evenly.
7. Press into your baking dish with a GREASED spoon or spatula. (I forgot to grease mine and ended up with a very sticky mess.
8. Let cool and enjoy!  Yep.  It really is that easy.

Now on to what I made last night!

Ally's Hot Crab Rangoon Dip

original recipe can be found at: http://www.sweetandsavoryfood.com/2012/11/hot-crab-rangoon-dip.html

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. Cream Cheese
• 2 c. Crab Meat (I used imitation of the flaked variety.  I have no idea what this means, but this is what the lady at the grocery told me would work best.  Plus the real stuff was $50 per can.)
• 1 c. Mayonnaise
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 1 1/2 t. Minced Garlic
• 1 t. Cayenne Pepper (If you have people in your family who are not big fans of spicy heat, cut this in half)
• 1 t. Salt
• 1 t. Pepper
• 4 Green Onions
• Handful of Breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Finely chop the crab and green onions.  Put in a large mixing bowl.  (I used my KitchenAid Mixer to make the dip)
3. Combine all ingredients except breadcrumbs.  Mix well.
4. Place in baking dish (I used an 8x8 glass one) and top with bread crumbs.
5. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
6. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.

This was so easy and probably my favorite part of the meal.  I had never eaten crab, much less bought and cooked it, so I was surprised at how wonderfully this came out!  Now onto our entree...

Asian Fried Quinoa

original recipe can be found at: http://livlifetoo.blogspot.com/2013/03/asian-fried-quinoa-book-club-post.html

Before I go any further, let me just say that I LOVE QUINOA!  

If you have never tried it, you need to.  It is gluten free, has tons of fiber and protein, and still tastes delicious!  Best. Grain. Ever.  If you are nervous about trying it, I would recommend adding it to a rice dish, which makes it less intimidating. Okay, on to the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. Dry Quinoa
• 3 c. Water
• Olive Oil (when I saute things, I don't measure.  Just splash.)
• 2 c. Diced Onions
• 1/4 c. Shallot
• 1/4 c. Minced Garlic
• 2 T. Fresh Grated Ginger (Let me just say that grating ginger was a pain!  I would recommend just buying minced ginger and using that or even using ginger as a powder.)
• 1 c. Finely Chopped Green Onions
• 1 c. Diced Carrots
• 2 c. Shredded Bok Choy
• 2 c. Shredded Napa Cabbage
• 1 c. Finely Chopped Celery
• 1 c. Diced Sugar Snap Peas (probably could be left whole)
• 1 c. Sliced Mushrooms
• 3 T. Soy Sauce
• 2 Large Eggs, Lightly Beaten

Directions:

1. Cut up all your veggies.  Yes, this is time consuming.  If you're like me (super impatient with little time), I would recommend cooking the quinoa while you chop, slice and dice (.  
2. In a large dry skillet, toast the quinoa over medium-high heat for about five minutes, stirring often.  The quinoa will take on a more golden color and eventually you will hear little popping sounds, like baby popcorn kernels popping.  At this point, reduce heat to medium, add the water and cover for twenty minutes.  When the quinoa is done cooking, transfer to a large bowl to cool.  You do NOT need to drain!  All the liquid should be absorbed.  You can tell that the quinoa is done if the white ring around the grain has opened.
3. If you are also a multitasker like me, cut the onion up first.  Place in a large skillet (or medium if need be.  You can always transfer to a larger skillet after your quinoa is done) and saute until well browned and soft.
4. Are your veggies all cut up? Good!  Now add the shallot to your onions and cook for another two minutes.
5. Add your garlic, ginger and green onions.  Cook for another 3 minutes or so, stirring frequently.
6. Add the remaining veggies and stir until they are just wilted.  Add your soy sauce and mix well.  Allow to cook for another minute or so.
7. Place veggies in a separate bowl and cover.
8. You may need to clean your biggest skillet at this point.  You're definitely going to need it!  Splash in some olive oil, heat over medium-high heat and put your quinoa in this skillet.  Once it has been heated through, pour the eggs over the top (My quinoa never completely cooled to begin with, so this really didn't take long).  Stir until the eggs have cooked.  
9. Add the veggies to the skillet, mix it all up, and serve!

This recipe makes a ton, but it is so good!  I encourage you to get creative with this one!  There are all kinds of veggies you could add, or even spices you could throw in.  Take it and make it your own! If you are one of my vegetarian/vegan friends, just take out the eggs.  It won't alter the taste much, if at all.

Okay, now I'm at the part you all have been waiting for...

Caramel Cake with Crunchy Chocolate and Toffee Frosting

original recipe can be found at: http://swirlandscramble.blogspot.sg/2012/09/caramel-cake-crunchy-chocolate-toffee.html

First, let me say that half of the process for this recipe was converting the measurements from metric to US.  If you decide to check out the original link, you will find all metric measurements.  However, if you are an American like me, I have done all the hard work for you.  This is why some of the measurements may seem odd (like 14 T. of butter.  That was just the easiest way to convert it!)  If you ever need to convert measurements, this calculator was great! http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/cooking/

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 14 T. softened butter
• 1 t. Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 c. Sugar
• 2 1/3 c. Flour
• 4.5 T. Caramel Syrup (I used Caramel Ice Cream Topping)
• 1 t. Baking powder
• Pinch of salt

Frosting Ingredients:

• 8 oz. Cream Cheese
• 2 T. Butter
• 1/4 c. Sugar
• Milk
• Toffee Bits
• Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix eggs, butter, vanilla, sugar, and caramel. (I used a mixer)
3. Add flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix until smooth.
4. Transfer to a greased and floured 9 in. Round cake pan.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Check the center with a knife to see if it has cooked through.  Mine ended up needing a total of 45 minutes baking time.
5. Place cake on a cooling rack and allow to cook completely before frosting.
6. To make frosting, mix cream cheese, butter, and sugar.  Add in some milk if needed to smooth frosting.  Slowly add in toffee bits and chocolate chips, to your preference.  Frost cake.

And now it's time for me to go to work!  I hope you all enjoy these recipes!