PEANUT CARAMEL BARS & ONION RINGS

Buttermilk Onion Rings

4 large onions
1 quart buttermilk
2 cups flour
Salt
Pepper
Chili powder
Oil for frying
DIRECTIONS
Slice 4 large onions into 1/4-inch rings. Place in large bowl and cover with buttermilk. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Place 2 cups flour in a shallow dish. Season with salt and pepper. Dredge onion rings in seasoned flour. Dip again in buttermilk, then in seasoned four.
Fry in batches, in 350 degree oil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden.
Drain on paper towels. Let oil come back to temperature before frying next batch.


BROWNIE CUPCAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

Cupcakes
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned or freshly ground)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 teaspoons (about) whipping cream (optional)
Chocolate shavings or chocolate sprinkles
For cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 10 standard (1/3-cup) muffin cups with paper liners. Combine butter, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water. Stir until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Whisk both sugars into chocolate mixture, then whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Whisk in vanilla, then flour, walnuts, salt, and remaining 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups (about 1/4 cup for each). Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to rack and cool completely.
For frosting:
Put powdered sugar and next 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture is smooth, adding whipping cream by teaspoonfuls if frosting is too thick to spread.

Famous Caramel Squares

Bottom Layer:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup butter(unsalted)
Middle Layer:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter(unsalted)
1/4 cup corn syrup(they didn’t indicate so I used light)
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
Top Layer:
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Bottom Layer:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine all of the ingredients until crumbly. Press firmly into a greased pan 9X13 inches. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Middle Layer:
Place all of the ingredients except the vanilla in a heavy saucepan. Heat slowly until the sugar is dissolved, then bring to a boil and boil for 7 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and beat well. The mixture should be brown and caramel like. Spread over the baked bottom layer and let cool.
Top Layer:
Melt the chocolate and spread it over the cooled middle layer.

Chunchy Peanut Bars

brown sugar crust:
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup(1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
peanut topping
2 tablespoons(1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1 2/3 cups(10 ounces) peanut butter chips
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups(12 ouncces) salted peanuts
make the crust:
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13 inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt, set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachement or beaters, beat the butter with the brown sugar at medium speed until combined, about 1 minute. At low speed, add the flour mixture and mix just until crumbly, 10 to 15 seconds.
4. Pat the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Prick the dough well with a fork. Bake the crust for 15 to 18 minutes, untl golden brown around the edges. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool whie you prepare the topping. Leave the oven on.
make the topping:
5. In a large saucepan, combine the butter, corn syrup, and peanut butter chips and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
6. Pour the topping over the crust, using a spatula to spread it to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle the peanuts evenly over the topping, and press them lightly into the topping. Bake the bars for 12-15 minutes, until the topping is bubbly. Cool the bars completely in the pan on a wire rack.
7. Run a small sharp knife around the edges of the pan to release the bars. Carfully invert the bars onto a baking sheet then reinvert it onto a cutting board. Using a sharp kinfe, cut into 36 bars.