Carmelitas. Sounds foreign, right? It has to be good.

Jealous? Because you should be.  These were sooooo simple to make and were ready to eat in no time! The only thing that took some time was the cooling process because there's no greater feeling than having to claw off molten caramel lava from the inside of your mouth.  I start my next semester of pastry school in less than a month, on August 29th and I am SO excited.  Tomorrow morning I'm going up to school to get measured for my baking uniform. How cute, I know.  And yesterday I registered for classes and I'm going up to school 2 days a week for a 5 hour baking class and then a 5 hour cake decorating class, and then I have a couple classes online.  I'm excited for school.  ......hold on...did Sarah just say she was excited for school? ahhhh.  In less than a month I am going to have to say goodbye to summer and nothing makes me more sad than that. It's going to be a tough break-up, but I know we will be reunited soon enough in 8 or 9 months again. .....And just so you know, Grandma, my best critic, came running out to the kitchen last night after she had a serving of this and she said, "Sarah.....this is it. This. Is. It. ....this is the ultimate." And she dramatically turned back around with her moo-moo swooshing, just as dramatically, behind her.

Ingredients:
32 caramel squares, unwrapped
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
-Combine caramels and cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until completely smooth; set aside.
-In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and baking soda.
-Pat half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8x8" pan.
-Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
-Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over crust.
-Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips.
-Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture over caramel.
-Return to oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. -Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting.

***A few minutes in the fridge will help them cool off quicker. They shouldn't be served cold, but all of that molten caramel takes a long time to cool down.
***They should be stored and served at room temperature.

Peanut Butter Cup, Cake....not cupcake.

WARNING: You need a glass of milk with this cake.
...Where do I even begin with this cake?  This cake was the BIGGEST production of a cake in the history of cake making.  Let me just start off by saying this was a birthday cake for one of my two favorite red headed friends, Ryan, who turned 21 back in the beginning of June, and I told him I would bake him one, and I kept forgetting! Every time I would see him he'd ask me for his cake.  So finally I got to doing it today! So, long story short, this has to be the most expensive cake ever. Not because of the ingredients, but because I had to make it twice. You're probably thinking I stuttered, or that's a typo, but no.  I had to make it twice.  Why you ask? Because my mom dropped the first one!!! DROPPED IT! But, she was just trying to help me out, being the great mom that she is so I forgive her....kinda. JUST KIDDING, MOM! :) ....so anyways, I had to whip up a second one in record time and that was made possible with the help of my other favorite red headed pal, Allie, who helped me out immensely. (Hi Allie!) SOOO, after an entire afternoon of baking 2 cakes and only able to keep 1, this was the finished product.  Pretty good if you ask me :)

Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/4 sticks unsalted butter - room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 pound bag of light brown sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk

For the filling:
8oz semi-sweet chocolate - roughly chopped
8oz heavy cream
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup Reese's peanut butter cups - roughly chopped


For the frosting:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter - room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
For the cake:
-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
-Butter and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
-In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
-In stand mixer, cream the butter and peanut butter together on medium-high speed until smooth - about 2 minutes.
-Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the brown sugar.
-Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
-Add the vanilla, mixing well.
-Reduce the mixer speed to low, and alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk, mixing until combined
-Divide the batter between your prepared cake pans and bake until a toothpick comes out clean -  about 40-45 minutes.
-Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

For the filling:
-Heat the cream until it just begins to boil. Pour it over the chocolate in a medium bowl. -Whisk until the chocolate melts, then whisk in the peanut butter until it's all combined and smooth.
-Set aside 1/4 of the filling for the first layer of frosting. Cool the other 3/4 completely, then gently stir in the peanut butter cups.

For the frosting:
-Cream together the butter and peanut butter.
-Add the vanilla
-Then add sugar until it is fluffy.

ASSEMBLY:
-Place one 9-inch round on a cake stand or plate.
-Cover the top in the peanut butter fudge filling.
-Place the second 9-inch round on top.
-Using the frosting, frost the sides of the cake all around. 
-Using the rest of the filling, spread a thin layer on the top of the cake.
-Garnish the top with whole/chopped up Reese's.
-Refrigerate until the fudge is set and firm to the touch and enjoy!

Blueberry & Lemon Cheesecake. ...there seems to be a trend.

Summer, blueberries, lemons. Summer, blueberries, lemons. Summer, blueberries, lemons. Can't get much better than that.  I made this dessert for my mama bears birthday which was yesterday. She just turned 29. Can you believe it?! She's the greatest mom I have ever had!!.....
I can't believe it's already July, and the 4th of July is on Wednesday.  I made sure to obnoxiously paint my nails red, white, and blue today as I love 'Murica, and everything 'Murican.  To get us in the 4th of July spirit....What dance was very popular in 1776?.....Indepen-dance. Thank you, thank you.  Anyways, this cheesecake was delicious, especially on a hot summer day. You have got to try it out! It's worth it. Pinky promise! 

Ingredients:
For Base:
Butter, for greasing
2 tablespoon sugar
1/8 tablespoon ground cinnamon
9 graham crackers
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 eggs
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

-Grease the bottom of a 9 by 9-inch spring form baking pan with butter.  Then place parchment paper over the top.
-In a food processor, process the sugar, cinnamon and graham crackers until you have the consistency of breadcrumbs.
-Add the melted butter and pulse a couple of times to fully incorporate.
-Pour into the lined baking pan and firmly pat down with the bottom of a glass.
-Bake for about 12 minutes, or until set.

For the filling:
-Add cream cheese, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar to the food processor and pulse until well combined.  It should have a smooth consistency.  Pour onto the cooked graham cracker base and then sprinkle with blueberries.  They will sink slightly but should be half exposed.

-Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the center only slightly jiggles.
-Remove from the oven and cool completely before refrigerating for at least 3 hours.
-Once set, remove from pan using the parchment lining, slice, and enjoy!