We have some awesome cooks here at Sew 'n Save - 

and, from time to time, they share their talents with us and our customers.

By popular request, we will post some of the recipes here on this page so you can recreate some of the deliciousness in between all of your sewing!

 
Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars
yield: 12-16 BARS
prep time: 25 MINUTES
total time: 3 HOURS, 20 MINUTES

Ingredients:

SHORTBREAD CRUST

• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)

APPLE FILLING

• 2 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced (1/4 inch thick)1
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

STREUSEL

• 1/2 cup (40g) old-fashioned oats
• 1/3 cup (70g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• homemade salted caramel sauce (step-by-step photos included)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on all sides. Set aside.
2. Make the crust: Stir the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir until everything is combined. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling and streusel.
3. Make the apple filling: Combine the sliced apples, flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl until all of the apples are evenly coated. Set aside.
4. Make the streusel: Whisk the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together in a medium bowl. Cut in the chilled butter with a pastry blender or two forks (or even with your hands) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
5. Remove the crust from the oven, and turn the oven up to 350°F (177°C). Evenly layer the apples on top of the warm crust. It will look like there are too many apple slices, so layer them tightly and press them down to fit. Sprinkle the apple layer with streusel and bake for 30–35 minutes or until the streusel is golden brown.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Lift the foil or parchment out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into bars. I usually cut them into 16 smaller bars, but you can cut them into 12 larger bars. Once cut, drizzle some salted caramel sauce on top of each. These apple pie bars can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or even cold.

Make-ahead tip: The bars will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. You can freeze the bars for up to 3 months. Then, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving and drizzling with caramel.

Recipe Notes:

1. I like to use two different kinds of apples for a more complex flavor. I typically use 1 tart apple variety such as Granny Smith, and 1 sweeter apple variety such as Pink Lady. You'll end up with about 3-4 cups. A little more or less is OK, based on your preference of filling.

Larger batch: Recipe can easily be doubled and baked in a 9x13 pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes and cool completely as directed in this recipe.

For printable view click here: Recipe by sally's baking addiction: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2014/07/03/salted-caramel-apple-pie-bars/

 
Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
yield: 1 CUP
prep time: 10 MINUTES
total time: 10 MINUTES, PLUS COOLING
Follow these easy instructions to create sweet salted caramel sauce at home. Perfect for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, cheesecake, sweetbreads and more!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 6 Tablespoons (90g) salted butter, room temperature cut up into 6 pieces1
• 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream2
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a high heat resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
2. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn.
3. Once sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added.
4. Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted, about 2-3 minutes. A whisk helps if you find the butter is separating from the sugar.
5. Very slowly, drizzle in 1/2 cup of heavy cream while stirring. Since the heavy cream is colder than the caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble and/or splatter when added.
6. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.
7. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt. Allow to cool down before using it.
8. Make-ahead tip: You can make this caramel in advance. Make sure it is covered tightly and store it for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Warm the caramel up for a few seconds before using it in a recipe. This caramel is OK at room temperature for a day if you're traveling or gifting it.

Recipe Notes:

1. Unsalted butter may be used instead, though I prefer salted. No other changes need to be made to the recipe if using unsalted.
2. Heavy cream (approximately 36% milkfat) may also be sold as whipping cream. Light whipping cream (30% milkfat), or double cream (48% milkfat) may be substituted. Do not use milk. Room temperature cream is best.

Avoid doubling or tripling this recipe. The added volume could prevent the sugar from melting evenly and properly. Make a couple of batches instead.

For printable view click here: Recipe by sally's baking addiction https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-salted-caramel-recipe/

Cheri's Almond Glazed Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS

Cookie

• 1 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 to 5 teaspoons water
• Sliced almonds

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 400°F. Combine all cookie ingredients in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten balls to 1/4 inch thick with bottom of buttered glass dipped in sugar. Bake 7-9 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to cooling rack. Cool completely. Whisk all glaze ingredients except almonds together in bowl. Decorate cooled cookies with glaze and sliced almonds, as desired.

RECIPE TIPS

• If the dough is too dry, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons milk.
• The glaze sets up quickly. Frost and decorate just a few cookies at a time.

Variations:
Flavored: Substitute vanilla or mint flavoring for almond extract.
Toppings: Drizzle unglazed cookies with melted chocolate or vanilla-flavored candy coating (almond bark). Decorate glazed cookies with chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips or decorator sugar.

For a printable view click here: Recipe by Land O Lakes http:// https://www.landolakes.com/recipe/20729/almond-glazed-sugar-cookies/ landolakes.com