MMSC #32

Woo hoo! I had a fun time with this card. This is one of those that put itself together. Aren't those wonderful? This is my submission for Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #32. There was an added element of a theme of baking. As much as I LOVE to eat, I really don't have any baking/cooking stamps. This stamp was a gift to me from my dear friend, Peggysue. She, the stamp, has come in handy so many times. I colored her last night, but didn't like any of the background papers I had. On my way to my annual physical (oh yay, oh fun) I stopped at the local scrapbooking store and bought all of this gorgeous paper. I brought in my Tilda to help match the paper. Unfortunately, she didn't have any christmas baking paper or embellishments. I saw the "tis the season" cut out, shimmery thingy and knew I could work that into the card some how. I had a little difficulty with the 3 elements on each of the triangles. I have so much going on with this card I didn't know how to work it in. When I remembered my silver pearls I knew I had it. The silver compliments my sentiment quite nicely. I hope the photo isn't too washed out. I am noticing I am having a harder time taking good pictures since it has been dark so early in the evenings. In the summertime my photos were turning out great. I am crediting that to the ambient light of the room, which I don't have now.

Now for my recipe. I have so many favorites. I have already shared my cheesecake recipe here (scroll way, way, way back to some of my earliest posts). Maybe this time I will share Caramel Pecan Pie.

Caramel Pecan Pie

Caramel sauce (see below)

chopped pecans (1 bag)

1 unbaked pie shell

2 (8oz) bars of cream cheese (this is not the time to try and save on calories. Eat the real stuff)

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Place pecans in the bottom of unbaked pie crust. Top with all but 3/4 cup caramel mixture.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Pour over caramel pecan layer.

Bake at 350 degress for 35-40 minutes. Cool. Top with remaining caramel mixture and garnish with pecans.

Here is my homemade caramel sauce. It has been a fail proof recipe for me, but you have to stir CONSTANTLY.

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

Combine sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, butter and milk. Cook (at med-low) and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, (turn down temp if needed, but maintain the boil) boil and stir for exactly 5 minutes. Poor into pie crust.