Hoosier Home Cookin'

With Halloween just around the corner, this week's treats are perfect for school sharing or a great kid's party. Chocolate Caramel Layer Bars are a spooky fall treat, especially if you use cookie cutters in fun Halloween shapes. Decorate with orange and chocolate jimmies to jazz them up. Butterscotch Squares are another great stackable treat and Haystack Cookies, tinted with green food coloring make excellent ghouls!

Happy Halloween and happy eating!

Chocolate Caramel Layer Bars

2/3 C. evaporated milk, divided
1 14-oz. bag caramel squares
3/4 C. butter, softened
1 C. nuts, chopped
1 package German chocolate cake mix
1 6-oz. pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips

In top of double boiler, place unwrapped caramels and 1/3 C. evaporated milk. Stir constantly until melted. In mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix, 1/3C. evaporated milk, nuts and butter until dough holds together. Press half of mixture into greased 9X13 baking pan. Bake for 6 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle chocolate chips over this, then pour caramel mixture on top of chips. Crumble remainder of cake mixture over caramel layer. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer. Cool 30 minutes before cutting.

Butterscotch Squares

3 C. light brown sugar
3 tsp.baking powder
1/4 tsp.salt
3 eggs
2 C. flour
1 stick butter
2 tsp.vanilla
1 C.chopped nuts

Melt butter slowly in skillet. Add sugar and mix well. Cool. Add mixture to well beaten eggs. Sift dry ingredients and add to egg mixture. Beat well. Add nuts. Beat again. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 baking pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes. Let cool and cut into squares.

Haystack Cookies

1 C. sugar
1 C. white corn syrup
12 oz. peanut butter
5 C. cornflakes
5 or 6 drops green food coloring

Bring corn syrup and sugar to a full boil. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and corn flakes. Add food coloring and drop in globs on waxed paper to firm up.