Catching up with New Recipes: Egg Roll Salad, Haystacks & Caramel Club Bars

Once again I'm trying to get back into the swing of things and post.  Since I fractured my wrist at the end of May my summer of cooking was non existent.  I have only recently been able to cook again and sweets were what started me out.  A good thing that came out of the fracture was the discovery of bagged salads which allowed my hubby to do some "cooking".  I took the "from scratch" or "non processed" food thing too far.  To buy all the ingredients for a salad is pricier and I also end up tossing out some of the ingredients because leftovers go bad.  What I learned or relearned recently was that food waste is a BIG contributor to global warming.  It does more damage than cow farts so they need a break.

So here is what I've made the last couple of weeks.  Last nights dinner was a Egg Roll Salad.  Originally a hot dish I decided to make it a salad instead and after a few modifications and two more changes I'll try next time, this is a winner.  It came from https://stylishcravings.com/low-carb-easy-make-egg-roll-bowl/  I reduced the red pepper flakes because 1 tablespoon has to be a mistake.  With 1 t. it is probably still too spicy for a lot of folks.  If you don’t like it too spicy reduce the red pepper flakes even further.  I didn’t add the sweet n sour sauce but I felt it needed a drizzle of sweetness to tame the heat in every few bites.  I would not add it like a dressing.  I also only had 1 t. of ground ginger but I'll try more and fresh next time and finally I added sesame oil, sliced almonds and toasted sesame seeds.  The sesame seeds didn't really add flavor, just a look so they are optional.

EGG ROLL BOWL
1 lb. ground sausage, not Italian
7 C. cole slaw mix
2 T. soy sauce
1/4 t. sesame oil
1 t. ground ginger add some fresh up to 1 T
1 t. red pepper flakes
1 t. garlic powder
4 green onions, 1/2 C., sliced
1 T. sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 C. sliced almonds
Drizzle of Sweet & Sour sauce

Crumble and cook sausage till no longer pink.  To a large bowl, mix soy, ginger, garlic powder and red pepper flakes.  Add cooked sausage, slaw, almonds and green onions.  Toss.  Drizzle with a touch of sweet & sour sauce.

Variations:

• Add slaw and sauce to the skillet and serve warm over rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice (original recipe)
• Less spicy:  Only use 1/4 t. red pepper flakes.

These  were called Tumbleweeds in my Taste at Home magazine, collectors edition but I thought they looked like Haystacks and once googled I was right because some people call them that.  They were addicting.  A quick, easy, salty sweet treat and butterscotch is not my number one favorite.

HAYSTACKS aka Tumbleweeds

12 oz. (3 C.) salted peanuts

7 oz. potato sticks

2 (11 oz.) bags butterscotch chips, reserve 1/2 C. 

3 T. peanut butter

In a large bowl add peanuts and potato sticks.  In a medium glass bowl add butterscotch chips and peanut butter.  Melt on 70% power, in microwave 1-2 minutes in 30 second intervals, stirring in between.  Pour over peanut mix.  Stir to coat peanuts and sticks.  Using a medium scoop or tablespoon, drop rounded tablespoons onto parchment or wax paper and place in refrigerator to dry for 5 minutes.  Store in an air tight container.  Makes 3- 4 1/2 dozen depending on size.

Note:  Planters peanuts come in a 17 oz. jar so it is about 3 C. or 3/4 of the can and the potato sticks I found was a 15 oz can so that was also about 3 C. or half the can.

Variation:  Use crunchy chow mein noodles & slivered almonds instead of potato sticks & peanuts.

This dessert was my second choice, after haystacks, for the block party I didn’t attend but I had to try them anyways.

CARAMEL CLUB BARS

50-80 club crackers, depending on dish

Caramel layer, melt:

2 sticks butter

2 C. graham cracker crumbs

1 C. brown sugar

1/3 C. granulated sugar

1/2 C. milk

Chocolate Layer, melt:

2/3 C. creamy peanut butter

1/2 C. semi sweet chocolate chops

1/2 C. butterscotch chips

Line an ungreased 9x13” pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on either end to remove bars.  In a medium saucepan melt butter, add graham cracker crumbs, sugars and milk.  Stir well, bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes after you see the first bubble.  Line pan with crackers, one layer.  Pour half of the caramel over crackers.  Add another layer of crackers, remaining caramel and another layer of crackers.  Melt peanut butter and chips.  Pour over crackers.  Cool to harden in refrigerator.  Remove from pan and cut into squares.

Note:  My 9x13” dish used about 25 crackers/layer.  I only used what fit easily.  I didn’t break them up to fit tiny areas

Variation:  

• Add 1 t. vanilla.  
• Crush graham crackers, 1 1/2 sleeves.