Chocolate Caramel Cracker Bars and The Cool Parents

When I was in high school, I wasn't one of the "cool kids".  I didn't play sports (I was however, manager of the swim team), I wasn't in band (had to give up the clarinet in jr. high, when I got braces...way too painful), however, many of my friends were the cool kids, so I lived vicariously through them.

Growing up in Fairbanks, Alaska, there were not many clothing store options.  There was Nordstrom and Fred Meyer and not much else in between.  Many of my friends got to do their clothes shopping in Anchorage or even Seattle and they always came back with the coolest clothes!

Recently I was visiting my colorist to get my "highlights" fixed (a.k.a. taking care of my grays).  She had the cutest Adidas tennis shoes on.  Of course, she is in her mid-twenties and she looked absolutely adorable in them...and I couldn't get those stupid shoes out of my mind.

When my husband and I went Christmas shopping for the girls we went into a skate/surf shop to find a pair of Vans that one of our girls had on her wish list.

My husband walked over to the wall and saw a pair of men's Adidas with the navy blue stripes.  He said, "Wow, I used to have a pair of these in high school, I loved those shoes".  I'm thinking....of course, you were one of those cool kids!!!  I then turned around and saw my colorist's same Adidas.  They were on clearance.  I tried them on.  I fell in love.  I made my husband "surprise" me with them for Christmas.  I then in turn "surprised" him with his favorite high school shoes for his Christmas present.

We wore our new cool shoes that weekend.  Our daughters both said how adorable we looked and that we were such cool parents.  After all these years, my time had finally come...I've arrived!  Mama's still got it going on!!

Speaking of cool...I could kiss whoever thought to make ready-to-go graham cracker crumbs for sale!!  It's not that I'm lazy, it's just every time I buy a box of graham crackers to crush for a recipe, the rest of the box goes stale.

These chocolate caramel bars are perfect for upcoming Valentine's Day, or if you want to be the cool co-worker!  I love how quickly they come together and taste unbelievable!  It's that beautiful salt/sweet addiction all in one bite.

Chocolate Caramel Cracker Bars

Adapted from Pillsbury.com

54 - Club crackers (or any buttery, flaky rectangular crackers)

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 Tbl milk

1 cup peanut butter

2 cups pecan pieces

Greast 13x9 glass baking dish.  Place half of the crackers in bottom of greased pan.

In medium saucepan, combine sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, butter and 1/4 cup milk.  Cook over low heat until butter is melted, stirring frequently.  Increase heat to medium-high; bring to boil.  Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Stir graham cracker crumbs into caramel mixture.

Pour half of caramel mixture over crackers in pan.  Arrange remaining crackers over caramel.  Top with remaining caramel mixture.

In small saucepan, heat chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons milk over low heat until chocolate is smooth, stirring frequently.  Stir in peanut butter.  Spread over bars.  Sprinkle pecan pieces over chocolate.  Refrigerate 30 minutes or until set.  Cut into bars.

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