Cómo cuidar el cabello en verano en solo 3 pasos

Cómo cuidar el cabello en verano en solo 3 pasos

No es la primera vez que hablo del cuidado del cabello en verano, pero sí es cierto que quizá no tiene el primer puesto en nuestro ranking de preocupaciones beauty veraniegas, ¿Me equivoco? Cuando éramos pequeñas todo se solucionaba con un buen corte después de las vacaciones para sanear, pero si apreciamos nuestra cabellera y no estamos dispuestas a pegarle un buen tajo, hay algunos productos que pueden ser grandes aliados de nuestro pelo.

Sigue leyendo... https://ift.tt/2PzFxRB August 24, 2018 at 07:00AM

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6 polvos de sol para todos los presupuestos

6 polvos de sol para todos los presupuestos

Los polvos de sol son un básico del verano y, para muchas, de todo el año, entre las que me incluyo. Bien utilizados, son los aliados perfectos para aportar un poco de calidez a la piel y proporcionar ese tan buscado efecto buena cara. En esta época resultan ideales para ayudarnos a realzar el bronceado o recrearlo si es que no nos ha dado mucho el sol...

Sigue leyendo... https://ift.tt/2o3DoRy August 23, 2018 at 02:52PM

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Chicken Caprese Salad by Erica

I still remember the first time I tasted a caprese-style salad. I was about 11 or 12, and we were eating supper at my parent’s friends’ house. A plate with neatly arranged slices of tomatoes, mozzarella, and red onions (if I remember correctly) graced the table. I wasn’t the most adventurous kid on the block when it came to food. So I eyed the dish warily, knowing that I would probably be required to try it. To my surprise, I found that I actually enjoyed it! It was fresh and flavorful in all the right ways.

Now, I know my first taste of caprese wasn’t strictly traditional. Purists will tell you that a caprese salad should consist only of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, salt and pepper, and olive oil. Maybe a bit of oregano. NO balsamic vinegar.

So technically this chicken salad is inspired by the flavors of caprese. I mean, I added chicken and grains as well, so obviously I’m not trying to recreate Insalata Caprese exactly. And I couldn’t help but add a balsamic vinaigrette to it, because I love it!

With that caveat aside, let me show you how to make this summery, satisfying salad!

 
 

Here are the basic ingredients that you’ll need: salad greens (I like arugula when I can get it), chicken, mozzarella pearls, basil, cherry tomatoes, couscous, and a balsamic vinaigrette.

Don’t feel bad about switching up the ingredients to your liking (or based on what you can find at the store). I used mozzarella pearls, but you can just dice up fresh mozzarella if that’s all you can get. I have used spinach for the salad greens; it was good, but not quite as good as arugula. You don’t have to use couscous for the grain, but I highly recommend it. I have also made it with black rice and penne pasta. Instructions for substituting rice or pasta are included in the recipe. I haven’t tried it personally, but I think you could also use quinoa or even cauliflower rice for a grain-free option.

The balsamic dressing is super simple: only 4 ingredients! You could also use a bottled balsamic vinaigrette if that’s what you have on hand.

 
 

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, chop the basil medium-fine, and slice the tomatoes in half. Then throw all of the salad ingredients into a very big bowl.

 
 

Give it a stir, and drizzle the dressing on top. Toss to coat everything evenly. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

 
 

The salad will keep for about a day once it’s all mixed up. If you plan on eating it over a few days, I would suggest adding the greens and dressing just before serving.

 
 

You can actually use the base chicken caprese salad recipe to make other dishes as well. One of my favorites that I tried was this Chicken Caprese Pizza. Talk about flavorful!

 
 

I decided to drizzle it with a balsamic reduction (I left out the sugar) instead of the dressing. Seemed more pizza-ish?

My husband really liked this pizza, even though it isn’t the sort of thing he usually goes for!

 
 

Here’s how I made the pizza:

• Leave out the grain and the salad greens.
• Preheat oven to 500ºF. I used a heavy duty baking sheet as a baking “stone” of sorts.
• Brush your pizza crust with olive oil first.
• Bake the pizza with just the cheese and tomatoes for about 10 minutes before adding the chicken. This gives the tomatoes a chance to cook and the crust to get crispy before the chicken gets dry. Add the chicken and bake for 5 more minutes.
• Don’t add the basil until after the pizza comes out of the oven.
• Drizzle with a balsamic reduction to taste.

 
 

A great way to enjoy the flavors of caprese salad on-the-go is in a wrap sandwich!

 
 

Here’s how I made the sandwich wrap:

• Leave out the grain.
• First, I put down a good layer of spinach. You could use arugula as well, but spinach is what I had.
• Layer on the tomatoes, cheese, chicken, and basil.
• I actually recommend using larger tomatoes and sliced, fresh mozzarella for these wraps. Chopped basil would be fine, but why not just chuck on whole leaves if you can?
• Use the same balsamic dressing recipe as written in the basic chicken caprese salad recipe below.
• Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper if desired!

 
 

So those are my favorite ways to serve this Chicken Caprese Salad. How would YOU eat it? Share your ideas in the comments!

 
 

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Chicken Caprese Salad by Erica

Chicken Caprese Salad by Erica

I still remember the first time I tasted a caprese-style salad. I was about 11 or 12, and we were eating supper at my parent’s friends’ house. A plate with neatly arranged slices of tomatoes, mozzarella, and red onions (if I remember correctly) graced the table. I wasn’t the most adventurous kid on the block when it came to food. So I eyed the dish warily, knowing that I would probably be required to try it. To my surprise, I found that I actually enjoyed it! It was fresh and flavorful in all the right ways.

Now, I know my first taste of caprese wasn’t strictly traditional. Purists will tell you that a caprese salad should consist only of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, salt and pepper, and olive oil. Maybe a bit of oregano. NO balsamic vinegar.

So technically this chicken salad is inspired by the flavors of caprese. I mean, I added chicken and grains as well, so obviously I’m not trying to recreate Insalata Caprese exactly. And I couldn’t help but add a balsamic vinaigrette to it, because I love it!

With that caveat aside, let me show you how to make this summery, satisfying salad!

 
 

Here are the basic ingredients that you’ll need: salad greens (I like arugula when I can get it), chicken, mozzarella pearls, basil, cherry tomatoes, couscous, and a balsamic vinaigrette.

Don’t feel bad about switching up the ingredients to your liking (or based on what you can find at the store). I used mozzarella pearls, but you can just dice up fresh mozzarella if that’s all you can get. I have used spinach for the salad greens; it was good, but not quite as good as arugula. You don’t have to use couscous for the grain, but I highly recommend it. I have also made it with black rice and penne pasta. Instructions for substituting rice or pasta are included in the recipe. I haven’t tried it personally, but I think you could also use quinoa or even cauliflower rice for a grain-free option.

The balsamic dressing is super simple: only 4 ingredients! You could also use a bottled balsamic vinaigrette if that’s what you have on hand.

 
 

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, chop the basil medium-fine, and slice the tomatoes in half. Then throw all of the salad ingredients into a very big bowl.

 
 

Give it a stir, and drizzle the dressing on top. Toss to coat everything evenly. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

 
 

The salad will keep for about a day once it’s all mixed up. If you plan on eating it over a few days, I would suggest adding the greens and dressing just before serving.

 
 

You can actually use the base chicken caprese salad recipe to make other dishes as well. One of my favorites that I tried was this Chicken Caprese Pizza. Talk about flavorful!

 
 

I decided to drizzle it with a balsamic reduction (I left out the sugar) instead of the dressing. Seemed more pizza-ish?

My husband really liked this pizza, even though it isn’t the sort of thing he usually goes for!

 
 

Here’s how I made the pizza:

• Leave out the grain and the salad greens.
• Preheat oven to 500ºF. I used a heavy duty baking sheet as a baking “stone” of sorts.
• Brush your pizza crust with olive oil first.
• Bake the pizza with just the cheese and tomatoes for about 10 minutes before adding the chicken. This gives the tomatoes a chance to cook and the crust to get crispy before the chicken gets dry. Add the chicken and bake for 5 more minutes.
• Don’t add the basil until after the pizza comes out of the oven.
• Drizzle with a balsamic reduction to taste.

 
 

A great way to enjoy the flavors of caprese salad on-the-go is in a wrap sandwich!

 
 

Here’s how I made the sandwich wrap:

• Leave out the grain.
• First, I put down a good layer of spinach. You could use arugula as well, but spinach is what I had.
• Layer on the tomatoes, cheese, chicken, and basil.
• I actually recommend using larger tomatoes and sliced, fresh mozzarella for these wraps. Chopped basil would be fine, but why not just chuck on whole leaves if you can?
• Use the same balsamic dressing recipe as written in the basic chicken caprese salad recipe below.
• Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper if desired!

 
 

So those are my favorite ways to serve this Chicken Caprese Salad. How would YOU eat it? Share your ideas in the comments!

 
 

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Los 9 beneficios del té helado

Los 9 beneficios del té helado

El verano nos encanta. Eso es innegable. Vacaciones, vida en la calle, días en la playa… Eso sí, en ocasiones el calor puede hacernos mella. Pero para ese momento en el que empezamos a sentirnos fatigados, no hay nada como tomarse una bebida fresquita que nos haga recuperarnos. ¿Nuestra propuesta? ¡Un buen vaso de té helado! Y es que, además de estar buenísimos y ser ultra refrescantes, los tés fríos nos aportan muchísimos beneficios. Te los contamos:

¿Qué nos aporta el té helado?

1. Refresca.  El té frío no es sólo una bebida excelente para combatir el calor, sino que además nos quita la sed y evita la deshidratación. Los tés más refrescantes son aquellos que contienen menta, cítricos o frutos rojos.

2. Hidrata la piel. Al tomar un vaso de té helado sin azúcar estamos haciéndole un favor enorme a nuestro organismo ya que el té está repleto de antioxidantes. Los antioxidantes son excelentes a la hora de frenar la progresión de la vejez además de ser increíblemente buenos para la piel. Con el consumo regular de esta bebida conseguiremos vernos y sentirnos más jóvenes.

3. Ayuda con la digestión. Algunos tés fríos como el té verde con limón estimulan la circulación gracias a sus propiedades antioxidantes que contribuyen a una mejor digestión de los alimentos. Además, los aceites esenciales presentes en el té verde aumentan el flujo de los jugos gástricos, lo que facilita la digestión.

4. Va bien para los resfriados. Si tienes un resfriado o algún problema respiratorio, quizá derivado de alguna alergia, una buena combinación de té verde y limón no te va a venir nada mal. Su alto poder antioxidante y su vitamina C te harán mejorar.

5. Ayuda a quemar calorías. La cafeína y las catequinas del té verde tienen un efecto que acelera el metabolismo, provocando que se quemen más calorías en la misma cantidad de tiempo.

6. Actúa como antioxidante. Los frutos del bosque como las moras, los arándanos y las grosellas tienen propiedades antioxidantes, capaces de bloquear la acción de los “radicales libres“, esas sustancias que provocan daño celular y que están implicadas en el desarrollo de enfermedades cardiovasculares y cerebrovasculares.

7. Agiliza la mente.  El té helado es un potente amigo del cerebro, pues hace que nuestra actividad mental sea más ágil, además de ayudar a mantener la salud de nuestro sistema nervioso.

8. Aporta vitaminas. El té helado nos aporta nutrientes importantes como la vitamina B, C y D, además de minerales como el potasio, magnesio, la niacina o el ácido fólico, que nos ayudarán a mejorar nuestra salud a varios niveles. El té frío tropical es una buena opción que reúne estos nutrientes y minerales gracias a frutos como la naranja, las frutas rojas, el coco o la piña.

9. Aporta cero calorías, siempre que lo tomes sin azúcar.

Infusiones frías de Ship

Ahora que ya sabes todos los beneficios del té helado, es el momento de prepararse uno. ¿Nuestra propuesta? Alguno de los sabores que Ship nos ofrece. Y es que, esta marca nos trae una variedad de tés fríos para que podamos preparar y refrescarnos cada día con un sabor diferente. Te contamos cuáles son:

-Green Lemon Refrescante combinación de té verde y regaliz con un toque cítrico. Cuenta con todas las propiedades beneficiosas del té verde.
-Mojito Pink También conocido como té moruno. Es un té aromático con el frescor de la menta. Acompáñalo con hielo y unas hojas de hierbabuena. Trozos de manzana, hibisco, hierba limón, corteza de naranja y frambuesa.
-Apple & Mint Sabrosa mezcla de manzana, menta verde, papaya, fruta desecada y pétalos de rosa, que te sorprenderá. Su dulce sabor no requiere que se le añada azúcar. No contiene teína.
-Sweet Summer Sorprendente infusión a base de trozos de manzana, hierba limón, corteza de naranja, fresas y zarzamora, con aroma natural de naranja. Ideal para tomar a cualquier hora del día.

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https://ift.tt/2nVCjLw August 22, 2018 at 04:06AM

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Mis recomendaciones para aprovechar las rebajas de Nabla

Mis recomendaciones para aprovechar las rebajas de Nabla

Nabla es una de las marcas por las que más me preguntáis y es normal, porque aunque se lo curran muchísimo en su web poniendo swatches y hacen un trabajo estupendo de comunicación para lanzar todas sus colecciones, no es lo mismo probar el producto antes, que comprarlo un poco "a ciegas", así que os entiendo perfectamente.

Hasta el 31 de agosto tienen rebajas en su web con descuentos muy interesantes y he querido recopilar en este post algunos de mis favoritos que podéis encontrar ahora a precio más reducido y además llevaros una sombra en crema gratis.

Sigue leyendo... https://ift.tt/2Bx5v5o August 21, 2018 at 02:47PM

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8 beneficios del helado natural

8 beneficios del helado natural

Sí, nosotras estamos igual de emocionadas y es que ¿qué hay mejor que un delicioso helado en verano? ¡Pues ahora tendrás, no una, sino 8 razones para poder comer esta delicia!

Muchas veces no disfrutamos mucho de este maravilloso producto porque pensamos que no es lo más saludable, ¡pero eso es porque no hablábamos de helado natural! La calidad de un helado debe medirse tanto por sus ingredientes como por su proceso de elaboración. Para hablar de helado natural, este debe estar elaborado con leche, nata, frutas, chocolate, etc. Y se trata de un alimento muy valorable desde el punto de vista nutricional, gracias a la riqueza de sus ingredientes.

Hokey Pops, la fusión mexico-italiana de helados gourmet, nos cuenta los muchos beneficios del helado para la salud, con el fin de eliminar los prejuicios sobre él, y para que este verano disfrutes al máximo consumiéndolo.

 

8 razones para comer helado natural

• El helado natural aporta una gran cantidad de calcio. Una ración normal de helado hecho con una base láctea (yogur o leche) cubre hasta el 15% del calcio diario que nuestro cuerpo necesita.
• Pueden ser una merienda muy completa. Las proteínas que contiene intervienen en el organismo a la hora de formar todas las estructuras, además de realizar labores de defensa y de regulación de funciones metabólicas. Los helados poseen las proteínas y vitaminas de la leche y del yogur, por lo tanto, pueden ser un postre o merienda muy completa, especialmente para niños.
• Los azúcares que contiene proporcionan gran cantidad de energía al cuerpo. Aunque para su elaboración también puede emplearse la miel o el jarabe de glucosa. Los azúcares son hidratos de carbono de absorción rápida, por lo que proporcionan energía al organismo de manera instantánea. Son muchos los estudios que aseguran que el azúcar es el “combustible del cerebro”.
• El helado natural elaborado de manera artesanal contiene solamente un 6% de grasa en su composición.

 

• Contribuyen a la hidratación, combaten la sequedad de las vías respiratorias, facilitan la digestión y crean una sensación de bienestar a quien lo consume. Todas estas características hacen del helado un producto muy adaptable a cualquier edad, dieta y ¿por qué no? época del año.
• Las personas con diabetes y las que quieren vigilar su peso pueden consumir helados eligiendo la versión light. Éstas suelen llevar edulcorantes no calóricos por lo que, con moderación, pueden ser consumidos sin problema.
• En cuanto a los helados en formato sorbete, tienen otras cualidades diferentes al helado en sí, basadas en el porcentaje de frutas que contienen, siendo su contribución al cuerpo energética y refrescante.
• Son una excelente opción para reducir las molestias ocasionadas por enfermedades como la amigdalitis, ya que disminuyen la inflamación, ayudando a su vez a controlar el dolor.

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https://ift.tt/2OUmPmO August 21, 2018 at 04:30AM

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Happy Times by The Pioneer Woman

Ladd and I got up at the crack of dawn and drove to see Paige Saturday morning. It was sorority bid day, and we wanted to be there for the fun and celebration.

 
 
She did not pledge the sorority that I was in when I was in college…nor did she pledge the sorority her sister is in! Ha. We Drummond women like to make up our own mind.

 
 
This is partially my fault, as I have always told my girls a) you can be in a sorority or you can not be in a sorority. It’s not a requirement, and you can have a great college experience without it (they didn’t listen to me; they both definitely wanted to participate), and b) it doesn’t matter to me which sorority you wind up in as long as you find the right place for you (they definitely listened to me).

 
 
I’m so glad Paige has some sweet new friends!

 
 
In other news, it had stormed the day before, and I was standing in the yard of the sorority house in platform cork wedge sandals. A curious shoe choice for such a day, considering the amount of walking that was required, but when have you ever known me to make smart shoe choices???

The platform cork wedge sandals probably need to be buried now. They are very dirty and desperate.

 
 
Of note: Saturday marked the first day Ladd has ever formed Greek symbols with his hands.

He’s growing.

 
 
Here’s a neat connection: This is Mary, the daughter of one of my oldest friends, Christy. Christy and I knew each other as children and have lots of memories together, but didn’t see each other much for years and years until we were all grown up and had families of our own. Christy lost her teenage son Tyler (Mary’s brother) in 2009 in a tragic accident, and in the ensuing years we’ve gotten to see each other more since we get together with our high school friends every couple of years for a mini reunion.

Anyway, Mary is a senior at the same university Paige is going to. Mary also a Hospitality Management major…and she had an internship this summer at The Boarding House! She was an amazing intern and we begged her not to return to college. Not really, but we considered it—that’s how great she was.

 
 
So independent of Christy and me, Paige got to know Mary this summer during her time in Pawhuska, and the fact that they are now in the same sorority is just a sweet little turn of events.

I texted a photo of them to Christy, and I think she and I both cried a little.

Or a lot.

Life is funny.

 
 
Ladd and I enjoyed the six hour round trip drive (we get a lot of our good talking done on car trips) and when we got back I made him oatmeal cookies because I love him.

I ate one, too…but still. They were really for him.

And okay, I ate two.

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Happy Times by The Pioneer Woman

Happy Times by The Pioneer Woman

Ladd and I got up at the crack of dawn and drove to see Paige Saturday morning. It was sorority bid day, and we wanted to be there for the fun and celebration.

 
 
She did not pledge the sorority that I was in when I was in college…nor did she pledge the sorority her sister is in! Ha. We Drummond women like to make up our own mind.

 
 
This is partially my fault, as I have always told my girls a) you can be in a sorority or you can not be in a sorority. It’s not a requirement, and you can have a great college experience without it (they didn’t listen to me; they both definitely wanted to participate), and b) it doesn’t matter to me which sorority you wind up in as long as you find the right place for you (they definitely listened to me).

 
 
I’m so glad Paige has some sweet new friends!

 
 
In other news, it had stormed the day before, and I was standing in the yard of the sorority house in platform cork wedge sandals. A curious shoe choice for such a day, considering the amount of walking that was required, but when have you ever known me to make smart shoe choices???

The platform cork wedge sandals probably need to be buried now. They are very dirty and desperate.

 
 
Of note: Saturday marked the first day Ladd has ever formed Greek symbols with his hands.

He’s growing.

 
 
Here’s a neat connection: This is Mary, the daughter of one of my oldest friends, Christy. Christy and I knew each other as children and have lots of memories together, but didn’t see each other much for years and years until we were all grown up and had families of our own. Christy lost her teenage son Tyler (Mary’s brother) in 2009 in a tragic accident, and in the ensuing years we’ve gotten to see each other more since we get together with our high school friends every couple of years for a mini reunion.

Anyway, Mary is a senior at the same university Paige is going to. Mary also a Hospitality Management major…and she had an internship this summer at The Boarding House! She was an amazing intern and we begged her not to return to college. Not really, but we considered it—that’s how great she was.

 
 
So independent of Christy and me, Paige got to know Mary this summer during her time in Pawhuska, and the fact that they are now in the same sorority is just a sweet little turn of events.

I texted a photo of them to Christy, and I think she and I both cried a little.

Or a lot.

Life is funny.

 
 
Ladd and I enjoyed the six hour round trip drive (we get a lot of our good talking done on car trips) and when we got back I made him oatmeal cookies because I love him.

I ate one, too…but still. They were really for him.

And okay, I ate two.

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How to Make Salted Caramels by Bridget

How to Make Salted Caramels by Bridget

Making caramels at home can seem intimidating. I mean, you need a candy thermometer. That alone strikes fear in the hearts of many bakers. I’m here to tell you that making caramels, and in this case salted (and salted chocolate too!) caramels, is much, much easier to do at home than you might think.

Caramels are one of those candies that I can usually easily pass on. I like caramel in recipes, but straight up caramels never did it for me. UNTIL NOW. I’ve eaten back every calorie I’ve worked off this week in caramels. You’ll see why.

 
 

These recipes will result in creamy, buttery, soft, gorgeous caramels with just the right amount of salt. The chocolate caramels (above) taste a bit like fudge but still have that caramelly goodness. If you’re on my Christmas list, you’re getting these caramels this year. Sorry to ruin the surprise.

 
 

This one-pot method of caramel making is inspired by my good ol’ Better Crocker Bridal Edition Cookbook that we were gifted back in 1996. I love this method. No wiping the sides of the pot with a wet pastry brush, no dirtying multiple pots. Betty knows her stuff—and I think she’d approve of these recipes. (Side note: I know Betty is not a real person, but I like to pretend she is. Hi, Betty!)

I have a little advice for you before you start. This comes from experience, as I made a few batches of caramel and they just weren’t coming out right. It finally dawned on me to check my candy thermometer. Sure enough, it was off by about 20 degrees. Who knew? Moral of the story, check your thermometer first in a pot of boiling water. If it reads 212 degrees, you’re all set.

 
 

Here are all of the ingredients that you need: butter, sugar, cream, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla. I use vanilla bean paste if I have it for the plain caramels, just for those specks of vanilla. For the top, some nice, flaky sea salt like fleur de sel.

 
 

To prepare the pan, butter then line it with two strips of parchment paper, buttering the parchment as well. Leaving a little overhang lets you lift the caramels out in one big piece.

 
 

To start, combine all of the ingredients, minus the vanilla and fleur de sel, until melted and boiling. Once that happens, it’s time to clip on the thermometer.

The mixture will be pale yellow and bubbling pretty heavily. Stir it occasionally at this point and monitor to make sure it’s not bubbling over.

 
 

You’ll cook the caramel for about 30 minutes or so until the candy thermometer reads 245 degrees. The mixture will darken as it cooks, so don’t feel like you have to keep an eagle eye on the thermometer for the entire 30 minutes. Once you see it deepening in color, start really watching the temp.

 
 

Once it reaches 245ºF, immediately remove the pan from heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste.

 
 

Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the fleur de sel. Let the caramel set for several hours, even overnight.

 
 

Once set, lift the caramels out of the pan and cut into pieces. The easiest way to do this is with kitchen shears. The recipe will make 64-80 caramels depending on how large you cut them. Perfect for gift-giving.

 
 

Wrap the caramels in pieces of waxed paper. If you have patterned waxed paper, which is so cute, one side is more coated than the other. Place the caramel on the coated side. Note: I’ve found the patterned paper to have less slip than the plain. The caramels do stick to it just a bit.

 
 

To make the chocolate caramels, you’ll add melted chocolate and a bit of espresso powder along with the vanilla at the end. You could skip the vanilla and espresso powder, but both bring out that chocolate flavor and are well worth adding.

 
 

Store the caramels at room temperature. How cute would they be in Pioneer Woman tins? Answer: super cute!

 
 

Now that I know how delectable homemade caramels are, I’m thinking of revisiting my recipe for caramel brownies and trying them out with homemade caramels. Oh! Or that about melted and drizzled as the topping for Ree’s caramel apple pie? I think I better get busy on a new batch of caramels pronto!

 
 

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How to Make Salted Caramels by Bridget

Making caramels at home can seem intimidating. I mean, you need a candy thermometer. That alone strikes fear in the hearts of many bakers. I’m here to tell you that making caramels, and in this case salted (and salted chocolate too!) caramels, is much, much easier to do at home than you might think.

Caramels are one of those candies that I can usually easily pass on. I like caramel in recipes, but straight up caramels never did it for me. UNTIL NOW. I’ve eaten back every calorie I’ve worked off this week in caramels. You’ll see why.

 
 

These recipes will result in creamy, buttery, soft, gorgeous caramels with just the right amount of salt. The chocolate caramels (above) taste a bit like fudge but still have that caramelly goodness. If you’re on my Christmas list, you’re getting these caramels this year. Sorry to ruin the surprise.

 
 

This one-pot method of caramel making is inspired by my good ol’ Better Crocker Bridal Edition Cookbook that we were gifted back in 1996. I love this method. No wiping the sides of the pot with a wet pastry brush, no dirtying multiple pots. Betty knows her stuff—and I think she’d approve of these recipes. (Side note: I know Betty is not a real person, but I like to pretend she is. Hi, Betty!)

I have a little advice for you before you start. This comes from experience, as I made a few batches of caramel and they just weren’t coming out right. It finally dawned on me to check my candy thermometer. Sure enough, it was off by about 20 degrees. Who knew? Moral of the story, check your thermometer first in a pot of boiling water. If it reads 212 degrees, you’re all set.

 
 

Here are all of the ingredients that you need: butter, sugar, cream, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla. I use vanilla bean paste if I have it for the plain caramels, just for those specks of vanilla. For the top, some nice, flaky sea salt like fleur de sel.

 
 

To prepare the pan, butter then line it with two strips of parchment paper, buttering the parchment as well. Leaving a little overhang lets you lift the caramels out in one big piece.

 
 

To start, combine all of the ingredients, minus the vanilla and fleur de sel, until melted and boiling. Once that happens, it’s time to clip on the thermometer.

The mixture will be pale yellow and bubbling pretty heavily. Stir it occasionally at this point and monitor to make sure it’s not bubbling over.

 
 

You’ll cook the caramel for about 30 minutes or so until the candy thermometer reads 245 degrees. The mixture will darken as it cooks, so don’t feel like you have to keep an eagle eye on the thermometer for the entire 30 minutes. Once you see it deepening in color, start really watching the temp.

 
 

Once it reaches 245ºF, immediately remove the pan from heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste.

 
 

Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the fleur de sel. Let the caramel set for several hours, even overnight.

 
 

Once set, lift the caramels out of the pan and cut into pieces. The easiest way to do this is with kitchen shears. The recipe will make 64-80 caramels depending on how large you cut them. Perfect for gift-giving.

 
 

Wrap the caramels in pieces of waxed paper. If you have patterned waxed paper, which is so cute, one side is more coated than the other. Place the caramel on the coated side. Note: I’ve found the patterned paper to have less slip than the plain. The caramels do stick to it just a bit.

 
 

To make the chocolate caramels, you’ll add melted chocolate and a bit of espresso powder along with the vanilla at the end. You could skip the vanilla and espresso powder, but both bring out that chocolate flavor and are well worth adding.

 
 

Store the caramels at room temperature. How cute would they be in Pioneer Woman tins? Answer: super cute!

 
 

Now that I know how delectable homemade caramels are, I’m thinking of revisiting my recipe for caramel brownies and trying them out with homemade caramels. Oh! Or that about melted and drizzled as the topping for Ree’s caramel apple pie? I think I better get busy on a new batch of caramels pronto!

 
 

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