Mashed Honeyed Carrots - Creative Mistake

I set out to make honey carrots in my crock pot, but in my focus to make Pumpkin Soup, I dropped the ball with the carrots.  I meant to cook in the slow cooker for a couple of hours and then pick up where I left off for a few more when I got to work, but I accidentally left it on all night on low - over 6 hours!  Needless to say, they were soft in the morning...but still tasted good.

I brought my little crock pot to work and was pretty embarrassed by the results, but what can I do...I promised to bring carrots.  As I sat at my desk, lamenting at my terrible mistake, I made a decision...I'm making Mashed Honeyed Carrots and telling everyone that was what I intended to do!  Well, except for I told everyone about my mistake, but that's me...I'm not good at lying.

Okay, Ingredients:

2 lbs Baby Carrots
5 tbsp Honey
5 pads of Butter

Directions for crock pot:

Put carrots, honey and butter in and turn on.   The end.

LOL!  Okay, I set it on low and accidentally left on overnight (over 6 hours).  I would have shut it off after a couple of hours and plugged it in the lunch room after my first break, set it to low and it would have been perfect for lunch.  But, I'm me...so this is what I ended up with...mushy carrots.

And then, as I sat at my desk, I remembered that there was a potato masher in the break room and I ran down there with my brilliant idea of Mashed Honeyed Carrots...yeah, sounds like I meant to do that...except that I had already ratted myself out!  Oh, well...I committed to this new idea wholeheartedly and mashed the heck out of those carrots!  

And my Mashed Honeyed Carrots was born...

I removed some excess liquid out so it wasn't soupy and I did take the lid off and turned it up on high to reduce some of the liquids down.

Tabby's Special K Bars

I was invited with my boyfriend to celebrate 4th of July with them.  I've never really hung out with them, and I really wanted to make a good impression since they are a big part of his life and he was a big part of mine.  We were tasked with desserts, and my boyfriend was perfectly okay with "buying something on the way..."  But he didn't really know how much I loved to cook...yet...

I decided to make two things - Apple Dumplings and Special K Bars, and they turned out to be a hit!  I got this recipe a few years back and it called for a cup of sugar and a cup of Karo syrup...being me, I just had to make my change.  So, I replaced the sugar and syrup with honey.  It's not as stiff, but it still holds its shape and is a good blend of sweetness with the peanut butter.  I hope you enjoy this version!


Ingredients:

6 cups Special K 
1 1/4 cup honey 
1 cup honey roasted, creamy peanut butter 
12 oz milk chocolate chips 
6 oz butterscotch chips 

Directions: 

1. In a large mixing bowl, pour the 6 cups of Special K cereal and set aside. *Tip: butter the sides of the bowl to prevent the mixture from sticking. 

2. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x12 baking pan. 

3. Heat up the honey. Once hot, add the peanut butter. Melt the peanut butter in completely in medium heat, careful not to burn. 

4. Pour the melted peanut butter mixture onto the Special K and mix with a wooden spoon. Don't worry if the cereal gets a little crushed, just mix really well. 

5. Pour into the 9x12 baking pan. Slightly wet your hands (to prevent from sticking), and press down the mixture as compact as you can get it. It is easiest to do this while it is still warm. 

6. In a sauce pan, melt together the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. Careful not to burn it. 

7. Pour melted chocolate & butterscotch on top of the cereal mixture and distribute evenly. 

8. Let cool or stick in the refrigerator to cool and harden. Cut into 1-2" squares.