Last week I wrote a post about microwave tips and it got me thinking about how I really don’t use my microwave for much. It just sits in my kitchen collecting dust for the most part. However the more I was thinking about it I remembered there is one recipe I make in the microwave. It’s the only recipe I have strictly used the microwave to prepare. From start to finish I make this recipe completely in the microwave with a little assistance from a bowl and a spoon. It is a caramel recipe. I know your probably thinking caramel in the microwave? Yes, I say, “Make caramel in the microwave.”

The more I thought about the caramels, the more I felt like the famous little mouse in Laura Joffe Numeroff’s children’s book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Just like the cookie led the mouse into a series of domino like events, the thoughts of this caramel recipe have had the same effect on me.

I wrote a post about the microwave. The post about how little I use the microwave reminded me that I can make a caramel recipe in it. The thoughts of the caramel made me crave it. In order to make it and I began to look for the recipe. When I found the recipe, I dug through the pantry to find all of the ingredients. Once I had collected all the ingredients I pulled out a bowl and spoon and mixed them all together. After they were mixed well I placed the bowl in the microwave to cook it and with excitement stopped it every few minutes to stir the caramel. Once it was finish I poured it into a pan for it to set. After it was set I began to cut it, as I cut the caramel I remembered how pretty it is wrapped in wax paper. I found the wax paper and wrapped each piece. After I had wrapped the caramels they looked so pretty I thought I should share them with my friends. I rounded up the kids and we went around the neighborhood sharing our caramels. Arriving home I sat on the couch and ate a few too many of the caramels myself. Eating the caramels made me feel guilty and reminded me I should have exercised today. So I followed Jillian Michael’s through a 30 minute workout. After the exercise my muscles were sore. Having sore muscles I took a rice bag to heat it in the microwave. Looking at the microwave it reminded me of the caramels I can make in it……

They really are that simple and the best part is they taste just like you spent hours over the stove making a traditional caramel candy recipe. With just a fraction of the time you have very satisfying results. This is a really yummy recipe and if your a caramel lover like me beware the results of this recipe may be addicting.

Recipe:
Microwave Caramel
 
1 cup Margarine
1 cup White Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Light Karo Syrup
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
In a large microwave safe bowl melt the margarine for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from the microwave and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Place back into the microwave and cook on high for 5 minutes. Take the bowl from the microwave and stir well. Continue cooking on high for an additional 5 minutes, remove and stir. Cook for 3 more minutes ( for a total of 13 mins.) Remove from the microwave, stir and pour into a 9 x 13 pan to set. Once caramel has set wrap in wax paper and store in an air tight container.