Some words are over-used.

Like the word “busy”.

Everyone lately seems to be busy, but all these busy people have really different lives and different ideas of what busy looks like.

I get it.

Everyone really is busy because it’s hard to relax in this crazy world.

Even relaxing is stressful these days (ever talk to anyone about meditating?  You have to quiet your mind, compartmentalize your thoughts, accept what comes to you, quiet your mind again…that’s stressful….you can’t even meditate in peace!).

Another word that I see looming all over the internet is “easy”.

“How to easily re-organize your entire home in 20 minutes”

“How to transform your relationship in 3 easy steps”

“How to toilet train a 12 month old in seconds”

…and my ultimate favourite, “How to lose 24 pounds in 24 hours”.

That’s just not right.

But, look at how I started this post…”Easy” Chocolate Bark.
So, ya wanna challenge me???

I did a quick video of this to entice my “university aged” friends (actually, they aren’t my friends – cause that would be creepy – they are all of my kids’ friends!) to make dessert.  Not sure how it worked (or if any of them actually attempted this), but here is the recipe to prove that with a few simple ingredients that everyone has hangin’ out in their pantry, you can have a sweet treat in no time.

Easy peasy…I promise!!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 “sleeves” of Saltine crackers (enough to cover the bottom of a cookie sheet…or you can use graham crackers)
1 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1-2 c chocolate chips (enough to cover the entire pan when melted but you can use more for a more chocolaty taste).
Toppings (optional…see below)

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1.  Preheat the oven to 350 and get your ingredients together.  Spray a rimmed cookie sheet or cover with parchment.

2.  If you’re using toppings, go to your pantry and grab whatever you think you would like on top of your bark (be creative!)

You can even raid your candy cupboard (I found these leftover from Christmas).

3.  In a small saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar – stirring constantly – until it comes together into a caramel (be patient!)

4.  Spread the crackers out onto the cookie sheet like this.

5.  Pour the caramel evenly over the crackers and put the tray in the oven for 5-8 minutes (or until the caramel starts to bubble)

6.  Take the tray out of the oven and, using an offset spatula (or even a butter knife), spread the chocolate evenly over the caramel.

7.  Before the chocolate starts to harden, arrange your toppings (I split my tray into 4 sections and used Skor pieces with Toblerone, peanut butter chips with white chocolate truffles, mini M&M’s and marshmallows with butterscotch chips).

8.  Sprinkle the toppings however you like….

9.  Cool the tray (it’s winter…why waste fridge space when there is tons of room outside:)!)

10.  With a flipper, remove the bark from the pan and break it into chunks.

Put it on a plate.

Put it out for company.

Throw some flour in your hair and tell them it was the hardest thing you’ve ever made.