Lately, my motto has been “the simpler, the better.”

Life has been far too busy to allow me time to idle in the kitchen and take my time with French dishes like coq au vin and beef bourguignon.

It’s been more like, “Hmmm, I wonder if there’s any chili left in the freezer?” (her) or “I’ll just got to McDonald’s” (um, him).

And dessert?  Well, instant gratification is the name of the game in this house.

Like, “For a snack I’ll take down two sleeves of Thin Mints and then finish the bag of pistachios I opened this afternoon.” (him) or “Just one small scoop of that ice cream that I bought for Lloyd but secretly bought for myself, oh wait, make that two small scoops” (um, her).

So it should come as no surprise that I’m going Sandra Lee on you. First it was the slutty brownies- the easiest indulgence ever. Then it was the s’mores bars, which are close behind in the simplicity category. And here I’ve got yet another “quick and dirty” treat.The only nuisance with this recipe is unwrapping the caramels, but if you play the “one for you, one for me game,” it’s not really a chore.

Knock You Naked Brownies

Print this recipe!

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Yields 9-12 generous brownies

Ingredients

• 1 box fudgy cake mix
• 1 C finely chopped pecans
• 1/3 C evaporated milk PLUS an additional 1/2 C evaporated milk
• 1/2 C butter, melted
• 1 bag whole caramels, unwrapped (about 60 total)
• 2/3 C milk chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, pecans, 1/3 C evaporated milk, and butter. Stir together until totally combined. Mixture will be thick.
3. Press half the mixture into a greased 9 x 9 inch square baking pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set aside.
4. In a double boiler, melt caramels with additional 1/2 C evaporated milk. Stir until smooth. Pour over brownie base. Sprinkle chocolate chips as evenly as you can over the caramel.
5. Take remaining dough and use your hands to press it into a large square about the size of the pan. (It’s ok if it’s smaller, or it’s not a perfect square). Set it on top of the caramel and chocolate chip layer.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
7. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight. Cut into either nine or twelve helpings, and carefully remove from the pan.

These are similar to a recipe my mom made growing up, more commonly known as turtle brownies.  It may even be exact.  All I know is that this name is much more fun!  These decadent brownies are rich, fudgy, and oozing with buttery caramel.  If you a caramel lover, you won’t be able to resist these treats!