Happy Birthday, Travis (And a Recipe for Chocolate Covered Chocolates)

Travis’s 30th (!!!) birthday is tomorrow! I mentioned it last week, but May is a big month of birthdays in our house. In fact, all 4 of us (dogs included) will celebrate a special day this month. It’s pretty much a requirement if you want to live in our house 😉

To be totally honest, I am having a harder time with the fact that I am turning 29 at the end of the month than Travis is with turning 30! Leave it to him to be Mr. Calm, Cool and Confident that age is just a number and 30’s got nothin’ on him! 

And really, that is how he should be feeling! He is in such a great place in life and I am so proud of everything that he has accomplished in his 30 short years of life 🙂 I thought that to celebrate the big 3-0, I would get super sappy and share the top 10 things I love about my husband…some are shallow and silly, some are deeper and more meaningful, but they all add up to what makes our lives so much fun and full of happiness!

1. He Cooks. Yes, I love cooking and have a food blog, but sometimes there just isn’t enough time in the day, or sometimes I need a break or a sous chef and he is always willing to step in. And he does a dang good job (and looks good while doing it!) 
2. He cleans. Travis and I have a lot in common, but I REALLY love that we are on the same page about keeping our house clean and tidy. I never have to be that wife complaining about socks on the floor or dirty dishes in the sink. He is on it!
3. He works his A$$ off. Sorry for the language, but sheesh, that man works hard! From getting through college with almost straight A’s, to working so hard at his job to help support us, or constantly making improvements to our home, he thrives when he is busy and kills it in the hard-working department.
4. He wrestles with our dogs every night. Ok, silly…but if you were here in the evenings and saw the way our dogs sit on their beds staring excitedly at him until he gets down on the ground with our 200+ pounds worth of dogs and wrestles them hard for a good 20 minutes until they finally mellow out…then you would love him for it too!
5. He’s supportive and appreciative. He does everything he can to make sure I feel supported and appreciated. Those 2 feelings are really all a girl needs, right? 
6. He’s so very kind. He is kind to everyone he meets and gives everyone the benefit of the doubt. Any time I am quick to judge, he always helps remind me that maybe I should give that person a chance before I make my opinions. He is a good friend to all and never expects anything in return. I try to learn from him daily!
7. He is patient. His frustration tolerance holds steady at an unusually low number. He will work on a problem until it is solved without every letting that level increase. This comes in particularly handy when a necklace gets tangles or a toilet won’t stop running.
8. Speaking of which, he is extremely handy. That man can fix ANYTHING! I really don’t know what I would do if I was married to a man that wasn’t so capable. I am spoiled and I know it!
9. He has integrity, high morals, and is honest. All of those traits give me full confidence and trust in my husband…something that is obviously V. important!
10. And last but certainly not least (and maybe the thing I love about him the MOST!) He makes me laugh.  He has the corniest yet wittiest sense of humor that makes my life so much fun and so full of laughter! I can’t even try to count the number of times I’ve had tears streaming down my face due to one of his ridiculous jokes. I don’t even know why I laugh most of the time, but it works!

He isn’t perfect, but there is a lot to love (and like) about the guy!

Ok, enough sap…now onto this delectable recipe!

Since food is my “love language”, I wanted to make Travis a treat for his special day (aside from lasagna, his favorite meal, but that is a given!) He doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, but one thing he does love is chocolate covered caramels. I buy them from Trader Joe’s every week for him, but I wanted to try my hand at making a healthier “Paleo” version. I turned to the talented Danielle from Against All Grain for help.

I made some poor choices when adapting the recipe, and, despite being blown away by the taste, I thought the whole thing was going to be a complete disaster. (If you think I don’t have epic fails in the kitchen, you are mistaken!) I tried using silicone ice cube molds and getting the chocolates out of the molds sent me into a complete tailspin. (I mean, full on foot stomping and wailing…). They all fell apart and made a total mess…but still tasted SUPERB, so I just couldn’t give up. 

I took a break, calmed myself down a bit, regrouped and gave it another shot. Round 2 turned out MUCH better, and thank goodness because this homemade caramel is UNREAL!

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 1/2 Tbsp almond butter
• 3 tsp butter (or coconut butter for dairy free)
• 1 tsp water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 tsp coconut oil

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, bring the honey to a low boil and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the caramel turns an amber color. 
2. Remove the honey from the heat, and add the almond butter, butter, vanilla, and water. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. 
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the caramel onto the sheet. Allow it to cool to room temperature for about 30 minutes (or place in the fridge for 15 if you are impatient like me!) until the caramel is pliable. 
4. When the caramel is almost cooled, melt the chocolate and coconut oil. I used a glass bowl over a small boiling pot of water as a “double boiler”. 
5. (Here’s where I went wrong trying to use ice cube trays. if you don’t have molds specifically made for candy, your best bet is to use cupcake liners. Much less of a mess!) Pour about a tablespoon of chocolate into the bottom of each liner. Pinch off small pieces of caramel and place or spoon into the center of each mold. Then, place another 1-2 tablespoons of chocolate over the top. 
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve, as they will get a little melty. Enjoy the heck out of these sweet treats!