5-Minute Microwave Caramel Sauce { & 55 things you can do in 5 minutes }

As a challenge to both myself and you, I’m pairing this awesome 5-minute microwave caramel sauce recipe (from the phenomenal Liz of That Skinny Chick Can Bake) with 55 fun things you can do in 5 minutes or less a day.

Ready? Let’s begin.

1. Meditate somewhere in the quiet outdoors, and dressed as an all-natural owl
2. Listen to this incredible video of Harrison Craig from The Voice Australia 2014 singing “You Raise Me Up”
3. Eat an entire caramel apple by yourself
4. Write a thank-you card telling someone you appreciate them
5. Hug a dog/cat (or a stuffed animal if a live one is in short supply)
6. Make a 15-second silly video of yourself doing Gangham Style and post it on Instagram
7. Reread your favorite picture book
8. Dance around your room belting out your current favorite song into a dilapidated hairbrush
9. Make yourself a cup of hot tea to enjoy
10. Send a text message saying “hello!” to ten friends you haven’t seen in a long time
11. Watch this hilarious Bad Lip Reading of The Hunger Games
12. Catch up on at least two BBC World News videos
13. Buy a cup of coffee for the next person in line
14. Do one of these super-random five-minute crafts, like tattooing a banana
15. Find out which Pixar movie you are
16. Hold a lively discussion about goldfish safety with your imaginary friend, Bob Gutterson
17. Try to discover the meaning of life (may require additional 5-minute sessions)
18. Make your own list of 5-minute activities and commit to finishing one per day for fun
19.  Look up 5 local restaurants you have never tried and save them for your next outing
20. Write a haiku about cheese, or your mother-in-law, or both
21. Create a to-do list of all the things you will need to accomplish when you become World Conquerer
22. Find a cute new wallpaper for your desktop background
23. Write down 5 things that made you really happy this week
24. Create a pyramid-tower out of leftover toiler paper rolls
25. Waste your insanely valuable time on this Impossible Quiz
26. Draw a map of what the world would look like if it was filled only with unicorns, rainbows, and sprinkles, in that order
27. Speak in a heavy English accent to the next person you meet, and keep it up for the entire conversation until they ask you where you’re from. Then respond: The Isle of British Antarctica.
28. Think of as many nouns as you can–then verbify them
29. Dream about how the world would look if you saw everything upside-down
30. Read this really important Buzzfeed post about 31 Times Tumblr Had Serious Questions About Disney
31. Find your very favorite movie scene on Youtube and watch it as many times as you can
32. Doodle a picture of what you would look like if you were suddenly transformed into an animal
33. Create a superhero/supervillain alter-ego for yourself, including your super-name, superpower, and super-costume ideas
34. Enjoy these very necessary 29 Things More Important Than Work Right Now
35. Create a Neopets account. If you have one, check on your pets for the first time in 5 years and make sure they aren’t dead (yet)
36. Count the number of times you can clearly and quickly repeat the word “babble” before you mess up
37. Look out the window (or around you) and simply take everything in
38. Stare into someone’s eyes for four minutes without breaking eye contact (and please, make sure they know what you’re doing and agree to participate first)
39. Skip around a room
40. Construct a blanket fort
41. Play an impromptu game of hide-and-go-seek with everyone around you
42. Throwback to a good old game of M.A.S.H.
43. Recreate and photograph your favorite painting, celebrity photo, or other iconic setting
44. Sample every flavor of dessert in your kitchen
45. Find 3 new blogs to follow
46. Do a random act of kindness
47. Write up your favorite quote on a large sheet of paper and post it on a wall where you will see it every morning
48. Do your best Marlon Brando impression in the mirror. I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.
49. Reread the first 5 glorious pages of your favorite book
50. Search for Intelligent Life right from your home computer
51. Compose a parody song about your life based on a popular song chorus. For example, “Oops, I Farted Again…”
52. Consider what topic you would write about if you had only one blog post left to publish
53. Do something over-the-top with your hair. Hopefully nothing you will regret after 5 minutes
54. Invent the craziest recipe you can imagine, even if it isn’t feasible/sounds terrible in theory. And finally….
55. Make this 5-minute microwave caramel sauce! Like, please!

Seriously though, this caramel could not any easier! Just pop the ingredients into the microwave, stir at regular intervals, and make sure you keep a close eye on it as it can quickly turn from perfect to burnt. It tastes exactly like the store-bought kind, and even better than stovetop caramel because it only requires five minutes of your precious time.

So what are you waiting for? Your caramel carriage is awaiting!

Your turn! Which fun five-minute activity will you be trying today? (I know one of them will be this caramel, right??)

5-Minute Microwave Caramel Sauce { & 55 things you can do in 5 minutes }

Five minutes are all you need to make this super-easy microwave caramel sauce! The ingredients are super simple, and there is no slaving over the stovetop involved. Just make sure you keep a close eye on the caramel--it burns quickly! Original recipe courtesy of That Skinny Chick Can Bake.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/8 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup hot heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a medium to large microwave-safe bowl, mix together sugar, corn syrup, water, and lemon juice. (You'll need a fairly large bowl for the next step, since the mixture will bubble profusely.)
2. Microwave on high at 1-2 minute intervals to start with, until the mixture takes on a pale amber color (about 4-5 minutes in). When it reaches this stage, immediately remove (very hot!) bowl from oven--it will continue cooking in the bowl as it cools, so you don't want to overcook it. Allow it to continue bubbling until it reaches a darker amber, caramel color.
3. Add hot heavy cream one tablespoon at a time, allowing the mixture to bubble and then simmer down between each spoonful. Then stir in butter and vanilla.
4. Allow caramel to cool slightly before serving, or store in refrigerator for up to a month.