Last night, after the kids were tucked into bed, I puttered around the house, trying to figure out what to do with myself. I put away some laundry. I watched a little television, but got distracted. I surfed a little on the computer, but felt restless.

My husband came into the kitchen and started nosing around in the cupboard for a little something to snack on.

"Didn't you just go shopping?"

"Yes. But I deliberately didn't buy any junk food." I said this smugly, because I'm actually losing some weight right now, and am feeling righteous about it.

"But...I'm craving something yummy."

"What? Dinner wasn't good enough for you?" This is such a joke because turkey breast, steamed broccoli and carrots and mashed potatoes totally don't fall in the 'yummy' category. I mean, okay. They are yummy, but not YUMMY.

"I want something sweeeeeet." Oy. I know where the kids get their whining from.

I sent him out of the kitchen and decided to make a little desserty thingie for him. I pulled some sugar and butter and vanilla and heavy cream out, and decided to make a caramel sauce for dipping apples.

Within a few minutes, I had the sugar bubbling away, whisked in the cream, vanilla and butter and poured the whole sinful smelling mix into a pan to cool. I knew there was a reason that pastry chef classes rocked. Also, a reason that my tush is ginormous.

The caramel was setting up pretty firm, not really saucy, so I decided to forgo the apples and just eat the caramel straight out of the pan, with a spoon.

I took a heaping spoonful into the living room, where my husband was crashed out asleep. I woke him, handed him the spoon, and returned to the kitchen. I decided that I would have a little as well. I mean, I made the stuff, right?

Oh my caramelly goodness. I ate a giant mouthful of the stuff, and then put the rest away for "the kids" to eat "after school."

Well, guess what? It's 10 am, and I've just snarfed down the last piece with a second cup of coffee. The kids didn't even know that it existed. My husband only got that one spoonful. And I don't feel the least bit guilty.

Because, in my opinion, I still didn't buy any junk food at the store. Really, homemade caramel is downright wholesome, when you think about it. I've discovered that sharing a simple, dessert like this with my family (hah!) can be a fine idea. Because I totally did make it for them.

I made it (and ate it) with love.