No Campfire Required

Smore's are the quintessential summer dessert. Images of campfires and flaming marshmallows come to mind... and then that yummy flavor of crispy and sweet graham crackers with gooey warm chocolate and crunchy/fluffy marshmallows... it's pretty delicious. So, when my mom emailed me this recipe, I got quite excited: Smore's... no campfire required!

Individual Smore's Cups and Bars

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup butter or margarine, melted

16 snack size Hershey bars

4 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir together cookie mix and crumbs. Stir in melted butter until soft dough forms. Place cupcake liners in muffin tin. Press the dough into the bottom of each slot (should be 1/8 or ¼ inch thick). Take the rest of the dough and press into the bottom of an ungreased 8x8” pan.

Bake muffin tin for 10-15 minutes and the 8x8” pan 18-20 minutes or until set. Break the hershey’s bars in half and immediately put one in each of the cupcake liners. Once the 8x8” pan is out of the oven, do the same. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. (You can stick them back in the oven for 1-2 minutes if it isn’t melting)

Set oven control to broil. Sprinkle marshmallows over melted chocolate. Broil with top 4 to 5 inches from heat 20 to 30 seconds or until marshmallows are toasted. (Watch closely; marshmallows will brown quickly.) Cool 10 minutes. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Serve warm. Store any remaining bars/cups tightly covered.

Mise en Place

You can take out your frustration on the
graham crackers by pounding them
into oblivion...

After you add the butter to the dry mixture

Press the dough into the bottom of the cupcake liners

Press the dough into the baking pan

All baked!

Add the chocolate...

Nice and melty!

Do the same with the large pan

Add the marshmallows!

Ta-dah! :)

So, there you have it! The most yummy of smore's... and you don't have to be outside in the woods to eat them! Now, as a VERY IMPORTANT side note, do NOT stop watching them when they're under the broiler. I repeat: DO NOT take your eyes off of them. Why? This, my friends, is why:

Is it the surface of the moon? Nope. It's a lovely lava field of flame-broiled mini marshmallows. Don't do this. You'll be sad. Remember: only YOU can prevent marshmallow fires. :)
 
~ Mari

Dirty Little Secret

Yep. There it is. My most favorite summer dessert: Key Lime Pie. I know the picture isn't the best (taking a good picture of a white frozen treat in a white bowl isn't exactly easy), but it tastes amazing. Sweet, tart, and cool on a hot summer day!

Here's why my post has that elusive title: it's REALLY REALLY easy to make. So easy, I'm almost embarassed to post the recipe on here. But, why be stingy with a good thing, right?

So, here it is - my dirty little secret:

2/3 cup Jo & Nellie's Key Lime Juice
8 oz. Lite Cool Whip
14 oz. Fat Free Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 graham cracker crust

Literally, all you do is mix the first three ingredients in a bowl until blended, pour it into the graham cracker crust, and freeze for 1-2 hours (until it's totally frozen through and through). If you want to eat it frozen (that's how I like it), just slice a piece and eat it! If you'd rather it be a little creamier, let it sit out for a few minutes before you devour your piece.

Hope you enjoy it! I just can't tell you how good it is! Hope everyone enjoys it and is enjoying her/his summer!

~ Mari