Give me s'more(s bars)!

Happy Fourth of July! 

My friend Beth gave me an awesome recipe for s'mores bars last week so I could make it for Jeremy's family over the weekend, and they were a real hit. This is the perfect solution to your summer hankering for s'mores without having to go camping :) Or without having the mess in your microwave--have you ever blown up a marshmallow in your microwave trying to make homemade s'mores??? Not a pretty sight. Not that I would personally know...

So here are the goods, adapted from a recipe (and photo) you can find HERE. That recipe makes an 8x8, but I tweaked it for a 9x13 and the results are below. I just thought a 9x13 would be more handy for taking to a picnic or summer get-together... Let us know what you think!

Give Me S'mores Bars
1 cup butter, room temp
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (abt 2 pkgs of crackers)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 king-size Hershey bars
2 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff (NOT melted marshmallows)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at low speed until combined; it will have a similar consistency to that of cookie dough.

Divide the dough in half and press half into an even layer on the bottom of the 9x13 pan (I didn't even use half of the dough--I didn't want it to be too thick, so I only used enough to be about 1/4-inch thick.) Layer chocolate bars on top of pressed dough to cover completely; you might have to break it up to fit in just right, but don't double up on the layer--just trust me on this, it will be too much. Spread marshmallow fluff (my first time using the stuff) on top of the chocolate bars, spreading it evenly--again, don't be tempted by the idea that more is better, just use 2 1/2 cups :) And just FYI, you don't want to use regular marshmallows because they will harden up as they cool, and that defeats the purpose of this ooey-gooey deliciousness...

For the top layer of graham cracker crust, take the remaining dough and flatten it into pancakes; lay on top of the marshmallow fluff until covered. Again, keep these relatively thin or it will disrupt the delicate ratio of graham/chocolate/marshmallowey goodness :) I ended up with quite a bit of leftover dough, so don't be surprised if you do, too. I also left a few areas of marshmallow fluff uncovered by the dough, and as it cooked the marshmallow kind of rose through the dough and got toasted. OH SO GOOD!!! So my suggestion? Leave a few spots open... I think it looks prettier too when all is said and done.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until dough is lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting or it will be a gooey nightmare :)

Enjoy!

Taste of Home's Pumpkin Sheet Cake

My mom made this recipe for my brother's wedding, complete with gold sprinkles on top for their wedding colors (and without the candy pumpkin on top). They were a huge hit at the wedding! We also know they freeze well, because we've been enjoying them this past week as well :o) Click here for the original recipe, or see below with a few alterations... BTW, I love this magazine.

Taste of Home's Pumpkin Sheet Cake

Cake:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree

1 cup canola oil

4 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cloves

In a large bowl, beat the sugar, pumpkin, oil and eggs. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cloves; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Pour into a greased 15x10x1 baking pan (or large cookie sheet with high sides). Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Cream cheese frosting:

6 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Graduall beat in powdered sugar. Spread over cake; garnish with sprinkles or candy pumpkins if desired. Cover and refrigerate until serving. (Or freeze until needed!) Makes 24 servings.

Donuts

For the last 2 years, I've been working hard to teach my Mia Maids (14/15-year old girls I work with at church) the value and importance of home skills so that when the day comes, they will be proud of their roles as mothers and homemakers. But in this day and age, it's a hard sell--so I've been easing them into it little by little... and what better way to start than with donuts! I had them over to my house last fall for a Mutual activity, and we had such a blast--although I was finding oil and powdered sugar all over my kitchen for the next month :o) Everyone helped out, and we had different toppings you could put on them when you were done. The girls were so surprised by how easy they were to make, and that they did it!

It's not something you want to do often (obviously!), but still a really fun group activity--whether for Mutual, Family Home Evening, or a day off school with the kids. Add some cider or hot chocolate, and you're in for a good time :o)

Here's the link to the recipe we used, but feel free to look around other sites and see if you like something else better. I just wanted to get the idea out there!

Rhonda Shelton's Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is per the request of my friend, Kathy...

Rhonda Shelton was in our married student ward when Jer and I were newlyweds. We have no idea where the Sheltons are anymore, but Rhonda's cookies are legend... This is honestly the only cookie recipe I actually crave. You'll know what I mean after you try them!

Rhonda Shelton's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter

1/2 + 1/3 cup shortening

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

3 1/2 cups flour

1 pkg. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Blend butter, shortening, and sugars till creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add baking soda, salt, and flour all at once--you can add more flour if dough is too wet. Mix well, then add chocolate chips. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until just barely golden brown. Do NOT overcook--these are better a little undercooked than overcooked. Enjoy!

Elisa's Christmas Popcorn

Elisa was one of my very first neighbors as a newlywed! We lived in the same 4-plex just south of BYU campus, and we had our first babies just 5 months apart. So we spent TONS of time together and have lots of fun memories :o) It's been over 5 years since we've seen each other, but Elisa is still one of the happiest, most grateful, easy-going people I've ever known! She's still a great example to me...

Christmas Popcorn
1 lb. white chocolate
3 bags popped popcorn
1 peppermint candy cane (crushed)

Melt chocolate (go by package directions). Stir in the crushed candy cane. Pour over the popped popcorn and stir until evenly coated. Let it dry on a cookie sheet--YUM!

Elisa's Caramels

Caramels
2 C sugar
1 1/3 C Karo
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 C cream
3/4 C evaporated milk
4 T butter

Bring sugar, syrup, 1 C cream, and salt to boiling point, stirring occasionally. Add remaining cream and evaporated milk gradually so candy does not cease to boil. Cook until candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees (soft ball stage). Add butter and continue stirring constantly until mixture forms a hard ball under cold water. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour mixture into buttered pan. When cool, cut into squares and wrap in wax paper.

*Cooling takes several hours or overnight. Place in refrigerator for faster results.

Laura's Butterscotch Bars

Laura is my friend in my ward here in Maryland. Thankfully, when the Primary president got released last month, Laura was called to take her place--and not me!!! I still haven't quite recovered yet... Thanks for the great recipes, Laura!

Butterscotch Bars
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
¾ cup butter or margarine
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
2 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 32 crackers)
1 6-oz pkg butterscotch chips
2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter

Combine eggs, sugar, and butter in saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 2 min, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool. Add marshmallows, nuts, and graham cracker crumbs. Pat mixture into 9x13 pan. In saucepan, melt butterscotch pieces over very low heat; stir in peanut butter, mix well. Spread over crumb mixture in pan. When set, cut into 1x1” pieces.

Laura's Caramels

Another yummy one...

Caramels
½ lb butter
2 cups light corn syrup
2 cups sugar
2 14-oz cans sweetened condensed milk
½ cup flour (mixed with about ½ cup of the condensed milk)
2 tsp vanilla

Measure and set out all ingredients before you start. Have a spatula and a long handled wooden spoon or scraper handy.
Melt butter in large, heavy saucepan/pot (non-stick works best). Add corn syrup and sugar. Bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring constantly, and boil for 5 minutes. Take pan off burner (don’t turn it off) and stir in 1 ½ cups of the milk, then add the flour/milk mixture. Stir well and return pan to burner. Boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture darkens and reaches a medium hard ball (240). Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Turn into buttered 9x13 glass pan. Cool. Cut into bite-sized pieces with buttered knife. Wrap in small pieces of wax paper.

Yummy Pretzel Rods

I don't really have a recipe for these--but they are easy and fun to make!

Yummy Pretzel Rods
1 pkg. long, thick pretzel rods
melted white chocolate
melted milk chocolate
melted caramel
Optional toppings: coconut, crushed candy canes, toffee bits, chopped-up M&Ms, chopped peanuts or almonds, whatever tastes good to you!

Dip pretzel rod in one melted liquid, then lay on cookie sheet covered with greased parchment paper. Sprinkle with desired topping(s) and refrigerate till hardened.

One of our favorites is the pretzel rod first dipped in caramel, then let sit till hardened. Then dip into milk chocolate and sprinkle with toffee bits.

Other combinations: white chocolate with candy cane chunks, milk chocolate with white chocolate drizzled on top, etc. etc. etc. The possibilities are endless!

Mildred's Toffee

Brent and Ann, our neighbors in Columbus, gave us a whole tin of this sinful stuff every Christmas and it was always gone way too fast. One time I think Bennett (yeah, let's blame him) got into it and ate most of it, so Jeremy just asked Brent for the recipe so we could make more. Brent not only gave us the recipe, but made a whole new batch for us. Yikes! Not so good for the hips... but worth every second on the treadmill :o)

Mildred's Toffee
1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans or almonds, divided
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

Spread 1 cup pecans/almonds into a 9-inch circle on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bring sugar, butter, corn syrup and water to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook until mixture is golden brown and a candy thermometer registers 290 to 310 degrees (about 15 minutes). Pour sugar mixture over nuts on baking sheet.
Sprinkle with chocolate morsels; let stand 30 seconds. Spread melted morsels evenly over top; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup nuts. Chill 1 hour. Break into bite-size pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Peppermint Bark

I am a sucker for anything mint. If it's mint, I WILL love it (hint hint). I also love anything Paula Deen makes--at least I love watching her make anything. If I actually ate everything she made, I would have a heart attack very soon. But her Peppermint Bark does NOT have any butter in it, and so I will eat it :o) Enjoy! It's a fun one for the kids to help with, too...

Paula Deen's Peppermint Bark
1 1/2 cup crushed candy canes
2 lbs. white chocolate
Peppermint flavoring (optional)
Red food coloring (optional)

Place candy canes in a plastic bag and hammer into 1/4-inch chunks or smaller.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or in the microwave in VERY short increments, stirring in between, so you don't burn it. Stir 1 cup candy cane chunks into chocolate, and add peppermint flavoring at this point, if desired.
Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper. Drop 2-3 drops of red food coloring in different places on chocolate mixture; use a toothpick to "marble-ize" for a red-and-white swirled look. Sprinkle remaining candy cane chunks on top, and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm.

Gooey Chex Mix AKA "Christmas Crack"

My friend Heather made this for our Book Club meeting last month, and I think we've all made it at least once since then. It's so good! And it's a perfect treat to make with your kids for a movie or game night, FHE dessert, etc...

Gooey-but-oh-so-good Chex Mix
1 cup butter
1 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup sugar
6 cups Rice Chex
6 cups Golden Grahams
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup coconut
1 cup Craisins
1 cup white chocolate chips

Stir butter, Karo syrup, and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil for 3-4 minutes. Pour over the top of combined remaining ingredients. Mix well. Spread mix on wax paper and let sit for 1 hour or longer--if you have some self-control :o)

**I have found over the years that the white chocolate chips melt too much for my liking when I pour the hot butter/syrup/sugar combination on. So now I reserve the white chocolate chips and sprinkle them on top of the Chex mix while it's cooling on the wax paper.