S'mores Brownies {Sundays with Joy}

{Yeah. I'm a little late. It's Tuesday, not Sunday. Life. Whatcha gonna do?}

It became uncomfortably apparent to me a few weeks ago that I am one of those people.

You know, the kind that "pack" for a trip to the store.

{In my defense, the store was Wal-Mart. Which means at least two hours. And I was going to the gym first.}

It started out innocently enough, with my list. A full sheet of notebook paper.

Then I needed to get my gym bag ready. Wallet, book, water, socks for Jordan so she can play in the playscape and I don't have to hear about how she "couldn't play with her friends and it was the WORST DAY EVER" because she was in flip-flops.

But, since I hate going anywhere sweaty, I needed a change of shirt. And my own flip-flops because it's 100 degrees and I ain't wearing tennis shoes until noon.

Okay good. Ready? Nope.

Gotta bring my purse for the shopping part. Pack that next to the gym bag.

Oh, and since Jordan is coming shopping, she'll need a snack.  Come to think of it, so will I. Two granola bars into the purse.

Better bring some peanut butter crackers in case the granola bar isn't what Jordan is "in the mood for."

Oh yeah, she'll want water too.

Then I have to pack Jordan's wallet. She likes to bring her own money. Because she treats her stuff like crap and has to buy herself new headphones because who knew that you can't step on headphones?

Before I knew it I had enough stuff I could have spent the night in the Wal-Mart.

Which, I guess, is likely because by the time I shop, rearrange the cart four times, get Jordan three snacks, let her look at clothes, fight that no we cannot buy the Lego house, and get through the line, I feel like I'm never going to get home.

So yeah, I'm now that person. If you see me at Wal-Mart, you can bet I'll have extra snacks. All you have to do is ask.

When I started thinking about how to make a "different" kind of S'mores Brownies, I immediately thought of doing a graham cracker crust; not the ground up kind, but an actual graham cracker. The marshmallow was perplexing to me because whenever I've baked with marshmallows they disappear in the oven. So I decided to do a sort of cheesecake filled with fluff.

The result? Well, they don't taste like your traditional s'mores. The graham gives it a slightly spicy base and the cheesecake tastes like cheesecake. The brownies are absolutely out of this world. I need to make Joy's brownies again, but by themselves. And then I'll hoard the pan and not share with anyone.

Oh, and this makes a ton of brownies. I know it's a 9x13" pan, but they seemed to multiply like Jordan's toys on my living room floor. I guess because they are very rich, thick, and chewy.

Didn't stop me from eating four. Or eight.

~Read More~

S'more Cookie Tarts

Raise your hand if you link up to a gazillion linky parties every day.

{Hand raised.}

Keep your hand up if it takes a long time because your computer is absurdly slow and it makes you want to throw it out the window.

{My hand is still raised.}

Now, keep it up there if you often purposely get up super-early and sneak quietly around your house to not wake your kid(s) so that you can link and read blogs in peace before the rush of dress-breakfast-shoes-school starts.

{Yup, still raised.}

Now, imagine you get up on one of those days (last Thursday, to be exact) and find that your internet is out. What would you do?

{Yeah, I pretty much said that word too.}

I did a few things and figured the incident was probably not on our end, that the problem was with our internet provider.

So I got on my cell phone to get the number to call to check the recordings that usually say "yes, we are experiencing and outage in your area blah blah blah," or to talk to one of their 24 hour tech support people if it was an issue with my comuter.

Except what I got? The computer voice from Hell.

"Enter your phone number," she demanded.

I did.

"I'm sorry, there is a problem with that number, please try again."

I did.

Then she hung up on me, that <insert cuss here>.

I tried again. Same result.

The funny thing?

Our internet service provider? Also provides our home phone.

So the phone I was using to call them? The number they didn't recognize?

Is the number that I pay them for.

Luckily, shortly after four tries to get through, a tearful call to my husband, and lots of curse words, the internet magically came back on.

Later in the day I called the company. The number they had on file was from when we lived in Arizona five years ago. (Um, we've moved and changed our address and our services with them since then.)

Stupid me, thinking they would actually have the correct phone number in the computer. That I wouldn't have to tell them: "hey, be sure to update this info when I call you to set up my service." Tsk, tsk.

So yes, if you live in the Sacramento area and have Wave Broadband, I suggest you give them a call and check your account. Tell the computer I said hello.

A few weeks ago I saw these at Target. I immediately thought "S'mores" (because that is what rational people think when they see chocolate covered marshmallows, no?)

I needed a good crust for these. Of course, if you're making s'mores, you need graham crackers. So I made a graham cracker crust.

Cut out circles that fit the candy.

Wrapped the candy up all nice and warm in its graham cracker crust blanket.

Then baked them. And ate them. Because marshmallows are good.

Perfect for days when stupid computers seem to rule the world.

Oh, wait. I depend on computers for my work. And so does my husband.

I'm sorry computers. I love you.

Want a cookie?

~Read More~

S'more Caramel Apples

I snapped this picture the other day while in my daughters bathroom:

It got me to thinking. Who would win in a Princess fight? (I know, totally inappropriate. But funny and entertaining!)

I mean, Belle has obviously got a leg up on Ariel. Poor Ariel didn't really have a chance with that whole tail thing.

I see Jasmine as a good fighter, if she needed to be. I mean, she has a pet tiger and all. And she dated a self-proclaimed "street rat."

I wouldn't count out Cinderella either. After all those years of domestic work, she's probably got some good muscles going on under that drab house dress.

Rapunzel has the magical braid. She can do anything with that thing. I think it would hurt if it hit you upside the head.

Aurora...she's the wild card. All those years in the princess protection program, singing to the birds in the forest may have softened her. But it's always the meek ones that end up taking out the whole fight club, right?

Don't even get me started on Barbie and Bratz. I don't think the Princesses would stand a chance against them.

Anyway, this is where I would segue into the recipe for these S'more Caramel Apples...but I've got nothing. I'm not quite sure how to get from Princess Smackdown to this yummy "Summer, meet Fall" recipe. Because that's really what it is. The last few bites of Summer, all wrapped up into a nice Fall package.

I think caramel apples are the easiest treat to make. All you do is melt some caramels and roll an apple in it. Easy but absolutely delicious. And now for the fun stuff...

The winner of the Mini Pie Maker is...

Something Swanky said...

Tweeted this giveaway

September 22, 2011 1:12 PM 

Ashton at Something Swanky, you won! :) Email me your contact info and I'll send you your new mini pie maker.

S’more Apples

Recipe by Crazy for Crust

Ingredients:

5 medium Granny Smith apples, washed and well dried

5 wooden sticks or popsicle sticks

1 bag (11-oz) caramel bits (or squares, unwrapped)

2 Tablespoons water

4 graham cracker sheets

2 cups mini marshmallows

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1.       Finely grind graham crackers in a food processor until only a fine crumb remains. Place in a shallow bowl and set aside. Put marshmallows and chocolate chips on two separate plates and set aside. Put your sticks in the center of your apples. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper.

2.       Heat caramel bits and water over medium heat. Stir until melted (about 3-5 minutes). Once melted, turn the heat very low (you want to keep the caramel warm).

3.       Working quickly, one apple at a time, dip in caramel. You may need to tip the pan and/or use a spoon to help you cover the entire thing. Dip the bottom half of the caramel apple in the graham cracker crumbs. Roll the top half in the chocolate chips and then the marshmallows. Place it on the cookie sheet. Add more marshmallows or chocolate chips where there are gaps. Repeat with remaining apples.

4.       Chill until hardened, at least 30 minutes. Store in refrigerator. These look really cute as gifts, wrapped in a cellophane bag. You will probably have some caramel left over. Use it to dip apple slices in (or eat with a spoon).

Yield: 5 apples

Enjoy!

This recipe may be linked with:

Monday: Mingle Monday (Add a Pinch), Joy of Desserts. Tuesday: 2 Maids a Baking (2 Maids a Milking), Tea Party Tuesdays (Sweetology), Mushki Loves My Stuff (Mushki Loves), Totally Tasty Tuesdays (Mandy's Recipe Box). Wednesday: Cast Party Wednesday, Made It On Monday (Lark's Country Heart), This Chick Cooks.  Thursday: Sweet Treats Thursday (Something Swanky), Chic-and-Crafty (Frugal Girls), Turning the Table Thursdays (Around My Family Table), Tasty Thursday (The How-To Mommy). Friday: Sweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home), Party Mindy Style (Bacon Time...). Saturday: Sweets for a Saturday (Sweet as Sugar Cookies), Seasonal Inspiration (Crumbs and Chaos). Sunday: A Well-Seasoned Life,Sharing Sundays (Everyday Sisters)

S'mores. With Peanut Butter Chocolate.

Oh yes, I did.

But hold on, let me give you the background first.

I've been on vacation for the past few days in "OMG there was no fog this trip" San Francisco. Well, more of a "staycation" than a vacation. My parents go to Oregon every summer and so, in the interest of saving money, getting away from the inferno that is Sacramento, and playing tourist in the city I grew up in, we headed to their house to stay. No hotel costs = semi-free vacation.

The problem with visiting where you grew up is that there is well...visiting to do. Whenever we visit there we hardly ever do more than head to the park. So we packed it all in this trip: BART, Union Square, Chinatown, the Zoo, Half Moon Bay and the beach. We had a great trip.

There is a famous chocolate shop in San Francisco. Maybe you've heard of it? Ghirardelli. Oh, yum. They make little squares of goodness. Chocolate squares and chocolate mint squares and chocolate caramel squares.

And, for the love of all things PB&C...Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares. My husband saw them first. We snatched them up faster than you can say "I'm gonna gain five pounds but it is SO worth it."

I wish I could claim this recipe idea as my own. But I can't. My daughter came up with it.

*applause*

We were roasting marshmallows over the front burner of the gas stove in my parents' kitchen when she thought of it. I think she just wanted to try one of the squares. She had chosen marshmallows over a Ghirardelli square for dessert and wanted to come up with a way to have both.

She's a genius. Do they have dessert Mensa? 'Cuz she's so totally in.

Roast a marshmallow. I like mine burnt on the outside, smooshy and melty on the inside.

Grab two graham cracker squares. And squish the toasty fire-burnt goodness together with a peanut butter Girardelli square. (Or a Reese's, whichever you have.)

Watch the chocolate and peanut butter ooze out from beneath the graham squares. Catch the ooze in your mouth. Or lick the counter. Whatever, I won't tell.

Pure genius.  Peanut Butter Chocolate S'mores. The scary thing about this recipe? I almost always have the ingredients on hand.  Good for me. Bad for me.

So...we're back from our trip. Sad. But we have a lot to look forward to, first of which is my husband's 50th birthday next weekend. Which I'm hosting. At my house. And cooking and baking for. So, if I'm a bit absent over the next week or so, you'll know why.

But? There will be peanut butter and chocolate at the party (his favorite combo). So at least I'll have this recipe (and all the ingredients) for Peanut Butter Chocolate S'mores to dissolve my stress.

See? Silver lining, people. Silver lining.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate S'mores
Printer-Friendly Recipe

Ingredients:
Marshmallows
Peanut Butter Cups or Squares (Reese's or Ghirardelli or whatever you have)
Graham cracker squares, twice the number of your marshmallows and cups

Directions:
Roast your marshmallow over a flame. Top one graham square with a peanut butter cup and place the roasted marshmallow on top. Top with another graham square. Eat. Enjoy. Repeat.


This recipe will be linked with:

Chic-and-Crafty (Frugal Girls), Sweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), Sweets for a Saturday (Sweet as Sugar Cookies), A Well-Seasoned Life, Savory Sunday (The Sweet Details), Simply Delish (KB and Whitesnakes Home)