Smore’s Cookie Bars

The best smore I have ever had was after finishing my second leg of the Atlanta Ragnar Trail race this year. It was 4 am, I just finished a 5.5 mile loop through the woods after running like 6 miles earlier that day and only eating trail mix and a pasta dinner. Which sounds like plenty of food when I type it out, but for me in that moment it was not.

The last mile of the loop all I could think off was food. Potatoes. Meat. I distinctly remember contemplating which flavor potato chip I would prefer. FACT: I don’t really like potato chips. Basically, ya girl was hungry and desperate.

So I emerged from the woods, passed off my race belt and headed straight for the bonfire and smore’s station. Because they had a smores station at 4am (REI knew what’s up). I snatched up a Hershey Bar, a marshmallow, a graham cracker and a stick. Some poor souls surrounding the campfire were NOT ROASTING SMORES and were also between me and my meal.

Less than delicately, I shoved my way to the fire explaining ” I just really need this marshmallow toasted”. Lit my marshmallow on fire (I like my smores well charred) and waited until it was ready. Then I smashed it between two crackers and some chocolate and wolfed it down in two bites. It was transcendent. Gooey marshmallow, the chocolate bar still solid, molten only by the now carcinogenic marshmallow. Bliss.

So with these cookies I tried to recreate that moment. How does one recreate the perfect bite that was the result of running far more than normal, at a strange hour, in the middle of the woods,  and a bonfire? 

Cookie bars were the only option. I thought about individual cookies, making regular smores in the oven, but really there was no other choice. Cookie bars were my best bet.

Graham Cracker laced cookies crust, topped with milk chocolate bars while still warm, then crowned with marshmallows. A quick broil, and your bars are done. You can eat them while still gooey, as pictured above, or wait until they have cooled the next day. The cookies will be soft and chewy, the chocolate returned to its solid state, and the marshmallow still sticky on top. 4am smore’s bliss achieved.

• Servings: 40 1-inch squares
• Time: 1 Hour
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 sticks of butter, softened (1 cup)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4/ cup brown sugar
• 1 package graham crackers (8 crackers)
• 6 chocolate bars ( I used Hershey Bars)
• 40 Jumbo marshmallows

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375°F.  Put graham crackers in a bag and smash until in about 1/2 inch chunks. Add butter to a stand mixer or large bowl and beat until soft. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix until fluffy. Then add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and graham cracker crumbs.

Spread cookie dough into 13×9 inch pan. Use a greased spatula to even the top. Bake in oven for 20 – 25 minutes. Remove from oven and while still hot place unwrapped chocolate bars across the top of the cookies. Then immediately top chocolate with marshmallows. Broil for one minute or just return to oven to brown marshmallows.

Let cool for a few minutes and then serve. These are also quite tasty completely cool.

 

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Lemon “Cookie” Strawberry Shortcakes

This started out as a total disaster. I had grand plans of making Amerikaners also (known as Black and White Cookies) with sprinkles and lemon for Fourth of July. As I made the dough it seemed a little off. If you follow along in my Instagram stories you know what I mean. The dough was REALLY thick. The directed portions were large. When I pulled them from the oven they much more resembled dense biscuits over cake-y  cookies. Looking back, I realized I left out AN ENTIRE INGREDIENT (milk) But it all worked out in the end.

Anyway, I was devastated. Both because my recipe failed and I was looking forward to Amerikaners. I haven’t had any since we lived in Italy and a German friend made some (should have gotten her recipe!) But then I tried one of my failed cookies. Lemony and dense, I immediately knew what I could use them for.

The lemony “cookie” (they are more like biscuits to me) was perfect for strawberry shortcakes! I took out my strawberries and put them in a bowls with some sugar and whipped some heavy cream and Boom! Strawberry Shortcakes.

Eaten alone, the cookie/biscuits are not too sweet with a hint of lemon. Topped with strawberries and whipped cream the lemon flavor really pops. The juice from the berries soaks into the cookie/biscuit and the whipped cream is cool on top of the ripe strawberries. If I had to describe the taste with one word it would be summer.

 

• Difficulty: Easy
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Inspired by: This recipe 

Ingredients

• Cookie/Biscuits
• 9 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• Sprinkles (if you want)

Strawberries

• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 3 tablespoons sugar

Whipped Cream

• One cup whipping cream
• 1/8 cup sugar

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

Beat butter and sugar together in an electric mixer or large bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and lemon extracts. Combine flour and baking soda in another bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in three batches, mixing well after each addition.

Scoop 1/4 cup batter onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat. Bake for 20 minutes.

While those are baking, put your strawberries and sugar into a bowl. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the strawberries and sugar to combine, forming a nice juice. (aka macerating the strawberries).

Either with an electric mixer or by hand with a whisk and a clean bowl, fiercely whip the heavy cream and sugar until thick and fluffy. (With my mixer this took about 1 minute and 30 seconds on high).

Cut a cooled biscuit in half and top with strawberries and whipped cream!

 

Smoked Gouda Pimento Cheese

I went to Raleigh this weekend and stayed with my good friend Ashley who was an amazing host. In addition to just being an awesome person, she made my son and I breakfast every morning. What did she make you ask? Fried Egg Sandwiches with SMOKED GOUDA PIMENTO CHEESE. It was transcendent. Unfortunately she bought it at a grocery store that does not exist where I live and that left me one option.  Make it myself.

And I nailed it.

Pimento Cheese might sound kind of gross if you haven’t heard of it before. I know when my college roommate introduced me to it I was a little skeptical. Cheese, pimentos and mayonnaise? Who thinks “You know what would go great with this cheese? Mayonnaise”. The South. That’s who. And I am so glad.

Thinking about it, its not a huge leap when you consider most chip dips are mayonnaise+other ingredients, often cheese. So not that crazy.

No matter how you look at it, this is mind blowing stuff. Smokey, salty and creamy. Unapologetically ugly, it sings on a cracker or as my current favorite, spread on a fried egg sandwich. I tried to take pictures of this morning’s breakfast sammich, but the combination of terrible photography skills, rain clouds, and my need to eat it NOW means no pictures today.

You’ll just have to make some to see for yourself!

What is your favorite breakfast food?

 

• Servings: Pimento Cheese-many servings
• Time: 15 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
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Inspired by my good friend Ashley and-This recipe 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups smoked gouda, shredded
• 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese (definitely shred your own at home, the pre-shredded kind is coated in a powder to prevent clumping, which will prevent it from properly combining in this recipe)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 6 oz pimento, drained and chopped
• black pepper to taste
• dash Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Mix softened cream cheese and mayonnaise in the bowl of a counter top mixer or large bowl. Add onion powder and garlic powder. Add shredded cheeses and pimento. Add dash Worcestershire. Taste and season with black pepper. Serve with crunchy crackers, spread on an english muffin with an egg, on a spoon directly to your mouth, grilled cheese ect..