s’mores — Giving Up on Perfect

A S’mores Song & Giveaway

11:20 pm ByMary @ Giving Up on PerfectFiled UnderRecipes & Food, Reviews & Giveaways

S’mores make the happiest campers. And I do like having happy campers in my house.

This summer has been long. LONG. And, to be honest, I’m running out of fun things to do. So when I have the chance to do something easy AND fun that Annalyn loves?

I am all over it.

Over the past few months I’ve made several S’mores-flavored desserts, and Annalyn has helped me with most of them. But my little cook has never been as happy as when I stacked up graham crackers, Hershey chocolate and one big marshmallow.

If you promise to ignore the very messy dining room, I’ve got a little treat for you:

“S’mores, S’mores, S’mores. I love S’mores.”

I promise, I did not pay her to sing that little song. She’s just so darned cute, all on her own!

I know the phrase is, “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” But honestly? In our world if the willful child isn’t happy, nobody’s happy. And this summertime treat, the S’mores? They made her one happy camper.

S’mores Giveaway
Hershey provided the ingredients for our messy but delicious S’mores – and they want to do the same for one Giving Up on Perfect reader. To enter, just leave a comment telling me your favorite summertime treat. (Contest will be closed on Friday, August 25 at midnight CST.)

This post is part of my participation in the Hershey’s “Say S’mores” Promotion. All opinions expressed are mine.

This summer, the Hershey Company is encouraging families to create their own S’mores memories with the Say S’mores campaign. Families are invited to capture and share their favorite S’mores moments on the Hershey’s brand Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/hersheys for a chance to win S’mores-themed prizes. The grand prize is a Canon Rebel Camera, slate marble outdoor firebowl, $250 SnapFish gift card, roasting skewers set and all of the ingredients needed to make S’mores, including Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars. Families who visit the Hershey’s brand Facebook page on or after June 15 can download the Say S’mores application to participate in monthly photo contests and receive a $1 coupon good toward the purchase of any two Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar 6-packs.

Taggeds'mores

Monday Morning Mmmm: Easy S’mores Pops

4:08 am ByMary @ Giving Up on PerfectFiled UnderRecipes & Food

Happy S’mores Day! What’s that? You didn’t know? It’s okay. After all, I’m two days early.

[That's certainly a first.]

Last summer I learned that August 10 is National S’mores Day. Right away, I decided to make a big deal about this holiday next summer – which would be this summer. So for the past few months, I’ve been building up to the big day by trying and sharing the tastiest s’mores recipes I could find.

This weekend, I made the easiest of all the s’mores recipes I’d bookmarked, tagged or otherwise marked as must-try. Marshmallow S’mores Pops (which I first spotted on Gimme Some Oven) take three ingredients and about 10 minutes to make, and the result is a sweet shot of pure, sugary s’mores goodness.

For a quick treat for the kids or a simple snack for the picnic, give these a try.

Marshmallow S’mores Pops

Ingredients:

* 1 bag large marshmallows
* 1 package Hershey chocolate chips
* 1 package graham crackers

Melt the chocolate chips. Using a toothpick, skewer or (preferably) lollipop stick as a handle, dip the marshmallows in the melted chocolate and then roll in the graham crackers.

That’s really all there is to it! I told you it was easy.

Out of all the s’mores recipes I’ve tried, I believe the cookie s’mores bar was my favorite. But I must tell you that my friend Amanda said my s’mores cupcakes were the best cupcakes she’d ever tasted. Or something like that.

Do you like s’mores-flavored dishes? What’s your favorite?

P.S. Look for one more fun s’mores post next week! I’d love to hear your old-fashioned s’mores memories and stories then!

This post will be linked to Mouthwatering Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, 33 Shades of Green, Sweet Tooth Friday and Foodie Friday.

Taggedcooking, food, recipes, s'mores 14 Comments

Monday Morning Mmmm: S’mores Cupcakes

4:35 am ByMary @ Giving Up on PerfectFiled UnderRecipes & Food

On Friday we had a playdate scheduled. My friend e-mailed with specifics and said, “If you want to try a new recipe on us – you know, for your blog – you sure can!”

Well, what was I supposed to do after she said THAT?!

I’d been planning to make s’mores cupcakes that I saw on Hoosier Homemade anyway, and this was the perfect excuse. I mean, reason. Little did I know how many (MANY!) steps were involved in this brilliant idea – and little did I realize how many (Ohhhh, so many!) dishes I would have to hand wash afterward.

The things I do for my friends. And s’mores cupcakes.

Before I forget, I have to tell you the funniest thing about making these cupcakes. As usual, Annalyn was my little helper, and at one point, we were having some trouble. Even more melodramatic than usual these days, Annalyn started shouting, “Oh no! Help! Who will help us?” (We’re kind of on a superhero kick, if you weren’t picking up on that.)

Since I’d noticed that Hoosier Homemade had adapted the recipe from Bakerella, I said, “Maybe Bakerella will help us!” So, of course, Annalyn proceeded to shout, “Help, Bakerella! Help us fix our cupcakes!”

As my friend Ruthanne says, ::snort::

Anyway, back to the cupcakes . . .

S’mores Cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup cocoa
¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup milk, divided
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
½ cup oil, divided
12 large marshmallows, cut in half

Crust Ingredients
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup butter, melted

Frosting Ingredients
1 jar marshmallow fluff
1-8 oz. block of cream cheese, softened
1 ½ sticks butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
splash of vanilla

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large measuring cup (or bowl, if you must), combine flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Divide the mixture evenly into two separate bowls.

Now, here’s where it gets tricky.

Add graham cracker crumbs to one bowl and cocoa to the other one. Then add to each bowl ½ cup milk, ¼ cup oil, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix each bowl of batter well.

Next, mix up the graham cracker crust. Put paper liners in two muffin tins (you’ll make 24 cupcakes). And get ready for a multi-step process of making deliciousness.

Put a tablespoon of the graham cracker batter into each cupcake liner. Sprinkle with graham cracker crust, and top with a marshmallow half. Spoon chocolate batter to cover up the marshmallow (but pace yourself or you might run out of batter on Cupcake #22, causing your three-year-old daughter to shout for help from Bakerella). Sprinkle with graham cracker crust again.

Bake for 15 minutes.

While the cupcakes are baking, mix together the frosting ingredients. The original recipe didn’t include the powdered sugar, but when I tasted the frosting it had an overpowering cream cheese flavor that I didn’t like. I wonder if I should have used the large jar of marshmallow fluff instead of the small one. (If you try it, let me know how it works!)

We all agreed: These cupcakes were delicious! Now, if I use my friend Josh’s five-point critiquing system (see: s’mores bar showdown), I have to admit that they don’t really taste like s’mores. But ooooh, they’re still good!

Oh, one more thing. Don’t be alarmed when you pull them out of the oven. The large marshmallow will melt during baking and the center of the cupcake will sink. Don’t panic! Just fill it up with frosting!

Have you made anything delicious or complicated (or both) lately?

This post will be linked to Mouthwatering Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, 33 Shades of Green, Sweet Tooth Friday and Foodie Friday. It will also be linked to Ingredient Spotlight at Eat at Home.

Taggedcooking, cupcakes, food, monday morning mmmm, recipe, s'mores 9 Comments

S’mores and summer are like peas and carrots.

5:11 am ByMary @ Giving Up on PerfectFiled UnderRecipes & Food

In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been on a real kick with S’mores-flavored desserts lately. (And if you haven’t noticed, well, you must be new. So welcome!)

That’s why, when Hershey (via The Motherhood) contacted me about a S’mores campaign they’re working on, it made sense to work with them.

I’m about halfway through my s’mores cooking kick. So far, I’ve made:

By the way, you know your food obsession has gotten out of hand when friends start e-mailing you with recipes. Or, perhaps that’s how it should be after all. (I’m just kidding, Nikki! I can’t wait to make those S’mores cake pops!)

This summer, the Hershey Company is encouraging families to create their own S’mores memories with the Say S’mores campaign. Starting June 15, families are invited to capture and share their favorite S’mores moments on the Hershey’s brand Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/hersheys for a chance to win S’mores-themed prizes.

The grand prize is a Canon Rebel Camera, slate marble outdoor firebowl, $250 SnapFish gift card, roasting skewers set and all of the ingredients needed to make S’mores, including Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars. Families who visit the Hershey’s brand Facebook page on or after June 15 can download the Say S’mores application to participate in monthly photo contests and receive a $1 coupon good toward the purchase of any two Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar 6-packs.

Hello?! Is that an awesome prize pack or WHAT? In a couple months, I’ll be writing about Hershey and S’mores again – and it will be on a surprise topic. As in, I don’t know what the topic is yet! What I DO KNOW is that I’ll keep trying out new S’mores-related recipes and sharing them with you, all summer long. Because, with apologies to Forrest, summer and S’mores go together like peas and carrots!

Except, yeah, WAY tastier.

Disclosure: This post is part of my participation in the Hershey’s “Say S’mores” promotion. All opinions expressed are mine.

Taggeds'mores 4 Comments

Monday Morning Mmmm: S’mores Cookies

4:31 am ByMary @ Giving Up on PerfectFiled UnderRecipes & Food

I wasn’t sure about this latest installment in my Year o’ S’mores, but when my friend Amy opened up her care package (I love trying out these new recipes, but I cannot handle having the goodies in my house!), she declared her undying love for me.

So maybe they’re okay after all.

I can’t remember where I found new blogs to read and recipes to try before my days of Twitter, Stumble Upon and food carnivals – and coincidentally, I can’t remember which of those three places took me to My Baking Addiction and her giant s’mores cookies. But regardless of how I found it, I’m glad I did.

Go ahead. Click over and look at her giant cookies. She made them in a muffin top tin! They’re perfectly round! I love them!

I don’t own a muffin top tin, although I’d like to. So I scooped dough with an ice cream scoop onto cookie sheets and smashed them down a bit. It worked just fine, although nobody’s going to mistake my uniquely shaped cookies for ones baked in a muffin tin.

Ingredients
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
3 regular size Hershey’s chocolate bars
3 graham crackers
Mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla with mixer until fluffy. (Mine was never “fluffy,” but that’s what recipes usually say. Fluffy.) In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt and baking soda. Mix well, then add to wet ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips.

Scoop dough onto cooking sheet or into extra large muffin tin. Press graham cracker pieces, marshmallows and chocolate squares on top of cookie dough. Bake for 11-13 minutes (or until edges begin turning brown). Serve while warm and just try to stop the smiles!

If I try this recipe again, I think I’ll add graham cracker crumbs to the dough and use marshmallow fluff and the chocolate bars for the toppings. Have you ever made – or eaten – s’mores cookies?

This post will be linked to Mouthwatering Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, 33 Shades of Green, Sweet Tooth Friday and Foodie Friday .