S'Mores Granola Bars

Granola bars are my favorite grab and go snack and you really can't get any easier than this recipe. I love the Quaker Chewy S'mores Granola Bars, so I tweaked the recipe to be as s'mores like as possible. I used Kraft mini marshmallows, they taste like the marshmallows in Lucky Charms, or the kind that come in those little packets of hot cocoa, so they were perfect for these bars. The finished product was quite similar to the Quaker bars, but a bit chewier and more chocolaty tasting. Definitely a keeper. 

No bake S'mores Granola Bars

Adapted From laurenslatest.com

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats {not rolled oats!}
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for topping

1/2 cup mini marshmallows, plus more for topping

Mix together Rice Krispies, oats, 1/2 cup marshmallows, and mini chocolate chips (if you want them with less chocolate flavor, leave out the chips till the end). Set aside.

 In a small pot, melt butter, honey, and brown sugar together over medium high heat until it starts to bubble. Reduce heat and cook for another two minutes. Stir in the vanilla. 

Remove from heat and pour over oat/rice mixture. Mix well ensuring that all ingredients are moistened. Line a small jelly roll pan (12x8x1) with aluminum foil.

 Pour mixture into lined pan. Pack it in really tightly or the bars won't set and will fall apart when cooled.  

Sprinkle the top with more chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Let cool, then cut into bars.

 Have a sweet day! 

Chocolate Quick Bread/Cake

oh my goodness! It has been too long since I blogged, life's pace is definitely picking up! Despite the craziness of life, I have still found time to bake, I made this cake yesterday after a particularly hectic day at work, and it turned out lovely. Decadent and chocolaty, all those work stresses went right out the window! It's topped with fluffy frosting and mounds of marshmallows and I finished it off by grating dark chocolate over the marshmallows. I actually poured half the batter into the pan, sprinkled on a layer of marshmallows, and topped it with the rest of the batter. I don't recommend this, it really didn't make any difference in the cake, the marshmallows just melted and got sticky. Cake was still good (really good) but a bit sticky around the edges. If you make it, just leave them out, as I did in the recipe below. Next time I make it I'm going to throw a few handfuls of chocolate chips in for an even more intense chocolate flavor. For the frosting use canned or homemade whichever you prefer. I used homemade buttercream leftover from some cupcakes I made for valentines day. I had saved the extra in February by freezing it, all I had to do was thaw it and rewhip it, no problem!

Chocolate Quick Bread

Recipe from Thatsmyhome.com

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup cocoa

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 1/4 cups sour milk*

Topping

Frosting

Marshmallows

Chocolate shavings

*Sour milk: add 1 tbsp. vinegar to 1 cup milk at room temp. Allow to sit 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

Sift together first five ingredients. Add remaining ingredients.

Combine until just blended. Pour into sprayed 9 x 5 loaf pan. Bake at for about one hour or until a pick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few crumbs attached. Remove from oven, allow to cool completely. When cooled, remove from pan.

Frost with buttercream or other frosting and top with plenty of marshmallows and a sprinkle of chocolate shavings.

Have a great weekend!

Linking up at Tatertots and Jello, Under the Table and Dreaming, Rook 17, and Funky Junk Interiors.

Butter Toffee Marshmallow PB Cookies and some thoughts on multitasking

Does anyone else feel like they have a million and one things to do?? I have been noticing lately that I am constantly trying to accomplish multiple things at once (multitasking). I used to be proud of the fact that I am such a great multitasker, now, however, I am beginning to wonder if it is really something I should be proud of or maybe something I should try and do less. Maybe, by splitting my attention and energy into so many things, I am not really doing anything as well as I could if I gave it my full and undivided attention. So, this week I have been forcing myself to focus on accomplishing one thing at a time, and doing that thing the best that I can. Obviously this is not possible all the time, but even the bit of time I have been able to devote wholly to ONE thing has made a HUGE difference. I find myself crossing more off my to do list and feeling more competent, productive, and happy with what I accomplish. Has anyone else tried this before? I would love to know what you guys do when you feel overwhelmed!

That being said, I have made time for baking this week (of course) and this is the latest recipe I tried out. I got the idea from Cakespy who got it from the Betty Crocker Cookie Book (one of my personal favorites!) I changed it up and added marshmallows and butter toffee peanuts. The cookies are crumbly and peanut buttery and the marshmallows melt while baking creating an ooey gooey filling. The best part, though, was the addition of butter toffee peanuts, they added a delightful sugary crunch to these already over the top cookies!

Butter Toffee Marshmallow PB Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter toffee peanuts

1 cup peanut butter

ABOUT 3/4 cup mini marshmallows

Grease or line two baking sheets with parchment; put to the side.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grate cold butter into sugar. This makes it easier to incorporate, just use a cheese grater! Works well for pie crusts too by the way. Cream together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.

Sift flour and blend with soda and salt; stir in with wet ingredients.

Mix in peanuts and peanut butter.

Using a cookie or ice cream scoop, scoop the dough and release onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches between cookies.

Push a few marshmallows into the top of each cookie, shaping the dough around them so the dough almost covers the marshmallows.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges (if you make your cookies smaller, it may be more like 8-10 minutes).

I look forward to hearing all your great ideas on what you do when overwhelmed!

Have a lovely weekend!

Sister Sister Sunday

Crunchy, Munchy, Smores Bites

I was hesitant to try this recipe because there are TONS of great smores inspired recipes floating around the blogosphere. This recipe was SO easy though, I decided to give it a go. I'm glad I did! These are so easy and satisfy even the most intense sweet tooth craving. Rich dark chocolate envelopes chewy mini marshmallows and sweet graham cracker crumbles. All the reasons we love smores, with none of the sticky mess!

Smores Bites

from tasteofhome.com

Ingredients

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1-1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 cups miniature marshmallows

8 whole graham crackers, broken into bite-size pieces

In a large microwave-safe bowl, toss chocolate and oil.

Microwave, uncovered, at 50% power for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes or until chocolate is melted, stirring once.

Stir in marshmallows and graham crackers.

Spoon about 1/3 cup mixture into paper-lined muffin cups (I drizzled mine with melted white chocolate). Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Yield: 1 dozen.

Treats!

Happy Halloween weekend!

Magazine/Cookbook Monday: Crispy Cinnamon Cornflake Squares

And the award for most versatile breakfast cereal goes to.......drumrolll...... CORNFLAKES!!! wooohhooohowowoo! Seriously, what can't you use cornflakes for? I have seen it used as a chicken coating, thrown on top of casseroles, mixed into meatloaf, baked into cookies... I could go on and on. September's Real Simple issue features three recipes that utilize cornflakes. Real Simple is hands down my favorite magazine. What more could you ask for in a magazine? Simple recipes, beauty tips, fashion, house keeping advice. Basically everything I love compiled into one magazine, but I digress. The recipe I pulled from this month's issue does NOT disappoint. It consists of four ingredients and comes together in about ten minutes with no baking required. All you need: cornflakes, marshmallows, butter, and cinnamon. The resulting treats are reminiscent of rice crispy treats but with a warm, buttery, cinnamony flavor that makes them a bit more sophisticated. They are gooey, but the cornflakes retain a crispy crunch that lead me to consume about three of these delectable little squares before I even began taking pictures.... self-control is not my forte... Needless to say, I highly suggest you try this recipe.

Crispy Cinnamon Cornflake Squares

Ingredients

2 tblsp. unsalted butter plus more for pan

1 10 oz package marshmallows

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line with parchment, leaving an overhang on 2 sides.

In a large saucepan, cook the butter and marshmallows over medium heat, stirring, until melted. Mix in the cornflakes and cinnamon.

Press the mixture evenly into the pan. Let cool completely, then lift out and cut into squares. Makes 16.

Crunch, crunch!

Mouthwatering Monday