Summer: S'mores Cookies

If you are like my kids, you were eagerly awaiting the kick off to summer and more importantly the POOL HAS BEEN NOW OPEN - and I'm late posting this blog post ;)   I spent Friday evening making sure that members of our pool would be able to to enter without issue.  My duties do extend to membership although not by choice.  We kicked off the beginning to summer with the traditional Ice Cream Social.  The new Social team did a fabulous job of making sure all had ice cream and toppings.  For me summer means grilling out and cocktails at the pool.  I've posted a few recipes we enjoyed this weekend.  Unfortunately we didn't get pictures of them all since we were too hungry!  The S'mores cookies are fabulous chewy cookies that can be enjoyed all year long!  The only thing I think would make them better would be ice cream!

We BBQ'd at the pool on Sunday and enjoyed Peruvian Chicken AND Grilled Kielbasa with Sauerkraut and home made honey mustard - Recipes in another post.  Tonight...we are having a rib cook off.  My contribution - competition beware is Cherry Cola Glazed ribs.  Pictures of that to come.

S’mores Cookies
Makes 3+ dozen
Recipe from: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Ingredients:
11 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 ½ cups flour
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
3 regular sized Hershey’s bars, broken into pieces
1-2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon to combine. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter with white and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
3. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixer and combine on low speed.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallows. Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour to overnight
5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking pans with parchment paper. I used two jelly roll pans.
6. Lay out graham crackers side by side on the pans as close as possible (they should be touching).
7. Place 1 tablespoon of dough on each graham cracker.
8. Bake for 5 minutes then remove from oven to press Hershey’s bar pieces on to the top.
9. Bake for an additional 5 – 7 minutes or more if your cookies are thicker.

Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake Bites

Thanks to Kelly for the picture.

Little bites of heaven.  The Valentine's Day party needed bite size desserts.  I planned to make brownies with rolos and pretzels in the middle - I got vetoed.  I happened to get this recipe in my email the same day and Voila.  Instant dessert.  This sounds complicated to make, but it is fairly simple.  The hard part for me is always melting the chocolate.  The double boiler is key.  It melts the chocolate with out burning it.  I did cool them on a wire rack and needed a very thin spatula to remove them from the wire rack.  I chilled the cheesecake bites for 30 mins to ensure the chocolate set.  I will be making these again in the short future.  Yum!


Adapted from: Land O Lakes
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup of finely crushed chocolate graham cracker crumbs
1/2 stick of butter
20 caramels, unwrapped
2 tablespoons half and half
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream
1 (12-ounce) package (2 cups) real semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup shortening

Directions:
1.  Heat oven to 350°F. Line 8-inch square baking pan with double thickness of aluminum foil, extending foil over ends of pan. Spray foil with no-stick cooking spray. Use the Cuisinart to crush the cookies.  Combine all crust ingredients in small bowl. Press onto bottom of prepared pan.

2.  Combine caramels and half & half in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) 1 minute; stir. Continue microwaving 30 seconds; stir until smooth. Pour over crust in pan. Refrigerate while preparing cream cheese mixture.

3.  Combine cream cheese and sugar in large bowl. Beat until creamy. Add egg and vanilla, beating just until combined. Stir in sour cream. Pour over caramel mixture.

4.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until just set 2 inches from edge of pan. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Loosely cover; refrigerate at least 4 hours. Lift cheesecake from pan using foil ends. Cut into 36 squares.

5.  Place cooling rack over large piece of waxed paper on counter. Combine chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth (4 to 5 minutes). Pierce each cheesecake square with a fondue fork. Spoon chocolate over top and sides of each cheesecake square, letting excess chocolate drip back into pan. Place onto cooling rack. Let stand about 20 minutes or until chocolate is firm. Store refrigerated.

Two bite Chocolate pies

I love bite size treats that do not require utensils.  It makes sneaking these treats easier.  I made these for new year's and a football party.  I don't think there is an occaision that you can't have these chocolatey goodness.  If you are really strapped for time, you can try to make this recipe with chocolate pudding.  I think it would be a little lighter than the actual recipe below. The actual chocolate pies can be made ahead of time by a day or so and then you can top with the cream before you serve it.  Don't use silicone mini-muffin trays - the shell won't harden.
 

Adapted from: Myrecipes.com

Ingredients:

Cooking-oil spray

About 30 chocolate cookies, such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers

3/4 cup sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

2 large eggs (1 separated)

1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons cornstarch

5 teaspoons Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder, divided

1 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray mini-muffin trays with cooking spray. Use the food processor with the cookies to make fine crumbs. Measure; return 1 1/2 cups crumbs to food processor, along with 1/4 cup plus 2 TBSP sugar, the salt, and 1 egg white. Pulse to blend evenly.

2. Spoon 1 TBSP crumb mixture into each muffin cup. Press crumbs over bottom and up sides of cups. Bake until set, 15 minutes.

3. Put chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe container and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring often, until melted.

4. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar, the cornstarch, and 4 tsp cocoa. Pour in a few TBSP of the milk and whisk into a smooth paste; whisk in remaining milk. Transfer to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened and large bubbles appear, about 3 minutes.

5. Put extra yolk and remaining egg into a medium bowl. Whisk in about 1/2 cup hot milk mixture. Scrape egg-milk mixture into milk mixture in pan and cook, whisking, until just starting to boil, about 30 seconds. Whisk in melted chocolate and butter.

6. Spoon hot filling into chocolate shells. Press plastic wrap over surface of mini pies to prevent a skin from forming. Chill until set, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

7. Remove pies from trays. Whisk cream with remaining 2 TBSP sugar into soft peaks. Spoon a dollop of cream onto each mini pie. Dust pies with cocoa or sprinkles.

Makes 24