S’more Cookie Cups

S’more Cookie Cups

You know, National S’more Day was last week. August 10th, to be exact.

I really wanted to post a timely s’mores recipe, but Kenny and I were away. And not only were we away, but we were also at a hotel hosting the Girl Scouts for National S’more Day. Talk about hitting pay dirt! There were s’more kits and fire pits everywhere.

Now that I’m back, I wanted to pay my respects to what is truly a marvelous holiday. Sorry if I’m a few days late! But these s’mores cookie cups should be worth it. They’re chocolate chip cookies filled and topped with everything you need in a s’more: the chocolate and marshmallow love. I’m excited to have these in the house!

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Triple Chocolate S’more Brownies

Triple Chocolate S’more Brownies

When it comes to baking, I have a rule: always up the ante.

If you’re not familiar with poker terminology, let me rephrase that. It’s never decadent enough. We can always do more to make our baked goods push glorious boundaries. Brownies are particularly conducive to letting the crazy out. They’re like the best chocolate canvas ever.

These fudgy guys are a lot of fun. The bottom layer is chocolate graham crackers, followed by brownie batter with chocolate chips inside. So there’s the “triple” in the title. And then the whole kit n’ kaboodle is topped off with jumbo marshmallow slices. Aww yeah.

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S’Moreo Cheesecake Bars

S’Moreo Cheesecake Bars

Well, it only took a month to get here.

Seriously, I bought these s’more-flavored Oreos a month ago. And I was all excited about making something with them with the vague intention of having it be s’moreo cupcakes. Life got in the way, and it didn’t happen. The cookies just sat in my cabinet until a few days ago, when fate intervened.

I was trying to make cheesecake bars and realized after I began (hate it when this happens) that I was out of both graham cracker crumbs and graham crackers. But instead of giving up, which is not what a baker does, I remembered the s’moreos. And suddenly, these cheesecake bars crystallized in my head and came to life!

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S’Mores Bars

S’Mores Bars

I’m in love with Captain Hook.

Well, not love, exactly. But if you watch the series Once Upon a Time, which I’ve been binge-watching with Kenny on Netflix, you’re aware that their version of Hook is a heckuva lot sexier than the guy from the Disney movie. I mean, there’s no comparison.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, think Westley from The Princess Bride. This Hook is very similar, but with a bad guy streak. I’m super sold on him. If only I could win him over with my baking. But then, Kenny might not like that.

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S’more Brownie Cupcakes

S’more Brownie Cupcakes

Camp starts next week. Thanks be to all the powers above. I’m totally destroyed.

Listen, I love being a mom. But part-time mommyhood is kind of my thing. I need to be elsewhere during the day to fully appreciate all of the stuff my kids pull, like covering the walls in sidewalk chalk or leaving raisins all over the house like animal droppings. I wish I were strong enough to handle them 24/7, but I’m just not.

Summer is a great wake-up call for me about my job and why I love it. I get to be an at-home mom for two months while not teaching, and then I can fully appreciate being with my kids all day. But man, is it ever the most exhausting job in the world. That’s why we need cupcakes!

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Blondie S’mores

Blondie S’mores

Do you know how you imagine things one way and they turn out another?

That was my Memorial Day weekend. We had big plans. They involved a splash park and train rides and playgrounds and ice cream and picnics. Three days of fun, all planned out! No problem, right?

Except that my son spent a majority of the weekend on the couch moaning in agony with a stomach virus which I will no doubt be getting shortly, since I kept cuddling him and giving him tummy rubs. It was sunny and 85 degrees out, not a cloud in sight. And we were huddled in the darkened living room, taking occasional breaks from the moaning to watch episodes of Curious George.

I think I’ll just move Memorial Day to next weekend.

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Cinnamon S’more Brownies

Cinnamon S’more Brownies

Every other morning when it’s still dark and everyone is asleep, I do my strength training workout. You see, I used to be just a cardio girl. I’d move and move and move and it was nice, but I didn’t see the results I wanted. I kept my weight where I wanted it to be, but I wanted muscles. Like Madonna. Totally doable, right?

Well, I’m getting there! About six months ago I discovered Physique 57. They have studios in big coastal cities and in places where really rich people live, like the Hamptons or Dubai. But they haven’t hit the DC area yet, so I sweat it out to the DVD collection and their online streaming. And it’s kind of addictive, mainly because I have muscles in places I never thought about before, and I really like that.

Anyway, I was working my abs to utter exhaustion the other morning when a recipe lightbulb went off in my head, apropos of absolutely nothing. I love it when that happens. It’s so random and so appreciated, like someone you don’t know about exists somewhere in your brain just to give you fun ideas. I love that someone!

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Nutella Cookie Dough S’mores

Nutella Cookie Dough S’mores

Nutella Week continues on Just About Baked! Anybody with me on making this a national holiday?

A few years back, I almost got suckered into buying a s’mores kit. Have you seen them? They’re kind of awesome. There’s this little tiny fire pit (maybe two inches in diameter or so) in the middle of a circular tray that holds graham crackers, chocolate bars and marshmallows. You’re supposed to roast the marshmallow over the little fire and then put it all together.

Sounds good, no? Unless you’re me. See, I tried it, and then I set the marshmallow on fire. And then I screamed. A lot. Because fire terrifies me. Until my friend just looked at me and said, “I think you can blow that out.”

And you know what? She was right, and I did. And I screamed a little less the next time I made fire during an ill-advised foray into vodka sauce. But it was still traumatic.

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