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!

The inspiration is running a little low this week. Even though I have most of the summer off, this week I’m in meetings for our school leadership team. That translates into a lot of sitting still. I don’t know about you, but sitting still is one of my least favorite things to do unless the day is almost over and I’m too tired to move.

I need to move throughout the day. Movement is a friend. More and more studies are showing that jobs involving a lot of sitting do a horrible number on your heart, stress level, mind, and body in general. That’s why teaching is such a good fit for me. It’s lots of standing, all day long. But sitting in meetings and starting at PowerPoints until everything glazes over and my butt is numb? No, thank you.

After a day like today, it’s hard not to come home and stress eat lots of less than healthy foods. But that’s where these cheesecake bars really help. They’re made with low-fat cream cheese and hardly any sugar, just a quarter of a cup. Some of you might find the base a little too tart, but I think it balances all the other sweetness perfectly. If you like a sweeter base, just increase the amount to a half cup.

Cheesecake bars are a perfect use for these s’moreos. I was never really feeling the cupcake idea, which is why weeks passed and nothing happened. This is a much better way to go. The cheesecake base could not be simpler. It’s four ingredients, all of which you regularly keep in your fridge. Milk chocolate chips get folded into the filling, and then I broke up a few s’moreos for the top.

To be honest, I’m totally zonked from a day of staring at screens and listening to one presentation after another. It makes me really grateful that my job is in the classroom where I can interact with other people in an active way. So summer is still on, but I’m excited to eat cheesecake bars and think about teaching again. It’s a lot better than sitting still for hours!

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!

That little voice in my head said, “What if you finally used those cinnamon chips in your pantry in a s’mores brownie?” Really. That’s what she said! And she gave me this vision of a cinnamon graham cracker topped with brownie marshmallowy goodness. And I was inspired, people.

Here’s the thing. Hershey’s makes these cinnamon chips. And I’d bought them and never used them. Finally, finally a chance! And they’re delicious. I had to stop myself and my kids from eating the whole bag before I baked with them.

The bottom is a layer of cinnamon graham cracker. Just that. No crumbly crust. Too much going on already, I say. Then you add the brownie, all filled with both cinnamon and mini chocolate chips. On top, another layer of the chips with mini-marshmallows. Gooey happiness!

The best part is, no mixer! That’s right. You can mix up the batter yourself and feel strong. Just like Madonna. See? I came full circle.

Take these to your next picnic or barbecue! They’re perfect in all their ooey gooey deliciousness.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup flour (I used oat flour, but regular is fine)
• 8 oz. cinnamon chips (Hershey brand)
• 8 oz. mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows
• cinnamon grahams (enough to fit the bottom of an 8 x 8 pan)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Coat an 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the cocoa into the melted butter until it dissolves. Add the sugar and stir again. When the sugar is incorporated, mix in the vanilla and eggs. Add the salt and flour, mixing until just combined. Fold in half of the cinnamon chips and half of the miniature chocolate chips.

Lay the cinnamon graham crackers on the bottom of your pan, sugary side up. Cover the entire surface area, even if some of the crackers overlap and you have to break them into uneven pieces.

Pour the brownie batter over the graham crackers, spreading the batter to the edges of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle on the remaining cinnamon chips, miniature chocolate chips and the marshmallows. Put the brownies back in the oven for 10 minutes. Do not overbake.

Allow the brownies to cool (unless you just can’t, which is understandable). Cut into squares and serve!

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.

As a result, I’ve become a big fan of marshmallow fluff. No need to roast a thing! True, it’s missing that campfire flavor, but better safe than sorry.

Besides, you won’t miss anything with these s’mores. A thick layer of Nutella cookie dough pairs with marshmallow fluff and graham crackers to make you happy. Why didn’t I think of this before? I’ve spent years spreading Nutella on graham crackers, but I never thought of the cookie dough until recently. It adds quite a bit of texture and tons of fun to the whole s’more experience!

And as always, this cookie dough is egg-free. Even better, the recipe is no-bake, perfect for warm weather! The recipe yields a lot of dough, so there’s plenty to eat off the spoon while you make the s’mores. Or, if you like, you can find other uses for the leftover dough. I’ll be posting one of those ideas Friday!

But focus for now on these. Because they’re easy and fun and the perfect way to usher in summer! It’s summer, right? Any day now? Hello?

And honestly, there’s no better way to celebrate camping season (and Nutella Week!) than with this cute riff on a classic favorite. Grab some of these and find a nice patch of grass somewhere!

Cookie Dough:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/4 cup Nutella
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk (I used two-percent)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour

You Also Need:

• 1 box plain graham crackers
• 1 jar marshmallow fluff (you will have plenty left)

Instructions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, Nutella and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the milk and vanilla and mix again. Add the flour gradually, beating until a soft, workable dough forms.

Take the graham crackers and break into squares. On one side of the graham cracker, spread a generous amount of fluff to cover the area of the cracker. On the other side, press about 1 and 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of cookie dough, working the dough toward the edges.

Place the two graham cracker sides together, pressing firmly, and set aside.

Note: if you want more marshmallow, spread a layer of fluff on both sides before pressing on the cookie dough.

When your s’mores are assembled, pipe some Nutella onto the tops just to be cute!