Daily Cravings

Photo Credit: The Knot

As soon as my husband and I got into the limo to leave our reception I already wanted to re-do the entire day from beginning to end. Of course, one of the best parts of our wedding was the cake. I’m thinking one day in the future when we do a big anniversary celebration a cupcake tier centerpiece will somehow be involved.

S’more Cookies

It’s S’mores Week here in The Cupcake Cure house and I’m pretty excited. I’ve been on a cookie kick this weekend and decided why not start the week with S’more cookies.

This was such a good choice. These cookies satisfy not only a cookie craving but any s’more lovers’ craving.

Next time, I’ll either add a few more graham cracker crumbs or leave them a little less crushed to get a stronger flavor from the graham cracker. Also, the husband requested more marshamallows on his.

Yes, this household is going to love S’mores Week.

Ratings:

Chef E: 9.0

The Husband: 9.5

The Friend:9.0

S’more Cookies Adapted from Baked Perfection

Ingredients: (Makes 2 dozen)

• 3/4 cup of flour
• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/4 cup and 2 tbls sugar
• 1/4 cup and 2 tbls brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup miniature chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup mini marshmallows
• 1 Hershey bars, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In medium bowl mix together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, salt, and dash of cinnamon.

In a standing mixer, beat together butter and white and brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Add eggs one at a time. Then slowly add the flour mixture. Once well combined, stir in the chocolate chips. Spoon tablespoonsfuls of dough onto baking sheet.

Bake for 8 minutes, and remove from the oven. Push 3 to 4 marshmallows and a few pieces of hershey bar into each cookies. Continue cooking for another 3 or 4 minutes until cookies are fully cooked. Let them cool on wire rack before serving.

New Treats, New Eats

M&M has created yet another “melt in your mouth, not in your hand” treat.

This time with a mini pretzel in the middle.

If you made me choose a favorite type of M&M I’d have to say peanut butter, but I figured I should give these new sweets a fair chance. After seeing some of my favorite foodies talking about their wonderful experiences with the new M&M a new recipe had to be done.

The pretzels certainly melted in your mouth when you ate these cookies, absolutely delicious. If the pretzel M&M sticks around, so will this recipe.

Pretzel M&M Cookies adapted by Two Peas and Their Pod

(Printable Version)

Ingredients: (Makes 2 dozen)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups pretzel M&M’s
• dash of cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder  in a bowl. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugars together in a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Then on low speed, slowly add in the flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips and pretzel M&M’s.

Then cover the dough and let it cool in the fridge. I like to do this with my cookies because it makes them easier to handle when getting them on the baking sheets.

Place heaping tablespoonfuls of dough on a baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes until cookies are slightly golden around the edges. Move cookies to wire racks to cool. Voila.

S’mores: American Tradition

Last week, I found some crave-worthy S’mores Cupcakes. In following this craving I came to find that this Tuesday is National S’mores Day.

I’m not kidding. There is truly a National S’mores Day here in America. We can thank The Hershey Company and Kraft Foods for giving us one more holiday celebrating sweet sweet treats.

For those of you who don’t know what a S’more is, let me explain.

Photo Credit: Ken Rash

S’mores traditionally consist of graham crackers with a square of Hershey’s chocolate topped with a freshly roasted marshmallow sandwiched with one more graham cracker.  They’re a classic campfire treat that has been shared by families for years. In fact, when I think of S’mores I can remember being a little girl fighting with my brothers over the good spot in the fire to roast our marshmallows.

In honor of this nostalgic treat, I’ll be doing a S’mores treat every day this week. So sit back and get ready for some ooey gooey chocolate marshmallow goodness!

Need some tips on getting your S’more week started? Well, here ya go:

• Microwave ‘em — You can make S’mores, in seconds, right in your microwave. It’s easy; just top each of four graham squares with one chocolate piece and one marshmallow. Place on a microwaveable plate and microwave on HIGH 7 to 10 seconds or until marshmallows puff and chocolate begins to melt. Carefully remove plate from microwave and then cover the S’mores with remaining graham cracker square.
• Fire up the Fire Pit – Can’t get out to a campground this National S’mores Day? No problem! Make an impromptu campfire setting at home over your backyard fire pit. You can even use real sticks to roast your marshmallows to make yourself feel like you’re immersed in the great outdoors.
• Sweet Grilled S’mores –Mix it up this year by making S’mores on the grill. Build the S’mores ahead of time then wrap in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped S’mores on the grill and cook 1 to 2 minutes over a medium-hot grill on each side or until the marshmallow is gooey and the chocolate is slightly melted between the graham crackers.
• Classic Campfire — Everyone loves classic campfire S’mores. If you’re looking for a reason to get together with family and friends before the cold weather returns, plan a camping trip to commemorate National S’mores Day and make the timeless treat the center of your fun. Start by placing half of a chocolate piece on top of half of a graham square. Then, lightly toast a marshmallow over the campfire and place it on top of the chocolate. Finally, top the toasted marshmallow with the remaining graham square half and press together.