S'mores Bars

 

I was so busy earlier this week that I missed National S’mores Day on August 10th. Well, better late than never, right? With the extreme heat and humidity we’re dealing with right now, sitting by a fire to toast marshmallows doesn’t sound appealing. Last year, I came across this recipe for S’mores Bars in an issue of Cook’s Country magazine. It looked delicious and seemed easy to make, so I tore it out and added it to my “recipes to try” pile—then promptly forgot about it.

A few weeks ago, cookbook author David Lebovitz inspired me with his blog post about going through folders filled with recipes he’d saved to try at a future date and never did. Thank goodness it compelled me to go through my stack because I discovered the S’mores Bars recipe again and was motivated to give it a go.

They were delicious. This recipe creates everything you want in a s’more without the flames. These bars have marshmallow cream to make them even gooier. The only downside was the crust seemed to be a bit thick, so next time I’ll cut back on how much I use. The upside is the bars tasted just as good the next day. And the next. This storage-ability makes them perfect for a make-ahead dessert, say for an upcoming Labor Day gathering or a football tailgate.

Happy National S’mores Day...better late than never!

Yield: Makes 16 bars

Author: Linda Ditch

S’mores Bars

No campfire required! This tasty treat, adapted from one found in the June/July 2020 issue of Cook’s Country magazine, gives the dessert a summertime feel no matter what the calendar says.

Ingredients

• 7 whole graham cracker sheets, broken into pieces
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 6 (1.55-ounce) Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars
• 1 (7-ounce) container of marshmallow crème (Fluff)
• 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, smoothing it into the sides and corners, and leaving some hanging over the edge of the pan. Spray generously with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a food processor, finely grind up the graham cracker pieces. Add the flour, brown sugar, and salt and pulse until combined. Add the chilled butter pieces and pulse until the mixture looks like damp sand. (20 to 25 pulses) Pour the crumb mixture into the prepared baking pan and press into a firm, even layer across the bottom. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, or until the crust is brown around the edges. Cool completely before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
3. Once the crust is cool, cover it with 5 of the chocolate bars. You will need to break them into pieces to fit into an even layer, with some leftover. Chop the remaining chocolate into small pieces and set them aside.
4. Using an offset spatula sprayed with non-stick spray, spread the marshmallow cream over the top of the chocolate. Sprinkle the mini marshmallows evenly over the top. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the marshmallows are golden brown.
5. Remove the pan from the oven onto a cooling rack, and then sprinkle the chopped chocolate over the top. Allow the bars to cool for at least 4 hours before cutting.
6. To serve, lift the bars out of the pan with the foil and set onto a cutting board. Carefully peel back the fool from the marshmallows, using a knife if needed. Spray your knife with non-stick spray, and then cut the bars into 16 pieces. Keep leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 2 days.

Good Snacking from the Family Recipe File

If having people over is in your plans, or if you need a tasty gift, then you’ll want to try out this recipe from my maternal grandmother, Mamaw’s, recipe file. It beats any Chex Mix you'll buy in a bag and is even better than the recipe on the cereal box. 

She actually named the recipe “Good Snacking” and noted on the card it is “Delicious!!” It’s a recipe she got from a friend around 1960 and has been in my family ever since. My mom makes it each year to give away at Christmas, and I always request a huge bag full of the crunchy, tasty stuff!

When you first look at this recipe, you’ll think it’s Chex Mix. While it’s similar to the original recipe, the seasonings are different enough to give it a unique taste. And, trust me, it is way better than anything out of a bag!

This is the perfect snack for any occasion, be it watching holiday movies, ringing in the New Year, or cheering on your favorite football and basketball teams.

Author: Linda Ditch

Print

Good Snacking Mix

My grandmother's version of Chex Mix beats anything you could buy in a bag.

Ingredients

• 5 cups Corn Chex
• 4 cups Rice Chex
• 3 cups Wheat Chex
• 3 cups Cheerios
• 2 cans low-salt mixed nuts (the short, fat cans)
• Bite-sized pretzels 
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Place the cereals, nuts, and pretzels into a large roasting pan. (The foil kind used to roast a turkey works great.)
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan or in the microwave. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to blend. Pour the butter mixture over the cereal mixture in the roasting pan and toss to coat all the cereal and nuts. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 1 hour, stirring the mixture frequently, about every 10 to 15 minutes.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Hot Pizza Dip

I love gathering people together to enjoy food and football! Hot Pizza Dip is one of my favorite dishes to serve to guests because I love pizza, and it’s easy to make. You can top it with your favorite pizza add-ins. 

Mine are green peppers, onions, black olives, and pepperoni. Also, you can bake it in any 9- to 10-inch dish, but I used my cast iron skillet because it holds the heat, so the dip stays warm longer.

I take the skillet straight from the oven and onto the middle of the table. That way, everyone can gather around and scoop the gooey goodness straight from the pan with a toasted piece of a baguette, or they can spoon some onto individual dishes and dip from there.

However you choose to serve this dip, the key is to have everyone enjoying the food and time together. Add some favorite beverages—and a terrific batch of brownies (stay tuned!)—and you’ll have a party…no reason required!

***Hey, thanks for reading! If you've enjoyed my posts or tried one of my recipes, you can support my writing efforts through Buy Me a Coffee...or tea...or flavored fizzy water. Your donation will be greatly appreciated, especially now as I deal with a chronic autoimmune disease that flared back up again. The button is located on the right-hand side of this page, or you can follow the link here. If you can't donate, that's okay, too. Either way, thank you so much for reading my stuff!  

Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

Last night I gathered with a few friends and fellow fantasy football league members to watch the first game of the NFL season featuring the New England Patriots playing the Pittsburgh Steelers.



My brother-in-law, Don, wore his Steelers jersey. I wore my Patriots 2014 Super Bowl champs t-shirt. I went home happier than he did, though he was pretty psyched about Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown’s performance since he racked up a lot of points on Don’s fantasy team.

FYI: I’m a Kansas City Chiefs fan by birth, and always will be. However, I’m a Patriots fan by choice. They won me over during my years living in New England, especially while making their run to the 2001 championship. I admired how they chose to come out as a team instead of highlighting individual players during pre-game introductions. To me, that is what the game of football should be all about—playing as a team.

Of course, I had to make my Buffalo Wings for the game. To go with them, I decided to try homemade blue cheese dressing, after which I asked myself, “Why haven’t I done this sooner?!”

Blue cheese dressing is so easy to make. This one was a big hit. Even my nine-year-old nephew sat next to me, munching on hot wings and celery coated in the stuff and asking me to spoon more on his plate. He kept pointing to it and saying, in between mouthfuls, “That’s good.”

One note about the photos: I remembered to set aside some of the dressing and celery to use in the pictures. Unfortunately I forgot to save some of the Buffalo wings, which were devoured last night.

Oh well.

This dressing is great as a celery dip, too. I can’t wait to try it on a salad, with extra blue cheese crumbles on top.

Blue Cheese Dressing

Makes about 2 cups

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles, or to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

In a bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, whole milk, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Stir in the blue cheese crumbles. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Football Fare: Buffalo Wings and Potato Skins

I’ve written in the past about my obsession compulsion love for football. It was a passion The Picky Eater shared. 

Our second date consisted of going out to Sunday lunch and then spending the afternoon and evening watching football while getting to know each other better.  

  

Our Christmas Eve wedding reception had a football theme since the NFL moved the games up one day to avoid playing on Christmas. We held the wedding at 10:30 a.m. to be certain the ceremony was finished by the Kansas City Chief’s noon kickoff, which was shown on the big screen during the reception. We even invited our guests to wear their

favorite team jerseys.

We often watched Chiefs and University of Kansas games at a local sports bar with The Picky Eater's old friend, Chris. We even had season tickets to KU games for a couple of years. Unfortunately the team wasn’t very good, but we had fun anyway. Plus this Missouri/New England girl learned all the fight songs and cheers.

The Picky Eater also took part in his family’s fantasy football league, which will start its tenth season next month. Last year, after he passed away, I got permission from my brother-in-law, Don, (also known as The Commish) to take over The Picky Eater’s team. This was a big deal since I was the first woman allowed to play in the league.

Don was aware of just how much I knew about football, but I don’t think the other guys in the group had a clue. The picture probably started to come into focus on draft day, when my player picks included Matt Forte, Le’Veon Bell, Jeremy Maclin, Nick Foles, Tom Brady, and Rob Gronkowski. If you know football at all, you know that’s a stacked team! 

Then I started to win…and win…and win. By the end of the season, I my record was 10-3 and I made it to the league championship, where I lost to my nephew, Anthony (pictured above with Don.) Before the season was over, my brother-in-law, Scott, started to grumble, “Isn’t there something in the by-laws that says she can only be in one year?” (He was kidding…I think. Draft day is coming up Labor Day weekend and I haven’t been kicked out yet!)

When I think of football food, I think of Buffalo wings and potato skins.

 

I’ve posted a wings recipe before, but recently I came up with a new grilled version that has a sauce I like even better. You don’t have to make these on a grill. They work just as well made on a stove-top grill pan or baked in the oven.

Potato skins were once a popular restaurant appetizer, but I don’t see them much on menus anymore. Too bad. I love them! This recipe is a
grilled version, but again you can make them with the oven instead.

Are you ready for some football? 

I am!

Yield: 24 wings

Author: Linda Ditch

Grilled Buffalo Wings

Grilled or baked, these wings are perfect for watch parties, game nights, or any other gathering.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Louisiana-style hot sauce (I used Franks Red Hot)
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 2 garlic cloves
• 12 whole chicken wings

Instructions

1. To prepare the Buffalo sauce: Place the hot sauce, butter, Worcestershire sauce, and celery seed in a small saucepan. Smash the garlic cloves and add to the sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Removed the garlic cloves and set aside.
2. Cut the chicken wings into pieces, discarding the wing tips. Grill over medium to medium-high heat until crispy and cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove wings from the grill, dip in the buffalo sauce, and place on a platter to serve.
3. To make in the oven: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray or rub with oil. Place the wing piece on the sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, dip in the sauce, and serve.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Yield: 4 to 8

Author: Linda Ditch

Grilled Potato Skins

This appetizer (or main course!) can be made on the grill or in the oven.

Ingredients

• 4 baked russet potatoes
• Oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup grated cheddar or pepper-jack cheese
• 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled or chopped
• Sour cream, for garnish
• Chopped green onions, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the grill to medium-high. Cut each potato in half lengthwise and, using a spoon, scoop out the flesh from the center, making sure to leave about 1/4 to 1/2-inch of the flesh inside of the potato skin. Brush the potato halves lightly with oil on both sides and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place the potato halves cut side down onto the hot grill grate. Cook the potato halves until browned and crisp, and then turn to the skin side. Divide the grated cheese between the potato halves, close the grill lid, and cook only until the cheese is melted.
2. Remove the potato halves from the grill. Top with crumbled bacon, sour cream, and green onions.
3. To make in the oven: Brush the scooped-out potato halves with oil, both inside and out, and place on a baking sheet, skin-side up. Put the sheet under the oven broiler and cook until the skin starts to brown and crisp. Turn the potatoes over and boil until the flesh begins to brown and crisp. This should only take 2 to 3 minutes. Fill the potatoes with cheese and broil until the cheese is melted. Remove from the broiler and top with the bacon, sour cream and green onions.

Created using The Recipes Generator