S'more Cookies

What screams summer more than s'mores? I'm not too sure. I don't think a summer has gone by that I haven't had s'mores. More so now in my adult life than when I was a child. I LOVE a fire pit. It's pretty much mandatory for my backyard. Perfect for spring and fall when some nights get too cold. It's also ideal for roasting marshmallows. Who roast marshmallows without going all the way and making s'mores? I'm not too sure about that either. 

I came across this recipe for s'more cookies. What fun! A nice twist on a classic summer treat. The recipe comes from the one and only, Martha. I was a little surprised that the recipe called for semisweet or bittersweet chocolate. Honestly, I only know Hershey's milk chocolate when it comes to s'mores. Since I only had semisweet chocolate on hand, I used that. I was a bit nervous about the outcome but it actually ended up working quite well.

These cookies were a hit, at home & work too. Although I learned that a lot of my coworkers don't like marshmallows. Didn't know that was possible. Aside from tasting so good, they look really cute too...at least I think they do. 

Make these for your next summer barbecue. The 4th of July is right around the corner! I promise you'll be the talk of the barbecue (in a good way for a change...I kid, I kid)!

S'more Cookies

Everyday Food July/August 2009

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into 30 squares
• 15 large marshmallows, halved horizontally

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse oats until finely ground. Add flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; pulse to combine. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, scraping down side of bowl. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture just until combined.

Drop dough by tablespoons, 1 inch apart, onto two baking sheets. Top each with a chocolate square. Bake just until lightly golden, 11 to 13 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Remove sheets from oven; heat broiler. Top each cookie with a marshmallow. One sheet at a time, broil until marshmallows are lightly browned, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

Cucumber Salad

Those of you who know me are probably shocked to see that I made something with cucumbers. Yes, I'm not a fan BUT the lady loves herself some cucumbers and has been requesting a cucumber salad. I had one on hand and thought it would be a nice side to the barbecue pulled chicken I made the other night. 

This is super simple, people. I'm talking it takes about 10 minutes (maybe even less) to throw together and you most likely have all ingredients on hand if your pantry is stocked. 

Cucumber Salad

Slightly adapted from Paula Deen

1 cucumber, peeled and sliced

1/4 cup thinly sliced onion

1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

salt & pepper to taste

 Combine all ingredients. Let sit at least 15 minutes prior to serving.

When Life Gives You Lemons.....

.....Make Lemonade! Or so they say. 

My good friend, Gina, always says 'make limoncello'. Either way it works.  

Growing up, I loved me some lemonade mix. My mom and grandma Eckenrode (Sally) always kept it on hand for us and it was refreshing sugary drink on hot summer days that was easy for kids to make on their own. An extra bonus when they got the pink lemonade. 

I've somewhat grown up since then and don't keep the sugary stuff on hand.  I was recently in the mood for lemonade so I foregone the mix and got to squeezing some lemons. It's a lot of work squeezing the lemons but I promise the outcome is well worth it.

Once you have your lemon juice it's super simple! 

All you need is simple syrup (sugar water), cold water, and lemon juice. Don't be lazy and use lemon juice from a bottle! It won't taste as good. Get to squeezing, peeps!

Lemonade

Lots to Ladle (slightly adapted from foodnetwork.com)

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of water (to boil)

1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 5-6 lemons)

1/2 gallon ice water

(sliced lemon, thyme springs, fresh mint to garnish) - optional 

Bring a 1/2 cup of water to a simmer over low heat, mix in sugar until dissolved. Pour sugar water mixture into a pitcher. Add lemon juice and remaining water. Mix well. Serve with sliced lemon and herbs.

Summer Summer Summertime

Can you believe the unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day Weekend, just passed? I honestly can't but I'm super excited about it. I'm really looking forward to this summer. I honestly love living in the Northeast (Philadelphia to be exact). There's nothing better than the change of seasons and we're lucky enough to have all four seasons here. I'm not going to play favorites (yes, Fall, I love you!) because I honestly do love something about each of the seasons.

 Here's what I'm looking forward to this summer. I'm hoping I can share all my 'to dos' with you throughout the summer and I'm hoping you're as excited as I am. =) 

I'm hoping to grill more this year. Summer is the season for grilling and I find myself always saying "we should grill more"! What's not to love? It keeps your house cool and clean up is super easy! Nadya really wants to splurge and get a Weber Grill. I have a feeling her wish will be granted sooner rather than later. Our grill is a couple years old (not quite on it's last leg) and after barbecuing on my dad's Weber and her dad's Weber this past weekend it's pretty much all she can think about. 

There are a lot of summer favorites that I  have on my to do list--barbecue sauce, ice cream, sorbet, homemade s'mores, & specialty summer drinks are just a few. What are you favorite  dishes? What should I add to my list? 

I'm also super pumped for the expanded and better hours of my neighborhood farmer's market! I look forward to seeing what they bring each week and challenge myself to come up with great recipes for the fresh crops.  

Are you a fan of summer? What's your favorite summer dish or in-season fruit/vegetable?