S'mores Bars

What is summer without S'mores? This little bar of awesome was created because I needed a dessert for an event, didn't have time to go to the store, and had to use what I had on hand. I was originally going to make Rice Crispy treats, but only had Special K and Golden Grahams on hand...what's the obvious choice there?! 

So S'mores bars were born!

 
S'mores Bars

6 cups Golden Grahams
4 tablespoons butter  
5 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Grease a 9x13in pan and set aside.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium low heat. Add 4 cups mini marshmallows and stir until melted. Remove from heat and pour in Golden Grahams cereal. Stir until completely coated. Fold in remaining cup of marshmallows. Gently press into pan using waxed paper.

Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe dish for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until smooth. Transfer chocolate to a ziplock bag.

Remove the waxed paper and snip the tip of the bag, just a little so the chocolate can come out slowly. Drizzle over the cereal treats. Let cool until chocolate has hardened then cut into squares.

Enjoy!!     

Raspberry Lemon Bars

Lemon bars are one of my favorite desserts. I can resist cakes, pies, and cookies, but lemon bars? Never. So when I saw this recipe for Raspberry Lemon Bars on Two Peas and Their Pod,  I had to try it! I love their blog, so many great recipes and their pictures rock! If you haven't stopped by, do it! You'll be happy you did.

My In-Laws were coming over to go see Harry Potter and I needed a quick dinner/dessert combo so we wouldn't be late. I decided on these and they were definitely worth it! Quick, easy, and delicious. I know it's a little strange that there isn't any flour or anything, but it works! Next time I'm going to try it with blueberries...mmm!

Lemon Raspberry Bars

Ingredients:

For the crust:
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons salted butter, melted (I used light butter)
1/4 cup sugar
Zest of one lemon

For the filling:
2 large egg yolks
1-14 oz. can fat free sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
6 ounces fresh raspberries

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 8 by 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Stir until graham cracker crumbs are moist. Press crumbs into the prepared pan, pressing the crust mixture one inch up the side of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Once the crust is cool, combine the egg yolks and condensed milk until well mixed. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir until mixture begins to slightly thicken. Gently fold in the raspberries. Fold carefully so you don't break the raspberries.

Pour the lemon raspberry filling evenly over the graham cracker crust. Bake for 15 minutes, or until just set.

Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least one hour before serving. Cut into bars and serve. Keep bars in the refrigerator-up to five days.

Prom Dress scraps to Necktie

So to get to this craft, you need to get through all my big sisterly love! 

May and June were really crazy, but great months for my family. My little sister went to her senior prom,

Then my little brother had his 8th grade dance..

In June they both graduated. Sissy's off to college, 

And B-ry will be going to high school!

It's hard to believe the time has gone so fast...but it certainly has been fun so far! I can't wait to see all these two will accomplish in the coming years! We are very proud of both of them.

OK, now on to the crafting! So, Sissy got her dress hemmed..of course, because we're a family of shorties :)  (except for Daddy!)  and she asked if I could make her date a tie from the scraps. I said "Of course" before I thought about whether I knew how to do that or not...but I figured, it's a pretty simple shape...plus I had a month. I was using one of hubby's ties as a template when I noticed the inner lining...so I grabbed an old one, took off the silk and this is what I was left with...

Perfect, right?! A little fabric interfacing and I was on a roll. I got the fabric to stick to the lining, but then I ran into a problem. I couldn't sew it shut because you would see the stitching, so I ended up hand stitching it shut...verrrry carefully. The fabric her dress was made from was NOT forgiving at all. It showed every little pull, so I was careful not to make many!

 He said that everyone loved it! And look at how it matched his boutonniere...

Awesome!

And of course it made the Queen happy..

*Yes, that means she was Prom Princess last year, and both Homecoming and Prom Queen this year. 

Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!

:)

And with those pretty purple flowers in the background...Perfect!

Strawberry Pecan Muffins

It's amazing how many things I can think of that "I've been meaning to do" when there is unpacking and cleaning to be done. hehe Well, here's another procrastination project...Strawberry Muffins! 

My first grade teacher sent me this recipe a few weeks ago and they looked so yummy, I decided to make them for Sunday brunch with the hubster. Now, these are low fat, but of course I had to add a streusel topping! But I was good about it...And doesn't it make it look just delicious?!

 

Strawberry Pecan Muffins
(Original recipe: Taste of Home)
 

Ingredients:

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (or a wheat/white mix)
• 3/4 cup sugar (Can use Splenda Blend)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I used cinnamon b/c I don't like nutmeg)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled (I used light butter)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/4 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries 

For the topping:

2 Tbsp packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4-1/3 cup chopped pecans
 

Directions:

  

Preheat oven to 375°. In a small bowl, combine the first four ingredients. 

In another bowl, whisk the eggs, yogurt, butter and vanilla. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in strawberries. 

Fill muffin cups coated with cooking spray or lined with paper liners two-thirds full. Sprinkle on topping.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 

Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. 

Yield: 1 dozen. 

 

I {heart} power outages :)

I have always loved when the power goes out. When I was growing up, it seemed like it happened all the time. I can remember one time when it was out for a few days (not as much fun as a few hours) and I had a project due for school. Ironically, the assignment was to write a journal from the perspective of a pioneer headed west in a covered wagon...so my dad got me out the oil lamp and said "There, now it's authentic!" What fun! He sat next to me and read the paper while I worked at the coffee table. 

Well, as an adult, I haven't really experienced power outages of any great length, but it did go out for a few hours last night because of the storms. It was awesome! The lightning outside the window, the crashes of thunder...so fun! We lit some candles, which was easier said than done since we just moved and nothing is unpacked. Poured some iced coffee, and talked on the couch. It was wonderful. No tv. No phones. No internet. Just us.  After a while we found enough candles to play a game, so we got out our favorite backgammon set. (Pete crushed me in both rounds, as well as the game of Scrabble to follow) I'm not a good opponent...unless you want to win. haha

My honey. Iced coffee by candlelight. Board games.

The simple pleasures in life :-)

I still love when the power goes out.