S'more Bark

These marshmallows really are so cute, I could look at them all day.

 Well this is going to be a short and sweet post.  Sorry couldn't help myself, sweet, get it?

 Okay never mind, I just need to fill up space here people.

  So this is another one of those, I had left over stuff, and it was easier to make something then clean it all up.  So after my Cheesecake pops and my S'more cookies I had some left over melted chocolate, graham cracker crumbs and marshmallow bits.  I mean seriously if I didn't know how to put that together, I should not be allowed to eat chocolate ever again.

And this right here, this is where I make left overs tasty again.

This is all you need, the chocolate was already in the microwave when I realized I forgot to take a picture.

I know a little dramatic, but you know, I have to pump myself up somehow.

At this point I worried the stuff would not mix together well.

S'more Bark
By me, but I am sure it has been done before

-graham cracker crumbs
-melted candy melts or chocolate
-baby marshmallows

But it did, just perfectly.

  Mix your crumbs and chocolate until all smooth, then add about half of your marshmallows.  Mix again.  Then you can either spread it out on parchment on a cookie sheet or as I do, because I like things to be all the same shape, put it in a piping bag without a tip and fill whatever mold you want to.  Then before it sets sprinkle on the rest of your marshmallows.

I used a piping bag to try and not be too messy.  The word it "tried"I never said it worked.

  That's it people.  I did not give measurements as it was just left overs, but you want enough of the crumbs in the chocolate so you can actually taste it and it also depends on how much you want.  I used a silicone mold and just put it in the freezer, when they were set I popped them out, easy peasy.  I used the little left over I had and put it on parchment on a plate.  I like the look of bark but hate the different sizes, I may be a little OCD on that, but whatever, it's my bark.

And I always have a bit left over, so I just put it on a plate.  I hate breaking it up, I like uniform things.

 So there you go, how to be amazing and not have to clean up as much all in one post!

And see how easy that was?

I'm linking up HERE

S'more Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the second tray of cookies. The first ones, well I did not let them cool on the cookie sheet enough and they basically collapsed.  But I got to eat the cookie bits that fell onto the table, so it was all good.

   I was on a mission recently.  It involved trying to get out of cleaning up.  And this is the outcome.  You see I made something with crushed graham crackers and melted chocolate.  I will pretty much do anything, even create more mess, to get out of cleaning up another mess.  In my mind it totally made sense.

  Don't argue, I have no rational reason behind my thinking, so I don't have to explain it. So there!

And see Pork Chop wanted to help so had to wash his hands.  He used about 1/4 cup of soap before I noticed and had to tell him he probably had enough. And he won't use his stool, because he is big now. He is going to be bigger than me in a few years.  Sigh.

  Sorry, anyway, I had a bunch of left over graham cracker crumbs and I figured I might as well use them. I also had an almost full jar of these little marshmallow bits.  And I sort of wanted to use them before they got put in the cupboard and forgotten about.  I may have a few cupboards filled with baking supplies, and I may also forget about the things I have.  Don't judge me!

This was me getting started, Pork Chop lost interest in about 2 minutes, oh well at least his hands were really clean.

  What I was thinking was something that was S'more inspired.  Now I do not like to experiment too much, because if there is one thing I don't like, it's when my baking doesn't work.  Just makes me sad to use all those ingredients then not have anything yummy to show for it.  So this was a huge step!

  What I decided on was a S'more chocolate chip cookie.  I figured I would replace part of the flour with the graham cracker crumbs and add some marshmallows.  And to make it really fancy I used these swirled chocolate chips I got in the states. They are half white and half semi sweet chocolate, oh yeah!

This picture makes me so sad, those things right there, you cannot get them here.  Sigh.

 I used my favorite chocolate chip cookie base and altered it a bit.  If you want the basic recipe it's .HERE

 S'more Chocolate Chip Cookies
By me; sort of.

-1 1/2 cups butter
-1 1/4 cups sugar
-1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
-2 TSP vanilla
-3 eggs
-3 1/2 cups flour
-3/4 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
-2 TSP baking soda
-1/2 TSP salt
-1 cup marshmallow bits or mini marshmallows
-1 bag of chocolate chips of your choice

I think these chocolate chips are so pretty, I think I have peanut butter swirl ones too.  But then again, I have a whole bunch of baking things to get to in my pantries.  Yes I said pantries, plural. 

  Start by heating your oven to 350.  Then cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy.  Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until well blended.  Sift all the dry ingredient together and add them to the mixture.  At the end mix in your mix ins, I always use a dough mixer, I have a picture of it on the link above, it makes sure to get the flour that settles at the bottom of the bowl mixed in and ensures your chips and stuff don't get all broken and such.

Oh my gosh, how can you not want to just eat it like this.  Salmonella, I laugh at you, cookie dough all the way!

 Then use a cookie scoop to scoop them out onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.  I used a 1 TBSP scoop, I think that was the size, and they needed just over 7 minutes.  You do not want them to be brown, take them out when you just start to see browning.  Then let them cool for at least 5 minutes before moving, you need that extra time for them to finish baking on the sheets.  Then remove to a cooling rack and you are all done.  I always use parchment, it helps give the cookies something to hold onto, so they don't spread out as much.  Makes for a chewier cookie.

I may have eaten a few, but there were plenty, like 4 dozen or more.

  I really liked them, the only thing was no one got that they were supposed to be S'more cookies.  They all liked them though.  I think that if I had replaced more of the flour with the crumbs it may have given it a bit more of a S'more flavor.  Also I think a tiny little pinch of cinnamon would have helped too.  So I will try these again for sure, as they were so good!

Cheese Cake Balls and Sandwhiches

Sad thing is this is the best picture I got, I was in a bad mood from them not working out how I wanted.  Oh well, there you go. 

  So I have been wanting to make these for ages.  I promised them to a friend at work like 5 months ago, and like everything else in life, I just didn't get to it.  I actually made these a lot a few years back.  They are a sort of mix up and it was not how I used to do it because I forgot how I used to do it. 

  I am going to let you in on a little secret here.  You ready?  So when you are making something and you have it turn out totally wrong, just add more chocolate and it will be all good.  

 Mind blown!  Right?  

 Well see these were supposed to be cheesecake pops, like I had made them all those times before.  But unlike those times before, where I would add lots of extra icing sugar to make them nice and thick, these were all soft and stuff.  So I worked with it, because there was no way I was putting it all back in the bowl and mixing it again.  I am stubborn some times.

  So you will get two different versions out of this, which really if you think about it, works in your favor.  

  Your welcome.

  Anyway, these cheesecake balls are no bake, which is awesome if you are super lazy like me, or just don't want to turn the oven on when it is like 1 million degrees out.  All you need is some cream cheese and stuff and you are all good to go.

I could eat this whole bowl! I would then probably have to go to the hospital, but it might be worth it.

This recipe is actually a cheese ball desert, so you can make it and serve it like that too, with fruit (yuck!) or cookies (oh yeah!)  And that right there, made this post a three way.  ( That's what she said)

 So I will share the original cheese ball version then let you know how I altered it.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Ball

From All Recipes

-1 8oz block of cream cheese

-1/2 cup butter

-3/4 cups icing sugar

-2 TBSP brown sugar

-1/4 TSP vanilla *

-3/4 cups mini chocolate chips

-3/4 cups chopped pecans** 

*I used vanilla bean paste because I have it

**you can use any kind of nut, or for a nut free option use crushed graham crackers or more chocolate chips 

Just blend it all together, except you add the chips last, and leave the nuts out, seriously you cannot screw this up.  Well you could if you were me, but I have faith in you.  Then you line a small bowl with plastic wrap, put the good stuff in there, then using the wrap sort of fold it up to make it a ball shape.  Then you chill it for a few hours, then when you are ready take it out, you unwrap it and roll it it the nuts or whatever.

  Can I just say, the phrase "roll it in the nuts" should be like a "aw go %^$ yourself" like phrase.  Like if someone is pissing you off, tell them to "go roll it in the nuts buddy!"  I don't know, I may need to get out more, but that really sounds like a good phrase to me.  Try it out, let me know how it goes over.

  Sorry, anyway this is the basic recipe. To make these into the sandwiches you don't need to change much. 

Cheesecake Sandwiches 

Altered from All Recipes.

-1 batch of Cheesecake ball mix

-whole graham crackers

-candy melts

I put mine in a cake pan, makes it easier to work with.

  So once you have your mix ready, take a graham cracker and put some mix on it, then take another cracker and put it on top, pressing down to spread out the mix.  You can put as much or as little as you want.  I used about 1 1/2 scoops of my little ice cream scoop.

Another picture of the blobs of goodness.

 Then place them in the freezer for at least 45 minutes.  You can also cool the filling first then fill the sandwiches and what not, not a big deal either way.

  Then you melt your candy melts and taking one sandwich at a time, dip it and fully cover it.  Take it out with a fork and tap the fork to ensure the chocolate drips off making sure it covers it all and that there is not too much extra. Then place on parchment.  If you want to top it with some nuts do so as soon as you finish dipping it.  I did nut free as I was too lazy to get them out of the freezer in the basement.  

  So that is one way, this is the way I did it because I was too lazy to add more sugar and the mix was just too thin to hold up to dipping. I even tried to freeze it over night, but no luck. So my cake pops will look like crap, they will taste great, but they look like crap.  And since I'm telling you how to do it right, do as I say and not as I did.  You will thank me.

Cheesecake pops

-1 batch of Cheesecake ball mix

-more icing sugar 

-candy melts

See how puddle like my cheese cake looks, well it was worse as soon as it hit the warm candy melts.

 So you do the basic mix, but do not add the chocolate chips until the end.  So take your mix and add icing sugar, like you will need a few more cups, and add it until your mix is stiff and able to be scooped and hold its shape better.  It will be sticky.  But once you scoop, you chill for about 30 minutes then roll it again, then chill then dip.  I know, lots of words that is basically just babbling, sorry.  So once the mix is thick as you want, add your chocolate chips and form and chill them.

The sad thing is that these are the good looking ones, it was all down hill from here.

  Then like with any other pop you melt your candy melts and dip them.  These ones melt faster, so make sure you are only taking 2 or 3 out of the freezer at a time.  That way you will not have a gloppy mess like I did. Also I covered mine in graham cracker crumbs, just to add the crust to them like a real cheese cake.  Yum!

  I also like to make these as just truffles, you know without the stick.  But they are tricky as they are gloppy, so you know, be forewarned they could get messy.

I think the sandwiches were my favorite it is like portable cheese cake. I should patent that!

I am linking up HERE!