A quick snack

Made these...yummie!  We've been craving s'mores.  However, it's so hot no time for a fire pit and last camping trip in the forest, no open fires allowed!  A friend posted this recipe and I tried it out!  I had all the ingredients leftover from our camping trip.   The recipe is easy.  One tip is to keep a close eye when you have them under the broiler!  They brown quick.

Here's the recipe....  It's from the website kitchenfunwithmy3sons.com

S'mores Cookie Cups

With these S'mores Cookie Cups, you can enjoy the flavor of s'mores any time! Buttery graham cracker cups filled with toasted marshmallow and topped with Hershey's Chocolate Bar, everyone will be asking for s'more!

Course Dessert 

Cuisine American 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Servings 24 cookie cups

Author Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely crush graham cracker crumbs (about 7 whole graham crackers)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 12 marshmallows (regular size, not mini marshmallows)
• 2 full size Hershey's Chocolate Bars, unwrapped and divided into 24 pieces

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and melted butter.
3. Grease a 24 cup mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Scoop the graham cracker crust mixture into the 24 cups. Gently press the crumbs into the bottom of each cup and up the sides to form little cups.
4. Bake the mini graham cracker crusts at 350F for 4 minutes until golden brown.
5. Cut each marshmallow in half to make 24 round marshmallows. Place one marshmallow in each graham cracker cup, cut side of the marshmallow facing down.
6. Set the oven to broil. Place the pan of s'mores in the oven under the broiler and broil for 1-2 minutes, just until the marshmallows are soft and beginning to look toasted. Note: the marshmallows can burn fast, so watch them very closely.
7. Top each marshmallow with one piece of the Hershey's Chocolate Bar. Allow the s'mores to cool for 15 minutes, then use a butter knife to lift them from the pan.

Avery's 1st Birthday

I was asked to help with Avery's 1st Birthday Party.  Avery likes Minnie Mouse, that was the theme.  I made the banner in the background using a Minnie font and I found the banner template on Pinterest.  I searched Pinterest for cake ideas and boy are there ideas!  Tons of them!!

Here's the cake I made.  I used round ramekisns, which were the perfect size.  I cut the tops off to make it flat and I made it three layers, vanilla, chocolate, vanilla.  I frosted it with white buttercream frosting, which by the way is the best ever frosting ever!  Dropped some sprinkles on the top and the cake looked awesome, if I say so myself.

I was able to catch this great great close up photo of Avery!  She's adorable.

Cupcakes, that's what's going on around here

I'm co-hosting a baby shower and one of my duties is to make the cupcakes.  I know I could of just bought a couple of box cake mixes but I really don't like box cakes and I've used them in the past and added stuff to make them taste homemade.  This time I decided to make them from scratch.  But to keep is simple, I'm doing chocolate and  vanilla cupcakes.  I'm using a cake recipe I've used for years and it's moist and not over chocolate.  I haven't ever used it for cupcakes, though.  I think the thing is baking time, so while I write this blog post I'm also watching the time they're in the oven.  Cross your fingers they come out nice.  Otherwise, I told Tom he'll be eating cupcakes all weekend.  I wanted to make a simple vanilla cupcake and searched the internet to find a recipe.  Boy are there ton's of them.  I'm impressed with all the baking bloggers who do such a great job sharing recipes and photos.  I picked a recipe from www.bakehappy.net, it's called Perfectly Moist Vanilla Cupcake.  I'll let you know how the cupcakes turn out.  My plan is to top them off with the chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream and vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream...simple flavors is the theme.

I have to make some crescent moons out of white chocolate to top them off ....  the timer is going off..brb.  Oh my, they came out perfect looking.  I'll be posting photos once I get them all finished... wish me luck.  I will also be posting about all the cute "love you to the moon and back" stuff made for the shower.  I'm not big on baby showers and this is the first one I've been involved with but all I can say it's a lot of things to think about and do starting from the invite to the food, from the mailing list to the decorations, from number of table & chairs to the theme, from table cloths to paper products, etc.  All & all I think it's going to be adorable and fun for the new momma, Kerry.  By the way, it's a boy!