S'mores Bars

Middle of the summer and invited to a cookout and looking for something different to take? This cookie topped with gooey marshmallows and chocolate is just what you are looking for..and you don't have to stand over a camp fire.the batch the day before though was a bad idea. We had family coming in and out of our house and before I knew it my next day bbq dish was gone. They really are that good, don't make them too far in advance, you've been warned. lol

Here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

CRUST

2 1/4 cups graham crackers (1 1/2 sleeves), crushed

2/3 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup granulated sugar

COOKIE TOP

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 rye flour

1/4 whole wheat

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 cups miniature marshmallows, divided

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 Hershey bars, broken up

I use dark chocolate on the top

Graham cracker crumbs for the top

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar, then press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a 13×9-inch rectangular greased baking dish. Bake for 7 minutes, then remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

2. Meanwhile, cream the butter and sugars together in a mixer. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and beat until mixed. Stir in flour, salt and baking soda just until combined. Then mix in the chocolate chips and 2 cups of the marshmallows.

3. Carefully spread cookie mixture over the graham cracker crust by dropping spoonfuls of batter evenly around the dish and then gently pressing it together so you aren't disturbing the graham cracker crust beneath.

4. Bake for 18 minutes at 350 degrees, then quickly remove from the oven, top with broken pieces of Hershey Bars and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup marshmallows. Return to oven to finish baking. Bake 9-11 minutes more, until golden brown on top. The center should be mostly set but still just a little undercooked. Don't overcook - you want to eat these just a little on a the gooey side, trust me.

Joy over perfection

In today's world, what is a life of balance? What does it look like?

Is it meeting all your deadlines, while having supper on the table? A picture on social media where everyone is smiling and you look skinny?

I’ve always struggled to meet some perfect image in my head. Where everything is as great as a magazine cover. I’ve always been one to want to top myself, my self expectations set too high.

Life is hard, messy, and you’ll never get a picture where everyone is fully cooperated. Not every day ends with a home-cooked meal. Sometimes you just want to hide in the shower. I came across this,

Joy over Perfection

Instantly I scribbled it in my journal. It stuck with me, somehow releasing tension I had between my shoulders. Quickly, it became my mantra in those moments when things didn’t seem to go just right, the way it was all planned. Now, before I exhaust from the frustrations, I look for the little joys. They are always near. Something as simple as, “well at least it’s a beautiful day outside.”

I started this in the beginning of the new year. Since then I have found myself stopping and being grateful for little joys. Have goals and dreams, but check yourself in reality. Don’t pressure yourself to constantly one-up what you just did. If you reach your goals that’s great. If you don’t that’s ok too. You tried, you stuck your neck out and took a risk. Rejected? Look at the lessons you learned along the way, then redirect.

Instead of reaching for some mountain top where unicorns prance, I’m hoping to live my life trying new things. The excitement from learning and building on what I already know. It’s in the challenges set forth in the goals where life really is. In the midst of it, the triumphs and errors lay what make you who you are. Life is meant to be lived. If you get caught up in the perfection, you’ll be sure to tire.

Live for the little joys.

seek Joy over Perfection

Head in the Clouds

The sky.

Nowhere better to look when deep in thought. No better place for a Dreamer to go.

My last painting took months to do. I was ready to mix it up and try something a little looser.

Head in the Clouds.

Nowhere better to look when deep in thought. No better place for a Dreamer to go. It’s this magical thing, that no matter the color or pattern, it always makes for the best backdrop. The bright blue skies with puffy white clouds, one where you can pick out animals and cartoon characters, a game my son is learning now. To the dark and dreary, where the gray makes the colors of the trees pop and landscapes sing.

Texture and brush strokes show you a glimpse of the real work that was put into a painting, like you can feel the artist sense of urgency in the texture.

I’ve always felt the skies were a challenge in my paintings. I approached this almost like a classroom, assignment. I really enjoyed myself and felt a lot of freedom with it. Experimented with the brush strokes and used a pallet knife on a lot of it. I was pleased with how the texture came out.

Something I want to incorporate more in the future.