Posts Tagged ‘gram crackers’

Once again my procrastination paid off.

I desperately needed a snack for my sons cub scouts and didn’t want to leave the house….it is a whole ordeal these days (put the dog out, the kids think we are going to be gone for ever so they need toys and snacks, get dressed…a whole ordeal)…anyway back to the food.

So, boy scouts…food…what goes better with cub scouts than s’mores?

It just so happened that the other day we went to Trader Joe’s (I love that place) and got these little guys.

You see that? Low Fat…so they are good for you

We had some marshmallows in our pantry for who knows how long and always have chocolate (that I make sure we NEVER run out of).

So the S’mores bites were born. It was a beautiful thing.

These couldn’t be easier (that what I am all about, easy fast, good food).

Just a few easy steps.

On a lined cookie sheet lay out your gram crackers.

Place 1/2 a jumbo marshmallow on top.

Pop in oven on low broil for 2-3 min.

Remove and stick in freezer for 10 min.

In a microwave melt chocolate and shortening (to thin). Dip marshmallow gram crackers in and pop back in frezzer for 10 min, or until set.

Devour.

Now I left half un coated in chocolate for those non-chocolate weirdos people

That easy. It took me longer to write this than to make them.

S’mores Bites

Ingredients

• Desired amount of gram cracker cookies (I used 64)
• 1 bag jumbo sized marshmallows, halved
• 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 Tbsp shortening

Directions

1. Turn oven on to a low broil.
2. Lay desired amount of gram cracker cookies out on a lined baking sheet.
3. Top each with ½ of a jumbo marshmallow.
4. Pop in oven for about 2-3 min.
5. Remove and stick in freezer for 10 min
6. Melt chocolate and shortening in microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between each.
7. Dip gram crackers into chocolate and stick back in freezer for about 10 min or until set.
8. Store in fridge

With summer FAST approaching us here in AZ (and by fast we have already reached 100 one day in Phoenix) that means a few things to my family…..camping, vacations, swimming…..tons and tons of swimming,

Brick oven cooking (courtesy of my handsome hubby)

And for some reason lemons. Gallons and gallons of lemonade (homemade…no powder junk), lemon bars (or lime) and lemon meringue pie.

Now this is the first time EVER I have made lemon meringue pie….usually we just con someone else into making it

I was (as well as everyone else) pleasantly surprised at how tasty this was.

It wasn’t hard at all.

First, prepare and form your graham cracker crust.

Pop in freezer while you make the filling and meringue.

Zest 1 lemon

Naked Lemon

Slice and juice zested lemon and other lemons

Add all filling into a large sauce pan and simmer over medium heat, until nice and thick.

Pour into crust and pop in your fridge.

Now lets make some of the easiest meringue ever with this stuff

I found this at Williams Sonoma

Once it is ready place on top and spread evenly to the edges.

Pop in your over, set to low broil. Watch it very carefully, you just want the top to brown. Mine only took about 5 min.

Remove let cool and place in fridge. Refrigerate for at least 20 min (best if overnight).

This pie was (yes was) fabulous. The meringue tasted almost like toasted marshmallows. The lemon filling was smooth and refreshing and don’t get me started on the crust……

Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups gram cracker crumbs (about 38 crackers)
• 2 ½   cup sugar
• 12 Tbsp melted butter
• 4 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 3)
• 3 Tbsp lemon zest (from one lemon)
• 3 Tbsp butter, cold
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 cups water
• ¼ cup meringue powder

Directions

1. In a small saucepan over high heat, bring ½ cup water to a boil and add ¾ cup sugar. Whisk until dissolved (1-2 min). Remove and let cool to room temp.
2. For the crust: In a large bowl combine gram cracker crumbs,1 tsp vanilla, ½ cup sugar and the 12 tbsp melted butter. Press into a 9-inch spring form pan. Pop in freezer.
3. For the Filling: In a large saucepan combine cornstarch, 1 ¼ cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, salt. Whisk in 1 ½ cups water, lemon juice and zest until fully incorporated.
4. Add egg yolks and butter. Stir with spatula until butter has completely melted and mixture is nice and thick.
5. Pour into crust and pop in fridge.
6. Turn your oven broiler on to the lowest setting.
7. In the bowl of an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, pour in sugar mixture from earlier. Add vanilla and meringue powder. Beat on medium high heat until it starts to thicken, then increase speed to high. Continue to mix until stiff peaks form (about 5-7 min).
8. Top lemon filled pie with meringue and pop into a oven with the broiler on low. Watch it very carefully; you just want the top to brown (about 5 min).
9. Remove and stick in fridge for 20 min. For best results over night.