Blue Ribbon Baking: Part 1

Well friends, I will put the more humble part of myself aside for the evening to announce, with great surprise, that I brought home two blue ribbons at the county fair last week. The winning treats? S'More Bars in the bar cookie category and Peanut Butter & Milk Chocolate Blondies in the brownie variety category. There were numerous incredible submissions by bakers all over the county, and I'm only sad that I missed seeing (and tasting!) all of their fabulous treats, since (as you know) I was out of town.

Let's begin with the S'More Bars. Who amongst us doesn't have a fond memory of standing around the Girl Scout or Boy Scout campfire (or sitting on our homemade sit-upons?), roasting marshmallows and making these gooey, crunchy, summery treats? They're genius!

In fact, after my mom called me on vacation to relay the blue ribbon news, Adam and I decided to make the "real deal" s'mores over our campfire to celebrate, as pictured at the right (I know, I know, we're so dorky it's embarrassing sometimes).

At any rate, I hope you will delight in trying these bar cookies as much as we did. I found this recipe in one of my mom's Taste of Home Simple and Delicious magazines, and instantly knew that it had to be shared. I re-made them tonight to mail to a friend, and to photograph for you all :)

So tonight, make some S'More Bars and reminisce about those long-ago nights at scout camp when you tripped at the evening flag ceremony, and ate so many Gob-Stopper jawbreaker candies that you cried from the advanced stomach cramping that resulted. Wait. Maybe that was just me.

Forget scout camp. Just make the brownies :)

S'More Bars

(from Taste of Home: Simple & Delicious magazine)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter (NO substitutes!)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1- 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 5 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 oz. each)
• 1 cup marshmallow cream

Directions:

1) In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Combine the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt. Add to creamed mixture, and set aside 1/2 cup for the topping.

2) Press remaining mixture into an 8 inch baking pan. Place candy bars over the crust in one single layer. Spread marshmallow cream on top of candy bar layer. Crumble remaining graham cracker mixture over top.

3) Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes (or 25 - 30, depending on your oven), or until golden brown on top. Cool on a wire rack, and cut into bars.

4) Bust out your sit-upon and your scout badge sash and dig in! Or, just enjoy them on the couch while watching a rerun of America's Got Talent (it's just as much fun. seriously.)