The Most AMAZING S’mores Popcorn!
This. Popcorn. Is. AMAZING!!! I’m not even sure I need to write anymore. You gotta try this! It’s just soooo good.
I’ve always loved eating marshmallows in their original yummy state and I’ve always loved roasting marshmallows, but not eating them! They just become too rich. So, as much as I’ve always loved making s’mores at the cottage, I usually make them for others. This is different!! The saltiness of the popcorn helps to break up all that heavy sweetness that comes with a traditional s’more. I think my nieces and nephews will go crazy for this popcorn. I can’t wait to make it for them (unless they make it for themselves first!)!
My kids have the same marshmallow gene as me. My son would eat marshmallows all day if I let him. I knew this recipe would be a hit! I bought a bag of Smartfood buttered popcorn to help save me some time. Initially, I was worried that with all the ingredients and the 1/2 cup of butter that is in the mix, that it would be too much, but it was perfect.
You start out by putting all of the dry ingredients into a big bowl like this:
The original recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips. But, milk chocolate and marshmallows are a match made in candy heaven. So, I bought a big Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate bar and cut it up into chunks. There’s a full bag of popcorn under all that goodness, by the way. 🙂
Enjoy!!
The Most AMAZING S'mores Popcorn!
Equipment
- Candy Thermometer
Ingredients
- 10 cups store-bought popcorn This equals an entire bag of popcorn
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup milk chocolate chunks The original recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups lightly crushed graham crackers
- 1 stick or 1/2 cup salted butter The original recipe calls for unsalted butter, but I didn't have any. I cut back on the salt by half a teaspoon.
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup corn syrup light or golden will work
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt If using unsalted butter, increase salt to 1 teaspoon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Cooking oil spray to coat a spatula for stirring mixture
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat mat.
- Place the popcorn, marshmallows, chocolate chunks and crushed graham crackers in a large bowl; do not combine yet.
- Combine the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the butter is melted and the ingredients are completely combined, about 5 minutes.
- Continue to boil the sugar, no longer stirring, until it reaches the firm-ball* stage, 245 degrees F. Remove the sugar from the heat and add the salt and baking soda**.
- Spray a rubber spatula with cooking spray. Immediately pour the sugar over the popcorn mixture and, using the greased spatula, carefully fold all the ingredients together.
- Spread the mixture evenly over the prepared baking sheet and bake until lightly browned and crispy and the chocolate and marshmallows are fully melted, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool at least 20 minutes before eating. Allow the popcorn to sit for about an hour, so that it can set up completely before covering it to store.
Notes
Cacio e Pepe
Have you heard of this pasta? It’s all the craze during quarantine. It’s basically what I make my kids all the time, but with garlic and pepper added. Something about that pepper, though, really takes this dish to the next level. The more you eat it, the more you want it.
We actually watched Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) make this on the Food Network last week! My husband couldn’t stop salivating afterwards and he was determined to make this for lunch the following day.
My daughter has an aversion to pepper or anything that looks remotely like pepper. I put poppy seeds (which taste like nothing) in one of her favourite salads and she struggled to get every bite down because of it! So, he made the kids’ pasta without pepper and then added some to his dish. He gave me a bite and I really didn’t understand why this pasta was so popular. Until I made it myself….
I love my husband, but he missed many marks when making this dish. First, he didn’t reserve enough pasta water. Second, he didn’t make the sauce with butter (he used olive oil – which is fine, but you know….not as flavourful). Third, he didn’t add enough Parmesan cheese. Finally, he added the pepper on top of his pasta, rather than cooking it into the sauce and pasta. Man, no wonder his pasta sucked….errr, I mean, wasn’t great. The kids loved it, though!
Today, I decided to make it for lunch as my husband and the kids were outside gardening all morning. Everyone was happy and both my daughter and my husband went back for seconds!!
Adding the pasta water to this dish is SO VERY IMPORTANT!!!! You need the starch from that water to help bring this sauce together. Otherwise, the flavours won’t cling to the pasta and the dish will taste bland. Also, it’s really important that you grate lots of cheese beforehand. Don’t just grate the cheese over the pasta. You’ll likely not add enough doing it that way. Of course, if you buy pre-grated, then you don’t have to worry! 🙂
Enjoy!
Cacio e Pepe
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- freshly ground black pepper Add as much as you would like, but consider adding more to this dish than you would normally add to a 'regular' dish.
- 1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese I grated about 2 cups. You can never have too much cheese!
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a generous amount of salt before adding the pasta to the pot. Cook until the pasta is al dente, or still has a little bite. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water.
- Do NOT rinse the pasta!
- Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in your skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water and bring to a simmer. It will seem like a lot of water, but don't worry.
- Grind in a generous amount of pepper.
- Add the pasta and remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Add the Parmesan a handful at a time, tossing the pasta with each addition and adding more pepper if desired. Remove from the heat and continue to toss the pasta until well coated, thinning with the extra pasta water if needed.
Notes
Make-Ahead Cinnamon Buns
Okay, so these are indulgent, but such a treat to wake up to on a special, lazy, morning with family. The BEST part about these buns is that most of the work happens the night before!
Important to note that this dough must rise for 1.5 to 2 hours before it can be rolled out, so don’t start preparing these too late the night before. I have made the mistake in the past of deciding to make something later at night and realizing the recipe needs to chill for so many hours in the fridge before moving on to the next step. Bah!
I like to add raisins to my cinnamon buns, but you can also add pecans if you like that kinda thing.
I first saw Valerie Bertinelli make these on her show for Christmas morning, and I thought it was such a nice idea! We’ve tried to do a big breakfast on Christmas morning, but it takes so long and with all the food we have to look forward to for dinner, it’s too much of a production to have a big breakfast and then a big dinner. Having something comforting and tasty like this that takes little effort in the morning is perfect!
I highly recommend you make these. Your family will love you all over again! 🙂
Make-Ahead Cinnamon Buns
Ingredients
For the dough
- I cup warm whole milk
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 .25 oz package active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- vegetable oil for the bowl
For the filling
- 6 tablespoons salted butter softened, plus more for the baking dish*
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup raisins optional
For the icing
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons of milk plus more as needed
Instructions
For the dough
- Combine the milk, sugar, melted butter, salt, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment and stir to combine well. Add the eggs and stir until well mixed. Add the flour and mix on medium-high speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let stand in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch the dough down and lightly flour a work surface. Lay the dough out and roll the dough out into an 18-by-12-inch rectangle.
For the filling
- Butter a 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish. Spread the softened butter evenly all over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border, then sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle raisins, if using. Roll up the dough and press and crimp the edges to seal. Cut the dough into 12 slices and arrange them in the buttered baking dish. If you want to bake them the same day, cover with plastic wrap and let stand until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Otherwise, refrigerate overnight; take out of the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the cinnamon buns until puffed and golden brown all over, about 25 minutes.
For the icing
- Put the icing sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in the melted butter, vanilla and milk Whisk until smooth. Add additional milk, about 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed to achieve the right consistency. Drizzle the icing over the warm cinnamon rolls. Serve warm.
Notes
Whipped Shortbread Cookies with Raspberry Jam
I have been making shortbread cookies since I was a kid, helping my mom press out the molds and decorate the cookies. But, I never liked eating them. I’m sure my taste buds have changed since then, but my memory of shortbread cookies is that they taste like flour. Blech!
10 years ago at work, we had a cookie exchange, and my good friend and colleague, Alex, made these whipped shortbread cookies, minus the jam. Since I had my preconceived notions, I didn’t try them at first, but took them home to my mom, who I knew would love them. She liked this recipe enough that I tried one, and I liked them enough to ask my friend for the recipe! I have been making them ever since.
When I was a kid, we always made two kinds of shortbread cookies – ones that the kids could decorate and ones that my mom, especially, liked to eat, with jam. So, ever since I was given this recipe, I have made these shortbread cookies for my mom. And other people too, but my mom is my motivation.
So, let’s get to it!
After forming the cookies into balls, I use the handle of a wooden spoon to help make the centers for the jam. I dip the wooden spoon in icing sugar, so that it doesn’t stick to the cookie dough. BUT, you could easily use your thumb to make the indent.
This is what the cookies look like before they are baked. Be more generous with the amount of jam than you might feel comfortable with. The water in the jam evaporates and the jam spreads out. More is more, in this case.
Baked. Cooled. Yummy!!
Whipped Shortbread Cookies with Strawberry Jam
Ingredients
- 1 pound of salted butter
- 1 cup corn starch
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 F.
- In a mixer, cream butter.
- Slowly add all the dry ingredients.
- Blend until combined.
- With a tablespoon scoop, measure each cookie, and roll into a ball.
- Using the end of a wooden spoon, or your thumb, dipped in icing sugar, make an indent for the jam.
- Fill the center of each cookie with about a 1/4 teaspoon worth of jam, depending on size of indent. Don't be afraid to be generous with the jam.
- Bake for 15 minutes. They are fragile, so allow to cool for a couple of minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Enjoy!
Notes
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