Vyvacious

Last night, I felt like making babies.  Now hold on…before you get your panties all in a bunch…hear me out!  I helped two elements make babies!! :D  …Not any better…?  Please don’t run away… :(

What I’m trying to say is…last night, samoas fornicated with s’mores and gave birth to s’moas…all thanks to me no doubt ;)  Just imagine it from the bottom layer up… shortbread cookies, melted chocolate marshmallows, chocolate caramel toasted coconut mixture, toasted baby marshmallows, and a chocolate/butterscotch drizzle on top. 

My mom yelled at me to get them out of the house immediately otherwise she’d eat every single one…any takers…? :P  A very lucky few already got to experience the magic in their mouth.  In fact, I think I just got my first order today!  I’m so excited!!! :D  As for me, I can’t even be in the same room as them for too long for fear that I will EAT THE ENTIRE BATCH.  A very valid phobia, if I do say so myself.

Today, I had a great motivating conversation with my dear friend, Kristy.  She too has a blog…it’s so cute, I love checking out her creative cards and tasty goodies when I can.  You should too :)

Lately, I noticed that I started questioning my own blog and why I’m doing it as of late.  There are so many professional looking blogs that have SO MANY FOLLOWERS, I’m absolutely blown away!  But after reading Katie’s blogging tips (part 1 & part 2) and talking to Kristy, I know what I want my blog to do for me.  This is my way to express my love for food and travel.  I don’t post everyday (yet).  I don’t have a bright background.  I don’t follow the norm.  But guess what, I love it. 

This is me…this weird, eclectic, Batman-y, oddly-strung-together blog makes me happy.  Someday, maybe how I want this blog to be will change and I will veer off in another direction, but for now…I have to remember the main reason why I’m doing this… BECAUSE I LOVE FOOD AND BATMAN!!  Duh!! :D

Now let’s start the fornication process.

…Between the s’mores and samoas of course!

Dang…y’all are dirrrrty!! ;P

S’moas Recipe

Makes 24+ s’moas

Ingredients:

*rough amounts – go by your own preferences for this recipe

• 7 oz of shredded sweetened coconut
• Approx. 8 oz of Nestle mini-morsels (or just regular chocolate chips)
• 10 oz of Lorna Doone Cookies (or any shortbread cookies)
• Approx. 4 oz of Kraft mini marshmallows
• Handful Nestle= butterscotch chips (optional)
• 4 TBSP of milk + more as needed
• Approx. 20 oz of Kraft caramels (unwrapped)

Equipment:

• Cookie/baking sheet
• Wax/parchment paper
• Two spoons
• Rubber spatula
• Oven (or other device) for toasting marshmallows
• Bowl(s)
• Sandwich-sized Ziploc bag

1. First thing is first, start toasting that coconut as it takes forever.  More like 15-20 mins, but still!  Put the coconut into a large pan on low-medium heat.  Check regularly and use a rubber spatula to flip the coconut when it starts to brown.  Continue process until all coconut is browned (not burned!).  When done, set aside to slightly cool in a bowl or on a piece of foil.
2. Meanwhile, lay out the shortbread cookies on a piece of wax/parchment paper on top of a cookie sheet.
3. I went out on a limb and made the chocolate marshmallow layer.  If you want to omit this step, you can, I just thought it added a slight oomph to the entire dish (and I had extra marshmallows :P).  Take a medium sized bowl and pour a handful of mini chocolate chips in FIRST and then add about 2 oz of marshmallows.  Otherwise, your chocolate chips are going to fly all over the place when the marshmallows start puffing up.
4. Microwave for 10-15 seconds at a time, stirring in between until the marshmallow begins to break down to a spreadable consistency.  Mix well with the chocolate.  Don’t heat it up for too long otherwise the mixture will harden quickly AND the marshmallows will balloon up like crazy and potentially make a huge mess.  Not like I did that or anything… :P
5. Quickly spread a small amount over the top of the shortbread cookies using two spoons.
6. Place 4 TBSP of milk into the same pan on low-medium heat.
7. Immediately start placing the unwrapped caramels in the pool of milk.
8. Stir the caramel and move it around every few mins to make sure it doesn’t burn.  Add more milk by the tablespoon at your discretion if you feel you need to thin the caramel a bit more.  Once the caramels start to melt, add about 4 oz of the chocolate chips in.  Add more or less based on your preference, I added enough to make my caramel mixture a distinct tan color.
9. Turn off the heat the moment the caramel is completely melted to prevent it from hardening.  Add the toasted coconut and mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula until well combined.
10. Taking two spoons, drop spoonfuls of the chocolate caramel toasted coconut mixture straight onto the layer of melted chocolate marshmallow that’s on top of the shortbread cookie.  I tried forming the mixture into a dome shape once placed on the cookies just so that it wouldn’t go all over the place.

     

11. Take mini marshmallows by the bunch and squish them onto the tops of the mixture.  I placed between 4-6 per s’moa.
12. Set your oven to broil and pop these babies in close to the burner.  Keep an eye on them.  They’ll need only a minute or two.  TRUST ME.  Otherwise, you’ll sit there scraping off burnt marshmallow and curse yourself for leaving it for two and a half mins…
13. While the s’moas are cooling, melt the rest of the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a Ziploc baggie.  Add the butterscotch chips if you wish…if I did it again, I wouldn’t.  I just had them on hand and thought, why the hell not?  Well…because they don’t melt well and just end up clogging the opening until my poor bag explodes the melted mixture all over some of my s’moas…  But you’re not me so maybe you’ll have more luck.
14. Cut the tip off the Ziploc bag.  Try to make the opening small so that you can control the amount of chocolate that goes on your s’moas.  Drizzle as desired.
15. Pop these babies into the fridge to set the chocolate for at least 20 mins.

These can be stored in the fridge or out on the counter.  I personally like them out on the counter.  Either way, make sure it’s an airtight container.  Also, if you store it in the fridge, be sure to wait at least 15 mins before eating these bad boys…you don’t want to chip a tooth ;)

Enjoy your s’moas, y’all! :D