Now, don't think I'm knocking regular old s'mores. That staple of campfires everywhere is absolutely delicious, and imbued with nostalgia and sweet memories of summers past.
But truly amazing homemade s'mores made with homemade graham crackers and homemade marshmallows and high quality chocolate--holy cow, they're something else entirely!
The foundation of the homemade s'more is the graham cracker.
Throwing a western themed party? Make these edible gold nuggets out of rock candy! This easy DIY golden nugget candy is the perfect addition to a dessert table or would make a fabulous favor.
I've spent most of my life in mostly lush, green places (at least in summertime), and the Sonoran desert still feels a little alien to me, even after living in the Phoenix area for 12 years. But it certainly does have its own exceptional beauty.
The muted colors, the rugged landscape, the expansive views. It's good to work on a project that celebrates the natural beauty of this area.
All the food on the dessert table was inspired by classic Americana: apple pie; blueberry muffins; snickerdoodle blondies; sugar cookies in cactus and cowboy boot shapes; golden nuggets (rock candy); and s'mores made with homemade graham crackers, marshmallows, and high quality chocolate.
My little friend MacKenzie is heading off to Belfast on Monday to compete in the 2012 World Championships of Irish step dancing. At age 10! In honor of this amazing accomplishment, and the fact that she's going to have her birthday while she's over there, I'm coordinating with her mom to sneak some celebratory cookies in their luggage (too hard to pack a cake ;-) ).
I made a replica of the dress she'll be wearing to the Worlds:
