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By Request
Betty Shimabukuro
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S'more, please, to mark this special day
SOMETHING tells me this did not require an act of Congress, but Friday has been named National S'mores Day, marking the 80th anniversary of the publication of the first s'mores recipe in the 1927 Girl Scout handbook.
It is quite possible, of course, that the concept of placing a toasted marshmallow and a slab of chocolate between two graham crackers was developed before 1927, but a publication date gives everyone something concrete to celebrate.
Anyway, don't argue. Take advantage of the existence of National S'mores Day to have yourself a gooey, sticky, sweet, chocolatey graham cracker sandwich.
The Hershey Co. has laid claim to the day, even though certainly any chocolate bar will do. The Hershey kitchens have done some advance work offering ideas for making a basic s'more more snazzy. For all the available ideas, visit www.smoresfun.com.
Some suggestions:
» Try pushing a small chocolate such as a Hershey's Kiss into the center of a marshmallow before toasting it at the campfire (use tongs to hold the marshmallow, don't try to pierce it with a stick). This is for non-purists who don't care about the graham cracker.
» For a flavor alternative, use a coconut-filled chocolate (such as Almond Joy) instead of plain chocolate in the center of your s'more. Or use peanut butter cups.
» No campfire? You can still make s'mores in the microwave. Nuke the cracker, topped with chocolate and marshmallow, for 10 or 15 seconds. Cover with another cracker and let sit until the chocolate softens.
» Or forget the heat altogether and make s'more trail mix with minimarshmallows, graham cracker-flavored cereal and a chocolate bar broken into pieces.
For those willing to turn on the oven, here's the s'more idea taken to an extreme:
S'mores Sandwich Bar Cookies
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/3 cups milk chocolate pieces (break up a candy bar or use minibars)
3 cups miniature marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
Beat butter and sugar until well-blended. Add egg and vanilla; beat well.
Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Press half of dough into prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes.
Sprinkle chocolate pieces over baked layer. Sprinkle with marshmallows. Scatter bits of remaining dough over marshmallows. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into 16 bars.
Nutritional information unavailable.
Send queries along with name and phone number to: "By Request," Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana, No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. Or send e-mail to
bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com