There’s just something about s’mores.  Toasted ooey gooey marshmallows with crisp hot outsides, soft, sticky, gooey insides, paired with crisp graham crackers and soft melt-y chocolate.

However, there are times when making s’mores isn’t convenient, easy or do-able.  However, since coming home from the amazing birthday trip of win, and toasting s’mores on the beach with good friends my kids have been hounding me hinting incessantly that they’d love to have more s’mores (see what I did there?)

So… while I teased her on twitter about a s’mores pie.. I was actually seriously trying to figure out the best way to create a more easily edible, house friendly s’more.  So, I did what I do, I opened my pantry realized it was a disaster and spent 3 hours scrubbing it top to bottom and re-organizing and grabbed what I thought I could use:  pudding mix, graham crackers and marshmallows.

I put one package of graham crackers into my food processor and pulsed them into crumb-dom

To about 1 1/2 C of crumbs, I added 1/4 C sugar and then 4 Tbsp melted butter.  Mix it up, press it into a pie pan and bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

While it’s baking, mix 2 boxes Chocolate Fudge Pudding Mix with 2 C cold milk and 1/2 container whipped topping. (I’ll admit, this is not something I keep on hand, however, knowing that pudding mix wouldn’t have the right consistency on its own, I ran out and snagged some)  Whisk these together into a thick, chocolate-y heavenly concoction

Scoop the chocolate pudding deliciousness into the fresh baked graham cracker pie crust (yes, you can use a pre-made, just give it a nice toasting first) and smooth.

Top with a bag of marshmallows, make a pretty design, whatever, I started circling the outside with marshmallows and worked my way inward.

Turn your broiler on high, put the marshmallow topped, chocolate, s’more pie of awesomeness onto your oven rack, leave the door open and watch as the marshmallows, swell, puff and toast.

Once the mallows have reached your preferred level of toasted deliciousness, remove the pie from your oven.

Here’s one of the things that rocks so much about this s’mores pudding pie.

You can immediately slice a piece and devour it straight from the oven;

The marshmallows are all hot and crisp on the outside and melty molten sugary lava goodness on the inside, the chocolate pudding pie is thick and creamy and chilled and the graham cracker crust… there are no words.

Now, on to the amazing tonguegasmic awesomeness of this concoction.  This can be devoured and enjoyed straight from the oven, or you can slice it and heat it for 12 seconds in the microwave which will make the entire pie more closely resemble a traditional campfire s’more; the marshmallow will be hotter, the chocolate soft and melty and the graham cracker crust a bit warm and still crisp.  This can also be chilled and then re-heated the next day.

My 3 yo has snuck out of his room 4 times tonight to try to snag pieces of this pie from the counter.

*I baked this in an aluminum pie pan and then stored it with a second tin pie pan turned over top of it to preserve the marshmallows.

©2010 A Southern Fairytale. 2007 - 2009 A Southern Fairytale. Powered by Jalapenos and Diet Dr Pepper All Rights Reserved.

While I was skimming through the cookbook I came upon a Parmesan Pretzel Rod recipe and knew I had to try it.

Garlic, Parmesan, Cayenne, Oregano, Butter and Olive Oil combined with crispy salty pretzel rods… yes, please!

I would shake more of the excess coating before baking next time, they’re still amazingly good but, the coating is a bit heavy as seen in this picture

Today is Princess’ first day of First Grade! YAY! Thus the teacher’s gift inspired recipe

The image linkies were such a big hit last week that I’m using them again! Once you’ve linked up your recipe, please leave a comment and then go visit the other participants to see what tonguegasms they’ve been cooking up and sharing! Make sure that you link back here in your post so that others can find and share in the Mouthwatering Monday fun!

©2010 A Southern Fairytale. 2007 - 2009 A Southern Fairytale. Powered by Jalapenos and Diet Dr Pepper All Rights Reserved.

Oregano, basil, dill and green onions combine to make a delicious and refreshing mayonnaise that will change the way you look at sandwiches forever.

I know that I totally missed Mouthwatering Monday last week, sorry y’all   We didn’t come back from our camping trip until late on Monday and then I didn’t even turn my computer on until Wednesday.

Now without further chatter, here’s the recipe for my new favorite mayonnaise I’ve added it to ham and cheese, grilled cheese, toasted roast beef and sauteed onion sandwiches and more.

Trying the image linkies this week, I’d love to hear your thoughts about this vs the typical word only link list.
Y’all know the Mouthwatering Monday rules; Link only to your recipe URL, not your general blog URL. Link your recipe, leave a comment, visit the other participants and make sure you link back here in your post so that others can find the Mouthwatering fun, too! I can’t wait to see what y’all have been cooking up!

©2010 A Southern Fairytale. 2007 - 2009 A Southern Fairytale. Powered by Jalapenos and Diet Dr Pepper All Rights Reserved.

Today’s featured Baker is Heather, from Home-Ec 101

Heather says:

Peppermint bark is a cinch to make, provided you can follow directions and are careful to keep water away from the chocolate as it melts. Even a drop or two of water accidentally dripped into the melting chocolate can cause it to seize or turn into a lumpy, practically useless mess.

That said, for this peppermint bark recipe, you don’t even need a thermometer, just the ability to tell boiling from simmering.

Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:

• 12 oz white chocolate , finely chopped
• 6 oz (12 candy canes) or 30 red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed
• 7 oz Semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 6 TBSP whipping cream
• 1/2 – 3/4 tsp peppermint extract – OPTIONAL, I think this might even be better with a less minty counterpoint.

Necessary tools:

• aluminum foil
• cutting board or a square of heavy cardboard
• spatula, rubber or silicone
• 1 bowl either metal or pyrex -they must withstand heat
• 2 saucepans, preferably heavy

Nice but totally optional:

• double boiler

Directions:

Wrap the cutting board or cardboard square with aluminum foil. On this foil use the blunt edge of a knife or a clean fingernail to draw a rectangle 8 x 10 or so. It doesn’t have to be perfect, this is just a guide.

Heat a pot of water to boiling, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer.

While the water is heating is a good time to coarsely crush the candy and chop the chocolate (in separate batches, there should be no mixing). A rolling pin and a freezer bag work to contain the mess for the peppermint candy, while a cutting board and knife work for the chocolate.

Add the coarsely chopped white chocolate to the bowl. Place the heatsafe bowl over the water. Check and make sure that the bowl does NOT touch the water, this is vital. If the bowl touches the water, you could scorch the chocolate. Stir just until smooth. Carefully remove the bowl from the pot. Wipe the bottom with a towel to prevent dripping condensation onto your work area. Turn off the heat, but leave the pot of water on the stove.

Pour 1/2 the white chocolate into the rectangle you drew on the foil. To make spreading easier, kind of drizzle it in long lines, then use your spatula to spread it evenly in your outline. It’s ok if you cross the line a little. Sprinkle your layer with half of the crushed peppermint. Place your foil covered cutting board in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

While it’s chilling, wash your spatula and begin melting the coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly and before it has finished melting, stir in the six tablespoons of whipping cream and 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract. Stir until smooth and remove from the heat. Work quickly or the chocolate will be too stiff to spread.

Pull the white chocolate layer from the refrigerator.

Drizzle all of the melted chocolate in something that resembles lines over the white chocolate layer.

Grab your clean spatula and spread it as evenly as possible. It’s ok if it’s not perfect. Sprinkle it with most of the other half of the crushed peppermints. Put it back in the fridge

Chill it for 15 minutes.

About 3 – 5 minutes before the time is up turn the burner for the water back on low. Put the bowl back over the pot and remelt the white chocolate. Remove the bowl from the pot as soon as it is smooth. If you haven’t already, grab the now cool, chocolatey goodness from the refrigerator.

Pour the remaining, melted white chocolate over the previous layers. Spread it as evenly as possible and sprinkle with the last few peppermint crumbs.

Put it back in the refrigerator and chill until set.

Allow to chill for at least 20 minutes, but overnight is better.

To make it extra pretty, cut off the edges of each side with a sharp knife. This will expose the layers of chocolate and peppermint and it should be quite pretty.

To cut the peppermint bark into triangles for gifts and to make people think you’re way more skilled in the kitchen than reality, cut the bark into strips, then squares, then cut the squares into triangles. These look lovely tucked into tissue paper in tins or in canning jars tied with ribbon. Just make sure they are stored in air tight containers and made no more than two weeks prior to giving.

Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meet Heather:

Heather Solos is a former chef, a blogger turned author, and a royal pain in the butt. Ten years in the restaurant industry gave Heather Solos the tools she needed to found Home Ec 101. Those years in the kitchen inspired her love of food and the low pay taught her more than she ever wanted to know about budget living.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey y’all! Thanks so much for dropping in on this special edition of Mouthwatering Mondays! Make sure that you drop by Heather’s and show her some love, as well as all the other people participating in Handmade Holidays. Heather’s one of my inspirations and favorite people
As always, make sure that you play nice Link up your direct recipe url, leave a comment after linking up, visit the other participants and link back here so that others can play along and meet other food lovers, too!!!

©2010 A Southern Fairytale. 2007 - 2009 A Southern Fairytale. Powered by Jalapenos and Diet Dr Pepper All Rights Reserved.

Chicken Thighs marinated in Tequila, Lime and Orange Juice

There’s so much to love about this simple, tossed together recipe.  I love every bit of it.  Heat, sweet, zing, zest, bite… just yes.

Tangy citrus, zingy tequila, subtle heat from the jalapeno… marinate for a day and then grill… oh yes.

OH YES.

This is one of those recipes that just works.  There’s acid and heat and subtle and sweet and it all works with the ridiculously juicy thighs to make an amazing grilled dish (this also does amazing things to shrimp.. just sayin’)

Mondays are most people’s least favorite day of the week. Thank y’all so much for being a part of Mouthwatering Mondays!  They’re my favorite because of y’all. Y’all link up your recipes and I smile and I drool a little bit, too. Thank you for sharing y’all’s favorites, y’all’s delicious bites and bits with us. It makes my week.
make sure y’all link your recipe url and that you leave a comment, link back here in your post and that y’all visit the others you’ll make connections, learn something and expand your network. Thank y’all so much!!!! Happy eating y’all!

©2010 A Southern Fairytale. 2007 - 2009 A Southern Fairytale. Powered by Jalapenos and Diet Dr Pepper All Rights Reserved.

Ooey, Gooey, Cheesy, Warm, Filling Food that feeds your belly and your soul. Eaten with family and friends, this is the food that is served at baby showers, brunches, afternoons with friends and family.  The food of your childhood and your best memories.

Everyone has a recipe for Hashbrown Bakes and Casseroles, those recipes passed among friends and family, this one. This is my new favoritest of all favorites. It’s cheesy and gooey, hot and slightly crisp, while creamy, with just a dash of tang from the sour cream and a sweet bite from the onions.

What? You want the recipe? Okay

Grate 2 C of sharp cheddar cheese (or.. pepper jack would be FABULOUS if you like that extra ZING!!!), chop 1/2 of one large yellow onion and 10 oz of cooked ham

Mix together with 2 (10.5 oz) cans of cream of potato soup, 1 (16 oz) tub of sour cream and a 30 oz package of frozen shredded hashbrowns, add about 1 Tbsp pepper, 1/2 Tbsp salt, a dash of paprika (smoked, if you have it).

Once this is all thoroughly mixed, layer it into a 9X13 casserole dish

Top with 2 C of your favorite grated cheese blend.  I use an Italian Blend:  Parmesan, Mozzarella, Fontina, Provolone, Asiago and Romano (If you’re keeping count… that’s SEVEN cheeses in this dish)*

Place in the oven and bake at 325 for 1 hour, or until hot and bubbly and golden brown around the edges

Serve immediately.

This dish will have everyone wanting more and asking for the recipe.  They’ll probably even offer to do the dishes for you, in exchange for the recipe *wink, wink*

©2010 A Southern Fairytale. 2007 - 2009 A Southern Fairytale. Powered by Jalapenos and Diet Dr Pepper All Rights Reserved.

This Texas Sheet Cake is a family tradition, we grew up eating it and my kids are growing up devouring it.  I’ve had many Texas Sheet Cakes or Texas Chocolate Cakes or Chocolate Sheet cakes, as everyone down here as their own version of it.

This is hands down the best one that I’ve ever eaten and everyone that we make it for falls instantly in love with it.

It’s quite addictive, you can’t eat just one bite, trust me… you keep going back for more.

For the cake you need; flour, sugar, salt, margarine (the original recipe calls for Oleo),  water, Cocoa, eggs, baking soda, buttermilk, vanilla and cinnamon.
Put the margarine, cocoa and water into a pan and bring to a boil

While it’s boiling mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Once the cocoa, margarine and water mixture has come to a boil you will pour it over the flour mixture.  Stir eggs, soda, buttermilk, cinnamon and vanilla together.  Add to mixture. Pour everything into a  greased sheet pan and bake at 350 for 18 minutes

When there’s 5 minutes left in the baking time, you’ll make the insanely delicious, chocolate (pecan or walnut) frosting.

Milk, walnuts (or pecans), vanilla, cinnamon, cocoa, powdered sugar.

Remove the cake from the oven and after two minutes, pour on the icing

Resist the urge to dive in and devour this chocolate-y piece of heaven until it has cooled.  Then, slice and serve or just dig in with a fork like we did this past weekend   Whomever you share this cake with will be forever devoted to you and thanking you for showing them the light.  This is after all, the chocolate cake that shames all other chocolate cakes.

©2010 A Southern Fairytale. 2007 - 2009 A Southern Fairytale. Powered by Jalapenos and Diet Dr Pepper All Rights Reserved.

picture by Newlyweds

Hey y’all!  Last week the darling Sweet Pea, a fellow Texan, linked this Jalapeno Margarita recipe up to Mouthwatering Monday and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since

It’s been a crazy week around here and I’ve barely had time to turn on my computer (including two days where the internet was inexplicably out).

So, this week for Mouthwatering Mondays, I’m actually featuring her Jalapeno Margarita recipe which includes a step by step on how to make jalapeno infused tequila! YUM!

Y’all know how I love the spicy!!!

This Jalapeno Margarita recipe is perfect for the hot long Texas summer or just because!!  I hope y’all enjoy! Now jump over to The Newlyweds Blog and get her delicious step by step Jalapeno Margarita Recipe!

don’t forget to link up your recipes and visit the other participants!  Happy eating y’all!

xoxo Rachel

©2010 A Southern Fairytale. 2007 - 2009 A Southern Fairytale. Powered by Jalapenos and Diet Dr Pepper All Rights Reserved.

This is a perfect cooking with kids recipe, there’s really no cooking involved! Only mixing and blending!

Thank you so much for joining in the Mouthwatering Mondays recipe sharing fun! I love seeing what y’all are cooking up and feeding your friends and families! Please leave your recipe URL in the Mister Linky, leave a comment and then go visit the other linkers and maybe make some new blogging friends!

©2010 A Southern Fairytale. 2007 - 2009 A Southern Fairytale. Powered by Jalapenos and Diet Dr Pepper All Rights Reserved.

There are certain foods that evoke strong memories for me.
Memories of summer, laughter, family and security.

These pickled cucumbers are one of those foods.

Crisp, vinegary, tart, slightly sweet yet tangy and absolutely mouth-wateringly delicious. These cucumbers remind me of hot summers at my Granny’s house and the long days when summer seemed to stretch on forever and possibilities and imaginations were endless.

This recipe is so simple.  Just 3 ingredients.

It can be made so much more complex but my taste-buds, my memory requires only 3 simple ingredients.

This is one of my favorite summer treats.  Crisp, cool, crunchy and refreshing.

All this recipe needs are cucumbers, onions and vinegar

Do you have a favorite food that evokes memories of summertime and childhood?
What do you fix to cool off and refresh when the heat of summer is beating down on you?
I love reading (and drooling over) y’all’s recipes! Thanks so much for linking them up to Mouthwatering Mondays!

©2010 A Southern Fairytale. 2007 - 2009 A Southern Fairytale. Powered by Jalapenos and Diet Dr Pepper All Rights Reserved.