A Taste of Summer: Brownie S'mores

I'm not a huge fan of plain chocolate, but when you take chocolate and mix it with other flavors my taste buds approve. I love brownies and s'mores so one could only imagine my excitement when I came across a combination of the two. Though they can be a bit sticky they have become a favorite among family and friends.

Graduation Party Dessert

Made in basically three simple steps the recipe is pretty easy to follow.

Crust:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch fine salt

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F. Use the wrapper from the butter that you are using for the crust to grease an 11x7 (or similar size) pan.

To make the crust: Stir the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. You can mix the brownie batter while the crust is baking.

Brownies:

• Box of "Family Size" Brownies

If your feeling ambitious you could make the brownies from scratch however I normally use a box of the family size mix and follow the directions on the back of the box in regard to mixing and baking. Mix the brownie batter in a bowl and have it ready for when your crust is done baking.

When your crust is ready remove it from the oven and pour the brownie batter on top of it. Place the pan back in the oven for however long it takes the brownies to bake (follow the directions on the back of your box in regard to time/temperature for the size of pan your using). You can usually tell that they are done when you can insert a toothpick into the brownies and remove it cleanly without batter sticking to it.

Marshmallow Top:

• 1 Bag of Marshmallows (you will probably use about 3/4 of the bag)

While the brownies are baking you can start cutting the marshmallows in half. I find that using a 10oz. bag I usually use about 3/4 of the bag and then cut more if needed later.

When your brownies are done baking remove the pan from the over and let it sit for about 5-minutes. I find this helps cut down on the stickiness when I'm putting the marshmallows on as they don't melt immediately. Position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer the marshmallows on top of the brownies (sticky side down) and toast a minute or two under the broiler until golden. Keep your eye on them while doing this as they turn gold fast! (Make sure your broiler is on LOW too as I made the mistake of leaving it on high and my marshmallows caught fire!) When your marshmallows are golden brown remove the pan from the over and let it cool. If you lined your pan you can remove your brownies from the pan and let them cool on a rack. I usually just let them cool in the pan on the counter for an hour or so. Once they are cool separate them from the edge of the pan with a knife and cut them. I've found that once they are cool enough to remove from the pan without falling apart it is easier to cut them with large scissors due to the marshmallow topping. Enjoy!

Five Years Ago - Reflecting

Today marks five years since the Illini 4000 departed on it's first journey across America. Saturday the sixth team will depart New York on their own journey toward the west coast. I had the opportunity to help set up a stay over for this years team with hosts that the team had stayed with a few years ago. The excitement I sensed when they heard that the team was coming back to their area was simply awesome. Despite having spent two summers as a rider myself I am still taken aback by the stories of generosity I read about and the full circle of hope I sense reading about each summers ride. Godspeed to this years team! Here's to an amazing summer that you will never forget!

Five years ago... oh the memories!