S’more Cookies

This weekend Tim and I rode our bikes about 30 miles. Not all in the same day, but half Saturday and half Sunday. The weather was lovely and finally warm again! Thank goodness, cause I was scared winter was bearing down on us already. All that riding gives me license to do things like sit around and eat Chinese take out or have pancakes!

Our Sunday ride was planned out to culminate in breakfast at our halfway point. We headed into an area of town called “Old Town” with a location in mind. Turns out they roll the sidewalks up in Old Town on Sundays. Only one place was open and although it is delicious, they also have huge waits to get a table most mornings and we were looking for a little bit more instant gratification so we headed into downtown looking for an alternative. Little did we know we were doomed to wait.

We quickly found a place we had never tried that was open, serving breakfast, AND had space for us to sit on the outside patio! Perfect.

We browsed the menu. It looked yummy and we had a hard time deciding. Not to worry though, we had plenty of time since the waitress disappeared after bringing us coffee and water. (And bonus- my water came with an on-the-house dead  fly in it! Yummy! ;)) After we finally ordered we waited some more. And some more. And then some more. We managed to finally get our coffee refilled. Then we waited some more.

Just when I thought I might die of starvation, our food came. And the food was excellent. Actually my eggs were just average but the potatoes were extra crispy and delicious. The real shining stars, however, were the pancakes. Wow, they were fabulous! Tim had a  delicious Green Apple Crisp Pancake. A buttermilk pancake with sliced green apple, cinnamon and granola in it. So good!

I opted for the “Oregon Trail Pancake”. (I loved that game in grade school! Think there’s an app for it?) It was a buckwheat pancake with granola, dried figs, dried apricot and walnuts in it! OH. MY. GOODNESS. I need one right now! It was the best pancake I ever ate! Ok, maybe Tim’s apple pancake was the best I ever ate. Whatever, they were both ahhhmazing!! (Tim thinks buckwheat tastes like dirt. We agree to disagree on that.)

Ironically, even if we had waited for a table at the first restaurant, we would have been done sooner than the hour and a half it took us at the second place. But we never would have found those awesome pancakes if we had waited at the first restaurant. Completely serendipitous. Aside from being starved by the time we ate, we had no real problem with sitting outside on a beautiful morning, practically in the shadow of our state capital building and enjoying each other’s company. And the pancakes! Ahhh, the pancakes!

I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt, as they seemed severely understaffed and extra busy. I understand those problems from previous work experience of my own. No reason to be a jerk about it. Plus they won me over with pancakes. I’ll be back. (Although, having to bike 6 miles back to the car with a heavy belly full of buckwheat pancakes was a challenge!)

Some little cookie monsters helped me test out these s’mores cookies. I have made these cookies 3 times already. They’re that good. They are a modified chocolate chip cookie. The secret is the use of crushed graham crackers as part of the dry ingredients and tiny cute little micro marshmallows.

The micro marshmallows are the cutest thing you have ever seen. I get them in bulk from an Amish place close to where my little cookie monsters vacation. Their mom is my supplier. 🙂

Of course, when I asked my  little cookies monsters what they thought of the cookies I got mixed reviews. The littlest cookie monster loved them. The big cookie monster said she did not. When she was pressed as to why she didn’t like them she said it was because of the marshmallows. Is she nuts? Those things are adorable and delicious. She’s only 5 years old. What the heck does she know? Clearly her palate is fatally flawed. Poor, defective, cookie monster. (But those stale sprinkles? She wanted to eat the whole bottle.)

These cookies are on the menu for our Labor Day Weekend cook out. That and a side of T-Rex that Tim is throwing on the rotisserie. Who needs anything else?

By the way, I just got off the phone with one of my Florida besties. (PS-I hate the term bestie.) Hurricane Isaac is blowing the rain in at her as we speak. If it stays on the track it’s on she’ll get little besides rain. But if it veers at all she could be in trouble! She’s had enough storm related trouble this hurricane season. (ie-too much rain and a caved in ceiling ala’ Debby.) Keeps your fingers crossed for her!  Better get out the umbrella, K!

(Also, I’m pretty sure that my nephew’s nickname should now be Hurricane Isaac!)

S’mores Cookies

2 sticks butter, room temp

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

8 sheets graham crackers finely crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 bag chocolate chips

1 cup mini (micro) marshmallows (Jet Puffed makes a version you can get at the grocery store)

Beat butter and sugars together until fluffy and light. Mix in the eggs and vanilla.

Add the flour, salt, soda and graham cracker crumbs. Mix well. Add the chocolate chips and marshmallows and stir them all in.

Chill the dough for an hour or so. (Or overnight) Place by tablespoonful onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Makes 30-36 cookies.