S'mores Bar

Be proud of me Type-As of the world. Living true to my word, and trying very hard to follow up on the advice of my many new sloth sponsors, today I am slothful. Instead of going to work, I went to meet a friend for donuts. Instead of worrying about racing to the metro and being on time, I was unrepentant about being half an hour late for donuts....and about five hours late for work (he he he). Instead of eating a healthy balanced breakfast, I ate three donuts, laughed, and lounged in the rather disturbing underground network of Crystal City, Virginia. It is a whole other world down there.

Yes, I showed up to work at 1 pm. I am blogging at work. I have eaten nothing today but donuts and diet soda...from a can (that actually could be improved upon). I think I might go get lunch before actually doing any work, and then I might watch Netflix movies while eating. I'm liking my sloth. I just need to weed out the gluttony that seems to be creeping in.

On a side note, where on the relaxation scale does it fall if I ignore the meditation bullet point on my to do list? I'm torn about that. I feel happy I ignored the bullet point....but ignoring meditation seems counterproductive. I feel like it's a Catch 22 on the Sloth Scale.

Everyone was so rave about the graham crackers from Wednesday that I thought it might be nice to one up myself, but two days later and not in a hurry. It's only fitting, I'm building on my graham cracker sloth plan. Feel free to pause a moment and consider the symbolism of a graham cracker base, fluffy marshmallow layer, covered in a smooth chocolate glaze....or don't because seriously: It's a s'more. Somehow it might relate to life, but I'm betting not. Let me know if you come up with it. Being slothful, I'm going to be too lazy today to think it through. :)

Enjoy!

S'mores Bars

S'more Bar Base
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground Vietnamese cinnamon
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
1/3 cup honey
5 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low to incorporate. Add the butter and mix on low until it resembles course meal.

In a small bowl, whisk together the liquids. Add to the flour mixture and mix on low until the dough barely comes together. Pour the dough out onto plastic wrap and form it into a one inch thick rectangle.

Press the dough into the bottom of a 9x13 baking sheet (that is either oiled or lined with parchment paper.

Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned and semi firm to the touch. Cooking times will vary greatly depending on thickness, ovens, and pans used.

Now that that's well taken care of, make the marshmallow layer

S'more Bar Marshmallow Layer
Adapted from Alton Brown

1 1/2 packages unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup ice cold water, divided
6 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 3/4 cups
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Flavorings or food colors, as desired

Fit your stand mixer with its whisk attachment. Pour the gelatin and 1/4 cup of the ice water into its bowl. Allow to sit as you continue to make the marshmallow syrup.

In a small saucepan combine: 1/4 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Cover and cook on medium or medium high heat for about 3 minutes. No need to stir.

Take the lid of the syrup, and attach your candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Continue to boil for about 7 minutes until the syrup reaches 240 degrees and remove from heat immediately.

Put your stand mixer on low speed churning the gelatin mixture for a few turns and then, while running, SLOWLY pour the syrup down the side of the bowl. When all the syrup is incorporated, increase to a high speed. I cover the stand mixer with a tea towel for the first few minutes to prevent hot syrup from flying around my kitchen. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 -13 minutes. Add the vanilla, and other flavors or colors, if using, during the last minute of whipping.

Pour the marshmallow cream onto the graham cracker base.

If you have a sugar shaker, I recommend shaking on a little powdered sugar to coat slightly. Then take a few tablespoons of the powdered mixtures and brush on over top of the marshmallows. Allow to sit for an hour or so.

Now to add a chocolate glaze. 

S'more Bar Chocolate Glaze 
Adapted from Satiny Chocolate Glaze

3/4 cup semisweet chocoalte chips
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a bowl combine chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between each time until smooth. Do not overcook. 

Pour over marshmallow layer. Using a spatula spread the chocolate into a thin layer. Make additional chocolate glaze as needed.

Allow to set for a few hours. Cut up and enjoy! 

Cinnamon Graham Crackers

 Hello, my name is Jana and I'm a Type A personality.

I'm trying not to be. I made chore-a-day schedule so I'd work less around the house....FAIL. My method for being less Type A is to create an organized schedule??? I think I need a be-more-slothful sponsor.

My five point plan to make my life like a vacation includes being a "slacker." One problem....slackers don't have five point plans! Type A over organized, workaholic, never say die types do. Can you feel the failure oozing off the screen?

I've been working on this plan for a few weeks now. Yes, working on a plan to not work. Awesome. On the ideal vacation I think I'd like to chill at a beach house, in a small little town. Ride a bike to a local ice cream shop, sit and stare at the ocean, read a book, have cook outs with friends, lay in hammocks, sip lemonade, fall asleep on the beach listening to the sounds of the waves....and the best parts: not doing my hair or make up or wearing "real" clothes, just swimsuits and cover ups and flip flops. I hear that on vacations you don't clean, you don't over schedule, you don't run from here to there all the time.....well that's the vacation for the people who aren't Type A. I tend to keep my blackberry in hand, check emails, schedule my leisure and feel awkward if there is a gap of nothing to do.

Since breaking my toe Monday, all thanks to the stupid blackberry, I've realized I've been talking a big game lately about the simple joys in life, but failing at the follow through. Something about running into a pole in downtown DC (while texting) just gives you a little wake up call. So, I'm gonna rewind and accept the truth. I'm Type A and focusing on small things that makes me happy might be harder than I've realized. Instead of thinking this through, I've turned to the internet to give me something simpler, like graham crackers with a glass of milk. I may not be able to force myself to chill out for reals without injury inducements, but I am able to make a graham cracker. It's reminiscent of those simpler times when the biggest trial of the day was digging the purple crayon out of the bottom of the crayon bucket. Well for you at least, I had pint sized panic attacks about coloring in the lines.

Help me. I'll share crayons, cookies, recipes, anything if somebody will be my sloth sponsor. :)

Cinnamon Graham Crackers
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 teaspoon ground Vietnamese cinnamon
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
1/3 cup honey
5 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

to garnish: 
3 tablespoons  granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground Vietnamese cinnamon

Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low to incorporate. Add the butter and mix on low until it resembles course meal.

In a small bowl, whisk together the liquids. Add to the flour mixture and mix on low until the dough barely comes together. Pour the dough out onto plastic wrap and form it into a one inch thick rectangle. Wrap the dough with additional plastic wrap and chill for two hours.

Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Flour a large work surface and roll the dough into a large rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Flour the rolling pin as needed. Cut the dough into your desired shapes. For traditional crackers cut into 8x4 inch rectangles.

Mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats. 

Place the crackers on prepared baking sheets and sprinkle with the garnish. Chill for an additional hour.  Gather any scraps together and pat into the other half of dough in the fridge. If you had additional cookies sheets, you can continue the process with the second half of dough.

Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350°F.

If you are making a traditionally shaped cracker, make a vertical line down the middle of each cracker and a horizontal line down the middle of each cracker using the blunt end of a butter knife, fork prongs, or whatever suits you. For non traditional cookies, add lines or dotted indentations per your fancy.

Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned and firm to the touch. Cooking times will vary greatly depending on thickness, ovens, and pans used.