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A Valentine’s Day Treat: Mini S’Mores

Obviously Valentine’s Day is long over, but for some reason life has gotten in the way of updating this post! So ignore the below ramblings…

I have always disliked Valentine’s Day. Even when I was in relationships, I thought it was a silly day and never felt like celebrating it. So when I mentioned to one of my friends that I was making dinner for Valentine’s Day, she wanted to know what I had done with her best friend. Well, I decided that instead of thinking it was a stupid day, I would change my attitude and celebrate my love for everyone in my life and make a big dinner!  I even went as far as buying Valentine’s themed plates, napkins and a Valentine’s day present for everyone that night! 

Apparently I got hit by the love bug and, I have to admit, it was so much more fun celebrating Valentine’s Day than it was despising it every year.

My sister helped out with dinner and we made stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer, spinach salad, steak, potatoes, roasted asparagus and then Mini S’Mores for dessert! I found the S’mores on Pinterest (my new obsession) and couldn’t wait to make them!

The S’Mores were so simple to make and only took about 30 minutes total (15 of which you are just letting the graham crackers set)! They were so good that my sister, who rarely eats sweets, kept going back for more, and my brother has asked me to make them almost every night since.

Our Valentine's Day Celebration

Stuffed Mushrooms from Skinny Taste

Seasoned Vegetables

Everything was so good and perfectly timed, but the S’Mores were the real hit of the party! They were so simple to make and even more delicious.

Mini S’Mores

Preheat Oven to 350º

Ingredients:

Mini Cupcake Pan

7 Whole Graham Crackers

1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar

6 tbsp Butter, Melted

4 Milk Chocolate Hershey Bars, divided (or chocolate chips worked perfectly for me!)

12 Large Marshmallows (halved)

**My brother Jack loves Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough/Cookies, so the next time I made them I added some cookie dough!

Place Graham Crackers into a large ziplock bag and finely crush (I used a meat tenderizer). In a small bowl, combine Graham Cracker Crumbs, Powdered Sugar and Melted Butter and mix together. Spoon one tablespoon of the mixture into each cup of the mini cupcake pan. Press crumbs with your fingers to help stick together and make shallow cups.

Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling.

Once the crust is finished, add the chocolate chips or one chocolate rectangle and a Marshmallow half on top of the chocolate and bake for another 1-2 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes.

Once they have cooled, carefully remove  cups from the pan and continue to let cool on a plate. While they are cooling, melt the remaining chocolate and dip the Marshmallow tops (I skipped this step). Let set for another 45 minutes to an hour. And then Enjoy!

If you want, you can add some decorations to spruce up the S’Mores if you are bringing them to a party or entertaining guests. I found these cute little “Be Mine” stickers to go along with the plates and napkins at Hobby Lobby.

It’s becoming apparent that I am busier than usual in Indianapolis than I was in Chicago, but I guess that is what happens when you have a Big Fat Italian Family to keep you busy. And that is exactly why I moved home, so no complaints here! For all of my readers, please keep my Great Aunt Nancy in your prayers. She fell and broke her Femur and will be in a Nursing Home/Rehab Facility for a while until she heals. She needs all the prayers she can get to help her rehab and get home!

Until next time…

Lucia

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

Now that I am back in Indy I suddenly have so much time on my hands. It’s not that I was really busy in Chicago and now all of a sudden I have nothing to do, it’s just a different way to live now, I guess. I get off work at 5 instead of 7. It takes me 20 minutes to get home instead of an hour. I can still go to the gym, which takes 5 minutes there and back compared to 20 each way. It’s amazing how much more time I get to myself or to find something fun to do.

I also actually get to spend time with people when I feel like it and it doesn’t have to be a production. I can’t remember the last time I got off work in time to go to the grocery store, go to the gym, hang out and then make dinner. That is, until I moved back to Indianapolis.

Now that it’s getting colder out, all I want to eat are soups! I came across this delicious recipe on Pinterest (my new addiction) for Chicken Tortilla soup and have wanted to make it ever since.

Chicken Tortilla Soup (recipe adapted from The Review Lady)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoons olive oil

4 to 6 corn tortillas, chopped

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

White pepper to taste

6 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 can sweet corn

3 Boneless Chicken Breasts (2 cups shredded chicken)

Cheese of choice for garnish

Tortilla chips

Boil the chicken breasts until cooked and set aside. In a large pot, sauté onions in butter until transparent, add garlic and sauté until aromatic. In a separate skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté tortillas for 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes and tortillas. Bring to a boil and add cumin, chili powder, garlic, pepper, and chicken stock. Return to a boil. Reduce heat. Add salt and cayenne pepper. Simmer 30 minutes.  If you prefer a non-chunky soup, remove from pot  and puree soup. (I didn’t do this, but think it’s a great idea!)

Cooking the vegetables

The Finished Product!

Shred your chicken and add to soup along with the corn. Continue to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes and add more seasoning if necessary. Garnish with cheese and tortilla chips.

Next Up: Nutella and Peanut Butter Christmas Cookies