Gratituesday: Giving thanks for all that is good

Before I talk about what I’m thankful for on this Gratituesday I’d like to add a post script to yesterday’s blog about getting caught in the car wash with the sun roof open. A lady I go to church with read the story and sent me the following comment, “A few years ago I bought a vehicle with a moon roof. I was driving down the road and decided I wanted to open it, so I unhooked it and it went flying off the down the road behind me! I didn’t know there was a difference in a sun roof and a moon roof! Thankfully no one was behind me and no one was hurt.” Thanks, Lisa, makes me feel better knowing I’m not the only one who does crazy things.

Today I’m giving thanks for (drum roll) all good things and one of those is chocolate. Before you roll your eyes and go, “Oh please” I know there are lots more important things in the world to be thankful for but when the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I’m feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things (come on, sing along with me) and then I don’t feel….sooooo bad! And chocolate is definitely one of my favorites.

Just the other day I found a recipe that I thought sounded good and I thought I’d make it for the boys (okay, for me too). Yesterday I went to the grocery and got the ingredients but when I started to make it I realized I’d gotten the wrong kind of chocolate (can there be a wrong kind of chocolate?) and I was out of something else I needed. So I put the recipe on hold and today I went back to the store, got what I needed and tonight I started again. But, guess what?  I still hadn’t gotten everything I needed. By now you are probably wondering why I didn’t make a list. I don’t know. If I make lists half the time I lose them. Once again I went back to the store. After three trips I finally had everything. It isn’t the easiest recipe I ever tried because there are three layers and by the time Murphy and I got it made (Murphy’s my dog and he makes every step I do and he loves chocolate. I don’t let him have any because it’s not good for dogs, but he loves the smell. His nose goes into over drive when he gets anywhere near it.) Anyway, by the time we got it made and out of the oven the twins were getting ready for bed.

“You can not go to bed yet!” I yelled upstairs. “I’ve been to the grocery store three times. I’ve worked for two hours on this stuff and you are going to eat it before you go to bed. Further more if you don’t like it I want you to lie and say you do! ”

They came downstairs grinning. I had cut myself a small piece (okay a large piece) and I handed them the knife. They each carved out a chunk (literally) and I was rewarded with big smiles.

“Is this white stuff on top mayonnaise?” asked one son.

“It’s marshmallow creme,” I answered.

“I thought it tasted too good for mayonnaise,” he said as he finished it off and went back for more.

If you would like to satisfy your chocolate cravings with a dish that is guaranteed to bring smiles to your children’s faces and put pounds on your hips (everything comes with a price) then the recipe follows. Let me know if you like it and join me in a big yee-haw for chocolate!

S’more bars

The recipe says it makes 24 bars but as you can see my two seventeen year olds ate almost half a pan.

Also says prep time is 25 minutes…not if you go to the store three times in two days it isn’t!

Crust:

14 whole graham cracker boards crushed

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Brownie:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 1/2 sticks butter

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

Topping:

1 jar (7.5 ounces) marshmallow cream

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup Hershey’s mini chocolate kisses

1 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350

Crust: Combine cracker crumbs, sugar, salt and butter in a vowl until evenly moistened. Transfer to a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan: press evenly into bottom, refrigerate one hour

Brownie: Combine chocolate and butter ina glass bowl. Heat in microwave on HIGH until chocolate and butter are melted, about one minute. Stire mixture until smooth.

Beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until blended. While beating, gradually add chocolate mixture to egg mixture beat until smooth.

Stire in flour and salt. Add vanilla. Pour evenly over crust. Bake at 350 until the smell drives you crazy and your dog sits in front of the oven and salivates (or 30 minutes)

Topping: While brownie is baking, whisk marshmallow cream and milk in a small bowl until well blended and smooth. Remove brwnie from oven and cover with marshmallow topping. Spread evenly until completely covered.

Sprinkle mini Kisses and nuts (if so desired, and I desire nuts on min) evenly over mixture.

Bake at 350 for 3 more minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Good luck on letting it cool. My boys ate it warm with a big glass of cold milk. (uh, and so did I)

One more thing…

There are actually a LOT more good things to give thanks for but before I go I have to give thanks one more time for our family vacation last week. Family and spending time together are at the top of my list for “good things” (even above chocolate)

This pic was made at the Shrimp Festival and it was 100 degrees in the shade. Reminds me of the song “She ain’t heavy, she’s my neice.” Wait that isn’t how it goes, is it?

Anyway, it was a great vacation and we are all back home safe and sound. The sand is out of my car. The bags are unpacked (sort of) and we are all still speaking to each other. I call that a success.