#LetsMakeSmores in 10 Minutes! Patriotic S'Mores Crispie Pinwheels Recipe

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LetsMakeSmores #CollectiveBias #sponsored

Momma Told Me: It's just a S'mores kind of day!

As you know Summer is here, though many of my friends in the Eastern states might beg to disagree, and it is time to plan cookouts, family reunions, and lazy afternoons seeking shade from the sun. In SoCal, it is pretty much Summer all year round. It's a rough life, I know. Sarcasm aside, I always envied my cousins living back East. Their homes had fire pits and their family vacations consisted of campaign, glow fly catching, and all the delicious grilled food one could eat. Sure, they might have to put up with a few "inches" of snow, but that's a small price for the excuse to enjoy a freshly toasted marshmallow wedged between Hershey's chocolate and graham crackers. I can almost smell the S'mores now!

Living in SoCal, our camping destination was the beach, and our local beaches have strict regulations about fire- absolutely no bonfires allowed. Now where's the fun in campaign under the stars, with the sound of the tide rolling in and out, without a freshly roasted weenie and some gooey S'mores? See, it WAS rough. But Momma knew how to compensate- she always had a way to get creative in the kitchen, and her love of S'mores was perhaps greater than all of us. I always knew it was going to be a great weekend when I got home from school and there was a pile of Hershey's Milk Chocolate bars, Jet-Puffed Marshmallows, an Honey Maid Graham Crackers sitting on the counter.

Whether you're snowed in, or the weather's too hot to start a fire, 10 Minute S'mores solutions can turn a hum drum evening into a memorable event. And, right now at your local Walmart, you can stock up on the 3 S'mores essentials so you're never caught on hand when a S'mores kind of day turns up. You'll find convenient 6 packs of Hershey's Milk Chocolate bars, individually wrapped, festive Red, White, and Blue Star shaped Jet-Puffed Marshmallows (and new square S'mores marshmallow varieties,) and Honey Maid graham cracker Squares, perfect for smushing, crunching, and grinding in your new favorite S'mores creations.

The great thing about S'mores is that you can make them any time, just as long as you have these 3 ingredients! With a little creativity you can make S'mores anywhere- they don't have to be literally sandwiches of gooey chocolate graham mallow heaven, they can be a quick S'mores dessert dip, simple cake pops, or Momma's S'mores Krispie Pinwheels. Yes, Momma was queen of crafty S'mores creations, and she could whip up a delicious treat in 10 minutes flat! Her secret was to melt the Jet-Puffed marshmallows in a microwave safe bowl with a little butter for 30 seconds on High. Once the marshmallows were melted down a world of possibilities opened up.

To create her S'mores Crispie Pinwheels she would then grind the Honey Maid graham cracker squares into an even consistency and stir it into the melted mallows, along with a few cups of crisped rice cereal. Next came the best part! Momma would tell me to hold my hands out over the sink as she sprayed them with cooking spray, then let me loose to smash the mixture, flat, into a prepared cookie sheet. If we had any extra mallow mixture leftover we'd spread a generous layer out over the bed of graham crispie, otherwise, there was usually a jar of Mallow Creme in the pantry!

Spreading the mallows was usually a tough job; the homemade butter Jet-Puffed mixture often poured over even, while Marshmallow Creme took a little finesse and elbow work. Then we would peel open 5 or 6 standard size Hershey's Milk Chocolate bars and lay the individual pieces out evenly across the sea of fluffy mallow. The oven was always preheated to a low 200F, and the cookie sheet went immediately into the oven for 2 minutes, exactly.

Hershey's Milk Chocolate has a low melting point, which is precisely why it's the perfect S'mores chocolate, so it never took too long to reach the final steps. Of course 2 minutes seems like an eternity when you're a child, so Momma and I would take turns stacking marshmallows to see who could get their tower the highest. The winner always got a pieces of Hershey's, so it was tough competition! Fun fact: Did you know that a piece of chocolate is referred to as a 'Pip,' and one square of breakable, melt-able, delicious, Hershey's bar is called this?

Once the cookie sheet had emerged from the oven it was time to spread the chocolate. Using a spatula mom would lightly drag through the rows of Hershey's pips and I would watch, peering over the counter with my step stool, in wonder as the chocolate and mallow created rivers of delicious S'mores flavor. Then came the final, most integral, part to the pinwheel assembly- the rolling. I was never trusted with this step because the cookie sheet itself was half my height, and I was NOT known for my coordination.

Carefully Momma would roll the crispie chocolate mallow sheet into itself until a giant log had formed. If the mallow and chocolate were still quite warm (usually because someone had forgotten about the oven in the midst of focusing on their marshmallow tower) Momma would let the sheet sit a few minutes before rolling. once rolled, inside the baking paper/foil, the roll would go directly into the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Both Jet-Puffed Marshmallows and Hershey's set quite quickly in the chill of the freezer and our log would be ready to slice and serve in no time.

The language of S'mores is a universal one- few people don't burst into a smile when marshmallow is involved! These Smore's Crispie Pinwheels are great to make ahead and have on hand for any movie night, impromptu backyard grill, lazy afternoon by the pool, or trip to the park. The crunch of the graham crispie roll reminds me of biting into a graham cracker crust and the Hershey's Milk Chocolate- Marshmallow swirl softens to a playful texture after just a few minutes at room temperature. One batch made about 20 pinwheels- and it's a good thing this is such a quick recipe, because they didn't last long!

Be sure to check out the #LetsMakeSmores hub for even more great Indoors S'mores ideas and recipes!  What's your favorite twist or way to prepare S'mores?

What Daughter Says: Make any day a S'more day with simple indoor recipes with big fun and flavor!

S'mores Crispie Pinwheels

***Click here for printable S'mores Crispie Pinwheels recipe.

An (Air) Fried Banana Split? They Do Exist! Avalon Bay Air Fryer 100W Feature #Ad

I received an Avalon Bay Air Fryer for the purpose of this review. This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.

Momma Told Me: There's no such thing as 'healthy' fried anything.

Many of you know I grew up in a household full of modern appliances and gadgets. It seemed, growing up, every other month there was a trip planned to the local Sears showroom or Dak outlet to shop for a new kitchen or home entertainment 'toy.' However, one thing we never had was an Air Fryer. Now, that may be in part due the fact my father, to this day, swears there is quite simply something 'not right' about calling a food 'fried' when it has not in fact been fried in a fat. Or perhaps it is because the very notion of 'fried' food has such a negative connotation, health wise, Momma never dared encourage the term be used on a regular basis.

Regardless, as a young girl, I made several attempts to bargain for fried foods, every year at the County Fair. In fact, there was an entire booth dedicated to frying the most delicious foods (most of them already quite sinful in themselves.) From funnel cakes and candy bars to deep fried Kool-Aid, I'd stare wide eyed up at the colorful list of treats. One year I felt I'd grown rather smart- I decided I would ask for the fried fruit basket, a selection of strawberries, bananas, and fried kiwis. Momma was quick to shoot that down, proclaiming, "There is no such thing as healthy fried food, it is ALL bad for you!"

As an adult I've always felt quite guilty putting a french fry in my mouth, or eating 'fast food' options I know are cooked in oil. At home I seek alternative recipes that often involve broiling and baking in the oven, but it's never quite the same. Let's just say, inevitably, one side of whatever I'm cooking always turns up more well done than another.

Enter the Avalon Bay Air Fryer 100W- A highly affordable, and compact, appliance who's only drawback has been the capacity of preparation allowed. I suspect, however, the compact size and 2-3 serving preparation lends itself to the efficiency of the air frying process. And just what is Air Frying? It's an entirely dry cooking process which uses a top grill to circulate heated air around the food of your choice via a suspended basket. This circulated air is so super-heated it surrounds every surface with an evenly distributed blanket of 'cooking' air.

You won't get the flavor my father attributes to 'fried' foods, but you will get efficiently cooked food with amazing texture, every time. Best of all the process is quite consistent, so not more burnt or dried pieces. And the unit itself is extremely intuitive to use, with a temperature guide located on the top, offering general heat and timing guidelines for common foods. Cooking can begin from a cold-start appliance, simply add 2-3 minutes to the timer and ensure that the proper temperate is set. The Avalon Bay Air Fryer 100W will do the rest!

One of the first things I made with my new Air Fryer was what I call a Fried Banana Split. Using simply ingredients you likely already have in your pantry I added an amazing texture to a classic banana split by Air Frying Cinnamon Bananas. For a simulated 'fried' coloring you can even plan cook your bread crumbs in a Vegan Coconut Oil Spread prior to breading! Not only did the Honey Coconut Oil Spread smell amazing melting in the pan but it gave my air fried bananas the perfect color! The rest as as easy as dipping ripe bananas in flour, egg, and bread crumbs (we use Panko,) then dusting in cinnamon sugar. The Avalon Bay Air Fryer did the rest!

Always remember that your Air Fryer needs to 'dry cook' ingredients to work most effectively, so work with a dry-wet-dry pattern when breading foods. This will mean a flour, egg, crumb layer in most recipes. In just 10 minutes, from a cold-start appliance, our Cinnamon Air Fried Bananas were ready. I simply removed the Air Fryer tray, separated the basket via the easy lift button, and shook and excess crumbs through the basket's grate into the collection chamber below. And cleaning up the appliance took 2 minutes- no messy grease!

Even if you're not a big banana person, these churro like bananas hit the spot, warm on the inside, against a pile of ice cream and fresh fruit. It's definitely the BEST way to enjoy a banana split with just a little extra indulgence and no extra guilt. In fact, you can cut up to 80% of the added fat out when air frying, over traditional oil based frying. What would you love to make first in an Air Fryer?

What Daughter Says: Enjoy the fried texture without the fried guilt when you Air Fry.

Air Fried Cinnamon Bananas

***Click here for printable Air Fried Bananas Recipe.

How To Make Any Snack Perfect With New Reese's Spreads + Giveaway

This shop has been compensated by #CollectiveBias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

Momma Told Me: Spread some flavor on!

I never considered myself a picky eater. I figure I was a fairly normal child- I would eat my fruits and veggies with a little coaxing, but I'd reach for anything sweet long before any alternatives would take precedence. Momma had little time to entertain my needs for snack time coercion and often plopped a jar of whatever spread we had on hand, and a butter knife in front of me. From there on out there was nothing I wouldn't attempt to spread- you could say it was my personal mission to find every flavor and spread combination, really. So, it will come as no surprise that I squealed like a little girl when I discovered the below display on a recent trip to my local Walmart.

Be still my beating heart- A Reese's Spread inspired by the flavors of the beloved Reese's Cup candy. You could say that the flavors of chocolate and peanut butter are forever BFFs on my pairing list; so this was a no brainier, Currently available in peanut butter chocolate for under $4 a jar this one of a kind spread from the Hershey's brand promises to create all knew, spreadable, memories as I pair my new best friend with everything in sight. Because the brand name 'Reese's' is synonymous with all things awesome in my vocabulary (it's right up there with unicorns and world peace in my book, peeps,) I grabbed several of these jars of sunshine. I fully intend to use whatever jars survive the upcoming weeks as stocking stuffers for family and friends.

It was love at first spread- From the moment my knife sunk into that jar I knew I had at last discovered the secret to make #AnySnackPerfect. Much to my delight the spread, itself, was light and fluffy (not sticky at all) yet had a slightly gritty styling that was reminiscent of Reese's Cups filling. The chocolate played perfectly with the flavor of peanut butter, neither overwhelming the other, and it was far from overly sweet. I truly had unlocked the missing component to my spreading endeavors; fruit, crackers, sandwiches, the possibilities were endless and there was nothing edible I wouldn't try! Just think how delighted guests would be if there was a platter of fresh Fall harvest apples carefully decorated with Reese's Spreads at your next holiday gathering!

In my spreading endeavor to make #AnySnackPerfect I sampled the new Reese's Spreads on frozen banana slices, applies, pretzels, graham crackers, sourdough bread cubes (delicious and a great appetizer!) and much more. Perhaps the most fun was discovering how the fun texture of the spread played with the texture of the paired item. A debate broke out in our home more than once, over what was the true 'perfect pairing,' but we always agreed, the spread made any snack perfect. And just as Jay turned back towards the cupboards with a knife in one hand, and a Reese's Spreads jar in the other, a bolt of lightening hit me. Why not use the Reese's Spreads to flavor a 3 ingredient pudding base for instant Reese's Spreads Pudding!

Pudding isn't something we indulge in often, as store bought brands can be riddled with many unsavory ingredients; but Fall is one time when I find myself craving this comfort food. As it turns out, you can effectively fool just about the staunchest pudding critic with a mock pudding made from Avocados, Bananas, and the Milk Substitute of your choice. In this case, Cashew milk added the perfect nutty undertones of our creamy Reese's Spreads pudding. I would share a step by step on this recipe, but it's about as easy as it sounds folks- add all ingredients in a blender and blend!

A small amount of Reese's Spreads goes a long way in this pudding recipe- less than 2 TBSP of spread is used per serving, so you can feel especially proud of yourself when spooning out this Reese's Spreads Pudding. Not only is it high in potassium and protein, but the texture of this pudding is smooth and indulgent. You can store this recipe in the fridge for over a week, but I seriously doubt it will last! One blender produced 5 servings, and one mysteriously went missing during the 'jarring' process!

When I picked up my jars of all new Reese's Spreads I was clearly not the only fan of spreadable flavor; be sure to head on into your local Walmart soon to grab a few before the holidays. Whether you're spreading a platter as the hostess with the mostess, or whipping up some of this delicious Reese's Spreads Pudding for the dessert bar, you won't want to be caught without a jar! Grab the uber simple recipe at the bottom of the post, and be sure to enter the giveaway to win a jar or two of your own! Looking for more Reese's Spreads inspiration? Follow the hashtag #AnySnackPerfect to see what my fellow bloggers are spreading in the kitchen, and stay up to date with the brand on Facebook for more exciting product launches and pairing ideas!

What would you pair with Reese's Spreads first?

What Daughter Says: You won't have any trouble making snack time delicious with a jar of new Reese's Spreads by your side!

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Reese's Spreads (Avocado Banana) Pudding

**Click here for printable Reese's Spreads Pudding recipe

Hot Chocolate OREO Cookie Balls Recipe- Melt Them In Milk, Or Eat Them Whole (I Won't Judge)

This shop has been compensated by #CollectiveBias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

Momma Told Me: Drink it- don't play with it!

Hot chocolate was my absolute favorite seasonal drink, growing up. It loved it so much, living in Southern California where warm drinks never were quite necessary to begin with, I'd order a mug of hot cocoa for dessert more often than not when my family went out to eat. The best part, to me, was always the fun of playing with the melting whipped cream; blowing bubbles with my straw, putting daubs of it my father's nose, and stirring those chocolatey clumps of powder with anticipation. There was something magical about taking boring milk and transforming it into something deliciously chocolatey with a few simple swishes. And that, my friends, is where the inspiration for Hot Chocolate OREO Cookie Balls came from.

No, you won't find OREO Cookie Balls on a shelf near you, for they exist in your heart, as magical as Frosty The Snowman, brought to life with love and imagination in your very own kitchen. And, much like Santa's reindeer, the flavors of OREOs you have to choose from, for this simple and delicious recipe, are diverse and uniquely spectacular. I dare you yo walk into your local Walmart and NOT walk out with 2 or 3 different flavors of these beloved sandwich cookies! But what is an OREO Cookie Ball, you ask? It's a creature that exists year-round, but is made all the more magical by this season of holidays (like our friend, the Yeti.) With just 3 simple ingredients, #OREOCookieBalls are delicious bites of creamy OREO goodness perfect for gifting, entertaining, and Netflix binging.

The original, and core, OREO Cookie Ball recipe features one 14oz package of your favorite OREO cookies, 8oz of Softened Cream Cheese, and 16oz of Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate. Not only is this recipe so easy a beginner's Elf apprentice (or small human child) could assist, but it is entirely no-bake. In fact, the hardest part is waiting for these balls of sweet OREO goodness to chill in the refrigerator. And, because of the variety of OREO flavors, and decorating options, your OREO Cookie Balls are guaranteed to be as unique as granny's ugly sweater stitching patterns.

For today's twist on the classic OREO Cookie Ball, I've added a little extra of one ingredient, a 4th ingredient, and a simple secondary step to the mixing process. By adding a little extra melting chocolate and some Heavy Cream we can effectively turn ordinary OREO Cookie Balls into extraordinary melting balls of OREO Hot Chocolate goodness! Start by intimately acquainting your OREO cookies in the comfort of a blender. Next, over a double broiler, melt 1/4 of your Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate and combine with Cream Cheese and Heavy Cream. There will be some Cream Cheese specks (or lumps,) but the mixture, overall, should be smooth.

Remove your Hot Chocolate OREO Cookie Ball base from the heat and allow to cool 15-20 minutes (refrigerate or place bowl in cold water bath to speed up the process.) The mixture, when cooled will be thicker like a mousse. Stir in your acquainted (crushed) OREO cookies until a delicious dough is formed. Resist eating the dough by the spoonful, OREOs can be quite persistent in Siren like calls- hold out for the OREO Cookie Balls, I promise, it will be worth it! Roll approximately 1" balls of OREO Cookie Ball dough and place it on a sheet of parchment paper. Refrigerate balls 15-20 minutes, or place in the freezer 5-10 to get them nice and cool for dipping.

While your OREO Cookie Balls quite literally chill, melt the remaining Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate in a double broiler or melting pot (I use Wilton's Deluxe Melting Pot) until uniform in texture. Adding 1 TSP of Shortening for every Cup of Melting/Baking Chocolate will help thin the mixture for even dipping. Once your balls are dipped, place them on a clean parchment sheet and decorate as desired. We made 3 different flavors of OREO Cookie Balls- Chocolate OREOs with Cinnamon Drizzle, Classic OREOs with Mini Marshmallows, and Mint OREOs with Peppermint Candy Flakes. If you are doing multiple flavors of OREO Cookie Balls be sure to decorate each flavor different for identification!

Once your OREO Cookie Balls are decorated and set (properly cooled,) it's time to admire your handy work; though I daresay elf's work harder tying a bow than you did on this recipe (simple, wasn't it?) That's okay, you can pat yourself on the back, regardless, as you package up those delicious balls of OREO Cookie goodness for family and friends. They'll assume you spent hours slaving over them, anyway! OREO Cookie Balls can be enjoyed as a confectionery treat, or this particular version, the Hot Chocolate OREO Cookie Ball, can be packaged with some straws and a mug with simple instructions to "Drop one into a cup of hot milk (or milk substitute), stir, and enjoy!" The 'Hot Chocolate' effect will work best when OREO Cookie Balls have been set out to reach room temperature- now, wouldn't this be a great idea for an after meal treat or holiday gathering?

I don't know about you, but my favorite cold beverage, growing up, was an OREO cookie milkshake; paired with my favorite hot beverage, Hot Cocoa, this concept is all WIN in my book.You can easily find adorable mugs (like the chalkboard mugs above) at your local dollar store and pair them with a few Hot Chocolate OREO Cookie Balls for an affordable and fun handmade gift, or guest favor, this holiday season. And if a few of those delicious OREO Cookie Balls never make it to a mug, we won't tell- just be sure to clean up the evidence! Follow OREO on Facebook for more great seasonal recipes and OREO Cookie Balls ideas! Check out this great coupon for $.50 off a package of OREO Cookies!

Do you have a favorite OREO Cookie flavor/variety you'd love to turn into an OREO Cookie Ball?

What Daughter Says: Go ahead, have a little fun with your hot chocolate, when there are OREO cookies inside it!

OREO Cookie Ball + Hot Chocolate OREO Cookie Ball Recipes

**Click here for Printable OREO Cookie Ball Recipes