Hello! 

   We head out today to spend the weekend with family, but I wanted to make a quick appearance here to share some delicious and simple treats you can make for Easter (or anytime, really!) 

     I've got 2 treats to share, both wheat free, both could be gluten-free too (if you used gluten-free Rice Krispies). 

    I recently saw some little rice krispie nests  from Crafty Morning, and thought they looked so gosh darned cute! I knew they'd be easy to make, but I was going to make some personal preference adjustments. For starters, the beautiful nests that Michelle at Crafty Morning made had an edible grass in them...? I've never even heard of such a thing, so I decided I would make a quick and small batch of green buttercream, and pipe some grass into my nests. Also, she uses Robin Eggs candies (chocolates?), again, I don't know what they are. But I do know what Cadbury mini eggs are, and I know we all loooooove them in this house, so that swap was a no-brainer! 

     The second sweetie I saw was Springtime Marshmallow Wands from Two Sisters. I love mallows, and chocolate, and my brain said, "Hey! You have sticks!", so then it just seemed like a natural step to go ahead and make these! 

        So, here you go! Enjoy! 
   

Rice Krispie Nests
Makes about 36 mini nests

Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup butter or margarine
• 4 Cups mini marshmallows, or  40 large marshmallows
• 6 Cups Rice Krispie cereal
• Small batch green buttercream (homemade or store bought tube)
• Cadbury Mini Eggs

Method: 

1. Prepare a mini muffin tin with cooking spray, or use your hands and rub butter or margarine onto it. Set aside
2. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat
3. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat
4. Add your cereal, and stir until well coated
5. Using a 2 Tbsp scoop, or just a heaping tablespoon, fill each muffin cup evenly
6. Using a lightly greased spoon, or your lightly greased hands, press the mixture down into each cup, and then push up the sides a little to create your nest
7. Let the nests set/cool a bit before removing and finishing
8. Put some green buttercream into the nest (I used the Wilton tip 233), and top with as many eggs as you can fit! : )  

​​

Marshmallow Wands

Ingredients/Supplies

• Lollipop sticks
• Large marshmallows
• Chocolate chips or melting chocolate (melting chocolate is easier to use because it's thinner.....but it's also pretty disgusting, in my opinion. But, use whatever you want!
• White chocolate chips*
• Food colouring*
• *You could use coloured chocolate melts in place of white chocolate chips and food colouring
• Sprinkles, or any other decorations you want!

Method:

1. Start by sliding marshmallows onto your sticks. If you find it difficult, cut a small slit onto one flat end of the mallow to help you out
2. Place parchment or wax paper out onto the counter or work space.  Or onto a baking sheet (I you'll need to move them while they set)
3. Once your marshmallows are all on sticks (I could really only fit 2 mallows per stick), melt your chocolate either in the micro wave at 30 second intervals, stirring in between until smooth and creamy, or on low on the stove (be careful with the stove-top method, you don't want your chocolate to burn or seize!)
4. With the melted chocolate in a shallow dish, roll your marshmallows on a stick around in the chocolate until coated. You can use a spoon to help, and I also tipped the dish with chocolate so that it pooled and make it easier to cover
5. Place coated wands onto wax paper to set
6. Now, I melted small batches of white chocolate, and once melted I added whatever colour I wanted
7. Pouring the melted coloured chocolate into small ziploc bags, I cut the corner off to create a tiny tip, and drizzled the coloured chocolate onto the wands
8. While the drizzle is still wet, sprinkle with sprinkles, if using
9. Allow to set, then store in an airtight container

      Ok, that's all for now! 

     Check out a post from last year of a delicious round-up of Easter Treats, all no bake, and most gluten-free! 

​

   As far as easy recipe go-this one is way up there on the list! It's some really simple ingredients that *most* people have on had  at all times, and can be baked up and cooling on your counter in 30 minutes (ish - haha! The exact time depends on how organized your baking supplies are and how efficiently you can pull them together!). But still, they're easy going cookie bars!

   It's all the goodness of gooey, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, but without the scooping! I found this recipe at Jamie Cooks it Up, and give it two whole-hearted thumbs up! :)    

    I usually like to post a "Motivational Monday" & "Health & Fitness" post on Mondays.....and this is neither of those things! But, I decided that although I want to give readers something predictable, most readers who I hear from don't give a rip! :)  So, it helps me prepare and be organized if I have a certain "thing" I will post about on a certain day, but sometimes, I just gotta post what I feel like! 

    And this recipe is so simple to throw together for when last minute guests are coming over, or to make and tuck into an airtight container and put into the freezer for quick lunch treats, or after school snacks, well, I just needed to share it! 

    Hope ya'll are ok with that!:)  

    See, so simple, right? 
 
    Today was a suddenly wintry day (a no school, snow day included!), and we went from wearing t-shirts and no coats outside on Friday, to coats, hats, scarves, and mitts today! 

    Oh Canada!!! :)  

    We enjoyed it though with equal parts laziness (watching "Shrek The Musical" on Netflix), and playing outside. 

    I hope you had a lovely day, whatever you were up to! 

    If you've stopped by, please feel free to leave a comment! I'd love to know you were here, and to see how your day went! 
    

xoxoxo
​

    Oh yes, dear friends, there is definitely still more s'mores ideas out there!

     ....Hello. How are we today? I am EXHAUSTED!!!!!! : ) 

     No, but seriously, I've been more stressed lately than I ever thought I could possibly
be - I've had a constant headache for a week, my body is aching, I have hardly slept, and I even developed a canker sore on my lip!!! 

     K, I'm done now. I'm  just whining to all of you, to whoever will be a listening ear! 

     I think it's time we got back to s'mores though, because s'mores always make me feel better! : )  

    In August of 2014 I wrote a s'more compilation post called "Please Sir....I Want S'more...", and last July I compiled another list of s'more-ific ideas in "It's Time For S'more!".

    I love-LOVE-LOVE  s'mores! They have been a passion of mine for years and years!  So, when I recently received an e-mail from Julia Arangure of Shari's Berries with a request to share their 9 unique s'more ideas on Bushel & A Peck, I thought, "well, it's worth looking at".

    Let me say that when I opened the link she sent, I went "whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!?!?!".

     For.  Realz. 

     When Julia said "unique" she meant it, and I have honestly never seen s'mores like the ones she shared with me, and that I am going to share with you!

    These amazing s'more ideas where created and photographed so beautifully, and I want to try every single one of them! 
    
​    So, here they are -9 unique ways to make s'mores from Sharis Berries! 
     

........I mean, c'mon, right?!?!

     I am so excited about these s'mores, and I think I want to try the birthday one first! TO find out how to make all of theses, hop on over to Sharis Berries and the original post about these 9 amazing and unique s'more ideas! 

     Today is Canada Day here in (obviously!) Canada! We've got the usual fun things to do in our wonderful little town of Tweed: a parade, face painting, boat tours, kids crafts, fireman water activities, live entertainers, hot dogs and cupcakes! Then, this evening we're heading to a Canada Day BBQ, where we'll be saying goodbye to some military friends who are moving to Seattle. Thumbs down to people leaving.

     Anyway, I hope if you live in Canada you have a wonderful Canada Day! If you live outside of Canada, have a wonderful Friday! Either way, any day is a good day to try out a new s'more (in my opinion, at least!). 

    On Tuesday I'm going to share with you how we do s'mores around here so that it isn't a complete and utter disaster! 

     Have a great weekend! 
  

​

   Is it true?! Is it really real?!? Is spring finally, finally here?!?!?! : )  

   Our spring here has been warm...and then snowing! And then warm....and then snowing!!!! And then all the kids got sun-burnt one Saturday.....then we had an ice storm! I mean, good golly.

    Anywho, I'm washing the snow pants and winter coats for the third time to put away for the warmer months, and am hoping it'll stick this time! 

    Well, when the winter won't end, more and more cookies get made! These super simple gems are made using a cake mix, and we added some super fun mini candy covered chocolate chip thingies.....I honestly can't remember what they are really called...? 

    Anyway, enjoy!
   

Cosmic Cake Mix Brownie Cookies
I get approx. 22 cookies using a 2 Tbsp sized scoop from one batch


Ingredients:

• 1 - 400g boxed cake mix (gluten-free works too - it's what I've used in this posts photos!) ***Do note that every brands boxed cake mixes can have more or less in them, so be sure to check to see what you've got, and then adjust your wet ingredients accordingly*** 
• 1/3 Cup oil (plus 3-6 Tablespoons more as needed)
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Cup cosmo chips (I get these at the Bulk Barn in the section with all the sprinkles)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 and prepare a baking sheet with parchment (if you don't trust your baking sheets non-stickiness factor!)
2. Combine the cake mix and wet ingredients together, adding additional oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you have a thick, but manageable dough. The dough won't be at sturdy as regular cookie dough, but you should be able to scoop it and have it keep it's shape (and not run)
3. Mix in the cosmo chips
4. Using a 2 Tbsp scoop, or a heaping tablespoon, scoop your cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart
5. Bake for 8-12 minutes. until the cookies look set, but still soft (you want a nice, fudgy centre - not a dried out puck!) : )  

​

     I made this particular batch o' cookies with a President's Choice Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Mix. Someone at church gave it to me because their son who used to eat gluten free wasn't anymore, so she kindly gave us a bag of random gluten-free goodies!

    I basically never need a gluten-free cake though except for Caleb's birthday, and my homemade recipe is so darn good, so using the mix for cookies was definitely more up my alley. I was able to pack away a bunch of the cookies in the freezer and have them ready to take-along for my gluten-free Caleb if we went somewhere I knew there would be some treats he couldn't partake in.  

     Well, that's it, I guess. My mind feels like bleh....yesterday I was filling out a form for a police check, and I wrote my birthday year as 1893. Then I put a 5 instead of an S at one spot, and I also wrote my address one line above each line I was actually supposed to write it on. Golly gee willikers. Hopefully my brain is taking some sort of rest to get ready for some sort of awesomeness....? Yes? Fingers crossed? 

    Have a great weekend - and a great Mother's Day! Be sure to show some love to some motherly figure in your life! 


​

    This recipe is a wonderful concoction of brownie, caramel, and cookie! 

     The first time I made this it was because I had some leftover oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from a sale I had been a vendor at. The cookies had gotten too hard to be able to eat (well, unless you dipped them into tea or coffee, which was yummy!), so I needed to just get them used up in another way.

    I thought if they were a crumb or crumble type thing for something else, it would be deee-lish! I found this recipe from Chelsea's Messy Apron, and adapted it to suit me and what I had one hand. 

    I've made this with from-scratch brownies, boxed brownie mix, even a modified-to-brownies chocolate cake mix. I've used wrapped caramels, as well as caramel bits, and I used my leftover cookies, but also store-bought oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! So, I mean, you can make this treat in many ways! And you should!

    Perfect, fudgy brownies topped with caramel and more chocolate, then topped with a crumble made from cookies? Yes, it is every bit as delicious as it sounds!  
​

Caramel Brownie Cookie Crumb Bars
Adapted from Chelsea's Messy Apron

Ingredients:

For the Brownie Base:

• 1 Cup flour
• 2 Cups sugar
• 1 Cup salted butter, melted
• 4 Eggs
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder

For the Caramel Layer: 

• 1 1/2 Cups caramel bits, or 1 small bag of caramels (11oz), unwrapped**
• 2 Cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet)

For The Cookie Top:

• 2 Cups chopped oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (get a nice, hard/crunchy cookie)
• 1/4 Butter, melted

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350, and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish, and line with parchment, leaving a little over hang on the sides to use later as "handles"
2.  Let's make the brownies!:   In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar and cocoa powder. In another small bowl, whisk together the butter and eggs. Add the egg mixture into the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Pour this batter into the prepared baking dish, and bake until nearly, but not quite, finished-around 20-25 minutes​
3. While the brownies are baking, take your chopped cookies, and add the 1/4 Cup melted butter to them and stir to combine, set aside
4. If using the wrapped caramel squares, now is the time to open them, and cut them into smaller chunks (each square into 4 pieces works)
5. ​Once brownies are nearly done, take out of the oven and evenly spread caramels and chocolate chips over the base, then "sprinkle" the cookie/butter crumb mixture over top
6. Return pan back into the oven, and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre is clean, and top is crunchy and golden
7. Let cool in the pan for an hour or more before using the parchment handles to carefully lift the squares out of the pan to cut

    Oh, yum. These bars are just the tops! For real, they are just too tasty to fully describe! 

    So, this weekend-any plans?

    Saturday we go over to the neighbours for an annual pancake breakfast! My wonderful neighbour has a huge maple syrup shack (it's an enormous shop, really!) where he's been really, really, really busy, working away at turning the sap from our beloved maple trees into wonderful maple syrup! He doesn't even personally like maple syrup, but his father made it, and he wants to carry on in his tradition. So he hosts a wonderful pancake breakfast to share/get rid of some of the syrup he's made! : )  It's really so great, we always enjoy it a lot!

    Have a good weekend!

​

    I feel like I've been doing a lot of recipe round-ups lately?! 

    No matter, I like doing round-ups! There are so many amazing bloggers, recipe developers and photographers out in the World Wide Web, and I want to share their work with you!

    Today I have a delicious collection of Easter treats, all are no-bake, and most can be, or are already, gluten-free--which can be so helpful now-a-days with so many people trying avoid gluten!  

     These treats are also beautiful, and super spring-y.....which is nice....especially since it's still snowing here today!!! It was sunny and warm last weekend, and then from that point until this point we've had a snow storm, freezing rain, yesterday the buses were cancelled due to "inclement weather"....happy spring!!! : (  Thumbs down.

    So, I mean, making a delightful treat like any of the ones below should make at least your kitchen and tummy feel like spring is here!  

    I whipped up a double batch of the Layered Peeps Crispy Pops last night (and my husband tried a Peep for the first time!), so Spring may not have been outside, but it was inside!

​Enjoy!!!

    Erin at Suburban Simplicity created this beautiful Bunny Chow. This is a quick and simple recipe that is a serious crowd pleaser! 

   A few years ago I posted these Easter treats: Rice Krispie Mini Egg Squares and Mini Egg Macaroon Nests. Simple, yummy. The end! 

    Rice Krispie squares made from Peeps marshmallows? Genius!!! Kristin at Yellow Bliss Road created these Layered Peeps Crispy Pops by swapping out the usual marshmallows and using Peeps instead!

    Just look at that Creme Egg Rocky Road Bark from Sarah at Taming Twins!!! What the heck, right?!? Get in my belly!  : )  

   Jen at Cincy Shopper made these really cute, and oh-so-simple Krispie Treat Easter Carrots. She uses store bought Rice Krispie Treats, but making these yourself would be
​ a-okay too!

   Easter Egg Pretzel Chocolate Swirl Bark is a crazy long name for a really easy to make treat from Samantha at Five Heart Home! 

    
     We'll be heading down to Brantford and area to visit family for the Easter weekend. My Mom and Dad are away on a trip to Ireland though, so it'll be a very different kind of visit! They've left their house for us to still stay in (as it's usually our "home base" when we're in the area visiting family), but it'll be strange to not have them there!

    It'll also be potentially challenging to have Easter egg hunts in the snow! Ok, well, it is a  few hours south, so maybe the weather is nice there? I should check. 

   I loved Easter when I was a kid. My sisters and I (well, us younger girls) would get the cutest (well, cute for the '80's and early '90's!) dresses, often a cute hat to match to wear to church for Easter Sunday. On Easter Sunday morning our Mom would have at our place at the breakfast table new socks and underwear, bubbles, a jump rope, and a chocolate bunny. Sometimes other things too, but I remember those as a sure thing on Easter morning. We would always seem to have a lot of people over, and it was always a lot of fun. One year I vividly recall a basket full (FULL!!!) of solid chocolate bunnies, I remember small, medium and large ones, and I also remember eating my weight in these chocolate bunnies! The basket was right out in the open in the kitchen, and I don't remember anyone saying "please don't eat chocolate all day!"...so then I ate chocolate all day. Eek. My chocolate addiction goes way back......  

    Anyway, I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful weekend, whatever you're doing!

​xo

​    

    Hey there!

    I know I used to post a motivational Monday and Health & Fitness post on Monday's, but I'm breaking the rules! I just want to share some recipes I have, and that's all there is to it! 

    This recipe is so simple, it's basically oatmeal chocolate chips cookies, minus all the scooping it takes to make cookies! :)  And, this makes a great dessert to throw together when guests are coming over last-minute. It's got some pretty simple ingredients (ingredients most people have on hand), and comes together quickly! The hardest part is letting them cool before cutting them into squares. 

     These little gems are also a nice treat to add to kids lunches, fyi. They freeze well, so, cut them into squares, put them into an airtight container, stick 'em in the freezer, and pull them out to add to lunches as needed! 

     This recipe is from Jamie Cooks it Up. She has photos of the process, so hop on over there to see them if you want to! 

    So, today was a snow day! Busses cancelled! Snow everywhere! It's suddenly winter! And I do mean suddenly! On Friday I was working out in the yard wearing only joggy bottoms and a t-shirt. Today? Winter boots, warm coat, scarf, mittens and hat. 

    Oh Canada....  :)  

    I hope you get a chance to make these bars sometime soon! Let me know if you do, alrighty? 


xoxo

   Another pile of recipes? Uh huh! With valentines day approaching, I wanted to share some lovely treats with you!

   This roundup of goodies are all gluten-free, and all the recipes I choose to share have 5 or less ingredients, and most are no-bake, so, we're talking super awesome, quick and easy!     

    The collection features some kid friendly treats (though I would love them too!), as well as some "grown-up" treats (though my kids like them too)  : )  Basically....everyone will like them!!!

    Enjoy! 

How darling are these? 
Find them at Intimate Weddings

These are light and airy, and are paleo too, FYI!
From me here at Bushel & A Peck

These treats come in 2 varieties: regular with a white chocolate top, and a mars bar, coco pop (or chocolate rice krispie) version! Yum!
Find these treats at Mandy Mortimer

I mean. what?!?! Pulverized Skittles coat these mallows for a crazy amazing treat! 
​Dine & Dish will show you how it's done! 

Dark, rich and simple to make. They're paleo too!
​I'll give 'em to ya right here at Bushel & A Peck

It only takes 3 ingredients to get this rich and fudgy cake ready! It's primal too!
You'll find the recipe at Gimme Some Oven 

     That's all I have for you today!!!

     I am not really a "I need a gift!" for valentines kind of gal, but I will take any excuse for a box of chocolates! So, I've told my husband many times that I am the dream wife for valentines day; get me the most cliche gift, a box of chocolates, and I am really happy! Well, as long as I don't have to share with anyone, that is! : )  

    Happy weekend to you all, happy valentines (or gal-entines day to the single ladies), and I hope you come back to see me here again soon!


​

    It's Shrove Tuesday, otherwise known as pancake Tuesday!

    Shrove Tuesday is the day that precedes Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the 40 days of Lent leading to Easter.

   The name Shrove Tuesday comes from shrive (to absolve), meaning absolution for sins by doing penance (desiring to repent and to do so by works). The day gets its name from the tradition of Christians trying to be 'shriven' (or having a clean heart) in preparation for Easter. So, some people make a special point of self-examination, of considering what wrongs they need to repent from, and what amendments of life or areas of spiritual growth they especially need to ask God's help in dealing with, and they do so by restricting certain foods (some people now participate in Lent by giving up certain habits that are bad, distracting, or not useful to a full life). 

     On the day before the 40 days of Lent (shrove Tuesday), families would want to use up all the rich foods in their homes (fats, eggs, milk and sugar) because those foods weren't eaten during Lent, and they likely wanted all that yummy and tempting stuff out of the house for the 40 days of fasting for the Lent season! And eventually, it became (for some) to be called Pancake Tuesday because of the fact that pancakes are a pretty obvious dish to make from the ingredients being fasted from!

    There are all sorts of stories about the real start of "pancake Tuesday", and about different traditions through history and around the world regarding pancake Tuesday. Very interesting stuff! Listen to this one:

       On Pancake Day, "pancake races" are held in villages and towns across the United Kingdom. The tradition is said to have originated in 1445 when a housewife from Olney, Buckinghamshire, was so busy making pancakes that she forgot the time until she heard the church bells ringing for the service. She raced out of the house to church while still carrying her frying pan and pancake, tossing it to prevent it from burning.

    The pancake race remains a relatively common festive tradition in the UK, especially England, even today. Participants with frying pans race through the streets tossing pancakes into the air and catching them in the pan while running.
   The most famous pancake race, at Olney in Buckinghamshire, has been held since 1445. The contestants, traditionally women, carry a frying pan and race over a 415-yard course to the finishing line. The rules are strict: contestants have to toss their pancake at both the start and the finish, as well as wear an apron and a scarf. Traditionally, when men want to participate, they must dress up as a housewife (usually an apron and a bandanna). The race is followed by a church service (found this story here).


    Anywho, every year I post some pancake recipe, but this year I wanted to point a few of my own recipes out, and also some super delicious recipes that I love from a few other bloggers! 

   In this round up I've got the perfect (regular) pancake, specialty pancakes, gluten-free and paleo pancakes. There is something for everyone! 

   Just click on the name of the pancake to see the recipe! 

​   Enjoy!​

    Just a little ditty to close here.....last night while cleaning up from dinner, I took the lid off my slow cooker to get the leftovers out of it, and a ladybug came careening out of no-where and landed right in the food in the crock-pot!

   And I dropped an f-bomb (that's the f-word, FYI).

   Confession time. I have a serious potty mouth. I mean, it's pretty bad. I don't say things my kids think are bad, like dumb or stupid, but I sure do say the ones I really don't want them to use! 

    So, last night when I swore about a lady bug ruining the leftovers (I know it's just a small bug, but you agree with me that it ruined all the food?!?), I looked at my husband who's face was saying, "really? An f-bomb because of a bug in the food?" , so I said, "maybe I should give up swearing for Lent?" 

   And, even though I don't always give something up for lent, I am going to do this. I swear more than is useful, and I should tame this beast! So, that's what I'm giving up for Lent!

   Are you giving anything up for Lent? Are you having pancakes for dinner? Are you sick of all my questions!?! : )  


​

   
    S'mores in February? Is that even a question?!? If you love s'more the way I love s'mores, then any occasion is a s'more occasion! : )  Needing a campfire for a s'more is for amateurs....haha, I take s'moring (the art of making s'mores) very seriously!! I made up that verb "s'moring", but I like it! 

   Wow, anywhoooo......with Valentine's Day approaching, people start thinking about special treats they can make for special people in their lives. I'm not just talking about people in a romantic relationship, either. I'm talking about people who want to show love to anyone they love (or appreciate)!  I'm talking about neighbours, co-workers, parents, children, friends--anyone you think could use a sweet little treat to say "you are valued, and I love (or appreciate) you!". 

   Years ago, when we lived in Bancroft, we were invited to a New Years Eve party by a good friend who, at the time, ran a catering business with a friend of hers.

   That night, they made the most ridiculously yummy and simple dessert--they took store-bought two-bite brownies, smooshed half of a large marshmallow on top of each, stuck 'em under the broiler for a quick melt and roasted top, then drizzled dulce de leche over them.

    I mean, c'mon! Doesn't that sound amazing! I couldn't get over how yummy they tasted, and how simple they were to whip up!

   I've been making variations of this dessert now for years, always starting with a store-bought two-bite brownie, and a half marshmallow, then drizzling with melted peanut butter, cookie butter, Nutella,  butterscotch, or a dollop of raspberry jam

   It's easy to make this gluten-free too, as you can now find gluten-free two-bite brownies and graham crackers in most grocery stores.   

   The version I am sharing with you today is a favourite version though. A lovely two-bite brownie, topped with a perfectly roasted mallow, then a piece of graham cracker shoved into it?!? Oh yeah..... 
   

Two-Bite Brownie S'mores

Ingredients:

• Store-bought two-bite brownies, (regular or gluten-free). As many as needed
• Large marshmallows, cut in half, equaling the number of brownies you plan to make
• Graham crackers (regular or gluten-free **See comment below**), broken into long pieces, enough to top each brownie

Method:

1. Turn oven onto broil, and place an oven rack about 3/4 of the way up in the oven (not the highest level, but not in the middle either)
2. Place desired amount of brownies onto a baking sheet.
3. Squish/press half a marshmallow onto the top of each brownie (without totally crushing the brownie, obviously!)
4. Place under broiler for about 1 minute (keep your eye on them!) until they are the desired golden-ness (I don't think that's a word...maybe it is?)
5. Pull the brownies out of the oven once the tops of the mallows are perfectly golden, and shove a piece of graham cracker down into each brownie
6. Let cool slightly before serving, or let cool completely and store in an airtight container for a day or two--but no longer than that as the mallows can get hard, and the graham crackers can get soft/stale. Bleh, thumbs down! 

​

    
     These little treats are the ultimate in lazy-lady desserts!!! Right?!? Bonus (for me) is that I most often get the bag of two-bite brownies for 50% off! Don't know why, but there always seems to be a few bags marked down, so I like to grab one, and put it into a zippered plastic bag and toss it into the freezer until I want to use them. If you do this, just be sure to pull them out of the freezer and let them thaw before you start.

   **Side note.....because I think gluten-free graham crackers taste like cardboard dipped in sawdust (ok, not exactly, but they are basically the nastiest gluten-free food item ever! P.S., the brand I tried was Kinnikinnick. I'm not trying to bash them, but I want to spare anyone the grief of wasting their money on those graham crackers), I will sometimes cut a gluten-free cookie in half (my sons' favourite are the chocolate vanilla cream kind from Glutino), and I'll shove that into the brownie and mallow. Still really yummy and pretty, but of course that wouldn't make it a s'more anymore though! But hey, if you have found a brand of gluten-free graham crackers that don't taste awful, go with those! And if you want to share your finding with me, please do! Pretty, pretty please!   

​    

     So......I've been trying to wake up early again, like I used to in the "old days" : )  These "old days" are really just a year ago or so, but I sure had gotten used to sleeping until I needed to get my kids up for school around 7:45....then my husband pointed something out to me. He said I always seemed a little less frustrated with my day when I woke up early and got my blog post published. What happens when I wake up with my kids is that I sit down to publish my post after they get on the bus at 9am, and if my post isn't totally ready, I could be sitting at the computer until 10:00....10:30......11:00.......it can take hours and hours to get one single post ready!!! By the time I'd send my thoughts and recipes into the world wide web, I'd feel like my day was half gone--which it basically was!!! So, with time stolen from my day, I felt like everything else I was doing should have already been done, and I was behind in my list of to-do's. So, by evening, I would feel defeated, like I hadn't gotten as much done with my day as I wanted, like I had un-finished business with my day. Bleh. All because I was lazy and wanted to sleep in (.......I love sleep.....).

   So, I've started doing something different. I realized that I used to get up early without a problem because I was bursting with ideas for blog posts! I used to publish a post every day! Geepers! I still have ideas, but that purpose that got me out of bed in the morning had faded a smidge....and I needs me a reason to get out of bed early! So, I stopped making my husbands lunch at night, and decided to leave it to the morning. To clarify for any feminists who are having a conniption, I enjoy packing my husbands lunch! I am the meal planner, the budget maker, the "make sure you eat your vegetables!" person in our house....I may also have a slight control issue, and all those things combined mean I want to (need to!) know what's going into my husbands lunch! 

   Saving this job until the morning (and me wanting/needing to do it) means I need to wake up early....like, 5:30 early. 

   This gives me time to make my love some lunch, (and some coffee!) before he heads out the door at 6am, and then I get 2 full hours to work away at my little passion of writing and blogging in my little (tiny!) corner of the internet! 

   This also gives me time to have at least 2 cups of coffee before my kids get up which really seems to make them more lovely somehow.....  :)  

   This morning though, I got a better reward....I let our dog out for a wee, and stopped to look into the sky. At 6am at this time of year, the stars and the moon are still out. And I couldn't believe how brilliant and beautiful the sky was!!! I felt overwhelmed by how amazing it looked, and thought, "if I were still asleep, I would have missed this!". I felt so blessed, somehow.

    I live out in the sticks with no lights from any city to cloud the view of the moon and stars. I felt empowered that I had started my day before my town had even started it's day with the sun. I beat the sun to this day! That's an accomplishment!!! 

   
   So, maybe you're really not into getting up early......that's ok! The point of my story wasn't to tell you that you should wake up early because I do! The point was really this....what is it that makes you put your head down on your pillow at night and think, "this day was good"? My (wonderful) husband saw that I was more miserable than I should be. He saw that I was getting a lot done in a day, but somehow still feeling crappy about my day when I went to bed in the evening. I hope you have a spouse, or mate, or best friend or sibling or somebody who knows you who can say, "Are you feeling you best? Maybe you should (fill-in-the-blank)? Or, I hope you can step back from yourself and say, "what used to make me feel like I'd accomplished something?".

     I don't know what that might be for you, but I encourage you to find that thing (uh....within reason....don't do anything illegal or that damages the people around you!). Life isn't about making yourself happy (eeek! I know, I know! How contrary to what we're always being told!!!), life is about purpose. But, get this, well placed purpose will leave you feeling happy. What a trick, eh! I was trying to make myself happy by sleeping in....which left me feeling miserable! But having purpose & waking up, packing a lunch, and sitting down to write before the sun has even thought about coming up? That makes me happy!

    Well, I've shared/rambled now for too long....and it's probable no one will even read this far....but that's ok! : )  I write for you out there, but I also write for me. This is an online diary of sorts. You get recipes, DIY ideas, parenting tips, or whatever, but you also get my inner thoughts, what my heart lets out when it's going to burst. 

    If you have read this far, thank-you!

    I honestly appreciate everyone who stops by Bushel & A Peck. I don't know many of you at all, but I like to think we are connected by way of this site. So, if you want to, leave a comment. Let me know you stopped by!  Share with me what gives you purpose!

   Oh, and don't forget to share with me a brand of g.f. graham crackers that aren't terrible too! :)   

    
​xoxo 
  ​