This week I'm going to keep it short and sweet for a change...

Now that summer is pretty much here, the pools are open and the barbecues are hot and raring to go along with the fire-pits...

It's now that that old favorite makes its way out of its winter slumber and to every backyard and poolside shindig from the East Coast to the West Coast—this of course being the trusty "S'more"

Scrumptiously sweet and gooey toasted marshmallow on top of rich luscious chocolate and sandwiched between some warm honeyed graham crackers—sounds so temptingly delectable doesn't it, but if you are like me the end result usually falls far short of the desired intention...

So if you want a change of pace from the same stale dry bland marshmallows and graham crackers that taste like they've been sitting, rotting, on some store shelves for what seems like over a decade, then these are the “S’more’s” for you...

Full of delicious, organic and quality ingredients along with the most amazing homemade flavor; trust me, you will never go back to eating those tired old S’more’s again...

Now head on out and get started on making yourself some "Perfect S'mores" right now; I know that you'll find them, oh so "Definitely Delish"

“The Perfect S’mores”

Ingredients:
Graham Crackers:
1 cup Anna extra fine flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup raw organic honey
3 tbsps. half & half
7 tbsps. butter
2 tbsps. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 tsp. fine sea salt

Marshmallows:
3 packs (6 tsps.) unflavored gelatin powder
1 cup warm water, divided
1 ½ cups organic granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
2 tsps. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
1/4 cup powdered confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch

Other:
High quality Chocolate, enough for all of your S'mores-(pictured above-Ghirardelli Dark & Raspberry Squares)

Directions:
For the Graham crackers:
1. Mix all the dry ingredients in the food processor...
2. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and pulse in food processor until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs...
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, honey and vanilla...
4. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and pulse until a dough forms, about 1 minute. The dough will be sticky. Knead it together lightly on a floured surface then wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes, or overnight...
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to around 1/8 inch thick cutting the dough into squares. Bake the dough for roughly 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit so they remain slightly soft…

For the Marshmallows:
1. Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water, whisk on low for 10 seconds...
2. In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place it over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan (if you have one) and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, this takes about 8 to 10 minutes, it will bubble as it cooks...
3. After 10 minutes or reaching 240 degrees, immediately remove from the heat…
4. Turn the mixer back on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm when you touch the bottom of the bowl, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping…
5. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows; combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly grease a 7 by 11 inch metal baking pan with canola oil. Sift the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use...
6. Grease a spatula, and even your hands, believe me this is sticky stuff...
7. When the marshmallow is ready, work QUICKLY and scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, using your spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight…
8. Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut a little smaller than your graham cracker using a pizza wheel or lightly oiled knife. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining sugar/cornstarch mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks...

To assemble your S'more:
1. Place your "graham cracker" off heat on your grill (or fire pit grill if you have one) to warm them slightly, then toast your "marshmallow" slowly over the open flame, turning it to get an all over color…
2. Place your chocolate squares onto the bottom graham, cover with marshmallow and then sandwich between the graham crackers. Enjoy while still warm…

St. Patrick's Day is Thursday and that means corned beef and cabbage will soon be boiling up, in pots, in homes and homesteads from one side of the Atlantic to the other...

So besides this classic staple of culinary corned beef perfection, green beers and soda bread what other Irish inspired indulgences might you partake of...

For me, a connoisseur of all things coffee, I turn to that wonderful staple the "Irish Coffee"

*"Whiskey and Fudge"-what a combination...*

This hot drink has long been a favorite in Irish pubs with a popularity that could be said to rival a great stout (as tough as that may be).

Joe Sheridan, it's creator, had the right idea when he first combined a robust Irish whiskey with rich, black coffee and created the original Irish Coffee Cocktail...

Despite some common shortcuts that have been taken in the past, a great Irish Coffee is not as simple as adding a shot of whiskey to a cup of coffee. No, this is a well-planned, carefully constructed coffee drink that should be mixed with the care of any modern latte or cappuccino...

For this sweet and indulgent recipe I took the incredible essence of my favorite Coffee Cocktail and worked it into a wonderfully decadent, mildly intoxicating, batch of deliciously sweet fudge...

Truly Saint Patrick and my wild Irish ancestors were with me on the day I decided to play around in my kitchen creating this...

So in honor of my Ó Céileachair (anglicized to Kelleher) ancestors, who immigrated here during one of the many famines to strike the heart of that beautiful Emerald Isle, I give you this addition to your next St. Paddy's celebration...

Trust me; just as Ó Céileachair means a "lover of company", your friends will be feelin' the luck of the Irish and loving you too after enjoying a few of these sinfully tasty little devils- because they are, oh so "Definitely Delish"

*"Cutting up something yummy for Family"*

"Irish Coffee Fudge"

Ingredients:
Coffee layer:
2 bags Semi-Sweet Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips (12 oz. each bag)
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 oz.)
8 tablespoons Jameson Irish Whiskey (½ cup)
2 tablespoons Espresso Powder (Nescafé Instant coffee is also a good alternative)
1 tablespoon Cornstarch

Irish Cream Layer:
1 ½ bags of Ghirardelli White Chocolate Chips (11 oz.)
1/4 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup of Bailey's Irish Cream
2 teaspoons Cornstarch

Other:
Nescafé Instant Coffee, for dusting (2 teaspoons)
11x7 or 8x8 deep sided pan lined with plastic wrap

Directions:
1. Mix Jameson Whiskey, Cornstarch and Espresso powder in a microwave safe measuring cup. Then heat in the microwave for 40 seconds, stirring halfway through...
2. Set aside in fridge to thicken; then in a separate cup repeat with Bailey's Irish Cream and Cornstarch, also setting it in fridge to thicken slightly...
3. Meanwhile in 2 separate (large) Microwave safe bowls add the chocolate chips; both bags of dark chocolate to one, and the white chocolate in the other...
4. Add a full 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk to the dark chocolate chips, and a 1/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk to the white chocolate...
5. At this time pour the Jameson and Espresso mixture into the bowl of Dark Chocolate and heat in the microwave 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between heating’s until the chocolate has just melted—set aside and stir until a thick consistency is reached...
6. Pour and evenly spread the chocolate mixture into the plastic wrap lined baking dish or pan-then dust sparingly with Nescafe instant coffee...
7. Now add Bailey's Cream mixture to the white chocolate and heat in the microwave 20 seconds at a time, stirring, until chocolate just melts...
8. Continue stirring on the counter till smooth and then pour into prepared dish, overtop the dark chocolate—then spread smoothly covering the dark chocolate...
9. Dust sparingly with Nescafe Espresso powder, cover and cool in the refrigerator overnight—cut into 1 inch squares the next day and serve cool…
Note: Keep refrigerated until ready to serve; depending on pan size, makes between 60 and 80 pieces...