Campfire Cocktail S'mores Bars

I know, you're thinking...S'mores...Again?!  Ah, but I don't think these are your little sister's S'mores.  These rich and gooey and luscious and oh, so boozy, S'more are definitely Big Girl S'mores. 

Kinda like the difference between flower panties and a black-lacy thong.  Right?

I've been wanting to experiment with a boozy version of a traditional Hershey's S'more for quite some time.  I've seen cupcakes and bars, of course.  There are tons of them out there in foodie blogger land.  Adding booze can be tricky and this bar is a boozy experiment success (or so my taste testers have told me this past week).  

Love when that happens...

And, my friends, I found my inspiration for this recipe from the strangest of places: watching Sandra Lee's show (I know...I was very, very bored one Friday night) about bars and lounges (why SL was picked for this, I have no idea).  On one trip, she visited a very cool bar, Boulevard 3 in Los Angeles, which serves a Campfire Martini. 

Oh, yeah.  You KNOW I tried that puppy that very evening.  I had everything cuz you already know we have the most amazing liquor cabinets at BIWB.  Easy, too.  Equal parts whiskey (Tullamore D.E.W., of course), Baileys, Kahlua and half-n-half (my version).  Shaken over ice and poured oh-so-smoothly in a chocolate swirled martini glass.  It was served with a marshmallow coated in graham cracker crumbs.  I didn't have those, but that sure didn't stop me.

One of the BEST after dinner dessert drinks on this planet...Trust me!

So, today I bring you my version of the Campfire Cocktail S'mores Bar {with Tullamore D.E.W.}.  Yeah, you know it's good.  You know you want this, not just in the summer, but ALL-YEAR-LONG!  

You don't have to wait for your next barbecue to make these, either.

And, who says you can't have your S'mores in one neat, portable bar?

Soft graham cracker-laced bar surrounding a gooey layer of melted marshmallows 

over deep, dark Hershey's chocolate bars.  

Heaven.

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Whiskey Ginger Mini Cheesecakes {with Tullamore D.E.W.}

Stress.  Good stress and not-so-good stress.  You know the kind.  

I've been kinda over booked of late.  Some of the best kind of overbooked.  Baking, dinner with friends, spring cleaning, gardening, time with Dad, reunions with college friends, and an amazing dinner/evening with new blogger friends.  Good stuff like that...Truthfully, a few "bad things" have also happened.  Really scary things, but all seem to have settled.  So, now there is time to do a bit more baking and blogging for you once again.

And, have you noticed a few things new on our blog?  We had a few tweaks done this month by a very cool blogger and designer, Emily, over at Sweet Bella Roos.  She made us look all pretty and more up-to-date on our social media links.  We've also added a few Favorite Brands, Tullamore and Licor 43.  Both companies have been so generous to us in providing product and encouragement.  We wanted to thank them for their support.  

So, on to this killer cheesecake and other optimal stress relievers: baking and booze.

I developed this recipe looking around the internet to find the right combination of flavors.  I've had a few whiskey ginger mixed drinks lately, most recently at the Pour House.  I love the combination and thought a traditional cheesecake would be nice.  I also found ginger preserves in my cupboard, which I have seen Nigella use from time-to-time, which sounded nice to include.  Love, love, love when I find hidden treasures in my cupboards!

And, something very British Isles was starting to happen...English preserves meets Irish Whiskey.  How bad could it be?

I like my cheesecakes firm but not dry and this one is perfect.  Nice subtle ginger, sweet crust, creamy filling, topped with just-slightly sweet whipped cream and the best damn whiskey caramel sauce on this planet.

Oops, did I go a bit overboard.  Sorry...

I knew I wanted to "save" this recipe to make for a few bloggers friends.  We had decided to gather for a "pot-luck" a few months ago.  Seemed right for an early summer evening.  A blogger potluck...Yeah, you know these ladies can cook!   Fab appetizers and desserts from Tate's Kitchen, A Girl and Her Fork, and Guave Rose.   And, of course Jacqueline was there, and my good friend, Karla.  

Great evening, great food and conversation, and by-far the BEST leftovers in my life.  

I'd forgotten just how much I have missed cheesecake.  It's simpler to make than you think.  Just takes a wee bit of time and patience. 

And, you know the whiskey doesn't hurt either.  

I am sharing this over at Cake of the Week's Baking with Spirit Challenge for this month: Whisky (or Whiskey to an Irishman).  Hop on over for great ideas for baking with spirits, A.K.A., booze!

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