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Hello, foodies…

I was driving to the grocery store this morning and I swear the flowers and trees got the memo that it’s time to shine. I just had to snap a few photos of the trees in my neighborhood…aren’t they beautiful? I have no idea what kind they are, but they’re gorgeous.

When the warmer months arrive, so does the delicious summer food. One popular summer food is s'mores. Fun to make and even better to eat, s'mores are a summer classic. Here’s our version of s’mores in a perfect-for-sharing, perfect for the barbecue grill, and perfect for impressing guests!

Turtle S’more Pizza

Ingredients:

Graham Cracker Dough:

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup wheat germ

• 1/4 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 stick unsalted margarine, softened

• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 3 Tbsp milk

Toppings:

• 6 (1.55-oz) bars Hershey's chocolate, broken into single squares

• 3 cups mini marshmallows

• 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

• 2/3 cup chopped salted cashews

• 1/2 cup caramel sauce

Preparation:

1. Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly grease a 12" pizza pan. Set aside.

1. Whisk together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-size bowl until evenly combined. Set aside.

1. In a bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the margarine, brown sugar, honey, and vanilla at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low. Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk until completely incorporated.

1. Press the dough onto the prepared pizza pan, spreading it to the edges. Bake for 12–14 minutes. Do not overbake. Remove the "crust" from the oven and immediately place the Hershey's squares onto the crust in a single layer. Top with the mini marshmallows and then with the chocolate chips.

1. Place the pizza back into the oven for up to 3 minutes, or until the marshmallows and chocolate chips are melted. Remove the pizza from the oven, top with the cashews, and caramel sauce. Let the pizza rest for 15 minutes before cutting.

We spent a lot of time getting this crust just right, foodies. It had to be soft enough to cut, but still as flavorful as a real graham cracker. I think you’ll like it as much as the chocolate-caramel-marshmallow party going on up top. Use your palette or your guests’ taste preferences to guide you on the ingredients. If you have folks with nut allergies, maybe just make a s’more pizza. If you like nuts but want that classic turtle combo, go with pecans instead of cashews. I just loved the buttery taste of the cashews and the chocolate.

Now, one more thing. Since you have to bake the crust in the oven, we decided to finish this dish in the oven, but you can use the grill after the crust is baked. Just preheat the grill to medium, place the pizza onto the grill grates, close the lid, and cook up to 2 minutes, or until the marshmallows and chocolate chips are melted. Remove the pizza from the grill, top with the cashews, and caramel sauce. Let it sit for 15 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!

Keep it flavorful!
—David