Trail Mix Day: Nutty Chocolate Blueberry Cherry Trail Mix

Today is National Trail Mix Day! Since I like to walk in the hills, I always make my own trail mix. It's so easy, and there are an infinite number of combinations. I use a lot of dried fruits and nuts from Trader Joe's, but you can mix whatever you have.

Trail mix is perfect to take on a hike, as snacks for school, or throw some into your next oatmeal cookie dough for an out of this world taste treat. The following trail mix is also good for the heart. Blueberries have the highest antioxidants of almost any dried fruit, and you all know the benefits of dark chocolate. Most of the nuts in this trail mix recipe are salted, but if you want to be really healthy, cut back on the salt. And, of course, you can add anything else you'd like to the mix: other nuts, coconut, other berries.

NUTTY CHOCOLATE BLUEBERRY CHERRY TRAIL MIX

2 cups roasted salted peanuts
1 cup roasted salted almonds
1 cup roasted whole cashews
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (the darker, the better)
1 cup dried tart cherries
1 cup dried blueberries
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped

Mix together. How easy is that?

Mint Chocolate Cookie S'mores

Photo: Campfire Marshmallows

I grew up with Campfire Marshmallows, so I thought I'd take a peek at their website. As I've mentioned before, so many brand and food association websites have great recipes. I certainly wasn't disappointed with the Campfire Marshmallow website. Marshallows--what's not to like?

Seeing that it is Toasted Marshmallow Day today, here's a quick and easy recipe from Campfire Marshmallows for Mint Chocolate Cookie S'mores. Of course, Girl Scout Thin Mints would be my cookie of choice, given that S'mores are all about Girl Scouts.

MINT CHOCOLATE COOKIE S'MORES

Ingredients
Mint Chocolate Cookies
Regular Campfire Marshmallows

Directions
Place cookie face side down on plate.
Carefully toast marshmallow over grill or campfire (or oven).
Place toasted marshmallow on cookie and top with second cookie. Press gently.

How easy is that?

Toasted Marshmallow Day! Your Basic S'mores

Tomorrow is Toasted Marshmallow Day, and for me, the best use of a toasted marshmallow is in S'mores. I posted so many S'mores recipes the other day for National S'mores Day, but in case you just want to make some basic S'mores...here's an easy recipe. Actually you don't even need a recipe, but in case you're one of the folks who like to follow exactly, here you go!

YOUR BASIC S'MORES!

Ingredients
Graham Crackers
Hershey's Plain Milk Chocolate Bars
Large Marshmallows

Directions
Take a large graham cracker and break in half (one for top, one for bottom)
Break chocolate bar into pieces to fit on top of one graham cracker (so smaller than the graham cracker piece)
Put marshmallow on a stick or skewer and hold over fire until toasted.  (Golden Brown)
Take toasted marshmallow and lay on side of graham cracker (with stick still in) with the chocolate.
Take other half graham cracker and cover hot marshmallow. Press down and pull out stick.
Heat should melt the chocolate.
Squish S'more between fingers and eat.

Of course you can make more than one!

Cartoon of the Day: Chocolate Chip Cookies