Ingredients

4 ounces (1 stick) room-temperature unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 ounces dark rum
3 cups boiling water
Fresh orange juice

Directions

1. Beat butter, sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg with a mixer on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute.
2. Combine 2 tablespoons spiced butter with 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) dark rum in each of 4 heatproof glasses. Pour 3/4 cup boiling water over each, and stir. Top each with a squeeze of fresh orange juice.

Serves 4.

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Ingredients

3/4 cup (about 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 ounces) pecans
4 strips bacon, minced (you should have about 1/2 cup, packed)
Salted butter as needed, to make 1/2 cup with bacon drippings
1 cup (about 4-3/4 ounces) crumbled blue cheese
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spread the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 5 to 6 minutes. Let cook, and then coarsely chop.
3. In a medium skillet or sauté pan over medium to medium-high heat, sauté the bacon until crispy, about 5 minutes; do not scorch. Drain the drippings into a heatproof measuring cup, and reserve the bacon separately. Let cool. To the cooled drippings, add butter as needed to make 1/2 cup total.
4. With an electric mixer, cream the cheese, thyme, and pepper together in a mixing bowl. Add the butter mixture and mix in well. Add the flour and mix the dough for about 2 minutes. Add the bacon and nuts and mix until just evenly combined. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes to chill.
5. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F at least 20 minutes before baking. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or leave them ungreased.
6. Scoop up the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls and shape into 1-inch diameter balls (you should get 36 to 40). Place, spaced 2 inches apart, on the baking sheets. With a fork, flatten to 1-1/2-inch-diameter rounds, dipping the tines into flour as needed, and making crisscross patterns as you would on peanut butter cookies. Bake until lightly golden at the edges, about 14 to 16 minutes. Cool on the pan.

Makes 36 to 40.

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Ingredients

Graham Crackers
1 1/2 cups graham flour, plus more for dusting
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon-Sugar topping
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Marshmallows
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Nonstick spray
S'mores
3 chocolate bars or 1 cup of chocolate chips

Directions

1. Graham Crackers: In a large bowl, sift together the graham flour, all purpose flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugar, and egg on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the honey and vanilla and beat until smooth, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl once with a rubber spatula.
3. With the mixer on low speed, add the sifted ingredients in 2 batches, beating after each addition until the flour disappears. Do not overmix. The dough should hold together and feel manageable for rolling.
4. Press the dough into a flat disk, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. With the dough chilling, make the cinnamon-sugar topping. In a small bowl, combine the turbinado sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
6. Position one rack in the center of the oven and another rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners or use nonstick baking sheets.
7. Transfer the dough to a work surface liberally dusted with graham flour. Dust the top of the dough with graham flour. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into an 1/8 inch thick rectangle. Use a ruler to measure and dinner knife to lightly mark 2-inch squares. Using a fluted pastry cutter or paring knife, cut out the squares and transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cracker 1 inch apart.
8. Place the pan of crackers in the refrigerator while you roll the remaining crackers. Gather up the dough scraps, lightly dust with graham flour, reroll the dough, and cut out the crackers until all of the dough is used. Using the blunt side of a toothpick or wooden skewer, prick each cracker to form a 3 by 3 grid of evenly spaced holes (9 holes total). Using your fingers, sprinkle each cracker generously with cinnamon-sugar topping.
9. Bake the crackers until firm and nicely browned, about 14 minutes. Switch the pans between the racks at the midpoint of baking if the crackers appear to be baking unevenly. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely.
10. Marshmallows: Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.
In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.
11. Turn the mixer 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, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.
12. Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add 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.
13. When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled 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.
14. Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
15. To make a s'more, layer chocolate and marshmallow between two graham crackers.

Makes about two dozen s'mores.

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