S'mores And Smushes Please

Labor Day weekend is highly anticipated in my home, as it brings many reasons to celebrate and reminisce. My first child was born on Labor Day weekend 2001. She, in particular, cherishes this time of year because she is the center of attention, which is hard to accomplish in a bustling household of five. Labor Day also marks the unofficial end of summer and demands one last hurrah, which gives me two good excuses to make sure this holiday weekend is special every year.

As if those reasons were not enough, I also take advantage of this family time to remember the events of  9/11/01, as dreadful as it sounds, to be mindful of those who die, and serve for our freedom, re-iterate those freedoms to my children, and to model a sincere gratitude for such liberty. In my opinion, this historical September date is as significant as Independence day and deserves reflection.

This trifecta calls for a special menu, regardless of the location of our celebration, and when treat requests are opened up to the panel, otherwise known as the three short people in my home, the results are unanimous, "S'mores and Smooshes please!"

As with everything else, gluten free s'mores present a challenge, but where there is a will, there is a way.

Because we were gluten free when gluten free wasn't cool, our first hankering for s'mores called for graham crackers made from scratch. If you've paid attention, you know that 5 years ago, I was knee deep in a 'new' diet, had three kids ages 4 and under, ran a business with a workaholic husband, and would never risk my last shred of sanity attempting to make homemade gf graham crackers. I would have to get creative.

I remembered that I was quite the pro at making gluten free chocolate chip cookies from scratch, or so my little taste testers led me to believe, and while I whipped up a batch I convinced myself that I was being resourceful instead of lazy, and once cooled, we happily proceeded to smush roasted marshmallows between them. They went over without a hitch and were deemed 'Smushes' by my girls. Unbeknownst to me, this little treat was already created by the Pennsylvanian Amish in 1917, and are still known as Whoopie Pies to Mainers. These cute little treats are not s'mores, but just as fun and somewhat more appealing to the one who cleans the faces of the consumers.

Fortunately, times have changed, and the geniuses behind Kinnikinnick Foods created gluten free graham crackers. All we have to do is pick them up at the store! (I'm easily amused, I know.) These cherished crackers are called S'moreables and are also dairy free and nut free to boot. Because they are made with whole grain flours and natural sugars like honey and molasses, they have become a summertime staple in our prudent home. Find stores that carry this brand at Kinnikinnick.com.

If you'd like to make your own, here is a GF Graham Cracker Recipe  from Living Without. Martha Stewart also has a whole wheat recipe on her site and claims they are easy to make.

So this Labor Day, in the thick of the tall Texas Pines, we will be fireside with our Hershey's bars, GF Graham Crackers, Marshmallows, and chocolate chip cookies, delighting in s'mores AND smushes just for kicks.

Please share your favorite Gluten Free Labor Day tradition with us!