Indoor S'Mores

One sunny Saturday afternoon - the summer after my senior year of high school I heard a strange car horn down at the corner, seemingly approaching. I went to the front porch and shrieked with delight. "You finished it!!" Without even being invited, I gently climbed in the front seat of the newly rebuilt 196-(something-I should know this!) navy blue Ford Mustang Convertible with white leather. I was taken on a ride. We stayed on paved roads; carefully making sure neither dust nor gravel would mar the pristine finish.
I helped my friend rebuild this mustang. It began as a seemingly pile of junk on the floor of his garage. When I say I helped, my job was to take my perch in the corner of the garage and chatter endlessly for hours, touching nothing while Brett worked. This division of labor was repeated throughout the summer of 1987, the following school year and into the summer of 1988. Brett was a good friend. I always felt blessed to have him as a friend and undeserving of his loyalty.
Brett was unassuming and very accepting. He treated me with incredible respect and helped me try to understand my potential. Despite his efforts, I was still a bit if a trouble maker.
One Friday at school in the fall of my senior year, I asked Brett what we were doing that weekend. He told me I was on my own because the boys were all going camping- no girls allowed! While pretending not to, I listened in on their conversation at lunch outlining the details of their campout including a specific description of where the site was located. I drug along a girlfriend and we set out to crash their “man” camp-out. I took a wrong turn on a darkened road in Allegheny National Forest. The turn left us stuck in a muddy cornfield. It was well past curfew by the time we became free and my friend and I headed to the car wash and then home having never found the boys.

Today I was saddened by the news of Brett's passing. He was 40 years old: A husband, a father, and no doubt, a treasured friend by any who knew him.

If I were to make him some Indoor S'Mores, I think after 20-some years I could tell him about the time I tried to crash his camp-out.
And knowing Brett, he would be grateful and overly enthusiastic with any treat prepared for him -because he really was that nice of a person.

Indoor S'mores

(adapted from Pampered Chef)

1 cup finely crushed graham crackers

¼ cup powdered sugar

6 T melted butter

5 Campfire sized marshmallows

5 Hershey milk chocolate candy bars (1.55oz.)
Preheat oven to 350°F . Combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and butter . Place scant scoop of crumb mixture in each cup of 9 tins in a muffin pan. Press crumbs to form shallow cups. Bake 5-6 minutes or until edges are bubbling. Meanwhile, break the candy bars into rectangles. Remove pan from oven; place three rectangles into each cup.
Cut marshmallows in half crosswise. Place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup. Broil in oven 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows are just gently roasted. Cool Slightly.
Melt remaining candy bars and place in a freezer strength Ziploc bag. Microwave on HIGH in 3o second intervals until melted. Drizzle the top of each marshmallow with melted chocolate.

So Brett- if your new job in heaven allows you to read my blog-

"Thank you for the ride of a lifetime in the car "we" rebuilt. - Until we meet again dear friend. And may the family you left behind be comforted today and in all of their tomorrows -pass on the rich legacy you left behind."