My niece, Becca Bona, sent me a recipe recently for Peanut Butter S’mores Turnovers. She and her sister are always cooking up something. Well, this recipe perked up my “cooking senses,” and for good reason – it is so delicious I had to share with you. It is a great twist on an old classic!

The history of the s’more seems to be a mystery. No one knows who started the tradition of roasting marshmallows, but the 1927 Girl Scout Handbook was the first documentation of the recipe combining marshmallows with chocolate and graham crackers. More than likely, the Girl Scouts organization was responsible for the treat. After all, they have all those wonderful cookies, so it seems reasonable that they would be the ones to create such a wonderful little dessert. The term s’more allegedly is a contraction for ‘gimme some more,’ which everyone always says, because one just isn’t enough!

Here are some interesting facts on marshmallows:

• Americans buy 90 million pounds of marshmallows each year, about the same weight as 1,286 gray whales. (This is hard for me to believe. That’s a lot of marshmallows!)
• The marshmallow capital of the world is in Ligonier, Noble County, Ind. It also is the home of the annual Marshmallow Festival.
• Each summer, more than 50 percent of all marshmallows sold are toasted over a fire.
• The largest s’more ever made weighed 1,600 pounds and used 20,000 roasted marshmallows and 7,000 chocolate bars. The record was set on May 23, 2003. I’m not so sure who the “roaster” was, but it had to be a HOT job!

I think I will stick with one little marshmallow on a stick, roasted to perfection! Or this recipe. So yummy!

Peanut Butter S’mores Turnovers

1 box Puff Pastry (2 sheets), thawed

3 whole graham crackers, broken into fourths

9 small milk chocolate bars

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Small bowl of water

1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water

(egg wash)

1/2 cup jarred marshmallow creme

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray.

Working with one sheet of Puff Pastry at a time, place pastry on cutting board; cut into three folds, creating three rectangles (about 3” x 10” each). Cut each 3 x 10 rectangle in half. This will give you six rectangles for each sheet of Puff Pastry.

Assemble turnovers: Lay graham cracker on 1/2 of each square; top with chocolate that has been cut down to the size of the graham cracker; top with one tablespoon peanut butter on each chocolate bar.

Wet edges of pastry dough and fold in half to meet opposite edges. Gently push edges together with fork to seal and create ridged edge. Repeat with each turnover. Gently place turnovers on baking sheet. (At this point, the turnovers may be refrigerated for up to an hour before baking. Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap, and when ready to use, continue with baking instructions.)

Brush turnovers lightly with egg wash, then cut two small slits into the top of each turnover. Bake 15 minutes, or until turnovers are puffed and golden. Remove from oven. Let cool for five minutes. Scoop marshmallow creme into a zip baggie (don’t zip). Microwave for eight seconds to soften. Zip bag and snip off a small piece from a corner of the bag. Drizzle warmed marshmallow onto the top of each turnover. Serve immediately.

Yield: 12 turnovers