When you’re going camping, the three most important items to bring are marshmallows, Hershey’s chocolate bars and Graham crackers. They are a requirement. But why can we only have s’mores while camping? What can be done with those tasty fixings at home? Well, s’mores, meet breakfast. Breakfast, meet s’mores.

It’s time for something more sweet and gooey to start off the day, and some S’mores French Toast is just the place to find it. Your sweet tooth will thank you for it.

Ingredients
Half of a batard (wide) size French bread or Challah loaf
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. milk
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. vanilla
Butter
5 large marshmallows, diced
1 1.55 oz. Hershey’s chocolate bar, chopped
One Graham cracker sheet, crushed
Chocolate syrup

Directions
Slice three 1 ¾” slices off of the bread. Slice each one of them almost in half, making sure not to cut all the way through. Stuff each pocket with the marshmallow and chocolate pieces, and push the two sides together. Scramble the eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Dip each bread pocket in the egg mixture, making sure to cover both sides. Cook over medium heat for two-three minutes per side, until they are browned and the mixture inside is melted. Remove from pan, and slice if you wish. Drizzle the French toast with chocolate syrup, and top with plenty of Graham cracker crumbs. Enjoy with a knife and fork, or use your hands as you would when eating a traditional s’mores!

Posted by Rachel Teichman

Banana Split Bread Pudding
Ingredients
1 loaf of challah 
4 eggs
2 cups whole milk
2 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
10 maraschino cherries diced
1-2 bananas chopped
¼ cup chocolate chips
Chocolate sauce to drizzle

Directions
Slice the bread into two inch cubes. Toast for five minutes on a sheet pan at 350°. Butter a 9x13" inch pan. Place the toasted bread in the pan. Combine the eggs and milk. Add the juice, sugars and cinnamon to the egg mixture. Sprinkle the bananas, cherries and chocolate chips over the bread. Pour the custard mix over the bread. Drizzle with chocolate sauce if desired. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°. Serve warm or chilled with whipped cream, ice cream or yogurt.

I caught up with cookbook author, broadcaster and new grandmother Marlena Spieler while she was in NYC. She divides her time between England and the US, and has written cookbooks on everything from Jewish and French cuisines, to grilled cheese and BBQ. I am happy to call her a lifelong family friend, and if you look real close you will find my name within one of her cookbook stories.

1. What's your favorite color? Green, I LOVE green.

2. What's your favorite ice cream? Ice cream? Bi-Rite Creamery's salted caramel or Eataly's dark chocolate gelato, or most anything at Paris' Berthillon. Also I like a nice cheap pink peppermint ice cream at Christmastime. 

3. What's your favorite purple? My favourite purple? 

4. What's your favorite flower? I like narcissi and antique roses, for their scent. But exotic and classic tulips for their look.

5. What is your all time favorite song? La Mer, an old 50s song that was also recorded in English, a somewhere beyond the sea...but in French it is...you know, more atmospheric. 

6. When did you move for the first and last time? First time I moved to Jerusalem. Last time I moved to the backwoods of Hampshire, UK. 

7. What is your favorite US city to visit? I don't know which my favorite US city is. San Francisco and NYC I love. But haven't been to many others. Like Taos. New Orleans. Portland. And I know there are many others I could fall in love with but haven't been. Chicago, pretty cool. 

8. What is the last book you read? Read May We Be Forgiven a little a week or two ago, then Rosemary's Baby, and just finished a book by Lisa See but don't remember the title. About China in the 50s, 60s, novel but historical and personal. 

9. Four Square or Tetherball? Four Ssquare or tetherball: tough call. i liked them both. I think I got more excited over tetherball though. 

10. Favorite childhood meal? Favourite childhood meal would have been the weekly Chinese dinner or the weekly Mexican one. 

11. OOGIAH means cookie. What is your favorite kind? The thing about oogiah is it's such a great word, and not only does it taste yummy to say it, but in plural it is even yummier: oogiot. something about saying oogiot just makes me happy! Having said that, well, iIm not a big cookie person. It's gotta be an intensely flavoured cookie whatever it is. A good choc chunk with caramelized batter sort of thing, and crisp when you bite into it. On the other hand, once I start eating cookies suddenly I remember how wonderful they can be! And when this happens, I'm all in for ginger snaps, with a lotta ginger and spice!

Notes by OOGIAH:
Ice Cream: Bi-Rite Creamery ~ Eataly ~ Berthillon ~ Peppermint Stick (there are many brands of this flavor)
Song: La Mer by Charles Trénet
Book: May We Be Forgiven by A.M. Homes ~ Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin ~ Dreams of Joy by Lisa See
Cookie: Ginger Snaps

Find out more about Marlena Spieler here. 

*The first four questions were created by a five-year-old. And the last seven were written by her mom.
Posted by Rachel Teichman

Allison Josephs, or the Jew in the City, bakes challah along with her daughters in this video. It is not any ordinary challah, because it has walnuts inside, and cinnamon sugar on top! And it is not any ordinary video, with "I Dream of Jeannie" special effects along with three baking fashionistas! The video is both entertaining and educational as this Jewish mama explains the Mitzvah of Hafrashas Challah, or setting aside and blessing a portion of the dough. Allison teaches all the steps that are needed in order to create delicious and halachic (according to Jewish law) challah. As she bakes along with her kids, you can picture yourself doing the same. So go, bake! And Shabbat Shalom! You can download the recipe here or find it on Pinterest.  

~Please share photos of your challot if you use this recipe!~

Posted by Rachel Teichman