Friday, June 18, 2010

S’mores

 IMG_8264 We recently went camping. Did you know, cooking over a campfire is really hard?

I mean, I love love love my dutch oven. But you know what I like even better?

An oven where I can turn a dial and know exactly what temperature it’s at.

I burned the hobo dinners a little. Then I undercooked the breakfast in a paper bag IMG_8300 (which, I’m still skeptical about. Doesn’t the bag just catch on fire?) And when we wrapped sticks with cinnamon twist pillsbury dough (from the can), one side was burnt and the inside was raw. Not to mention the dough constantly untwisting and drooping into the fire.IMG_8298 Putting them in foil to cook amongst the coals… not much better results. IMG_8299So I’m feeling extremely grateful that we have ovens and that firewood (or even coal) is not a necessity of every meal. I’ve been complaining about my electric stove because I want a gas one so badly, but really. I have a stove. With dials.

Camp food is somewhat glorious because you’re always hungry by the time you want to eat something. And smoke makes a gorgeous seasoning. So you put up with a lot.

The really perfect camp food, though, is s’mores. I’m slightly obsessed with s’mores, and I eat them at least once a week, cooked in the toaster oven. The toaster oven is perfect because the marshmallows are browned, liquid all the way through to the center, and the chocolate actually melts. So even this camp food is better at home. IMG_8263 Here’s Amaya showing us her dirty hands after our s’more fest. “Charlie and the Chocolate Hands,” she says. I think it was her first joke.

I enjoy the classic s’more recipe, but I also like to mix things up a bit. Here are some more ideas.

For the diet conscious:

IMG_8314 Anna’s Chocolate Mint Thins and 1 marshmallow. I was surprised how much I liked these.

For convenience:

IMG_8318 Keebler’s half-dipped graham cracker/cookies with 4 mini marshmallows each (the size of these graham crackers are small, so mini marshmallows work better. It’s nice to not have to deal with little pieces of chocolate when you’re sitting at a campfire in the dark.

For the sweet tooth:

IMG_8321 graham crackers, Reese’s peanut butter cup, and marshmallow. These are my favorite.

If you want to make these at home, I just set up my graham crackers, mallows, and chocolate on a toaster sheet pan, and hit 450 on the temp. Toast until the mallows are browned (about 5 minutes).

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11 comments:

Eva said...

Yum!!! You're making my mouth water.

P.S. This is Eva on both comments. :)

david a bouchers said...

s'mores made with nutter butter cookies in place of the graham cracker are awesome. I've also seen recipes with white chocolate and raspberry jam...not so sure about that one. Cute post! Thanks.

Mariko said...

That is a genius idea! I was thinking a marshmallow inside an oreo would be yummy too, but nutter butters-- I want to go buy some right now just to try it!

My Man's Belly said...

S'mores are the hit at our summer party. I couldn't believe how many kids had never had them before especially while I was watching their parents devour them (because they hadn't had them in years).

Taylor said...

I really like the pictures, and these look delicious!

Damaris @Kitchen Corners said...

These look so good. I could seriously have a 'smore a day.

Mariko said...

I was surprised to find "s'more recipes" on the internet with just the basic combo. I was like, "There are people who haven't eaten s'mores?" Poor things.

Jessica said...

Oooh...I love the one with peanut butter...

(Head smacking forehead)why didn't I think of that! ;-D

jessyburke88@gmail.com

The Cooking Photographer said...

I LOVE your blog! :) :) :)

Laura

Mariko said...

Jessica: Oh, I didn't think of it. I'm not that smart. But I love it like it was my own. :)

Laura: Thank you! I love yours, too.

Gemma said...

I loved reading this post, campfire cooking is really hard and I apprectiate that you were brutally honest with your post. I've never had a S'more but you make them look so tempting, I think I may have to give it a go!

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