We spent the past weekend out in the country. Like wayyyy out – wide open prairies and BIG TEXAS BUGS. Unfortunately, out in the country, there is rarely time to just sit around and enjoy the slow pace… there’s always something that needs to get done.
And so, we bribed the kids with a special treat – if they would help us empty the scary shed (see yesterday’s post for a photo) and burn all the trash… we would give them S’MORES!
S’mores are always the treat they ask for when it is trash burning time. Or campfire time. Or even grilling outside on the porch time.
My city kids love a chance to play campfire at grandma’s house, and S’mores are cheap and easy ways to bribe them in to all sorts of country chores.
We actually decided to join HERSHEY’S CAMP BONDFIRE‘s official campaign because we love S’mores and planned on making them at grandma’s house anyway. Hershey’s was kind enough to mail us a box of S’mores-making gear, complete with melted chocolate bars. Shhhh! I don’t think the people in Pennsylvania know how hot it gets in Texas, and those ice-packs probably only kept the chocolate from melting until they flew over the Tennessee.
We left town for the weekend, and forgot to take our S’mores gear with us, so we will just keep the chocolate in the freezer – awaiting the next trip to grandma’s. Unless, of course, Mom has a stressful day and decides to make herself a S’mores over the Old Smokey on the back patio. Stranger things have happened.
Recognizing our dilemma, mom made a quick grocery list and we headed back in to town. We got back to the boys and the camp fire – blazing – just after dark.
At first, the camp fire was so hot, we were burning our knuckles trying to get the marshmallows toasted. It was so dark, that we couldn’t see well, and the mosquitoes were biting. We were afraid that bugs were going to get in to the S’mores accidentally since we weren’t able to see good enough. Trust me, spiders and crickets don’t make good additions to your dessert.
The wind was crazy, and we had to get the hose out to make sure the fire didn’t spread. [BE SURE TO PRACTICE SAFE CAMPFIRE PROCEDURES if you try this on your own! Never make a fire without an adult present, kiddies.]
The girls decided they were going to try and create a S’more over a candle. This only frustrated them: the wind blew the candles out, the marshmallows wouldn’t get roasted properly, and they ended up tasting like wax. NO GOOD. [We highly discourage the use of candles for S’mores making… and please – don’t try this indoors!]
All of us were tired, cranky, windblown, and we settled on eating some chocolate and calling it a night. Some of us also ate a few gigantic campfire sized marshmallows, too… and decided that marshmallows were really made to be toasted over a fire – they are just nowhere near as good when they aren’t.
We dreamed of ooey, gooey, chocolatey, marshmallowy, campfire-toasty, graham crackery goodness. [Well, we don’t really remember our dreams, but I’m pretty sure if we did dream, that was what they were about. I mean, who wouldn’t dream about S’mores if they had a choice?]
The next day, we started burning trash again as we emptied the creepy shed. Daddy found a tree that was dead, dangerously close to grandma’s house, and proceeded to add huge logs to the bonfire.
With the help of daylight and newfound determination, we set out to conquer our task: creating a perfectly roasted S’mores. Here’s how we did it…
How to Make a S’Mores
1. You will need 2 Graham Crackers to sandwich your marshmallow and chocolate between
2. Break up your Hershey’s chocolate and place it on one of the crackers evenly
3. Stick your marshmallow on a long metal rod, skewer stick, or un-wound wire hanger (you will hold this in to the fire and over the coals, but be careful to keep your hands as far away as possible so you don’t get burned; and be sure the fire isn’t too hot… sometimes it is best to wait until there are only embers left, but this might take a little extra ‘roasting time’)
4. Allow your marshmallow to roast slowly, but don’t freak out when it catches on fire. Blow it out and continue to roast it so that every side gets a little brown or burned. Some folks even like to wipe off the burn layer and roast it a second time – for more of a camp-firey flavor.
5. Take your toasty marshmallow and place it on top of the chocolate and graham cracker, then top it with the other cookie… and squeeze so that your hanger comes out and you now have a S’mores “sandwich”.
The marshmallow will melt your chocolate and ooze out on your fingers – be careful not to get burned. You may eat it as soon as it is cool enough not to burn your lips or tongue. Eat them WARM – then REPEAT process… because trust me, you will want another one.
So that’s how to create a delicious S’mores treat and get your country chores done. All in one fantastic tasting, easy process.
Notice my burned knuckles. And I’ve been making these for years, folks. Even the professional S’mores makers sometimes struggle in this dangerous, culinary artform. Keep trying… but be safe. Eventually, you’ll get the perfect blend of cracker, chocolate, and toasty marshmallow.
{I bet you are getting your calendar out to see when you can plan your next campfire-inclusive trip, aren’t you?}
Vive la Chocolate!,
Disclosure: This post is part of my participation in the HERSHEY’S CAMP BONDFIRE campaign. All opinions expressed are mine.
The best smores are made with Nutella. It ups the ooey gooey goodness.
That sounds delish!