S’More Backyard Fun Please

Take your backyard s’mores creations to the next level with these tasty enhancements!

S’mores are an absolute summertime classic.  There are few things that exemplify summer more than hanging out in your home’s backyard with family and friends watching marshmallows brown on a skewer in a bonfire.  Everyone knows and loves the original recipe (unless your last name is Smalls).  So some may be hesitant to mess with the traditional, but I assure you, your adventurous side will come out after seeing these delicious alternatives!

Bacon:

We are going to lead off this list with bacon because, well, why not?  It’s bacon – the food that keeps on giving just gave us another excuse to eat more.

Create candied bacon by sprinkling each strip with brown sugar.  Set your oven to between 375 – 400 °F and cook for 15-25 minutes until the bacon is crispy.  For those with a preference for the juxtaposed tastes of sweet and salty, use dark chocolate in your final creation.

Fruit:

Doctors are always recommending to eat more fruit.  Oblige them by adding your favorite fruit to your favorite backyard summertime treat!  Whether it is bananas, strawberries, blueberries or raspberries, it will be delicious.

Do you have a bunch of fruit lying around waiting to be eaten?  Kick your S’mores up a notch by first roasting your ingredients for a caramelized fruit garnish.  It’s the doctor’s orders.

No Graham Crackers, No Problem:

Don’t feel like going out to the store to grab graham crackers?  No worries.  Many snacks and treats you may already have lying in your pantry will do the trick!

Instead of the traditional, go rogue by using chocolate chip cookies, Oreo’s, waffle cookies or Rice Krispies for the perfect marshmallow and chocolate conveyor.

This is Just the Veganning:

Have you not been able to enjoy a S’more in the years after you became vegan?  Don’t miss out anymore!

You can still join the fun by substituting regular marshmallows for the vegan kind and milk chocolate for organic dark chocolate.

S’Mores Lasagna:

I’ve never gazed upon the rolling hills of Tuscany or traversed the watery, serpentine allies of Venice, but when I imagine Italy, I think of a place where layers of pasta, sauce and cheeses combine to make the entire country smell like my friend Giuseppe’s grandmother’s kitchen.  I also would like to imagine when they do dessert, it is in the lasagna mold.

Start out by lining a base layer of graham crackers on the bottom of your tray.  Then, sprinkle chocolate chips and mini marshmallows (the small pieces will make it easier to layer) until you are satisfied.  Place another layer of graham crackers atop your chocolate and marshmallows and repeat!  Preheat your oven to 500°F and cook for about 6 minutes until browned and gooey!

Think Outside of the S’more:

Here is the section where things may get a little crazy.  The beauty of the S’more is that practically any combination of your favorite sweets and treats will taste amazing!  Love peanut butter or Nutella?  Spread some on each cracker while you are waiting for your mallow to brown.  Want to switch it up from the classic milk chocolate?  Use Milky Ways, Snickers, Kit Kat bars or anything else to make this traditional treat your very own!

No matter what your personal preference, the best thing about S’mores is spending time with loved ones on a beautiful summer night in a place you call home.

 

 

Take a look at the biggest S’more in the world for some extra motivation to go out and make your own recipes!

 

 

Header image via Flickr user Ken Bosma.

Sam is the Content and Multimedia Specialist for Coldwell Banker Real Estate. He is Jersey born and bred, and currently resides in Weehawken, NJ. He is an avid reader, loves Games of Thrones and is a New York Yankees die-hard.

You can follow him on Twitter @World_Shalom

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2 Comments

  1. Mel
    August 10, 2015

    Yum!!

    Reply
    • Sam Shalom
      August 10, 2015

      S’okay!

      Reply

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