Hitches Unlimited

If you are planning a family camping trip this summer, one of the activities that you are probably looking forward to is roasting marshmallows over the campfire. We consider campfire time one of our favorite family camping experiences and while we don’t always roast marshmallows, it is a great family activity that the kids really enjoy. Here are five marshmallow sticks that will spare you from having to search for that perfect stick in the woods.

Rome Industries Marshmallow Tree

I think we all looked for these kinds of sticks when we were kids – the kind that you could load with half a dozen marshmallows, to maximize your melted sugary treat experience. The Marshmallow Tree harkens back to those multi-branched marshmallow sticks of our youth, but this version is made from steel that is bent to look like the branches of a tree.

Tube O’ Stix™

Worried about finding that perfect marshmallow stick, once you get to your favorite camping spot? The Marshmallow Stick Company has you covered, with their Tube O’ Stix which is a bundle of twenty birch marshmallow sticks that are 30-inches long, with semi-tapered ends that don’t require any whittling by mom or dad.

POPSTICKS®

I first stumbled onto POPSTICKS last year and was impressed with the attention to detail and quality that inventor Ray Westfall puts into the product. They are also one of the best marshmallow sticks I’ve seen for traveling, since the fork stores completely inside the tube-handle when not in use.

Marshmallow Chef Sticks

If machined aluminum isn’t quite your style, but you are still a stickler for quality, there’s the Marshmallow Chef Sticks. These quality roasting sticks are made of 3/4 inch hardwood maple and come in 16, 30 and 47-inch lengths.

Grill Thing

Filling the gap between a simple stick and a metal fork is the Grill Thing. These stainless steel forks attach to the end of any stick, allowing you to safely, and cleanly attach marshmallows or hotdogs. Best of all, when the Grill Thing is removed from the stick it is easy to store.

See also…

• Campfire S’mores
• Mechanic Invents Better Campfire Roasting Fork
• Campfire Popcorn

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I love sausage, but I also love getting the most mileage out of the food I pack for camping as I can, so planning a day’s camping menu around a common theme – in this case, sausage, makes a lot of sense. We camp a lot, so even though we like to keep our meals simple, a steady camping meal of pancakes, hamburgers and hotdogs gets old fast. Here is a quiche, a pasta dish and a calzone that will add a little pizzazz to your camping menu.

Breakfast: Impossible Quiche

Impossible Quiche (photo by Marylise Doctrinal on Flickr)

4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
2 Cups Milk
1/2 Cup Bisquick®
2 TSP Butter
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
1/2 lbs. Italian Sausage (precooked, or brown at campsite)
1 Cup Shredded Swiss Cheese

Whisk Bisquick, milk, butter, salt and pepper together. If preparing ahead of time, blend these ingredients in a blender, then store in a resealable bag. At the campsite, preheat a dutch oven or large skillet. Lightly brush the inside (while hot) with olive oil, then pour in the egg mixture and top with the cheese and sausage. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean.

Lunch: Sausage and Pepper Pasta

Sausage and Pepper Pasta (photo by prettywar-stl on Flickr)

1/2 lbs. Italian Sausage
1 Medium Red or Green Pepper, Chopped
3/4 Cup Chopped Onion
1 Clove Garlic
1 Cup Heavy Cream (Whipping Cream)
1/4 Cup Parsley
2 TSP Butter
1/2 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
10 oz. Pasta

Prepare pasta per directions on package. In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft. If cooking raw sausage, cook until brown, and then drain grease. Add remaining ingredients, except cheese, and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

This meal, sans-pasta, can be prepared in the kitchen ahead of time, and then frozen in Reynolds® Slow Cooker Liners. The frozen meal can then be reheated at the campsite in the same pot that you use to cook the pasta (see Make Camping Meals at Home to Save Time and Trash).

Toss with pasta and sprinkle with cheese.

Dinner: Calzone

Foil meals on the campfire (photo by dianaschnuth on Flickr)

1/2 Package of Bread Dough (such as Rhodes) or 1 Package of Pizza Dough
1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce, such as Newman’s Own Organic Herb Sauce
1/2 lbs. Italian Sausage
1 Cup Chopped Mushrooms
1 Cup Chopped Onion
1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese

Flatten dough onto a cold griddle or cutting board. Add ingredients, reserving some of the sauce to pour over the finished calzone, then fold over and pinch the edges together, sealing them tightly. Poke several air holes in the dough with a fork, to allow the steam to vent.

There are a lot of options, when it comes to cooking a calzone over a campfire. You can use a pie iron, a dutch oven, or simply wrap the calzone in heavy foil and place in hot coals. Cook for about 45 minutes. Top with remaining sauce and serve.

There’s more to camping meals than hamburgers and hotdogs, so when you are planning your next camping menu, be creative and put together something that everybody will remember. Much of the preparation for these meals can be done at home, where you have things like measuring cups and blenders. Incorporating common ingredients, like the Italian Sausage used in these meals, saves space in your ice chest and saves time at the grocery store.

What is one of your favorite camping recipes?

See also…

• Camping Meal menu from Bon Appétit
• 10 Tips to Better Outdoor Cooking
• Dutch Oven Buyer’s Guide

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