Hot Summer Nights!

Summer nights would not be complete without a few backyard bonfires. Whether you’re entertaining friends or relaxing with your family, bonfires are a great way to wind down the lazy summer evenings. Make your backyard bonfire experiences better with these tips and treats.

You don’t want to spend more time making the bonfire than you do enjoying it. We aren’t on Cast Away here, so stop rubbing sticks together and grab a starter log.  Use dry firewood to feed the fire—this will last much longer than leaves or newspaper.

There are many different ways to position logs to create a small backyard bonfire. My favorite is the grid. This technique is when you lay the firewood on top of each other in a tic-tac-toe formation as you go up. Usually three or four layers of wood will suffice. Another way to position the firewood is the teepee. This is when you make a little teepee with the firewood. Try to make the firewood as secure as possible so that the flaming logs do not fall over and hurt somebody.

Bonfire Treats

S’mores are the go-to backyard bonfire snack, but year after year of plain s’mores can get a little bland. Some of my favorite ways to jazz up the original S'more is to switch out the classic Hershey bar for a Reese cup or Kit Kat!  Get even crazier with a scoop of Nutella.  Or, while you are roasting your marshmallow, lay the graham cracker with your chocolate on it near the blaze so your chocolate gets nice and soft. Try throwing some fruit in the mix. Strawberries and bananas are great fruit that pair perfectly with chocolate. Instead of a plain graham cracker, get the chocolate covered or cinnamon flavored kind. Or use your family’s favorite cookies.

Although all other bonfire treats live in the shadow of s’mores, they are still worth trying. Take an apple, core it, then fill it with your favorite ingredients like peanut butter, Nutella, raisins, cinnamon or sugar.  After stuffing the apple, wrap it in aluminum foil and let it bake in the hot coals for about 15 minutes. Just be sure to be careful when you are unwrapping the apple so that nobody gets burned.

Grilled banana boats are another popular bonfire treat. Leave the banana in the peel and slice it lengthwise about a half an inch deep, leaving a little space at both ends of the banana. Open the pocket and stuff it with chocolate chips, marshmallows or any other topping you want. Wrap the banana in aluminum foil and place it on the hot coals for five minutes. Once all of the toppings have melted, unwrap and dig in!

Remember to always keep safety in mind when you have a bonfire. Never leave the fire unattended and be sure to explain fire safety to young children.

With these backyard bonfire tips and treats you are well on your way to a roaring fire with delicious snacks.

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