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S’Mores no more! It’s the summer of 2012 and while s’mores are a beloved campfire classic, there are plenty of other delicious desserts you and your kids can heat up over the fire. Why not try something new? Now, I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest fan of marshmallows, but that doesn’t mean my reasons for trying alternative campfire desserts are any less valid.

When I first discovered the simple yet delicious recipe for a Banana Boat that required nothing more than tin foil, bananas, chocolate chips, and marshmallows (sans marshmallows for me), it got me thinking. Fruits are actually a wonderful treat when roasted because the caramelization helps release their natural juices, giving you fruit packed with richer flavors and texture. It’s best to find fruits that are ripe but still a bit firm. You can roast citrus fruits if you want but because there’s much more water in them, they’ll wind up steaming more than roasting.

It’s simple enough to let your kids roast over the campfire too. Just halve, slice, or dice some fruits such as peach, pineapple, plum, and strawberries and have your kids thread them onto some wet skewers and roast away! Another option is to roast them in a pan over a campfire grill and let them simmer in their own juices. Fruits usually don’t need much more than 2-3 minutes on each side depending on how to cut them and should end up just slightly tender.

Once they’re done, top them off with some honey, maple syrup or ground spices. Even better, serve them with some yogurt or ice cream! The juices you collect while roasting fruit in a pan can be used for cooking more savory dishes. You and your kids will enjoy the roasted fruits’ enriched flavors and unusual sensations of hot and cold mixed into one bite. I won’t claim any victory over s’mores with my offerings of fruit, but I hope you enjoy them all the same!

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