Woody's Secret Camping Recipes by M. K. Sejbl Eight-year-old Joe Williams spent a day at Woodall’s on “Take Your Kid to Work Day.” Joe has been a Cub Scout for three years and has just received his whittling chip which means that he knows the safety rules for handling a knife and how to use it. To earn this badge, Joe had to carve something out of a bar of soap ­ Joe carved a really great whale. Woody and Joe spent some time together, and Woody learned that Joe hasn’t earned his campfire safety badge yet, but he knows the fire safety rules, and his parents let him help prepare the campfire. Look below for Joe’s campfire safety rules. Joe told Woody his favorite campfire foods are hot dogs and S’mores. Now that he has his whittling chip, he can cut his own stick and trim it to a point so he can roast his hotdogs and marshmallows. When Woody asked Joe how he knew when his hot dog was done, Joe laughed and said, “It’s done when it turns black!” Joe says that his mom and dad prefer their hot dogs not so well done. Joe told Woody how to make S’mores, and Joe’s mom sent Woody great recipes for two of Joe’s favorite campground treats, Trail Mix Nuggets and Joe’s No-Bake Cookies. Woody thought all of these treats were so delicious that he had to share them with all of his friends. S’Mores S’mores are a favorite campground treat, and it seems that just about everyone has eaten them at some time or other. S’mores got their name because everyone who ate them wanted “some more,” but since their mouths were full of chewy, gooey marshmallows and chocolate it came out as “S’more.” To make S’mores, put four squares from a regular-sized Hershey’s chocolate bar on graham cracker, put a hot roasted marshmallow on top of the chocolate, top off the marshmallow with another graham cracker and squish it all together. Then eat it before it gets cold. But, don’t let go of your marshmallow roasting stick, because as soon as you finish your first S’more, you’ll want to eat some more! Trail Mix Nuggets Joe’s mom makes this ahead of time and puts it into ziplock bags. Joe and his brother, Sam, eat the trail mix for snacks in their RV or at the campground. • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake oats in a 9- x 13-inch pan for 30 minutes or until golden, stirring every 10 minutes. Add nuts, cereals, and sunflower seeds. Bake for another 15 minutes until toasted. Add butter, maple syrup, raisins and dried fruit. Stir well. Bake for another 45 minutes , stirring occasionally until golden brown. Mixture should clump together. Spread on waxed paper. When cooled, break into pieces and store in an airtight container. No-Bake Cookies These can be made right over a campfire since they don’t require an oven. Don't forget the wax paper! • Mix together the sugar, butter, cocoa and milk and boil for two minutes. Cool for two minutes. Add peanut butter, oats and vanilla. Mix well and cool for another two minutes. Drop by spoonfuls on wax paper. Cool until set. Once you start dropping these on the wax paper, don't stop until you are done ­ they set up pretty fast. Don’t forget, whenever you’re cooking over a campfire, make sure a grownup is supervising. Safetey Tips • Build your campfire well away from your tent or RV. • After selecting a safe site for your campfire, rake the area to clear away leaves and branches that may accidentally catch on fire. • Make a ring of rocks around your campfire. This will help keep nearby grass from catching fire and will also remind people to stay a safe distance away from the fire. • Keep a bucket of water or sand near the fire so that it can be put out easily. • When you build a campfire, put twigs and leaves in the bottom of the fire, then heavier sticks on top. Never, ever cut firewood from living tree, but it’s OK to pick up dead sticks from the ground. • When you’re finished with your campfire, pour water on it and stir it with a stick until the ashes are cold. Excerpted from Woodall's Monthly Regional RV/Camping Publications. Home | Back to Kids' Camping Corner | Back to Stories | Top of Page ©2000. Woodall Publications Corp. All copy and images.