Local flavour: S'more variety
Michelle Ottens and April Doolan have tweaked the quintessential campfire treat recipe to delectable results.
Leave it to a couple of senior Girl Guides to grow tired of simple s'mores – a staple food of their summer in the great outdoors.
The Delta Secondary school friends, who regularly camp on Denman Island, add sliced bananas and cream cheese to their s'mores – a Canadian Living magazine recipe – for more flavour and moisture.
"It tastes heavenly," reports Ottens.
The girls, along with the rest of the Rivers End Rangers, are currently raising money to attend an international Girl Guides conference in London, England next July, where they will learn how to use their life experience to empower other people.
Doolan would like to become a Kindergarten teacher, to help kids realize their potential. An aspiring photographer, Ottens one day wants to take snapshots of "everything and anything" in countries under strife and include a philosophical approach.
Both agree that London is on their bucket list.
"It's very exciting. Just to be able to be given this opportunity with all of our friends would be amazing," said Doolan.
Terry Day of the Tsawwassen Rotary Club takes a bite of his banana and cream cheese s'more and offers the girls a critique.
"There's a good chocolate hit right off the bat," he says.
So when was Day's first time eating a marshmallow, chocolate and graham cracker sandwich?
"Oh my god, probably in Scouts when I was younger than you," he laughs, telling the girls.
Both the Rotary Club and the Rangers will be on hand during free Outdoor Movie Nights presented by the Tsawwassen Business Improvement Association.
Proceeds from the concession stand, which will be stocked with hot dogs, popcorn, pizza, pop and chips – and manned by local Rotary Club members – will be donated to the Ladner/Tsawwassen Rangers.
"The Girl Guides do service work, and that's an extension of our [Rotary] club," said Day.
For their part, the Rangers will be assisting with the set up, sales and clean up at the concession, and most importantly, selling their famous Girl Guide Cookies.
The movies will be shown on a three-storey high inflatable screen at Diefenbaker Park on Saturday July 28 ("Ferris Bueller's Day Off") and Aug. 11 ("The Lion King"). The final presentation on Aug. 25, "Night at the Museum", will be shown at Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall.
The events begin at 6:30 p.m. with games, activities, demos and food. Around dusk is when the movies will start. Guests are asked to bring lawn chairs, blankets and flashlights. In case of extreme weather conditions the events will be rescheduled. Check the Tsawwassen BIA website (shoptsawwassen.com) before you head out to the park for updates.
Banana and cream s'mores
courtesy Canadian Living magazine
Ingredients
2/3 cup Canadian cream cheese
8 graham crackers
2/3 cup mini-marshmallows
2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 banana, sliced
Directions
Preparation:
Spread cream cheese onto graham crackers. Garnish with mini-marshmallows, chocolate chips and bananas.
BBQ method:
1. Preheat grill to a medium heat.
2. Spread out a large square of aluminum foil, adding a sheet of parchment paper on top.
3. Place s'mores in the centre of the parchment paper.
4. Fold sides of foil over the s'mores and seal the sides, essentially creating a tin foil tent.
5. Cook on the grill for 5-7 minutes.
6. Open up the aluminum foil and continue cooking until marshmallows turn a golden colour.
Oven method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Assemble s'mores and place in tin foil tent.
3. Bake for 6 minutes, then open the tent and allow the marshmallows to brown for another 6 minutes.
Cookie sheet option:
Place s'mores directly on a cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes at 350 F until marshmallows are brown.
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.