As I mentioned in my last post, my family and I just returned from our annual trip to the Oregon Coast, where we spent three (rather chilly) days making sandcastles, eating massive amounts of saltwater taffy, and warming ourselves next to smoldering bonfires. Our beachside dinners are nothing special; just the typical grilled hot dogs, store-bought potato salad, and, of course, s’mores. But the s’mores, mind you, we take very seriously. Between my nephew’s raging sweet tooth and my dad’s brilliant homemade bonfire forks, s’mores have quickly become the main attraction of our trip. This year I decided to shake things up a bit with two different flavors of s’mores, which we started referring to as G’mores (gourmet s’mores). Both variations (Strawberries & Cream and Triple Chocolate) got the seal of approval from my sugar-obsessed nephew (and the rest of the clan), which was all the taste-testing I needed. So with tomorrow being Labor Day and the vast majority of us camping or grilling out, why not try a new twist on this all-American favorite?

Note: You can find instructions on how to make your own bonfire forks at the end of this post.

Strawberries & Cream S’mores

Strawberries & Cream S’mores

• 1 box of chocolate graham crackers
• 4 bars of Hershey’s Cookies n Cream white chocolate
• 1 bag of strawberry marshmallows

Break graham cracker in half and place 2 pieces of chocolate on one half of cracker, set aside. Using a long stick or bonfire fork, roast marshmallows over an open fire until cooked on the outside and melted on the inside. Carefully place marshmallow on top of the chocolate, then top with the plain half of the graham cracker creating a sandwich. Press down to seal.

Triple Chocolate S’mores

Triple Chocolate S’mores

• 1 box of chocolate graham crackers
• 4 bars of good quality dark chocolate
• 1 bag of chocolate marshmallows

Break graham cracker in half and place 2 pieces of chocolate on one half of cracker, set aside. Using a long stick or bonfire fork, roast marshmallows over an open fire until cooked on the outside and melted on the inside. Carefully place marshmallow on top of the chocolate, then top with the plain half of the graham cracker creating a sandwich. Press down to seal.

Smoosh, eat, and enjoy!

How to Make Your Own Homemade Bonfire Forks{Note: Notice the wine glass in the photo above? My mom refuses to drink wine out of a plastic cup, so she packs glass ones. I guess our beach bonfires aren’t so typical.}

Makes 1 bonfire fork

MATERIALS:

• 1 wooden dowel, 1-inch in diameter and 3-feet long
• 1 Machine Screw, about 3/16-inches in diameter and 1½-inches long
• 2 washers that fit screw
• 1 nut that fits screw
• 1 garage sale fork (one with a flat, wide handle works best)

TOOLS NEEDED:

• electric drill and drill bit
• saw; hand saw or table saw
• screwdriver
• pliers

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS:

1) With a hand saw or table saw, carefully make a kerf (slit) in one end of the dowel about 1½ to 2″ long.

2) Slip the end of the fork into the slit.

3) Leaving the fork in the slit, drill an appropriate size hole through the dowel and fork, drilling all the way through both.

4) Place a washer on one end of the screw and slip the screw through the hole in the dowel/fork. Place another washer over the end of the screw along with the nut and tighten.