S'MEEPS

Living in rural, northwestern, Pennsylvania as we do, weekend campfires with the nieces, nephews and grandkids are common-place, and as any child familiar with the outdoors will tell you, no bonfire is complete  without S'mores.

Before Rick can even light the fire, the children, roasting sticks in hand, start jockeying for positions around the fire-pit.  My job, in addition to acting as fencing referee, is to provide the marshmallows,  graham crackers, and chocolate bars.

Last May, my little cousin, a city-gal, and fellow foodie through and through, arrived on the banks of Mill Creek with her four boys, and a shopping bag loaded with marshmallow PEEPS - purchased at a discount after Easter.

The brightly-colored, marshmallow treats, were a delightful substitute for the plain, old-fashioned marshmallows usually sandwiched between the chocolate and graham squares, but roasting them required a bit of extra vigilance, as the sugar coating had a tendency to burn quickly if exposed to direct flame.

On the plus-side, the PEEPS held their shape better than their staid conterpart, were a little less messy, and thus easier to eat.

All in all, the S'MEEPS were a big hit, but remember to stock up during the Easter season. The PEEPS will stay fresh in their original packaging for months after the holiday.