Grilled cheese is a favorite food of almost every kid, and of a lot of adults too.

Who doesn’t love gooey cheese between two slices of bread, at least those of us who are not lactose intolerant.

Grilled cheese pudgie pies are a really easy meal when camping, but even though American cheese between two slices of buttered and grilled bread is delicious, there are lots of other ways to pump up the flavor.

But before I get too carried away with different variations to try, let’s start with the basic version of good old grilled cheese:

GRILLED CHEESE PUDGIE PIE RECIPE
Butter one side of 2 slices of white bread.
Place one slice in pudgie pie maker/pie iron, butter side down.
Top with 2 American or Velveeta cheese slices.
Cover with second slice of bread, butter side up.
Close pie iron and cook in fire until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes on each side.

When you’re ready for something a little different or are feeling adventurous, try these variations:

- Use Colby, Colby Jack, or Monterey Jack cheese instead of American cheese
- Chop up a few pickled jalapeno slices and sprinkle them over the cheese before grilling for a spicy kick.
- Add fresh tomato slices.
- Use dark rye bread, deli ham, and Swiss cheese for a classic ham and cheese sandwich.
- Deli ham and American cheese is tasty too!
- Have some leftover roast beef from another meal? Roast beef and cheese is delicious!
- Switch up the bread. Try a grilled cheese on pumpernickel or marbled rye.
- Use mayo on the outside of the bread instead of butter.
- Add cooked crumbled bacon.
- Try some avocado slices.
- Sprinkle on a little Worcestershire sauce for a different flavor sensation.
- Crisp apple slices with mozzarella cheese is a great fall variation.
- For a really grownup grilled cheese try sliced pears with blue cheese.

Until today I thought I was aware of just about every tasty item that could be stuck on a stick and cooked over a campfire. Then someone told me how yummy Starburst candy is when cooked over a fire.

This is where you need to picture a person with a perplexed look on their face along with a text bubble with “What?” written in it.

Then picture a person with a “could that really taste good?” look on their face and a text bubble that has “sounds kind of yucky to me” in it.

Since I’m on a “picture this” roll, next picture a person trying to roast a Starburst over the campfire, but every Starburst is melting and falling off the stick into the fire. You’ll have to come up with your own text bubble for that picture because I really shouldn’t write words that like in this blog!

Anyway, those are the first few thoughts that crossed my mind when I heard about roasting Starbursts.

But, I also became intrigued and already have Starburst candy written on my shopping list for my next camping trip. Since I also read that Tootsie Rolls and Bit-o-Honey candies are also good roasted over the fire, they’re going on my list too.

But, even though roasting them sounds simple, sometimes the easiest sounding things can be deceptively tricky.

So, when roasting Starbursts, Tootsie Rolls or Bit-O-Honeys, here’s are 4 “good to know” tips from others who are successful at it:

- Use a wire roasting utensil and not a wood stick to prevent the candy from sticking. A metal marshmallow fork, hot dog fork, or even an untwisted metal coat hanger will do the the trick.

- Unwrap the candy before roasting it. Roasting them in the wrapper will result in burned wrappers and a sticky mess so take off the wrapper and roast them naked!

- Don’t overcook them or they will melt and fall into the fire. Cook them until they just start to turn puffy and brown, holding the candy about 6 inches from the flame.

- Be careful when removing them from the stick. Be patient and let them cool slightly, about 30 seconds, before pulling them off to avoid getting burned. (While looking online for tips on how to roast Starburst over the fire, I found several posts and pictures from people showing the burns they got from the hot candy).

So the next time you want a sugar rush while camping and aren’t in the mood for marshmallows, try roasting some Starbursts, Tootsie Rolls, and/or Bit-O-Honey’s over the fire.

And, if you’re already a seasoned hand at roasting/toasting Starbursts, Tootsie Rolls, or Bit-O-Honey candy over the fire, share your tips and thoughts in the comments section below.

Happy Camping and Happy Roasting!

P.S. How come we all want to roast sweet and sticky things over the fire but nobody ever says, “Hey let’s roast some celery and carrots sticks over the fire!”

Sweet corn is at its peak right now here in Wisconsin. Not only is it really tasty but there is an abundant supply of it so it is cheap, which I think makes it taste even better.

Although my standard way of cooking it is to husk it and boil it, it is also kind of boring that way so I have started grilling it which makes it tastes so much better. It really is not that much more work, it just takes a little more patience and time.

This method works well on a cooking rack over a campfire (my favorite method), on a gas grill or on a charcoal grill.

STEP 1 (yes, I’m assuming you have already purchased the corn or picked it from your garden)
Pull back the husk on each cob about 3/4 of the way, pull out as much of the corn silk as possible, and close the husk back up. If you goof and accidentally pull the husk off all the way, use a rubber band to keep the husk on while it’s soaking. Make sure to take off the rubber band before putting the food over heat or it will be really stinky! The husk should stay on just fine as long as you’re careful and don’t fling the ear of corn around too much.

STEP 2
Put enough cold water in a tub or in the sink to cover the corn - about 3″ deep (yes I know corn floats but that’s okay). Toss the corn in the water. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of kosher salt (a couple of handfuls - don’t bother with a measuring cup) on top and swish around.

STEP 3
Let the corn soak in the water for at least 30 minutes and up to 90 minutes, swishing it around every 15 minutes (don’t panic if you forget - it will be okay. While the corn is soaking, enjoy a cold beverage or two (I recommend a nice cold beer), then preheat the grill, start the charcoal or start the campfire.

STEP 4
Remove the corn from its salt water bath, shake off the excess water and place on the grill or cooking grate. Turn the cobs 1/4 turn every 5-7 minutes, depending on the heat of the fire getting a nice char on the outer husk.

STEP 5
Remove from heat, carefully peel back the husk (it’s really hot! - and this is where I should recommend letting the corn sit for 5-10 minutes to cool down before eating it but I can never wait that long), remove any remaining silk, slather with butter and salt, and enjoy!

Here’s the downside: It’s really messy this way. Yes, I know corn on the cob without the husk on is messy but this is even messier so it’s best to eat it outside; otherwise you’ll have lots of little black pieces of corn husk all over the table and floor. But, if that does happen, assign someone else in the family the task of sweeping them up!