Campfire Breadsticks

Summer's here and it's the perfect time to make some great family memories. One of our favorite things to do in the summer is cook outside. There's just something special about eating food that's been cooked over a grill or a fire. Especially for kids. It's also nice to not have to heat up the house on those warm, summer days. The problem is that a lot of the food that is traditionally cooked that way is not very healthy. For the last couple of years, we've been experimenting with different campfire dinners that use healthy ingredients. We've had some delicious, healthy campfire cooked food. Today I'm going to share one that's become a favorite: Campfire Breadsticks.

Campfire Breadsticks
Printable Recipe

*Note: This recipe is adapted so that it can be mixed in a zip-lock bag while camping. If you'd rather make the dough ahead of time in a mixer, please see my regular breadsticks recipe for the method. The dough can then be frozen and thawed about 8-10 hours before cooking or refrigerated and pulled out 2-3 hours before cooking to rise. Then follow the instructions below for cooking over the campfire.

YOU WILL NEED:
A Heavy Duty Zip-lock Freezer Bag
Tin Foil (bring with you camping)
Hot coals (at the campsite)

DRY INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp. SAF instant yeast
1 Tbsp. powdered milk
2 Cups Freshly-ground Wheat flour
2 Cups Unbleached White Flour
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt

WET INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 Cups Water
1/2 Cup butter

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
Garlic or onion salt, Parmesan cheese, sesame or poppy seeds, or seasoned salt

DIRECTIONS:

Before leaving home, in a heavy duty zip-lock freezer bag, add the dry ingredients in the order shown above. The order is important because the yeast should not touch the salt or the sugar directly. Then, seal well and bring with you to camp. Make sure you also pack tin foil, water, butter, a small pot for heating water and melting butter, and any toppings you want.

About an hour before you're ready to eat, heat the water to warm, but still touchable temperature (making sure it's not too hot). Then add the warm water to the zip-lock bag with dry ingredients and mix until combined. Add a little more water if too dry. Knead in the zip-lock bag for about 5-10 minutes or until dough is elastic. Seal bag and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.

Once dough has risen, roll out a layer of tin foil to a desired length. Roll a second layer and place on top of the first. Melt butter partially in small pot and grease tin foil with butter. Roll the dough into "snakes" to the size that you desire. Place the number of breadsticks on the tin foil so that foil can still be wrapped around to completely cover them. You may need to make several foil packets with the amount of dough you have. Brush breadstick tops with melted butter, and sprinkle with any topping such as garlic or onion salt, Parmesan cheese, sesame or poppy seeds, or seasoned salt. Fold and seal foil packed and allow to rise 10 minutes. Bake over a few hot coals for 5-10 minutes on one side, then flip and cook another 5-10 minutes on the other. Time will depend on how many coals you have an how hot they are. Cook until golden brown. If you are doing this the first time it will take a little bit of experimentation to get the time just right. Under cooking is better than overcooking. You can always check and put them back on the coals if they're not done.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com