How to BBQ Donuts

Summer is the perfect time for sparking up the BBQ, but grilling isn't just for meals, it's wonderful for desserts too. For years, I have read about people grilling donuts, but I never got around to trying it... until a few week sago. Let me tell you... grilled donuts are easy to make and they did NOT disappoint!

Step 1 - Buy a box of glazed donuts. We tried chocolate and plain, and the plain were much better. I've heard it works well with old fashioned sugar donuts too. That's next on our list!

Step 2 - Clean your grill really well. You may even want to turn it up really high to burn off any nasty bits of food.


Step 3 - Place donuts on grill (over medium heat).

Step 4 - Cook a couple of minutes on each side. Watch them closely. You want the glaze to caramelize, and you want grill marks... but you don't want them to turn black. You'll want to use tongs and a spatula to keep the donuts from breaking apart.

The donuts will be slightly crispy on the outside, and warm and soft on the inside. You can eat them plain, or you can top them with ice cream and a bit of chocolate sauce.

Grilled donuts were a big hit in my house, and we will definitely be making them again. If you give them a try, let me know what you think.

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also enjoy the campfire treats here.

Tips for a Simple Summer Staycation: BACKYARD CAMPING

Summer is a wonderful time for making memories with kids, but sometimes hitting the road for an exotic locale isn't possible. But don't fret... camping is a fantastic way to do something fun as a family, and you don't even have to leave home. Check out my tips (below) for planning a simple "backyard camping" summer staycation.

First, you are going camping supplies. We went to Walmart where I was able to get everything I needed for our camping adventure at everyday low prices.

Of course, our biggest purchase was a new tent. Our old tent was way too small for my husband and I and our growing boys, but our new 8 person tent has plenty of room for all of us. It was easy to put up too!

A fire pit is also a good investment. Nothing says "camping" like sitting around a campfire, and basic fire pits are pretty inexpensive.

My boys love s'mores, so for our camping adventure, I set up a decadent s'mores bar. I purchased lots of marshmallows and a variety of cookie and chocolate choices.

I also purchased a package of baby wipes because s'mores can be pretty messy!

My boys had a wonderful time coming up with new and delicious s'more combinations.

I even designed a little sign for our s'mores bar. You can download it (for free) by: right-clicking on the picture below, saving it to your computer, and printing it like a regular 8X10 photo. I printed mine for $0.39 at my local copy store and displayed it in an inexpensive black frame.

I also picked up some backyard games to keep the boys busy.

And when it got dark, we watched an outdoor movie. 

Our night ended with everyone piling into our tent for a good night's sleep. We stocked up on Energizer® flashlights and lighting solutions to keep everyone safe in the dark. We purchased a wonderful Energizer® lantern and Energizer® Vision Headlights for every member of our family so no one would have any trouble finding their way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

A night of backyard camping is a wonderful way to spend a warm summer night. My boys still have their tent set up, and are having a great time playing board games and reading in it during the day.

Have you tried this simple staycation idea with your family? With the right supplies, it can be an enormous amount of fun. Enjoy!

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Disclosure: I was given a gift card to purchase products to be used on our backyard campout. Although I was compensated for promoting the #EnergizeYourSummer campaign, all opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.

Gearing up for backyard camping... and a $500 Walmart gift card GIVEAWAY

Contest closed - winner - Amy Stackhouse

I was recently given the opportunity to gear up for a backyard camping adventure at Walmart. My boys had a wonderful time choosing the supplies we needed/ they wanted. We got a new 8 person tent (big enough for our family of 5), games to play, a movie to watch under the stars, supplies for s'mores, and a variety of awesome Energizer® lighting solutions.

Camping is a fantastic way to do something fun as a family -- and you don't even have to leave home! My boys are extremely excited to go on our camping adventure, and I am looking forward to sharing the details of our backyard "staycation" soon. 

In the meantime, do you want a chance to win a $500 Walmart giftcard? You can use it to buy all the camping supplies you need for your own summer camping trip. Walmart has everything you need for your camping adventure at everyday low prices.

Don't forget to stock up on Energizer® flashlights and lighting solutions to keep your family safe in the dark. We purchased a wonderful Energizer® lantern and Energizer® Vision Headlights for every member of our family. 

We also stocked up on Energizer® Max® and Engergizer® Ultimate Lithium batteries. (Check out Energizer.ca for all the info you need to know about lanterns, flashlights and long-lasting batteries.) 47% of Canadian campers agree that most camping essentials require batteries, so be sure to stock up on reliable ones.

To enter to WIN a $500 Walmart giftcard, all you need to do is leave me a comment below letting me know the first camping item you will buy with your gift card if you win. (Make sure you are logged in, or leave your email address so that I can contact you if you win.) Note: This contest is open to Canadians only, and the contest closes on July 26, 2016.

Good luck with the contest, and come back soon to read all about our backyard camping adventure!

♥ Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Contest rules:

1) The winner of the contest will be chosen by a Random Number Generator.
2) To enter the contest, you must leave a comment on this post. Contest is open to Canadians ONLY.
3) This contest is not being hosted or sanctioned in any way by Facebook.
4)  Contest closes on July 26, 2016 at 11:59pm.
5)  Prize will be accepted as awarded. 
6)  Winner will be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to respond. After 48 hours the prize will be forfeited, and another winner will be selected. 

Disclosure: I was given a gift card to purchase products to be used during our backyard campout. Although I was compensated for promoting the #EnergizeYourSummer campaign, all opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.

5 Backyard Camping "must haves"

Sometimes heading out on a road trip with the family isn't possible and a "staycation" becomes the only viable option.  When this happens, why not pitch a tent and do some backyard camping?

For our backyard camping adventures, we always have:

• s'mores
• sparklers
• an outdoor movie
• stories and games in the tent
• sleeping under the stars

Backyard camping is always a lot of fun, and you don't have to travel far or pack a suitcase. Do you have a little one who would like to "camp" this weekend?  Enjoy!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)