Firebuggz Pie Iron Review: An Avid Camper’s Opinion

Camping and summer have gone hand in hand for me since I was a kid. In those days, it meant packing up my parents’ old 70’s model orange and brown Winnebago and heading to one RV park or another. Growing up camping in an RV, we had a fridge, a freezer, and an oven for cooking. I actually didn’t experience cooking all my food over a fire until I was an adult, so I’m always looking for unique techniques to try.

Before heading out on a camping trip, I usually scour Pinterest for fun camping tips and hacks, as many adult women are want to do. Besides the regular tin foil packets and skewer recipes (most of which are good examples of Pinterest fails, by the way), I was interested in trying a few pie iron recipes using Firebuggz’ Heavy Duty Cast Iron Pie Iron.

The first night we arrived at the campground, (we being my boyfriend, our dog, and me) it was already getting pretty late. To beat the darkness, we settled for roasting a few brats and hot dogs over the campfire. I’d tried the Firebuggz Fire Fishing Poles when camping last summer, and they are super fun to roast marshmallows, but to be plain, we’re not really marshmallow people. I was happy to find that the Crank-Eez campfire roasters work amazingly for hot dogs and brats!

My boyfriend went for an over-the-top roasting method, but I always go for the hot coals. I loved how I was in complete control to maneuver my hot dog into the perfect spot but wasn’t worried about dropping it or covering it in ash from the logs. I did find a ton of fun dessert recipes for pie irons, but, as I said, we arrived too late to be able to see what we were doing. When you’re trying something new, sight is important. Full and ready for a day on the lake, we called it a night.

Out of all the recipes you can make in a pie iron - and there are a lot of them - we chose two; a quesadilla concoction and a ham and egg and croissant breakfast pie. On our first morning, we had a quick, cold breakfast with plans for a big lunch.


We lined the pie iron with a spritz of cooking spray and a flour tortilla. Then came the experimenting. We tried different methods - packing one side with ingredients and closing it together with another tortilla, folding the edges over (this seemed to work best) and a few different cooking times and temperatures. Some worked better than others, but we noticed that the pie iron took hardly any time to heat up. To get the perfect ooey gooey cheesiness without burning the edges of the tortilla, resting the iron on the outside of the fire’s logs worked best.

My first attempt didn’t go so well. Here, my method of finding the perfect coals worked against me. The cast-iron of the pie iron became (and stayed) hot quickly, so extra-hot coals weren’t necessary and blackened the edges of my quesadilla.

Despite a bit of burnt, I wasn’t discouraged. I peeled these bits off and gave them to the dog. The rest of my pie was delicious!

If you’ve ever seen a Firebuggz Pie Iron, you’ll know that they have sayings cast into the metal that read, “Yummy In My Tummy” and “Grubbin’ Time”. I propose that these sayings weren’t added for kids, but for 34-year-old men. Maybe it has something to do with the cliche of a man’s need to cook over an open flame, but my darling camping partner found words imprinted in a flour tortilla hilarious. Even after I was long full, he kept making more and more quesadillas to get better and better prints.

We met friends for dinner and enjoyed the air conditioning and mosquito-free atmosphere of a small diner. Of course, as we had made plans to try the iron once more to make a delicious breakfast, Mother Nature sent us home early with a very noisy 5 AM thunderstorm. We even took measures to conserve firewood the night before, though, couldn’t be bothered to check the weather forecast. In our defense, camping is about disconnecting, am I right?

So even though we only got to try one new campfire recipe, we got a ton of insight from it. We’ll definitely take this fun contraption out on our next wilderness adventure and try even more recipes. I imagine some sort of sandwich will be in order, as “Yummy In My Tummy” probably shows up really well on bread.

S'moreigins: The Gooey and Mysterious Origin of S'mores

As you bite into that quintessential summer treat of gooiness, you may be wondering, “who first thought of making a s’more, and can I shake their hand?” We’re here to shed some light on the origin and history of the messiest of all desserts.

As we all know, the s’more is made by sandwiching a perfectly toasted marshmallow and a square of milk chocolate between two layers of graham cracker. There are many variations to this standard, and there are countless ways to roast (or set fire to) your marshmallow, but the basic recipe remains unchallenged.

But how did the s’more begin and how did it become such an unfailing part of bonfires and campouts across the country?

A Sticky Trail Through History

The exact origins of the s’more are as sticky as the marshmallow itself; but they may have been inspired by two popular 1910’s treats: the Mallomar and the Moonpie. The Mallomar was a graham cracker topped with marshmallow and dipped in chocolate, and was produced by Nabisco beginning in 1913. The MoonPie was a similar snack—two graham crackers with marshmallow filling, all dipped in chocolate–hitting the market in 1917.

Marshmallows themselves have quite a history, evolving from a whipped version of the sap of a white swamp plant (that plant naturally being called althaea officinalis–or march mallow) into the gelatin/sugar/air concoction we know today. By the 1890’s, manufactured marshmallows were part of Americana, and marshmallow roasting get-togethers were quite the fad.

Combine the average American’s familiarity with the roasted-to-perfection marshmallow with the idea of Mallomars and MoonPies as inspiration, and it isn’t a far leap to what we know as S’mores.

Originally called “Some Mores”, the first time we see a written recipe for this treat is by none other than the Girl Scouts. It first appears in the camping and scouting guide called Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts, published in 1927. Ingredient number one? 8 sticks.

Today, the three s’mores ingredients are the first thing you see in every grocery store or gas station entrance during the summer, and they’re always on the program for summer bonfire nights. The flavor has even become the unofficial flavor of summer.

As Vogue magazine observed, “In recent years, the sweet s’mores flavor has gone mainstream: There are s’mores-flavored Oreos (as well as S’moreos), M&M’s, ice cream, and even cocktails. It’s probably safe to say that the taste of s’mores is the summer equivalent of fall’s ubiquitous pumpkin spice.” We aren’t complaining; we all just want s’more!

If you’re looking for the best equipment to make your own sticky summer treat, check out firebuggz.com. From fire fishing poles to cone cookers and snackleboxes, you’ll find everything you need for a truly sweet summer right online!

Deliciously Simple Campfire Cone Recipes

Don’t sacrifice your desserts while camping. You can keep your load light and your tastebuds satisfied with our Firebuggz Cone Cooker and some easy, campfire cone recipes.

You will need ice cream waffle cones and aluminum foil for each campfire cone recipe. The cone will hold your ingredients and makes a delicious dessert crust. The aluminum foil wraps around the cone to protect it from burning while the toppings are heating up.Here are some of our favorite recipes to try out on your next trek:

S’mores Cone

-Milk Chocolate Chips

-Mini Marshmallows

-Additional Ingredients of your choice: We recommend strawberries, peanut butter, or caramel!

Berry DeLite Cone

-White chocolate chips

-Caramel bits

-Strawberries slices

-Blueberries

-Raspberries

-Graham cracker crumbs

-Whipped cream to top your cooked cone

Caramel Apple Cone

-Apple slices (sliced thin for fast cooking)

-Caramel syrup

-Brown sugar

-Granola

Chocolate Peanut butter Cookie Dough Cone

-Milk chocolate chips

-Cookie dough bits

-Mini peanut butter cups

Mint Dark Chocolate Cookie Cone

-Dark chocolate chips

-Andes mints

-Oreo crumbs

Cooking Instructions for Campfire Cones:

1. Fill or line your cone with your toppings of choice
2. Wrap your cone in aluminum foil to protect the cone from burning
3. Place your wrapped cone in your Firebuggz Cone Cooker and hold over the fire for 3-5 minutes or until inner ingredients are melted *Some ingredients (such as apples in the caramel apple cone) will require longer cooking times.
4. Stuff your face

Hungry yet? Check out our Campfire Cone Cooker so you’re ready to take on your next campfire meal.

Your Guide to Firebuggz Holiday Gifts

It’s that time of year again–the time of giving! You can show someone how much you love and care about them by giving them a gift they never expected. Just in time for the Holidays, we’ve created the ultimate gift guide for anyone on your list. These awesome Firebuggz products are guaranteed to put a smile on your loved ones’ faces:

1. The Original Log Lugger

Have you ever been sitting around a bonfire and notice that someone (maybe you) has a long stick propped against their chair, specially saved for pushing logs around in the fire? Later, you might witness that person struggling to maneuver logs with careful jabs of their stick while using one arm to block the smoke from their face. That person, or any campfire enthusiast, would love to get a Log Lugger this Holiday season. This ingenious product allows you to turn logs, lift brush, and pull branches at a safe distance from your fire. Measuring at four feet and weighing about five pounds, the Log Lugger is easy to use and makes turning logs a breeze.

2.  Plug N’ Play Fire Pit Insert

When you have multiple people buying a gift for the same person or couple (such as adult children looking to get a gift for their parents), it’s a good idea to go in on a gift. The Plug N’ Play is the perfect option. This multi-purpose fire pit insert allows you to use multiple Firebuggz accessories that convert your fire pit into an outdoor cooking entertainment center. With products like the Swivel Grill, Rotisserie Kit, and the Slide Grill, multiple people can add to this gift, or you can keep adding on after the Holidays.

3. Happy Pak

The Happy Pak includes two Fire Fishing Poles and a carrying case so you’ll never lose your poles. These poles are unique in the way that they allow you to roast up to four marshmallows or two hot dogs seamlessly at one time. Simply jig the pole like you would a real fishing pole and your marshmallows will flip and cook evenly to the perfect toastiness.

4. Buggzy Pie Iron

Make from quality cast iron, the Buggzy Pie Iron has a unique double cooking chamber that allows you to cook twice as much as the standard pie iron. As your grub cooks, the iron brands your snacks with “Grubbin’ Time” and “Yummy in my Tummy”. Campers of any age will love cooking outdoors with this fun pie iron. From desserts and pies iron to more savory meals like hamburgers, pizza, grill cheese, and so much more, anyone on your Holiday list will be excited to find this under the tree. You can find fun recipes for the Buggzy Pie Iron here.

5. Cone Cooker

For the S’more lovers on your list, Campfire Cones are on fire this Holiday season! With the Firebuggz Cone Cooker, making a delicious S’more Cone is simple and fun! Add your favorite fixings inside a waffle cone, wrap the cone in tinfoil and place into the cone cooker. After a few minutes, you’ll have a delicious, unique campfire treat.

The holidays are a time for giving. Make your Holiday gifts unique and fun this season with the help of Firebuggz. And don’t delay–we’re selling out fast!

You can find more awesome Firebuggz products on our website and be sure to stay tuned for more cool products to come!

Make Fall Fires More Fun with a Buggzy Pie Iron

Fall is nearing its peak, and soon Minnesota will see the snow once again. Before the frigid weather hits us again, remember that Fall is the perfect time of year for an outdoor bonfire!

Our newest grill and campfire accessory, the Heavy Duty Pie Iron, is perfect for making treats around the fire this Autumn. Its unique double cooking chamber lets you cook twice the amount of delicious treats—so you can make double the hamburgers, pizza, pies, quesadillas, grilled cheese or anything else your heart desires!

If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll love this scrumptious pie iron strawberry shortcake recipe. The combination of the angel food cake, strawberries, and dark chocolate warmed in a pie iron is guaranteed to make you go back for seconds. You will need:

• Buggzy Pie Irons
• Angel Food Cake
• Butter
• Strawberries
• Dark Chocolate
• A Campfire

If pies are more your thing, then this campfire pies recipe is for you! All you’ll need is bread, cinnamon, sugar, and seasonal fruit. Sprinkle the bread with cinnamon and sugar, fill your pies with fruit (or the ingredients of your choice) and cook over a roaring campfire. Don’t forget to spray your pie iron with nonstick spray beforehand.

Lastly, for the meat-lover, making a Reuben has never been easier by the campfire. You can make Campfire Reubens just like campfire pies, except using corned beef, sauerkraut and swiss cheese instead of fresh fruit between your bread—you might want to skip the cinnamon and sugar, as well. These delicious sandwiches can be whipped together in five minutes for a quick and simple campfire dinner for the family.

If you plan on spending some time by the campfire, make sure to pick up your own Buggzy Pie Irons for all your campfire needs. You can choose from two different sayings—“Grubbin’ Time” and “Yummy In My Tummy"—and four fun colors. All you have to do is put it on the hot coals for three minutes you have a delicious meal!

Firebuggz pie irons are made from quality cast iron so they are guaranteed to last for years to come. It’s our mission to provide you with the best campfire supplies so cooking can be a breeze and making memories will be your number one priority. Visit the Firebuggz online store for this and more fun campfire accessories.

Perfect Night Photography: How to Take Great Pictures in the Dark

Have you ever had a bonfire with friends or family and tried to take pictures, but you couldn’t see anything? Taking pictures at night can be tricky, but you don’t have to be a professional photographer for your campfire pictures to turn out. With these helpful tips, you can capture memories at your next outdoor gathering and leave without blurry, dark pictures:

1.     Keep the Camera Steady

A shaky camera is never good. Using a tripod will be the easiest way to get the exact angle you want while keeping your camera steady. If you don’t have a tripod, that’s okay! Find a flat stable surface such as a table, chair, rock or stump to either rest your camera or your arm on to have a steady shot at your campfire.

2.     Shoot Around Sunrise & Sunset

Shooting during the blue hour (just before sunrise or just after sunset) will give your night pictures a little more detail.This time of day will also add a beautiful blue light to your scene.

3.     Don’t use Flash

If your turn the flash on your camera, it will enhance the faces of the people in your picture, but it will wash out your campfire and surroundings. If you need extra light in the picture, try bringing a flashlight or headlamp to add some extra light.

4.     Slow Down your Shutter Speed

In order to get good photos of your campfire, you will have to take some long exposures.  This means you will want to slow down the shutter speed, which will bring in more light. Turn to your camera’s manual to learn how to change your shutter speed. If you are using a phone or digital camera, look for a ‘night’ setting.

5.     Time of Day

Test out different times of the day by starting your campfire early and taking pictures before the sun goes down. As you change times of day the light will also be changing so make sure to adjust your exposure every few minutes. Take more photos as the sun goes down and again once it is pitch black outside. By taking pictures at different times of the day, you will have a variety of pictures with different lighting to choose from.

6.     Be Creative

Test out different angles and shots around the campfire. Get down low and shoot up at other people around the fire. Most people tend to look down at the fire so you will be able to capture their faces. Try incorporating the smoke by shooting through the flames.  Don’t be afraid to experiment and try something new—you never know how it will turn out until you try.

Taking pictures at night is fun and exciting. It is worth your time to grab your camera equipment and set up around the fire.  Whether you are new to photography or a little more advanced, these tips will help you better your night photography skills and capture your campfire memories for years to come.

For more tips on campfire fun, visit Firebuggz online at Firebuggz.com.

Grilling Recipes Perfect for Camping

With a few months left of the summer camping season, planning your trips and getting all your meals ready can be stressful and overwhelming. The classic go-to meal while camping is hot dogs and hamburgers cooked over the fire, but try mixing it up for your next camping trip with a few of these mouth-watering recipes:

Campfire Chili Cheese Fries

This quick, easy and delicious recipe is perfect for a camping snack or meal. All you need is tin foil, fries, chili and cheese. Cook the fries over the fire, add the chili and cheese, and wait for the cheese to melt. This recipe is simple and quickly ready for you and your family to devour.

Campfire French Toast

Instead of pop tarts or granola bars for breakfast, try this delicious French toast recipe. All this easy, low maintenance recipe includes is egg creation French toast blend and a loaf of bread. Just pour, dip and cook—it’s that easy.

Campfire Spinach Dip

If you’re looking for an easy appetizer or snack, this campfire spinach dip is the perfect recipe for you. This simple, easy dip includes sour cream, cream cheese, parmesan cheese and chopped frozen spinach heated over your campfire.

Cheesy Dutch Oven Potatoes

Add these delicious cheesy potatoes as a side dish to make the perfect campfire meal. All you need is potatoes, bacon, cheese, onions and salt and pepper… it’s that simple. If you don’t like onions, leave them out or if you really like cheese, add more! The choice is yours.

Caramel Apple Pie

Who doesn’t love dessert? This mouth-watering apple pie is easy; just chop your apples, chop the cinnamon rolls, mix it with brown sugar, cracker crumbs, pecans, and cinnamon. Once it is cooked, add the caramel and cream cheese frosting and dig in!!

We have listed a few recipes to get you started, but now it’s your turn to implement them into your next camping adventure. Whether you are heading up north or out back, our Firebuggz Fire Pits and Firebuggz Accessories can improve your camping experience and add FUN for everyone.