Kids are funny little creatures (as I'm sure you know). As a camp counselor, I see the side of children when they are far away from their parents—a little bit more wild, a little bit more adventurous, and just a little bit more fearless. Diving boards, ticks, and snakes are no longer items of scary dreams, but play things. Kids wear ticks on tape as bracelets, enjoy a good belly flop, and swing snakes like whips above their heads (much to my dismay).
Given the chance, children are also very good at advertising.
On the bus, I often hear boisterous renditions of the many jingles from FreeCreditReport.Com. Even the tune from the Education Connection commercial has made an appearance or two. It's very strange to sit on a bus and have 20 children serenade me with a song I would normally run to mute on my television. Sweet serenade or not, I wish children had a remote.
That isn't too much to ask for, is it?
Because children are so susceptible to good advertising, even our traditional camp songs have become muddled with commercialism. The counselors tried to keep the songs pure, innocent, and bias free (we really did), but the voices of 70 children could not be swayed. We sing a song about Fried Ham. Amongst the cheese and bologna, there's a line about "onions, pickles, and pretzels" that the kids have changed to "Funyuns, pickles, and pretzels." Ordinarily I wouldn't mind this except that, because they think they are being "rebellious" by singing their version, they shout it at nearly three times the volume. My ears cry.
We also sing a healthy song all about staying fit and exercising. It ends with a sound off—"Sound off, eat right! Sound off, exercise! Subway, Eat Fresh!"
Did you catch that little ad in there? Kids are sneaky.
Note to those in marketing: The secret to success lies in small children. Come up with a catchy jingle and they will sing it so often their parents ears will bleed. It doesn't matter that they have no idea what a credit report is or won't be a consumer for another decade. Playing to the kids will turn you into a money-making machine.
After a long day of camp songs and commercialism, it's nice to just sit in the peace and quiet of my home, with the television turned off, and enjoy a simple, elegant snack. These Grilled Apricots with Honey Greek Yogurt fit the bill exactly.
The apricots are a snap to grill, spending little over a minute on the coals. The grill warms the flesh while keeping the fruit firm. With a dollop of Greek Yogurt and a drizzle of honey, ripe apricots turn into a little delicious dream. Perfect for breakfast and snacks, these grilled apricots are not only a healthy choice, but a special treat.
One Year Ago: Monkey Tails
Grilled Apricots with Honey Greek Yogurt
Yields 4 servings
4 ripe apricots, halved and pitted
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
Basil, for garnish (optional)
Brush tops of apricots with olive oil. The olive oil will keep the apricots from sticking to the grill.
Place apricots face down on a hot grill. Grill for 1-2 minutes before flipping apricots over and grilling the bottoms for another minute. Remove from grill.
Place a dollop of Greek yogurt in the center, drizzle with honey, and garnish with basil (if desired). Serve warm.