Kick Up Camping Meals!

Copyright Janet Groene 2025.  This site has had more than 274,000 views. To ask about rates to reprint this content or to place your ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, email janetgroene@yahoo.com

As a full-timer I couldn't live on T-bone steaks every day. I look for ordinary everyday recipes that are affordable, save fuel and water and provide balanced nutrition day in and day out. 

THUMBNAIL RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Save time and space in camping and RV travel by measuring and packaging mixes and  “helpers” ahead of time. Then complete the dish in camp, You'll save money and also eliminate preservatives and excess salt that come with boxed mixes.  Pineapple rice is a perfect side dish with ham steak from the grill. It's also a hot cereal breakfast.  

Pineapple Rice

Seal in a plastic bag 2 c. instant rice*, 1/3 cup brown sugar , ½ t. salt and 1/4 t.  ground nutmeg. In camp you’ll need a small can of crushed pineapple. Add water to the pineapple juice to make 2 c. liquid. Bring to a boil and add rice mixture. Cover. Let stand out of the wind for 7-10 minutes until rice is tender. Add crushed pineapple. Serves 3-4.

 * Instant rice does not need rinsing, so it can be packed with other ingredients. 

CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Margaritaville Salad

This is a complete meal that begins by marinating turkey cutlets in tangy, non-alcoholic margarita mix.  Buy it in a bottle or make up a packet of the powdered mix.

1 ½ cups liquid margarita mix

2 pounds turkey cutlets, cut in strips

Medium sweet onion, cut in crescents

2 medium avocados, peeled and diced

2 medium tomatoes, diced and drained

Shredded lettuce ad lib

Bottled creamy citrus dressing

Marinate turkey in a plastic bag in the refrigerator 8 hours or so. Drain well and discard marinade. Grill turkey in a grill basket or stir-fry in a large skillet in a little vegetable oil. Gently fold together turkey and vegetables with citrus dressing to taste. Serves 4 as a main dish salad. 

SAUCE DU JOUR

Hang a ruffle on a plain-jane meal or save a stale cake with this sweet, satin sauce. 

Amaretto Sauce

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 ½ cups cold water

½ stick butter

1/3 cup Amaretto liqueur

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a pan and stir in cold water. Stir over medium heat until it boils and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in butter until it melts, then the Amaretto and lemon juice. Spoon over plain cake or canned fruit or use as a dip for apple wedges. 

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Tips for the Camp Cook

* Before grilling vegetables such as eggplant, summer squash or zucchini, score the surface shallowly with a sharp knife. Then brush on oil or melted butter and sprinkle with seasonings.  Allow 10 minutes or more for flavors to penetrate,  then grill cut side down. 

* Make vegetarian stuffed cabbage. Add 1 beaten egg and 1/4 cup grated  cheese to each 2 cups  of  cooked, seasoned rice or barley. Stuff cabbage leaves, cook in tomato sauce. 

*Make a crunchy topping for soup or salad. Chop 2 slices pre-cooked bacon and 2 scallions. Cut corn from one fresh cob. Toss together. Sprinkle over dressed salad.  

* Bubble wrap is inexpensive to buy by the roll. Cut it in small pieces and tuck tufts of it between glass jars in the galley for a quieter ride, less breakage. 

CAMPGROUND POTLUCK RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Celestial Citrus Pasta Salad

You can also make this salad without meat and serve it as a side dish.

16-ounce package bite-size pasta such as penne 

15-ounce can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans, 10-ounces each, chunk chicken, broken up

Small green sweet pepper, seeded and diced

Small orange sweet pepper, seeded and diced

3 stalks celery, sliced

10-ounce can mandarin oranges

8-ounce carton lemon yogurt

1 cup light mayonnaise

Minced parsley or cilantro

Drain  chicken into the water for the pasta, bring to a boil and  cook pasta until it’s al dente. Drain pasta and drizzle with juice from canned oranges. Whisk together yogurt and mayo and fold into pasta with remaining ingredients. Put in a take-and-serve container, sprinkle top with minced parsley or cilantro, cover and chill. Serves 8 to 10. 

    Canned and packaged foods are good travel insurance. Even a day trip can turn into a longer-than-planned adventure. Space is tight, so here's how to get the most nutrition per ounce, dollar and inch. 

For a book on provisioning your camper with familiar, affordable pantry foods from the supermarket see Survival Food Handbook, http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe

 

 

BLACK POT RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Puerto Rican Pea Soup

Traditionally this hearty, meaty Puerto Rican specialty is made with pigs feet and dried chickpeas. Here is my shortcut version. It’s packed with vegetables and swimming with flavors. Keep it steaming over your campfire by adding water throughout the day so it doesn’t boil dry. 

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil

1 strip thick-cut bacon, chopped

1 pound mild bulk pork sausage

Small green pepper, chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Medium onion, chopped

2 cups chopped, peeled potatoes

1 cup chopped carrot

2 cups chopped cabbage

Small can chunk ham, broken up

2 teaspoons dried coriander

8 cups water (and more as needed)

1 can diced tomatoes

8-ounce can tomato sauce

While chickpeas drain, heat fat and bacon in a large pot. Keep it sizzling over high heat while you brown the bacon and break up sausage. Add vegetables in batches.  Add  ham and cover with water. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and chickpeas. Bring to an active simmer, then manage campfire to keep the pot simmering for an hour or more. Add water as needed to keep contents covered. Adjust seasonings and serve with Puerto Rican bread. 

Cook’s note: the seasoning you’ll add depend  on the seasonings that are already in the sausage, bacon and ham. If it needs more salt add sea salt or one or two chicken flavor bouillon cubes. 

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Find snack recipes, many of them substantial enough for a meal on the trail

http://www.CreateAGorp.blogspot.com

By making your own gorp you can minimize salt, saturated fat and sugar while maximizing fiber, antioxidants and other good nutrients. 

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Where can you find a campsite now for this summer  or next snowbird season? We report earlybird news of  upcoming, opening, closing and expanding campgrounds. See https://solowomanrv.blogspot.com 

Cooking for Campfires, Camp Stoves & RVs

Copyright Janet Groene 2025.  This blog has had more than  273,000 views. To ask about reprint rights for this content, or to place an ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, email janetgroene@yahoo.com

THUMBNAIL RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Loaded Baked Potato Helper

Seal in plastic bag: 4-oz. pkg. real bacon bits,  ½ c. grated dry cheese such as Parmesan, 2/3 cup nonfat dry milk,  1 T. dried chives, 1 t. garlic salt and a  2 oz. pkg. Butter Buds Sauce mix.  When you get to camp,  place  in a bowl and whisk with 2  c. cold water until thick and smooth. Add more water if too thick.  Spoon over campfire-baked potatoes, split and fluffed. 

CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Deviled  Wings

For a change, shuffle off from Buffalo and switch to these sweet and sticky wings. 

2 pounds chicken wings

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon powdered ginger

Cut off chicken wing tips and discard or save to make broth.

 Separate wings at joint. Line a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with foil. 

 Combine sauce ingredients .  Stir until sugar and ginger dissolve. Pour into the dish.  Arrange wings in the sauce in a single layer and bake 60 minutes at 300 degrees, turning every 20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees and bake turning every 10 minutes, until wings are covered with thick, glossy glaze.

Don't miss the latest no-cook  trail mix recipes, some sweet and some savory, at https://CreateAGorp.blogspot.com  

CAMPGROUND POTLUCK RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Ho-Hummus

You may think hummus without garlic is ho-hum. But if you’re one of the many people who can’t eat garlic, here is an  alternative. Serve it on crackers or as a dip for veggie sticks.

2 cans, 15 ounces each, garbanzo beans, well drained

Large bunch parsley, trimmed and chopped fine

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice (or more to taste)

Freshly ground pepper

Blend or hand mash beans,  gradually stirring in minced parsley. Stir in olive oil and lemon juice. Adjust seasonings. Serve at once or chill, then return to room temperature to serve. . 

Cook’s note: don’t add salt before tasting. Canned garbanzos usually have salt added. 

COOKING ABOARD YOUR RV

    For yourself or a gift,  Janet Groene's timeless RV cookbook is packed with shortcuts, tips and 270 easy, delicious recipes to cook inside the camper or outside on the campfire, camp stove or grill.  

https://amzn.to/3nNndWY 

Tips for the Camp Cook

    * Make up a box of Kraft mac and cheese and a skillet of fluffy, buttery scrambled eggs with bits of sausage or bacon. Then fold them together. Pass the ketchup. 

* Stir sour cream into softened cream cheese until creamy. Add sugar to taste, a few drops of vanilla and use as a topper for fresh or canned fruit.

* Heat a gallon of apple juice and stir in a 6-ounce can of limeade or lemonade concentrate. Ladle into mugs and add a tot of rum. 

* Make a boffo coleslaw without mayo. 1 cup vinegar, ½ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon each celery seed and salt, ½ teaspoon each turmeric and dry mustard. Heat to boiling. Stir to dissolve. Toss with shredded cabbage. 

BONUS RECIPE

Pasta with BLT Sauce

16 ounces pasta, cooked and drained

6  slices pre-cooked bacon, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil 

Medium onion, finely diced

1 teaspoon garlic powder

28-ounce can diced tomatoes

Garnish: Shredded lettuce

In a small skillet, stir-fry bacon in hot oil with onion until the onion is crisp-tender. Stir in garlic powder. Stir hot bacon mixture and tomatoes into cooked pasta. Garnish with lots of shredded lettuce and serve at once. Or refrigerate hot sauce to reheat later. Have shredded lettuce on hand to add just before serving .  Serves 6-8. 

BLACK POT RECIPE OF THE WEEK 

Brats, Beer, Sprouts & Redskin Spuds

If you have a big pot and a big group, multiply this recipe except for the beer. You’ll need only enough beer plus some water to boil the potatoes. (One cup water per 12-ounce can beer.) 

4 bratwursts, pricked with a fork

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

12 ounces beer

8 small, red potatoes, scrubbed

About 12-16 fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed

Large onion, peeled and quartered

2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

Sizzle brats until browned on all sides. Stir in onion to pick up brown bits. Add beer and bring to a boil. Add quartered potatoes, whole sprouts and a cup of water.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender. Serve in shallow soup plates. Sprinkle with dried parsley. Serves 4. 

 

Food for Hungry Campers

 Copyright Janet Groene 2025. This site has had more than 273,000 views. To ask about rates to use this content or to place your ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, email janetgroene@yahoo.com

CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK

"Ham”  Loaf

Add liquid smoke, brown sugar and a whiff of maple to  give ground pork a hammy finish.

3 pounds lean ground pork

Large onion, finely chopped

1 cup each brown sugar and dry bread crumbs

1/4 teaspoon each liquid smoke and maple flavoring

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon style mustard

3 eggs

Small can evaporated milk

1/3 cup water

Put first three ingredients in a large bowl and mix well by hand. (I wear disposable plastic kitchen gloves).

 In a  bowl whisk smoke, maple, vinegar, mustard, eggs, evaporated milk and water. Mix into meat. Form into patties for frying or loaves for baking. Cook until pork tests done at 165 degrees F. 

Cook's note: smoke flavor is very strong. Don't over-do. 

Tips for the Camp Cook

       * When a recipe calls for oats in a cookie recipe use granola instead.

* Rule of thumb: one pound of boneless, skinless, cut up chicken should yield about 3 cups when cooked and shredded.

* To keep a delicate skillet meal warm(such as an omelet or fish), cut a piece of parchment the diameter of the skillet. Butter it and place it over the food. 

* Drain a 20-ounce can of pineapple tidbits into a large bowl. Whisk  a packet of instant French Vanilla pudding mix into the juice. When it begins to thicken  fold in the tidbits, some whipped topping and a small, day-old angel food cake torn into bite size. Serve now or chill.

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Bonus points: Throughout the books, Farley shares shortcut recipes from the days when she was a charterboat cook. 

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 Where are all the new  US and Canada campsites,, RV resorts, hookups for 2025? Is your fave campground closing? Reopening?  Adding a swim-up bar? Where to find concerts that allow camping on site?

 See weekly intel gathered from local sources, then pounce on reservations, pre-opening rates and earlybird ticket prices. See CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS/BADNEWS at  https://solowomanrv.blogspot.com  

Want a private poke when news reports post? Contact janetgroene@yahoo.com and put NEWS YES in the topic line. Your email will never be sold, shared for used by me for another purpose. 

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FOR EVERY OCCASION, EVERY 

CAMPER ON YOUR 2025 GIFT LIST

COOKING ABOARD YOUR RV

    For yourself or a gift,  Janet Groene's timeless RV cookbook is packed with shortcuts, tips and 270 easy, delicious recipes to cook inside the camper or outside on the campfire, camp stove or grill.  https://amzn.to/3nNndWY 

Short of time? Amazon will gift wrap and send it for you. 

BONUS RECIPE

Sausage, Shrimp and Suds Boil

Boil brats, then grill

2 pounds onions, peeled and diced

½ stick butter 

3 cans or bottles of beer

2 cups water

8 bratwurst, pricked to prevent splitting

2 pounds de-veined,, tail off shrimp

1 pound swordfish, cut in bite size

8 cups cooked rice

In a large pot, brown onions in butter and keep cooking until onions are well caramelized. Add beer and water. Bring to a boil and cook brats. Keep broth at a boil while removing brats to the grill. Poach shrimp and fish in boiling broth until firm. Grill brats until browned. 

Place a mound of rice in each soup plate. Add a brat and some fish and shrimp. Moisten with broth.  Serves 8. 

CAMPGROUND POTLUCK RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Red ‘n Green Salad

3 red delicious apples

3 Granny Smith applies

Small head broccoli’

Small red onion

2 teaspoon sugar or equivalent

Ranch dressing to taste

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

Core and dice unpeeled apples. Cut broccoli into small florets. Mince onion. Put in a bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Let stand a few minutes. Then fold in ranch dressing to taste. Just before serving, sprinkle with nuts. Serves 10 to 12. 

BLACK POT RECIPE OF THE WEEK 

This takes time, so gather the gang around the campfire and keep the coals at the right temperature all day. With apologies to paella purists, this recipe is a little different. 

Multiply this recipe and invite the neighbors over

Firepit Paella

Depending on fire management, and whether the pot has a cover, water should be added to keep paella from boiling dry. 

Step One:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in bite size

1 pound bite size  pork 

2 large onions, diced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 green sweet pepper, seeded and diced

15-ounce can diced tomatoes

4-ounce jar diced pimentos, drained

4 chicken or beef bouillon cubes

Start chicken and pork first so they cook thoroughly

Put chicken and pork in the pan and top with vegetables. Cover with water and bring to an active simmer. Stir in bouillon. Move the pot to medium coals and simmer  an hour or two. Until meat is falling apart,  Add water if needed to keep contents covered.. 

Step Two:

Increase heat under the pot and stir in:

2 cups raw long-grain rice

Cook until rice is tender, stirring occasionally and adding water if needed.

Step Three:

Stir in: 

2 pounds seafood (scallops, shrimp, cut up fish)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 to 2 dozen scrubbed clams or mussels

Cook, stirring occasionally over medium coals . Add water or tomato juice to make a soupy stew. When seafood is firm, serve  10-12 hungry campers. .

FOIL RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Bake a meal for six on the grill, in the oven or in a covered skillet on the camp stove. Then eat right out of the foil.

Bring 4 corners of the foil together and twist to form a handle. 

1 box chicken flavor stuffing mix

Hot water

10-ounce can chunk chicken

10-oounce can MexiCorn, drained

1 can condensed cream of celery soup

Smoked paprika

Set out 6 squares of foil and butter centers. Put stuffing mix in a bowl and drizzle with juice from the canned chicken. Add hot water until stuffing forms a clump. It should be barely moist, not soggy.  Fold in chicken and MexiCorn. 

Form into six patties and place on buttered foil. Spoon undiluted soup over each patty.  Sprinkle very lightly with smoked paprika. 

Bring up four corners of the foil and twist together to form a handle. (Think of it as a large Hershey’s Kiss). Place kisses on the grill over well-starting coals to provide medium heat. When packets are heated through, carefully open foil (steam will be scalding) and eat from the foil. Serves 6

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RV and Campfire Cookery

 Copyright Janet Groene 2025. To support these posts with your voluntary subscription, use your Paypal account to post $10  once yearly  (52 posts) to janetgroene (at) yahoo.com.

              Find peace under the pines, serenity by the sea, a haven in hill country. Go RV-ing! 

THUMBNAIL RECIPE OF THE WEEK

BEER BATTER HELPER

In a zip-top bag place 1 c. flour, 1 t. ea. salt & pepper, 2 t. crumbled dried thyme, garlic powder & sweet paprika + 1 T. dry lemon gelatin dessert mix. Seal bag. Keep cool and dry. In camp, whisk 1 egg + 12-oz. can cold, flat beer. Whisk in helper to make a smooth batter for 2 lbs. fish fillets.  Dip, deep fry in hot oil. 

Tip: Packets of this homemade mix make good gifts to campground neighbors. Enclose instructions for completing the recipe.  

CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Loaves and Fishes

Canned salmon makes a cost-cutting meal when combined with mashed potatoes and fried as crusty patties. Serve these flavorful cakes as a knife-and-folk meal or on toasted buns slathered with mayo. 

3 cans, 1 pound each, salmon

1 packet instant mashed potatoes

½ teaspoon dried dillweed

2 large eggs, beaten

Bread crumbs

Oil for frying

Bottled citrus dressing (optional)

Lemons for garnish

Drain  salmon. Remove unwanted skin and mash bones. (They’re good calcium). Make up potatoes according to package directions. Mix salmon, potatoes and dill, then stir in eggs. 

Make 10 to 12 patties, dip in bread crumbs and fry in hot oil until golden on both sides and firm inside. Drizzle lightly with citrus vinaigrette. 

COOKING ABOARD YOUR RV

    For yourself or a gift,  Janet Groene's timeless RV cookbook is packed with shortcuts, tips and 270 easy, delicious recipes to cook inside the camper or outside on the campfire, camp stove or grill.  https://amzn.to/3nNndWY 

 

CAMPGROUND POTLUCK RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Crunchy Chicken Salad

Here’s an easy salad to throw together in a hurry. Use your own creativity to substitute this for that, e.g. a yellow squash instead of zucchini or pepperoni instead of deli ham.

2 cans, 10-ounces each, chunk chicken, drained and broken up

2 to 4 ounces deli baked cut in strips

15-ounce can baby carrots, well drained and cut in half lengthwise

2 medium zucchini, cut in matchsticks

2 medium sweet peppers (red, green, orange or mix), seeded and cut in matchsticks

Small red onion, cut in crescents

½ cup bottled citrus vinaigrette

Crisp Chinese noodles

Combine chicken, ham and vegetables and toss lightly with dressing. Fold in crisp Chinese noodles at the last minute. .Serves 10. 

BLACK POT RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Ham Stew

1-pound ham steak, trimmed and cut in small bits

Water

3 cups packaged coleslaw mix

1 package baby carrots, cut in half 

2 cups diced celery

Small green pepper, seeded and chopped

Large onion, diced

1 tablespoon mixed Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon ham flavor

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup water

Salt, pepper

Put ham in the kettle with the vegetables and seasonings and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce fire and keep at an active simmer for 1 ½ hours. Stir occasionally and add water if needed to keep contents covered.

Before serving, mix cornstarch and sugar with water. Stir into stew until sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Ham may be salty enough.)  Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with sour cream, minced parsley, croutons or crisp bacon bits. Serves 8 to 10. 

TIPS FOR THE CAMP COOK

* Don’t have a toaster? Scramble eggs and fold in a handful or two of croutons just before serving.

* Put a cornbread blanket on your chili. Whisk an egg with ½ cup milk and a teaspoon of sugar. Stir in 3/4 cup cornmeal. Drizzle over simmering chili. over and cook 30 minutes. 

* Make homemade or store bought potato salad with French dressing instead of mayo.  Then fold in thawed, de-veined, tail-off, drained shrimp and some chopped cornichons. It’s now a full meal. 

* Fry chicken pieces in a mixture of half butter, half vegetable oil until they are browned and done through.  Then set chicken aside and dump a tub of hummus into the pan drippings. Heat and thin with a little water or broth if it’s too thick. Spoon over chicken pieces and a side of rice or noodles. 

VEGETARIAN MAIN DISH OF THE WEEK

Green Bean Puffs

1 package puff pastry

8-ounce brick cream cheese

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 cans whole green beans, well drained

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

Toasted sesame seeds ad lib

Set the oven to 375 degrees F. Let cream cheese warm to “room” temperature and mix with soy sauce.

Roll out one sheet of puff pastry. Put it on a prepared baking sheet  and spread with cream cheese. Arrange green beans over the cream cheese. Rolls second sheet of pastry the same size as the first and place over the green beans. Press to seal. 

Whisk egg and water and brush over pastry. Sprinkle liberally with sesame seeds. Use a long knife, dough scraper or pizza wheel to cut pastry into squares. Bake until puffed and toasty. Serves  6. 

Questions? Contact janetgroene@yahoo.com

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