Camp, Cook , Eat

Copyright Janet Groene 2025. To donate in support of this free blog, sign up for a voluntary subscription. Send $10 once a year to janetgroene (at) Yahoo c/o PayPal.

THUMBNAIL RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Cream-of-Whatever Soup Mix

Mix 2 c. nonfat dry milk, ½ c. each  potato flakes & cornstarch, 1/4 c. each powdered chicken bouillon & plain powdered coffee creamer,  1 T. each celery seed, diced dried onions & dried chives.  Divide into 9 portions. Seal in zip-top bags. Keep cool and dry. Each packet makes 2 to 3 portions soup. 

To make soup in camp, mix 1 packet mix + 1 ½ c, cold water. Heat, stirring until it thickens. Stir in 1 cup (or more to taste)  cooked , pureed or cut up vegetables, meat, mushrooms or grated cheese. Adjust seasonings.. If it’s too thick add milk, cream or water. 

CAMPING AND RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Swansea Sweetcakes

When you want cookies but don’t want to heat up the oven, try this traditional Welsh recipe for griddle cakes.

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 stick butter

1 cup golden raisins

2  eggs

Mix dry ingredients and cut in butter until mixture is mealy. Stir in beaten eggs and raisins to form a ball of dough. Pinch off walnut-size pieces of dough and pat into  2-inch circles. Fry in a hot, dry skillet or griddle until browned on both sides. Cool on a rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. Makes about three dozen.  

The latest in the Yacht Yenta cozy mystery e-books brings widow Farley Halladay closer to the answer of her husband's death. 

Read the six cozies in any order as Farley copes, cooks and solves crimes with the help of her wacky cast of characters. Laugh at her frailties; cry with her as she grieves. Find the books on Google Play and other ebook formats and also on  Kindle,   https://amzn.to/3wcf6ao

BONUS RECIPE

Shrimp-Stuffed Shells

8 jumbo pasta shells

8 extra large, cooked shrimp or prawns, deveined, tail off

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

12- to 14-oune can or jar spaghetti sauce

Grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta shells just until al dente. Drain well and let cool. Thaw shrimp and place one in each shell. Mix garlic, cheeses, egg and seasoning and carefully pack into shells around the shrimp. 

Spread half the spaghetti sauce in a skillet. Arrange shells in the sauce and cover with remaining sauce. Cover and simmer  over low/medium heat until filling in the shells is firm.

Serves 8. Add bread sticks, a salad and a a tangy dessert such as lemon pie.

VEGETARIAN RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Potato Curry Punjab

One pound small, new potatoes

2 large onions ,diced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes 

3/4 teaspoon garam masala

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

Lemon wedges (optional)

Scrub and cut up potatoes. Stir-fry potatoes, onions and garlic in hot oil.  Add tomatoes. Cover skillet and simmer over low heat until vegetables are tender. Mix seasonings and stir into pan juices. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally to blend flavors. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serves 4.

PANTRY RECIPE OF THE WEEK

     How much food will you need for a week in the woods for two adults and two kids?  A month in a fly-in fish camp? A two-week power outage in your forest cabin? See Survival Food Handbook for lists, tips on buying and stowing, and recipes that need no fresh ingredients. Trips are delayed. Refrigerators fail. Supply chains halt. Stuff happens. Be prepared. .  http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe Travelers have limited storage space for emergency food.  

Survival Food Handbook  is just for campers, truckers, RV travelers and boaters. Make the most of every ounce, inch and dollar. Have a stash of staples you will use and replenish. Always have balanced meals for a few days during an surprise evacuation, fridge failure, shelter-in-place order or other unplanned speed bump on your  journey. http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe

 

How to stock your standby pantry with the most good food per dollar, per ounce and per inch? See the Survival Food Handbook, written just for campers, RV-ers and boaters who have limited storage space. 

Sherry Seafood

About 1 pound cut-up seafood*

1 can mushrooms, drained

Small can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk 

1 can condensed, low-sodium cream of mushroom soup

1/3 cup sherry

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

Mix seafood, mushrooms, dried onions and cream in a buttered pan. Whisk together soup and sherry with parsley flakes. Fold into seafood. 

Cover and cook over low heat to soften onions and blend flavors.  Stir and spoon over your choice of a base such as rice, pasta, potatoes or  noodles.  Serves 4 to 6. 

* Canned and drained seafood of any kind such as tuna, crab, oysters, salmon, clams. The more variety the better. 

CAMPGROUND POTLUCK RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Here’s a showy dessert to bake in the campground’s clubhouse kitchen and bring out with a ta-DAH! It’s best served by volunteers, one to dish up the cake and sauce and another to add whipped topping or ice cream. 

Volcano Cake for a Crowd

This cake separates into a cake layer and hot fudge sauce. It's not a self-serve dish, but oh, what a hit it will be.  One person puts portions on plates, then  another adds whipped cream or ice cream. This recipe  makes 40 to 50 portions and bakes in two, 2-inch-deep, 8 X 12-inch baking pans.

6 cups flour

4 cups sugar

1/4 cup baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cups milk

1 ½ sticks butter or oleo, melted

6 cups chopped nuts

6 cups packed brown sugar

 1 ½ cups dry cocoa powder

2 quarts plus 2 ½ cups very hot water

Stir flour,, sugar, baking powder, salt and 3/4 cup cocoa. Stir in milk and melted butter. Fold in nuts and spread batter in greased pan(s). 

Mix together the brown sugar and 1 ½ cups cocoa. Sprinkle over batter. Drizzle hot water over all. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Cake will rise to the top, leaving a delicious chocolate goo underneath to use as a sauce. 

To serve, cut cake into squares and place on serving plates. Spoon t sauce on top. Whipped cream or ice cream optional. 

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

* Rules of thumb: 1 cup egg whites = 8 egg whites while 8 egg yolks = 3/4 cup. 

 Risotto is a creamy, stove-top  rice dish that can be made different every day with different vegetables, grains, meats, seafood. To save time, heat the broth first and put in a thermos. 

* Make your favorite potato salad with a little extra dressing. Fold in cooked,  thawed, de-veined, tail-off, drained shrimp. Now It’s a full meal. 

* It’s OK to carry whipped topping even if you don’t have a freezer. Thawed, it will keep several days in a well-iced cooler.  

* 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 in the pan. Heat, scraping up pan bits,  and spoon over chicken pieces and a side order of rice. 

FREEDOM OF THE OPEN ROAD?

 Do you dream of living and traveling in a complete home on wheels? Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition by Janet Groene & Gordon Groene is a total guide to the full-time life on wheels. Should you sell the house or rent it out? Downsize possessions or put them in storage? Too young to retire? See the chapter on ways to make a living anywhere. Kids on board? We cover home schooling and also an exit strategy if and when the time comes to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.  https://amzn.to/29XFEkq 

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RV, Camping, Glamping Meals Made Easy

Copyright Janet Groene 2025. To ask about placing your ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, email janetgroene (at) yahoo.com

More Labor Day, Less Labor with

Shortcut Recipes and Mealtime Tips

THUMBNAIL RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Creamy Campfire Cocoa “Helper”

In a zip-top bag place ½ cup baking cocoa, 4 cups miniature marshmallow, ½ t. salt, 1/2 c, brown sugar + 1 1/2 c. dry milk powder. Seal bag.  In camp stir this into 8 c. cold water. Heat. Add a 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk. Heat but do not boil. Serve as is or add a tot of butterscotch schnapps to the mug before adding cocoa.  

Camp, Glamp & RV Recipe of the Week 

Chickpea Chicken Stir-Fry

Add meaty chickpeas  and you'll feed 6 to 8  with only a pound of chicken. Flash-fry this hearty, affordable main dish in a skillet or wok over the grate or on the camp stove. 

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Large  onion, diced

Large green or red  pepper or both,  diced

1 cup water

1 chicken bouillon cube 

1 can condensed, low sodium cream of chicken soup 

2 cans, 15 ounces each, chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Small can evaporated milk 

Cut chicken in small bits. In a skillet or wok stir-fry chicken  in hot oil, gradually adding garlic, onion, pepper and ginger. When chicken is toasty brown and onions crisp-tender, add water and bouillon. Bring to a boil to dissolve bouillon.

    Stir in soup and fold in chickpeas. Reduce heat and keep stirring while chickpeas heat through. Add evaporated milk and heat but do not boil.  Serve as is  over rice. 

Suggested garnish: sliced scallions, avocado wedges, diced Roma tomatoes or mango chutney. 

See Janet’s tips for women in RV life at SoloWomanRV. 

Love Sea Travel? Discover Yacht Yenta Cozy Mysteries

People are dying in Okecoochie County FL, but nobody can guess how the deaths are connected. Meet Farley Halladay, a salt-cured sailboat widow who has an online charterboat booking business. She dodges a wayward sister, cares for an old Navy SEAL veteran who was her late husband’s mentor and wrangles  a large circle of wacky friends. She cooks, copes and solves crimes in this unusual cozy mystery series.  Check your favorite e-book seller for all formats or go to Kindle,   https://amzn.to/3bB5XPh   

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

BONUS RECIPE

PickaDilly Beer Muffins

I love disposable foil muffin pans for camping. Make a double batch of these muffins. Keep one pan for yourself and tote the second one to campground neighbors next door. 

12-ounce can or bottle of beer

4 cups biscuit mix

2 tablespoons white or brown sugar

1 tablespoon dried dillweed

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Pre-heat  the oven to 425 degrees. Spray or grease a 12-cup muffin tins. Pop open the beer and let it breathe while you mix biscuit mix, sugar, dill and cheese in a bowl.  Fold in beer just until everything is evenly moistened. Do not over-beat. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake 10 minutes or until puffy and golden. 

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 

See more of Janet Groene’s shortcut recipes for the small galley at https://boatcook.blogspot.com

TIPS FOR THE CAMP COOK

* Propane RV ovens can be cranky. Preheat thoroughly. Turn pans halfway through the baking time. When using foil or silicone bakeware, put them on a baking sheet for easier handling. 

Give a boost to foil meals by using a flavored pan spray to grease the foil.

Make a different dump cake. Melt 2 sticks butter and mix with a box of dry cake mix until crumbly. Press half into a greased 9 X 13-inch baking pan. Spread with a can of fruit pie filling. Sprinkle remaining crumbs on top and bake. 

Did you know you can make risotto with steel-cut oats?  Same rules as rice risotto.

VEGETARIAN RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Traveler’s Tofitas

This sizzling fajitas mix saves time. Buy coarsely grated carrots, sliced peppers and diced  onions in the produce section and keep them on hand for quicker stir-fries and salads. 

14-ounce package extra firm tofu

1 teaspoon each ground cumin, chili powder, sugar, flour

Oil for frying

Medium onion, cut in crescents

½ to 1 cup matchstick carrots

1 sweet pepper, red or green, seeded and cut in strips

Salsa

8 to 10 flour tortillas, 6 inch size, warmed

Drain tofu and dice it. Sprinkle with a mixture of the spices, sugar and flour. Toss gently. 

Heat a shallow layer of oil in a large, nonstick skillet and brown tofu in two batches, adding more oil if necessary. Remove tofu, add more oil if needed and quickly stir-fry onion and pepper until crisp-tender. Return tofu to the pan, heat and serve in warm tortillas. Pass the salsa. 

The latest in the Yacht Yenta cozy mystery e-books brings widow Farley Halladay closer to the answer of her husband's death. 

Read the six cozies in any order as Farley copes, cooks and solves crimes with the help of her wacky cast of characters. You'll laugh at her frailties; cry with her as she grieves. Find it on Google Play and other ebook formats and also on  Kindle,   https://amzn.to/3wcf6ao

BLACK POT RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Kielbasa ‘n Cabbage Creole

14- to 16-ounce kielbasa sausage

2 tablespoons fat (butter, bacon fat, lard or vegetable oil)

Medium onion, diced

Medium green pepper, seeded and chopped

14- to 16-ounce package chopped cabbage slaw

1 cup water

1 beef or chicken bouillon cube

28-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon each salt and sugar

Sour cream

Cut kielbasa in small bites and sizzle in hot fat over a hot fire. Gradually stir in onion, pepper and cabbage. Add water and bouillon.   Cover pot, move to medium coals and simmer until vegetables are tender.

Drain tomatoes and whisk flour, salt and sugar into juice. Add to the pot with the tomatoes and stir until it thickens. If it’s too thick, thin to taste with water. 

Serve in soup plates with a dollop of sour cream on top. Serves 6.  

TRAVEL EMERGENCIES HAPPEN

     How much food will you need for a week in the woods for two adults and two kids?  A month in a remote, fly-in fish camp? A two-week power outage in your forest cabin? See Survival Food Handbook for lists, tips on buying and stowing, and recipes that need no fresh ingredients. Be prepared for delays, refrigerator failure, supply chain interruptions. Stuff happens.   http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe 

Campers have limited storage space for emergency food.  Survival Food Handbook  is just for van campers, truckers, RV travelers and boaters. Make the most of every ounce, inch and dollar. Have a stash of staples you will use and replenish. Keep  a few emergency meals on hand in case there is a sudden evacuation, fridge failure, shelter-in-place order or other unplanned speed bump on your  journey. http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe

 

MAKE AHEAD MEAL OF THE WEEK

Freeze carloads of casseroles at home to thaw and heat on camping trips. This one can be completed with a different sauce each time: Alfredo, spaghetti sauce, white sauce, mushroom sauce* or brown gravy.

* Whisk together 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, ½ can milk and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Heat gently.

Pigs in a (Pasta) Blanket

12 to 14 giant pasta shells cooked al dente

1 box stuffing mix for pork

Hot water

20-ounce package lean ground pork

2 or 3 ribs celery, chopped

Medium onion, chopped

Optional: 1/2 cup diced red and green peppers and/or  grated carrots

Olive oil

 Add hot water to the stuffing mix until it’s moist. Fry out pork with vegetables until pork is done and vegetables crisp-tender. Add stuffing. 

Carefully pack pasta shells with pork mixture. Arrange shells in a greased pan (I use disposable baking pans) and scatter  leftover stuffing around the shells. Drizzle with olive oil. Cool, wrap and freeze.

In camp, thaw shells and cover with a sauce of choice. Heat until bubbly. 

CAMPGROUND POTLUCK RECIPE OF THE  WEEK

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Say YES to Camp & RV Cooking

Copyright Janet Groene 2025. This blog has had more than 278,000 views. To place your ad on all six Groene sites for  one small rate, email  janetgroene at yahoo.com/

Summer vacation is almost over. Let's get out there and camp! 

THUMBNAIL RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Chili Maker Master Mix

In a dry bowl mix 1 1/4 c. flour, 1 c. diced dried onion bits, 1/4 c. each sweet paprika & chili powder,  1 T. each dried garlic granules, sugar & dried thyme. Divide into 6 equal portions.  Seal in bags. Keep cool & dry. 

In camp, put 1 can ground beef or chunk chicken in a cold pan with 1 can  diced tomatoes, minced green pepper, 1 can drained, rinsed pinto beans, 1 c. water. Heat to an active  simmer. Whisk 1 packet chili mix in 1 c. cold water. Stir into pot,  heating and stirring  until it thickens. Thin to taste with water, tomato juice or broth. Season to taste. Serves 4. 

Where to go on your next camping or RV road trip? See affordable places, events  in the USA and Canada with dates and details at https://janetgroene.blogspot.com 

CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Impossible Popeye Pie

You'll need four eggs for this protein-packed pie. It makes its own crust and creamy topping. Make it vegetarian  or flavor it with bits of cooked ham or bacon. 

10-ounce package chopped spinach, thawed, drained and pressed dry 

1 cup biscuit mix

1/4 cup milk

Small onion, finely minced

2 eggs

12-ounce carton cottage cheese (1 ½ cups) 

2 eggs

6-ounce package grated yellow cheese such as Cheddar

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Grease a large, deep pie pan. Whisk together biscuit mix, milk and 2 eggs and pour into the dish. Scatter onion over dough (plus any cooked bacon or ham bits if using). 

In the same bowl used for the biscuit mix, whisk two more eggs and mix in the cottage cheese, yellow cheese, and garlic. Spread over dough. Bake at 375 degrees about 30 minutes or until the pie is firm and brown around the edges.  Let stand 5 minutes to firm up. Then cut in squares. Serves 5 to 6. 

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

Crusty Baked Tomatoes

Many campgrounds have communal kitchens with ovens . Make multiple pans of this popular dish to serve a crowd. 

 Butter

8 slices day-old sandwich bread

Brown sugar

3 cans, 28 ounces each, crushed tomatoes

3 tablespoons  flour 

2 medium onions, diced

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Let butter come to “room” temperature. Generously butter the baking pan and each slice of bread.  Sprinkle buttered bread lightly with brown sugar and dice it.  

Melt  a pat of butter and cook onions until soft. Turn off heat and stir in a tablespoon of brown sugar. Drain  a cup of juice from the tomatoes and whisk in the flour.  Mix the juice, onions, tomatoes,, garlic powder, cinnamon and cloves in the buttered casserole. Bake until tomatoes are bubbly and bread topping is toasty. Serves 12 to 15. 

Where are al the new RV parks, RV resorts, state park campgrounds and future campsites?  See weekly reports in CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS at  https://solowomanrv.blogspot.com

VEGETARIAN RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Provisions  Pie

In parts of the Caribbean, vegetable accompaniments with a meal are simply called “provisions” on the menu. 

You get the cook’s choice depending on whatever was found in the local market that day: yams, pumpkin, callaloo, cabbage, okra , yucca.

2 cups diced, mixed vegetables

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup diced plum tomatoes, drained

1 cup biscuit mix

1 1/4 cups milk

3 eggs

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

6-ounce package shredded Cheddar cheese 

Cook vegetables and onions in a little water until crisp- tender. Drain.  Spread in a buttered, 10-inch, deep dish pie pan.  Scatter tomatoes on top. Set aside to cool while you whisk milk, eggs, biscuit mix and herbs.. Sprinkle shredded cheese over vegetables and pour batter over all.

Bake about 35 minutes at 400 degrees. Filling should be set and the top toasty.  Let stand 5 minutes, then cut into wedges. Serve warm. Serves 4.  

Janet Groene also presents shortcut recipes for the small boat galley and liveaboards. See https://boatcook.blogspot.com 

LIFESAVER SAUCE OF THE WEEK

Robusto Italian Red Wine Sauce

Make a big batch of this killer sauce to bust a move on a bland dish. It keeps in the chiller up to two weeks, but olive oil solidifies. Let it return to “room” temperature, then stir and use. It asserts itself, so use it with a light touch. 

 Drizzle over cold salad greens, hot vegetables, stuffed cabbage rolls, scrambled eggs, grilled meat or seafood

2 teaspoons each onion powder, salt, black pepper, dry mustard powder

3 tablespoons sugar

½ cup white wine vinegar

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1 ½ cups dry red wine

2 ½ cups extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) 

Mx well and chill overnight for flavors to blend. .Stir before using.

    For tips on getting the most nutrition into your emergency food locker, see Survival Food Handbook.  It's a guide to stocking an emergency pantry in a small space such as a camper, RV,  boat or cabin with the most food value per inch, per ounce and per dollar using familiar, affordable supermarket staples. Paperback or ebook.     http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe

 

BLACK POT RECIPE OF THE WEEK

New England Beans ‘n Rice

A staple combination in many nations, beans and rice takes many forms and flavors. Here’s one for the Yankee’s campfire.

8-ounce block of salt pork, scalded and diced

2 tablespoons lard or bacon fat

2 large red onions, diced

Small green pepper, diced

2 or 3 ribs celery, chopped

3 cans butter beans (cooked dried lima beans) 

28-ounce can diced tomatoes

32-ounce carton chicken broth

2 tablespoons brown sugar or molasses

½ teaspoon cinnamon 

Salt, freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup cooked rice per serving 

Melt fat in the pot and brown salt pork, gradually adding onions, pepper and celery. Add butter beans , tomatoes and  broth.  Cover and nestle in well started coals. Keep at a simmer until onion and celery are tender or as long as you wish, Just don’t let it boil dry. Stir occasionally and add  water or broth as needed.

Place a mound of rice in each soup plate and top with the bean mixture. 

MAKE AHEAD RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Make a Texas-size  batch of this recipe ahead of time and freeze it  right-size portions for your next camp-out. 

Texas Cassoulet

1 pound lean ground pork

1 pound bulk mild sausage

2 large onions, diced

1 cup water

1 teaspoon chicken flavor bouillon e.g. Better Than Chicken

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon dried, crumbled thyme

1 cup dry white wine

3 cans black-eyed peas

Fry out meats and separate into crumbles. Spoon off excess fat. Gradually stir in onions to coat with pan juices. .Add water. Stir in bouillon, soy sauce and wine. Cover and simmer gently   until meats are well done and onions tender. Stir in drained peas and heat through. .

Adjust seasonings. Soy sauce is salty so you may not need more salt, but do add  freshly ground black pepper to taste.  Cool and package for the freezer, allowing 2/3 to 1 cup per serving.  In camp thaw, heat and serve over cornbread, biscuits or Texas toast. 

Cook’s note:  Freeze in boilable bags, for easy heating in hot water. Bring hot sauce to pass at the table. 

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Camping & RV Food for the Dog Days

Copyright Janet Groene 2025. 

The Dog Days of August can be a challenge. Be ready with these doggone good and easy eats. 

THUMBNAL RECIPE OF THE WEEK

    Each week we present a recipe that is partially assembled ahead of time and small enough to tuck into a backpack, pantry or grub box. Then complete the magic later in camp. 

BARLEY/WILD RICE PILAF MIX

Make a savory side dish or stir in a can of  chunk chicken and it’s a main dish.

Seal  ½ c. wild rice in a small bag. (It will need rinsing later.) In another sealable bag place ½ c. quick cooking barley,  ½ t. each dried garlic granules, dried tarragon,  celery seed  &  pepper, 1. T parsley flakes,  3 T. each powdered chicken bouillon & dried onion bits.

In camp, bring 4 c. water to a boil. Rinse and drain wild rice and add to hot water with other ingredients. Cover pot and nestle in well started coals for 30-45 minutes. Check for doneness depending on how chewy you want the wild rice to be.

CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Blushing Rooster Skillet 

This creamy,  fuel-saving recipe is assembled in a cold skillet, then covered and heated over low/medium heat. It’s ideal for a small butane “buffet” burner. Cooked chicken bites are sold frozen and also in vac-packs that have an extended life in the refrigerator or ice chest. 

3 cups ready-to-serve rice

20-ounce package unbreaded, fully cooked chicken bites, thawed

12-ounce can  evaporated milk

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1/3 cup tart  jelly such as currant or cherry

Small can French’s French-fried onions

2/3 cup slivered almonds

1.. Spray or butter a large skillet and spread the bottom with an even layer of rice.

2. Distribute chicken pieces over rice

3. Whisk evaporated milk, mustard and jelly an pour over chicken. To proceed, cover skillet and cook over low/medium flame until thoroughly heated.  Sprinkle onions on top, then scatter the almonds. Spoon onto plates. Serves 6.

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 

BLACK POT RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Do the slicing and dicing ahead of time, then  throw everything into the pot, get it simmering over medium coals and relax with a drink while the crowd gathers and tempting aromas fill the campsite. 

Zesty Zucchini Zoop

3 cans, 28 ounces each, diced tomatoes

1 cup water

1 pound lean bulk Italian .sausage (mild)

1 pound lean bulk Italian sausage (medium or hot)

2 pounds zucchini, diced

1 bunch celery, chopped

Large onion, diced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons mixed Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon sugar

1/3 cup dry red wine

1 ½ cups small pasta such as macaroni

Salt, pepper

Fry out and crumble the sausage ahead of time and spoon off excess fat, or bring tomatoes and water to an active simmer and gradually add sausage by the pinch (about 1/2 teaspoon at a time). Stir often and keep it at a simmer. The meat will cook in small bites.

When sausage and tomatoes are at an active simmer, stir in remaining ingredients except pasta. Simmer ad lib over low-medium coals, stirring occasionally and adding water and/or wine as needed. Twenty or thirty minutes before serving, stir in pasta and simmer until pasta is tender. Adjust seasonings. Serves 14-16.

TIPS FOR THE CAMP CHEF

* Garlic Crumble: Mix ½ t. garlic powder with 2 c. biscuit mix. Cut in ½ stick cold butter until crumbly. Spread in a thin layer on a greased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 F., stirring after 4 minutes.  Cool, stir to break up and package it. Keep cool. Sprinkle lightly on soups, salads, stews, casseroles, omelets. 

* Add a small bag of “minute” (not old fashioned nor instant)  oat flakes or dried potato flakes to your camping grub box as a backup thickener. If a soup or stew turns out too thin, add flakes one tablespoon at a time, stirring a minute or two between additions, until it’s thickened to taste. Other thickeners such as flour and cornstarch can clump up if added to hot liquids.  

* When making split pea soup with ham (canned chunk ham is handy for camping) add a drop or two (no more!) of smoke flavoring. 

* Rules of thumb: Bone-in meats cook faster than boneless. The finer vegetables are cut up, the quicker they cook. Most whole grains and dried fruits, beans and vegetables cook faster if soaked first. 

TRAVEL EMERGENCIES HAPPEN

     How much food will you need for a week in the woods for two adults and two kids?  A month in a remote, fly-in fish camp? A two-week power outage in your forest cabin? See Survival Food Handbook for lists, tips on buying and stowing, and recipes that need no fresh ingredients. Be prepared for delays, refrigerator failure, supply chain interruptions. Stuff happens.   http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe 

Campers have limited storage space for emergency food.  Survival Food Handbook  is just for van campers, truckers, RV travelers and boaters. Make the most of every ounce, inch and dollar. Have a stash of staples you will use and replenish. Keep  a few emergency meals on hand in case there is a sudden evacuation, fridge failure, shelter-in-place order or other unplanned speed bump on your  journey. http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe

 

VEGETARIAN RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Herbed Mushroom Barley Skillet

8 ounces mixed mushrooms, trimmed & coarsely chopped

1 cup chopped onions

½ stick butter

3 1/2 cups water

4 vegetable bouillon cubes

2/3 cup medium pearled barley

3 eggs. beaten

½ cup finely chopped mixed fresh herbs or greens e.g. parsley, cilantro, chives, tarragon, kale, arugula

Melt butter and saute mushrooms and onion. Add water, bring to a boil and stir in barley. Cover and cook over reduced heat until barley is puffy and tender. Whisk eggs, stir into skillet, cover and cook over low heat until  set. Stir in fresh herbs just before serving. Adjust seasonings (bouillon is very salty so you may not need more salt.).  

Cook’s note: the key word here is “fresh” herbs. If you don’t have fresh herbs or greens try grated carrot, daikon or tart apple.

GLUTEN FREE CAMP RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Campfire Corn Chowder

Hot chowder tastes oh, so good on a chilly summer evening

3 thick-sliced bacon strips, cut up

3 ribs celery, chopped

Large onion, chopped

1/3 cup gluten- free quick oatmeal flakes

1 cup water

12-ounce can evaporated milk

Small can evaporated milk (2/3 cup)

About 2 cups water

14.5-ounce can whole kernel corn, undrained

Freshly ground pepper

Salt

Hot sauce

Fry out bacon and drain on paper toweling. Save about 2 tablespoons fat in the pan and saute celery and onion, gradually stirring in oatmeal. Gradually stir in 1 cup water over medium heat. When it thickens,  reduce heat and keep stirring while adding evaporated milk, reserved bacon bits, undrained corn and additional water to thicken to taste.  Season to taste. Pass the  hot sauce. Serves 4. 

CAMPGROUND POTLUCK 

BUDGET BONUS  RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Grapes in a Cloud

For a more colorful dish, use a mixture of red and green grapes

About 12 cups seedless grapes, no stems

8-ounce package cream cheese

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup sugar

Set out 16 clear plastic disposable cups and fill each with grapes. Soften cream cheese at “room” temperature and make a smooth, creamy mix with the sour cream, vanilla and sugar. Top each dish of grapes with a dollop of this cream. Serve at once. 

LIFESAVER SAUCE OF THE WEEK

Holy Smoke! Sassy Sauce

Bring a platter of the same 'ol' baked, grilled or broiled chicken pieces to the table. Spoon lightly with this sauce and wait for the buzz to begin. Its secret is smoked paprika, also called pimenton or Spanish paprika. 

12-ounce jar roasted red peppers

2/3 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans

1/4 cup bottled red wine vinaigrette dressing

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Drain peppers well and chop coarsely. Mix vinaigrette and paprika. Add pecans and peppers.  Serve hot or cold over hot or cold chicken parts. This makes enough sauce for about two dozen chicken servings.  

BONUS RECIPE 

CampOut Calico Couscous

This colorful, affordable side dish serves 10 to 12.

½ stick butter

Medium red onion, diced

15-ounce can diced carrots, well drained 

10-ounce can whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained

3 cups water

3 chicken flavor bouillon cubes

2 cups (uncooked) couscous

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

Melt butter in a stove-to-table pan and cook red onion until it’s limp. Stir in corn and carrots to coat. Add water, bring to a boil and dissolve bouillon. Stir in couscous. Cover, turn off heat and let stand 10  minutes until couscous is tender. Fluff with a fork as you fold in green onions. Serve at once. 

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