Winning Winter Camping Meals

 Copyright Janet Groene 2025. To ask about rates for using 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

Salad Crunch 

In a bowl lightly toss 1.c. each Craisins, sliced almonds, coarsely crushed  Bugles or Fritos and  2 c. small croutons. Divide into snack bags.. Make salads of your choice in camp.   Just before serving, top each serving with 1/4 c. Salad Crunch. 

CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Blushing Rooster Casserole

If you’re tired of the same old chicken and rice, try this sweet switch. 

12-ounce can evaporated milk

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1/3 cup clear red jelly such as currant,, strawberry or cherry

3 cups cooked rice

1 tablespoon flour

½ teaspoon sweet paprika

1 ½ pounds fully cooked bite-size chicken (3 cups) 

1 can French-cut green beans, drained

Optional: about 1 ½ cups French-fried onions

In a saucepan heat milk, mustard and jelly until jelly melts. In a bag or bowl, toss cooled, fluffed rice lightly with flour and paprika. Add the rice to the pan and stir over low-medium heat until it thickens.  Fold in chicken and green beans. Cover, reduce heat and heat through., Spoon onto plates and sprinkle with French-fried onions. 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

Granny’s Sausage Skillet

2 pounds lean bulk sausage

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 cups chopped green cabbage

4 cups chopped red cabbage

Large onion, sliced in crescents

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup grainy mustard

1/3 cup apple juice concentrate OR

1/3 cup apple jelly

Salt, pepper to taste

In a large black iron skillet over a crackling fire, heat oil and stir-fry and break up sausage until it’s no longer pink. Spoon off any excess fat and continue stir-frying, adding water, cabbages and onion until crisp-tender. Add apple and mustard. Cover and move to a cooler part of the fire where it can steam until cabbage is crisp-tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve as is or spoon over polenta, mashed potatoes, rice or campfire-roasted sweet  potatoes.

FREEZE AHEAD RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Just the ticket for a cold night in camp, this soup can be made ahead and frozen in right-size portions for your needs. It’s extra thick to save room in the freezer. Add water later in camp. 

Caramelized Chicken-Onion Soup

1 pound ground chicken

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

4 medium onions, cut in thin crescents

1 teaspoon sugar

Heat oil and brown chicken, gradually breaking it up while adding garlic and onions. Sprinkle with sugar. Continue over high heat, stirring mixture until onions turn a rich brown. 

4 cups water

6 chicken bouillon cubes

2 or 3 large carrots, chopped

2-3 rubs celery, chopped

1 cup small pasta such as dilatini

Add water, bring to a boil and stir in bouillon and vegetables. When vegetables are tender, add pasta and cook until pasta is al dente. Optional: stir in 1 cup thawed peas.

Cool soup and package for the freezer, allowing 1 cup concentrated soup per portion. To serve, thaw and heat with 1/3 to 1/2 cup water per cup of thick soup.

 

TIPS FOR THE CAMP COOK

* Make ”upside down cake” using lots of buttery, sauteed onions on the bottom and cornbread batter on top. 

* When making deviled eggs, wet the knife before cutting eggs in half and the yolk won’t crumble. 

  *Cook up a shortcut stuffed “cabbage” with hot dogs or other fully cooked sausage.  Add seasoned tomato sauce. Cook, devour. 

* Instead of bread crumbs, sprinkle buttered noodles with caraway seeds or poppy seeds. Toss and serve.

CAMPGROUND POTLUCK RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Pinto Bean Salad

This colorful, affordable recipe serves 8 to 10. It can also be served on as a main dish salad for 6. 

2 cans, 15 ounces each, pinto beans

8-ounce can whole kernel corn

15-ounce can Mexican style diced tomatoes

Small can sliced black olives

½ cup salad olives

2 tablespoons dried onion bits

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Drain and rinse beans and put them in a bowl.  Drain corn and olives and discard juice. Mix into beans. Drain tomatoes into a small cup with the onion bits to soften for 5 to 10 minutes, then mix in vinegar and oil.  Toss onion mixture lightly with bean mixture, add pepper and serve. T

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Camping Recipe Shortcuts for Stormy Weather

 Copyright Janet Groene 2025. To ask about rates for rights to use this content, or to place an ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, email janetgroene@yahoo.com

                          Small kitchen, small table, big appetites, shortcut recipes to save space

UPDATE

Let’s STEP ON IT! 

In last week’s post I asked for suggestions for easy ways to break up ramen.  Thanks to Marcia for the best idea yet. 

She wrote, “Janet, one way I break ramen up is to open one end of the package and remove the seasoning packet. Then place the opened package of ramen in a ziplock baggie. Zip it closed after squashing out as much air as possible   Step on the package. This works and I can then toast the ramen before using it in a salad."

THUMBNAIL RECIPE OF THE WEEK

POTATO SALAD HELPER

Potato salad without mayonnaise or oil? In a plastic snack bag seal 1 t. each salt, pepper &, dry mustard, 1/4 t. paprika, 1 T. flour, 2 T. sugar. 

    In camp whisk 2 eggs + ½ c. each vinegar & cold water in a  pan. Whisk in dry  “helper”. Heat, stirring over low-medium. heat until it thickens. Whisk in 1 pat butter and a 12-ounce can of evaporated milk. Fold into cubed, cooked potatoes ( plus your choice of other salad ingredients such as diced celery, pickle relish, hard-cooked eggs). Serve warm or chilled.  

Campground Recipe of the Week

Beggar’s Bully Beef  Pie 

Corned beef, called bully beef by generations of sailors, is a must in the camper’s emergency pantry. It’s very salty so buy low-sodium canned beans. I make it with potato flakes, stirred with hot water until they are creamy.  

12-ounce can of corned beef 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Large onion, diced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cans, 15 ounces each, kidney beans, undrained

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

Small can of evaporated milk (2/3 cup)

Water

3 to 4 cups prepared mashed potatoes

½ cup shredded cheese

Grease a 9 X 13-inch  deep dish casserole. Scrape off and discard excess fat on corned beef, Fry out corned beef in hot oil, breaking it up and gradually stirring in onion. Cover and reduce heat.  While this cooks over low heat, add water to evaporated milk to make one cup. Whisk soup, milk mixture and Worcestershire sauce. 

Stir soup mixture into meat mixture. Fold in beans. Top with a layer of mashed potatoes.  Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until heated through and browned on top. Serves 6.

NO OVEN? Proceed as above, using a large skillet. After adding cheese, cover and cook over low heat until the cheese melts. Top will not brown. Serve as is or drizzle with ketchup. 

FREEZE AHEAD RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Toasted Oat Crust

Freeze several of these toasty crusts in foil pans to fill later with your favorite pie filling. 

3/4 cup flour, regular or whole wheat

1/4 cup white or brown sugar

½ cup one-minute oats

½ stick butter

Cut butter into a mixture of the dry ingredients until crumbly and press into an even layer in a sprayed 9 X 13-inch baking pan. Bake 15-18  minutes at 350 degrees until toasty. Cool and wrap for the freezer.  (After freezing, same-size foil pans can be nested  to store more compactly.)

In camp,  thaw crust. Spread with canned fruit pie filling such as apple or peach. 

The 4th Edition of the Groenes’ book Living Aboard Your RV, A Guide to the Full-Time Life on Wheels, is available from Amazon at   https://amzn.to/3knbvll/

The book starts with making the decision to go full-timing, then leads you through choosing and outfitting the RV as a home, making money on the go,  home schooling, finding affordable campsites, choosing a "home" address and more.  It ends with advice on easing out of full-timing, when and if that day comes. Amazon can wrap and ship it for you if you like.

Tips for the Camp Chef

* When filling a meatloaf pan, add half the meat mix, then a layer of cooked whole carrots, spring cheese or whole hard-cooked eggs. Add remaining meat mix. After baking, let loaf stand 10 minutes, then slice to reveal the surprise filling.

 * Make “corn dogs” using pre-cooked drumsticks instead of wieners. 

*When making seasoned flour or bread crumbs for dredging chicken or fish for frying, add 1/2 teaspoon paprika per cup of flour. It adds a rich mahogany color to the crisp, brown coating.  

* Use pie irons to make s’mores using leftover pancakes instead of graham crackers. 

BLACK POT RECIPE OF THE WEEK 

Refried Bean Soup

Throw together this hearty soup over the campfire, using only canned foods. Use regular or vegetarian refried beans and low-sodium canned goods. Then kick it up by adding freshly ground pepper and/or hot sauce. 

 Large onion, diced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

8 cups water

6 bouillon cubes (chicken, vegetable or beef)

2 cans, 15-ounces each, refried beans

14-ounce can  Mexican style diced tomatoes, undrained,  OR 1 can condensed cream of  potato soup

15- ounce can  low sodium, whole kernel corn, undrained OR 1 can Mexicorn

2 teaspoons taco seasoning  (or more to taste)

2 cans of different beans, 15 ounces each,  such as kidney beans, red beans, black beans, Great Northern or navy beans, undrained

Optional garnish: Sour cream, parsley flakes or spinach leaves cut chiffonade style

Multiply this recipe and invite the campground neighbors in

Heat oil in a large pot and sizzle the onion, gradually adding garlic. When onion is softened, add refried beans and break them up while stirring in water. Add bouillon cubes and bring to a boil to dissolve them.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally. while the gang gathers 'round.   Add water, broth or tomato juice if it gets too thick.  

Add salt to taste. Ladle into soup bowls, top with a dollop of sour cream and pass the pepper mill and/or hot sauce. Serve with heaps of tortilla chips. Serves 10. 

BONUS RECIPE

Seafood Hurry Curry

    Make the most of a small catch by mixing fresh, canned, frozen and leftover fish plus imitation crabmeat. The more variety, the better. 

3 to 4 cups mixed seafood in bite size, drained

1/2 stick butter

1 tablespoon curry powder

1/4 cup flour

12-ounce can evaporated milk

Water or milk

    Melt butter and stir in flour and curry powder. Add water or milk to evaporated milk to make two cups. Gradually whisk liquid into flour mixture until a smooth sauce forms. Fold in seafood over medium heat until raw pieces are firm and everything is heated through. Serve over rice or crisp Asian noodles. 

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New Camping Recipes, New Year

Copyright Janet Groene. To donate in support of these 52 free posts per year, send $10 annually via Paypal to janetgroene@yahoo.com

THIS JUST IN....

    With egg prices soaring, I tried this egg-free apple cake and it's a winner. 

Easy Mix, Egg Free Apple Cake

1 1/2  cups flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon each salt, baking soda, cinnamon

1 cup milk soured with 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

2 cups cored, unpeeled apples, chopped or shredded

Optional: 1/2 cup raisins

    Grease an 8 X 8-inch pan and preheat the oven to 305 F. Whisk dry ingredients in a bowl, then mix in wet ingredients until everything is evenly moistened.  Fold in apples. Bake 25-30 minutes or until the cake tests done. It's good plain or with whipped cream, warm vanilla sauce, frosting or a dusting of cinnamon sugar. 

THUMBNAIL RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Peanut Chocolate Pudding

Save a clean, quart-size jar with a good lid, such as a plastic or glass mayonnaise jar. It’s bulky to carry but you’ll leave it in the recycle bin at the campground. 

Add ½ cup dry roasted peanuts, 2/3 cup nonfat dry milk and contents of one instant chocolate pudding packet. In camp add 2 c. cold water. Shake vigorously until it’s well mixed.  (The peanuts  act as stirrers and keep the pudding mix from clumping.)  Pour into 4 pudding dishes and let stand until it sets. 

Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week

Asian Slaw

This old recipe is still a favorite at potlucks. It’s easy enough to throw together in the outdoor kitchen or small RV galley.

16-ounce package coleslaw mix

2 packages chicken flavor ramen noodles, broken into bite size

2 bunches scallions, trimmed and sliced

1 cup each sliced almonds and sunflower “nuts”

1/3 cup each balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and vegetable oil

Save flavor packets from the ramen. Toss together coleslaw mix, noodles, scallions, almonds and sunflower seeds. In a small saucepan stir vinegar, brown sugar, oil and seasoning packets. Bring to a boil and toss with slaw mix. Serve now or chill. Serves 10 to 12. 

Cook’s note: One way to break up ramen  is to place them on a cutting board and chop through with a  chef knife. What’s your method? Please share with janetgroene@yahoo.com

See Janet Groene’s Pantry Recipe of the Week, requiring no fresh ingredients at http://www.BoatCook.blogspot.com

Do you love to snack but want more healthful  hiking snacks? Make them yourself with recipes found at http://www.CreateAGorp.blogspot.com

Camp and RV Recipe of the Week

Three Potato Soup

To make this a vegan or vegetarian dish omit butter and chicken bouillon and substitute an extra tablespoon of vegetable oil and vegetable bouillon.  

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon butter

Large onion, diced

4 cups scrubbed, diced various types of potato (red, yellow, purple)

1 teaspoon each garlic salt, curry powder

½ teaspoon dried lemon peel (optional)

4 cups water

1 tablespoon powdered chicken bouillon

In a saucepan, melt butter and oil and stir in onion until it’s well coated. Keep stirring as you add garlic salt, curry powder, lemon peel and potatoes. When everything is well coated and some brown bits have formed, add water and bouillon. 

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer over low heat until vegetables are tender. Adjust seasonings. 

Optional: Serve as is or, to thicken broth, stir in dried potato flakes one tablespoon at a time, allowing one minute before adding more each time.  Garnsh with bacon bits and/or a tuft of shredded Cheddar.

Women who are alone enjoy no-fear RV travel with help from tips found at http://www.SoloWomanRV.blogspot.com

FREEZE AHEAD RECIPE OF THE WEEK 

Burgers and Plantains

Plantains are a starch side dish beside pan-fried burgers

2 pounds mixed ground meats (beef, pork, turkey)

1 teaspoon each salt, pepper, garlic powder

2 eggs

1 cup oatmeal flakes

8-ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 large plantains

2 pats butter

Mix meat, seasonings, eggs, oatmeal and pineapple. Form into 8 patties. In a large skillet, fry in butter until meat tests done at 165 degrees. Remove patties from pan, saving pan drippings. 

Peel plantains and slice in half lengthwise, then cut in chunks. Add butter to drippings in the skillet and cook plantains, cut side down, until barely fork tender. Cool. Package one burger plus two or three plantain slices per portion. Freeze.  To serve, thaw and heat through. 

TIPS FOR THE CAMP COOK

* Make nutty-butter scrambled eggs. Melt butter in the pan, swirl in 1 tablespoon pecan meal per egg. Cook until lightly browned, then add egg mixture. 

* Add vitamins and cut carbs when you serve bolognese or marinara sauce over wedges of steamed cabbage instead of spaghetti. Shower with shredded cheese.

* Beer batter is good for more than fish. Batter-fry asparagus spears, whole green beans, red or green red pepper rings. For dessert, dip banana slices and pineapple chunks in the batter.

* Mix 1 part bottled pesto with three parts soft butter. Spread on sizzling hot fish or steak from the grill

FOR EVERY OCCASION, EVERY AGE, 

SIZE, GENDER 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. 

BLACK POT RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Riverbank Catfish Stew

4 pounds catfish pieces

8 ounces fatback pork cut in small dice

6 cups potatoes, scrubbed and diced

3 cups diced onions, diced

3 cups sliced celery

1 teaspoon each ground pepper, dried thyme

2 cans condensed cream of tomato or chunky tomato soup

     In a large kettle over high heat, fry out diced fatback, gradually adding potatoes, onions and celery. Continue stirring over hot fire while scraping up brown bits.

Cover ingredients completely with water. Add pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil. Move to the edge of the campfire where heat is medium. Cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender. Stir in soup and bring back to a low boil.

Stir in catfish until it’s firm. If stew has become too thick, add water or broth to taste. Ladle into shallow soup plates. 

Serving note: Serve with buttered cornbread on the side or place cornbread in bowls and ladle stew over it.

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Camping Meals for Woods & Waters

 Copyright Janet Groene 2024. To ask about rates to use this content, or to place on ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, contact janetgroene@yahoo.com

 

 
THUMBNAIL RECIPE OF THE WEEK
    In a bowl mix an 18-oz. pkg. minute oats, 2/3 c. dry milk powder,  2 t. salt, 1 c. raisins, ½ cup brown sugar. Place 2/3 c. in each snack-size bag. In camp, put 2/3 c. oat mix in a bowl Add 2/3 c, boiling water. Cover. Let steep in warm place for several minutes. Serves 1. Add cream, sugar, fruit, yogurt or butter ad lib.   Cook's note: To make larger or smaller batches of oatmeal, use one part boiling water to one part oat mixture.

CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Lotsa Hotsa Rice ‘n Ham

 

3 one-pound canned hams
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1 red sweet pepper, seeded and diced
1 large onion, diced
4 teaspoons curry powder
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
3 cups raw rice
6  cups water
2 ripe but firm bananas, diced

10-ounce can mandarin oranges

Salt, pepper to taste
Hot sauce for the table

    Drain hams and cut in bite size. In a large pot, sizzle  peppers and onion in  hot oil over high heat until crisp tender, gradually stirring in ham and curry powder. Stir in sugar and rice to coat. Add water.  Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low flame 20-30 minutes or until rice is tender.
    When cooking rice it’s best not to peek or stir, so keep the flame very low to prevent burning. Check after 20 minutes and you’ll have an idea of how much more cooking is required

    Drain oranges and save juice. Just before serving, stir in the diced banana and oranges and add orange juice to taste. Heat through. Adjust seasonings. Provide hot sauce on the side. Serves 8 to 12. 

 

Just in time for gift season

The 4th Edition of the Groenes’ book Living Aboard Your RV, A Guide to the Full-Time Life on Wheels, is available from Amazon at   https://amzn.to/3knbvll/

The book starts with making the decision to go full-timing, then leads you through choosing and outfitting the RV as a home, making money on the go,  home schooling, finding affordable campsites and more.  It ends with advice on easing out of full-timing, when and if that day comes. Amazon can wrap and ship it for you if you like.

 

FREEZE AHEAD RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Fork-in-the Road Wraps
    
    Roll each of these wraps separately. Then freeze and grab only as many as needed for each camp-out. The recipe is easily multiplied. 

 

Carefully spear foil packet with a hot dog fork

 
8 burrito-size wheat tortillas
Butter or Dijon style mustard
16 slices deli baked ham
Cooked or canned whole green beans, well drained
8-ounce package grated Cheddar cheese

If necessary, warm tortillas just enough to be pliable. Spread each tortilla lightly with butter or mustard. On each tortilla place two slices ham, some green beans and a line  of cheese. Roll up, wrap in foil and refrigerate up to three days or freeze up to four weeks. Thaw and heat over the campfire.

Cook’s note: Tightly wrapped in foil, wraps like these can be speared on hot dog forks for roasting over the coals. To warm in the microwave, wrap in waxed paper. Open carefully. Steam will be scalding.

BONUS RECIPE
Fake Hollandaise Sauce

2 cups real mayonnaise
Juice of a medium lemon
1 ½ teaspoons sweet paprika
Pinch sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper

Heat, stirring over low heat. Do not boil. Makes 2 cups sauce.
 


Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week

 

 
Pumpkin Quick Cake

Your secret ingredient is butterscotch pudding mix. 

 

1 spice cake mix
4-serving packet instant butterscotch pudding mix
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup mashed pumpkin or sweet potato
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup water
3 eggs
   Make batter and put in a greased 9 X 13-inch pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool, frost and cut. Serves 12 to 16.

 

 

 

 

A GIFT THAT GOES ON GIVING...

 

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 or grill. https://amzn.to/3nNndWY

 

 

 

 

BLACK POT RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Easy-As-Pie Potato Potage
    Serve this chunky soup with as many toppings as you wish. It’s a meal in a bowl.

 

 
½ stick butter
6 large Idaho potatoes, scrubbed and diced
Lots of diced onions (2 to 3 cups)
7 cups water
6 chicken flavored bouillon cubes OR
6 teaspoons powdered chicken bouillon
I large, 1 small can evaporated milk
 

Optional Toppings:
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Real bacon bits
Seeded, chopped tomato
Finely chopped sweet onion
Sliced scallions
Dried chives or minced parsley or cilantro  

    In a roomy pot melt the butter over medium flame and stir in onions and potatoes to coat well. Add water and bouillon. Cover and simmer over coals until potatoes are very tender. Stir in the milk and ladle soup into bowls. Optional: plunge a potato masher several times through the potage to break up potatoes. Add toppings. Serves 6. 

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