Comfort Foods for Cold Camping

 Copyright Janet Groene 2026. 

RV & CAMPING RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Chicken in Raisin Gravy

1 package (12-14 ounces) cooked chicken tenders OR

2 cans chunk chicken 

1 packet country gravy mix

2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/3 cup golden raisins

Thaw chicken. Make up white sauce mix according to package directions. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins. Fold in chicken and heat thoroughly.  Serve over biscuits,  rice, noodles, crisp Chinese noodles, baked sweet potatoes, etc. Serves 4 to 6.  

NO COOK DESSERT OF THE WEEK

Nutty Apple Wedges

8-ounce brick of cream cheese

2 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

1 teaspoon almond flavoring

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped, roasted , salted almonds

Apple wedges

Soft cream cheese at “room” temperature and mix with the flavorings and sugar until smooth and creamy. Spread on six small paper plates and sprinkle with chopped almonds. This is enough for six medium apples, cut in wedges. Scoop into the dip with an apple wedge and enjoy. 

Cook’s note: Try this with smoked almonds in place of peanuts. 

CAMP COOKING TIPS

To receive a full page of a dozen or more camp cooking tips, email me and put Cook Tips in the topic line. I’ll send tips by return email. Each mailing will be different, chosen at random from my archives. Janetgroene@gmail.com

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 grate.  

https://amzn.to/3nNndWY 

VEGETARIAN CAMP RECIPE 

Skillet Cottage Pie

1 can wax beans, drained

1 can mushrooms, drained

1 can sliced green beans, drained

2 eggs

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 can white beans (navy, Great Northern or cannellini),

1 tablespoon mixed Italian seasoning

6-ounce piece Swiss cheese, grated

6 servings hot mashed potatoes

½ cup heavy whipping cream

I stick butter, melted

Optional: toasted sesame seeds

1. In a large, cold, buttered skillet, mix green beans, wax beans, mushrooms and white beans. 

2.  Whisk eggs with soy sauce and pour over vegetables. Top with grated Swiss cheese. Set aside. 

3. Mix instant potato flakes with hot water until thick, then stir in whipping cream. Drop by tablespoons on the vegetables and smooth with the back of a large wet spoon. 

4. Cover and cook over medium heat until set as for custard. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle with melted butter and serve at once.

Cook’s note:  If you have a broiler, prepare the pie in an ovenproof skillet and broil, watching carefully until it’s toasty brown. The potatoes can also be browned with a propane kitchen torch. Then add butter and sesame seeds. 

Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week

Chunky Ranch Dip

This recipe makes  6 cups dip to serve 20 to 24.

1 pint (2 cups) sour cream

1/2 cup bottled ranch salad dressing

1 pint plain yogurt

1 packet dry ranch dressing mix

½ cup ketchup 

10-ounce package chopped spinach, thawed and pressed dry 

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

4 drops Tabasco sauce

Mix everything well in a large bowl. Divide into smaller bowls to serve surrounded by raw vegetable sticks, crackers, tortilla chips, etc.  

GIVE THE GIFT OF FREEDOM TO SOMEONE WHO IS READY TO GO FULL-TIMING

The whole story, start to end, warts and all.....
We full-timed for 10 great years. 

 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 our 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 

 

MAKE AHEAD RECIPE OF THE WEEK 

This salad makes a whole meal or a substantial salad course. It gets better as it chills overnight. Then it totes easily to the campground or tailgate party.

Pinto Bean Salad

2 cans, 15 ounces each, pinto beans

8-ounce can whole kernel corn

3 or 4 Roman tomatoes, diced

Small can sliced black olives

½ cup sliced stuffed green olives

Small onion, chopped fine

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Minced cilantro or parsley ad lib 

Drain and rinse beans and put them in a bowl.  Drain corn and olives and discard juice. Mix into beans. Mix tomatoes with the vinegar and oil.  Toss lightly with beans. Add pepper to taste and chill, stirring occasionally.

SKILLET MEAL OF THE WEEK

Confetti Bulgur and Bacon

6 to 10 slices bacon, cut up

4 cups water

2 cups mixed vegetables 

2 cups bulgur

Salt, pepper to taste

Squeeze bottle margarine

Fry out bacon and spoon off excess fat. (Leave some for flavor.) Set bacon aside on paper toweling. Add water and vegetables to the pan and bring to a boil. Boil five minutes, then stir in bulgur. Cover and set aside out of the wind while  bulgur absorbs liquid. Spoon onto serving places and sprinkle with reserved bacon bits.

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, an evacuation,  refrigerator failure, supply chain interruptions.    http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe 

Campers 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. 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

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Winter Meals for Cold Campers

 Copyright Janet Groene 2026. To ask about  rates for reprint rights to this content, email janetgroene (at) yahoo.com 

WARM MEALS FOR 

WINTER CAMPING

CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK 

Limoncello Salmon

Limoncello is a sweet liqueur usually served ice cold. It’s available at the liquor store and can also be homemade.

3-to 4-pound salmon fillet

Salt, pepper, dried thyme

1/2 stick butter (no substitutes)

1 fresh lemon

2 medium onions, sliced thin

1 cup limoncello, divided

Lay out of large sheet of heavy duty foil and butter the place where you’ll lay the salmon fillet.

Pat salmon dry and spread with softened butter. Sprinkle  lihtly with salt ,pepper and thyme. Cover with thin-sliced lemon and onions. Drizzle evenly with ½ cup limoncello. 

Fold foil around salmon to form a leakproof seal and place over well-started coals. Cook 5 minutes, turn, cook 5 minutes more and test for doneness (at least 145 F.) with an instant reading thermometer. Exact  cook time depends on fire management and the wind. One rule of thumb for salmon is 10 minutes per inch of thickness. 

Carefully unwrap salmon (beware of hot steam) and test for taste. Drizzle with more  limoncello to taste. (You may not need more.) 

Homemade Limoncello

Even organic lemons may be waxed, so I recommend a quick dip in boiling water before peeling.

10 organic lemons

750 ml bottle of unflavored 100 proof spirits such as vodka or grain alcohol. 

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

Peel only the thin yellow rind of the lemons. Cut it up and place in a quart jar with the spirits  Lid  tightly and keep in a cool, dark place for one to 4 weeks. (Longer is stronger).  Strain through a coffee filter. Discard solids.

Boil sugar and water to make a syrup. Cool completely and add to the infused alcohol. Keep limoncello in the refrigerator or freezer and serve cold by the shot. 

Cook’s note: If you prefer a sweeter drink with less alcohol, add another cup or two of sugar syrup. While sweetness and salmon go well together, don't over-do it here. 

THE GIFT THAT GIVES ALL YEAR

ONE SIZE FITS ALL

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 grate.  

https://amzn.to/3nNndWY 

CAMP BREAKFAST OF THE WEEK

Need a quick breakfast before getting an early start?  These hearty squares will jump start the day. Always have a good supply on hand in the fridge or freezer. 

Fruit and Nut Squares

6-ounce jar maraschino cherries

3 eggs

½  cup sugar

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

8-ounce package diced pitted dates

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Grease a sheet pan (about 16 X 11 X 1). Set the oven to 350 F. 

Drain and chop cherries, saving the juice. Beat eggs with the sugar, flour and baking powder. Fold in nuts, dates and cherries with enough of the juice to make a batter, (Add water if needed.) 

    Spread batter in the pan and bake 20-30 minutes or until springy to the touch. Cut in squares and wrap individually in waxed paper for easy serving on the go. 

LIFESAVER SAUCE OF THE WEEK

When you need to put a ruffle on a plainjane meal or add flavor to a so-so dish, reach for a lifesaver sauce.

Red, White 'n Bleu  Sauce

1 can low sodium condensed cream of tomato soup

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

4-ounces crumbled bleu cheese

About 1/3 to 1/2 cup milk or light cream

Heat soup gently with cloves. Stir in crumbled cheese to heat through, adding milk or cream to thin to taste. Do not boil. Spoon hot over poached fish, grilled burgers, plain rice or cooked vegetables such as green beans or carrots.. 

VEGETARIAN DISH OF THE WEEK

Pearls and Pigeon Peas

Also known a gandules, pigeon peas have 21 grams of protein per 100 grams. They are a popular food source in the Caribbean and in other parts of the world. Known by many other names,  they show up in ethnic dishes including curries, soups and stews. They may be white green or brown and are sold fresh, dried and canned. 

12-ounce bag of pearl onions, thawed 

1 cup water

6-ounce can tomato paste

1/4 stick butter

1 teaspoon  each vinegar and dried, crumbled thyme

2 cans pigeon peas (Gandules)  drained and rinsed

1/4 cup maple syrup or “lite” molasses

Salt, pepper

Cook onions in water until  crisp tender. Do not drain. Stir tomato paste into the hot onions to form a sauce, adding water if needed. Add the butter until it melts. Fold in vinegar, thyme,  beans and syrup.  Season to taste. Heat gently and serve over tice, split biscuits,  rice,  campfire baked sweet potatoes or torn bits of  naan or tortillas.  

GIVE THE GIFT OF FREEDOM TO SOMEONE WHO IS READY TO GO FULL-TIMING

The whole story, start to end, warts and all.....We full-timed for 10 great years. 

 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 our 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 

 

PANTRY RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Creamed Peas on Toast

Gourmet, it isn’t but this desperation meal can be put together from your emergency pantry in minutes, then heated quickly on any heat source. 

1 can condensed low sodium cream of mushroom soup

½ soup can milk or water

1 can deviled ham

1 can sweet peas, drained

In a small pan stir soup, milk and deviled ham. Stir until smooth. Fold in peas. Heat and serve over toast, biscuits, crisp Chinese noodles or broken crackers. 

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 e-book series.  

Go to Kindle,   https://amzn.to/3bB5XPh    and order all six in the Yacht Yenta series, January Justice through June Jeopardy. 

BLACK POT RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Aromatic with flavors favored in Middle Eastern desert cultures,  this stew simmers on the campfire, sending seductive smells into the air.

MOROCCAN LAMB STEW

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound lean, boneless lamb for stew, cut in small bites

Salt and pepper

1 cup pitted, dried plums, cut up

1 cup dried apricots, cut up

Large onion, diced

1 cup water

1 chicken or beef flavor bouillon cube

1 small orange

½ teaspoon each cinnamon and ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 or 3 cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas) 

4-ounce package sliced almonds

Heat the oil over a hot fire. Lightly salt and pepper the meat. Brown meat in hot oil.  Add the fruit, onion, water and bouillon and bring to a boil. Stir, then  move the pot to a more moderate place over the fire for long-slow simmering. 

Cut the un-peeled orange into tiny bits. Discard seeds and stir orange  into the pot with the spices. Simmer ad lib, stirring occasionally and adding water to keep it from boiling dry. When lamb is tender, stir in the drained, rinsed garbanzo beans and simmer until serving time, adding water or broth as needed. . 

Serve as is or spoon over hot rice, couscous or quinoa. Garnish with sliced almonds.

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 unexpected delays, a sudden evacuation,  refrigerator failure, supply chain interruptions.    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

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE SAMPLES OF PAST POSTS

Camping & Glamping Cooking for 2026

Blog copyright Janet Groene 2026

Start the New Year with a new repertoire of smart, affordable recipes for all the exciting camp-outs and road trips you plan to have in '26. 

CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Tuna CORNival

Save fuel and mess. Just throw this dish  together in a nonstick pan and heat it up.  It’s a  money-pinching main dish that stretches one can of tuna to feed a family of 6. Use ready-to serve, instant or from-scratch rice. 

2 cups cooked rice

15-ounce whole kernel corn, drained

15-ounce can cream-style corn

3 or 4 hard-cooked eggs, cut up

1 can tuna, drained and flaked

1 can cream-of-something soup

½ soup can milk or water

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Crisp chow mein noodles

Optional garnish: shredded cheese, chopped scallions or a few shakes of soy sauce.

 

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, layer rice, corn, eggs and tuna. Whisk soup, milk and mustard and pour over skillet. Cover and heat gently. .Place a scoop of chow mein noodles on each plate and smother with the hot mixture. Garnish ad lib.  Serves 6.

Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week 

Zucchini Monterey 

When you’re asked to bring a vegetable side dish, this zucchini recipe will add color and zing to the potluck table.

3 large zucchinis, cut in bite size

Large onion, diced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablesppoon each butter and vegetable oil

Salt, pepper

4-ounce can diced chilies, drained

4-ounce can diced jalapeños, drained

3 or 4  plum tomatoes, diced and drained

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In a large wok or skillet, melt butter with oil and stir-fry zucchini,  gradually adding onion and garlic. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Fold in peppers and tomatoes. Cook until zucchini is crisp-tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Serves 10.

Cook's note: recipe can also be prepared in a skillet or wok, then put in a greased casserole dish and refrigerated to bake later. 

THE GIFT THAT GIVES ALL YEAR

AND ONE SIZE FITS ALL

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 grate.  

https://amzn.to/3nNndWY 

POTLUCK RECIPE #2

Bean Pot in the Orchard

You’ll be asked for the recipe for this merry mingling of beans and sweetness. To make it vegetarian, omit the ham and use vegetarian baked beans instead of the pork and beans. 

1 pound cooked ham, diced small

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 onions, diced fine

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 can  pork & beans such as Van Camp’s

1 can butter beans, undrained

1 can each, drained: and rinsed:

Green lima beans

Kidney beans

White beans such as Great Northern or cannellini 

8-ounce can pineapple  tidbits, undrained

2 tart apples, peeled and cut up

1/3 cup Craisins 

½ cup “lite” molasses

½ cup ketchup

In a large pot or Dutch oven, fry out diced ham in hot oil, gradually adding onions and garlic. When they are crisp-tender, reduce heat and begin adding remaining ingredients, stirring to mix well.  Add water or broth as needed. Heat on the stove, or campfire or in the oven until bubbly. Serves 16.

 Bonus points: soak Craisins in strong, hot cinnamon tea. Drain before, before adding. 

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? Two weeks in a national park? See Survival Food Handbook for lists, tips on buying, stowing, and recipes that need no fresh ingredients. Be prepared for delays, refrigerator failure, supply chain interruptions and the unforseen. 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

BONUS RECIPE

Camper’s Crabpot

3 cups water

1 chicken flavor bouillon cube

12-ounce package imitation crabmeat, cut up

8-ounce can mushroom steps and pieces, drained

Small green pepper, finely cut up

2-ounce jar chopped pimentos, drained

Small can sliced ripe olives, drained

1 envelope cream of leek soup mix (such as Knorr)

3 cups instant white rice

½ stick butter

Suggested garnish: lemon or lime wedges

Bring water to a boil,. Dissolve bouillon. Add  crab, vegetables and soup mix. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 8 minutes. Bring back to a boil. Stir in rice, cover and turn off heat. Let stand 7-8 minutes out of the wind until rice is tender.   Stir, drizzle with melted butter and serve. Makes 6 portions. 

Camp COMFORT FOOD OF THE WEEK 

Shortcut Cholent

A traditional Jewish  comfort food, cholent is prepared differently in every kitchen, depending on  each home's culture and tradition. Basically it’s a stew that bakes ahead of time so no cooking will be done on the Sabbath. 

No traditional cook would endorse my shortcut version. However, here’s a way to have a delicious hot, one-dish comfort food  in quicktime.

12-to 14-ounce can corned beef

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 large onions, diced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3 cans butter beans (cooked large limas) undrained

Freshly ground pepper

Tomato juice of beef broth as needed

Paprika for garnish

Optional garnish: hardboiled egg

Scrape and discard  excess fat from the corned beef. Break up corned beef in hot oil, stir frying while adding onions and garlic. Cover and cook over reduced heat  until onions are tender. Stir in butter beans and pepper. Simmer to heat through,  adding a little broth if needed. Season to taste. Sprinkle  lightly with paprika. Serves 6 to 8. 

TIPS FOR THE CAMP COOK

Craving Manicotti but you forgot to bring a box of shells? Make your usual filling and sauce. Roll it in flour tortillas or  homemade crepes. Arrange seam side down with sauce and a topping of cheese.

Receive a full page of shortcuts, hints and camp cooking tips, hints and work-arounds by return email. Go to janetgroene@gmail.com and put Cook Tips in the topic line. I’ll send you a dozen or more random tips from my archives. 

WILL 2026 BE THE YEAR YOU GO FULL-TIMING? 

WHY WAIT TO RETIRE?

 Do you dream of living, traveling  (and perhaps earning a living) in a complete home on wheels?  We did. 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/29XFEk

BONUS RECIPE

Surimi and Spinach

Imitation crabmeat makes this seafood casserole affordable, tasty and nourishing. 

20-ounce bag  of chopped spinach

20 ounces imitation crab, cut up or shredded

Large sweet onion (e.g. Vidalia) finely diced

8-ounce package grated Cheddar cheese

1 stick butter, divided 

1/4 cup cooking sherry

2 tablespoons flour

1 can condensed tomato soup

1 cup sour cream

Thaw spinach and squeeze it dry. Lightly scatter some of the spinach in a sprayed 9 X 13-inch casserole. Sprinkle with some of the cheese, crab and onion and continue until you’ve used all but about a cupful of the cheese.

Whisk ½ stick butter, melted , with the flour, sherry,  soup and sour cream and pour over the casserole. Dot with small bits of the remaining butter and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.  Serves 6. 

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 e-book series.  

Go to Kindle,   https://amzn.to/3bB5XPh    and order all six in the Yacht Yenta series, January Justice through June Jeopardy. 

NO BAKE DESSERT OF THE WEEK

Creamy Apple Pie

Large deep dish crumb pie crust, chilled

½ cup cold milk

8-ounce brick of cream cheese

1 box instant French vanilla pudding mix

1 cup cold milk

1 teaspoon each almond and lemon extract

1 can apple pie filling

Optional Glaze:

1/3 cup clear jelly such as apple or raspberry, melted

In a bowl beat the ½ cup milk with softened cream cheese. When it’s smooth, add the full  cup of cold milk and the pudding mix. Stir in extracts. Pour into pie crust. Chill until set. Spread apple pie filling on top and drizzle with melted jelly. Chill. Serves 8. 

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Do you want a quick poke each time new posts go live here? Email janetgroene@yahoo.com and put RV YES in the topic line.