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CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Espresso Cheesecake
Packaged crumb pie crusts are a boon to camp chefs. They have a long shelf life, come in many sizes and flavors and can be filled with whatever you have on hand.
1 store-bought 8- or 9-inch inch crumb crust (preferably chocolate)
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
8-ounce brick of cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 1/3 cup chocolate jimmies
Set the oven to 350 degrees or pre-heat a covered grill to Medium. Let cream cheese come to “room” temperature. Whisk egg, then beat in sugar, cream cheese, vanilla and espresso powder. Pour into crust and bake 15 to 20 minutes, just until it’s “set”. Sprinkle with chocolate jimmies. Let cool before cutting. Chill if you like. Serves 6.
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Camping and RV Recipe of the Week
No-Bean or Low Bean
Chili in a Skillet
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound lean ground beef, pork, sausage or turkey
1 teaspoon each salt, pepper, chili powder
3 cups thawed or reconstituted hash brown potatoes
Medium onion, diced
Small green pepper, seeded and diced
Small can mushrooms pieces, drained
1 cup water
1 teaspoon beef or chicken Better than Bouillon
10-ounce can (1 1/3 cups) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons steak sauce such as A1
Optional: drained and rinsed canned chili beans, kidney beans, pork 'n beans, red beans, etc.
In a large skillet, heat oil and fry out meat. Sprinkle meat with chili powder, salt and pepper. Keep stirring meat over high heat while adding onion, green pepper, mushrooms and potatoes. When everything is nicely browned add water and bouillon to mix well. Add tomato sauce and steak sauce. Stir in beans if using. Cover and heat through. Serves 6 or more.
Optional: at the table pass hot sauce, chopped scallions, diced sweet onion, grated cheese and/or sour cream.
Tips for the Camp Cook
* Put a sweet, mahogany finish on grilled chicken by whisking three parts light molasses with one part dark beer. Grill chicken until it’s nearly done. Then brush often with glaze during final grilling. Turn often and keep brushing until chicken is dark and glazed.
* Make Chili in a Skillet above in a large skillet. Then make indentations in hot chili with the back of a spoon. Break eggs into the holes and poach to taste. Serve for breakfast.
* It’s easier to wash a sooty pot if you rub the outside with a soft bar soap such as Ivory before placing it over the fire. Most of the soot comes off with the soap.
* Heat canned sweet potatoes, drain and mash with flavored coffee creamer such as caramel or hazelnut.
Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week
When it’s your turn to bring a starch dish, wow ‘em with this Louisiana rice classic.
Natchitoches (NACK-a-tush) Rice
Large sweet onion, peeled and finely diced
4 large ribs celery, diced
1 stick butter
3 cups raw white Louisiana rice
4 chicken bouillon cubes
Juice of one orange plus grated zest of the orange
Water
2 teaspoons crumbled, dried sage
7-ounce jar salad olives, drained
Cook onion and celery in hot butter until well coated. Stir in rice to coat. Add water to orange juice to make 6 cups.
Add water and bouillon to rice, bring to a boil and stir to dissolve bouillon. Add sage and orange zest. Cover, reduce heat to Low and cook without stirring 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Fluff with a fork, fold in olives and serve hot. Makes 12 servings of ½ cup each.
Freeze Ahead Recipe of the Week
Mule Kick Bean Soup
Chilly spring nights in the campground call for a crackling campfire and cauldrons of hot soup. This soup is made quick and easy with canned foods. Make it vegan or vegetarian if you wish and use low sodium everything. Then pass the salt shaker, pepper mill and hot sauce at the table. The recipe is easily multiplied and it freezes well.
Large onion, diced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
15-ounce can of refried beans
14-ounce can of Mexican style diced tomatoes, undrained
15-ounce can of low sodium, white shoepeg corn, undrained
2 tablespoons from a packet of taco seasoning
2 cans, 15 ounces each, undrained beans e.g. kidney beans, red beans, black beans, white, navy.
Canned or cooked, diced ham or chicken,(optional)
Heat oil in a large saucepan and sizzle the onion, gradually adding garlic. When onion is softened, add refried beans and break them up while stirring in juices from the corn and tomatoes. When refried beans are broken up, add tomatoes, corn, seasoning and beans. Add meat if using. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer to blend flavors. Soup will be very thick.
Freeze in batches of one cup per serving, e.g. one quart soup = four camping servings. To serve, reheat 1 cup soup with ½ to to one cup water, broth, bouillon, gravy or tomato or V-8 juice. This makes servings of 1 ½ to 2 cups each.
Serve with bread or toritilla chips and a dollop of sour cream. Top with a sprinkling of dried or fresh minced parsley or cilantro, or some chopped scallions if you have some.
Where to travel next? See destination and dates for future trips from travelwriter Janet Groene at https://janetgroene.blogspot.com
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