Camping! Cooking! Eating!

 

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

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'? See Happy Traveler resort at right.   

 

                                     On the reindeers' day off, Santa uses an RV
 

THUMBNAIL RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Potato Scallop  “Helper”
Remove dried potatoes and flavor packet from the box of scalloped potato mix. Open flavor packet and discard its bag.  Seal in a zip-top bag with torn up snipped, dried  chipped beef, 2 T. dried onion bits, 1 packet chicken gravy mix and 1 T each low sodium beef bouillon & dried parsley flakes. Keep cool and dry. In camp, bring 3 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add 'helper". Reduce heat, cover, simmer until tender & creamy. Optional: stir in a handful of thawed peas for the last 2 minutes.


Camping and RV Recipe of the Week
Tangy Tango Skillet

    Make this easy skillet recipe without the chicken as a side dish or add chicken to make an economical main dish with a Mexican accent.  

 

14.5-ounce can  cream style corn
2 eggs
½ cup milk
8.5-ounce package of cornbread mix
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12- to 16-ounce package cooked, unbreaded chicken strips
8-ounce package of Mexican blend shredded cheese
10-ounce can or jar of enchilada sauce

    Heavily grease a 12-inch skillet. In a bowl whisk corn, eggs and milk. Stir in cornbread mix, paprika , chicken strips and about 1/4 of the cheese. Cover and cook over medium heat for  15-20 minutes or until it’s firm.
    Using the round handle of a wooden spoon, make holes in the cornbread and slowly drizzle the enchilada sauce over it. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover and return to heat until it’s heated through and cheese melts.
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See Janet Groene’s recipes at Boat Cook  that use 100% shelf-stable pantry ingredients. Use them for emergencies when all fresh foods are gone. They are ideal for  boondocking or emergency situations such as fridge failure.


Camp and RV Recipe of the Week
Chicken Skillet for Two

 

 

      Use a packet of ready-to-serve rice, leftover rice or rice made from scratch. 

2 tablespoons butter
1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast
Flour, salt and pepper
1 teaspoon powdered chicken bouillon
3/4 cup apple juice
Small can or jar of mushroom pieces, well drained
1 packet fully ready-to-serve rice OR
1 ½ to 2 cups cooked rice
2 round slices of Provolone cheese

    Melt butter in a skillet. Cut chicken breast in half to make two portions. Dredge chicken pieces in a mixture of flour, salt, pepper and powdered bouillon. Brown chicken on both sides. Add apple juice, bring to a boil, cover the skillet and cook over low heat until chicken tests done.. Stir in mushrooms and push them and the chicken to one side. Add rice, cover and cook to heat through.
    Place a piece of chicken on each plate and cover with rice mixture. Place a slice of Provolone over each and let the heat of the dish melt it. Serve at once.  

 

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 outdoors on the campfire or grill. https://amzn.to/3nNndWY

 One size fits all. If you like, Amazon will gift wrap and ship it for you.

 

 

 

CAMPGROUND POTLUCK RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Nutty Dressing
    Everybody loves stuffing. Boxed mix makes this dish an easy, elegant side dish for the potluck.

 

 

 

Nutty Dressing

    Top-of-the-stove stuffing mix has so many uses and it's so easy. Dress it up as a side dish for the campground cookout. This recipe is easy multiplied to serve a crowd.

1 box chicken or pork flavor  top-of-the-stove stuffing mix
Water
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
3 large ribs celery, chopped
Large onion, chopped
1 cup each golden raisins and coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

Put the  flavoring packet from the box in a pot with the water called for on the box. Add ½ cup additional water. Bring to a boil with the celery, onion and raisins. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until raisins are plump and vegetables tender. Remove from heat. Stir in stuffing mix and some of the nuts, reserving some for a garnish. Cover and let steep 5-10 minutes. Serves 8.
Cook’s note: A spring-loaded ice cream scoop is a good way to serve this moist dressing. 

Tips for the Camp Cook

* Make a different icebox pie each time.  Make 2 cups crumbs from different cookies, wafers, graham crackers, pretzels. Add 1/4 cup each melted butter and brown sugar.  Press into pie plate &  and chill. Add filling of choice. Chill.   

    * Before rolling out pizza dough, gently knead in grated cheese, finely chopped pepperoni, finely chopped hazelnuts, minced fresh basil and/ or shredded coconut.         

* Make Thai-style Red Chicken. Whisk together 1 cup water, 1/4 cup each ketchup, soy sauce and Worcestershire and 1 tablespoon each sugar and Tabasco sauce. Pour over 4 portions browned chicken parts. Cover, braise until chicken is tender.

    * Buy extra thick-sliced bread and make “toad in the hole” breakfast eggs.  No toaster needed.  

* Chocolate sauce. Mix 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 cups sugar, 1 ½ cups water for 2 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Serve warm or cold. Spoon on ice cream or stir into hot or cold milk. Refrigerate leftovers.

BLACK POT RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Campfire Scotch Broth
    A bracing cold weather classic, this soup takes hours over the coals while you tidy up the campsite, feed the fire and gab with campground neighbors. The recipe is easily doubled.

 

 
2 pounds lean, boneless lamb cut in small bites
10 cups water
1 teaspoon salt

    Put lamb in your campfire pot with the water and salt. Cover and simmer over the coals for 2 hours until lamb is falling apart tender.  Skim off excess fat. 

2 large carrots, chopped
Medium turnip, chopped
Large onion, diced
2 large ribs celery, chopped
2/3 cup pearl barley
Salt, pepper
Dried parsley flakes

    Add vegetables and barley to the soup. Cover and simmer another hour. Add water or broth as needed. Adjust seasonings, ladle into bowls and sprinkle with parsley flakes.
    
FREEZE AHEAD RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Kedgeree
    This is an old folk recipe, made different in every household.  In many nations it’s made with salted, smoked or canned  fish. It's a good way to use leftover fish or to stretch a small catch to feed the family. 

 

1/2 stick butter
2 teaspoons curry powder
4 cups cooked rice
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 cups cooked fish, flaked
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)

    Melt butter and stir in curry powder until it’s fragrant. Drizzle lemon juice over flaked fish. Fold in fish and remaining ingredients and heat through. Cool and package for the freezer, allowing 2/3 to 1 cupful per portion. Bonus points: seal each individual portion in a reusable silicone boilable bag. Thaw, heat in hot water, eat right out of the bag.

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