Copyright Janet Groene 2026. To ask about rates to reprint Groene content email janetgroene@yahoo.com
Summer is sliding by, so let’s get out there and camp! This is also the time to lock up reservations for the next trip or next season or next summer. Don’t forget that you also need separate tickets for camping concerts. The RV packages always go first.
CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Here's a kicky way to make use of pre-cooked chicken tenders sold in vac-pacs. They are ideal for camping because they have extended life in your ice chest or fridge. See use-by dates.
Tequila Chicken
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup hot water
1 chicken bouillon cube
14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ cup tequila
14- to 16-ounce package cooked unbreaded chicken bites
Sizzle garlic in hot oil to soften. Add water, bring to a boil and dissolve bouillon cube.
Add drained tomatoes, saving juice. Whisk juice with cornstarch and chili powder and stir into the pan. Stir over medium heat until it begins to thicken. Gradually add tequila, then add chicken to heat through. Tp reduce alcohol, boil an extra five minutes.
Spoon over baked potatoes, grilled polenta,, split biscuits, steamed rice or buttered noodles..
When you make your own mixes, you save time and money AND you control ingredients to, for instance, omit salt, increase fiber, use a sugar substitute or add you own secret spice.
HOMEMADE MIX OF THE WEEK
What is a Cobbler called in your neck of the woods? It may be a Pandowdy, Buckle, Brown Betty, Slump, Grunt, Crisp or Crumble. Basically it’s a fruit casserole with baked-on topping.
Here’s a dry pre-mix that turns fruit into a festive dessert. Just add water.
Cobbler Mix
5 cups flour (may be gluten free)
2 cups sugar or equivalent
3 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons each salt and baking soda
2/3 cup powdered milk
2/3 cup buttermilk powder
Mix well and divide into 8 zip-top bags. Seal shut and keep cool and dry.
To make Cobber in camp:
Oven Method: Set the oven to 350 F. Fill an 8 X 8-inch pan half full with cut up fresh, undrained canned fruit or fruit pie filling. Sweeten fruit if needed. Bake 5 minutes while you empty one bag of mix into a bowl and whisk in water to make a thick batter.
Spoon batter over hot fruit and drizzle with ½ stick butter, melted. Optional: sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake until topping is golden brown.
Stovetop method: Pour fruit in a greased skillet. Cover and heat. If using fresh fruit such as apples, cover and steam gently to soften. Add a little sugar and apple pie spice. Mix batter, pour over fruit, drizzle with butter and cover. Cook over medium heat until batter is puffy and set. It will not brown. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar for color and flavor.
Cook’s note: other optional topping suggestions: grated cheese, chocolate jimmies, colored sugar, chopped pecans. In some regions, traditional cobblers are served hot with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or whipped topping.
BE PREPARED
Stuff happens when you're away from home too. Be prepared for delays, sudden evacuation, refrigerator failure, supply chain interruptions, civil disturbances. http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe How much food will you need for a week in the woods for two adults and two kids? A month in a remote fish camp? A two-week power outage camp? Survival Food Handbook for tips on buying, stowing, and make meals from ordinary supermarket supplies that need no fresh ingredients.
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. http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe
LIFESAVER SAUCE OF THE WEEK
Camp cooking is full of unplanned disasters–a burnt edge, a collapsed cake, a biscuit that isn’t done in the middle. Cover it with a sauce. Here’s one with a lot of sass and plenty of possibilities.
Smoky Mountain Sweet Sauce
Whip up a big batch of this sinfully sweet sauce to spoon over grilled meats, boiled brats, coconut shrimp or cedar planked salmon. Use it as a dip for l’il smokies, vegetables tempura or or chicken nuggets. Add it to the bean pot. Spoon it over a brick of cream cheese and serve as a spread. Melt it atop a round of Brie and surround with crackers.
Note bene: This recipe makes more than a quart of sauce. Keep it in the chiller to use ad lib over 3-6 days.
20-ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained
18-ounce bottle your favorite smoky barbecue sauce
10-ounce jar apricot, peach or pineapple preserves
½ teaspoon each ground cloves and dry mustard
Optional: A few drops of liquid smoke OR
½ cup bourbon
Bring everything to a boil, stirring until it’s well mixed, then remove from heat. If you add liquid smoke, use only a drop or two at a time, especially if the barbecue sauce is highly smoked. Serve warm or refrigerate to warm up later.
How to make a walking dessert to carry in a pocket? See sweet and savory recipes for gorp, snacks and trail mix at Janet Groene’s Create A Gorp.
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Just for Fun, Try These
Two- or Three--Ingredient Tricks
Keep it your own secret and nobody will guess you took shortcuts.
Copyright Janet Groene 2026
* Rinse and drain a can of chopped sauerkraut and mash with a can of whole berry cranberry sauce. Heat and use as a hot dog relish.
* Chop ½ cup candied cherries and mix with a shot of bourbon into a can of coconut- pecan frosting. Frost any plain white or yellow cake. This may remind you of a holiday classic called Lane Cake.
* Mix 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 ½ to 2 cups grated cheese. Spread on bread or crackers and watch carefully under the broiler (or use a kitchen torch) until it bubbles and browns.
* Mash a can of whole berry cranberry sauce with a packet of dry onion soup mix. Mix into 2 pounds ground turkey to make turkey burgers. No other seasoning is needed.
* Chop a big handful of fresh parsley or cilantro fine and mix with a can of mild, medium or hot Rotel tomatoes to make instant salsa. .
*Dump a can of Rotel and a jar of CheezWiz into a micro-safe bowl. Nuke and stir to make a hot dip to go with raw vegetables or tortilla chips.
* Unwind Twizzles and let the children string Honey Nut Cheerios on the strands to make bracelets and necklaces.. Then eat the “friendship bands” for dessert. It keeps the kids busy while grown-ups have a more leisurely meal.
* Stir raisins into chunky peanut butter and use the mixture to stuff celery or cored apples.
* Mash drained salsa into softened cream chese and serve use as a cracker spread.
* Fold a few miniature marshmallows into crushed pineapple and serve as dessert.
* Melt candy making white chocolate and dip whole, white marshmallows. Set on parchment or waxed paper to cool completely.
*. Stir 2 to 4 cut-up, hardboiled eggs into a can of sausage gravy. Heat gently and spoon over toast or instant grits.
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See more of Janet Groene’s camping, boating and picnic recipes at
HTTPS://www.CreateAGorp.blogspot.com and
HTTPS://www.BoatCook.blogspot.com
LABOR LESS OVER LABOR DAY
For yourself or a gift, Janet Groene's timeless RV cookbook is packed with shortcuts, space saving tips and 270 easy, delicious recipes to cook inside the camper or outside on the campfire, camp stove or grate. Amazon will wrap and ship it for you. https://amzn.to/3nNndWY
Campground Potluck Dish of the Week
Chicken Salad to Serve 25
This recipe does the math for you. The chicken can be from cans, cut from rotisserie birds or your own, homemade cooked and diced chicken.
8 cups cooled cooked chicken cut in small dice
1/3 cup bottled French dressing
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons pickle relish
6 hard-cooked eggs, diced
6 cups diced celery OR
6 cups halved seedless grapes
½ cup toasted sliced almonds
Mix chicken and French dressing in a sealed bag and chill several hours. To proceed, mix chicken with remaining ingredients. Chill and serve topped with slivered almonds.
MAKE AHEAD DISH OF THE WEEK
Pork Chops and Stuffing
This recipe is easily multiplied. You need six pork chops for each box of stuffing mix.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon each pepper and poultry seasoning
2 cups water
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 ribs celery, chopped
Medium onion, diced
Medium apple, peeled and diced
2/3 cup dried cranberries or golden raisins
1 box chicken or pork stuffing mix
Mix flour and seasonings. Dredge chops in seasoned flour. Discard excess flour. Brown chops in hot oil, cover and braise until pork tests done at 165 F. Do not cook partially. Cool.
Bring water to a boil, stir in bouillon to dissolve and add onion, celery, dried fruit and apple. Reduce heat, cover and cook until vegetables are tender. Stir in stuffing mix, cover the let steep. If stuffing is too stiff, stir in a little water.
Cut a slit in pork chops and fill with as much stuffing as possible. Place chop on a sheet of foil and spread remaining stuffing on top. Seal foil, cool and freeze. In camp, thaw packets and heat on the grill, in the oven or in a covered skillet over medium heat.
We spill our whole story, start to end, warts and all.....
We traveled full-time 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 it's time to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you. https://amzn.to/29XFEkq
GOOD TO KNOW
Instant pudding mixes work with UHT, fresh, canned or reconstituted powdered milk. Results vary with non dairy milks such as almond, oat and coconut but they WILL work.
NO BAKE DESSERT OF THE WEEK
Apple Rings
½ stick butter (and more if needed)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Prepare apples. Melt butter. Fry apple slices until crisp-tender. Arrange two or three rings on each plate and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Serve plain or with:
Vanilla Peanut Sauce
1 package French vanilla instant pudding mix
2 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
Whisk mix and milk until pudding thickens. Whisk in peanut butter until smooth and spoon over hot apple rings. Optional: sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
COME BACK EVERY FRIDAY FOR
MORE SHORTCUT RECIPES FOR THE CAMP CHEF
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