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Bag & Go, Boil & Serve
During the week(s) before we head for the woods I make extra servings of everything, then we seal-a-meal it and stick the flat packages in the freezer. When we get ready to go we throw them all in the truck and once I am at the campsite all I have to do for meals is throw bags in a pot, boil and serve.
Beef Stroganoff over rice, fried green beans and onions with a nice salad. Or maybe rotisserie chicken, potatoes and corn on the cob.
You can serve a very nice meal rather impressively for out in the sticks with almost no clean up. Everyone is happy, no chores!
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Chicken and Kraft Dinner
Ingredients:
4 boxes of Kraft macaroni dinner
3 cans of chicken chunks
1 cup of powdered milk in zipper bag
6 packets of Cup-o-Soup, flavor of your choice
Salt, paprika
Directions for preparation:
In large pot, heat 4 quarts of water to rolling boil. Do not salt water. Add macaroni to water and stir constantly until boil resumes. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking. May have to reduce heat to prevent boil over. Cook 8-9 minutes until macaroni is tender.
Open chicken and add chicken and juice to pot. Break up chunks of chicken with spoon. Cook for a minute or two to heat chicken.
Remove pot from stove (turn off heat) or fire. Use cup or ladle to dip off excess water and use to make Cup-o-Soup as appetizer. Water remaining should be no more than enough to cover 1/4 of macaroni. Save excess water in case needed later.
Add powdered milk and cheese powder and a pinch or two of salt to pot and stir thoroughly until cheese is melted and macaroni is well coated. If macaroni is too thick, add a little of the saved water.
Serve in bowls, season with salt, pepper, paprika to taste.
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Chicken and Rice Stew
Ingredients:
3/4 cup Minute Rice per person, zipper bag
1 or 2 packets of cream of chicken instant soup per person. More is better.
1 can of chicken chunks for each two persons
Salt, pepper
Two cooking pots
Directions for preparation: Pour 3/4 cup of water for each person into large pot. This matches the rice. Bring to a boil.
Remove pot from heat. Stir rice into water, then cover and let stand for about five or six minutes until all the water is absorbed. Do not hurry this step or rice will be crunchy. Fluff rice by stirring gently to break up any clumps. (In cold weather, wrap something around the pot to keep it warm, or set it into a larger pot with some warm water in it.)
While rice is hydrating, heat 1/2 cup of water (measure) per person to boiling. Open canned chicken and add chicken and juice to hot water. Break up chicken into smaller pieces. Heat chicken a minute or two. Remove pot from heat. Immediately add packets of soup to hot water and chicken, stirring to dissolve completely.
When soup is thoroughly mixed, add rice to the soup and chicken mixture. Stir and fold to mix well. If mixture is too thick, OK to add a little more hot water. Proper texture is a thick wet stew, not a runny soup.
Season with salt, pepper, to taste.
Note: after serving, add water to rice pot, then wash promptly; rice will stick otherwise.
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Breakfast Pie
Eggs
Cheese
Pre-Cooked Ham, Sausage or Bacon
Bread Slices
Directions:
Before leaving for your trip, scramble some eggs, and put them in a ziplock bag and put in the cooler. When morning comes at the campsite, put eggs, cheese and diced meat between bread slices and place in pie iron. Cook over fire till done. To spice it up add onions, peppers and a dash of tabasco sauce.
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TANGY GLAZED HAM
Want to prepare an easy, but elegant, meat entree for your summer backyard get-togethers or camping outings? This recipe is sure to please your guests and campers, but is so simple it nearly cooks itself. Cee Dub fixed this for Easter Sunday, the first wonderful spring Sunday on the South Fork.
(Recipe adapted from Cee Dub's Dutch Oven and Other Camp Cookin', Page 111)
Ingredients:
5-7 lbs. precooked ham
1 15 oz. can pineapple rings
1-2 oz. bottle maraschino cherries, optional
1 cup water
Glaze:
1 - 8 oz. jar orange marmalade
1/2 tsp. Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
6 oz. Amaretto, or almond/cherry liqueur
Mix the glaze ingredients together and let sit while you're getting the charcoal ready. Place the ham on a rack in a deep 14" Dutch oven along with juices from the cherries and pineapple and the water. Brush the ham with the glaze and any other seasoning you wish to add. Place pineapple rings on the ham with a maraschino cherry in the center of each ring, if desired. Use toothpicks to secure pineapple rings and cherries to ham, if needed. Set the DO in a firepan with 8-10 briquets underneath and 12-14 around the outside of the lid and cook for an hour. Brush ham with the remaining glaze 2-3 times during cooking
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SPUDS AND ONIONS AU GRATIN
Nothing goes better to compliment your baked ham than potatoes! This recipe is a crowd pleaser!
Ingredients
2-3 lbs. russet spuds, sliced as thin as you can get
2-3 Tbsp. melted butter or margarine
2-3 medium yellow onions, sliced thin
1 15 oz. can of cheese soup
1/4 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup cracker or bread crumbs (seasoned if you wish)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Take a paper towel and wipe a 12" Dutch oven with a little olive or vegetable oil. Place one layer of spuds in the DO and brush with some of the melted margarine and add a little seasoning. Then put in a layer of onions and keep layering spuds brushed with butter and seasoning until you've used all your spuds and onions. Thin the soup with the milk and pour over the top. Sprinkle the bread or cracker crumbs over and add any additional seasoning. Set the Dutch in the firepan with 4-6 briquets underneath and 16-18 on the top. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove the DO from the firepan and sprinkle the grated cheese over the top and let set for 5 minutes or so before serving. Serves 6-8.
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BASQUE BLACKBERRY COBBLER
To top off your meal, a fresh-baked cobbler is a mouth-watering finish that will WOW your guests and campers! This recipe uses fresh blackberries, but it can be made substituting 2-3 cans of pie filling for the blackberries. Spice up your pie filling cobblers by adding lime or lemon juice and additional spices such as ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, or allspice. These same seasonings can be added to any dump cake to add a little "zing" to your dessert. For an added treat, serve your cobblers and dump cakes with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream!
Ingredients:
6 oz. cream cheese
2 cubes butter
2 cups flour
Pinch of salt
4-6 cups berries
1/2 cup sugar, or brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup flour
2-3 tablespoons melted butter
For pastry, cut the cream cheese and butter into flour and salt. Form soft dough into ball and chill. Pour berries into 12" Dutch oven and sprinkle with sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and juice. Sprinkle with flour and drip melted butter over the top of fruit. Roll well-chilled pastry dough to about 11" circle. Carefully place the crust over the berries. Use 5-6 briquets under the Dutch oven and load the lid with 25 briquets. Bake for 45 minutes.
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Breakfast Donuts
Ingredients:
2 cans of those cheap biscuits
2 cups hot oil
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cinnamon sugar
Instructions:
Open a can of biscuits and take each one separately and poke a little hole in it. Place in hot oil until one side is a little brown. Use wooden tongs and flip them over to brown the other side. Take them out and drain on a paper towel. While still warm, place them in powdered sugar or cinnamon.
Servings: 6 Preparation time: 5 minutes
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Easy Fried Pies
Ingredients:
1 can ready-made biscuits
1 can fruit pie filling
granulated sugar or
powdered sugar icing
Instructions:
Roll out biscuit to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness. Place one heaping tablespoon pie filling in center. Fold biscuit in half and seal edge well. Fry in oil in heavy skillet until brown. Turn and brown the other side. When done, sprinkle with sugar or drizzle with powdered sugar icing. Serve warm or cold.
To make powdered sugar icing, mix powdered sugar, a little vanilla, and enough milk to make it drizzle well from a spoon.
Servings: 8-10 Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
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Dirt Dessert
Ingredients:
Oreo cookies
Cool Whip
Gummie Worms
Gummie Critters
Instructions:
Crush Oreos and mix with Cool Whip and Gummie Critters. Serve chilled.
Servings: varies Preparation time: 15 minutes
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Pocket Stew
Ingredients:
stew meat
carrots
onions
potatoes
any other vegetable you'd cook in a stew
Instructions:
In the middle of a piece of heavy duty foil, approximately 18 inches long, place cut up pieces of stew meat, sliced onions, potatoes, sliced carrots, and any other vegetable you prefer. Season with salt and pepper (I prefer garlic salt myself with a dash of "Jamaica Me Crazy" pepper spice). Fold foil into a pocket and place directly on coals. The cooking time will vary, depending on the size of the pocket and the heat of the coals. The vegetables will cook in the juice of the meat, but, if you wish, you may add a tablespoon or two of cooking oil.
Servings: individual Preparation time: 30-40 minutes
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Campfire Comfort Chicken
This recipe will make anyone enjoy the comfort of a warm fire, and help bring a family together.
Ingredients:
15-20 chicken wings
Mrs. Dash Butter and Herb Seasoning
Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil
Instructions:
Fold aluminum foil to make a large pocket for the grill. Place chicken wings on foil and sprinkle Mrs. Dash on chicken. Cover with foil and cook at least one hour, or until chicken is lightly crispy. When done, unfold aluminum foil and enjoy the chicken at the campfire.
Servings: Varies Preparation time: 1 hour
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Beef and Veggies
Ingredients:
1/2 pound hamburger
1/2 carrot, sliced
1/2 potato, cut up
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Place hamburger on a piece of foil. Salt and pepper lightly. Put the carrot and potato on top. Salt and pepper again, if you want. Wrap up the foil, then wrap it again in another piece of foil. Cook it over the grill for 30 minutes. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before eating.
Servings: individual Preparation time: 30-45 minutes
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Biscuit on a Stick
Ingredients:
1 can biscuits
squeeze butter
1 stick
Instructions:
Roll out a biscuit with your hands so that it becomes elongated and about one inch thick at the center. Wrap it tightly around the end of your stick and pinching it as you go to insure that it stays on the stick while cooking. When done wrapping, the biscuit should take up about six inches of the stick. Heat over the campfire until golden brown. Pull it off the stick, pour butter down the hole left by the stick, and enjoy.
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Foil Dinners:
Variations on a Theme
Concept:
Foil dinners are simple to make meals of meat and vegetables wrapped in aluminum foil and cooked in the coals of a campfire. The traditional contents of hamburger, a few slices of potato, some carrots and salt and pepper are bland at best, tasteless at worst. A little ingenuity and creative use of flavors can turn foil meals into gourmet meals.
Keys to Success:
Use two layers of heavy foil, and use good folds to trap the moisture inside.
Cook on charcoal or the hot coals of a wood fire, never on flames. Turn occasionally, over and end-to-end, to cook evenly and prevent burning the food.
Don't be too concerned that some ingredients like onions may char easily.
Every foil dinner needs a source of moisture, like onion slices, soups or salad dressings, seasoning sauces, butter, or even a spoonful of water.
Cooking time depends upon the amount of heat in the coals, but a good average is fifteen to twenty minutes for hamburger, at least twenty for chicken, and longer for solid meats like steak. Use caution here.
Cooking too long creates charred food, but too short means undercooked food which is both unappetizing and potentially a health hazard.
Check one meal before pulling all off the fire. Hard veggies take longer, too.
Remind Scouts to put the foil in the trash, not the fire, when they are finished.
Menu Combinations:
Traditional: hamburger, sliced potatoes, carrots, salt and pepper, a slice of onion and a dab of butter. Thinner slices cook faster.
Other ideas:
Boneless chicken breast with a slice of pineapple and a little barbeque sauce
Stew meat chunks
Medium thick pork chops, a bit of sourkraut
Ham slices with a slice of pineapple
Venison steaks
Ground turkey instead of hamburger
Add Cream of Mushroom soup. It adds taste as well as additional moisture. A couple of tablespoons make a nice gravy with red meats. Try barbeque sauce, Italian dressing, or Heinz 57 sauce, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, Tabasco, salsa for variations in flavor. Mushrooms can be used but they cook quickly so use with a sauce. Instead of carrots, try canned green beans, corn, peas or lima beans. Various seasoned salts give more flavor than ordinary salt and pepper. Also a bit of bouillon granules can add lots of flavor. Try a steamed veggies pack with onions, broccoli, beans, green or red peppers, etc., separately or mixed, with a big dollop of butter. Cook less time.
Make au grautin potatoes by adding shredded cheese and some butter. Careful or this will burn.
Slice beef and cook with onions, peppers, and serve in tortillas with lettuce and tomatoes.
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CAMPFIRE PIZZA
1 Pkg. Large Pita Bread
1 Can Pizza Sauce or Primavera Spaghetti Sauce (for the veggies)
3 Slices Salami
2 Slices Bacon, cut into small pieces
1 Pkg. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Sliced Veggies (onions, peppers, mushroom, zucchini)
Directions:
Spread pitas with sauce, sprinkle cheese on top. Place meet and veggies on top, place on tin foil over campfire grill (make sure the flame is not too high) or on top of low flame, barbeque for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bacon is cooked through.
Comments:
Very easy and quick to make, fun for kids to help out with preparations of pizzas - they can add whatever toppings they like. Watch it closely though, it cooks fast and may burn. When cooked over the campfire it tastes like wood oven pizza!
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BREAKFAST PIE
1 Lb. Ground Beef
1 Pkg. Onion Soup Mix
1 Can Corn (drained)
5 Large Potatoes
Water
Directions:
Brown ground beef in oil. Drain. Add onion soup mix, water (approx. 1 cup), salt, pepper and potatoes. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender. Add corn. Serves approximately 4.
Comments:
We sometimes cook this over the fire. We have a large family, and this recipe is easy to increase for a crowd. This is a favorite with the whole family and is so easy to prepare!
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BAKED APPLE DESSERT
1 Apple (Granny Smith or other tart apple is best)
1 Tsp. Butter
1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
Dash of Cinnamon
Dash of Nutmeg
Raisins (optional)
Directions:
Cut apple in half and core. Keep skin on. In the cored areas place butter, brown sugar and raisins. Sprinkle with spices. Put two halves together and wrap well in foil. Place in hot coals and cook for 10 minutes or while eating supper. Carefully remove from fire and unwrap onto plate. Use a spoon or fork to eat.
Comments:
Each person can control the amount of spices and raisins. You could also simply core the apple without cutting in half. When removed from foil, you could also top with granola for an apple crisp feel.
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PORTABLE SANDWICH
1 Round Bread
1/2 lb. Lunch Meat (any kind)
1/2 lb. Cheese (any kind)
1 Jar of Roasted Red Peppers
1 Sliced Tomato
Pesto
Directions:
Cut off the top of the bread. Scoop out bread until you have a large cavity. Spread pesto on all surfaces of inside of bread. Layer meat, then cheese, tomatoes, red peppers. Then start over again until all ingredients are used up or sandwich is too full. Put top back on bread. When ready to eat, cut into 4 pieces.
Comments:
This is a great sandwich to make for outings. It has no mayonnaise that will go bad without refrigeration. I take this on kayak trips or when going for a hike.
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CRITTER AND MARYLEE'S CAMPGROUND