Camping Foods (Hope, Byron: luxury, work, house)

[Maine Writer]

Steve and I are taking six or seven kids camping in BSP later this month. I'm looking for suggestions for lunches and suppers that can be cooked on an open fire or Coleman stove. I can make the usual hot dogs, burgers, etc. but I'd like to do something different with the kids. We're going to Ledge Falls, canoeing and kayaking, swimming and hiking so we need food to keep us going all day. Any ideas?

[Bydand]

If you have a Dutch oven, I found you can make some KILLER Shepard's Pie in them if you use Tater-Tots instead of mashed potatoes on top. Nestle over some coals and load the top with coals and it is good to go. Brown the meat in the bottom first of course, then add the rest. A good resource for camp food can be found here: MacScouter: Cooking for Scouts and Scouters

and also here: Byron's Dutch Oven Recipes

[BacktoNE]

Having never been camping in my entire life, I had to defer to my DH for this one.


His #1 camping food was corned beef hash in a cast iron skillet.
He also loved stew cooked over an open fire, but as Bydand mentioned, you would need a Dutch oven.


Hmm, is refridgeration available?

[bignhfamily]

One of our favorite camp dishes that is easy to make, filling and yummy is the ever popular Chili Mac. Usually we make our own chili before we go and I freeze it in gallon bags but canned chili works OK too.
A pound of pasta added to a bag (or several cans) of chili and your ready to eat. I often throw in an extra can of diced tomatoes too.
When I through hiked the Appalachian Trail, I ate tons of Noodle and rice packets to which I would add dehydrated vegetables. These were super light and perfect for long distance hiking.
When we base camp and have the luxury of coolers and such we try to eat things that are 1 course meals. Burritos are another favorite of ours. We generally just make bean and cheese and add whatever veggies we have. Roll it up and eat it with your hands. No plate or flatware to clean.
Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches have proven to be successful with our kids too. We make a dehydrated stock that we just add water to and throw in noodles or rice and several cans of different veggies.
Hope you have a great time!!!

[boonskyler]

no cook, no bake. stir and let it chill in the ice box.

Authentic Key Lime Pie

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup Key Lime Juice
1 9-inch baked pie shell

Whisk the egg yolks into the condensed milk. Add the lime juice little by little, stirring until mixture starts to thicken. Scrape into the pie shell and let it chill and set up.

Some people make meringue with the remaining whites and dress the top of the pie. Some people prefer it with whipped cream or whipped topping, definitely a later invention.

Be aware that non-pasteurized eggs, served raw as is the case with this pie, could carry dangerous salmonella germs

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by Bydand

If you have a Dutch oven, I found you can make some KILLER Shepard's Pie in them if you use Tater-Tots instead of mashed potatoes on top.

That sounds good. I do have a Dutch oven.

Originally Posted by BacktoNE

Having never been camping in my entire life, I had to defer to my DH for this one.

I haven't been in more than a decade. I used to take Girl Scouts to Natarswi each year. I don't like sleeping in tents so camping isn't really my thing BUT ta da! I reserved a bunk house one night and a cabin the other. Let's see those bears attack me in my sleep now!

His #1 camping food was corned beef hash in a cast iron skillet.
He also loved stew cooked over an open fire, but as Bydand mentioned, you would need a Dutch oven.

I'm taking my cast iron. If it looks like we'll have cool, damp weather I'll take things to make a soup or stew.

Hmm, is refridgeration available?

We'll have coolers.

Originally Posted by boonskyler

no cook, no bake. stir and let it chill in the ice box.

Authentic Key Lime Pie

Wow! I wouldn't have thought of this. Thank you! We'll definitely be making this one night. This beat s'moas any day.

bignhfamily, I like the chili suggestion too. That works in the dutch oven. The fewer pots and pans I take the better. We're taking only two vehicles. A couple of the girls have suggested spaghetti.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by boonskyler

no cook, no bake. stir and let it chill in the ice box.

Authentic Key Lime Pie

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup Key Lime Juice
1 9-inch baked pie shell

Whisk the egg yolks into the condensed milk. Add the lime juice little by little, stirring until mixture starts to thicken. Scrape into the pie shell and let it chill and set up.

Some people make meringue with the remaining whites and dress the top of the pie. Some people prefer it with whipped cream or whipped topping, definitely a later invention.

Be aware that non-pasteurized eggs, served raw as is the case with this pie, could carry dangerous salmonella germs

That's close to the way I make it except I add 8 oz of Philadelphia cream cheese. I do also bake it for 10 minutes at 350 to make sure the eggs won't kill you.

[Maineah]

We always eat pretty much the same food camping as we do at home. Make a solar oven or use a reflector oven and serve them "Hot pockets"
Make sure you have some popcorn to burn over the fire. Jiffy pop always catches on fire and smells up the area for a while LOL!
Marshmallows are a must. American chopsuey is easy in camp and will fill up a bunch of kids.
Also try snake bread! Kids love making it. Just get some canned bread sticks and wrap them around some green sticks like you are toasting marsmallows.
Turn them over the hot coals for around 8-10 minutes and you have snake bread!

[Moxie]

Originally Posted by Maineah

We always eat pretty much the same food camping as we do at home. Make a solar oven or use a reflector oven and serve them "Hot pockets"
Make sure you have some popcorn to burn over the fire. Jiffy pop always catches on fire and smells up the area for a while LOL!
Marshmallows are a must. American chopsuey is easy in camp and will fill up a bunch of kids.
Also try snake bread! Kids love making it. Just get some canned bread sticks and wrap them around some green sticks like you are toasting marsmallows.
Turn them over the hot coals for around 8-10 minutes and you have snake bread!

Can you post your chop suey recipe. I was just telling my oldest son about it but I have never made it. We ate as many Maine foods as we could when we were up but we missed chop suey and whoopie pies!

We also like to expand our camping food, so great thread Maine Writer!

[AustinB]

I bet Forrest could suggest some fine MREs.