---- BREAKFAST RECIPES ----
:: Raisin Bread French Toast ::
6 Eggs / 1/2 cup Milk
1/4 tsp. Sugar & Cinnamon / 8 slices Raisin Bread
Butter and Syrup or Jam
Start by beating your eggs with the milk, sugar and cinnamon in a wide bowl or pan. Put some bread into the bowl or pan to soak, 4 slices at a time in the egg mixture, turn the slices once after about a minute. As soon as you put your bread in the egg mixture put your frying pan or griddle over medium-high heat and get ready to cook. When hot, butter or oil it up and carefully put your soaked bread on to cook. Start soaking your remaining 4 slices of bread now. Cook until browned and turn once. Cook the second batch when the first is done.
Serve with a pat of butter and warmed syrup or jam and maybe a few slices of crisp bacon. Mmm-Mmm Good...
Mix ingredients to make a soft dough. Roll dough to make a ball (on a floured surface) and knead a few times. Roll the dough out to 1/2" thick and cut with a 2" biscuit cutter (or suitable instrument like a cup), or pat out individual biscuits in your hand. Bake in a reflector oven, Dutch oven, etc. for 12 to 15 minutes minutes over med/high heat. Makes about 8 biscuits...
Cook the ham slices in a skillet with a little oil until it starts to brown on both sides, when done remove and keep warm. While the ham cooks, mix the flour, sugar, soda, buttermilk and eggs until smooth with a fork. Dip the bread into the batter (let it soak some) and fry in a little oil in the skillet the ham cooked in (only 1 to 2 minutes per side). Serve on warm plates with a pat of butter on the toast and drizzled with maple syrup...
This one is great group or for individuals. Have enough eggs on hand (and a few more, just in case) so you have 2 for each person. You'll need quart size zipLoc style FREEZER Bags, one for each omelet. Start by putting a large pot of water on to boil. Then chop your ingredients so you have them ready (you can do this at home and have them in their own zipLoc bags in the cooler).
-- Some Good ingredients --
shredded cheese, mushrooms, bacon bits, hashbrowns (thawed),
chopped ham, onions, green peppers, etc.
Give each person a baggie and have them write their name on the outside of the bag with a Sharpie waterproof marker. First crack 2 eggs (2 only, large or extra large) into the baggie and squish the baggie to get it all mixed up well. Add your ingredients (not too much) and shake the bag to get it all incorporated well. Seal the bag making sure to squeeze most of the air out (a very important step) and drop it into your boiling pot of water (zip-top up). Cook for 13 minutes, remove with a tong or slotted scoop and set it on a towel (to drain), open it up and slide it out onto a plate.
Be sure to have some toppings handy, like: sour cream & salsa, etc...
To start, open both ends of the hash can (if you can, the new cans now-days don't have a bottom you can cut off) leaving the bottom end in place, push the hash out the other end and cut it at about 1" thick, this should give you 4 patties. Fry these in a little margarine or oil in a skillet or dutch oven until the bottoms are browned, turn over and, with the back of a spoon, create a depression in the middle of the patties. Crack an egg in the middle of each depression and pour your enchilada sauce or chili around the outside and top with a lid (a sheet of foil works if you don't have a lid), cook over med/low heat for about 10 minutes or until eggs are set.
These Black-Eyes are eggs nestled in patties of hash with the sauce of your choice and are quite filling. This recipe feeds 2 (2 eyes for each person). You'll need a stack of camp toast or tortillas to go along with this, and a pot of coffee, too...
You can bake biscuits in a covered skillet over LOW heat on a grill over a campfire or on a Coleman stove, I like to use a cast-iron skillet, but a steel one works also, I haven't tried using non-stick. Lube your skillet with oil spray, margarine or bacon grease and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on temperature. Heat the gravy in a small pot or even in the can on the grill (opened first, of course). If you want you can make your own gravy with Jimmy Dean sausage, flour and milk or water (ask your mom how its done).
When done, open em' up on a plate and spoon on the gravy, it usually takes 2 biscuits per hungry camper...
These are really easy to make and good, too. You can make single egg baskets (for kids) or double (for adults), for double size use large loaves of bread, I like sourdough. Either way your bread should be sturdy and thick sliced, if you get one of those large, rustic loaves of bread you can use the smaller ends for the kids single baskets, and the middle, larger slices for adult double baskets.
To start, cut out circles with a cookie cutter, glass or you can also pinch the bread out with your fingers, holes should be about 2-1/2". I like to butter my bread first, before making the hole (if using a cutter), by the way save those holes as they can be toasted also. Use can use a large skillet, but they're easier to turn on a griddle. Heat your skillet over medium heat, lay your bread in and crack your egg in the holes, if you want you can break the yolk and swirl it around a bit with a fork. Turn with a spatula after a few minutes (just like regular eggs) and cook to desired doneness (runny yolk or solid).
You can vary this by adding shredded cheese just before removing, or maybe a slice of ham and cheese on top of that, or maybe???
First, drain and remove the backbones from the salmon. Then, mix everything together in a large bowl, this can be done at home and can be stored in a ziploc bag in the cooler. When ready to cook, shape into patties, 1/4" to 1/2" thick and fry in oil until nicely browned on each side. You can experiment with different seasonings, I like to add a shake or two of dried thyme, some dried French onion soup mix is good too.
These are great topped with a couple of fried eggs and with a mess of hashbrowns on the side...
These are easy and fun to make, the kids will love 'em. To start you need to slice your hot dogs down the middle (long-wise) leaving about an inch uncut, do this on both sides so you have 4 legs, then do it to the 4 legs which will give you 8 legs. Skewer a stick or roasting fork through the side of the uncut section (so it dangles straight down into the coals) and toast over the fire, the legs will "curl" out and up as they cook, making spiders. Have some mustard and catsup handy to dip the spiders legs into with each bite...
These are fun, even for us older kids and make a great afternoon lunch. Buy hot dogs that are as long as your taco shells, smaller shells use regular dogs, larger shells get bun sized dogs.
Start by prepping all of your fixins', you can put these in little bowls or on a platter and every one can stack their own. Once you have everything ready to go, grill or boil your hot dogs and, when done, slice them down the middle (longways) and then cut the halves down the middle, so with each hot dog you have 4 long slices. With small shells, put 2 slices in the bottom of a shell, 3 or 4 for larger shells, and pass 'em out to be filled.
Don't forget the taco sauce, I like mine Hot. If you have leftovers you can toss it all together to make a taco salad for dinner...
Recommended for all kids under 95. Slice your hot dogs almost all the way through, longwise, and insert a cheese slice sized to fit the slit. Lay out your crescent roll dough and wrap a section around each hot dog, skewer the dog (use a double skewer) through the side and cook over medium low heat until lightly browned, rotating periodically so they don't burn. You can also cook these in a, low heat, covered skillet or Dutch oven.
Have some mustard (I like honey-mustard) and ketchup handy...
This is kind of like a Canadian bacon & pineapple pizza. To start, Put your pizza sauce in a small pan and put on the fire or stove to heat, open your pineapple chunks and drain, take about 1/4 of the pineapple chunks and dice them (not too fine), add them to the sauce pot. Now, cook the crusts and dogs, separate the buns to make single pizza crusts and toast the tops a little (not too dark), this keeps the bread from getting soggy. Cook the hot dogs (in water or on the grill), and split them down the center but not all the way through. To make pizza's, lay down a bun, put a spoonful of sauce on top and spread it down with the back of your spoon, lay the hot dog on top (split side up) and let it open up, stuff the open hot dog with pineapple chunks and spoon a little sauce over the top, finally, sprinkle with cheese. Heat your pizza's in a covered skillet or griddle with a Foil tent over the top until the cheese is melted.
Its best to eat these served on a plate with a fork, as they can be a little messy...
Make a ham salad with the first 4 ingredients (season with a little salt & pepper to taste) with enough mayonnaise to keep the ingredients together. Now, spread ham salad onto a slice of bread and top with a slice of cheese and another slice of bread. Spread the bread with butter and grill on both sides in your favorite pan or griddle until nicely browned and heated through.
Break out that bag of chips you had stashed and serve with your sandwiches...
Start by spreading butter or margarine on your bread slices. Then spread ketchup on one slice and mustard on the other (you can omit or substitute for these), top one slice with a slice of cheese and then a slice of meat loaf and finally the other slice of bread.
Sure hot meat loaf is good, but I'm not sure if meat loaf sandwiches aren't even better. These freeze well, so you can make them up at home, freeze and they'll keep in the cooler, at the ready, for a few days...
First, mix the dry ingredients and cut in 1 Tbs. of lard or shortening until crumbly. Add the warm water and mix to form a dough ball, knead until smooth and divide into 10 to 12 balls. Now, melt the remaining 1 Tbs. of lard and brush or roll the balls to lightly coat, let the balls rest for 30 to 45 minutes. Pat or roll the balls out to 4" circles on a lightly floured surface and then stretch by hand, going around the circle, to 7" to 8" wide. Some like to poke a hole in the middle, either way fry in hot oil on both sides until nicely browned and drain on paper towels.
Be sure to have lots of butter and honey on hand, and keep 'em comming...
To start, place everything but the butter in a medium sized pan, bring to a light boil and reduce to simmer for 7 or 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for now. When ready to grill, drain the brats, and brown the onions in the butter or margarine. Cook the bratwurst over medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side until done.
Serve on lightly toasted buns with the onions and of course mustard...
Make up a batch of mashed potatoes (the spuds) according to the package directions. Now, plump your hot dogs in boiling water, remove and slice into bite-sized pieces. Mix into the mashed potatoes with some butter or margarine and a little salt and pepper to taste...
:: Rice & Meatballs Dinner ::
1 lb. Ground Beef / 1 Egg / 1/2 cup Bread Crumbs
1/2 cup Milk / 1 Tbs. each, chopped fine, Onion, Green Bell Pepper
Salt & Pepper, to taste / 1 pkg. Beef Flavor Rice Mix / 1/4 cup Water
1 can French cut Green Beans / 1 tsp. Paprika / 1 cup Sour Cream
The meat balls can be made at home and frozen, then kept in the camp cooler for a few days until needed. Mix the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, milk, onion & pepper and S&P. Form into golf-ball sized meatballs and freeze or cover and set aside. Now, start cooking the rice in a pot according to its package directions and then start frying the meatballs. Get out your favorite cast-iron deep frying pan, add about 2 Tbs. of oil and brown the meatballs on all sides, add the water and drained green beans, cover and simmer until done, 10 to 15 minutes. Mix in the sour cream and paprika until blended. By this time your rice will probably be done, so ladle your creamy meatballs over plates of hot rice and dig-in...
Mix all of the ingredients in a pan and cook, stirring often, until the bacon is done. If you add a cup of water you have "Cowboy Soup". Fast and easy to make. Serve with crackers or toast. This recipe doubles easily, try sliced hot dogs or sausages instead of the Vienna Sausage.
Mix the cornmeal with the baking soda and then add the Baking Mix, egg and buttermilk to get a thick-but-still-runny batter (add more buttermilk if necessary. Put your 6 inch skillet (double recipe, except egg, for 8" skillet) over the fire and lube with oil or bacon grease, pour in the cornbread batter and cook covered (with a lid or foil) over med-low heat until the top looks done (about 12 to 15 minutes).
This makes a light biscuit/cornbread cross. Serve with butter and drizzle with honey, MMMM-Good...
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:: Greek Zucchini Pan ::
1/4 lb Jimmy Dean Sausage, bulk / 2 small/medium Zucchini, sliced
1 Tomato, chopped / 2 Scallions, sliced / 1/4 cup Black Olives, sliced
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder / 1/4 tsp. Oregano, dried
1 Tbs. Olive Oil / 1 tps. Lemon Juice / Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Start by frying the sausage in a little oil (about 1/2 way done), chopping to marble sized pieces, add the zucchini, tomato, scallions and olives. In a small bowl, mix the 1 Tbs. olive oil with the lemon juice, oregano, garlic powder and salt & pepper, and pour over the zucchini mixture. Toss well and cook for about 15 minutes or until done (I like my zucchini a firm).
This is really good, so you'd better double or triple the recipe (this feeds 2). If you want you can top it with some parmesan or crumbled feta cheese. Be ready for all the raves that'll come with this one...
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:: Camp Fajita Feast ::
1 lb. Skirt or Flank Steak / 1 Onion, sliced
2 Bell Peppers, green and red, sliced / Tortillas, flour or corn
- Marinade -
2 limes, juiced / 2 Tbs. olive oil / 2 Tbs. Soy Sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced / 1/2 tsp. ground cumin / 1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped
- Fixins' -
3 Tomatoes, chopped / Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
Sour Cream / Guacamole / Salsa
Start by putting your steak in the freezer for awhile (at home), its easier to slice, when its partially frozen, slice thin (around 1/4") and set aside. at camp, Mix your marinade in a ziploc bag, add your steak and marinate for at least 1 hour in the cooler.
Get out your favorite cast-iron skillet and heat it up, nice and hot, add a Tbs. of oil, drain your steak and and cook until done, remove from skillet and set aside for now(don't overcook). Now, add your onions and peppers and cook until tender, add your steak back into the skillet and cook a few minutes longer getting it all mixed up well in the pan. When done set your skillet on the table (on a trivet of some kind, like sized rocks will do).
If you thought ahead you had your sous-chef (trusted 2nd chef) prepare the fixin's and tortillas so everything would be ready when the fajitas we're done. For the tortillas they should have been wrapped in Foil and heated by the side of the fire or on a very low burner on the camp stove. The tomatoes should have been chopped, cheese shredded guacamole made and the sour cream and salsa ready in bowls.
This is great as a buffet style meal, each hungry camper can add just what they want. Serve with some heated refried beans and reheated rice (made at home...
You can use use store bought or gather your own wild mushrooms. Slice 'em thick and saute in butter in your favorite heavy cast iron skillet for 6 or 7 minutes with a little salt and pepper until tender, stirring often. Add the sour cream and the sherry and cook over low heat until heated through and thickened. Keep the heat low after the sour cream is added so it doesn't curdle.
Great served over your favorite meatballs...
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:: Clam Fritters ::
3/4 cup Flour / 2 tsp sugar / 1/2 tsp salt / 1/3 cup Water, ice cold
1 Egg / 1/2 cup Clams, minced & drained / 1/4 cup Green Onion, minced
Start by combining the flour, sugar and salt. Beat the egg with the water until foamy and add to the flour mixture, stir briefly just to mix. Mix in the clams and onions. Drop spoonfuls of the fritter mix into skillet of med/hot oil (about 1/4" deep), a few at a time and fry for a minute or so on each side or until lightly browned.
Serve with your favorite dipping sauce, I like to beat a Tsp. of Worcestershire sauce and a Tbs. of Taco Sauce (try Chipotle) into 3 Tbs. of mayonaise...
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:: Onion "Hoe Cake" Rings ::
2 large White or Sweet Onions / 2 cups Cornmeal, fine stone-ground
2 tsp. Baking Powder / 1 tsp. Salt / 2 large Eggs, lightly beaten
1 large Green Onion, chopped fine / 2 cups Buttermilk / Oil for griddle
To start, cut the top off the onions and peel them down to a good firm ring (make a good straight cut). Cut the onions, crosswise, 1/2-inch thick and gently separate into rings, you can save the small inside rings for tomorrow's breakfast.
Now, mix the cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a bowl until well blended and then mix in the chopped green onion (scallion). In small bowl, mix the egg and buttermilk and then add, all at once, to the cornmeal mix and, gently but quickly, mix until just blended, don't over-mix. If you thought ahead, you put a griddle on the stove or grill to heat. If not, do that now. Oil the griddle and scatter the onion rings around, but not too close together. Fill the onion rings about 3/4 full with a big spoon and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until they firm-up a bit. Flip the hoe cakes with a spatula (that middle one is kind-of hard) and cook for another few minutes until done. You can cut this recipe in half for a smaller amount.
I like mine buttered and sprinkled with a little garlic salt. This is also good for breakfast, topped with a couple of fried eggs and bacon. You can also do this with rings of bell pepper...
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---- Snacks & Treats ----
:: Smores ::
Box of Graham Crackers / Chocolate Bars
Marshmallows (large size) / Marshmallow Toasting Sticks
Everyone loves Smores (you always want Some-More), these chocolate creme sandwiches are always fun in the evening around the campfire. Kids, smores and camping just seem to go together.
You'll need one whole graham cracker for each Smore (break in half), a large marshmallow and a square of chocolate bar (try different flavors). Lay your chocolate squares on one of the graham cracker halves and have these "set-ups" ready for the toasted marshmallows. Toast your marshmallows over the campfire with a stick or roasting tool of some kind and, while its still hot, sandwich it in-between the 2 graham cracker halves and chocolate square. Make sure you have lots of "set-ups" lined up, ready to go, they will go fast...
Put a few cups of Handy Baking Mix or Bisquick in a large baggie or bowl. Now, with your toasting stick in hand, pour about a Tablespoon of water in a well you've made in the center of the Baking Mix and, with your stick, swirl it around in the mix until it forms a stiff dough about the size of a golf ball, add more water if needed. Press the finished doughboy ball onto the end of your stick and toast over the campfire until done (it should slip from the stick easily). Fill the hole with assorted goodies (butter or margarine, preserves, brown sugar, raisins, etc) and enjoy...
To me, this popular trail food stands for "Good Old Raisins and Peanuts" (GORP), some say it means "Granola, Oats, Raisins and Peanuts". Most people use more than just raisins and peanuts though. Its basically just another word for Trail Mix.
Its easy, and sometimes cheaper to make your own GORP and you can use the goodies you like best. I like to use a mix of salty and sweet ingredients in mine (and sometimes spicy, too).
Popular Ingredients...
- Salted, toasted nuts and seeds like: peanuts, pine nuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, corn-nuts, beer-nuts, cashews, hazlenuts, pumpkin seeds, pineapple, etc.
- Dried fruit like: raisins, cinna-raisins, mangoes, dates, apples, cranberries, coconut, blueberries, cherries, bananas, wheat germ, rolled oats, etc.
- Baked items like: pretzel pieces, Chex cereals, Rice Crispies, Cheerios, Fritos, Alpen, vanilla wafers, goldfish crackers, any broken snack chips, rice crackers, etc.
- Sweets like: M&M's (different kinds), chocolate baking chips (try different flavors), jelly beans, licorice bits, peanut butter chips, candy corn, etc.
- Other Good Stuff Like: beef jerky, dried fish, smoked salmon, etc. Oriental food shops offer some interesting ingredients, everything from rice crackers to dried fish.
- Spices like: cinnamon, curry powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, sugar, brown sugar, etc.
This list can grow and grow. Its best not to use too many different ingredients in one mix. You can keep a baggie handy in camp for everyone to munch on. But, keep your eye on it as the wilderness critters like it just as much as camp-folk...
Wash your celery and cut the stalks in half (cross-wise), fill the groove with peanut butter and sprinkle with raisins (the ants). These are really easy to make and make good snacking food.
Instead of raisins you can use Craisins or other dried fruit pieces. These make a great late afternoon snack...
To start, sift the dry ingredients together and cut the lard/shortening in until it resembles cornmeal. Add the water and mix, it should hold together well. Knead about 15 times to form a ball that holds together well, cover and let rise for about 20 minutes. Now, divide the dough creating 2 balls and roll each out to a 1/8" thickness on a floured surface (I use sheets of floured waxed paper) and either cut into squares (about 3") or triangles, cover so they don't dry out. Fry in deep, hot oil on both sides until lightly browned, only fry a few at a time so the oil stays hot, when done drain on paper towels.
These puffy, "sofa pillows" are great drizzled with honey, or sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar ...
