My husband and I are taking my (almost) 10-year-old nephew camping this weekend. We are going to a state park (no backpacking or anything like that). We will probably take our 2 burner Coleman stove, cooler, etc. Have any of you got some great camp food recipes to offer? I would love to read them! Or any camping tips? Thanks!!!!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), August 21, 2000

Answers

Yeppie! I sure do! Fried bologny, fried spam, pork @ beans, sodas, T, and a whole bunch of hot dogs, marshmellows and tater chips. You're not supposed to eat real healthy on campin trips. Onlyest thing-don't boil the bologny. It just ain't fit to eat that way. Have fun and good luck! Old hoot the ex-boiled bologny eater. Matt. 24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), August 21, 2000.

Boy does this bring back memories! I agree with Hoot.Junk food![This comes from one into health food.] If you have one of those cast-iron sandwich thingies,you could make some great grilled cheese,etc...Did hoot mention grahm crackers and chocolate?I suppose you've just gotta try smores when camping. Popcorn.Hot chocolate.Apples,carrtots and raisins for more healthful sort of munching.

As an aside,How well I remember hiking in the Olympics.We were camped at Sol Duc Falls.The hiking was great! Well,mostly so...We hiked up to some lake or another,and I do mean UP!It seemed we were never going to get there!In our(the kids') backpacks,my mom stuffed all our food!She figured we could outrun a bear before they could!!![I still pick on her about trying to get rid of us.]BTW,we finally reached the lake-absolutely beautiful!However the flies were biting so badly we left as if being chased by a bear. Hope you have fun! ~~Tracy~~ ps-My husband says "beef jerky".

-- Tracy Jo Neff (tntneff@ifriendly.com), August 21, 2000.

Sheepish -- when we go camping we always have chili for dinner the first night, with weiners. I make the chili ahead and freeze it -- it acts as ice in the cooler -- I warm it on the coleman while hubby and the boys roast weiners. The second night we generally have sausages and apples (those darned apples again!!!) in the cast iron pot over the campfire. Take however many pork sausages (the big fat ones, not the skinny breakfast sausage) you think you'll eat between you, and brown them in the bottom of the pot. Dump in about half a cup of butter (or margarine) and two sweet apples (I generally take Macs) sliced as you would for pie. Stir it up good and add salt and pepper to taste. Let it cook until the apple slices are soft and the sausages cooked through. We have this with a loaf of homemade bread, or if I've been lazy, a package of sausage buns.

-- Tracy (trimmer@westzone.com), August 21, 2000.

Oh yeah - definatly the S'Mores and Weenies and beans! I also like to take boneless ribs and marinate them with BBQ sauce mixed with crushed pineaple - cook 'em in an iron pot over the low side of the fire for an hour or so. And don't forget campfire paks (if you can have a campfire out there) - double a large rectange of aluminum foil to make a square. Put on it some thin strips of seasoned, raw meat - chicken, beef or the inevitable weenie (leave weenie whole). Add sliced carrots, strips of potato, a chunk of cabbage - whatever veggies you like. Add a couple chunks of butter, then fold the foil over and seal. Lay on top of ashes over coals for 45 min to an hour - depending on the heat of your fire. Oh - and hot chocolate, too!

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), August 21, 2000.

Try to make it as much fun for your nephew as possible. You may be instilling memories which will cause him to take his own family camping some day. If open fires or BBQ stands are allowed/available, try to include some campfire grilling. I agree with the others - pig out for the weekend.

-- Ken S. in TN (scharabo@aol.com), August 21, 2000.

It is a LAW in our family that we have fried potatoes and onions and roasted marshmallows (not together) at least once during our campout. We usually have the potatoes with hamburgers. Fix the patties at home and then grill them the first night or next day so you don't have to worry about keep them cold.

For fried potatoes: This dish is best cooked in a cast iron skillet. Dice 1/4 to 1/2 an onion and cook in oil a little while. Slice the potatoes in thin slices (not paper thin) and halve or quarter if the poatoe is large. Add to onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potato is soft and browning. Add salt and pepper to taste.

-- Vaughn (vdcjm5@juno.com), August 22, 2000.

You guys are the best!!! Thanks!! My husband agrees with the Spam! He says it really tastes best only after you drop it on the dirt a couple of times before finishing cooking (has happened!) I love all of the ideas and will probably do them all! No time for anything but eating! :)

In my camping life before, new names for food have somehow appeared: Hash Blacks, instead of Browns...you can figure that one out; and Wedge Cakes, instead of Pan Cakes...cooked on a tilted pan, and well, um, pretty much overdone! My cooking at home is only slightly better! Thanks for the great ideas.

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), August 22, 2000.

You'll be surprised how all that fresh air will wet your appetite! We always start with a big old-fashioned breakfast. Eggs, sausage, potatoes, muffins & coffee. Don't be surprised if your nephew wants cold cereal (brainwashed, lol!)

Take lots of snack food that is fun, like peanuts roasted in the shell or Rice Krispy squares with chocolate chips & sunflower seeds inside. Home made granola bars or trail mix is always good.

Everyone's right about the hot dogs & burgers, he probably won't be interested in pork steaks & such, besides all that takes too long, you are there to enjoy yourself! Whatever you can prepare ahead of time DO IT! Glad to hear I'm not the only one who freezes chili for camping!

BTW, you should freeze all your meat, it will keep longer & act as ice. We freeze plastic bottles of water also, after our 'ice bottles' thaw we drink them. No need to pack separate water.

Find out his likes & dislikes BEFORE you go shopping or start baking. Take some games in case of rain! VERY important: first aid kit, sunscreen, bug repellent, clothes line if you're near water, extra pair of shoes, waterproof jacket, radio (severe weather warnings), matches in a jar & a hatchet if you're allowed to build a little bonfire for the evening.

Here's a recipe for Trailside Treats: Cream together 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup packed brown sugar.

Beat in 2 eggs, 1/4 cup milk & 1 tsp. vanilla.

Add 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, 1 tsp. baking soda & 1/2 tsp. salt. Beat until mixed.

Stir in 2 1/2 cups oats & 12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips (sometimes I add sunflower seeds, craisins or raisins. Whatever's on hand.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls 3 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 min.

Enjoy your weekend with your nephew!

-- Jane Gauch (sewbears4u@hotmail.com), August 22, 2000.

Brings back memories of when hubby and I would go camping for the weekend...we ate better than most, due to a liking of really good food and the close proximity of a butcher to the campgrounds!!! Our all-time favorite dinner at the campground was steak au poivre (now, don't look at me like that - it isn't as hoity-toity as it sounds!).

We'd buy (or pack) a huge T-bone or some venison tenderloins, black pepper, garlic, butter and red wine. The wine was for both the cookin' and the cooks! Season the steaks with the crushed black pepper (coarse, preferred) and a little crushed garlic. Either grill or pan-fry the steaks 'til almost done to your liking. Heat a castiron fry pan 'til hot, melt the butter, saute some chopped garlic until it smells good (don't burn it!), then toss in the steaks and finish cooking them. Remove the steaks from the pan, pour a cup or so of the red wine into the pan, and scrape up the yummies while the wine cooks down for a few minutes...Pour the resulting sauce over those steaks and ENJOY!!! The steaks were usually ingested with some coal-baked taters and perhaps some grilled corn on the cob - and the leftover wine, naturally.

Aaaahhh, the days of uncontrolled consumption of red meat and fat-laden calories....

-- Judi (ddecaro@snet.net), August 22, 2000.

It's a law when we go camping, too--GOTTA have fried taters. One way is like this-brown and crumble sausage until done in a BIG cast iron skillet, then drain off most of the grease. Put the sausage in something and set it aside. Throw in peeled (or clean unpeeled--that way is good, too), sliced potatoes. Throw in some onions and sweet peppers, if you have them and like them. Seasoned salt, pepper, and garlic powder are good, too. Cook the potatoes until done, turning ocassionally, until nicely brown. Covering the skillet seemes to help the process go faster, but uncover the skillet when the potatoes are tender, for the nice crunchies. Dump in the sausage and heat up just a bit. Pull the catsup outta the cooler (the kids like it, yuck), and serve with coffee, tea, and\or juice. I make this with ten pounds of potatoes and three pounds of sausage at a time, and seldom have left overs.

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), August 22, 2000.

sheepish,

Try this for breakfast(or whenever). It always tastes best in a cast iron skillet. Brown some sausage, (not cut into patties, just loose like hamburger for tacos) add scrambled eggs,onions, bell peppers and whatever else sounds good. When it is done, roll up in warm flour tortillas with a little picante sauce. It is easiest to scramble the eggs at home and pour into a jar or some container with a lid to take with you. Have fun!

-- Mona (jascamp@ipa.net), August 22, 2000.

You guys know that I am going to be cooking some of these at home, now, don't you?!!!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), August 22, 2000.

I always like getting a slab of country cured bacon from our pig farmer at the flea market , great morning wake up.

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), August 22, 2000.

We love slicing bananas(still in the peel)lengthwise and stuffing it with a chocolate bar,wrap in aluminum foil and sit in warm coals.Wait about 15 min,unwrap and eat with a spoon.Delicious!

-- nobrabbit (conlane@prodigy.net), August 23, 2000.

if you will be allowed to have a fire which will give you some coals after a while and have a dutch oven to use i offer the following:line the dutch oven with foil then pour in any kind of fruit in a heavy syrup then put the contents of a cake mix(i usually use a white or yellow) don't mix the fruit and the cake mix. put some hot ash on the ground then put the dutch oven on these then put hot coals on the top of the dutch oven and bake for about 45minutes. when you open up to eat you will have a great dish to eat. gail

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef123@hotmail.com), August 23, 2000.

Yumm! As far as I know, campfires are permitted. We are going to the shore, and the forecast may even give us a little rain this weekend. I didn't even think about taking the dutch oven along. Good idea. And the banana idea sounds good, too. Sheesh! We were only planning on a few miles bike ride. With all this food maybe I had better plan on climbing Mt. Baker or something instead! :)

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), August 23, 2000.

We camp and canoe and fish and swim and hunt and etc. . . almost every week, summer or winter, here in Montana. It is our way of life. So I had trouble coming up with simple advice. But I think your question was more of food, so read the following:

Sometimes, camping just seems to fly by! When it is time for the tent to come down some kid always whines, "We just got here!" Sometimes, that is me!

I suggest your let your nephew help with the meal planning. It makes the trip seem even longer to him, and we all like to feel we had a hand in most things. Some of the best food combos come out of kids. They know what they like! Make sure you demand one "new" recipe or food item he has never had. It will become the traditional family meal every camping trip he takes with you and eventually, with his own children!

Good for you to give your time to this guy! Hope you have loads of fun.

Christina

-- Christina (crublee@homer.libby.org), August 24, 2000.

Hey, we are going camping with my nephew again! It was SO much fun the last time, and you guys nailed it! He loved it and treasured it so much (so did we!) It was a real bonding/learning experience.

Anyway, browsing through the archives, I found this again, which I will review and glean more recipe ideas from. This time it's gonna be cooler, so I need hearty things. Anyone have anything they want to add?

Thank you all so much!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), September 29, 2000.