Tuesday Pot-Luck

Let start off by saying, Yes I missed posting anything on Sunday, for that I am sorry.

I thought for this post i would post a few things having to do with camp - outs, camping, hiking, summer stuff since we are moving close to warmer weather here in Michigan, although right at the moment it is chilly, willy...

How about some Backpacking Simple Food Ideas

Here are some very simple ideas for dehydrated and light-weight
foods.

1) Any packaged dinner mix from the grocery and packed in ziploc
baggies, Macaroni & Cheese, Rice-a-Roni, Broccoli and Cheese, etc
There are tons of these things available today. If they call for milk,
then the boys can carry powdered milk in baggies. Margarine will
travel well, and since they will be working hard, the extra fat might be
desirable.

2) Instant oatmeal and instant grits and bagels are great for breakfast.
Again, powdered milk can be used with these. Get some of the new
Fantastic Foods hot cereal mixes--they are warm and filling.

3) Dehydrated vegetables and full meals can be found in camping
stores. Add dried peas to a box of mac & cheese, for instance

4) Try Ramen noodle soups, or any of those "soup in a cup"s (that can
be packaged in baggies so they take up less room).

5) Dehydrated bean flakes that mix up almost instantly with water are
available in HFS. Mix these with some cooked minute rice and put in a
tortilla. Yum! Flavor them with onion, garlic, cumin powders.

6) Cheese backpacks well. Again, the fat may not be so bad if they are
hiking all day. And if it's cold, then the fat is almost necessary to
help them stay warm. (You need a lot more calories when it's cold.)
Add a hunk to any soup, pasta, rice, or dehydrated veggies you're
cooking.

7) Pasta, pasta, pasta. Top it with sauces made from the dry package
mixes. A lot of these are tasty. High in sodium and preservatives
sometimes, but for a couple of meals they won't hurt you.

8) Instant mashed potatoes that can be mixed with the powdered milk
or water only. Make up an instant gravy to go top.

9) Dried fruit can be cooked in some water and put on top of a piece of
angel food cake for dessert. (Hey, the cake might get crushed a little,
but it is lightweight!) Add some cinnamon and Tang (in lieu of orange
juice)and you approximate a Cooking Light recipe.

10) The dry veggie burger mixes would make a great meal. Most of
them make up with water only and many are quite tasty.


Or how about something the Kids can make with a little parent supervision of course:

Box Oven

1 Brick (or flat rock)
1 pk Aluminum foil,heavy-duty
1 Corrugated cardboard box
1 Metal pie pan,old
3 Coat hangers
4 Charcoal briquet's,lit

1. Cover the inside and outside of the box completely with 3 or 4
layers of aluminum foil, including the flaps. Lay box on level ground so
that the opening opens oven-style (front-door style is OK, too).
2. Straighten the coat hangers, then run them through the sides of
the box about 2/3 of the way up from the bottom to form a rack.
3. Set brick in bottom. Place live coals into pie pan/pie plate. Put
pan on brick (don't forget, the PIE PAN IS HOT! Use an oven mitt or
hot pad).
4. Place food to be cooked onto coat-hanger rack and close oven door.
Watch carefully, checking often. Each live coal makes about 80
degrees Fahrenheit.

Maybe Mom/Dad can make up some: Camp Au Gratin Potatoes

1 can Corned Beef Or 2 Cans Tuna
-Or Similar Meat or no meat if you want.
2 Boxes Au Gratin Potatoes
6 c Water
1/2 c Dry Milk Powder
1/4 c Margarine Or Oil
1 med Pot For Heating Water
1 lg Pot For Potatoes
1 Stirring Spoon

Put the corned beef or tuna on the bottom of the pan. Open the
potato packages and layer the potatoes on top of the meat. Sprinkle
the cheese powder over the potatoes. Put the oil or margarine on the
potatoes. Heat the water to near boiling and add the dry milk.

Pour the hot liquid over the dry potatoes and put the pot on a moderate fire to
simmer gently for 40 minutes. This arrangement should result in a
slightly liquid mixture. Turn the pot from time to time if it is being
kept at the edge of the fire to assure it heat all the way around.

The oil or margarine is to keep the liquid from foaming. A smaller quantity
or none can be used, but more care to keep the liquid from boiling
over must be made. Good served with something that will sop up
the extra juices.

Or Campers Pizza Pie

8 oz pizza or spaghetti sauce
1 lb Wheat bread
1/4 lb Mozzarella cheese
Pepperoni or mushrooms, or anything you'd like to add

Using the pie iron, take two slices of bread, put 1 1/2 tablespoons
pizza sauce on one slice of bread. Top with Mozzarella cheese and
sliced pepperoni. Place other side of bread on top and butter outer
sides of bread. Put sandwich into pie iron and place in coals of fire.
Cook until bread is toasted.

I bet you have never heard of this be done: RICE--- cooked in a sleeping bag.

Take instant rice in 2 heavy duty zip
lock bags.
Add slightly less than normal amount of boiling water, (it
must be at a full boil), add some raisins, nuts or some cinnamon and sugar,
or whatever other flavoring you desire.
Zip it up tight and place in a sleeping
bag. The rice will cook in about 20 minutes.
Once the rice is done, you can
add cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins and nuts to make it a
dessert or snack; or you can use it as a side dish by adding butter, soy sauce
or canned gravy.

Here's something for all hikers, cyclists, etc. Honey Granola Bars

1 1/4 c Quick-cooking oats
2 T Honey
1/4 c Whole wheat flour
1/3 c Raisins
1/4 c wheat germ,Toasted
Or dried apricots,Chopped
1/4 c Honey -- Plus

Combine the oats, flour, wheat germ, and cinnamon, and stir to mix
well. Add the honey, and stir until the mixture is moist and crumbly.
Fold in the raisins or apricots.

Coat an 8" square pan with nonstick cooking spray. pat the mixture
into the pan, and bake at 300 for 18-20 minutes, or until lightly
browned. Cool to room temperature, cut into bars, and serve.

Well I think that will keep all of you busy for awhile, LOL

Have a great day, and if you can get a hug from someone and hug them too...

Be seeing you, Knobby