Friday, March 15, 2024

Hot to Go Camping & RV Meals

When March Goes Out Like a Lion

Serve Hot 'n Easy Camping Meals




CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Cracker Crust Quiche

    No messy rolling out dough. Best of all, this toothsome crust can be baked  and refrigerated up to 3 days before filling and finishing.

 

2 eggs
2 sleeves saltines, coarsely crumbled
1 stick butter, melted
½ cup grated hard cheese such as Parmesan
    Beat eggs until foamy, then fold in saltine crumbs, melted butter and cheese. Press into bottom and sides of a deep dish 10-inch pie pan and bake 18-20 minutes, or until toasty, at 350 degrees. Cool. Set aside.
Filling:
½ pound mild sausage
Medium onion, diced fine
3 cups packed spinach, cut chiffonade style
1 cup shredded cheese such as cheddar
4 eggs
1 cup light cream or half and half
½ t. each salt, pepper
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
 

   Increase oven heat to 425 degrees. Fry out sausage, breaking it up into crumbles. As sausage gives up its fat, stir in onion and spinach to coat. When vegetables are limp and sausage  browned, spread in cracker crust and top with shredded cheese.  Beat egg and half and half with seasonings and pour over all. Bake 25 minutes or until quiche is set. Cool 10-15 minutes, then serve in wedges. Serves 6 to 8. 

 


Just in time for Mother's Day....

 

COOKING ABOARD YOUR RV

    For yourself or a gift,  Janet Groene's timeless cookbook is packed with shortcuts, tiips and 270 delicious recipes to cook inside the camper or outside on the campfire or grill. https://amzn.to/3nNndWY

 





Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week
Kaffee Klatch Lemon Kuchen

 

1 package puff pastry, thawed
8-ounce package cream cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/3 cup sugar
Optional glaze:
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Optional frosting:
½ cup powdered sugar
About 2 teaspoons lemon juice
    
    Unfold pastry on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet and press seams gently to seal them. Set the oven to 375 degrees. Let cream cheese come to “room” temperature in a bowl and stir in sugar and lemon.  Dab cream cheese mixture down the center of the pastry. Cut sides  of the pastry in strips  and fold over the filling, forming a braid. 
    Beat egg with water and brush on kuchen. (This step is optional, but it makes a nice glossy glaze).  Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden.
    Stir lemon juice into the sugar to make a thin frosting that spins off the spoon. Drizzle over the baked kuchen.



BONUS RECIPE
Shortcut Balsamic Berry Vinaigrette

    Why wait weeks for an infused vinegar? Use this instant dressing on greens, fruit salad or drizzle over hot braised Brussels sprouts.

 

 

 

1/4 cup each red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup strawberry or  raspberry jam
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil such as canola

Stir together and keep cold up to one week, stirring each time before use.

 

 

 

SKILLET Recipe of the Week
Bubble ‘n Squeak

     A specialty of British pubs, this skillet-fried crisp fried treat is a one-course meal. Here is my shortcut version.

 

6-serve packet instant mashed potato
2 ½ cup shredded cabbage for coleslaw
Medium onion, diced fine
½ cup extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
½ teaspoon each salt, pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
    
    In a bowl, stir boiling water into instant potatoes until creamy. Cover and set aside. In a large skillet, heat ½ cup water with the cabbage and onion. Cook until limp. Add drained cabbage mixture, cheese, seasonings and mustard to potatoes.
    Heat 1/4 inch oil in a large skillet until it shimmers. Drop dollops of the potato mixture into the oil (I use a spring-release ice cream scoop). Flatten to make patties and cook on both sides until browned and toasty, adding more oil as needed. 

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Tips for the Camp Cook

    * Make Easter “eggs” the easy way. Make a recipe for Rice Krispies cookies. When it’s cool enough to handle but still shape-able, use buttered hands to shape into “eggs.” Roll in different colored pastel sugars.

    * Roast vegetables on the grill or in the oven and toss with a sauce that sings. Combine 1/4 cup each olive oil, tahini and honey.  Peel and cut up one large or two medium seedless oranges. Fold it all together.

* Spread plates with hot cheese grits, instant or from-scratch. Top with creamed chipped beef.

    * Make your own instant oatmeal. In each snack bag mix ½ c minute oats, 1 T.each brown sugar,raisins and chopped nuts, 1/8 t. salt, 2 T.  each shredded coconut and fine-snipped apricots. Seal bags. To make breakfast, put mix in a bowl, add 1 c. boiling water, cover loosely and let steep 5-10 minutes. Serve as is or with cream, fresh fruit, cinnamon sugar or maple syrup.


MAKE AHEAD RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Spicy Pork Noodles


2 pounds medium or  hot pork sausage
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup minced garlic
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup ketchup, regular or spicy
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon dried basil

8 servings cooked, drained  ramen, spaghetti, fettuccine,  rice noodles or soba noodles.

 
Fry out sausage in a large pot, gradually adding garlic. When sausage is done and crumbly,  stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer over low heat 5 minutes. Toss with hot noodles. Cool. Divide into 8 portions and package for the freezer. To serve, thaw and heat.

To serve at once, use a spaghetti claw to serve in 8 bowls or plates. 

 


PUT THIS IN THEIR EASTER BASKET

Do they dream of selling everything and hitting the road in a self-contained home on wheels? Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition by Janet Groene and Gordon Groene is a total guide to the full-time life on wheels. Sell the house or rent it out while gone?  Downsize possessions or put them in storage? Too young to retire? There’s a chapter on ways to make a living anywhere. Kids on board? We cover home schooling. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.  https://amzn.to/29XFEkq 


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Friday, March 08, 2024

Easy Does It! Camping & RV Meals

Blog copyright Janet Groene, all rights reserved. To support this free blog send $10 a year via Paypal to janetgroene@yahoo.com/ Thank you so much! 



MAKE AHEAD RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Whole Lotta Cheese Sauce

When you have this homemade sauce in your camper, the meal is halfway made!  Put it on vegetables, hot dogs, omelets. Use it as a dip. Make nachos or mac ‘n cheese. This tangy, nutritious sauce keeps up to  four days in the refrigerator or ice chest. Homemade means saving money as well as  controlling the quality of the ingredients. 


Tip: Measure sauce in portions suitable for your needs and seal in boilable bags. Keep cold.  Then heat it by immersing the bag in hot water. Cut off a corner of the bag and drizzle hot sauce over the dish.

1/4 cup flour

½ stick butter

3 cups milk

2 tablespoons Dijon style mustard

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

16-ounce package shredded Cheddar


          Stir flour into melted butter and gradually whisk in milk. Continue stirring over low-medium heat until it comes to a low boil and thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and paprika. When cheese melts, serve warm.  Makes about 4 ½ cups. 




COOKING ABOARD YOUR RV

Not just for RV-ers, this camping cookbook is a help to all camp cooks who need shortcuts, space saving tips and budget recipes that work in small spaces with minimal fuss and mess. It’s an affordable, one-size-fits-all gift for yourself and for your camping friends. If you want it to go to Mom for Mother’s Day, let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.  https://amzn.to/3nNndWY



Camping and RV Recipe of the Week


Corny Crab Cakes

Make succulent crab cakes with real crab or the imitation version. 

1 cup real mayonnaise

1 egg

14- to 16-ounce package drained lump crabmeat or surimi

1 1/4 cups finely crushed saltine crackers

1 ½ cups finely diced mixture of onion, green pepper, celery

1 cup whole kernel corn, thawed

Oil or butter for frying

Lemon wedges or tartar sauce (optional)

Cut up crab if pieces are large. In a bowl whisk mayonnaise and egg. Stir in crabmeat,  vegetables and crumbs. Form into patties and chill. Fry in hot butter, vegetable oil or a mixture of both. Serves 4. Serve with lemon wedge or tartar sauce. 

Tips for the Camp Chef

* Make a gourmet sauce for fish. Finely chop lox into mayonnaise with lemon juice to taste. Spoon over cooked fish. 

* White coffee cups stained? Fill with water and add a denture cleaning tablet. Soak, wash, rinse well. 

* Save time and space! Mix one part pepper to six parts salt in one shaker, then add some rice grains to keep the mixture from clumping. 

* Make a quick, budget-wise sandwich spread. Cut up a jar of dried chipped beef and fold into two softened  bricks of  cream cheese. Add  chopped scallions, capers and a little Dijon mustard. 

Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week


Now that so many people are eating vegan style, it’s a good idea at campground potlucks to have something for them. Everyone else will love this easy chocolate cake too. 

Vegan Chocolate Cake (no dairy, no eggs)

2 cups flour

1 ½ cups sugar

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons instant coffee powder

1 cup very hot water

2/3 cup applesauce

½ cup water

½ teaspoon vinegar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil


In a clean, dry bowl or bag, mix whisk dry  ingredients.  Set aside.  Grease a 9 X 13-inch baking pan. Set oven for 350 degrees. Put hot water in a mixing bowl and stir in instant coffee Then whisk in the remaining wet ingredients. Pour batter into greased pan. Bake 35 minutes or until the cake is firm and springy to the touch. Cool and cut in squares. 

Skillet method: No oven? Grease a cold, heavy, 10-inch  skillet (preferably cast aluminum) and add batter. Cover tightly and cook over low-medium heat until cake pulls slightly away from edges of the pan and is springy to the touch in the center. 



See one woman's story of solo RV-ing during troubled times plus late breaking news of new and future campsites. https://solowomanrv.blogspot.com 




Freeze-Ahead Recipe of the Week

Plastic ice cube trays are super cheap in dollar stores and they make a wonderful way to freeze separate meatballs.  You could also use clean, disposable egg cartons.  disposable egg cartons. 

1 1/4 cups water

2 eggs

1 box Stove Top stuffing for chicken or pork (not cornbread stuffing)

3 pounds ground beef, turkey or a mixture of ground meats

In a bowl whisk eggs and water. Stir in stuffing mix and meat. (I use disposable plastic kitchen gloves, and mix this by hand.) Form into meatballs and freeze in ice cube trays or egg cartons to keep them separate. In camp, thaw, then cook thoroughly. 

Cooking tips: Thawed raw meatballs can be baked, fried, strung on skewers, wrapped in foil to cook over the campfire or flattened and fried as patties. Best of all, drop them gradually into a large, boiling pot of your favorite sauce or broth, where they will add flavor to make soup or spaghetti sauce. Be sure to keep the pot at a simmer until they are done through.  

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Friday, March 01, 2024

Let's Eat! Camping, Glamping or RV-ing

 Blog copyright Janet Groene 2024. To ask about placing your ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, email janetgroene@yahoo.com


Camp, glamp and RVacation with easy recipes to cook anywhere. Keep travel and food costs down and appetites up with these shortcut means and meals. 

 


 

CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Granola Billiard Balls
    While it's still sticky, form warm granola into small balls and make sweet little poppers to take the edge off an appetite between meals. 


1 package chopped dates
1 ½ cups water
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup orange or apple juice concentrate, thawed
16 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups coarsely chopped mixed nuts
1 cup raisins
1 cup golden raisins
2 cups wheat germ
1 cup sunflower nuts


    Set the oven for 325 degrees and lightly grease two deep 9 X 13-inch pans.
    Bring dates and water to a boil, stirring to make a thick paste. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and juice concentrate.
    In a large container, mix dry ingredients well. Stir in date mixture thoroughly until dry ingredients are evenly moistened.
    Spread half the mixture in each pan and bake 10 minutes. Stir and bake 10 minutes more. When mixture is cool enough, use buttered hands to scoop up warm mixture and form into small balls. Set aside on parchment or waxed paper to cool and set. Wrap individually in twists of waxed paper.

VEGAN RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Green Pastures Lentil Stew

10-ounce package chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Large onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 cup shredded coconut
2 medium potatoes, scrubbed or peeled, then diced
2 ½ cups water
3 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon  “minute” tapioca or white  rice
2 cups lentils, picked over and rinsed

    Press thawed spinach with paper towels until it’s very dry. In a large pot, sizzle onion in hot vegetable oil until it starts to get tender, then stir in cumin and coconut to coat.  Add water, bouillon, potatoes, rice or tapioca and lentils. 

    Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve bouillon. Cover, reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in spinach and simmer uncovered 5 to 10 minutes more until thick enough to serve.   Makes 10  portions to serve now or freeze in right-size portions for future camping.
Cook’s note: Depending on your heat source and the type of lentils and rice or tapioca, you may need to add more water if it’s too thick. If it's too thin,  cook uncovered a little longer.   

Thinking of going RV-ing full-time?  See Janet at
http://www.SoloWomanRV.blogspot.com Don't miss her weekly reports of future and proposed campgrounds. 

 
 

Tips for the Camp Cook

    * If you don’t have a sieve or strainer for washing lentils, quinoa,  rice and other tiny items, use your ice pick to make holes in an aluminum foil pie plate. For smaller amounts, make a sieve by punching holes in the bottom of a  paper or plastic cup.

* To make shortcut Pasta Alla Vodka, bring to a boil ½ cup vodka and 2 cups marinara sauce. Simmer uncovered 5-10 minutes to thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in ½ cup heavy cream. Spoon over 4 servings hot, cooked pasta.

* Need a substitute? 2 cups SIFTED (for accurate measuring) powdered sugar=1 cup white granular sugar or packed brown sugar.

* To add a nutty flavor to biscuits, substitute up to 1/4 up pecan flour for each cup of all purpose flour


MAKE AHEAD RECIPE OF THE WEEK
ChickaLentil Stew

 

     Make this main dish for 8 campers or prepare it ahead to freeze in batches according to your family size.
 
8 meaty chicken thighs
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon canola oil
Large onion, diced
Large carrot, diced
Large stalk celery, diced
3/4 cup lentils
14-ounce can chicken broth
14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning mix
Salt, pepper to taste


    
Pick over lentils to remove any foreign matter. Wash lentils well.  In a large skillet, pot or Dutch oven brown chicken in hot oil, gradually stirring in garlic, vegetables and lentils. Add broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

      See more of Janet’s travel-tested recipes for the tiny "kitchen"  at
http://www.BoatCook.blogspot.com

 



Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week
Mini-wiches

    Finger foods always go well at potlucks. They are easy to make ahead, easy to carry, easy to serve. A deliciously gooey layer of jam (no mayonnaise!)  holds it all together. 

 



 

Large loaf Italian bread
10-ounce jar apricot jam
Dijon mustard
Medium Vidalia onion, sliced paper thin
Thin-sliced deli meats ad lib
Grated Cheddar cheese


    Cut the loaf in half lengthwise. Spread the bottom half with Dijon mustard and top with a light scatter of sliced onions. Arrange meat slices over onion.
    Spread the cut side of the top half of the loaf with a thick layer of apricot jam. Place a layer of grated cheese over meat slices and add the  top of the loaf, pressing down so the sticky jam keeps the  grated cheese in place.
    Wrap and chill. Just before serving, place toothpicks at intervals along the loaf and slice to make 8 to 10 pieces. 

What does author Janet Groene REALLY think about RV life, travel, finances, problems, solutions, suspicions and missions? See her 16 helpful features on a wide range of topics, https://www.rvtravel.com/author/janet

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Friday, February 09, 2024

KISS the Camp & RV Cook

 Blog copyright Janet Groene 2024. 

 Springtime is just around the corner. Here are easy dishes, hot and cold, for the changing seasons. 

  


 MAKE AHEAD RECIPE OF THE WEEK

 Take it to the family camp-out, the tailgate party, the picnic, the cookout.

 



Tuna Salad Jiggle
    Chill this colorful salad until it gels. Then  slice it or scoop it to serve on on beds of shredded lettuce

Large can of solid pack tuna, drained
2/3 cup very hot water
1 package lemon or lime gelatin dessert mix
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups finely chopped vegetables (celery, sweet onion, red and green pepper)
½ to 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional)
1 cup well-drained cooked or canned whole kernel corn OR
1 cup well drained, finely chopped and drained canned beets

    Spray a pan with nonstick spray. Drain tuna and use the juice as part of the water measure. In a bowl, dissolve gelatin in hot water.  Whisk in mayonnaise. Stir in tuna to break it up well.  Blot vegetables dry with paper towels and fold into the tuna mix. Chill. Serves  6.  
Serve as is or with a dollop of sour cream.

Live, Love the Roving RV Life

 


    These days, everyone is doing it. Living on wheels lets you move on, follow the seasons, work as you go and never have to mow grass or shovel snow again. Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition is the story of our ten years on the go as a travel journalists. We don’t sugar-coat the problems while we celebrate the freedom of the open road with practical suggestions for every phase of the happy  homeless life.  https://amzn.to/3knbvll

 

 

Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week

Salted Caramel Parfait

    For an easy but showy dessert, serve parfaits in clear plastic disposable cups to let the layers shine through.

 


1 package instant butterscotch pudding
2 cups cold milk
1 ½ cups crushed Walker’s Scotch shortbread cookies
Salted Caramel Ice Cream Topping
Squirt-on whipped cream
Paper thin sliced apple

    Make pudding according to package directions. Set out six glasses and fill with layers of pudding,  cookie crumbs and light drizzles of the ice cream topping. Chill or serve at once. Just before serving, add a dollop of whipped cream and a garnish of sliced apples. 

Tips for the Camp Cook


    *For a change, make rice pudding with one of the nut milks such as cashew or almond.

    * Use a vegetable peeler on a Hershey bar to make curls to trim a plain  dessert.

    * Slice a hot dogs in half lengthwise, curl in a coil and thread on a stick around a small, thawed meatball. Grill to heat through. Place on a round bun with the meatball in the center. Add your favorite toppings.

    * To remove stains from melamine dishes, try a paste made from 1/4 cup baking soda or cream of tartar and 1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide. Smear on stains. Let dry. Wash as usual.

    

Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week
Potato and Egg Casserole

    Here’s a rich side dish or a  vegetarian main dish. Canned, diced  or sliced potatoes are a shortcut. Many stores including Walmart now carry #10 cans and other commercial sizes.


#10 can of sliced or diced potatoes, drained
2 cups water
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 sticks butter
4 cups sour cream
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon each salt, pepper and celery seed
1 jar of boiled onions, drained and cut up
6 hard-cooked eggs, cut up
2 cups finely crushed potato chips


    Drain potatoes. Mix water and lemon juice and drizzle over potatoes. Set aside.
Melt butter and stir in sour cream, salt, paprika, pepper and celery seed.    Drain potatoes well.  In a heavy buttered pan or Dutch oven,  alternate potatoes, onions and eggs with sour cream mixture.

    At this point the dish can be refrigerated to heat later. Cover and heat over medium heat or bake uncovered at 350 degrees until bubbly. Cover top with crushed chips. Serves 10 to 12.
    

Foil Recipe of the Week
Gourmet Hamwiches

 

    These sandwiches sound simple but the flavors are complex enough for silver palates. Use top quality deli cheese, baked ham and rolls.

1 stick butter
1/3 cup sweet onion, very finely chopped
1/4 cup grainy mustard
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
6 bakery kaiser rolls
1 pound baked ham, sliced very thin
6 slices best quality deli Provolone cheese


    Melt butter and stir in onion. When onion is translucent stir in mustard and poppy seeds. Set aside.
    Split buns and smear cut sides with the poppy seed mixture. Add a slice of cheese. Divide the ham among the buns, Close buns, wrap in foil and heat over the grill until cheese melts.  Makes six.



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Friday, February 02, 2024

Camp & RV Cooking Rocks!

To donate $10 a per year in support of this free blog,  use your Paypal account to janetgroene@yahoo.com 

 


CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Smoothie Pie

If you travel with a 12v blender or  smoothie maker as so many campers do these days, this pie goes into your camp oven in minutes. Optional: lightly scatter some  nuts, chocolate chips and/or shredded coconut in the pie shell before adding the liquid mixture.

1 unbaked pastry pie shell
2 eggs
½ stick softened butter
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons each flour, cornstarch and cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put liquid ingredients in the blender and mix well. Add dry ingredients and blend until satin smooth. Pour into pie shell and bake about 30-40 minutes or until filling is set and crust is golden.  Cool.  Serves 6 to 8.

PS: If you bake your pies in a stove-top camp oven or Dutch oven, use butter instead of shortening in the crust recipe and it will brown faster.
 

BONUS RECIPE, FROSTBITE CAMPING

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

    
5 to 6 potatoes, scrubbed and diced
6 cups water
12-ounce bag of cauliflower and broccoli florets, thawed and drained
2 cans condensed cream soups (mushroom, chicken, celery)
½ soup can milk or water
Half of a one-pound brick of process cheese, such as Velveeta, diced
Salt, pepper, hot sauce

    In a large kettle, cover potatoes with water and boil until almost tender. Cut up large pieces of broccoli and cauliflower, add to the soup and cook until tender. Whisk soups with milk or water and stir in. When it’s hot, reduce heat and stir in cheese. Cover and heat over very low heat just until cheese melts. Serves 6 to 8. 

 


 

Janet Groene’s Survival Food Handbook isn’t just for preppers. It’s also a guide to stocking your camper with ordinary, shelf-stable supermarket ingredients for cruising, boondocking and emergencies such as fridge failure, evacuation or breakdown.  http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe

 

 

 

 


 

Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week
Crunchy Corn Salad

    This easy, affordable  salad is a snap to throw together but it’s important to add the Fritos only at the very last minute. The recipe is easily doubled or halved.

 

#10 can whole kernel corn, drained (about 9-10 cups)
2 green bell peppers, finely diced
1 red sweet pepper, finely diced
2 or 3 plum tomatoes, diced and drained
3 to 4 large  ribs celery, finely diced
1 bunch scallions, sliced thin

½ cup each white wine vinegar, vegetable oil and sugar
3 cups Fritos


    Combine vegetables and sprinkle with sugar. Let stand 20-30 minutes. Stir gently and sugar will form a glaze. Whisk vinegar and oil. Stir into vegetables. Chill or serve at once. Immediately before serving, fold in Fritos. Provide a draining spoon for serving. Serves 10 to 12.


Tips for the Camp Cook

    * Make “stained glass” pancakes. Cut small mixed colors of gum drops in half. Stir into pancake batter at the rate of 1 cup gumdrops for 3 to 4 cups batter.

    * Make chunky, creamy cream of tomato soup starting with a packet of country gravy mix (two-cup size). Cook until thick, then stir in a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes and a teaspoon of sugar.Season to taste.Serves 4-6. Nice touch: top with bits of fresh basil.

    * Serve stew or chili under a blanket. When stew is done, whisk 1 cup milk, 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 cup self-rising flour. Drizzle  slowly over hot, simmering stew. Cover and cook until “blanket”  is firm and puffy.

    * Dip cooked chicken nuggets in a saucer of hot sauce, then in crushed and finely chopped French-fried onion rings.Serve warm. 


Foil Recipe of the Week
Spicy Breakfast Bombs

 


    Bring up four corners of the square of foil to form a shallow bowl and the egg cooks in a nest of the potatoes and salami.

4 4-inch slices spicy lunch meat such as salami
1 cup hashed brown potatoes, thawed
4 eggs
1 cup grated spicy cheese such as pepper jack


    Lay out square of foil and spray or grease center. Place a slice of meat in the center and bring up corners so meat is “cupped” enough to hold 1/4 cup potatoes. Break an egg over the potatoes. Join and pinch corners of foil and twist to form a "kiss". Place over medium coals about 10 minutes or  until egg is done.
    Carefully open foil (steam is hot) and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese.  Serves 4. 

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Friday, December 22, 2023

Merry Camping & RV Recipes

 Blog copyright Janet Groene 2023, all rights reserved. To ask about placing one ad, one link for one year on all six Groene sites for one low rate, email janetgroene@yahoo.com

 



Camp and RV Recipe of the Week
Peachy Christmas Eve Chicken

    Put this easy meal in the RV oven and let  dinner bake while you enjoy a Christmas Eve eggnog. 



6 portions skinless chicken
Large can peach halves

1 cup juice from peaches
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 ½ cups salted peanuts, chopped

     Set oven for 400 degrees. Line a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with nonstick foil. Spray foil with nonstick spray. Drain peaches, saving 1cup of the juice. In a small bowl whisk juice, ginger and peanut butter.  Pat chicken pieces dry with paper toweling.
    Dip chicken in peanut butter mixture and arrange in baking pan. Arrange six peach halves in the pan, cavity side up, and spoon remaining peanut butter mixture over them. Bake 30-35 minutes or until chicken tests done at 170 degrees F. Sprinkle chicken with chopped peanuts and serve with baked peaches. Serves 6.

New Year’s Eve Fudge
    Let’s go camping for New Year’s Eve and have a big batch of this fudge ready to pass around the campfire.  Chocolate chips usually come in packages of 6 and 12 ounces.  For this recipe you need a total of 18 ounces or about 2 ½ cups. 

 

3 packages, 6 ounces each, semi-sweet real chocolate chips
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract


    Butter an 8 X 8-inch pan and line the bottom with waxed paper. In a heavy pan over low heat, or in the microwave, melt chocolate with condensed milk and salt. Remove from heat and stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread in pan and chill until firm. Turn out on a cutting board, remove paper and cut in squares. It’s now ready to store at “room” temperature.

Tips for the Camp Cook

    *First, make ordinary sandwiches using peanut butter and thinly sliced apples. Then dip sandwiches in egg and milk mixture as for French toast and fry in butter. Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar.

    * Can’t get stubborn smells out of  plastic food storage containers?  Wash and dry, then put them in a big, plastic bag and sprinkle generously with baking soda. Close bag. Shake. The next day, wipe away the soda with a clean, dry cloth.

    * Old-fashioned electric heating pads are a plus in camping if you have power. re-warm a stack of dinner plates between two heating pads.

 .     * Make your own “condensed” soup mix. Stir together ½ cup nonfat dry milk, 2 teaspoons powdered chicken bouillon, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 1/3 cups cold water.  Cook, stirring until it thickens. Stir in ½ to 1 cup  cooked, diced celery, mushrooms, chicken or vegetables. Season to taste with garlic salt, pepper, thyme, etc. Thin with water or milk as desired. To make tomato soup, add 2 tablespoons tomato paste and 1 teaspoon sugar.  


Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week
Icebox Blueberry Dessert


1 ½ cups graham cracker or cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 packet lemon gelatin dessert mix
1 ½ cups boiling water
8-ounce container whipped topping
1 pint fresh blueberries

    Mix crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a 9 X 13-inch dish. Tamp down firmly to make an even layer and chill. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. When it’s cool and starting to gel, fold in half the whipped topping and spread over crust. Return to the fridge to firm up. Fold blueberries into remaining topping and spread over gelatin layer. Chill thoroughly. Serves 12.

Foil Recipe of the Week
    Cook in foil. Eat from the foil. No dish washing. If you have fresh parsley, mince it and add to the chicken mixture.

Orange Honey Turkey ‘n Dressing
 

6-ounce package chicken stuffing mix
Hot water
2 pieces precooked bacon, crumbled
10-ounce can chunk turkey or chicken
1 tablespoon each thawed orange juice concentrate and orange blossom honey
Butter for foil


    Lay out 4 squares of nonstick foil and butter the centers. In a bowl add hot water to stuffing mix until it’s moist enough to form patties. Fold in bacon. Place a patty of stuffing on each piece of foil. In the same bowl, break up un-drained turkey or chicken and stir in orange juice concentrate and honey. Place some atop each stuffing patty.  Bring up 4 corners of the foil and twist to seal. (This also forms a handle. It looks like a big Hershey’s kiss).
    Place over coals or the grill or in the oven to heat through. Open carefully. Steam is hot. Eat right out of the foil.




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Want to see new camp and RV recipes and tips each week? Email  janetgroene@yahoo.com and put RV Yes in the subject line. I will send you a quick nudge when new posts go up here, usually once a week. Your email will never be sold, shared nor used by me for other purposes.


Friday, November 17, 2023

Easy Cooking for Road Trips, Camping & RV

 Blog copyright Janet Groene 2023.  To ask about placing one ad, one link for one year on all six Groene sites for one low rate, email janetgroene@yahoo.com

 

Janet Groene cooks

 

 On the road, at the tailgate party and by the campfire Janet Groene knows cooking shortcuts to make great meals on the go 

 

 

 

 


 CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK

 Sherry Chicken
    The gravy is the star of this show. Serve it with rice, noodles, mashed potatoes or toast.

½ stick butter
6 portions boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom or chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cooking sherry

 

    Brown chicken in melted butter, gradually adding mushrooms to brown them too. In a bowl whisk soup, sour cream and sherry. Pour over chicken, cover and cook over low-medium heat until chicken tests done at 170 degrees F. Serve with a starch such as buttered noodles. Makes 6 servings. 

 



 

Camping and RV Recipe of the Week
Mediterranean Skillet

    Bok Choy is two vegetables in one, with white celery-like stalks and deep green spinach-like leaves. 

  2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 red onion, sliced in crescents
1 bunch bok choy, cut up (4 cups)
1 tablespoon mixed Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon beef or chicken bouillon or base
1 cup water
15-ounce can white beans such as Great Northern
15-ounce can baby carrots, drained
Garnish:
2 or 3 Roma tomatoes, diced and drained

    Heat oil in a skillet and brown meat, breaking it up to crumbles and gradually stirring in garlic and onion. When meat is done, stir in bok choy until it’s crisp-tender, then add seasoning, bouillon and water. Bring to a boil. Stir in beans and carrots. Cover, reduce heat to Low and heat through.  Serve in shallow soup plates. Sprinkle with diced tomatoes.   Serves 4 to 6. To make more servings, serve over rice or noodles.

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Camp Cook Tips


    *Bring along  a store-bought cheesecake when camping. Then make it your own. Whisk ½ cup maple syrup with 1 cup sour cream. Drizzle over the cheesecake and sprinkle with toasted pecan pieces.  
.         .
    * When making chili, substitute diced butternut squash or sweet potatoes  for all or half the beans. Slow-cook, pressure cook or simmer until vegetables are  done.

    * Make a gourmet sauce for plain pound cake,  pudding or lady fingers. Stir 1/4 cup apple brandy into a 10-ounce jar of butterscotch ice cream topping. Serve as is, or heat gently.

  

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Cooking Aboard Your RV has more than 250 swift and shortcut recipes that save water, time, mess and hassle in camping and RV travels.  Find it at book stores or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.

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Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week
Party Pineapple Cheese Log


 
    I  divide this in two balls or logs, one rolled in finely chopped nuts and the other in finely chopped parsley. Surround one with cruditès and one with crackers. The secret to the taste and texture is to wring the crushed pineapple really, really dry.

Large can of crushed pineapple
3 packages, 8 ounces each, cream cheese
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup grated extra sharp Cheddar cheese (optional)
Minced parsley and/ or chopped nuts
Crackers and/or veggies for serving

    Drain the pineapple, saving juice. Then place pineapple in a clean kitchen towel and wring it dry. Soften cream cheese at “room” temperature and mix in Worcestershire, Cheddar if using,  and lemon zest. Form into two logs. Scatter nuts or parsley on a sheet of wax paper and roll to coat the outside of each log. Wrap and chill. Serve as a spread.

Foil Recipe of the Week
    Cook this tasty main dish in foil on the campfire, in the oven or in a covered skillet . Then eat out of the foil. Dirty Rice is a soul food classic traditionally made with ground chicken giblets. Your shortcut is to use turkey sausage patties . 

 

Think of it as a giant "kiss"


Dirty Rice

4 to 8 fully cooked turkey sausage patties, thawed
1 cup packed, chopped baby spinach
3 cups plain cooked rice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 can or jar of chicken gravy

Large sweet  onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Large green pepper, seeded and sliced into rings

    Chop sausage. Remove any large stems from spinach and chop the rest. Fold sausage and spinach into cooked rice with garlic salt, paprika and only enough chicken gravy to moisten the mixture.

    Lay out four squares of foil. Spray or oil the centers and place a thin slice of a large sweet onion on each. Place a pepper ring atop the onion.
    Bring up sides of the foil to firm a shallow dish and  fill pepper rings with rice mixture. Now bring up and pinch the four corners of the foil together and twist to seal package and form a handle. Place over low-medium coals and cook 20 minutes. No turning needed. Beware hot steam when you open the package. Serves 4.
    

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