Favorite camping foods/recipes?

[foreverdis]

I have a permanent camper nearby and spend a lot of weekends there, with typical hamburgers, hotdogs, etc. This weekend is my birthday and I'll have some extra family members, including my DD and my grandkids.

I don't want to spend the whole weekend cooking, so I need some ideas! We can cook over fire, on grill, electric skillet, etc., but we don't do the usual 'foil packets' except for vegetables. I'd like some ideas for stuff that I can prepare at home and take with me; broccoli slaw, fresh fruit, etc., as well as ideas for what to make with it once there.

Anyone willing to share their favorites?

Thanks, Lisa

 

[minkydog]

Wow! The better question is "what can't I cook at a campground?" We just got back from a week long camping trip/family reunion. 21 in all, only 3 stayed in a cabin. We made communal meals every night. My night was Mexican--taco bar, pinto beans, corn and popsicles. My brother made fried crabs on his night (brought his outdoor fryer.) My sister bought a ready-made ham & sliced it up, put some cole slaw, potato salad, fruit and chips with it. Mom made spaghetti on her night (she made it ahead so all we had to do was thaw the sauce & heat it and make the noodles.

I frequently make stir fry in my electric skillet. I also use my crockpot at least once on every camping trip. And if I don't want to cook at all, I head up to KFC for a bucket-o-chicken!

 

[maslex]

How about some marinated chicken that you can throw on the grill with your foil packet veggies and "baked" potatoes that you also wrap in foil in just throw right into the fire.

We just went to a graduation party this weekend and someone had brought two big boxes of fried chicken that they got at the deli in Walmart. That was huge hit and was actually really good. Not a piece left by the end of the night. You could pair that up with some potato salad or something.

We used to go camping all the time when I was a kid. But we did a lot of the foil packet meals and they were actually really good. Here are some links to some ideas you might like.

http://www.sunset.com/food-wine/kitchen-assistant/camping-food-00418000082240/

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/everyday-cooking/on-the-go/camping/

http://www.tasteofhome.com/camping-recipes

 

[scrapquitler]

I have a permanent camper nearby and spend a lot of weekends there, with typical hamburgers, hotdogs, etc. This weekend is my birthday and I'll have some extra family members, including my DD and my grandkids.

I don't want to spend the whole weekend cooking, so I need some ideas! We can cook over fire, on grill, electric skillet, etc., but we don't do the usual 'foil packets' except for vegetables. I'd like some ideas for stuff that I can prepare at home and take with me; broccoli slaw, fresh fruit, etc., as well as ideas for what to make with it once there.

Anyone willing to share their favorites?

Thanks, Lisa

Okay. First, it's your birthday, why should YOU be cooking anything for a crowd? Call them all up now and ask them to bring things, at least some side dishes and then put them to work instead of you, or at the very least alongside you.

Next, you can cook almost anything while you are there. Since you have an electric skillet, I assume that means you have electricity. Use your crockpot. Make some pulled pork or chicken in the crockpot, it's almost no work. Serve it on buns. Have someone bring coleslaw, someone else can bring baked beans, etc.

In your sort of situation with a permanent set up, on a normal weekend, I'd probably cook pretty much as if I were home, but for your birthday, get the family to help you.

 

[Mandychelle79]

one of the easiest things I have ever seen being made at camp ( and it surprised me because I never thought to make it)

Meatball hoagies. They took frozen meatballs, some jarred sauce and just heated through

 

[foreverdis]

Thanks for the great ideas, I can work with these! Hot dogs/coney sauce for Saturday night, maybe carry-out chicken for Friday night; just need to fill in and think about breakfast and lunch.

As for why I'm doing the cooking...DD has a 4 yr old, 3 yr old and is 8.5 months pregnant! They'll be bringing some stuff, but I don't want her to have to do too much (like go into labor).

Can't wait, the grandkids are so excited!

 

[SmallWorld71]

Not very fancy, but when DD10 goes camping with the girl scouts, they always do taco in a bag.

You cook the ground beef (or whatever kind you do) just like you would for tacos. Each person gets an individual sized bag of doritos. Crush up your Doritos (they take the place of the shell). Add cooked meat, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce etc... as each person wishes to their individual bag. Eat with a spoon.

The scout leaders love it because the clean up is easy. You just have the one skillet to wash and each kid just tosses their bag when done - no dishes.

For dessert they like "banana bowls." Take a banana and split it (keep it in the peel. Cut banana down the middle, put choc. chips and marshmallows inside, wrap up in peel and foil and then cook over fire.

 

[honeydiane1953]

Marinating chicken pieces in bottled Italian seasoning for 30 min then grilling them. Delicious. Putting ears of corn with salt, pepper, mayonnaise and sometimes parmesan cheese. Wrap in foil grill about 20 minutes.

 

[LoserMomma]

I was going to suggest the "Walking Tacos" too...they are super easy. My Girl Scouts love them. I've done everything from heating up some sloppy joes to making sauted tilapia when camping (the fish was WONDERFUL on the grill). I do all sorts of meals, the trick is that I do all the prep at home and then just put it together that day. Here are some of the biggest hits:

Walking tacos (as stated)
Classic beans and weanies on the fire...with corn if it's in season
Kabobs (beef and chicken)
Fish and couscous
Baked apples (easy peasey....cut and core the apple and then stuff with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon...wrap in foil and bake)

 

[Shagley]

Chicken Fajitas - throw some frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts in a gallon size zip lock bag with the fajita marinade (keep the chicken frozen until the day you are going to cook them, then they will marinade as they thaw). Cut green and red peppers and onions into strips and put into a zip lock bag. Then all you need is shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream and flour tortillas. We usually grill the chicken and cook the onions and peppers in the remaining marinade in the electric skillet. Once the chicken is cooked, cut into strips and toss in with the onions and peppers. Put out the rest of the fixings, and everyone can fix their own. Since fajitas have all four food groups, we don't really have anything else with them other than chips and salsa. We usually make enough that the next day we can have fajita salads for lunch (bring a bag of salad or extra lettuce, plus some ranch salad dressing).

 

[PizzieDuster]

Not very fancy, but when DD10 goes camping with the girl scouts, they always do taco in a bag.

You cook the ground beef (or whatever kind you do) just like you would for tacos. Each person gets an individual sized bag of doritos. Crush up your Doritos (they take the place of the shell). Add cooked meat, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce etc... as each person wishes to their individual bag. Eat with a spoon.

The scout leaders love it because the clean up is easy. You just have the one skillet to wash and each kid just tosses their bag when done - no dishes.

For dessert they like "banana bowls." Take a banana and split it (keep it in the peel. Cut banana down the middle, put choc. chips and marshmallows inside, wrap up in peel and foil and then cook over fire.

Fantastic idea!

When we had our motorhome, I did the banana bowls and they were a huge hit with my kids, even the high school ones. Loved it...I also had some nuts out to add on. Something different from smores.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Not very fancy, but when DD10 goes camping with the girl scouts, they always do taco in a bag.

You cook the ground beef (or whatever kind you do) just like you would for tacos. Each person gets an individual sized bag of doritos. Crush up your Doritos (they take the place of the shell). Add cooked meat, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce etc... as each person wishes to their individual bag. Eat with a spoon.

The scout leaders love it because the clean up is easy. You just have the one skillet to wash and each kid just tosses their bag when done - no dishes.

For dessert they like "banana bowls." Take a banana and split it (keep it in the peel. Cut banana down the middle, put choc. chips and marshmallows inside, wrap up in peel and foil and then cook over fire.

DD had that at scout camp here in Germany last week We were even saying how it seems to be the universal thing. (she prefers fritos over doritos though).

 

[tevagirl]

I found this recipe on allrecipes years ago and have been asked to make it over and over and over again. It's easy and will feed a lot of people.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Bucket... salad&e8=Quick Search&event10=1&e7=Home Page

 

[MdmMim]

DH likes to make clam chowder. He uses a huge pot and cooks over a gas burner outside. Most people seem to like it, as they come from all around the campground.

 

[SmallWorld71]

DD had that at scout camp here in Germany last week We were even saying how it seems to be the universal thing. (she prefers fritos over doritos though).

LOL! Small world. I like the frito idea.