Camping Fare

Summer is upon us...and many of you are likely off camping this weekend.  I am out in the Canadian Rockies...enjoying the scenery, the company and the food...of course!  What's a camping trip without good food?  There's nothing like combining food and fire and cooking up some great campfire treats.  I'm going to share with you a few of our family favorites...things we like to cook over the fire with the grands.

Everyone loves s'mores.   But not everyone knows that s'mores are made so much simpler with the use of  buttery biscuits topped with the perfect layer of melt-in-your-mouth milk chocolate. I usually use Petit Écolier biscuits...but recently have been using Celebration brand.

Roast your marshmallow to perfection.  Sandwich it between two cookies...and enjoy a classic campfire dessert with a bit of a twist.  When I purchased a a package of the cookies and marshmallows this week...the cashier asked if I was planning to put the two together.  I explained how they made great s'mores.  She thought that was the most brilliant idea...and was going home to give this method a try!  So...in case you have never made s'mores this way...I thought I'd pass along the tip.

Banana boats are always a hit...for all ages.

Stuff a banana (skin on) with toppings of your choice (things like peanut butter, chocolate chips, and marshmallows)...wrap in heavy foil and roast over an open fire.  After about five minutes...un-wrap and enjoy the ooey-gooey goodness right out of the boat.  Ice-cream and chopped nuts are always a nice addition!  For detailed instructions...you will have to check out the recipe in the Celebrations cookbook on page 133.

Another camping favorite  is the 'bush pie'. A bush pie is basically bread stuffed with a filling of your choice...and then cooked inside a cast-iron bush pie maker (available at any sporting goods store).

We used pizza toppings inside our bush pies...and cooked them two at a time inside a double bush-pie-maker.  Our grands love them!  We have also tried the dessert version...which is filled with any pie filling or Nutella and bananas.

For breakfast...or anytime...try cinnamon snakes.



Cover the wiener sticks with tinfoil...then wrap long strips of dough around the foiled end (we used refrigerated Pillsbury crescent dough) and roast them over the open fire until golden. Brush the cooked 'snake' with butter and roll in a cinnamon/sugar mixture.  So good!

And here is a favorite camping lunch that doesn't even need a fire!  Walking Tacos are always a treat. Purchase the single-serving size nacho chips...slit the bag...and make up your nacho plate right in the bag. Again...complete instructions can be found on page 135 of the Celebrations cookbook.
 
And those are the Saturday tips for this week...a few campfire food ideas while the season is upon us.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Apple Pecan Chicken Salad

After enjoying a salad much like this at a local restaurant on occasion...we began having a copycat version at home.  Apples and spicy pecans combined with chicken and greens and a vinaigrette dressing make a delicious full-meal lunch.  Pick up a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store...or throw a few chicken breasts on the grill.

Apple Pecan Chicken Salad

• 8 cups mixed greens or baby spinach
• 1/3 cup sliced red onion
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (or feta)
• 1 Granny Smith apple, chopped (or add some chopped red apple for colour)
• 1/2 cup spicy sugared pecans* (recipe below)
•  1 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken, skin removed and cut into bite-size pieces 
• Apple vinaigrette dressing* (recipe below)

1. Layer greens, onion slices, blue cheese, chopped apples and spicy pecans on a salad plate.
2. Top with chicken pieces.
3. Drizzle dressing over salad to taste.

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Place dressing ingredients in a small jar.  
2. Put on lid and shake.

Spicy Sugared Pecans:

• ½ cup white table sugar
• 2 cups pecan halves
• generous pinch cayenne

1. Heat sugar, nuts and cayenne in heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon. 
2. After several minutes, the sugar will begin to look sticky...and then begin to melt.  Stir continually, coating the nuts with the melted sugar.
3. When sugar is completely melted and turned amber in colour, remove from heat  and spread nuts on a foil lined pan. 
4. Allow to cool and break into pieces. 

 

Greek Tomato and Feta Dip

It can't get much simpler than this!  There is no cooking involved...just a little preparation and assembling.  We are enjoying fresh tomatoes from our local greenhouse and this is a great way to serve them when friends drop by.

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3-4 small tomatoes, chopped (Roma or other firm tomatoes)
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 8 oz. crumbled Feta cheese
• 2 teaspoons Greek seasoning, to to taste*
• 1 baguette, sliced in serving size pieces

1. Drizzle olive oil on a large platter.
2. Scatter the chopped tomatoes over the olive oil.
3. Sprinkle on the sliced green onions.
4. Top with crumbled Feta cheese.
5. Sprinkle the Greek seasoning on top.
6. With a spoon, carefully combine ingredients.
7. Serve with sliced baguette.

*It's the Greek seasoning that makes the dish.  It can be found in the spice aisle of any grocery store under a variety of brand names.

Try it.  You'll like it...and so will they!