The Big Book of Camp Cooking

All too often, camp cooking turns out to be beanie weenies or grilled hot dogs and burgers.  When it is something more complicated, it’s often mom that is stuck preparing the meal and often stuck with clean up as well.  Who wants to spend every minute on a camping trip doing the same kind of work that has to be done at home, only in less convenient circumstances?

Sometimes, it’s no surprise that it’s often the moms who are resisting the camping trips.

It’s not impossible to simplify all of that, while still preparing delicious meals on that single burner stove, while leaving time for Mom to enjoy the beaches, fishing, hiking, swimming, and all of the other things that we all do when we camp out.  That’s what this cookbook is all about, and the recipes are written to ensure that meals are easy to prepare.

It’s available in both Kindle and paperback, and in plenty of time for summer camping fun too!

Get it right here.

Do It Yourself –dehydrated backpacker’s meals

Face it, whether you are a cyclist, backpacker, or just a compact camper, the commercially prepared freeze dried meals have been along on a trip or two.  Equally as often, you have not been too happy with the meal that resulted, as it failed in quantity, flavor, color, or texture.  I will never forget an experience with some chicken dish, I think it was sweet & sour with rice?  It looked like a puppy had barfed in the container, and the puppy barf might have tasted better.  (No, I have never tasted puppy barf, don’t intend to, and I also gagged at the taste of that stuff.)

Seriously though, on the trail, when you are depending on the meals you have brought along, having something be a total “FAIL” is more than disappointing, it can be a trip ruining disaster or worse.  We have to depend on what we have brought along, and it has been a huge investment in terms of labor and weight to get to the point of adding the boiling water.  Even with the amount of importance that trail food can have, that does not mean we need to have invested our life savings in the food for a two week hike.

Learning to make your own meals has a very steep learning curve.  I’ve tried doing a few things myself, with mixed results.  Then, today I read the most amazing book.  All of that trial and error experimenting has gone out the window, now I have a guide book to get me where I want to go without suspiciously sampling Meal X ever again.  It’s well written, has clear recipes, and solid information.  I’ll admit I have not tried any of the recipes yet (my dehydrator is still packed in a box…somewhere) but I have  no doubts that they are very accurate.

In addition, it allows us to take control of the contents.  My husband and I both need low-sodium meals, and that’s not something that has been addressed by companies such as Mountain House, even though I was told over a  year ago that low sodium meals were in the works.  Unlike many hikers, we no longer need high calorie meals either–due to health problems, we are not physically able to burn off 8,000 calories in a day.  Whether its on a bike or on foot, we now have a much more leisurely approach to the whole process, and our bodies demand we take the time to smell the flowers, experience the moment, and watch the birds flying by a lot more often than we did at twenty-something.  Even with that, we also can’t pack 60 pound packs over mountain tops, and weight is probably more important for us than ever before, as our strength is decreasing as well as our endurance.  Armed with these recipes, we can make the adjustments to the recipes to stick to our medical diets without worries.

So what is this mysteriously wonderful book?  It’s called Backpack Gourmet by Linda Frederick Yaffe.  It’s not new–it’s been out for over a decade, but I just read it via Kindle.  Thankfully, it’s not focused on faddish foods that will make us grimace at the ingredients, but remains just as relevant today as it was when it was initially published.  It’s also the very first book that I can honestly say, hey, here is a really good recipe book to use as a starting point to preparing good, inexpensive packable meals for backpacking, bicycle camping, or any other time we’d want to pack along fast and easy meals.

On that note though, I’m going to leave you taking a look at the book and trying to get your hands on a copy while I go hunt for the location of my dehydrator and vacuum sealer.  I have a feeling that vacuum sealing some of these meals before storing them will make them a lot easier to pack AND store.

Reference books and shopping

Recently, after numerous experiences with prepared dehydrated food suitable for backpacking, I became somewhat disgruntled with the taste, texture, appearance, and sodium content of many meals.  In addition to being less-than-wonderful to dine on, many meals also were found to be very expensive per serving.  I wanted more for my money, and some variety in the meals.

That meant one thing.

When you are dissatisfied with commercial offerings, you have to do it yourself.

Now I’m far from a bad cook, and I’m a pretty good camp cook too, especially from the car camping/base camp outlook.  Most of our camping is done in that manner, we pitch a camp near where we can park the van/truck/car, and work our way out from that, taking short day hikes, sightseeing, and sometimes just hanging out right near camp.  At the same time, there are times when you want a lightweight, compact, palatable meal that requires nothing more complex than adding hot water.  For those with an interest in survival training, this becomes even more important.

I’m actually surprised at the narrow field of offerings from commercial producers of backpacker’s food, such as Mountain House.  So many things are nearly a natural in the field, and yet they aren’t even on the list of potential meals.  I’m not sure why, unless they are unpalatable after dehydrating and rehydrating, too fussy for dehydrating and packaging, or maybe…just plain never thought of.

Certain things are regional favorites.  Others are comfort foods that may have limited appeal.  Some things may have a narrower field of appeal because of their nature as catering to a specialized diet.  In addition, someone who is on a serious backpacking trip may need a large amount of calories, while someone who is in a more sedentary mode may prefer a much more modest calorie count in their meal.  In either case, the meals should not leave the diner feeling hungry or nauseous from the meal.

I obviously needed some inspiration on what would…and would not…work for creating do-it-yourself backpack meals.  I had the best equipment in the world for doing it–a vacuum sealer and a good quality dehydrator.  I know where to order those little silica packs to ensure that the moisture level stayed low, as well as the oxygen gobbling ones.  I can cook, and I can easily prepare some sample meals to know whether the new recipe is a keeper or a lets-feed-the-dog meal.

And…while I was at it, I could do some research on preparing some dehydrated meals for the dogs that were packed with calories and more compact than the traditional bulky kibble.

I was on a roll…and now it was time to go shopping for that known source of inspiration….cookbooks!

I needed recipes for human and canine dehydrated meals, as well as basic dehydration information for the ingredients.  I started off with a search on Ebay.  That’s when the first surprise struck me.

Most cookbooks and reference books on this topic are MORE expensive on Ebay than with Amazon, and yet I’m going to be buying often used copies on Ebay.  Obviously, double checking prices was a no brainer after repeated examples were found of this pricing issue.  I have consistently found, that if it is in stock, both Amazon.com and Overstock are going to beat the Ebay prices, while delivering a new copy of the book as well.

Each of the online stores has their advantages though.  On Ebay, I may often find out-of-print books at a fairly reasonable rate.  On Amazon, I often will get free shipping on books, if I meet the minimum order requirement of $25.   They also will offer a Kindle version, which I can have delivered free to my Android phone or pc, since I don’t own a Kindle.   On Overstock, they typically will match Amazon’s prices, and their shipping is always $2.95.

Did I find some likely candidates to start drooling over?  Of course!

Do you want to know which ones they were?  I’ll lay odds if you have read this article, you are just like me, searching for good reference material on the topic.  It isn’t cheap, and if you check with your local library, you can often read the book free, before you actually buy it.  Amazon often lets you read a portion of the book free too.

To make it easy for you, I have set up the books I regard as likely on our website.  It’s at the top of the page on the right hand side.

Enjoy!

Easy and cheap camp cooking

Camp cooking can be very easy, especially when using prepared meals such as the ones sold by Mountain House.  At the same time, at an average cost of over $5 per 2 person meal, it can add up quickly.  For a family, that cost can be prohibitive.  So what are some other solutions?

Many prepared meals feature instant rice as a primary ingredient.  Instant rice is sold in most grocery stores, both in generic and “Minute Rice” brands.  It is moderate in price, and can form the basic ingredient for preparing your own meals at a lower cost.  It is cooked by adding boiling water and waiting about 5 minutes for it to be re-hydrated.

Now it just takes some creativity to turn that boiling water and instant rice into a meal.

I prepared one such meal recently in camp.  Here’s my recipe:

Sausage and Rice

• 2 c. rice
• 2 c. boiling water
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp. Cavender’s Greek Seasoning

Boil seasoning, onion & sausage slices in water for 3-5 minutes.  Stir in rice and remove from heat.  Cover.  Let stand 5-10 minutes.  Makes about 4 servings.

It’s easy to get creative.  Prepared seasoning mixes such as Cavender’s Greek Seasoning and Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning or More Spice make it easy to season your rice dish too.

Another simple dish that I prepare on occasion is what we call “Mexican Stuff”.  It’s used to stuff tortillas for quick meals, can be used as a dip with chips, or just eaten as is.  (I do double the amount of rice when its going to be ‘as is’ though.)

Mexican Stuff

• 1 lb. ground beef, turkey, or pork
• 1 c. instant rice
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning
• 1 can corn
• 1 can tomatoes with Mexican seasoning (oregano & garlic, peppers & onions, etc.)
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Dump corn, tomatoes, onion, and meat into pan and combine.  Do not drain tomatoes or corn!  Add taco seasoning and cumin.  Cook over medium high heat until meat is completely cooked and mixture has boiled for about 3 minutes.  Add instant rice and 1/2 c. hot water.  Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for about 5 minutes or until rice is tender.

To serve in tortillas: stuff tortillas.  Garnish with things such as shredded cheese, pickled peppers, sour cream, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, etc.

Cheap vacation or bargain vacation?

We all know the story.  The family, especially the kids, want a vacation, but going somewhere like Disney is out of the question.  Work hasn’t been as lucrative this past year, and bills have been skyrocketing.  School’s about to be let out for the summer, and still…you don’t see how that vacation is possibly going to happen.  With gas prices reaching new highs, your outlook on summer time is reaching all time lows, and the nagging is getting worse.

“When are we going on vacation?  Where are we going for our vacation?”

It’s like a broken record, it never seems to stop, but your examination of the budget says that there is no way you can possibly go over $500 for the entire vacation, and for that kind of money, you’ll be lucky to afford a weekend at a hotel.

There is a better way, and it should easily stretch into an entire week or even longer.  It can offer major fun, both leisure and active recreation, and there can even be some serious educational aspects that the kids won’t even notice that they learned things because it was so much fun.  What’s this miracle vacation?

Camping.

So you don’t have gear?  That will be the first step, followed by choosing your location.

To get your gear:  Try asking friends and relatives if they have any camping gear.  Often, people have unused gear in their attic or garage, left over from last year or Junior’s scouting days.  Sometimes, your friends will actually be campers themselves.  As an alternative, yard sales and second hand stores can be sources.  This is also the season when tents are in demand, but even so, many times stores will offer sales on camping gear.

Keeping your budget down is important, so not buying a lot of “extras” is also wise.  In addition, if your family has not gone camping before, you may not even know what  you would or would not use.  So, stick to the minimum, it will save space, weight, and money.  Here’s your list.

1. Tent or tents.  Many families will opt for one tent for the kids and one for the adults.  The larger the tent, the more expensive it is too.  When calculating tent size, the general rule of thumb is that if it says it will sleep six, it probably will sleep five people and they’ll still not have much extra room.  Also check tent height, especially if you want to be able to stand up inside your tent.  It’s a LOT easier to get dressed when you can stand up inside!  Young children, especially on their first camping trip, are going to want to share their parents’ tent once the sun goes down.
2. Lantern.  Whether you opt for batteries or fuel, you’ll need light at night.  Battery powered lamps are usually cheaper to purchase initially, although the batteries can add up quickly.  Battery powered lanterns are also safer around young children–there is no fire risk.  Propane or white gas fueled lanterns are a bit trickier to operate, but do offer better long term economy and usually have brighter light.  I typically use a “micro-lantern” which uses AA batteries and I use rechargeable ones.  (Some chargers can plug into your cigarette lighter in your car to recharge batteries.)  These micro lanterns also work inside the tents, as they are light enough to hang from the center.  At about $10 each, its affordable to have 2 or 3, along with the rechargeable batteries.  There are a LOT of different ones out there too.
3. Flashlights.  Each person should have their own.  For kids, I suggest crank or shake lights so that there are no worries about them running the batteries down–they provide their own power generation!  I personally have found that AA flashlights are the most economical to use, and once again, it’s rechargeable batteries!  (By using all AA batteries, I only have to bring along one kind of batteries and charger.)
4. Stove.  By cooking your own meals, or most of them, you’ll save mega-bucks over hitting the restaurants for each meal.  Camp cooking is kept simple, and typically will just use a single burner, so nothing too complex is going to be made by the novice camp cook.  The easiest stoves to use are the same ones used by many caterers, and these use a “hairspray” sized can of butane.  They are often sold at camping stores, catering stores, truck stops, and flea markets and can typically be purchased for about $20 locally.  For a full week of family camping, purchase about twelve cans of butane.  These stoves have an igniter, so don’t require a match to light them, making them easy to use.
5. Sleeping bags.  This one can be avoided, I took my family camping for years without sleeping bags, and we just used bedding from home.  The bedding is bulkier, more hassle, etc. though.  Summertime camping usually means moderate to warm temperatures even at night, so “slumber bags” will also work for the kids.  Thermal pads, cots, air mattresses, etc. are all nice, but expensive additions to the gear that aren’t necessary.   A cheap alternative to create some cushioning for your aching back?  Try using a quilt or comforter doubled under your sleeping bag or bed roll.  That bit of cushioning will go a long ways to leveling out that hard ground.  Bring along pillows for at-home comfort for your head and neck too.
6. Cheap tarp.  This is not going to be visible, so it can be ugly and obnoxious, but you’ll need a cheap tarp to go under each tent.  This protects the floor and helps keep out moisture that can migrate up through the floor and into your bed.  While summertime camping doesn’t have a lot of worries about being chilled, clammy beds are not going to make the trip fun either, and summertime rain storms are likely to happen.  Dollar store tarps work just fine for this, and if your tent is large, get two (or however many) small tarps to use instead of one large tarp.  The smaller tarps are more versatile, cheaper, and easier to pack up when the trip is over.
7. Folding chairs/camp chairs.  Everybody has some of these chairs around.  They don’t have to be fancy or have your favorite football team’s insignia either.  Get everybody one chair suitable for their size.  (They have them for the small kids too!)
8. Cooler.  It’s summer, it’s hot, and you want a cold drink.  You also don’t want your food to spoil.  That’s where the cooler or ice chest comes into play.  Don’t get a giant sized one, but also don’t go too small.  Most campgrounds are going to have a store within a few miles, allowing you to restock the ice as it melts.  Make sure the lid closes easily–kids are notorious for not latching cooler lids.  If you have the space and money, a second cooler for drinks, keeping the food cooler safely closed, might be a good idea.

That’s your basic gear to get you camping.  Using some rough figures, two small tents can usually be purchased for about $40 each, with two micro lanterns costing another $20.  Add in flashlights for four people, batteries, stove, butane cans, 4 sleeping bags, 4 chairs, and a cooler will add another $261, and you have already invested about $361 into  your vacation, and you’ve not loaded the car or left home yet.

Now comes the getting ready part!  Try to have your gear in hand at least a month before your trip, because you’ll need to know some things about it before you finish your plans.

Set up your tents.  Time how long it takes to do so, including staking down the rain fly.

Lay the sleeping bags out in the tents.  Will there be enough room for everyone to sleep?

Waterproof your tent and use seam sealer on the seams.  Cheap tents are notorious for not being well waterproofed, and nothing can turn a camping trip into misery faster than a leaking tent.  Using spray designed for waterproofing tents, spray evenly according to the directions on the can.  Usually, two cans will coat two small tents and their rain fly.  A can of waterproofing spray is about $10, and it is well worth the money for the comfort it will give you and the peace of mind on the trip.  (All tents should be treated annually anyhow, just in case.)

Let the tents dry for 8 hours or more on a nice sunny day.

Fold up the tents, small enough so that they fit back into the carry bags.  Often carry bags are VERY small in comparison to the tents, and if you can’t make it fit after a few tries, it might help to replace the original bag with a duffle bag for your own sanity’s sake.  Even after many years of experience, it was not uncommon for me to take 2-3 tries to get the tent folded up small enough to fit into the bag it came with.  These days, my large tent travels in a duffel bag bought for it, and the original bag carries nothing more than the poles and stakes, we simply got tired of fighting with it.

Roll up the sleeping bags.  Straps help to keep them rolled up, and one favorite recycle of mine is to use old belts to keep them rolled up.  Even cheap “fashion” belts such as women’s dresses and pants come with work well for this, despite being discarded from the garment they came  with.

Unpackage your flashlights and lantern, install batteries, and make sure they work.  Get familiar with how to turn them on and off, as well as how to replace batteries.   Remove the batteries from the flashlights, and put them together in a small bag.  (An old purse or kid’s backpack works to keep them together.)  Discard the packaging.

Unpackage your stove.  Read the directions, learn how to replace the fuel canisters and ignite the burner.  Most of the canister stoves such as caterer’s use also come with a case.  Discard the packaging.

Do a test packing on your gear in your car with the tent, chairs, tarps, cooler, lanterns, flashlights, pillows, and sleeping bags.  How much room do you have left?  That is the amount of space you have for food, clothing, beach toys and towels, dishes, pans, and anything else you think you need.

Now you are ready for your finishing touches on getting ready to go!

1. Pots and pans.  This is a case of remember Keep It Simple Stupid.  Nobody wants to spend all their time on vacation cooking and washing dishes anyhow!  Take a large skillet, a medium saucepan, and a small dutch oven with lids.  A cookie sheet also makes a useful tray for many uses.  If you drink coffee, don’t forget to include a way to do so!  (My favorite is the Melitta drip coffee maker–it fits on a mug, I just pour in the boiling water and I have delicious drip coffee fast!)  Mess kits might be convenient, but why not save the money and use pots and pans from home for this trip?
2. Utensils.  One pancake turner/spatula, one slotted spoon, one big spoon, and one ladle will do you fine.  Add in one kitchen knife, a paring knife, a cooking fork, and a set of fork and spoon for each person, and you’re good to go.
3. Dishes.  One small mixing bowl, a spare plate, a set of plate and bowl for each person, and a cup or mug for each person, and that should cover everyone.
4. First aid kit.  Any basic first aid kit will work.  My personal kit includes peroxide, bandages, tape, gauze, all purpose burn/booboo spray, and Stingeze.
5. Medicine kit.  Don’t forget any prescription medicines needed, but add in over the counter items frequently used such as ibuprofen (great for those sore muscles and sleeping-on-the-ground syndrome), acetaminophen, allergy medicine, and vitamins.
6. Hygiene kit.  Shampoo (pack small bottles, just in case the kids lose or spill one, you have more!) bar soap, toothpaste, tooth brushes, comb, brush, razors, and shaving cream.  Leave the makeup and hairspray home–you are going camping!  Bring a towel and washcloth for each person.  (Suggestion: assign one color to each person, and with the assignment comes responsibility to bring them back to camp and hang them up to dry.  No problems with “that’s not MINE!” happening.)
7. Clothing.  You are camping and on vacation.  Nobody you know will see you.  Be comfortable but don’t try and bring along everything to be a fashion plate.  Use that KISS theory here.  An adult will typically need 2-3 prs of pants, 2-3 prs of shorts, 5-6 t-shirts, 2 tank tops, 7 sets underwear, 7 prs. socks, 1 swim suit, 1 long sleeved shirt or jacket (depending on where you are) 1 pr swim shoes, 1 pr walking shoes, and something to sleep in.   An experienced camper is likely to bring 2 prs pants, 2 prs. shorts, 3 t-shirts, 1 tank top, 7 underwear sets, 7 pr socks, 1 swim suit, 1 long sleeved shirt or jacket, a pr of water shoes, and a pair of walking/hiking shoes.  A rain poncho is also a good idea.  Kids often need more clothing, especially if they are young enough to have accidents (which are likely to occur with bathrooms often a fair distance away.)  While I don’t advocate going around looking like you haven’t seen a bath this year, getting dirty is not a bad thing either.  It’s part of the fun of being on a camping trip.

Odd camping stuff.  Some of this stuff is optional, but will make things much easier.

1. Cheap rope.  It can become a clothesline, if its allowed in the campground.  It’s a great place to hang swimsuits and towels too.
2. Bucket.  This should be a clean bucket, not your recycled paint bucket.  It will be used to carry water from the spigot to your campsite, making a lot of things easier.  It doesn’t need to be huge either–water is HEAVY.  2-3 gallons is sufficient in size.
3. Frisbee or flying disk.  Great way to pass some time with the family, maybe even get to know some of the other campers.
4. Beach toys.  This is great with young kids and a beach area.  Entire days can often be enjoyed while you lounge nearby.
5. Sunscreen.  Get strong stuff.  Nothing can ruin a vacation quicker than a nasty sunburn.  Use it, every day, on everybody.  No exceptions.  They can work on their tan at home, not on vacation where you are stuck listening to the whining about the burn.
6. Paper towels.  Bring two rolls.  They are good for wiping up all sorts of things, as well as being used for napkins.
7. Trash bags.  They can hold everything from your sleeping bags to dirty clothes, in addition to trash.  If you don’t use them, they’ll come in handy at home!
8. Dish soap and dish cloth.  Okay, it’s got to happen here too.  Dishes need washed.  Everybody can wash their own, but they need dish soap and a cloth to do it with.
9. Dishpan.  This is where you wash dishes, and it can also be where hands and faces get between-showers-washings.  It’s useful for shaving in camp for the guys too, if they don’t mind using the rear view mirror on the car as their mirror (or if they bring one from home to use.)
10. Camera and/or a video camera.  You are making memories on this vacation, and you don’t want to miss recording it.  Make sure the camera works and you are familiar with its functions, including on how to take night shots, low light shots, bright light shots, action shots, and how to turn off the flash (required in most museums.)  For your digital camera, you may want to opt for the more expensive and non-rechargeable “titanium” batteries for electronics.  They really do last longer and are more dependable than rechargeables in digital cameras.  (I usually carry both, my titaniums are my just-in-case batteries.)

Last, but not least, is the food.  People get hungry when camping, and food becomes a big deal, but nobody wants to be stuck cooking all the time either.  Stick to simple stuff everybody in the family will like.  These need to all be one pot or one skillet meals too.  Get the whole family involved in choosing what they are going to eat and they’ll spend less time griping about it too.  Here’s some hints to help.

1. Try sticking to cold sandwiches and fruit for lunches–it’s easy and fast.
2. Pack healthy snacks, but a good way to win vacation points is allowing a stretch of the rules to include some snack foods and treats that are normally not allowed.
3. Breakfast treats with our crew are usually pancakes–who has time to cook them in the morning when you aren’t on vacation?
4. Instant oatmeal is also a hot favorite that is quick and easy too.
5. Search for recipes that your family will like and require few ingredients and that single pan.
6. Spaghetti isn’t a “one pan” meal, but it’s cheap and easy–just heat the sauce and boil the noodles, and voila…dinner!  Add a salad and a loaf of French bread, and they’ll think you are the king of the camp kitchen.   With a single burner, I cook the noodles, taking them off the burner just before they are done, and putting the lid on the pot to keep them hot.  The sauce goes in a pan, and is heated up.  Using a fork, the noodles are fished out of the water, put on the plate or bowl, and topped with sauce.  Parmesan cheese is optional!
7. Ramen noodles are another very cheap ingredient.  Dressed up with meat and vegetables, they too can become dinner.  Leftover chicken, beef, or pork can be cut up and added, along with diced vegetables of nearly any kind.
8. Canned chili can be boring, but served with tortillas that have been folded over and filled with melted cheese…it’s much more exciting.  Skillet corn cakes can also be great with it. (Cornbread batter cooked like pancakes.)
9. Let everyone make their own “pizza” using a flour tortilla as the base, topping it with whatever their heart desires, and heating it in the skillet.  Slide it out onto their plate, and they can dine.
10. Nachos anyone?  Make mega-nachos with all the toppings normally put on tacos, and bingo, you have fun food to eat while sitting around the campfire or picnic table.  Just heat the meat or bean topping in a skillet, pile the chips on their plates, top the chips with the meat, add shredded lettuce, tomatoes, olives, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa…or whatever you want.  Forks are optional but paper towels might be in order!

The most important part of all is choosing your destination.  Obviously, the cheapest way to go is to stay at one campground for the full duration of your vacation.  That keeps your travel costs down.  Do your research.  Is there enough to keep everyone occupied during your stay?  What is there to do nearby and in the park?  How close are the nearest stores selling groceries and ice?  What else will you do during your stay?  Calling the park is often the most efficient way to get your answers, but do it before you make your reservations!  Campsite fees vary a lot, from roughly $15 on up to about $50 per night.  Usually, state campgrounds offer amenities such as showers and toilets, and have the lowest prices of any campground in the area.  Their websites also offer a lot of information about fees, activities, and other items of interest in the area too, as well as information on how to go about making your reservations.  (Many campgrounds use Reserve America, others have their own system, and some require that you call the park itself.  A few do not take reservations, which makes staying there tricky–you have to get there early to get your spot.)

Some kind of water activity is always welcomed in the summer–kids love it, and adults enjoy the cooling effects too.  Other things can vary according to your family’s interests, everything from horseback riding to golf to museums and wildlife parks are an option.  Splurging on a special activity can make some real vacation memories for your family, if your budget can afford it.  Trying something new can often get the whole family excited as well.

Be prepared for expensive gasoline.  Most areas are hovering at around $4 per gallon, so that means planning your route is more important than ever.  Use a mapping program to maximize your route, see the sights, get where you are going, and avoiding spending money unnecessarily.  Stop at those weird roadside places–it’s free to stop when its right on your route.  Read those historical markers.  Check out those viewpoints.  Leave home early enough to really enjoy the drive to your destination.  If its more than a single day’s drive away, look for a campground in between.  I’ve traveled often using campgrounds as our overnight location, and some of them have been spectacular!  The journey is a good chunk of your expense for vacation, so make it an event too.  Stop for picnics, take pictures of your kids at the state line, and do all of those goofy things that you’ve seen others do…and haven’t ever done yourself.  So what if its corny and silly, it is YOUR vacation!

I have seen everything from gorgeous waterfalls to giant plastic Paul Bunyan…all right beside the road I was driving on and often totally unexpectedly.  We’ve stopped and helped turtles cross the road too.  One trip saw us buy an entire lug of bing cherries from an orchard’s roadside stand…at a bargain price too!  (It was a lot of cherries to eat, and we didn’t want cherries again for a very long time!)  I’ve seen craters and creatures, tried cherry cider and boudin, eaten barbecue and apple pie, sat on a giant jackalope and touched Paul Bunyan, seen pottery and heard poetry…all from roadside places.  Once, we even came upon a massive Dutch windmill in the middle of nowhere on a road detour (without a map, I’m afraid, but gas was cheap back then.)  We’ve seen Amish farms, high tech hog operations, orchards, amusement parks, and just about everything else under the sun too.  Stop at those tourist information places and obscure museums too.  Most small museums have very inexpensive entry fees, and hold a myriad of fascinating items.  My museum highlights included an antique museum in Oklahoma somewhere and a Russian museum in New Mexico!  Local tourist information stops often will clue you in on things that you didn’t find on the internet too, and usually not more than a 5 or 10 mile detour, still making them a great lunch stop or even overnight stop.

Most of all, have fun.  Laugh a lot, scold little, and take lots of pictures.  Your cheap vacation just might turn out to be one your kids remember forever as the “best vacation ever” with very little money and a whole lot of enjoyment.

Mountain House winner!

Freeze dried food.  Most of us conjure up an image of mysterious glop with a lot of salt and not much other flavor.  The reality though is nothing like that, at least with Mountain House foods.  Recently, we bought a selection of Mountain House foods to use for a bicycle trip, and while most of them saw no service on that trip, we did decide to try one at home, for the ultimate in taste tests.

I was intensely curious about the concept of “chicken breasts with rib meat & mashed potatoes” especially when described as “two grilled, seasoned chicken breasts with rib meat, mashed potatoes with herbs & chives.”

Seriously, how good could this possibly be?  It’s a freeze dried entree for 2, not a frozen dinner.  Frozen dinners offering “chicken breast with rib meat” usually turn out to be dismal offerings of indistinct texture resembling that of foam rubber.  Surely a freeze dried dinner would be worse.

Boy, was I wrong!

The directions have the cook remove the oxygen packet and the packet of mashed potatoes, setting those aside.  The boiling water is added to the envelope, on top of the chicken breasts, and they are submerged with the envelope zipped closed for 2-3 minutes.  Then, the chicken breasts are removed, and the potatoes are mixed with their water and allowed to stand for another couple of minutes, and I put the chicken on top to keep it warm.  So, about ten minutes from putting the water on to heat, we had dinner.

The chicken was delicious, and definitely real.  No questions about that, and the flavor came through with flying colors along with the correct texture.  Grill marks on top added to the effect too.  The mashed potatoes had excellent flavor too.  No complaints from either of us on that count.

This entree has about 210 calories for each portion.  That’s not a lot of calories if you are working or hiking hard, so the portions are not extravagant in size.  More concerning is the 800 mg of sodium–that’s a LOT of sodium!  Not that it tasted excessively salty, but even so, the sodium is there.  I did email the Mountain House company via their website about the high sodium content of their meals, and asked for a low sodium line.  I received a prompt reply as well, indicating that the new low sodium line was already in production, and should be released soon.  Just keep checking their website!

Unfortunately, there seems to be a supply issue with Mountain House right now, and that has fueled all of the conspiracy theorists into believing that the government has bought up the supply.  According to the Mountain House website, that is not the case.  They were asked for a quote, but no order had been placed, and the quote is a standard operating procedure, not a prelude to a definite order.  What is causing the actual supply issue is a mystery, but it could in fact be related to a revamping of their line to reduce sodium, increase variety, etc.  Even a change in packaging could temporarily cause a supply and demand problem.  In addition, this is spring and this is when companies are gearing up for the summer hiking & camping season…so there is even more demand!  I hope the supply issues are solved soon–most of my favorite suppliers seem to be out of stock or back ordered on a number of selections from Mountain House.  Currently, my sole source of Mountain House meals is from local stores with some stock on hand.

After trying this entree at home, I feel more comfortable about counting on Mountain House on the trail and in camp for quality meals without fuss.  Food is an important moral builder, as well as fuel for doing the things we love to do, and nothing can make a trip more miserable than unpleasant or inedible food.  Convenience is nice too, because I may not mind being the camp cook on some trips, on other trips I’m just as busy as everyone else, and I have little desire to spend hours each day preparing food.

For the emergency preparedness crowd, food is equally important.  Tasty food does a lot to maintain morale, and if its familiar in nature, its less likely to be regarded with suspicion.  This entree wins on this front too.  It’s delicious, “normal” looking, and does not have any odd or exotic flavors.  It’s lightweight and easy to prepare too.  It’s an excellent choice to include in your emergency backpack!

 

 

Simple folding reflector oven

I had not given up on my search for a simple folding reflector oven.  I’d found a few designs that were sold commercially, but unfortunately they were priced a bit too high for my budget at this time.  I HAD seen designs on the net before, but hadn’t saved the directions, so I knew they were out there…if I could find them again!

Tonight, I struck gold.  Granted, this design isn’t as fancy as most, but…it uses a commonly available material (aluminum flashing) and is simple to make.  You won’t even need a diagram!  The hinges are simple wire loops, sufficient to do the job, and removal of a few loops means the entire oven folds down into a lightweight package.  Using this design, an oven can be made as large or small as you like too!

here’s the link to their bulletin board with the YouTube video embedded.

The perfect way to really enjoy cold weather camping!

Holiday camp out?

Some claim I’m nuts.  Some claim I’m demented.  Basically, it’s not a real popular idea to consider a Christmas camp out, especially when it involves primitive camping.

It’s cold.  Everyone wants their cozy beds, hot cocoa, and big dinner.  They want to sit around their Christmas tree and open their gifts and see what Santa brought them.  They want to serve cookies and egg nog to their friends and family when they come caroling.

Here I am, proposing they give up all of that to go sit and freeze their butts off around a campfire.  To share gifts with someone under a live tree growing naturally in the woods.  To see real stars twinkling in the night over the top of towering long leaf pines.  To hear your own voice belting out bits of Christmas songs around the campfire with no one else to hear but those we intend to share it with.  To share a dinner prepared over a single burner multi-fuel stove or in the glowing coals of a campfire fueled by dead wood gathered from the woods around us.  To crawl into a bed heated only by the hot brick wrapped in an old towel and stuck in under a blanket at the foot, and breath in icy winter air from inside the tent, snuggled with your significant other and your faithful dog(s).  To enjoy the pre-dawn thrill of having to use a scooped out hole in the ground for a latrine with your butt exposed to the freezing air.

I don’t get it.  Why am I having such a hard time getting anyone else interested in going?

I find the cold air invigorating.  I love the challenge of being warm and cozy even when the weather isn’t.  I like sitting near the fire, protected from a chilling wind by a windbreak formed from a stretched tarp.  I like crawling into my sleeping bag and snuggling up to sleep cozy, with my outer clothes tucked under my pillow for finding them fast come morning.  I don’t mind groping for my knit cap that’s slid off of my head during the night and pulling it back on without ever waking up completely.  I’m thrilled when I coax the stove to life to heat up water for a cup of something hot first thing in the morning when I’m so cold and the fire is faded to nothing more than a memory and hot ashes.  Nothing feels as wonderful as cupping my hands around that cup and “stealing” the warmth it radiates, and that’s before I ever take that first sip of hot liquid.

There’s the sheer challenge of an aging body that has just spent the night sleeping on the ground, albeit on a thermal pad, and is now trying to get clothes ON under the covers where its warm…without letting in cold air…while being urged to greater speed by the bladder that is insisting that you should have woke up an hour earlier.  Add in the excitement of trying to find your shoes in the dark when your partner is NOT a morning person and sees no reason in your predawn urge to get up and get outside.  (His bladder isn’t bellowing!)

Dawn goes from the pitch black just before, to the steadily graying fade into morning, and if the clouds are thick and heavy…it seems like barely dawn for hours.  There’s the threat of a winter rain too, guaranteed to make things soggy and difficult and colder feeling.

Then comes dinner, just after dark.  It doesn’t matter really what it is.  It might be an MRE or a dehydrated prepared meal or real cooked-over-a-campfire meal…it’s going to be delicious, even if its a bit scorched or gritty with sand or flavored with ashes from the fire.  It always IS delicious.  I’ve had everything from cakes to breads to turkey to burgers and everything in between…and its all delicious.  Even the LRP ration of chili was delicious…despite being almost as old as me!    We’ll often have “dessert” too, which might be dried fruit…or s’mores…or marshmallows…or a candy…but that doesn’t matter either.  With a mug of something hot, even just hot water…it’s going to be delicious.

We’ll sit around the fire for a bit, toasting our toes and warming up the bricks for our beds…talking about all sorts of things, depending on who’s there and what is on our minds.  I’ve even dozed off in a chair by the fire, enjoying the warmth.  That’s okay too.  Sooner or later, the night chill starts to run its icy fingers down our backs, and we’ll head off to our pre-warmed beds and snuggle down.  Before we know it…it will be morning again, and we’ll stretch and groan and start it all over again.

So…are YOU ready for a holiday camp out?

Changing of the season and the itch to go

Yesterday, I had the air conditioning on to combat high humidity as the temperatures hovered around the low 80s.  It wasn’t that hot, so much as steamy.  Tonight, we have to have some heat, as the temperatures drop to just above freezing.  That’s life on the Gulf Coast this time of year.  Fast changes, and it usually involves some rain, which clung to the area all day today.

With the cold weather, the rain…guess what?

I have this itch on the bottom of my feet.  It’s saying its time to get ready and GO.  I want to go camping, I want to go fishing, I want to get out and do a road trip.

I’m probably crazy, but there is nothing I love more than cold weather camping.  I love sitting around the fire, a windbreak stretched between a couple of trees, sipping coffee and chatting with friends after a good evening meal.  I love sleeping in the cold tent, warm inside of my sleeping bag, with GM & the dog to help me stay warm.  Okay, so I do despise a call of nature driving me from my warm bed to hanging my butt out in the woods…but it makes me appreciate that warmth all the more!

Cooking for a crowd in camp is much more fun in cold weather too.  The hot fires aren’t chasing them away, whether its a campfire or a lit stove.  Granted, I have to cook in the dark for the evening meal because of the short days, but I manage.  People are much more appreciative of food in cold weather too, as well as have a bigger appetite.

I love watching the dog at that evening fire too.  She’s hilarious, and has no fear of fire, so we often have to fish her tail out of too-close proximity to the fire as she enjoys the heat herself to ease her aching joints.  (She’s getting old now.)  She sprawls by the fire, and practically sucks the heat in.  It also means she is right there, just in case someone has some food they need to get rid of.  She loves the camping too, although I’m not sure she loves the cold weather as much as she used to.  At least I don’t have to worry about her overheating in cold weather.

Granted, it takes more gear in cold weather than warm.  Our tents tend to be bulkier with rain flies that extend nearly to the ground or actually to the ground.  We need to ensure we are well insulated from the cold ground to prevent losing body heat to the ground.  Our clothes are bulkier and we wear more layers too.  We need hats and gloves.  There are extra tarps, to protect from wind or rain.  We use more firewood for our evening fires.  We carry fire bricks to warm our beds, and towels to wrap them in before tucking them under our beds.  We drink more hot drinks to stay hydrated and warm.

It’s a pain, but I love it.  For some reason, the challenge of staying warm, dry, and eating well in cold weather is just much more intriguing than doing the same thing in summer.  Granted, I’ve experienced snow and frosts in July and August at high altitudes, but it was still summertime all day.

Winter, even a Southern winter, presents new challenges, and the continual risk of seriously cold weather.  Straying northward means we’d also run the risk of potential stray snowstorms too.

Ever sleep in a tent during a snowstorm?

How about a thunderstorm?

In a thunderstorm, the wind pushes the rain into any potential gap in the tent’s moisture barrier.  It invariably sneaks into bedding as ambient moisture.  Everything starts to feel damp and cold.  As the storms continue day after day, the misery level just continues to increase.

With snow, barring the blizzard scenario, the snow comes down, piling up alongside the tent walls.  It may pile on the roof before gently sliding to the ground with a slithery sound that reminds you of a fat, drunken snake losing its balance.  If the wind blows, it can push the snow against the tent, or occasionally even whip around the tent door when its opened, invading the relative warmth of the tent’s interior.

The big difference is that by and large, in a snowstorm, your tent and its contents, including you, stay dry.  The snow also acts as insulation, trapping air and blocking wind.  It’s just much easier to deal with good old H2O when its in a solid form.

Assuming the temperature is 10 degrees or warmer, and the wind isn’t a serious issue, it isn’t that hard to stay warm.  Cooking in the snow isn’t as hard as cooking in the rain, whether using a fire or a stove.  The air is more invigorating than it is life threatening, and the challenge of staying comfortable is merely a challenge…not a life threatening issue.

At the same time, there is just enough risk that the weather could turn seriously snowy and windy, with a blizzard like force, that could create a real survival challenge.  Having enough food, fuel, clothing, and sleeping gear would go from an entertaining weekend to survival in the few degrees of temperature and a handful of miles-per-hour on the wind.  It’s there, in the back of your mind, as you are forced to remember that you must always be prepared for that emergency, of the potential of being caught out in a serious winter storm or of encountering someone else who is less prepared that is caught out in your vicinity.  What then?  Did you bring enough to remain comfortable until help could reach you after the storm has passed?  Would anyone know where to find you?  What would you do if you suddenly were forced to rely on your own wits to stay alive and healthy for ten days if it did happen?  Could you do it?  How?

Maybe that’s what drives us all to head out into nature, to test our skills and our wits.  That potential risk factor.  Of wondering if we are as tough as our ancestors were.  If we really have learned as much about survival as we should have.

How about you?

 

Doing Thanksgiving outdoors

Doing a minimalist holiday routine in a tent doesn’t mean you have to do without the turkey and the trimmings.  We took a group out and tried it, just to see if it could be done.  Granted we scaled it back considerably, and cooked just a turkey breast rather than an entire turkey.  We had stuffing, green bean casserole, gravy, mashed potatoes, baked beans, sweet potatoes, rolls, and a cheesecake for dessert…and we cooked everything except the rolls and cheesecake ourselves on a single burner butane stove or a charcoal grill.

The turkey breast was rubbed down with seasonings, then wrapped in double heavy duty foil.    Using more heavy duty foil, a dome was created over the turkey, with charcoal in a standard campground grill.  Over a medium hot set of coals, the turkey breast was cooked for a couple of hours and turned about every 30 minutes.

For the green bean casserole, the cream of mushroom soup was heated in a saucepan.  When it was hot, the drained green beans were added to the soup mixture, stirring gently until the beans were hot.  About 1/3 of the can of french fried onions were added to the green bean mixture, and the remainder was used to sprinkle each serving liberally with.

Mashed potatoes and gravy were mixes.  Idahoan instant mashed potatoes come in several flavors in an envelope type package, and are easy to prepare–just add hot water, no milk or butter required.  The gravy mix was just a standard turkey gravy mix out of an envelope–each one makes about 1 cup, so calculate the necessary amount of gravy accordingly.

Sweet potatoes were canned, just put into a foil pan, sprinkled with brown sugar and cinnamon, covered with foil, and set onto the grill alongside the turkey to heat.  We left them heating for about an hour, mostly to just keep them warm.  Baked beans got the same treatment.  Sauteed onions and brown sugar, along with crumbled bacon, were added to canned baked beans and set alongside the turkey to heat up.

The cranberry sauce was also served hot, and we just added 1 c. water, 2 c. sugar and a pound of cranberries into a saucepan, brought to a boil and boiled for a few minutes or until the berries started to pop.  At that point, it was set aside, and we unwrapped our mummy-looking turkey breast.  It was pallid, and the skin was discarded but it was amazingly moist and flavorful.  Everyone dug in, piling plates high with the ample food, and just like at home…ate until we were stuffed full.  It was hours later before anyone felt like digging into the cheesecake.

Who says you can’t enjoy a typical feast holiday while living in a tent…in pouring rain?