Campfire Recipes

by holly{Bruce}

Hopefully, this summer has started off well for everyone. With the Spring rains gone and the temperatures soaring, thoughts turn towards escaping to the mountains and lakes for some weekend and vacation camping trips. Even with the use of a Recreational Vehicle (RV), most camping menus rely heavily upon non-perishable items.

Cereals, bagels and breads are main staples for breakfasts. For lunches, sandwiches are always the best, supplemented with pretzels, chips and crackers. Deli meats, butter, and various condiments can be safely kept under plenty of ice. However, you do want to be careful. Always use your nose when in doubt. If lunch meats look slimy, you’ll wish to dispose of them. Condiments, especially mayonnaise, shouldn’t be kept for longer than a day if you do not have the use of a refrigerator in your RV - the same goes for deli meats. The best snacks and desserts are fresh fruits. Also, Mott’s and other companies manufacture individual containers of non-perishable applesauces. While a jar of applesauce can go further, it does require refrigeration after opening. Even if you do have use of a refrigerator, your space will be limited.

You can also keep hot-dogs and hamburgers safe for one day only, if packed under plenty of ice. Without the use of a refrigerator though, you’ll need to do some constant shopping. If you make use of a commercial campsite, you’ll find a lot of them have easy access to grocery stores. Some campgrounds even have their own markets. However, it’s nice to have at least one hot meal a day, if possible. Cooking does not have to take place within an RV. Small, portable stoves can be purchased inexpensively at discount department stores as well as at sporting goods shops. They range in various prices according to their size and operation.

While many campers prefer the convenience and safety of a portable stove, campfires can also be used. If discretion and care are practiced, campfires can cook just as well as portable stoves with a fraction of the cost. Two vertical iron bars with an iron cross-piece allow pots to be hung at various heights above the fire. Steel-framed tripod stands can be purchased at outdoor shops. These stands come with adjustable chains and hooks from which to hang a coffee pot or kettle. Grills and skewers can also be hung over the fire. Cast-iron skillets can be used over grills and are sometimes wise to use so the food doesn’t catch on fire. Skillets are also essential if you wish to saute onions or cook bacon.

The simplest method of cooking over a campfire is to roast the food on long skewers that can be held above the flames. This works well for cooking hot-dogs or roasting marshmallows. Pie irons are popular for campers as well. These are small, iron sandwich molds with long handles, into which you can place slices of buttered bread (butter sides up) filled with some form of filling (e.g., cheese slices, tomato sauce, fruit pie fillings or jam). The pie irons are then placed over hot coals to cook. They are commonly referred to as “mountain pies.”

Dutch Ovens are well-designed for camping as well. It is best to use cast-iron ones, as they are more durable and retain heat longer than conventional ones. Look for ones with a looped bail handle across the top to allow for lifting and rotating over the heat. Also, you’ll want to purchase a heavy-duty, cast iron pot lifter when cooking over campfires. The Dutch Oven is placed in a bed of hot coals, often from a keyhole fire with additional coals placed on top of the lid, which usually has a raised rim to keep the coals from falling off.

The keyhole fire is the best design for a campfire and the most efficient to use when cooking, since there is a constant supply of fresh coals that you can rake in when the temperature drops. Build the fire in the concrete rings provided at your campsite and draw hot coals for cooking from the circle into the lower part of the keyhole. The keyhole can also be formed using bricks to provide a stable place for a grill. If you don’t have a concrete ring (most family campgrounds do provide these on-site) you can use large rocks to enclose the fire as well.

Before you choose to build a campfire, always find out the fire regulations and recommendations for your area. When drought conditions are in effect, it’s unlawful in many areas to build a campfire. Select a spot at least 15 feet from trees or bushes. Fires built over tree roots are dangerous, as the fire can follow the roots back to the trees. Also, never build your fire directly under branches or near dry grass or weeds. Always be aware of the wind, as sparks can travel great distances. Never leave your fire unattended. You should always have a bucket of water and a shovel near the fire in case it gets out of control. This girl does not permit anyone to play ball near the campfire, and children should never be left alone near the fire. No one is permitted to throw anything nearby, and rough-housing is also never tolerated.

The evening meal is the best one to cook over a campfire, but try to avoid leftovers. Bears are known to come down to campsites (and even in backyards out in the country - to which a girl’s brother can attest) to rummage through garbage cans looking for discarded food. Even aluminum foil used to cook foods can attract them. While not wishing to sound too earthy, it’s best to not overeat, for obvious reasons. It helps if you access to indoor plumbing, as many campgrounds do have shower and bathroom facilities. Many years ago, a girl found herself intentionally locked in the outhouse of her brother’s cabin. There was a bear roaming around and the men were trying to get it away. If it weren’t for Master she’d still be there, but suffice it to say the females in our family refuse to camp out there until he gets some indoor plumbing. Perhaps that’s why the men go up there so often. A girl still insists the best place to camp is in one’s own backyard. After all, you’ll never forget anything. And should it rain, you always have a clean, warm bed.

At any rate, camping is a great family vacation. It’s even fun without the kids. The following recipes are rather easy and fairly common at campouts. They also add variety to the standard hot-dogs and hamburgers you’d serve while vacationing outdoors.

Trout

Ingredients:
1 fresh trout
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
salt and pepper, to taste
1 small onion, sliced

Directions:
Clean the fish. Leaving it whole, stuff the insides with butter, salt, pepper and onion. Place the stuffed trout on buttered foil and wrap up. Place over the fire for 10 minutes. Open the foil pack, peel off the skin and serve.

Tips:
If one is unfamiliar with cleaning and handling fresh fish, please begin by reading the information contained in the following link, as it provides a good starting point:

http://cufan.clemson.edu/hgic/factsheets/HGIC3604.htm.

This link also provides a visual guide to cleaning a trout:

http://2crows.net/h/cln/.

Instant hand sanitizers are good to have on hand when handling fresh fish, as well as for camping in general. A girl believes there are some jobs better left to the men folk, and cleaning fish is certainly one of those tasks. After all, they do it so well.

Sausage Sandwiches

Ingredients:
1 length sweet or hot Italian sausage
1 bottle barbecue sauce
1 package hoagie/sub rolls or hot-dog buns

Directions:
Cut sausage into 3-inch lengths. Then slice down the middle of each lengthwise. Flatten each piece out in a rectangular shape and place on the grill directly over the fire. Brush on the barbecue sauce. Cook until the sausage is done (about 20 minutes, depending upon whether or not it’s frozen). Place on the rolls and serve.

Corn on the Cob

Ingredients:
1 bag frozen, corn on the cob
butter or margarine
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Place individual ears of frozen corn on a piece of heavy, aluminum foil. Top with salt, pepper and a pat of butter. Wrap each ear of corn with foil and twist the ends. Place the wrapped ears on the grill directly over the fire for about 5 to 10 minutes, then serve.

Baked Potato

Ingredients:
1 potato per person
1/4 medium onion, sliced for each potato
1 teaspoon butter or margarine for each potato

Directions:
Slice each potato and add un-cooked onion slices inside. Lay the butter or margarine on top so it will melt over the potato. Wrap each one in aluminum foil and lay in a good bed of coals or close to the edge of the campfire. Rotate every so often. Cook for about 10 minutes or longer, if needed.

Baked Beans

Ingredients:
2 cans of baked beans
1 small onion, chopped
2 slices bacon, cut in small pieces
1 Tablespoon ketchup
1 Tablespoon mustard

Directions:
Add the beans to a pot and stir in the ketchup and mustard. Brown the bacon and onion in a skillet, drain the grease in an empty can, and then add to the beans. Heat for about 20 minutes and serve.

Baked Apples

Ingredients:
1 apple per person
brown sugar
butter or margarine
cinnamon candy

Directions:
Core out the top half of each apple. Fill with brown sugar. Place a pat of butter or margarine on the top of the sugar, then place some candy on top of the butter. Wrap each apple in aluminum foil and place in coals, candy-side up, for about 15 minutes. Serve cool.

Banana S’mores

Ingredients:
Graham crackers
Hershey chocolate bars
marshmallows
sliced bananas - in rounds

Directions:
Using a stick, toast the marshmallows over the campfire. Break the crackers in half. Break apart the Hershey’s squares, and place each chocolate square on one half of the cracker. Next, add a slice of banana. Add a toasted marshmallow, then top with the remaining cracker.

Whatever you choose to serve on such trips, keep it simple, if possible. Afterall, a lady/girl deserves a vacation as well. Some females believe camping trips are not vacations, and one can certainly agree it makes you cherish your bathtub all the more.

And as romantic as it seems, it’s always best to leave the scented shower gels and other fragrances at home. They’ll attract too many bugs and make one really miserable. Strongly scented soaps and deodorants should also be avoided. Bar soaps can be a nuisance, but pump soaps are very convenient. The anti-bacterial hand soaps e.g., Dial or Soft Soap, work well in cleaning the whole body, without the strong scents which can attract gnats, fleas and mosquitoes.

Also, Avon’s Skin-So-Soft Bath Oil (Original Scent) is a naturally effective bug repellent. You can buy it in a spray bottle, along with a larger refill size. The refill size needs to be diluted with water, however. It has a nice scent and makes the skin soft and smooth. It was only an accident that this product works as a bug repellent, and Avon has been blocked by other companies in advertising it as such. Therefore, they came out with a Skin-So-Soft Bug Repellent and Sun Screen for the family as a “work around” to such obstacles. But gardeners and golfers have known for years the original product (which is more economical and nicer to use) works just as well.

A girl wishes everyone a safe and happy summer!

holly {Bruce}
E-mail: holly_anne1@yahoo.com