Here are a few of our tried and true favorites. We have cooked all of these over an open fire on our camping trips. We have tried to select recipies that we have found to be easy, tasty, and with as little clean-up as possible. Hope you like them



Campfire Chili
Feeds 10 people



Dice up small onion. In dutch oven, brown ground meat and
onion. When well browned, add in spaghetti sauce, chili mix
and kidney beans. Mix well. Simmer until thickened to the
consistency you like. Salt and pepper to taste.


Stratta
Feeds 10 people


Smear dutch oven with butter. Put a layer of hash browns on the bottom, place half the sausages on top of it. Sprinkle with as much cheese as you like. Place another layer of hash browns over it. Put remaining sausages on top of it. Sprinkle with more cheese. Mix up all of the eggs in a bowl. Pour over entire mixture. Place over fire and cook until eggs are done, hash browns are cooked and cheese is melted. Serve hot. Salt and Pepper to taste. We have also substituted the sausage for diced ham, bacon or ground meat if you would like the dish as a dinner.


Mountain Pie Magic:

Mountain pie makers are probably my all time favourite camping gadget. Coleman sells this item, although I really can't recommend their product it will give you an idea of what a mountain pie maker is if you don't know what I'm talking about. I have yet to find a website that pictures the 'real' pie makers that are far superior to Coleman's product, but the main difference is that a good pie maker is made of cast iron. If you keep your eyes open and ask around, you can usually find these little gems in small local stores while camping. If you are especially fortunate, you'll find the double pie makers with which you can make 2 pies at once! If you are that lucky, don't hesitate...buy them! Once you have yourself a pie maker all you need to do is fill it with any variety of tasty treats. The more people you are feeding the more pie makers you will want, but making all of your pies before calling everyone in to eat helps. It takes a little experimentation before you get the knack of cooking with pie makers, so don't be disappointed if you burn a few. Also, they cook faster after the first pie as your irons will then be heated. Note: NEVER place an empty pie maker into the fire as you will ruin it! Here are a few of our favorite mountain pies....

Pizza Pies


Open your pie maker and coat the inner cooking surface with butter or margarine. (Squeeze bottles are prefferable and non-stick sprays are practically useless for pie makers) Place a slice of bread on each side with as little as possible sticking out over the edges. Spoon and spread your desired amount of sauce on one slice keeping in mind that too much sauce will give you a Very messy pie. Sprinkle cheese and place toppings on your sauced bread slice. Carefully close pie maker (flip the latch shut if your pie maker has one), and place on hot coals turning occasionally. Enjoy!

Fruit Pies


Butter your cooking surface, place your bread, spoon in and spread your pie filling. Close your pie maker and then place in coals, turning occasionally.

Morning Treats


Butter your cooking surface. Spread cream cheese on one slice of bread and preserves on the other. Place bread, close pie maker and place in coals. You can make these anytime, but I found them especially tasty in the morning with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

Rueben


I have found that draining and rinsing your saurkraut and then tossing it into a ziplock bag in your cooler works very well. Butter your cooking surface and place bread. Spread some dressing on one slice then add saurkraut, corned beef and cheese. Close your pie maker and place in coals, turning occasionally.


Other Simple Pies:


Here is a new recipe from a friend of ours:

Fried Potatoes

Peel or don't peel and slice some potatoes. Fry them
in some oil, cover and let them become soft. when soft,
drain any heavy grease and add fried ground meat and either
cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup. Season, add
anything else you want. I found I could keep this skillet full
and people too very easily.


Foil Packet Meals

Creating and cooking foil packet meals are really quick and easy and the clean up is a cinch since all you really do is throw them away when you are done. There are a wide variety of foil packets you can make. You start with a pice of tin foil the size of a dinner plate. In the center you place your choice of fixings (we will list a few ideas below) and you pull two sides up together and fold them down or roll them. Then you take the other two sids and fold them into the center. Pack them on the very top of the cooler and when you have your fire started you can either set the foil packets on the grill if you have one or set them in the coals if you don't. Depending on the size of your packet and the heat of your coals, it should take just about three minutes on each side. But you should open one up and test it for doneness.

Here are some ideas for things you can put into the packets:

Chopped boneless chicken
Strips of round steak or ground meat
Tuna
Grean Peppers
Red or yellow Peppers
Onions
Potatoes
Mushrooms
Carrots
Celery
Taco Seasoning
Any seasoning you like

You can put just about anything you like inside to cook. You want to use boneless meat as it's easier to eat. You might want to avoid pork or fish since it is very important to make sure that the meat is cooked thoroughly and openning and closing the packets several times could cause holes in the foil. We usually take soft taco shells or burrito wraps along and when the foil packet is done, we dump the contents onto one or two tortillas and eat. The kids love this as they can usually help make the packets and then fix their own. We usually make these up at home for the first night we are there so that we have a quick easy meal for the first night and they are all made up when we get there.


Hope you enjoy our recipies and if you have any ideas or recipies that you enjoy, drop us an e-mail and we'd be happy to post them.

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