Campfire Smorgasbord

Summer is primetime for family campouts. But, just as important as the tents and bug spray (or in some cases, more important), happy campers need great eats to sustain themselves in the Mother Nature. The following super simple recipes are among my favorite campout culinary treats: CAMPFIRE TACOS Ingredients: Individual bags of Fritos Cooked taco meat Shredded cheese Shredded lettuce Diced tomatoes Diced onions Sour cream Salsa Directions: Crush up Fritos in its sealed bag. Open bag and add taco meat and fixings on top of the crushed Fritos and eat from the bag. OMELETS IN A BAG Ingredients: Large … Continue reading

Dining in the Woods—Campfire Cookies and Ice Cream in a Bag

It ain’t over ‘til it’s over. That’s the way I feel about summer. While the majority of students head back to school this week it doesn’t mean you have to put a lid on outdoor activities. If you haven’t had the chance to go camping yet this year don’t despair. Many campgrounds stay open through October, giving you the opportunity to take your kids on an outdoor adventure of a lifetime. One of the highlights of camping is getting to cook meals on an open fire. Kids love munching on anything that can spear with a stick, but they also … Continue reading

Dining in the Woods—Cooking Breakfast in a Bag

We are just hours away from the start of the Labor Day holiday weekend–the official end of the summer season. For many families the weekend marks the last chance to escape city life before the new school year begins. If you are one of the millions heading off on a camping adventure today or tomorrow you might find the following recipes helpful. If you have never cooked a dish in a paper bag now is a good time to start. Unique cooking techniques are often employed out of necessity when you’re roughing it. Start your day in the great outdoors … Continue reading

How to Make Healthy Corn Dogs at Home

It’s not everyday that you see the words “healthy” and “corn dog” in the same sentence. Okay, so maybe these dogs are not “healthy,” but they are healthier than the ones you find at the state fair. Then again, who goes to a carnival to eat health food? Cotton candy, corn dogs and fried coke are what most folks are chowing down on at summer festivals, but now you can get a taste of fair food in your own home. In your own kitchen you can modify fatty recipes (such as corn dogs) to make them less artery clogging. Let’s … Continue reading

Three-Course Campfire Meal

I give blogger Valorie credit for heading out to the great outdoors with five young children… and feeding them there. My camping expeditions have been limited to adult-only outings and even then the food was not exactly gourmet. Of course, we were starving college kids at the time so none of our meals (whether in the woods or in our tiny apartments) were exactly five star dining experiences. Then again, when you are “roughing it” you really shouldn’t expect a menu of prime rib and mashed potatoes every night. Rather, you should aim for simple, no mess dishes that are … Continue reading

Fine Dining for Camping: Hot Dog Kabobs

There’s something about roasting stuff on a stick over a fire that’s just plain fun. There’s a certain kid appeal and although I have to admit that my children don’t always like the burnt stuff, they at least like the roasting. There were a couple different versions of hotdog kabobs that we tried while on our recent camping trip but these were our favorites! Hotdog and String Cheese Kabobs Buy cans of biscuit dough, string cheese, and jumbo sized beef hotdogs. Cut the hotdogs and string cheese up so that you can put them on a stick. However, before you … Continue reading