First scout camping trip of the year

[1987alum]

... is this coming weekend and I'll be cooking for the dads, my first time as the chief cook.

Noah's troop prides itself on eating well during camping trips. I went on two trips last year and the main course for dinner included prime rib and chipotle grilled shrimp; on the Saturday of each camping weekend, each patrol brings a plate to the scoutmaster for a taste test. The winner gets bragging rights and the boys really go after it!

Anyway, I feel pretty good about the weekend menu, which tentatively looks something like this ...

Friday night: After arriving and setting up camp (usually done by 10 p.m or so), we have what they call the cracker barrel, which is usually just fruit, cheese & crackers. I'm going to bring along some guacamole and chips for a little something extra.

Saturday breakfast: Challah bread french toast with vanilla, maple bacon.

Saturday lunch: London broil steak sandwiches with provolone, carmelized onions and mushrooms; pickled asian cucumbers on the side.

Saturday dinner: Tequila-lime chicken with rice and tomatillo-corn relish. I was going to attempt dessert, but since it's my first time, I might play it safe and just bring something along.

Sunday breakfast: This is always a quick "getaway" meal so we can hit the road early. Probably the troop staple - pork roll - with egg & cheese on a kaiser.

Anyone have any easy-to-prepare camping dessert recipes?

[hammb]

... is this coming weekend and I'll be cooking for the dads, my first time as the chief cook.

Noah's troop prides itself on eating well during camping trips. I went on two trips last year and the main course for dinner included prime rib and chipotle grilled shrimp; on the Saturday of each camping weekend, each patrol brings a plate to the scoutmaster for a taste test. The winner gets bragging rights and the boys really go after it!

Anyway, I feel pretty good about the weekend menu, which tentatively looks something like this ...

Friday night: After arriving and setting up camp (usually done by 10 p.m or so), we have what they call the cracker barrel, which is usually just fruit, cheese & crackers. I'm going to bring along some guacamole and chips for a little something extra.

Saturday breakfast: Challah bread french toast with vanilla, maple bacon.

Saturday lunch: London broil steak sandwiches with provolone, carmelized onions and mushrooms; pickled asian cucumbers on the side.

Saturday dinner: Tequila-lime chicken with rice and tomatillo-corn relish. I was going to attempt dessert, but since it's my first time, I might play it safe and just bring something along.

Sunday breakfast: This is always a quick "getaway" meal so we can hit the road early. Probably the troop staple - pork roll - with egg & cheese on a kaiser.

Anyone have any easy-to-prepare camping dessert recipes?

Do you have a good cast iron dutch oven? If so dessert is pretty easy. Crisps or cobblers turn out FANTASTIC in a dutch oven cooked in the fire. If you've got one you could really plan any dessert that you would cook in an oven at home.

If you're looking for easy a cored apple with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon then wrapped in aluminum foil makes for a pretty awesome camping dessert too.

Although looking at the rest of your menu, are you cooking over the fire? To me camping is an excuse to cook EVERYTHING over a live fire...the way it should be

[Pete Segaard]

Do you have access to a hand cranked ice cream freezer? You can keep one of the Troop busy cranking for half an hour or more depending on how much ice cream you are making.

[1987alum]

I've thought about a crisp or cobbler. But I've never made them and, though they are easy (from what I've heard), I'm not sure I want to trying something for the first time on a camping trip. Not sure I'm up to try the ice cream, either. 8-/

We have a lot of options for cooking - open fire, of course, but for this trip we'll also have the charcoal grill and four propane burners. The boys have their own set up - a few camp stoves, etc. Like I said, this troop likes to eat!

[h2oville rocket]

What the he11 kind of camping do you do with cast iron ovens and hand-cranked ice cream makers? Gourmet for me was a bag of dehydrated apple crisp with a handful of questionable berries found along a trail. Who carries that kind of stuff-its HEAVY!!!

[hammb]

I guess it just depends on what type of camping you're doing H20. I've done the wilderness type trips where you're doing everything with a mess kit, and I've done camping where you don't really have to carry anything. Most of our camping trips were the latter variety, we had a trailer that we could take to our site/area and anything we needed was available there.

If you find a decent cobbler recipe online 87, I'm sure it will turn out well in the dutch oven. It's really a pretty simple dish, and will taste awesome.

Personally for me when I camp I only cook over the fire. I love cooking over the campfire either with grill grates, stuff in pouches, or with the cast iron. Yeah, it's not hardcore backpack style camping like H20 apparently loves, but I can make some tasty meals that are very reminiscent of say old school chuck wagon cooking.

[1987alum]

So had a few speed bumps, but all went well. The menu ended up like this ...

Friday night (our traditional "cracker barrel") - we got in really late and it was after 11 by the time we had our tents pitched and the kitchen set up. But we I prepared some guacamole Friday before we left, so it was a well-received surprise.

Saturday: Breakfast - challah bread french toast and bacon. I used half-and-half instead of milk and it turned out great. Lunch - Marinated two london broils in bourbon and garlic, then rubbed them down before grilling them. Served it medium/medium-rare, sliced thin with carmelized onions, sauteed mushrooms and provolone on a great roll. Picked cucumbers on the side. Winner! Dinner - Tried to transport cilantro for my favorite chicken recipe, but it didn't make it. Instead, I marinated the chicken with bourbon, garlic, cumin and lime juice. Grilled it and it was great. Served with long grain rice and tomatillo-corn relish. I just brought along pies for dessert. Next time, I think I'll take up that challenge!

Sunday: Getaway day menu is always the same - pork roll, egg & cheese on a kaiser.

All in all, it went well and I think I'm up for trying it again.

[VDub26Falcon]

Another idea for easy desserts...Pies. Wonder Bread, Pie Filling (Your choice of flavor. I suggest Apple or Cherry) and Pie Irons. You can't go wrong there!!!

[Pete Segaard]

Another idea for easy desserts...Pies. Wonder Bread, Pie Filling (Your choice of flavor. I suggest Apple or Cherry) and Pie Irons. You can't go wrong there!!!

Love the hobo pies, but that would take quite a while to make pies for a group. One of our better pies is Lemon pie filling and marshmello between buttered white bread.