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Easy and Tasty

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 8:37 pm
by craigmar
I like to cook, and at home there are no real restrictions like we face on the road and then our choices become more focused whether we are in a full service campground or in the boonies. Because most of us depend upon the microwave for the ease of convience and easy clean-up of disposal dishes, we usually eat one of the available soups, pasta combo's or even some of the meat dishes that are available. Most are pretty good and serve their purpose but they can get tiresome so it's nice to try something different, easy and tasty and depending upon the camping situation,we can use the micro or the oven in the van.
I also like to purchase my ingredients from local stores or veggi stands along the camping trail saving room in the van and getting fresh.

Here are a couple more recipes that are easy, tasty and comforting.

Stuffed Onions
4 large sweet onions, outer skin peeled
1 pkg frozen green peas
4 ounces of mushrooms (fresh, bottled or canned)(I like to use a combination of shiitake and green giant bottled mushrooms)
Pinch of spice (thyme, rosemary, sage are just a few choices)
Salt, Pepper to taste
4 pats of butter about a 1/4 tablespoon each
1/4 cup of chicken stock or bouillon

Slice the tops of the onions off. (I like to take a small slice off the bottom also, so the the onions sit flat when cooking)
Hollow out the onion so that you have about a 1/4 inch thick shell or bowl
Place the shells in a microwavable baking dish, I use an 8" sq dish
Combine the rest of the ingredients excepting the stock or bouillon and divide it among the onion shells
Put a pat of butter on each shell and then pour the stock or bouillon on and around the onions
Cover the onions with plastic wrap leaving one corner of the dish uncovered to vent steam
Micro on high for about 7-10 minutes and then baste with the juices
Let them stand for about 2-3 minutes, then enjoy
This recipe can also be substituted using green, yellow or red peppers (I like to use the red peppers as they are a little sweeter) and the veggies can be any combo you choose, ie, black beans and corn.


Breakfast in Bread
For this one you will use the oven in the van so you will need to preheat to about 350 deg. My oven has a heat setting but no thermometer so I use a magnetic guage that is meant to be used on a stove, if you don't have a guage, not to worry because the oven is only going to be used to heat the bread so just let it get nice and warm after setting the temp.

1 round bread loaf (artisan type)
4 ozs of ham or cooked bacon(usually one pkg of ham and you will have to adjust your bacon, I like bacon so I usually use more than the 4 ozs called for)
1/2 red pepper thinly sliced
1 cup of shredded cheese (I use a Mexican blend of 4 cheese's or an Italian blend of 6 cheeses purchased at the local stores)
Small can of sliced olives
1 tomato thinly sliced
8 onces of mushrooms (as before, I again like to mix shiitake and green giant sliced mushrooms
6 eggs(going to scramble these)
several pats of butter and a little milk

Prepare the eggs by mixing the eggs with a little bit of milk in a microwavable bowl, add the butter and then set the micro for about 8 minutes, place the bowl in the micro and turn it on, let the eggs cook for 15-20 sec and then stir, place the bowl back in and cook again repeating the process until the eggs are nice and fluffy with no liquid, if the eggs are cooked and there is liquid in the bowl just pour it off, cover and set aside until called for in the following. You can always cook them on the stovetop if you don't like the micro version.

Cut about a 2 in slice from the top of the bread to be used as a lid
Hollow out the bread so you have about 1" of bread on the sides and bottom
Spread the ham or bacon on the bottom of the loaf, cover with bell pepper and then sprinkle 1/2 the cheese on top.
Layer the eggs next and then cover with the olives and tomato (if you used the above recipe you could also use some of the onion if you save the hollowed out portions)
Cover with the rest of the cheese and mushrooms
Place the cut lid on the bread and then wrap with foil, place in the oven and bake for about 30 or so minutes or until the loaf is heated throughout
Cut into wedges and serve ( I like to include a side of fresh or canned fruit)
As in the above recipe, you can substitute the veggies for your own taste.



Just for my info, does anyone try these or the other recipes or is it all for naught.

Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 2:29 pm
by Alaskan
Bring those cooking skills and I'll provide you a nice waterfront camping site in Alaska for as long as you wanna stay...