Category: Uncategorized

Campfire Banana Boats

Getting ready to go on a REI camping trip this weekend and they are providing free s’mores that I can’t wait for. Nothing like camping with s’mores but what about changing it up with banana boats! Super easy to make and delicious

Ingredients–

  • Bananas
  • Milk or dark chocolate chips
  • White Chocolate chips
  • Mini marshmallows
  • Really anything your heart desires!

Directions –

  1. Cut open banana down the middle, lengthwise, keeping the skin on
  2. Open the peel to create a pocket
  3. Place banana in a packet of foil, la
  4. Fill with the toppings of your choice
  5. Crimp foil to cover the banana
  6. Place on campfire for about 10-15 minutes until warm and marshmallows have melted

Egg Sausage Sandwiches

Last Christmas one of my sisters and her husband got me a new camping tool.  So last December, I started looking up ideas on what to use it for and breakfast sandwiches were my first thought.  Even though we believe there are no calories during camping, I still went with a healthier turkey breakfast sausage vs. other meats but you can use whatever type of breakfast meat patties you are craving.  If you would like to do turkey breakfast sausages, please check out my previous recipe post here – Homemade Turkey Breakfast Sausages

Ingredients –

  • Breakfast sausage patties
  • Eggs
  • English muffins
  • Sliced American cheese
  • Cast iron cooking iron like this one

Directions –

  1. Scramble eggs in a pan either on campfire or propane grill if you have one
  2. Warm (or cook if you didn’t make ahead) the breakfast sausages
  3. Assemble sandwiches by layering a sliced English muffin on the bottom of the cast iron, top with a meat patty, some scrambled eggs, a slice American cheese and top with the top of the English muffin
  4. Close cast iron cooking iron and hold over the campfire for about 5 – 8 minutes until the cheese has melted and the English muffin is toasted
  5. Remove and add hot sauce (if you are into that type of thing) and enjoy!

Homemade Turkey Breakfast Patties

So while you can definitely make these simply at your campsite with the ingredients and a bowl, I like to make ahead to save time in the morning. You can also freeze these after making which helps keep the cooler cold

I am also lucky to have Oaktown Spice Shop locally and highly recommend their spice blends especially this breakfast sausage one. Yes, you can make your own spice blend but theirs is so tasty, I haven’t made one in years!

Ingredients –

  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • Salt
  • Oaktown Spice Shop Breakfast Sausage blend
  • Maple syrup (optional)

Directions –

  1. Knead 2 tsp. salt into 1 lb. ground turkey for a few minutes in a large bowl
  2. Add 2 tbsp. of breakfast sausage spice and mix together with hands
  3. Add 1-2 tsp. maple syrup depending on how sweet you like making sure patties remain sticky
  4. Form into small patties
  5. Heat oil in a fry pan
  6. Add patties to pan and cook for about 5 minutes
  7. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes or until the center is 165 degrees
  8. Add to freezer bags if storing in freezer or can keep in refrigerator for 3-4 days

Campfire Chilaquiles

I just recently tested out this new take on camping breakfast and it was a huge hit!  I might test with different ingredients over time but this recipe was so great, I don’t need to.

Ingredients –

  • Corn Tortillas
  • Oil
  • Yellow Onion, chopped
  • Salsa verde (1 1/2 – 2 small cans)
  • Eggs
  • Queso fresco, crumbled
  • Cilantro
  • Radishes, sliced (optional)
  • Avocado, sliced (optional)

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Directions –

  1. Add oil to a small skillet.  Once heated, add one corn tortilla and fry until crispy (about 3-4 min).  Flip and fry other side until crispy.  Remove and place on plate with paper towel – *Note: This step was done on my propane grill just for convenience but can be done on a campfire in a cast iron
  2. Cut each fried tortilla into 8 triangles
  3. In a cast iron pan over a campfire, heat oil and then add onions and saute
  4. Add salsa verde to pan and put over direct heat of the fire
  5. Once it begins to bubble, stir in beaten eggs – Since I pour my eggs into water bottles before the trip, this just requires pouring into pan
  6. Stir eggs periodically until thicken
  7. Add chips and toss gently until they are covered in sauce
  8. Remove from campfire
  9. Sprinkle with cheese
  10. Top with extra onions, cilantro, radishes and sliced avocado

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Homemade Bug Spray

Ok so I know this is not a food recipe (please don’t try to eat this 😉) but don’t worry more recipes coming shortly. I’m preparing this week for our first camping trip of the season and with the new season, I needed to make new bug spray and thought I would share! This year I also made rollerball ones for myself and my friends.

I’ve recently gotten into trying different essential oils and I have really been enjoying Plant Therapy. They have all been great oils and the shipping has always been pretty fast.

So here is my go-to homemade bug spray –

  • 1 4 oz. spray bottle
  • 50 drops lemongrass
  • 50 drops citronella
  • 50 drops eucalyptus
  • 10 drops clove

I usually do like 1/3 recipe, swirl around, sniff and decide if I want more of one of the scents. Also you can add a little lavender if you like. I usually keep adding proportional until there is about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch of oils in the bottom.

Next add water you would drink (distilled, filter, water that has been boiled and cooled) and add the top. Shake and spray!

Brownies for Camping

We love brownies when camping. Whether to just snack on during the day or to add to s’mores cones or banana boats for dessert in the evening (recipes to come later). After all, calories don’t count when camping, right?

We used to get the brownie bites from Costco or Safeway but then I realized I have a great recipe everyone loves so why not just make ahead. Super quick to make and so much better than store bought! Also you can pre-measure out the dry ingredients into multiple mason jars during some down time saving you time the week of camping to whip together. Just dump dry ingredients into a bowl, add eggs, butter, water and vanilla and bake for about 20 minutes!

Ingredients –

  • 1 2/3 C. granulated sugar
  • 3/4 C. cocoa
  • 1 1/3 C. all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 t. baking powder
  • 1/4 t. salt
  • 3/4 cup melted butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions –

  1. Preheat over to 350 degrees
  1. Mix together dry ingredients
  2. Add melted butter, eggs, water and vanilla and mix until well blended
  3. Spray a 13×9 baking dish and spread the brownie mixture evenly in it
  1. Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean
  1. Remove and let cool in pan

Bloody Mary Mix – Just Add Vodka

So years back a friend of mine who is a bartender told me a secret for any great Bloody Mary Mix – A1 sauce. I don’t make this a lot cuz of tomato juice but now with my new Yeti, I see this more often in the future. Because who doesn’t love a breakfast with eggs, bacon and a bloody?

Two 64 oz. tomato juice

2 lemons, juiced

2 limes, juiced

1/2 bottle of Worcestershire sauce – I use organic because fun fact – I’m allergic to fish oil! So for any vegetarian or just non fish people, if you want to be considered use organic because having anchovies in Worcestershire is not organic. My vegan coworker told me not to watch the videos not like I ever wanted to. 🙂

5 tablespoons horseradish

8 tsp salt

5 tsp Tabasco

5 tsp celery salt

1 bottle A-1 sauce or steak sauce

Heavy dashes of black pepper – go crazy!

Mix all together and then taste and add to taste. I like to add more lemon and salt and pepper but you do you 😊

Put in a well sealed container and add to cooler chest.

At campsite, add in cup with ice and vodka and top with some bacon!

Teriyaki Marinade with a Kick

This was a new one for last season and since then, I’ve been messing around with my homemade teriyaki sauce. I love spicy and this one definitely has a kick. But if you don’t want spicy, omit the cayenne and red chili peppers.

Ingredients –

  • 2/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup seasame oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 inches garlic, grated – I bought one of these at an Art & Wine Festival and it has been great for grating garlic and ginger!
  • 3 to 4 oz. pineapple juice
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
  • Green onions, chopped

Directions –

Blend or whisk all together

  • Add green onions to bag
  • Add cut chicken in cubes, veggies (red onion, bell peppers, mushrooms) and cubes pineapple
  • Add marinade
  • Marinate for a few hours or preferably over night before leaving on your camping trip. (Another fun tip, if you don’t plan to have this until the second or 3rd night of your trip, marinate a few hours and then freeze. It helps keep your ice chest cool!)
  • Also another fun tool that makes coring a pineaple so easy to cut is this! One of my favorite purchases that I didn’t think I needed but now am so grateful to have
  • When ready, alternate chicken, veggies and pineapple on skewers like these and place on grill. Grill for about 4 minutes on each side.

Remove, serve with some sides like the garlic bread I previously shared and enjoy!

A Camping Staple – Tri-tip!

I spent last week in Austin. I love Austin. Great food, delicious cocktails and don’t even get me started on Torchy’s breakfast tacos!! In any case it made me start thinking about the bbq season. It’s finally warm and the rain has stopped here so time to clean that grill!

One of my first night staples when camping is tri-tip. Why is it a staple? Always a hit, I can cook different levels for different people’s preferences, and it makes for great leftovers in breakfast burritos!

So living in California where I do, we have an local bbq place that has amazing tri-tip so I won’t lie, I cheat on this recipe. However I thought I would do the post for anyone who wants a sure proof tri-tip!

If you live in the Bay Area, you can just cheat and go get an already marinated bag of Kinders tri-tip and throw it on the grill once you are set up at campsite. However if you don’t have a local one or need it to be cheaper given a larger group my suggestion is this –

  • Go to Costco and buy their large tri-tip – rule of thumb is 1/4 – 1/3 per person but I like leftovers for other meals so go 1/3 – 1/2 per person
  • Find at least 2-3 Kinders bottles of original marinade

  • Add meat to a large ziplock bag and add Kinders marinade
  • Seal bag and shake around to fully coat the meat
  • Marinate for at LEAST 24 hours

So for camping, I always marinate the night before the trip so it is ready to go when I get to the campsite the next day

For grilling – (I always do this on my small portable grill to control heat but if I was to do on a campfire, I would do in a large cast iron to control and even out heat)

  • Preheat grill or start campfire – if grilling, put cast iron over heat until hot to touch
  • Add meat fat side down to grill or campfire grill – if grilling on campfire put pan very close to fire for searing part and then move to indirect heat
  • Sear fat side down for 5 min and then flip for 5 more minutes
  • Continue to cook for 10-12 more minutes for medium rare, 20-25 for medium, 30-35 for medium well
  • Normally most my friends like medium rare so I cook to that, remove, cut the ends and add those back into a skillet and cook to medium well for the friends who want that

Serve with garlic bread, corn, salad and/or potatoes!

Also a personal favorite is pairing with a local wine from Buon Vino 🙂

Campfire Chili

Usually by the last night of camping, I try to either make a meal out of everything we have leftover or a meal mostly from cans. My last camping trip I decided to try making a chili based off of both because it’s usually what we have at the end – even some beer!

Ingredients –

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 5 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 2 jalapeño peppers chopped
  • 1 can of Chipotle chili’s in adobo sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 16 oz can chicken broth
  • 1 12 oz beer
  • 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinse
  • 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tsp Tabasco
  • Any leftover items you might have – cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions…

Directions –

  1. In a Dutch oven or cast iron pan, add a couple teaspoons of oil and create a thin layer on the bottom. Last summer I bought this pan from Macy’s and it worked great for this meal and fed four people easily!
  1. Move pan closer to the flames and heat
  2. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic until onion is soft
  3. Add a bit of the adobo sauce from the chili can, tomato paste, peppers, cumin and Italian seasoning.
  4. Stir and cook for about 3-5 minutes until peppers have softened
  5. Add tomatoes, broth, and beer with the sugar and mix to combine
  6. Move the pot away from the heat towards the edge of the campfire grill
  7. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes
  8. Add beans and re-cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes
  9. Remove from heat and serve into bowls
  10. Add the toppings you have (sour cream, cheese) and serve with campfire cornbread – recipe to come!