Recipes for Campsite Creations
What is your style of camping: Tent? Camper? Glamping? Hotel?
Did you know that over 42 million Americans (14% of the US population) goes camping each year.
Whatever your style of camping, I think we can all agree that food always tastes better over a campfire or grill.
My family’s favorite is hands down - S’mores! The first official recipe for S’mores was printed in the 1927 Girl Scout Handbook. What is your favorite S’more recipe?
Let us know if there is something you would like us to put in our column, or if you have a recipe to share, please submit to ads@thedrummer.com.
Banana Bread Pancakes
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Total Time: 30 min
16 pancakes
3 bananas, (the riper the better)
2 eggs
1-1/2 c. whole milk
2 c. flour
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts, (toasted in a dry skillet if desired)
ghee, butter, or coconut oil for the pan
At Home
Add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to a sealable bag or container and pack along with the rest of the ingredients.
At Camp
Place two bananas in a medium bowl and mash thoroughly with the back of a fork until fairly smooth. Crack the egg into the mixture and add in the milk. Beat the banana, egg, and milk together until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until well combined with the wet ingredients. Don’t overmix - some small lumps are OK. If the batter seems too thick, you can add an additional 1/4 c. milk.
Heat a nonstick pan or well-seasoned cast iron skillet on your stove over medium-low to medium heat. Add a generous dab of ghee, butter, or coconut oil (especially if using cast iron!) and swirl to coat the pan. Pour 1/3 c. of the pancake batter into the center of the skillet and scatter some of the chopped walnuts on top. Cook for a few minutes until the top begins to bubble and the sides are set (2-3 minutes). Using a spatula, flip the pancake and cook the other side until golden.
Repeat with the rest of the batter, adding more ghee or oil to the pan for each pancake as needed.
To serve, stack the pancakes and top with maple syrup or butter, sliced banana, and additional toasted walnuts.
Dutch Oven Mac & Cheese
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Total Time: 15 min
4 servings
2 c. elbow macaroni
2 c. water
2 T. butter
1/4 tsp. salt
4 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1-2 T. yellow mustard
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
5 oz bag Kettle Brand Jalapeño chips, or other favorite
Prepare your coals or campfire.
Add the elbow macaroni, water, butter, and salt to a 4-qt. Dutch oven. Cover and place on top of a small bed of coals or embers. Place 10-15 coals on top of the Dutch oven. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the pasta is tender and most (but not all) of the liquid has been absorbed.
Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the campfire and set aside the lid.
Stir in the shredded cheese, yellow mustard, and garlic powder and add more salt, if needed.
Serve in bowls or on a plate, and top with crushed jalapeño Kettle Brand chips. Enjoy!
Summer Orzo
Total Time
Prep: 30 min. + chilling
Makes: 16 servings
1 pkg (16 oz) orzo pasta
1/4 c. water
1-1/2 c. fresh or frozen corn
24 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 c. crumbled feta cheese
1 med cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 sm red onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. minced fresh mint
2 T. capers, drained and chopped, optional
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 T. grated lemon zest
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 c. sliced almonds, toasted
Cook orzo according to package directions for al dente. Drain orzo; rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer to a large bowl.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/4 c. water over medium heat. Add corn; cook and stir until crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes. Add to orzo; stir in tomatoes, feta cheese, cucumber, onion, mint and, if desired, capers. In a small bowl, whisk oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper until blended. Pour over orzo mixture; toss to coat. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Just before serving, stir in almonds.
Kabobs
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Additional Time: 4 hrs
Total Time: 4 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 10
1/2 c. teriyaki sauce
1/2 c. honey
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 pinch ground ginger
1-1/2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes
1 lb. beef sirloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 lg sweet onion, peeled and cut into wedges
1-1/2 c. whole fresh mushrooms
skewers
Mix teriyaki sauce, honey, garlic powder, and ginger in a large resealable plastic bag. Place chicken, beef, red bell peppers, onion wedges, and mushrooms in the bag, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grill grate.
Discard marinade. Thread meat and vegetables onto skewers, leaving a small space between each item.
Grill skewers, turning as needed, until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
Shrimp Boil Foil Packets
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Total Time: 15 min
2 servings
1 ear of corn, cut into 8 pieces
1 med zucchini, sliced thick
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. uncooked shrimp
2 andouille sausage
1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
4 T. butter
Fresh parsley, chopped
Tear an 18” piece of heavy-duty foil for each packet, along with a 16” sheet of parchment paper for each. Layer the parchment paper on top of the foil.
Divide the corn, zucchini, minced garlic, shrimp, spices, and butter between the two sheets of foil.
To form the packets, bring one of the short edges of the foil to meet the other, then crimp around all edges to seal.
Cook the packets on a grill (or the grill grate over your campfire) for 8 minutes, flipping occasionally.
Remove from the grill and let cool slightly. Open the packets carefully – they will be full of hot steam. Top with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Campfire Apple Crisp
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Total Time: 20 min
2 servings
2-3 apples, sliced 1/4” thin
1 T. oil or butter
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
2 T. bourbon
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. granola
In an 8″ or 10” cast iron skillet, over medium heat, sauté the sliced apples in a bit of oil or butter until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the spices, bourbon, and sugar, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens and the apples are tender, 5-10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and sprinkle the granola evenly across the top. Enjoy straight from the skillet or serve in individual bowls with a dollop of whipped cream.
Campfire Dessert Cones
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Total Time: 20 min
8 servings
8 ice cream sugar cones
1/2 c. milk chocolate M&M’s
1/2 c. miniature marshmallows
1/2 c. salted peanuts
1/2 c. white baking chips
Prepare campfire or grill for medium heat. Fill cones with M&M’s, marshmallows, peanuts and white chips. Fully wrap each cone with foil, sealing tightly.
Place packets over campfire or grill; cook until heated through, 7-10 minutes. Open foil carefully.
Chewy Honey Granola Bars
Prep Time: 10 min.
Bake Time: 15 min.
20 servings
3 c. old-fashioned oats
2 c. unsweetened puffed wheat cereal
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. chopped walnuts
1/3 c. raisins
1/3 c. miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. honey
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. In a small bowl, combine honey, butter and vanilla; pour over oat mixture and mix well. (Mixture will be sticky.)
Press into a 13x9-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake until set and edges are lightly browned, 14-18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.
Quote of the Week:
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.”
~ Melody Beattie
