I add chunk pineapple and mandarin oranges to davosfam's "fluff". We call it pink salad, because my mom always made it pink, but you can use any flavor dry jello powder. I made it blue one year, just to do something different. Basically tasted the same(slight variation in flavor based on the jello), but it was blue!
I use either rice-a-roni or the rice pouches from Knorr. DH loves rice!
To lift one example out of the stacks, here's one I've used for years. Never forget to eat your five a day, even when camping! This makes it easy:
Campfire Ratatouille
1 small eggplant, unpeeled and cut into cubes
2 small zucchini, quartered and cut into 1" lengths
2 small yellow summer squash, cut up
10 mushrooms, sliced
2 onions, cut up
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and cut in squares or strips
2 fresh tomatoes, cut in small dice (drain the excess juice)
1 tsp. oregano
1 TB chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter
This is easier to handle if you make it in two packages (or cut the recipe in half).
On a large sheet of buttered heavy-duty foil, lay the vegetables evenly in a sort of square or rectangle, depending on the size of your cooking surface. Lay pats of butter on the top.
Bring the short ends of the foil together and fold over and over and press flat. Now corner the ends and fold them over the top.
Turn the package over and lay it seam side down on another sheet of foil. Repeat the process. Press the folded ends tight to make a neat, flat package.
Scoop out a hole in your fire big enough to hold the package and lay it in and shovel hot coals and ashes over the top, or you can cook it right on the coals but you will have to turn it. It should be done after about 40 minutes if the fire is hot enough.
I have also done this on the grill. You will know it's done by the outrageously good smell. Serve with your grilled meat and crusty bread
1 package Chicken Ramen Noodles
1 package coleslaw or shredded broccoli
4 green onions/chopped
1 small package slivered almonds
1 small package sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar (I use tarragon vinegar)
Mix sugar and oil and microwave for 25 seconds, just enough to start the melting process of the sugar. Mix vinegar and the seasoning packet from the ramen noodles. Place coleslaw or broccoli in serving bowl, crush noodles and mix with slaw, and stir in almonds and sunflower seeds. Pour all liquids over top, toss to coat. Chill 1 hour before serving.
"When facing a difficult task, act as though it is impossible to fail. If you're going after Moby Dick, take along the tartar sauce."
That one is similar to mine, TwoForTexas, but I don't use the seasoning packet because of the high sodium, which my 90-year-old Mom cannot have.
Ramen Noodle Slaw
This is absolutely delicious. Make the whole thing; you'll think it'll be too much but believe me, it will be eaten! Make everything ahead and mix it up 30 minutes before eating. This makes about 12 servings but everyone will want more.
1 large head cabbage, chopped or slivered
5 to 10 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced
2 large carrots, grated
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup dried cranberries
Toss vegetables and fruits in a large work bowl, cover and refrigerate. (Sometimes I put it in an oversized ZipLoc bag).
2 packages Ramen noodles (flavor doesn't matter; throw the seasoning packets away)
1/2 cup hulled sunflower seeds
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 TB butter
4 TB peanut oil
In a large frying pan, melt the butter with the oil, brown the noodles and the seeds and nuts, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Set aside.
Dressing:
1 cup salad oil
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 TB soy sauce (I use Kikkoman reduced-salt)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup cider or rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
Stir or shake the vinegar in a tightly-covered jar with the sugar and salt until dissolved (heating it a little helps). Add the oils and blend well, set aside until needed.
Now, if you don't have the sesame oil, or seeds, or prefer to leave out the fruits, I should tell you the original recipe didn't have these. They are my idea but they tasted great with roast pork, and are very pretty and delicious.
You can substitute any kinds of nuts for the almonds, too.
Rice-a-roni, throw in some broccali, or mixed vegetable near the end of the cooking time. If you want it to be a one pot dish, add some tuna fish, salmon, or chopped meat such as leftover chicken, or some ham. add a simple tossed salad and dinner is ready.
Stove top stuffing is really easy too, with grilled porkchops it is pretty tasty---could even make some apples in foil on the grill--chop up in pieces, add some sugar to sweeten a bit, wrap in foil packets and let cook to soften them up while the chops are cooking.
probably one of the easiest salads I make is cucumbers sliced, sweet onion to taste (we like a lot) and tomatoes cut into chunks. Pour some Olive oil over all 3 ingredients, sprinkle with pepper and salt to your taste, again, we like quite a lot of pepper ( I like Lawry's seasoning salt for this, but regular works too). Stir, let sit for a few minutes, eat. In the summer when all ingredients are plentiful, DH and I often times make a big bowl of this and it is our whole supper meal. Very simple for camping too, cuz you don;t need to have a lot of ingredients along, or worry about it going bad if it sits out in warm weather.
We're having a potluck at our campout Saturday night. Here's what I'm bringing....
"Emeril's Potluck"
Twice Baked Potato Casserole
(I'm baking the potatoes and cooking the bacon tonight; will bring the ingredients and assemble on Saturday to bake in the rv oven. Not sure if my baking dish will fit, may have to use a smaller pan.
10 large russet potatoes
1 Stick butter, plus 1 additional tablespoon of butter, room temperature
1 C sour Cream
1/2 C heavy Cream
2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1/2 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3/4 pound mild cheddar cheese, grated (3 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
3 eggs, lightly beaten
(I made this at Christmas. It was very good, but a little salty. I plan to reduce the salt to 1 tsp. I also think it would be still yummy without the heavy cream. If you used light sour cream, that would cut the fat too. Not sure about reduced fat cheese tho, it tends not to melt good.)
Preheat oven to 400F.
Scrub the potatoes and pat dry. Bake the potatoes in the oven for 1 hour, or until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside on a wire rack until cool to handle.
When the potatoes have cooled, cut each potato in half and, using a spoon or a melon baller, scoop the flesh out of the skins, leaving as little flesh as possible. Place the potato flesh in a large bowl and add 1 stick of the butter, the sour cream, heavy cream, salt, and pepper and mash until chunky-smooth. Add the bacon, cubed white cheddar, half of the grated cheddar, the green onions and eggs and mixed thoroughly.
Butter a 9x13 inch casserole with the remaining tablespoon of butter and reduce the oven temp to 375F.
Place the seasoned potato mixture in the prepared casserole and top with the remaining grated cheddar. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges and heated through and the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden. Serve Hot.
Makes 12 servings (more like 16, based on we had 15 people for Christmas and there was about 1 serving leftover.) It got RAVE reviews.
The Dunks wrote: There are some pretty tasty rice side dish mixes in the store these days! I have tried the ones in the pouch for the microwave for Rving. Very, very quick and sooooo simple! Check out the aisle in the grocery where you would find Rice-A-Roni! Give them a try!
THIS JUST IN......
...........The world is out of rice and there will be a corn shortage due to rising fuel prices......We are asking all campers to refrain from side dishes until further notice!
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