Blog

May 16, 2024

Craving The Great Outdoors

Jan Taylor Phillips sent me a super exciting collection of camp and kid-friendly recipes that I am so thrilled to be able to pass along because I know that some of you out there will take them and

Jan Taylor Phillips sent me a super exciting collection of camp and kid-friendly recipes that I am so thrilled to be able to pass along because I know that some of you out there will take them and have a wonderful time cooking with and for some of those special children in your life. They are wonderfully suited to camp, Bible school, or just plain backyard fun! I am including Jan’s letter, too because it says it all about how young lives can be enriched in so many ways through cooking. But whether you have kids or not or camp or not you will still find these recipes easy and fun with little to no clean-up. Sounds like my kind of cooking these days! But before we get in to all of that and because cucumbers are so plentiful right now, I want to share a special recipe I once got from my dear friend, Sister Opal Scott, of blessed memory, who got it from her sister, Margaret Bailey of Campbell County Tennessee. I know you will love it!

Mix:

1 cup vinegar

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. salt (Sister Scott says she uses less)

1 tsp. tumeric

1 tsp. mixed spice

1 tsp. celery seed

1 tsp. mustard seed

Stir well. Pour over cucumbers. Put in microwave for three minutes. Stir and repeat two more times for a total of nine minutes cooked time. Pack in jars and seal. (Note: Sister Scott says she made hers without the tumeric and it was not missed and the pickles turned out wonderfully! Sister Scott says these are very very good!)

Hi,

Keep in mind that many of these recipes can be put in folded foil and baked in the oven for a short time. When we made the Hobo Stew, we pre-cooked the hamburger (for safety reasons) and cut the vegetables into small pieces. We baked it about 350 for around fifteen minutes. We used carrots, potatoes, a pinch of celery flakes, and a little onion, with salt, pepper, and about 1/3 cup water with the hamburger. It made a quick, easy to prepare (even ahead of time and taken out of the refrigerator to bake) meal. It was very child friendly, and Amanda enjoyed cutting her own vegetables with a safety knife. (Have I mentioned her obsession with cooking? She watches Food TV all of the time and even has her own subscription to “Taste of Home” magazine — and she just turned nine!) We also made the Banana Boats recipe that is listed below. Easy on the heat and cooking time! Just melt the chocolate and marshmallows in the split banana for about five minutes on 325.

Okay, pull out your iron skillets and your camping boots, take a deep breath and read on!!

J

3 sausage links (or other)

3 eggs

Half a potato

1/4 cup shredded cheese

3 Tbs. milk

Cook sausage and cut into small pieces, cut the potato into small pieces and cook in sausage drippings. Drain. Beat eggs and milk together and add to potatoes. When almost cooked, add sausage and cheese. Ready when cheese is melted. Yields one large serving.

Bacon & Egg in a Paper Bag

3 thick slices of bacon

1 egg

1 paper lunch bag

1 stick

Place bacon in the bottom of the bag, covering the bottom. Crack egg and put in bag on top of the bacon. Fold top of bag down securely. Poke a hole through the top of the bag for the stick. Hold over the hot coals till cooked. Yields one serving,

Hash brown potatoes

Eggs

Sausage

Spices

Aluminum foil

Place potatoes, scrambled eggs (uncooked), sausage and spices in aluminum foil. Wrap securely. Place on coals for approx. 15 minutes. Turn and rotate as needed.

Eggs

Milk

Other ingredients as desired (mushrooms, cheese, onions, ham, etc.)

Ziplock freezer bag

Put eggs and milk mixture in bag. Add other ingredients. Seal the bag tightly. Place bag in boiling water and cook until done.

Trash Breakfast

Preparation time: 30 minutes

1 bag shredded hash browns

6 eggs

1 lb. sausage or ham, cooked

1 chopped medium onion

2 cups shredded sharp cheese

Seasoning salt and pepper

Butter

Peppers (optional)

Take an aluminum foil cooking bag and spray with Pam. Sprinkle with seasoning salt and put some butter in the foil bag. Open the hash browns. Beat the eggs and chop the onions and peppers. Pour all ingredients into the bag of hash browns. Mix by squeezing the bag. Then pour the mixture into the foil cooking bag and spread out. Add more seasoning salt and pepper and a bit more butter on top of the hash brown mixture. Place the aluminum cooking bag on a preheated grill (medium heat) and turn the bag every five minutes. The bag will start to puff and you can open it to check for doneness. Yields six servings.

1/2 dozen eggs

1/2 lb. bacon

1/2 lb. sausage

1/2 pkg. potatoes O’Brien

1/2 pkg. frozen vadallia onions

1 to 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Fry bacon and sausage together. Drain some grease then add potatoes O’Brien. Fry with bacon and sausage until golden. Beat the eggs with a little milk then add to sausage mixture and cook until eggs are scrambled. Add the onions and heat thoroughly. Add cheese and cook until melted.

Potatoes, sliced

Bacon

Onion, chopped

Margarine

Salt & pepper

Cooking spray

Aluminum foil

Take a piece of aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray. Lay bacon down first, then put your sliced potatoes on top. Then add some chopped onions. Put a dab of margarine on top and season with salt and pepper. Cook over hot coals.

There are two ways to make these...

First way is to scramble some eggs and mix in chopped/sautéed sausage. Heat a soft flower tortilla directly over the stove burner for a few seconds on each side. Remove and butter one side. Fill with egg/sausage mixture, add cheese, sour cream & salsa as desired.

The other way is to fry up a couple eggs, and also fry up a couple of sausage patties. Heat tortilla as described above. Place two fried eggs on tortilla, then two sausage patties. Add a couple slices of cheese, sour cream and salsa as desired.

Both are simple to make, easy to handle, and the kids love them!

Cut an orange in half. Remove the pulp. Try not to tear the peal. Crack an egg open and put into orange peel. Set peel filled with egg onto a bed of coals. The moisture from the orange peel will cook the egg. Add salt & pepper.

Foil Dinner

1/4 lb. ground beef

1 carrot, sliced

1 potatoes, sliced

Small onion, diced

Seasonings

Butter

Heavy duty aluminum foil

Layer all ingredients in the center of a piece of aluminum foil. Season to taste. Top with butter. Fold foil and secure tightly. Leave room for expansion. Place packet on hot coals for approx. 20-30 minutes. Turn and rotate often. (Note: Be Creative — Use various meats, vegetables, seasonings and sauces etc.)

Bread

Butter

Mozzarella cheese

Sauce

Pepperoni, sliced (other other)

Butter one side of two slices of bread. Place one slice of bread on your pie iron with buttered side down. Top with one and one-half tablespoons of pizza sauce, cheese and pepperoni. Place other slice of bread on top with buttered side out. Place pie iron on hot coals. Turn often until bread is toasted. (This would probably work on a greased cookie sheet in a 350-degree oven.)

Kabobs

1 lb of Sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

Marinate seasonings (Italian dressing, BBQ sauce etc)

Assorted vegetables, sliced

Ziplock bag

Place your marinate mixture in bag, add beef. Mix well. Refrigerate for a while for maximum flavor. Alternate beef and vegetables on metal or wooden skewers.Grill over hot coals for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked. Turn and rotate often. Note: Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes prior to using.)

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

4 Tbs. shortening

1/2 lb. ground beef

2 cups water

2 cans tomato soup

2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 lb. uncooked spaghetti

1 cup grated sharp cheese

Cook onion and garlic in shortening in Dutch Oven. Add beef and cook. Stir occasionally. Drain excess grease. Mix in the soup, water and chili powder and cook a few minutes longer. Break spaghetti into inch pieces and stir into sauce until all covered. Bake for about one hour. Stir approximately every 15 minutes. Then add cheese to top. Bake another 15 minutes.

Campfire Stew

1 lb. ground beef

1 small onion

Garlic salt

Other seasonings

1 can vegetable soup

In Dutch Oven, brown meat with onion, garlic and seasonings. When meat is thoroughly cooked add canned vegetable soup and simmer till heated through. Serve with foil wrapped potatoes and biscuits.

Piece of fish (trout, etc.)

Grilling fork or green hardwood stick

Thread fork through the fish. Cook over hot coals. Cook both sides until fish flakes at the thickest part. Serve with foil wrapped potatoes. Have extra pieces of fish ready in case some fall into the fire.

Fabulous Pork Tenderloin

1 pork tenderloin roast (boneless chicken breasts can be substituted)

5 small red potatoes

3 carrots

1 medium onion (sweet if possible)

2 zucchini

1 tomato

1/4 lb. of fresh green beans

4 half-ears of corn (cobbettes)

Garlic salt

Olive oil

Ground pepper

Spread two layers of heavy duty foil side by side, with middle overlapping. Drizzle olive oil onto foil. Place tenderloin in the center (lengthwise) of the foil. Cut potatoes into one-fourth inch slices and place on and around the meat. Cut other vegetables into large pieces and place on and around the meat. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Cover food with another piece of foil and fold the top and bottom foil together to seal the packet. Place on hot coals for 60 to 90 minutes. As a variation, leave out the olive oil, garlic salt & pepper, and cover the meat & veggies with Italian salad dressing instead.

Use thin steak. Salt and pepper meat. Spread one side with mustard. Add chopped onion. Roll around a slender dill pickle (or half a large one, lengthwise). Tie “bundle” with string. Put on stick to roast. Sear, then broil.

1/2 lb. chopped bologna

1 cup grated American cheese

3 Tbs. mayonnaise

1/3 cup pickle relish

6 chopped olives

Butter

6 buns

Butter buns. Mix rest together and heap on buns. Wrap each in heavy foil. Seal. Heat on hot coals for five minutes each side.

6 slices cheese

12 slices Italian bread

Milk

Flour

2 eggs, beaten

Dip sandwiches in milk, then flour, then egg. Brown on heated grill.

Ground beef

Potatoes

Onions

Carrots

Butter

Dry onion soup mix

Heavy duty aluminum foil

Use a square of heavy duty aluminum foil for each “pie”. For each “pie” put one hamburger, thinly sliced potatoes, sliced onions, sliced carrots, a tablespoon of butter & some dry onion soup mix. Wrap up your “pie” and place in the coals. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until done.

1 lb. ground beef

1 can large can peeled tomatoes, diced

6 small cans tomato sauce

1 onion, chopped

1/2 green pepper, diced

2 cans light red kidney beans, drained

1 pkg. McCormick Chili Seasoning

Brown hamburger in a skillet. Drain fat. In a large pot, combine all remaining ingredients. Stir in ground beef. Simmer for one-half hour. Stir occasionally.

1 lb. fish fillets

2 Tbs. margarine

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 Tbs. chopped parsley

1/4 tsp. paprika

1 sliced onion

Salt

Pepper

Heavy duty aluminum foil

Place each piece of fish onto a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil. In a saucepan, melt margarine. Add lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir well. Pour this mixture over the fish. Sprinkle with paprika and top with onion slices. Fold foil loosely and seal tightly. Grill for five to seven minutes per side. Fish should flake easily when done.

Bag of corn or tortilla chips

1 can of chili

Onion, diced

Lettuce

Tomato, diced

Shredded cheese

Tobasco sauce or salsa (optional)

Warm chili in Dutch Oven or skillet. Crush corn chips. Top chips with chili, onion, lettuce, tomato and shredded cheese. Add Tobasco sauce or salsa.

1 eye of the round (or boneless pork loin)

Kosher salt

Seasonings of choice

Wax paper

String

Good bed of coals

Coat the meat with a good layer of the kosher salt. Season the meat. Wrap meat in seven to nine layers of wax paper tucking in the end of each layer. Tie up the roast with the string making sure the wax paper stays in place. Place the roast directly on the coals. Turn the roast every 15 minutes (+/-5 minutes) a 1/4 of a turn. After the fourth side, check the meat using a meat thermometer for desired doneness. (Note: The wax paper does burn, but the salt and the wax seal the meat. The burnt paper can easily be pulled off before serving.)

2 large coffee cans (this is for several people)

Heavy duty tin foil

Hamburger, or small pieces of steak

Medium potatoes

Carrots

Onions

1 clove garlic

Mrs. Dash seasoning

Salt (optional)

Butter or olive oil

Put a small amount of oil or butter in bottom of coffee cans. Peel potatoes, carrots and onions. Cut into chunks and put into coffee cans. Add the meat, seasonings and a little more oil or butter. Cover tightly with foil. Set in coals to bake for about one hour or until meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Serve with fresh crusty buttered bread. (Note: You can also make this without meat, or with fish or chicken, and any seasonings you desire. Experiment! This is also something you can make ahead of time. Refrigerate and/or keep in cooler until time for use.)

About 1/2 lb. ground beef per person

Carrots

Potatoes

About 4 spoonfuls per person of cream of mushroom soup

Lawry’s seasoning salt

Tin foil

Divide the meat evenly between everyone- about one-half pound per person. Cut a lot of potatoes evenly & thinly slice & put in a pot. Do the same with the carrots. Have each person put their meat, carrots and potatoes in a two and one-half foot long piece of tin foil. Then put three to four spoonfuls of cream of mushroom soup in & mix evenly. Season to taste. Wrap up and keep it thin so it cooks faster. Add another piece of tin foil around it. Put it in the coals and cook until it is done. Check on it every 15 minutes or so.

1 potato (skins left on)

1 small onion

Butter

Seasonings

Heavy duty aluminum foil

Cut potatoes and onions into one-fourth slices. Break the onions up into rings. On a piece of aluminum foil, layer potatoes and onions. Top with butter. Season to your taste. Fold foil and secure tightly. Punch several small holes for steam to escape. Cook on hot coals approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Turn and rotate often.

Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob, husked

Butter

Salt

Heavy duty aluminum foil

2 ice cubes

Place corn on aluminum foil. Add butter and salt. Top with ice cubes. Fold foil and secure tightly. Cook on hot coals for about 15 minutes. Turn and rotate often.

Crescent Rolls on a Stick

1 pkg. of crescent rolls

Butter and/or jelly

1-inch diameter green hardwood stick

Wrap the dough in a spiral fashion around the stick. Leave space between the spirals for the heat to reach all the dough. To secure the dough, press the ends of the dough to the stick. Hold over hot coals about 15 to 20 minutes. Turn often. When golden brown, slip the roll off the stick. Top with butter and jelly.

Vegetable Pack

Zucchini or squash

Butter

Seasonings

Heavy duty aluminum foil

Cut zucchini or squash into slices. Place on a piece of aluminum foil. Top with butter and seasonings. Fold foil and secure tightly. Punch several small holes for steam to escape. Cook on hot coals. Turn and rotate often.

Cornbread -

1 cup corn meal

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. vegetable oil

Add boiling water to make mush. Fry as “cakes” in skillet.

Take-Along Green Bean Salad

1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and sliced into 2” pieces

1/3 cup fat-free, non-creamy Italian salad dressing

1/2 to 3/4 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup pitted ripe olives, drained and sliced

1/2 cup (about 2 oz.) crumbled bleu or feta cheese

Cook beans until crisp-tender (generally when they turn bright green). Warm Italian salad dressing in microwave about 30 seconds. Toss beans, onion, olives and dressing together. Allow to sit at room temperature about one hour. Pack into ziplock bag. Place cheese into sandwich or snack size ziplock bag and place on top of beans before sealing. Refrigerate or place in camp cooler (depending upon when you make it). Bean mixture can be prepared up to three days prior to serving. At campsite, remove cheese bag and pour bean mixture into bowl; toss lightly. Crumble cheese on top and serve. Yields four to six servings.

Scalloped Potatoes in a Crockpot

1 pkg. frozen hash browns

1 can cream of chicken or mushroom soup

1 container of sour cream

8 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese

2 Tbs. onion flakes

Salt and pepper

Mix and let simmer in crockpot until bubbly and hot. Delicious!

Potato Magic Pouch

Instead of the same old baked potatoes in the fire, try wrapping alternate slices of regular potato and sweet potato, along with a bit of dried rosemary and a pat of butter, in some heavy-duty aluminum foil and place in the fire to bake.

Take Along Potato Salad --

4 large or 6 medium red-skinned potatoes

2 green onions, chopped

1 Tbs. dried onion flakes

1 Tbs. yellow or dijon mustard

Salt & pepper to taste

Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

Boil potatoes or cook in microwave (can leave skins on). Cube potatoes and sprinkle with chopped green onion, onion flakes, salt & pepper. Cover and cool in fridge. Mix in mustard and mayo. Sprinkle with paprika if desired. Can be garnished with sliced radish. Note: Always excellent, kids love it, great with camp lunches!)

Fry Pan Biscuits --

Buy biscuits (small sizes work better) that come in a tube. Coat a Teflon pan with oil.

Fry the biscuits about three to five minutes on each side and keep the pan covered while cooking.

Cabbage — Submitted by a reader

1 head of cabbage

Butter

Salt and pepper

Bacon

Other seasonings

Heavy-duty foil

Take the cabbage — cut in half, half the halves twice. Wrap a piece of bacon around the cabbage, butter and season. Wrap in foil and cook over fire for about an hour, or until cabbage is tender and bacon is done.

Grilled Vidalia Onion

On a large piece of foil, stand a Vidalia Onion on end and cut an X pattern three-fourth of the way through the onion. In the center, put a good slab of butter. Then pour Italian dressing over the top, and sprinkle with a little salt and a good dose of Cajun spice. Wrap the onion in the foil and sit on fire or grill for 20 to 30 minutes, turning often.

Apple Crisp

Apples, peeled and sliced

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 & 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup quick oats

1 Tbs. Cinnamon

Fill Dutch Oven half way up with apples. Combine brown sugar, flour, oats and cinnamon. Cut butter into mixture. Spread mixture over apples. Cover and cook about 45 minutes or until apples are soft

Smores

Marshmallows

Hershey’s chocolate bars

Graham crackers

Grill fork or stick

Toast marshmallow over campfire. Place toasted marshmallow on top of graham cracker and piece of chocolate. Top with another piece of chocolate and graham cracker.

Fudge Striped Smores

1 pkg. of marshmallows

1 pkg. of fudge striped cookies

Roast marshmallows on an open fire. Place roasted marshmallow between two fudge striped cookies. Enjoy!

M&M Smores

Marshmallows

M&M’s

Graham crackers

Toast marshmallow. Blow to cool. Pop off toasty top. Roll in a bowl of M&M’s. Squish between two graham crackers.

Peach Cobbler

Large can of sliced peaches in heavy syrup

Bisquick

Drain off syrup. Save one-fourth cup of this syrup. Mix the one-fourth cup of syrup with Bisquick until it forms a batter type consistency. Pour batter back over sliced peaches in the can. Place lid over mix. Set can into hot coals. Cook until flour has formed hard dumplings.

Banana Boat

Banana

Hershey’s chocolate bar or chocolate chips

Marshmallows or mini marshmallows

Heavy duty aluminum foil

Cut your banana down the middle. Leave it in the peal. Stuff with chocolate and marshmallows. Wrap in aluminum foil and place in hot coals for about five to 10 minutes. Turn and rotate often.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

1 (6 oz.) can pineapples

1/2 cup pecans

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 square of margarine

2 yellow cake mixes

Mix cake mix according to directions. Line the Dutch Oven with aluminum foil. Place oven onto the heat, level it and melt the margarine in the oven. When melted, add the brown sugar. Stir. Add the pineapples and the pecans. This is the glaze. Pour prepared cake mix on top of the glaze. This dessert doesn’t require a lot of heat on the bottom, just enough to brown the glaze (eight pieces of charcoal should be plenty). Bake for about 25 minutes. Check every 15 minutes and when golden brown, test to see if it is done. Take it off the heat and lift the cake out of the oven by the aluminum foil. Put a pan on it and turn it over quickly so that the glaze is on top. Remove the foil.

Hobo Popcorn

Popcorn

Oil

Heavy duty aluminum foil

Stick

In the middle of a 18x18 piece of aluminum foil, place one teaspoon of oil and one tablespoon of popcorn. Bring foil corners together to make a pouch. Secure the edges of the foil but leave plenty of room for the popcorn to pop. Tie the pouch to a stick and hold the pouch over the hot coals. Shake constantly until all the popcorn has popped. Add butter and salt to taste.

Pecan Pie

1 & 1/2 cups chopped pecans

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup corn syrup

1/2 cup Bisquick baking mix

1/4 cup margarine, softened

4 eggs

1 & 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Grease pie plate. Sprinkle pecans in plate. Beat remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour into pie pan. Put one-inch diameter foil balls in the bottom of your Dutch Oven to keep the pie pan off the bottom (helps to keep food from burning and distributes the heat more evenly). Put the pie pan into the Dutch Oven and bake approximately 50 to 60 minutes or until knife, when inserted into the center, comes out clean.

Fried Camp Pies

1 can (favorite flavor) fruit pie filling

1 can large (like Grands) biscuits

Margarine or butter

Cinnamon sugar

Roll out one biscuit, place large spoon of filling in center of dough, fold over and crimp edges. Fry in butter or margarine on low to medium heat until done, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar as soon as you remove from heat. Eat carefully! Fillings do get hot! Warning habit forming!

Applesauce Gingerbread Cake — Submitted by a reader

1 (14 oz.) can of applesauce

1 pkg. of gingerbread cake mix

Pour applesauce in bottom of dutch oven or cast iron skillet. Pour dry cake mix over applesauce. Cover and cook until moisture from applesauce has steamed the cake. Let cool approx. 20 to 30 mins. Serve warm.

Mock Toasted Angel Cake

Cut day-old unsliced (loaf) bread into 2-inch squares

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 box shredded coconut

Place bread squares on a stick. Dip squares in sweetened condensed milk, then in coconut. Toast over fire. Be ready for a real treat!

Sticky Buns

5 Tbs. oleo

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

3 Tbs. corn syrup

Pecan halves

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. biscuits (refrigerated)

Cinnamon

Sugar

Combine three tablespoons oleo, brown sugar and syrup in pie pan. Heat to bubbly on hot coals. Sprinkle with pecans. Melt rest of oleo. Dip one side of each biscuit in oleo. Put on waxed paper, butter side up. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Put two biscuits together. Arrange on syrup mixture. Cover with second pie pan. Seal pans with double strip of foil. Cook over coals for 15 minutes on each side.

Pie Iron Sticky Buns — Submitted by a reader

Use canned biscuits. Mash two together. Roll in mixture of brown sugar, nuts and cinnamon. Spray pie iron with butter flavored Pam. Cook one minute per side over hot coals.

No Bake Cookies

2 cups of sugar

3 Tbs. cocoa

1 stick butter

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter

Mix sugar and cocoa in a pan. Add butter and milk. Bring to a boil. Boil two minutes while stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and peanut butter. Stir. Put mixture in a bowl containing the oatmeal. Mix the oats into the mixture until they are coated. Drop by spoonfuls onto aluminum foil. Let cool. (Note: For a variation use crunchy peanut butter.

Doughboy on a Stick — Submitted by a reader

1 pkg. of regular biscuits

Cinnamon and sugar

Butter

Take the biscuit and wrap it around a stick by spiraling it from the top and work your way down. The thinner the biscuit is on the stick the quicker the inside will cook so you don’t burn the outside. Cook over the fire until done. Roll in butter and sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar all over it.

Camp Pies

Bread

Butter

Canned pie filling

Butter bread and place face down on a round pie iron. Add canned pie filling. Put another piece of bread on top of the filling, with butter side out. Close pie iron tightly. Fry in campfire till nice and brown on both sides. Delicious!

Campfire Muffins -

6 oranges

2 (7 oz.) pkgs. of muffin mix, any flavor

Cut oranges in half. Scoop out the orange segments to eat alone or to use in a fruit salad. Reserve the hollow peel shells. Prepare the muffin mix according to the package directions. Fill the orange peel cups half full of batter. Wrap each one loosely with heavy duty aluminum foil. Place in hot coals, making sure that the batter side stays up. Cook five to 10 minutes until muffins are done. Adding a few cranberries to the batter adds excellent flavor and goes well with the orange. Makes 12 (use three oranges per package of muffin mix).

Campfire Baked Cinnamon Apples

1 medium apple

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. sugar

Heavy duty aluminum foil

Cut the apple from top to bottom at three different positions making sure not to cut all the way through the bottom. Place apple on a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil to wrap the apple in. Open the apple similar to a flower. Add the cinnamon and sugar to the center of the apple. Wrap the apple in foil, making sure it is securely closed. Place in campfire coals for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

Chocolate Fondue — Submitted by a reader

Small sauce pan

2 large bags semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup fresh or canned milk

1/4 cup orange liqueur or whatever liqueur you like

Cut up chunks of the following: apples, bananas, pears, dried apricots, blueberry or banana muffins, rice crispy treats, pretzels, popcorn, marshmallows, strawberries, etc. In a small sauce pan melt chocolate with milk and liqueur on grill over campfire stirring frequently. Take chunks and dip into chocolate. This can also be made with white chocolate chips, or caramels.

Easy Doughnuts

2 cans or more of Pillsbury Biscuits (or similar brand)

Oil

Cinnamon sugar

Confectionary sugar

Put some oil in a sauce pan and heat until hot. (Drop a small piece of dough in it — it’s hot enough when the piece sizzles.) Carefully drop biscuits into oil and cook for two or three minutes per side. Remove from oil and dry for a minute. While it’s still warm, put it in a paper bag with a cup of cinnamon sugar or confectionary sugar (or whatever other topping you can think of) and shake. Cover until ready to eat. Best when served warm.

White Hot Chocolate

2/3 cup white baking chocolate, chopped

3 cups milk

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbs. vanilla

Whipped cream

Heat one-half cup milk, cinnamon and white chocolate in a sauce pan until the chocolate melts. Add the rest of the milk and heat it up till it is warm/hot. Add vanilla. Serve with whipped cream on top.

Coffee Can Ice Cream

1 (1 lb) coffee can with lid

1 (3 lb) coffee can with lid

Duct tape for lid

Crushed ice

Rock salt

1 cup milk

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

chopped nuts, or pieces of fruit (optional)

Combine ingredients in a clean one pound coffee can with a tight fitting plastic lid. Tape lid for added security. Place one pound coffee can in three pound coffee can. Pack crushed ice around the smaller can. Pour almost one cup of rock salt over the ice. Replace lid on three pound can. Roll the can back and forth on the floor or sidewalk for 10 minutes. Remove the inside can carefully. Keep salt solution out of the small can. Remove lid of small can and stir ice cream with a rubber spatula. Replace and retape lid. Drain ice water from larger can and place smaller can inside. Repack with ice and salt. Roll back and forth five to 10 minutes more depending on how firm you like your ice cream. Makes about three cups.

Cream Puffs

Biscuit dough (Pillsbury Grands, etc.)

Large Marshmallows

A stick

A campfire

Open the biscuit roll and take out a biscuit. Open it up and stuff a marshmallow inside. Close the biscuit up so you can’t see the marshmallow. Put it on a stick and roast until golden or until desired. Enjoy!!!

Here’s a good camping treat for people burned out on S’mores! Submitted by Julie Uelmen

Take a banana and peel off one strip of peel (where the banana curves). Where you took off the peel, slice out a piece of banana almost all the way down and set it aside. Fill opening with peanut butter. Place two or three pieces of chocolate on top of peanut butter. Cover the peanut butter and chocolate with the banana piece you cut out, cover that with the piece of peel, wrap very tightly in tin foil, and cook on a rack over your campfire 10 minutes. Hmmmm eat with a spoon…yummy good!

Broomstick Bread Submitted by Laurinda Martin

Vanilla Pudding

Fruit Pie Filling

Grands Biscuits

Broomstick Handle:

Stretch refrigerated biscuits down over a broomstick handle so that it forms a “cup” shape. Cook biscuit over fire and layer with pudding and pie filling inside. Tasty treat and kids LOVE it!

Campfire Upside Down Cakes

Plain cake donuts

Pineapple rings

Brown sugar

Squirt butter

Pam

Spray piece of foil with Pam. Slice donut in half. Place pineapple ring on one half. Pack brown sugar on top of the pineapple (all the way around) and squirt butter on top of brown sugar. Place other half of donut on top and wrap in foil. Cook on rack above coals for about five minutes or so, checking periodically so the bottom doesn’t burn.