Memorial Day and the unofficial kickoff to summer is nearly here.  Many of us will be headed to our favorite state park for a weekend of camping fun or a relaxing afternoon picnic.

If you are looking for some easy recipe ideas for your trip, may we suggest…

Maryann’s Easy Skillet Breakfast Sandwiches

Ingredients

Bagel or English muffin, 1 per person	Bacon, 2 slices per person
Eggs, 1 per person	American cheese, 1 slice per person

Equipment

Cast iron skillet	Fork
Spatula

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in the skillet and remove
2. Remove some of the bacon fat and grill the bagel or muffin
3. Remove the bagel or muffin and add the eggs
4. Cook easy over eggs adding cheese went egg is flipped.
5. Place the egg/cheese on one half bagel or muffin, place two slices of bacon, and top with the other bagel or muffin half.
6. Season to taste with salt, pepper, hot sauce or other seasoning.

Pita Pizza, one of Jackson’s favorites:

Ingredients

Pitas	Tomato sauce (stored in a sealable plastic jar, plastic bags are a no-go)
Shredded cheese	Other toppings optional

Equipment

Spoon for spreading sauce	Tinfoil is optional but does make a more evenly cooked pizza
Cooking grate optional – you can also use a Y-shaped stick

Directions

1. Gather all ingredients: pitas, pizza sauce, pizza meat, and toppings and assemble your pizza
2. Get your campfire hot with low flames
3. Assemble the pita pizzas and lay them on the grill or Y-shaped stick over the campfire (your Y-shaped stick will not catch on fire as long as it is thick and you are cooking over coals and low flames- do not let the flames touch the stick or pita too much)
4. Cover the pizzas by tenting some tinfoil
5. Remove from the fire when the cheese is melted

Skillet Nachos are one of Stefanie’s favorites:

Ingredients

1 bag corn tortilla chips	1/4 cup onion ; diced
1/4 cup black olives; sliced	1/2 cup pepperoni; chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese; shredded	1/4 cup tomatoes; diced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil	1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup salsa

Equipment

10” cast iron skillet

Directions

Heat oil in a cast iron skillet. Spread evenly in layers the chips, onions, olives, pepperoni, tomatoes then the cheese. Cover and heat until the cheese melts.

Serve in the skillet with sour cream and salsa.

Recipe from BigOven.com

If you have a hankering for macaroni and cheese, Maryann suggests:

Skillet Mac N Cheese

For camping, measure out the ingredients before the trip and pack in smaller containers or Ziploc bags to save time and space.

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (about 8 ounces)	1-1/2 cups half-and-half cream
2 tablespoons butter	3/4 pound cheese (cheddar and smoked cheddar), shredded
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour	Optional toppings: cherry tomatoes

Equipment

10” cast iron skillet	Wooden spoon
1-1/2 qt. pot with lid

Directions

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually whisk in cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in cheese until melted.
3. Add macaroni; cook and stir until heated through. Top as desired.

Ro recommends this one pot meal:

Campfire Stew

Serves 12 people

Ingredients

3 lbs. 90% ground beef	3 10 oz. cans of concentrated alphabet vegetable soup
1 large onion, peeled and diced	Salt and pepper

Equipment

2-qt. pot with lid	Knife
Cutting board	Wooden spoon

Directions

1. Brown ground beef
2. Add onions and fry until soft
3. Add vegetable soup and just enough water to keep from sticking.
4. Cover and heat until hot.

Who can forget dessert?

Lazy Peach Cobbler from Sarah:

Ingredients

2 (30 ounce) cans sliced peaches, in syrup	½ stick (1/4 cup) butter
1 package white or yellow cake mix	1 can whipped cream, optional
Ground cinnamon to taste

Equipment

12” camp Dutch oven (the ones with feet and a flat top)

Directions

1. Place a 12-inch camp Dutch oven over 15 hot charcoal briquettes.
2. Pour contents of peach cans into oven. Spread dry cake mix evenly over peaches. Sprinkle cinnamon over all to taste. Cut butter into equal slices and arrange on top.
3. Put lid on top of oven and place 10 hot charcoal briquettes in a checkerboard pattern on top. Bake for about 45 minutes or until done.
4. Spoon into bowls and add cream, ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

Recipe from Lodgesmfg.com.

Mock Angel Food Cake from Ro:

Serves 12 people

Ingredients

Loaf of white bread	14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (pull top)
3 cups shredded or flaked coconut

Equipment

Cutting board	Knife
Three small bowls	3’ long straight sticks or pie irons

Directions

1. Open the milk pour in one bowl
2. Open coconut and pour about half into one bowl
3. Trim off crusts off the bread
4. Cut into 1 in long strips place in one bowl
5. Dip the bread into the milk and then roll in coconut
6. Toast on a stick over embers, or cook in a pie iron or a reflector oven.

From Cooking Out of Door compiled by Alice Sanderson Rivoire published by Girl Scout of USA, 1960

Allison’s helpful hint for making refrigerated items last: fill 1-gallon jugs or large yogurt containers with water and freezing them to put in your cooler. They will last longer than a bag of ice and your food won’t be swimming in water as the ice melts.

Need more ideas? Check out these books and websites.

Books

Bell, Annie, The Camping Cookbook, Kyle Books, 2010.

Hansel, Marie, The Campout Cookbook: Inspired Recipes for Cooking Around the Fire and Under the Stars, Workman Publishing, 2018

Time Books, The Outdoor Adventure Cookbook: The Official Cookbook From The Ultimate Camping Authority, Oxmoor House, 2017

White, Linda, Cooking on a Stick: Campfire Recipes for Kids, Gibbs Smith, 1996

Websites

Reserve America’s Camping Recipes

Dessert Recipes from Utah State Parks

Campfire recipes from Huron County Parks

Camping Recipes from South Carolina State Parks

KOA’s Camping Recipes