You all have seen me pitz around my kitchen pulling cakes out of the oven – no surprise there. There’s part of me that you might not be as familiar with. She’s outdoorsy, she can build a fire, she can make a cobbler over hot coals, she owns a bow and arrow, she is a Girl Scout forever. That’s me! And boy-howdy (where did that come from?) I’m going to stretch those outdoorsy muscles this coming holiday weekend.
It’s TIME TO GO CAMPING!
Listen… camping is the ideal pandemic vacation. Up and away, into the fresh air, with our boos and babies and the stars and bugs so many bugs. If we going it, we gotta go all the way in.
What follows is a list cooking gear I bring camping, a few of the recipes I use, and some simple tips that make my camp life easier. Please feel free to ask any questions or leave your own tips in the comments below.
Whatever you do this long weekend, I hope you take your summer body outside into this summer sun.
Before we start talking about camping food, let’s acknowledge that there are different kinds of camping. This upcoming camping trip is an RV camp – so I’ll have a refrigerator, small stovetop (that I won’t really use) a fire pit, and grill. I want to cook all my food outside over a fire but I have access to refrigerator which is ideal for a long weekend away.
This could also work for more primitive tent camping, but you’ll need a cooler and a refresher of ice during the weekend. This isn’t a backpacking menu – don’t nobody want to carry all this food around.
Here are a few kitchen things to bring for your next big camp adventure:
• a small grill – I love this small Weber and use it at home and on all 2-4 person camping trips.
• a cast iron skillet for breakfast.
• extra credit for a cast iron camp dutch oven and camping tripod for stews and cobblers.
• a pair of grill gloves a good set of tongs and a camping knife.
• sea salt, all-purpose grills seasoning, and good olive oil.
Listen…. I’m like Ina Garten out here camping with my fancy salt and good olive oil. I might be grimy and covered in bug spray, but your girl is eating WELL.
It’s important to make a menu – know what you’re eating a what leftovers you’re eating for each meal. Of course things can switch around once you’re out in the woods, but a menu will help you grocery shop precisely. Refrigeration space is precious.
Here’s a bird’s eye view of what I pack of a weekend of camping.
Breakfast is eggs, bacon, and the occasional pancake. Pre-measure pancake dry ingredients into a large mason jar and bring a small jar of buttermilk (or add powdered buttermilk to your pancake mix).
Lunch is tomato soup made at home and brought in jars, Seemore sausage, sandwiches, and salads. I wash lettuce and bag my own salad greens with cherry tomatoes and sliced cucumber in zip lock bags with paper moist towels.
Dinner is usually a meat protein and skewered vegetables, sometimes marinated and always grilled. I love Commander’s Palace Grilled Chicken with Banana Peppers – I make this marinade at home and put it in a jar or zip lock bag and throw the chicken in the marinade the morning before I’m going to cook it for dinner. This marinade is delicious with boneless skinless chicken thighs.
I also make 3-Ingredient Yogurt Marinade that I invariably add three or four more ingredients to. You can over-marinade chicken. The acid in a marinade can break down the proteins in the chicken so I always assemble my marinades, place them in a plastic bag or jar and marinade my chicken the morning before dinner.
These are my favorite campfire potatoes (and I sometimes put slices of bacon at the bottom of the foil to grease it).
Dessert is Browned Butter Rice Krispie Treats or Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and S’mores of course.
Camp Cooking Tips:
• Assembled as much as you can at home. Anything thing that calls for a lot of ingredients (marinades) or anything that can be consolidated by prepping (vegetable kebabs).
• Cut watermelon, apples, oranges, and any other juicy summer fruit.
• In general, keep it all simple with a few spices: salt and a general grill seasoning. This is no time to like… carry coriander around.
• Cook in the fat you have.
Oh drats – it’s bacon fat.
• It’s ok if things are burnt over fire. It adds character and flavor.
Listen, anyway you do it – get outside and away from it all. There’s no perfect way to camp – that’s the joy of it.
A little planning goes a long way so you don’t have to suddenly decide what’s for dinner when you come back to camp halfway exhausted in the late afternoon. Make a loose plan, mix your marinades and cut your watermelon. That’s it. Other than that – wear sunscreen and hydrate.
Be good, be well. Happy almost almost weekend.
xo
Oliver John
Just wanted to pop back in here and say that your post this morning inspired me to book our camping trip. I had given up on the idea due to covid concerns, but our favorite place is open (for now!) and I was able to find a spot on our usual weekend. It all felt so serendipitous so I went for it.
Oliver John
Hey! how do you manage to prepare that menu on a camping trip? it a lot to be cooking on a journey. by the way love your blog.
Meghan
Our girl can do it all! Have fun! We’re camping on the Bruce Penninsula in Ontario, with water a clear and blue as the Caribbean, this weekend. Eee! So excited. Our menu is pancakes & berries, fresh buns with cheese, hummus, and fresh greens from our CSA box. Dinner is veggie burgers and salad. Lots of snacks of course. I prepped brownies (in the oven now) to be frozen as dessert. We are getting gourmet tacos on the way from the most excellent take-out place.
Laura
Thank you SO much for the inspiration! I went camping this past weekend too, and was greatly inspired this post… So much so that I made the brown butter chocolate chip cookies, marinated chicken, and campfire potatoes! All were great successes.
I hope your trip was terrific!
Byanca Bert
Thank you so much for sharing!
This city girl has never had a thirst for nature more than now and I’ve now rented a ready-to-camp thingy for a week-end this summer. Let’s be real, this post was at the front of my.mind while making the reservation.
Now to make some lists and be overly exited for some time, as well as not to panick (it does onvolve a 3 year old and no electricity…). Wisj me luck!
Caroline
Tell us more about this bow and arrow.
Molly
Sounds like us. I always make a camping menu and mine starts with pancakes and bacon too. :) This weekend camping trip is calling for chicken tacos…Thanks for the ideas.
Anitha Gandhi
Is it ridiculous that one of the things I am obsessed with from this post is your amazing handwriting! So charming, whimsical and beautiful. If you answer questions: what pens do you use? And also, I adore your cooking and love for life. Thank you for sharing!
Barbara
Hi fellow Girl Scout
I’ve made cobblers in cast iron skillet on the grill, always comes out delish
Can’t wait to read About your adventure.
Have a great time..don’t forget the bug spray.
Sunny Simmons
Ooh, don’t cheat yourself out of coriander or curry powder! I won’t abuse your comments section with a link, but if you search on Amazon you will find a little 6-container spice container “travel kit” made by Wealers. I used to just throw all my full-sized spice jars in a ziploc, but this works better. Have fun on your trip!
Vicki
Have a wonderful time! Safe road tripping I love how you are not intimidated one bit on planning this out. You’ve got it covered!
Christa
Ive learned that coffee creamer container are great for prepared scrambled eggs and also for pancake mix you can prepare the night before you leave and just pour when your ready to cook
Jessica
Just what I needed for our annual granddaughter campout. Thanks.
MeeshyD
CAMPING!!! I am dying to go. My most treasured trip of the year is our annual trip to humboldt county to live among the redwoods for a few days. We have a spot that has warm showers, facilities and easy access to a creek. in fact, I am going to try to book the trip this morning.
I am a dedicated camp cooker and I make lists on lists to make sure everything is perfect. Here are a few things I love to cook while camping:
-MUST have fried fish and cheesy grits one morning for breakfast. There is absolutely NOTHING better. And snacking on the leftover cold fish after going out for a late morning walk? dreamy.
-Making and freezing chili before the trip and then putting it over perfectly grilled hot dogs, slightly burnt. wow.
-Ramen noodles for a pre-bedtime snack to warm you up for the cold night.
-Tri tip. Perfect fresh off the grill and divine heated up for breakfast the next day in a bit of butter.
MeeshyD
Joy –
Just wanted to pop back in here and say that your post this morning inspired me to book our camping trip. I had given up on the idea due to covid concerns, but our favorite place is open (for now!) and I was able to find a spot on our usual weekend. It all felt so serendipitous so I went for it.
When I’m eating my delicious camping food in a few weeks, I will send you a little thank you prayer/vibe :)
MeeshyD
Prissy
I concur it is the ideal pandemic vaca…and I too was a GS, married to an Eagle Scout! (I highly recommend them, if you can find one!)
However, I’m a little to _______ (take your pick) to go roughing it anymore and we will be renting a house in Yosemite. Hoping for a good bed for a couple of bad backs.
Your camping menu couldn’t have come at a better time! I thank you for that and I’m sure the fam will too.
My kitchen is 85% DONE and I almost hate to leave it for a little getaway. I wish I could have you all over for a lovely dinner party or cocktails!
Nancy Moskal
Fun blog today! You’re so creative.
Caz
I love that you’re an outdoorsy camper too! We have gourmet camping meals too (but coolers/tents not RV’s). Steak with grilled flatbreads, zucchini and goat cheese was a winner this past weekend.
Kim
Who’s the cutie????
Your menu sounds fabulous.
Have fun
Kristen
Best of luck!!
That all sounds delicious!
Adriana L
We go car/tent camping every summer and my sister always makes donuts in a dutch oven using a can pillsbury biscuits. Nothing like a fresh sugar and cinnamon doughnut with coffee brewed in a percolator in the morning! Hope you have great weather and a wonderful time :)
Sophie
Love a good camping menu, thank you for sharing! We’re going on a short backpack with friends to do something festive on what was supposed to be their wedding day (postponed due to the outbreak). We’re packing cans of champagne & a mini cake, putting together a cheese board, and then making foil wrapped salmon and potatoes there! This will be the most ambitious backpacking meal I’ve attempted…
Enjoy your camping trip!
Trey
I legitimately L-O-L’d at “I’m like Ina Garten out here camping with my fancy salt and good olive oil.” And don’t forget good mayonnaise…like Hellman’s. :)
If you need me, I’ll be over here booking my RV on cruiseamerica.com! Awesome post! Thanks for sharing! Can’t wait to see what you share on IGTV.