Monday, May 20, 2023

Love Camping But Tired Of Eating Just Beans?

Enjoying a Campfire

Enjoying a Campfire

Campfire Ideas

Whether setting up tent in deluxe campsite or heading off into the wilderness with nothing but a backpack and a camping stove, campers face many of the same problems when it comes to meal times. Food for camping needs to be convenient but nutritious and if you are doing lots of walking, it also needs to be a good source of energy which means lots of carbohydrates and proteins. It also needs to be lightweight and easy to prepare, as well as non-perishable. With all these limitations, taste is often the last thing on the camper’s mind but at the end of a long day hiking through the woods, a plate of beans and rice can seem like a very disappointing prospect. Yet, fear not as there are more options available you than you might think! Borrowing from the hunting recipes of Native American and with a few tips from South African food, you can add a bit of flair to your camping fare.

Around the Campfire

If you intend to have a campfire on your trip, be sure to check local guidelines and always follow fire safety guidance. Many campsites do not allow campers to start a fire but for those that do, you are in for a treat. If you intend to have a barbeque make sure you do so on the first night, as it is not safe to eat meat that has been unrefrigerated for more than a few hours. Make sure that you eat all of the meat you bring and dispose of any leftovers so as not to attract local wildlife.

Apart from roasting meat, a campfire is a great opportunity to try some other outdoor ideas. Make your own popcorn by wrapping popcorn kernels in tin foil with a little oil and placing over the flames. Then serve with sugar or salt. Another great trick with tinfoil is to wrap baking potatoes in the foil and place them into the fire. With both of these methods make sure that you take care when handling and opening the hot tinfoil after cooking.

Snack Like a Squirrel

Nuts, dried berries and fruit make a brilliant nourishing snack food that is full of vitamins and minerals and high in protein and carbohydrate. This is referred to by backpackers as Trail Mix. As well as being lightweight it is also non-perishable, so you should definitely keep some in your pocket and snack throughout the day.

Cereal, granola bars and flapjacks are also a great source of nutrition, whether as a snack or a handy breakfast. If you intend to take bread, choose some that is long lasting and which has a “seven day fresh” guarantee. Also ensure that you keep it wrapped in an airtight zip lock bag. Zip lock bags and tin foil are a brilliant and lightweight option of food storage when camping so make sure to pack some. Take peanut butter instead of a spread for your bread, as this also keeps longer and is a good source of protein.

Long-life Alternatives

If you want to take milk with you, make sure it is the long-life variety which stays fresh for longer, even when not refrigerated. If you only want milk for hot drinks, take some powdered milk or coffee whitener instead. A traditional British camping food is Kendal mint cake, a hardened tablet of sugar flavoured with mint and sometimes coated in sugar. This gives a great energy boost for those long walks.

Biltong, a South African dried meat, has been used for decades as a tasty and nutritious snack for hunters. It is a tasty source of protein that can be chewed as a snack or added to meals for some flavour.

Around the Camping Stove

When you can’t have a campfire, you will need to turn to the humble camping stove. Make sure you pack pasta and rice which are both lightweight and nourishing. Tinned foods are heavy so are better for those staying at a campsite but should be kept to a minimum for backpackers. Remember to take some pastes, salt, sugar and small packs of herbs or spices to add flavour to meals.

Jasmin Blunt is a blogger who understands that food when camping can often be a depressing prospect because of the limitations which are put on what you can take. She recommends taking some Native American or South African food to add inspiration to your camping meals.

 

Campfire Recipes

Campfire Recipes

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Sunday, May 19, 2023

Homemade Buns

 

Homemade Hamburger Buns

Homemade Hamburger Buns

Want to be a big hit at your next picnic or barbeque? An easy way to do this is to make your own hamburger, hotdog, or sandwich buns. It’s easy to do and taste SO MUCH better than those you buy at the store.
The Prepared Pantry’s Salted Water Roll Mix  makes incredible burger and hotdog buns. To add an extra special touch the packet comes complete with the black and white sesame seeds plus the healthier Pink Himalayan Salt.

 

 

Here are the directions right from the Prepared Pantry’s web site.
1. Mix the bread according to the package directions or recipe. If you are using your bread machine, set the machine on the “dough” setting so that the machine will mix your bread for you, let it rise and then beep when it is time to bake.

If you are making bread the old-fashioned way, follow the directions and let the bread rise in an oiled bowl as you would for other bread mixes or recipes.
If you are using the Salted Water Roll Mix, you can skip the first rise step and immediately form your rolls and place them on the pan.

 

 

2. Divide the dough into eight equal pieces. If you are using a two-loaf mix or recipe, divide the dough into 16 pieces.

 

 

3. Form a round or oval roll with each piece. Place them on a greased baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper with room to expand. With the flat of your hand, flatten each roll. The elasticity in the dough will tend to make the rolls spring back. Let the dough relax for a few minutes and press a second time.

 
4. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap or a proofing bag and let rise until doubled—45 minutes to an hour or so depending on the mix and the room temperature. Salted Water Rolls will not get as puffy as most mixes or recipes.

 

 

5. If you put seeds or seeds and salt on your rolls, whisk with a fork one egg with one tablespoon of water. Just before baking, brush the tops and sides with the wash and then sprinkle with seeds. The wash will keep the seeds in place.

 

 

6. Bake the rolls at 350 degrees for about fifteen minutes or until done. Immediately remove them to a wire rack to cool. Serve them fresh. Day old rolls are not nearly as good.

 

 

Get a free copy of How to Bake: The Art and Science of Baking. It’s a great reference book with great recipes and 318 pages. Choose PDF, Kindle, Nook, or I-Pad.

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