Simple, quick and easy recipes
The truth is not all cookbook are created equal. This is especially true for cookbooks written for camping. I want super and very simple recipes when I go camping. I keep looking but find each one incomplete and disappointing.
A few weeks ago I picked up a copy of The Ultimate RV Cookbook and it didn’t take long to realize these recipes were not written by anyone who travels in an recreational vehicle (RV). That’s not to say there weren’t some good recipes but not for when you are cooking in an rv. My first clue of the author’s lack of camping or RV experience was the frequency of the phrase “Preheat oven to . . .” at the beginning of most recipes. Get real! Preheat the oven!?!? On a summer’s day? Pleeeeaaassseee! When I am camping I want simple, quick, and easy. In my opinion, any recipe that starts with “Preheat. . .” probably isn’t simple, quick, or easy.
I did, however, find a few recipes in The Ultimate RV Cookbook that met my criteria. Here they are:
Mushroom Pasta Dish
Serves 2
Cook a half box of Angel Hair Pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, saute one minced garlic clove and 1 small chopped onion in one tablespoon of olive oil until tender. Add ½ cup of sliced mushrooms and toss together. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth and 1/4 cup white wine (pick up a small “single-serving” bottle and you can sip the rest while cooking) and cook until reduced by half. Add 2 oz Neufchatel cream cheese, cut into cubes, salt and pepper to taste and stir until cream cheese is melted. Drain pasta, reserving about ½ cup of the pasta water, and put back in pot. Add the mushroom sauce and toss until pasta is evenly coated. Add a little pasta water, a splash at a time to keep sauce saucy. Serve with a nice green salad and pass grated Parmesan cheese.
Nutty Brown Sugar Oatmeal
Serves 4
In a plastic ziplock bag dump 1 cup powdered milk, 1 ½ cup old fashion oatmeal, heaping ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, and ½ cup each of chopped walnuts and raisins or cranraisins. Toss to mix. Seal, squeezing as much air as possible out of the bag.
Breakfast time – Put 3 cups of water in a large pot and bring to the boil. Pour the oatmeal mixture from the bag into the saucepan and stir to mix. Return to the boil and simmer until it achieves the desired thickness. Serve. If you have it, top with a bit of butter, a splash of milk, and a drizzle of honey.
Chicken Quesadillas
Serves 2
(I think those broasted chickens you can buy at grocery stores is a gift to all campers. A favorite meal, all bought at the grocery store, is a broasted chicken, potato salads, and broccoli salad. This recipe is a great way to use up the last bits and pieces on the bird.)
Wrap 4 flour tortillas in a sheet of aluminum foil and place either on the campfire’s grill or near the hot coals. Flip every now and again.
Put 1 cup of shredded leftover chicken (just pull it apart with a couple of forks) in a saucepan along with a package of Fajita seasoning, 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 chopped green pepper, 1 red chopped pepper, 1 thin sliced onion and a splash of water (the amount should be to your preferred sauciness) in a saucepan. Give it a nice toss to mix. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Divide the chicken mixture into four portions and place a portion on a heated tortilla. Sprinkle some cheese (your choice), fold or rolling the tortillas and serve.
Cheese Quesadillas
Serves 2
Melt a pad of butter in a large skillet. When melted and bubbling, add a flour tortilla, sprinkle with cheese (I like Monterey Jack, Fred prefers Cheddar) and either top with second tortilla or fold in half. When the bottom tortilla is toasted and cheese is melted, flip over and cook until this side is also nicely toasted. Serve as is or with salsa.
