Cookbooks for your road trips

[fonseca]

Dear fellow campers,

I really like to cook and when I go camping with my family I really look forward to camp cooking. It's a lot more challenging than cooking at home, which is one reason why I like it. The other reason is that dining in the great outdoors is just, well, great! What's better than that first cup of coffee on a chilly morning or hot dogs cooked on sticks over a bonfire? Being that many of the recipes and cookbooks that I rely on at home don't really work in the tiny kitchen of a trailer I have spent some time searching for good camp cookbooks, dutch oven cookbooks or regular cookbooks filled with recipes that are useful in the narrow confines of a trailer kitchen. What are your favorites? I would love to add to my collection.

Thanks!
Heather

[soldiermedic]

There were a couple of forum members toying with the idea of an Airstream Forum cookbook "The Silver Platter". Recipes would have been collected from forum members, and then nice copies would have been published and distributed.

Hey Paula...what happened to this?

Steve

[tin sista]

Originally Posted by fonseca

Dear fellow campers,I really like to cook and when I go camping with my family I really look forward to camp cooking. It's a lot more challenging than cooking at home, which is one reason why I like it. Thanks!
Heather

You know it is like a throwdown with mother nature, ok how can I do this cool meal while boondocking just cause I can. I'm sure there's medicine for this condition...
Course we have the Airstreams so its not like those dear old backpackers roughing it with butane stoves...no disrespect you folks have surely earned a place in heaven

Seriously, have you checked out the dutch oven cookbooks/folks? The metro-Detroit gang turned me on to dutch ovens with briquets, it is fun and there's lots of cookbooks out there... I'm still learning so I don't know where to start, but I sure plan to watch this thread!! Have you checked out Lodge Dutch ovens? They are sweet!!

Good for you Heather!

[cameront120]

The Purity Cookbook is one of my favorites and I refer to it often. My grandmother used it, as did my mother. I learned how to cook using this book. My mother was unwilling to part with her copy, so I was delighted when it was newly published again (it was last printed in 1967). A lot of the recipes are well suited to dutch oven cooking and the gas ovens of our trailers.

Amazon.com: The All New Purity Cook Book (Classic Canadian Cookbook Series): Books: Elizabeth Driver,Jean Pare

[Ganglin]

Interesting topic since I have a bad habit of collecting cookbooks and recipes - especially old ones.

Two favorites "Cookbook for Family Camping" from 1969. The other is for cast iron cooking and has a lot of dutch oven recipes - "Log Cabin Campfire Cookn" from 1998. A favorite dutch oven recipe is something I call Mexican Casserole - it'll put you to bed full.

If you want a challenge - bake a pie in a dutch oven.
.

[azflycaster]

We are getting into the Dutch Oven thing as well. I got the bug from my flyfishing club. I am doing mostly coblers at this time, but plan to move up to main dishes soon.

I found out at the 4CU Meteor Crater Rally that wind can be very bad for dutch oven cooking. I was doing a cherry cobler and because of the wind it took twice as long and many more coals then normal. BTW, if you have Craker Barrel where you live, they have the best fillings for coblers.

[CaddyGrn]

Hello,

I enjoy Dutch Oven cooking as well! Sometimes it is a lot of extra weight to drag along, however. If you have power, crock pots are good to set it up in the morning and by dinner time, it is done! The boy scout web site also has recipies for cooking in foil over a campfire, etc. if I remember correctly. Most regular "oven" recipies can be adapted to both Dutch Oven and crock pots with a little adaptation. Our sweet little Bambi does not have an oven so the Dutch Oven, crock pot, or toaster oven is our choice. [I don't drag around a microwave in our little trailer... didn't want to sacrifice the room].

By the way, cooking in the wind/rain in the Dutch Oven can be challenging... hubby dear made a nice wind break out of old aluminum pieces [wondering what to do with scrap left over from an old belly pan?] I can use rather successfully unless it is blowing 40 knots! There are nice commercial Dutch Oven tables with wind breaks one can find at outfitter stores. Most of the Dutch Oven cookbooks also have information about cooking in the weather.
I can set my Dutch Oven up under our awning so rain isn't a problem... heavy winds are, however.

I would love to see a recipe book! One of the things that is so great going to rallies is all the great pot luck food that appears! Great place to get ideas of what others do!

Mrs. NorCal Bambi (traveling in S Tardis)

[davenpow]

I love to Dutch Oven Cook. Have six pots and still finding out that I need More!
Best All around cookbooks
***** Lovin' Dutch Ovens--Joan S. Larsen
**** Dutch Oven Cookin'--Dick Stucki
**** The Dutch Oven Resource--Gerry and Chauna Duffin
**** Championship Dutch Oven Cookbook-- Val and Marie Cowley
these are the best, I hope this gets other interested in DO cooking..
Ted

[Alaska1966]

It almost looks like we should be trading recipes on here.

[fonseca]

There really should be a recipe forum here. I was surprised when I couldn't find one.

I love the idea of an airstream cookbook. Haven't any of the regional airstream groups made one? There are lots of companys that make cookbooks for fundraising purposes. I think an airstream cookbook would be way cool.

Thanks for the DO cookbook suggestions. I'll check them out on Amazon. I only have one dutch oven which I've used twice. Once to make a cobbler and once to make jambalaya. Both dishes turned out great and were really fun to make. It's a little intimidating using a DO at first, which is probably why I've only used it twice. I want to use it on every camping trip though!

Oh, and to the guy who likes vintage cookbooks - I'm with you all the way. I have a little collection of old cookbooks that I rarely use but I love anyway. There's a cookbook store here in Pasadena, CA that sells nothing but used cookbooks. I just love going there and I always find some gems. I'll keep a lookout for the ones you suggested.

Thanks everybody!
Heather

[Ganglin]

Heather,

The Log Cabin Campfire book is out on Ebay right now if you want it.

[maxandgeorgia]

We must be missing out, somehow. It never occurred to us to take a cookbook camping where our living is so simple and direct. We've produced some memorable dishes through the years: Maple Syrple Loaf (meat loaf) in a Dutch Oven-after the purchase of new-vintage North Woods Minnesota maple syrup, also used to create a killer-delicious grilled salmon fresh caught from Lake Superior--all cooked on the cobblestone beach; JimboJumbo ribeye steaks grilled over the campfire in Stanley, ID; SeafoodEverythingDump while at Dauphin Isle on the Gulf; Stews and FireIntheHoleChili, also in DutchOven, while in the Rockies. . . Our most memorable cooking is always done off the cuff, no recipe, local ingredients, made up as we go, but cooked outdoors--and usually enhanced by wine! No art, but lots of inspiration And always the classic S'mores. This thread starts me thinking that maybe we could do better with cookbooks. We'll have to think about that! ~G

[uwe]

We enjoy cooking at home, tremendously. We find little in the way of doing the same in our Airstream. One night we surprised my sister in law with a 3-tier birthday cake, baked from scratch inside the oven of our Airstream, and on a very memorable night in Baja Didi made Pasta with Bologna Sauce right at the beach in Baja California. For 8 people. It takes a little compromising, but is entirely possible. Especially if you cook the meat outside on a grille or right on the fire. Good cookware, good wine, and good friends definitely help!

[love vintage]

Well, there's no time like the present, we're not getting any younger, let's get it on!

RECIPE FOR TRADITIONAL MARITIME CLAM BAKE
This recipe is a truly great way to finish off any day spent at ocean-side beach. Before the sun sets, spend some time digging your own clams, collecting driftwood and seaweed for your fire.

Need:
Piles of rocks
Lots of driftwood and any other wood available
Piles of wet seaweed
1 old canvas tarpaulin

Ingredients:
oysters, in shell
lobsters, live
clams
mussels
butter
lemons, cut in wedges
coleslaw and potatoe salad
1 bag marshmallows
Coolers full of ice cold Maritime beer (no substitutions)

Method:
Dig a hole in the sand 1 foot deep and 2-3 feet long and wide. Completely line it with rocks, the largest rocks in the middle. Place driftwood and any other wood found on the beach, on top of rocks and get a good sized bonfire going.Continue putting driftwood and a few more rocks on the fire to keep the bonfire blazing.

Shuck the oysters for an appetizer, sucked down with lots of ice-cold Maritime beer.

When the fire has burned for about 2 hours, and the rocks are steaming and the embers are firey red, cover with a thin layer of seaweed. Place the lobsters on top of the seaweed and cover with another thin layer of seaweed. Place the clams on top of the lobsters and again cover with a layer of seaweed. Put the mussels on top of the clams and cover with a thick 5-6 inch layer of seaweed. Place butter in a well scrubbed can on edge of fire to melt butter. Cover the fire with the taurplin and secure it with heavy rocks around the edges. Bake for approx. 20 minutes or until clams begin to open.

Serve potatoe salad and coleslaw as side dishes garnished with lemon wedges. For dessert, gather long pointed sticks and roast marshmallows over hot embers.

Footnote: If you have small children, be prepared to have roasted marsmallows in your hair. Giggling fits, and waving pointed sticks, equal airborn marsmallows! Priceless, I will cherish memories of those days forever.

[fonseca]

Oh Uwe, that little kitchen is sooooo cute. I can't wait to get an airstream and hit the road! (We're already planning a trip this Christmas, talk about counting your eggs before they're hatched, but I guess a little dreaming never hurt anyone.) I like the little thingy the kitchen spoons are in too.

To those of you who are able to cook with anything that happens to be on hand, I envy you. At 37 I've been cooking pretty seriously for 20 years and I'm still stopped cold with a bunch of ingredients and no recipes. I end up making quesadillas and omlettes a lot! At home my favorite pantry meal is pasta with tuna & tomato sauce, but I'm not sure boiling a gallon or so of water would be the best thing to do in a little trailer kitchen. Oh, and all those pots and no dishwasher just stops me cold. I'm so spoiled!!!

[azflycaster]

LV - That clam bake is makeing my mouth water. I grew up on the East coast and the seafood is the one thing I do miss. If I could only find some seaweed here in Phoenix.

[fonseca]

That clam bake looks fabulous! I'm not sure bonfires are allowed on the beach in So Cal otherwise I'd run out there right now and try it out. Thanks for the instructions!

Heather

[uwe]

Originally Posted by azflycaster

If I could only find some seaweed here in Phoenix.

I'll fedex some to you...

[love vintage]

Seaweed and Phoenix, yes, that is a conundrum.

Have spent time in Las Vegas...tumbleweed and seaweed are worlds apart.
Maybe you could order it from Maine, we share the coastline, same salt waters.

Love vintage, love food and cooking, love life,

Good luck in your quest, if all else fails, you can always come to the Maritimes. Have a good day!

[love vintage]

Hey all you cooks, where are the recipes??

OK, I admit the clam-bake may be too labour intensive, and exclusive to certain geographical areas. My apologies, my intent was solely to start a recipe forum.

Humbly, submitting this recipe for microwave cooking:

KEVANS FAVORITE FISH DISH

1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons parsley
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound fish fillets, cut in serving pieces (I prefer haddock, frozen works too)

In a 10 in. glass baking dish, melt butter. Add dry mustard, parsley, lemon juice and garlic powder; stir until blended. Coat fish in sauce and arrange around dish. Cover with wax paper and cook according to your Microwave guide (old recipe....original instructions were 5-6 minutes on high, rotate dish once, let stand 5 mins. before serving).

Kevan is my son, now 23 and living on his own. When he was 6/7 years old, he came home from school and told me I needed to give him a recipe for a cookbook the school was printing to raise funds. I suggested chocolate chip cookies etc. Kev was very adamant, he wanted the fish dish recipe. Took me totally by surprise. I named the recipe "Kevans Favorite Fish Dish" submitted it as such, was published under that name and so it will be until the end of time.

Very tasty, hope you enjoy it.

P.S I don't measure anymore and add pepper etc. etc.





New recipe for microwave