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Camp, glamp and RVacation with easy recipes to cook anywhere. Keep travel and food costs down and appetites up with these shortcut means and meals.
CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Granola Billiard Balls
While it's still sticky, form warm granola into small balls and make sweet little poppers to take the edge off an appetite between meals.
1 package chopped dates
1 ½ cups water
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup orange or apple juice concentrate, thawed
16 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups coarsely chopped mixed nuts
1 cup raisins
1 cup golden raisins
2 cups wheat germ
1 cup sunflower nuts
Set the oven for 325 degrees and lightly grease two deep 9 X 13-inch pans.
Bring dates and water to a boil, stirring to make a thick paste. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and juice concentrate.
In a large container, mix dry ingredients well. Stir in date mixture thoroughly until dry ingredients are evenly moistened.
Spread half the mixture in each pan and bake 10 minutes. Stir and bake 10 minutes more. When mixture is cool enough, use buttered hands to scoop up warm mixture and form into small balls. Set aside on parchment or waxed paper to cool and set. Wrap individually in twists of waxed paper.
VEGAN RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Green Pastures Lentil Stew
10-ounce package chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Large onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 cup shredded coconut
2 medium potatoes, scrubbed or peeled, then diced
2 ½ cups water
3 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon “minute” tapioca or white rice
2 cups lentils, picked over and rinsed
Press thawed spinach with paper towels until it’s very dry. In a large pot, sizzle onion in hot vegetable oil until it starts to get tender, then stir in cumin and coconut to coat. Add water, bouillon, potatoes, rice or tapioca and lentils.
Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve bouillon. Cover, reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in spinach and simmer uncovered 5 to 10 minutes more until thick enough to serve. Makes 10 portions to serve now or freeze in right-size portions for future camping.
Cook’s note: Depending on your heat source and the type of lentils and rice or tapioca, you may need to add more water if it’s too thick. If it's too thin, cook uncovered a little longer.
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Tips for the Camp Cook
* If you don’t have a sieve or strainer for washing lentils, quinoa, rice and other tiny items, use your ice pick to make holes in an aluminum foil pie plate. For smaller amounts, make a sieve by punching holes in the bottom of a paper or plastic cup.
* To make shortcut Pasta Alla Vodka, bring to a boil ½ cup vodka and 2 cups marinara sauce. Simmer uncovered 5-10 minutes to thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in ½ cup heavy cream. Spoon over 4 servings hot, cooked pasta.
* Need a substitute? 2 cups SIFTED (for accurate measuring) powdered sugar=1 cup white granular sugar or packed brown sugar.
* To add a nutty flavor to biscuits, substitute up to 1/4 up pecan flour for each cup of all purpose flour
MAKE AHEAD RECIPE OF THE WEEK
ChickaLentil Stew
Make this main dish for 8 campers or prepare it ahead to freeze in batches according to your family size.
8 meaty chicken thighs
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon canola oil
Large onion, diced
Large carrot, diced
Large stalk celery, diced
3/4 cup lentils
14-ounce can chicken broth
14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning mix
Salt, pepper to taste
Pick over lentils to remove any foreign matter. Wash lentils well. In a large skillet, pot or Dutch oven brown chicken in hot oil, gradually stirring in garlic, vegetables and lentils. Add broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
See more of Janet’s travel-tested recipes for the tiny "kitchen" at
http://www.BoatCook.blogspot.com
Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week
Mini-wiches
Finger foods always go well at potlucks. They are easy to make ahead, easy to carry, easy to serve. A deliciously gooey layer of jam (no mayonnaise!) holds it all together.
Large loaf Italian bread
10-ounce jar apricot jam
Dijon mustard
Medium Vidalia onion, sliced paper thin
Thin-sliced deli meats ad lib
Grated Cheddar cheese
Cut the loaf in half lengthwise. Spread the bottom half with Dijon mustard and top with a light scatter of sliced onions. Arrange meat slices over onion.
Spread the cut side of the top half of the loaf with a thick layer of apricot jam. Place a layer of grated cheese over meat slices and add the top of the loaf, pressing down so the sticky jam keeps the grated cheese in place.
Wrap and chill. Just before serving, place toothpicks at intervals along the loaf and slice to make 8 to 10 pieces.
What does author Janet Groene REALLY think about RV life, travel, finances, problems, solutions, suspicions and missions? See her 16 helpful features on a wide range of topics, https://www.rvtravel.com/author/janet
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