campfire eats

ROASTING HOT DOGS AND S’MORES OVER AN OPEN FIRE IS GREAT, BUT IF YOU’RE CAMPING FOR MORE THAN ONE NIGHT OR JUST WANT TO MIX THINGS UP A LITTLE, HERE ARE THREE GREAT CAMPFIRE RECIPES TO TASTE-TEST ON YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE. BY AMY ALLEN

NUTELLA AND BANANA POCKETS

I tapped my best friend Jaime Madore, an avid camper who always has what we need (like a full-sized propane-powered coffee maker), to share her recipe for this tasty treat that’s great for breakfast or dessert. It’s been years since she made these for us and my kids are still talking about them.

INGREDIENTS Pillsbury crescent dough, Grands biscuit dough or buttered white bread Nutella Bananas (sliced)

DIRECTIONS Spray a pie iron (which is a cast-iron sandwich maker and super handy for camping) with non-stick cooking spray. Line both sides with a sheet of dough or bread. Spread the dough or bread with a layer of Nutella and banana slices, then close the pie iron to form a sandwich. Cook over an open flame for about 5 minutes per side, depending on the heat of your fire. Carefully open and enjoy!

CAMPFIRE KABOBS

On a trip to Baxter State Park to hike and camp out with some friends, I was tasked with dinner for the group and discovered this super easy and tasty recipe for kabobs. I’ve since made it dozens of times, tweaking the recipe and trying it with different kinds of meat, veggies and even fruit. While it’s super delicious with chicken on the grill at home, for camping I recommend using steak tips so you don’t have to worry as much about the temperature and cooking the meat all the way through.

INGREDIENTS 1 lb steak tips (cut into bite-sized pieces) ¼ cup Worchester sauce ¼ cup soy sauce ¼ cup olive oil 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp minced garlic 1 Tbsp brown sugar 2 Tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp dried parsley 1 tsp pepper 2 Tbsp chopped basil

CRACKED EGG BREAKFAST BURRITOS

Growing up, a little box of cereal and tiny powdered doughnuts from a bag were standard camping trip breakfast fare. But sometimes it’s nice to step it up and fill your belly properly before a day of outdoor adventures. My bestie and favorite hiking partner Kate Schmidt introduced me to this delicious recipe for campfire-friendly breakfast burritos, which are as much fun to make as they are to eat.

INGREDIENTS 1 large tortilla per person 1 large egg per person Salt and pepper

BURRITO INGREDIENTS (choose any or all!) Pre-made shredded hash browns Bacon or sausage or chopped ham Shredded cheese Diced peppers Green onion Tomato Sour cream Hot sauce

DIRECTIONS Cook your hash browns and meat on a camp stove, or bring them pre-cooked and ready to go. Place a tortilla on a large square of heavyduty tinfoil. Add your chosen burrito ingredients and top with cheese. Crack an egg over the top of the ingredients and wrap into a burrito (fold the ends then roll tight), then wrap the tinfoil around the entire burrito. Lay the packet on a grill over a campfire, turning frequently to avoid burning, until hot. Take a peek after about 10-15 minutes to make sure your egg is cooked. Once ready, top with sour cream and/or hot sauce and enjoy!

CAMPFIRE KABOBS, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

KABOB VEGGIES Mix and match depending on the taste preferences of your crowd — simply chop into bite-sized pieces. Baby potatoes (par-boil first so they’re soft enough to skewer and will cook at the same pace as the rest of the veggies) Mushrooms Zucchinis Pineapple (technically a fruit, but super delicious grilled!) Cherry tomatoes Onion Peppers

DIRECTIONS Mix the marinade ingredients and divide into two gallon-sized plastic bags. Skewer your meat and veggies. I like to separate my kabobs into meatonly and veggie-only skewers to help regulate cooking times — and it’s also helpful if you’re camping with any vegetarians. Drop the skewers into the plastic bags of marinade and let them do their thing in a cooler until you’re ready to cook. I reinforce the bottom of the plastic bags with duct tape to ensure the sharp ends of the skewers don’t puncture the plastic and make a mess in your cooler. You can cook them directly over the campfire — and if you have a grilling basket it makes the task much easier. Just line them up and flip a few times until done.