8 minute read
The Answer to Road Trip Munchies
Written by GAIL MCGLOTHIN
Photographed by APRIL MCGLOTHIN-ELLER
What’s a road trip without munchies?
When my friends Nan and Andy and I were headed to south Louisiana to the Strawberry Festival, I was astounded, after buckling myself into the back seat, to see myself surrounded by junk food – food that was never seen in their house. Nan spent next to no time justifying her choices as she dug into a Little Debbie cake. When we stopped in Natchitoches at my favorite convenience store, she loaded up on fried gizzards, livers, boudin balls and crawfish. Those are great munchies for a seven-hour road trip.
Day trips with my children were up in the Rocky Mountains when we lived in Denver, Colorado and to the Okefenokee Swamp and the beach when we lived in Kingsland. Even April, who was two at the time, hiked steep, three-to-four-mile trails to St. Mary’s Glacier, stopping regularly for water and snack breaks. That’s when we started eating GORP (good ol’ raisins and peanuts). Adding chocolate chips or M&Ms made it even better. It’s hardy with carbs for energy and protein for substance. My grandsons have bumped up the fun with their GORP. The rule is that they have to eat everything, and we start with a generous handful of raisins and peanuts. Just about any small candy or cracker gets mixed in these days.
Growing up, we picnicked regularly. Cole’s Creek on the Natchez Trace was a favorite spot after stopping to climb the Indian Mounds. I have a CD made from a DVD made from an 8mm film of one of our picnics. Mama Stelle was settled in her lawn chair and Aunt MaryV was trying to hula hoop. It still cracks me up every time I watch it. Sandwiches were the meal of choice most of the time, featuring lunch meats and cheeses, fresh tomatoes from the garden, pickles and onions. Rounding out the picnic were potato chips and “Co-Colas” (as Aunt MaryV called them), both a rare treat at our house.
This same picnic was repeated at rest stops in many states over the years as my family vacationed in the Southeastern United States. A picnic basket, plastic box or backpack is a great way to carry grab-and-go picnics. Load it with basic supplies, adding extras as needed. A tablecloth is important on outdoor, public picnic tables. A blanket to sit on, paper plates, napkins and plastic utensils, plus a couple of garbage bags, are essential. Add a sharp knife or two, bug spray and sunscreen, and tuck in a roll of paper towels. We usually drink water, so I carry cups and a small soap for handwashing before lunch.
Packing a picnic with a little pizzazz is not much more trouble than taking the sandwich route. I like to bake wings, usually pre-prepared frozen, the night before and serve them cold with a choice of Ranch, Frank’s Buffalo Sauce, or barbeque sauce. Pair them with Asian Noodle Slaw, veggie sticks, chips and fruit, preferably a watermelon.
Every picnic needs a special dessert. Brownies with icing decorated with M&Ms is a fun dessert, easily eaten without a plate and fork. Make sure it’s tightly covered and not left in the sun. One picnic at Crooked River State Park outside St. Mary’s nearly ended in tragedy when Jake’s friend, carrying the brownies to the table, tripped and fell. The brownies were then dished out upside down from the lid of the pan. Still yummy, just not as pretty!
Cooking while camping is a challenge easily met by a creative cook. One can cook on a stove, over the fire, or in cast iron with coals. Arriving at our campsite, we set up the tent and equipment before anything else. An oilcloth tablecloth goes on the picnic table and the fire wood, bought locally, is stacked next to the fire pit.
Preparing dinner before leaving home is a real time saver on the first night at a campsite. Layer a protein, a starch, and vegetables on heavy duty foil at home and all you have to do is light the fire. A boneless pork chop with sliced sweet potatoes and carrots makes for a delicious meal. Sprinkle a little brown sugar over the sweet potatoes, Tony Chachere’s on the pork chop, and a little butter dotted around. Beef stew meat and white potatoes layered with sliced onion, tomatoes, and sliced mushrooms is yummy. My boneless chicken thigh with sliced potatoes and carrots and green beans hot off the grill hits the spot. Remember to provide a plate or hot pad for each person to set his/her foil packet on.
It’s the season for taking a short Sunday afternoon drive around to see the flowers in bloom. Try picnicking on the top deck of the Atlanta airport parking garage to watch the planes take off and land, or picnic after a hike at Chattahoochee Bend State Park. Georgia has a wonderful system of state parks with lots to do at each one. Many are within a 90-minute drive.
This might be the weekend to pull out the camping gear and hop in the car. Have fun and bon appetit.
GORP (Good Ole Raisins and Peanuts)
½ jar roasted peanuts
½ box raisins, black or yellow
Pour peanuts and raisins into a bowl and mix well. Pour the other ingredients into smaller bowls and let each person make their own GORP. Use small individual candies and crackers. Add one or some of the following to bump it up a notch: Reese’s Pieces, dried cranberries, fruit chews, miniature pretzels, Goldfish snack crackers, Whoppers, M&Ms, chocolate chips, jelly beans, candy corn. Let each person fill up an easy-to-open-and-close but hard-to-spill container.
Popcorn Scramble
Popcorn Scramble is easily made the night before a road trip or just for fun and snacks at home. Mixing goes easier if one person stirs while the other pours caramel over the mixture.
5 cups freshly popped popcorn, unsalted
2 cups bite-sized crispy rice cereal squares
2 cups toasted oat cereal
2 cups roasted salted peanuts
½ cup butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large roasting pan. Toss gently, and set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan; stir in brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Cook, without stirring, 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn mixture; stir until coated. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool, and store in airtight container. Makes 12 cups.
Asian Noodle Slaw
Slaw:
1 pound slaw mix
1 bunch chopped green onions
Dressing, see recipe below
4 ounces sunflower seeds
6 ounces sliced almonds
2 packages oriental flavored ramen noodles, broken up
Toss together slaw mix and chopped green onion in a large container with a lid. Pour dressing over and mix well. Right before serving, toss with sunflower seeds, sliced almonds and ramen noodles.
Dressing:
¾ cup oil
4 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
2 seasoning packages from soup
Put dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid. Shake well and pour over slaw mix and green onions.
Polka Dot Brownies
Brownies:
2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
1½ cup self rising flour
2 sticks melted butter, cooled
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8x13inch baking pan. By hand, mix sugar and cocoa together. Stir in flour and mix well. By hand, add cooled butter, then eggs beaten with vanilla. Bake 25 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan. Add topping, recipe below.
Topping:
4 tablespoons cocoa
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 box confectioner’s sugar
8 tablespoons evaporated milk
M&Ms
With a mixer, mix cocoa, melted butter and confectioner’s sugar. Add enough evaporated milk to make a spreadable icing. Spread over cool cake. Sprinkle with M&Ms and lightly press them into icing.
Foil Packet Campfire Dinner
Each camper can individualize his or her own packet; just be sure to identify whose is whose.
For each individual packet:
4 to 5 small potatoes, sliced
8 green beans, trimmed
4 baby carrots, quartered lengthwise
1 boneless chicken thigh
Seasoning salt
Layer two 14-inch pieces of double strength aluminum foil on the counter. Spray generously with Pam. Lay sliced potatoes on the foil. Top with green beans, then carrots. Lay chicken thigh seasoned with seasoning salt on top of the vegetables. Seal the packet tight. Cook over hot coals for 20 to 30 minutes, turning after 10 minutes. Open the foil to check for doneness. (Don’t prick the foil to test.)
Travelin’ Berries
Pop one of these for each person at your picnic into the cooler with the campfire dinner packets, and you’re prepared to enjoy an easy evening meal.
1 pint of berries of your choice
2 cups vanilla or honey yogurt
½ cup granola
Dollop a generous soup spoon full of vanilla yogurt in the bottom of an 8-ounce canning jar. Place clean berries on top of the yogurt until the jar is ⅔ full. If using strawberries, cut into smaller pieces. Top with another generous soup spoon full of yogurt and 1½ tablespoons granola. Cover with lid and refrigerate. Travels in a cooler until ready to serve. NCM
