Recipes 'n Reads Series: Recipes for Cooking Over the Campfire #recipesnreads

 

Recipes 'n Reads Series
Today is my turn to offer recipes!

Hello and welcome to the Focused on Story Blog by J.Q.Rose.

With MemoriaI Day coming up on May 27, I am delighted to share some ideas for recipes you can cook over the campfire during this holiday weekend in the US. 

The Recipe 'n Reads series is scheduled every third Wednesday of the month. When I host guest authors, they share their favorite recipes and the reasons why they chose that one. I also spotlight their books. 

Please come back next month when my friend and fellow storyteller, Diane Bator, will be my guest on Wednesday, June 19th.

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Cooking over the campfire.

Recipes for Cooking Over the Campfire by J.Q. Rose

Several years ago, we camped with our daughter, Lee Ann, and family over the Memorial Day holiday weekend near Stony Lake in West Michigan. Always the "event" planner, she invited her sister, Sara, (who is not a camper) and family to join us on Sunday for a fun dinner with Dump Soup as the main entree.

I bet you've heard the folk tale, Stone Soup. Hungry strangers convince the townspeople to share a small amount of their food to make a meal that everyone enjoys. Different from the story, we weren't exactly hungry strangers, nor did we ask other campers to contribute to the soup pot.

DUMP SOUP RECIPE: Lee Ann coined the term "Dump Soup" because we all brought ingredients to dump into the cast iron pot. There is NO recipe. That's the fun part. Lee Ann poured in beef broth and beef consomme. I added mushroom soup as a base for the soup. Then we threw in what everyone brought--beans, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onions, cans of veggies, etc.

All ready to cook over the campfire.

Lee Ann stirred it all together and placed the pot over the campfire for the men to watch while the ladies took a walk. After simmering for an hour and a half over the fire, we gobbled up the soup. It was delicious. The soup must have been good because the kids loved it too, especially with lots of crackers. I think eating outdoors helps to make everything tastier too!

HOBO DINNER--Another of our family dinner favorites over the fire is "hobo dinner," also known as a foil packet dinner. Spray the foil with vegetable oil, place bacon on the first layer, hamburger or chicken next, and then add whatever fresh veggies you like to the foil e.g. diced potatoes, carrots, green pepper, onion, butter, and celery.

Ingredients ready to wrap.

Be sure to wrap the packet tightly so the grease doesn't run out. Place the foil dinners in the coals or on a grate over the fire. Depending on how you cut the veggies and how hot the fire is, the packets need to cook for 30--45 minutes. Chicken may take longer. 

PS--This dinner can be cooked on your grill at home too.

Dinner wrapped in foil packets.

Clean-up is easy. Just wrap up the foil and throw it away. THEN it'll be time to roast the marshmallows to make S'mores! I

S'MORE RECIPE: In case you haven't experienced the joy of feeling chocolate and melted marshmallow sticking to your chin, here is the basic recipe for S'Mores. Place a marshmallow, roasted over the campfire, and Hershey's chocolate bar between graham crackers so it is like a sandwich. The hot marshmallow melts the chocolate. Mmmm, that first bite is a delicious, gooey experience.

There is no limit to the variations for S'mores. Add peanut butter, toasted coconut, caramel topping, Nutella, fudge striped cookies instead of graham crackers(my favorite), bacon, peanut butter and/or banana. 

Be adventurous with this recipe. Please let me know how you like S'mores.

Thank you to Shared Appetite for some of the variations.

What are your go-to recipes when having a crowd over to your house or when camping? Will you make any of these recipes? Leave a comment below. Thank you.

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Dump Soup for Camping, Readers Circle Kicks Off on Friday

Cooking over the campfire.

Hello and welcome to the J Q Rose blog,

We camped with our daughter Lee Ann and family over the Memorial Day holiday weekend near Stony Lake in West Michigan. Always the "event" planner, she invited our other daughter, Sara, (who is not a camper) and family to join us on Sunday for a fun dinner with Dump Soup as the main entree.

I bet you've heard the folk tale Stone Soup. Hungry strangers convince the people of a town to share a small amount of their food in order to make a meal that everyone enjoys.  Well we weren't exactly hungry strangers, and we didn't ask fellow campers to contribute to the soup pot, but that is Lee Ann's idea for next month when we all camp together, including Sara, at family camp,

Lee Ann coined the term "Dump Soup" because we all brought ingredients to dump into the soup pot. There is NO recipe. That's the fun part. Just whatever is offered is added to the pot. Lee Ann poured in beef broth, beef consomme, and I added mushroom soup as a base for all the other stuff e.g. beans, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onions, cans of veggies, etc.

All ready to cook over the campfire.

Lee Ann combined it all and placed the pot over the campfire for the men to watch while the ladies took a walk. Of course we came back to check on the progress of the soup. After an hour and one half over the fire, we gobbled down the soup. It was delicious. The soup must have been good because the kids loved it too, especially with lots of crackers.

Another of our family faves for dinner over the fire is "hobo dinner." I've heard it called foil packet dinner too. We spray the foil with vegetable oil, place bacon on the first layer, hamburger or chicken next, and then add whatever fresh veggies you like to the foil e.g. potatoes, carrots, green pepper, onion, butter, and celery.

Ingredients ready to wrap.

Be sure and wrap the packet tightly so the grease doesn't run out. Then place them in the coals or on a grate over the fire. Depending how you cut the veggies and how hot the fire is, the packets need to cook 30--45 minutes. Chicken may take longer. PS--It's easy to use your grill at home too.

Dinner wrapped in foil packets.

Clean-up is easy. Just wrap up the foil and throw it away. THEN it'll be time to roast the marshmallows to make S'mores! But first you may want to go for a swim or a hike!

What are your easy go-to recipes when having a crowd over to your house or when camping?

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UPDATE: Deadly Undertaking is now available at major online bookstores.

Books We Love has added my cozy mystery, Deadly Undertaking in all formats to major online booksellers. AND the book is available in paperpback too.!

I am thrilled to know more readers will be able to enjoy this romantic suspense with such a variety of formats.

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We're kicking off the Summer Readers Circle Series this Friday, June 2. Tricia McGill takes her seat in the circle. Meet or re-acquaint yourself with this talented author and her books.

Summer Readers Circle Series begins Friday, June 2.

Please join us for lively discussions and win prizes and giveaways 

every Friday this summer!