I’ve never met a cookbook I didn’t like. However, there’s a first time for everything and The Happy Camper’s Gourmet Cookbook – The Complete Guide to Camper/RV Cooking
I went to the library looking for a cookbook I could use during last weekend’s camping trip. We have a pop up camper, were at a full service camp site (electric and water hookups), and we have a microwave and mini-frig. Plus we were with friends who had a fully stocked RV. So I wanted to cook something a little more ambitious than burgers and franks.
When I found recipes for coq au vin, chicken gumbo with smoked sausage, and ham jambalaya, I thought I was set. The recipes looked easy and the ingredient list wasn’t too complicated. In fact, I pre-measured all the spices and put them in marked baggies before we left.
However, I made the mistake of not reading the recipes very carefully. Both the coq au vin and gumbo recipes needed to be simmered for 30-60 minutes. I had to cheat and add cornstarch to thicken the stews otherwise I would have run out of propane on our cooking stove way before I eventually did.
Also, after making these dishes, I realized how long prep and cooking time took – almost an hour for the first two dishes. (I never made the jambalaya.) Now that’s fine if you’re hanging at the campsite or RV all day. But we were on our friends’ boat all day. Everyone wanted to eat immediately after getting back and didn’t want to wait around longer than 15 minutes.
The only thing good I can say about the recipes is that they were delicious, though the gumbo could have used some additional spiciness. So the next time w go camping, I will have to find some simple and quick recipes or go back to grilling burgers and franks.
 Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed. |
Happy Hanukkah!
Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Cookbook
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
you could partly make the food before you go, ie have the meat cooked and frozen and sauce already make in a jar….hey presto mix them together….