The one thing I like more than anything about camping is cooking over an open flame. So do most campers. I love my Dutch oven, and so should you. If you don’t have one, you need to get one, especially if you’re an avid camper.

Be sure to get a 12-inch oven that’s been pre-seasoned. If you’ve never used one, don’t worry. You’ll get instructions on how to use it. All you need are the recipes, and that’s where I can help. Here are 3 to start with:

CAMPER’S CLAM CHOWDER:
2 potatoes, diced
2 6-ounce cans minced clams
4 slices bacon
3/4 cup flour
6 tablespoons butter
3 cups light cream
1/2 cup celery
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1/2 onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, crushed

With 12 coals on the bottom and 12 coals on the top, boil potatoes for about 10 minutes. Drain water and set aside potatoes. Cook bacon. When done, crumble and drain grease. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in the Dutch oven. Add the celery, onion, and garlic. Saute slowly for 3-4 minutes. Add the clams and potatoes. Mix the flour in with the cream and butter and whip until lumps are gone. Pour in the cream/flour mixture and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook at a low boil for 10 minutes then reduce coals for a 20 minute simmer until soup thickens to your liking.

CHICKEN AND RICE:
1 pound bacon
4-5 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 cups water
1 10-ounce can chicken broth
1/4 cup diced onion
1 10-ounce can creamy mushroom soup
1 diced garlic clove
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1-1/2 cups brown rice
seasonings to taste

With 12 coals on top and 10 coals on bottom, cook bacon until done. Drain grease. Add chicken, onion, and garlic. Lightly brown chicken. Add all other ingredients, blend together, cover, and allow to cook for 30 minutes. Remove lid, stir, cover, and cook for approximately 15 more minutes until rice and chicken are done.

CHUCK WAGON BREAKFAST:
2 pounds ground seasoned sausage or bacon
1/4 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 pound pre-cubed cooked ham
1 2-pound package cubed has browns
18 eggs
1/2 cup milk
seasonings to taste

With 12 coals on top and 12 on bottom, add sausage or sliced bacon. When meat is cooked, drain all grease. Add onion and garlic and saute for 4 minutes. Add ham and hash browns, cover, and cook until hash browns are done, stirring occasionally. In a separate bowl, whip eggs and milk. Add egg mixture to oven, stirring into meat, add seasonings, cover, and cook until eggs are done, stirring occasionally.

There you go. Pick one or all, and your next camping trip will be a huge hit. I hope you enjoy them.

Tags : Cooking

If you eat, and I am relatively certain that you do, you should consider online grocery shopping. Here are four really good reasons why online grocery shopping is right for just about everyone:

1. You will save a lot of time. I do not know about you, but time is most valuable to me. You can save several hours a week for something else you would rather do more than grocery shop. I like that idea.

2. You will save a lot of money. Really, grocery shopping online is cost effective. Many people find it difficult to shop without being distracted by displays designed to encourage impulsive purchases. Grocery marketers are very skilled at getting us all to spend more than we had intended. Shopping online encourages you to only buy what you need, reducing impulse spending.

3. No stress and frustration. Online grocery shopping is absolutely the best for a stress free, relaxed and flexible grocery shopping experience. It does not get better than being able to do your shopping anytime 24/7 and 365 days a year when you have the time. What is even better is that you do not need to deal with crowded stores, no parking places, and your kids wanting you to buy every sugar coated cereal they see. You shop when you can and are ready to and then schedule delivery of your groceries when you will be at home. What a luxury!

4. Delivery is almost always free! Internet grocery stores have to maintain their market share to be competitive. They do this by offering good service at competitive prices. Free delivery is quite often one of the perks of grocery shopping online. You get all the advantages of online grocery shopping without the cost of delivery. Does it get any better than improved service without the cost?

Tags : Cooking

Curing all non-seasoned cast iron cookware is easy, but it must be done properly.

What is curing and why do we do it?

Curing stops cast iron cookware from becoming rusty and because the coating it gives,  it stops food from sticking and as a result giving you the perfect non-stick pan!

Perhaps you don’t have a new piece of cast iron cookware, maybe you’ve picked up an old one at the local market, or perhaps you’ve found your Grandmother’s griddle or skillet lying lost and forlorn out in the garden somewhere. Whatever, in almost any condition, cast iron cookware is nearly always suitable for simple renovation and subsequent curing.

Considering first your old piece of cast iron cookware, regardless of its state, give it a good rub down with sandpaper so that the original surface can be seen.

Now we come to the curing step, whether you have a new piece of cast iron cookware or you’re renovating an old on .

Before going any further, whether you’re dealing with an old or new item of cookware, it’s important to clean your oven with hot soapy water both inside and out, no matter how perfect you may think it looks.

Now warm up your item of cookware. Do this ideally in a charcoal grill or if not available, in the oven at 200 degrees. A charcoal grill heated up outdoors is preferred, because of the odors and usually some smoke that comes off the cookware that can linger.

When it’s warm put on your oven gloves and spread Crisco on all of the  cookware’s surface, inside and outside; instead of Crisco you can equally use oil, other type of shortening, or lard.

After fully coating the piece of cookware, place it back into the oven at 350 degrees for one hour.

When one hour has passed, let the cast iron cookware cool naturally on the grill or in the oven as it naturally cools down. Never, ever cool cast iron quickly, it will seriously damage it.

Once it’s cooled, that’s it, you’re done; your cookware is now ready for cooking.

Now this is not the end of the curing process as this will continue to take place over the lifetime of the cookware. But only if you follow this simple ritual:

1. Each time you use your cookware you must wash it; don’t listen to those saying that you shouldn’t, it’s not very hygienic!

2. First wipe the cookware with a paper towel to remove spent food, then wash it in warm soapy water.

3. Wipe the pan with paper towels and leave it to dry.

4. When it’s dry, wipe a little light oil or shortening or lard on all of the cookware, absolutely everywhere, without exception! And don’t forget the legs, the handle, and the lid.

That’s it. If you keep up this ritual, it won’t be long before your cookware has that beautiful dark hue of a well looked after, well loved piece of cast iron cookware that you’ll be really surprised is remarkably easy to keep clean!

Note:  Don’t ever use metal tools, heavy scourers, wire scrubbers, or brushes on your cast iron cookware or you will ruin your cured surface with scratches, which means food will get into the scratches and stick when you’re cooking. As such, you will no longer be the proud owner of a non-stick pan; your cooking experience will be rubbish, and the only thing to be done will be to restart the curing process once again.

Tags : Cooking