One of my favorite childhood memories is of my Dad cooking
breakfast while we were camping. He would whip up scrambled
eggs, fry bacon and "toast" bread over the fire or the camp stove.
It always seemed to taste better than at home! Now that I am
a Mom, I have developed my own recipes and tricks for camping
breakfasts thanks to my Dad's inspiration!
Breakfast Tips and Suggestions
I indulge my children once a year and buy the little boxes of cereal
that come with a variety of choices. Yes, it's more expensive, but
they think it's extra special to have their own box. Often they wake
up while we are camping and are "starving to death", so I let them
pick a box of cereal and fix their bowls while I clean up the tent, gather
up clothes for the day and then start fixing a hot breakfast.
I have a supply of old bowls, eating and cooking utensils, and cast
iron pans. I splurge and purchase paper plates and plastic cups,
plus napkins and paper towels. We do have a camping stove,
but we cook over the fire as well. I recommend using a cooler for
the perishable food, of course, but also heavy duty, covered plastic tubs
to store the cooking supplies and non-perishable food. Be sure to
bring along a small plastic dish tub, old towels, dishrags, scrubbers
(for the pans) and dish soap. I've found that loose items, paper or
even plastic sacks just end up making a mess.
The recipes below are fun and easy. I also like using left
over ham, or deli ham, chopped and cooked with scrambled
eggs. For easy breakfasts or snacks, bring along bananas,
oranges, toaster pastries (you can warm in a pan or on the
fire very briefly) and yogurt. We usually have a big breakfast,
a light lunch as the kids get hungry later, and a hearty supper
with time for marshmallows and S'mores afterwards.
Campfire Eggs
(Save the remainder of the bacon for the next
day's breakfast with the recipe below)
Ingredients:
8 slices bacon
1 1/2 cups frozen hash browns
sweet onion
salt
pepper
6 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar or Colby cheese
Cook bacon in heavy skillet until crisp. Remove and crumble bacon.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat. Slice as much onion as your family
likes VERY thin, and add to the pan with the potatoes, sprinkle with
salt and pepper. Return to heat, or fire, and fry until potatoes are lightly
browned. Beat together eggs, milk, 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper. Pour
over browned potatoes in skillet. Cook without stirring until mixture
begins to set.Using a spatula lift and fold partially cooked eggs so
uncooked egg flows underneath. Continue cooking for about 4 minutes
until cooked but not dry. Arrange crumbled bacon on top, sprinkle with
cheese.
Breakfast Tortilla Wraps
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon margarine
eggs
milk
Cheddar Cheese or American Cheese
Bacon
Large Flour Tortillas
Beat your eggs together with a small amount of milk.
I use 1 egg per person and 1 extra. Melt margarine
in pan or spray with cooking spray, and add eggs.
In another pan fry your bacon in strips and drain.
After the eggs are cooked, add a spoonful or two
to each tortillas, some cheese and a strip or two
of bacon. (Each person can make their own). Roll
up the tortillas and eat!
Sausage on a Stick
Ingredients:
1 12 ounce package fully cooked smoked sausage links
1 package refrigerated breadsticks
Spear sausage on stick or hotdog fork. Coil one breadstick dough
around each sausage link, pinching ends. Rotate slowly until bread
is browned.
Pineapple or Apple Pancakes
Ingredients:
8 slices canned pineapple
2 large apples
complete pancake mix (using water)
syrup
Mix up your batch of pancake mix according to the
directions (I make mine on the thin side) and prepare as
usual. Place one slice pineapple slice on pan or griddle.
OR slice and peel an apple and place a few thin slices
on the griddle. Pour 1/4 cup batter over slice. Cook on the
first side until it starts to bubble on top, then flip and brown
the other side. Serve with syrup. NOTE: You can also sprinkle
cinnamon sugar over the apples if you wish.
Summer Harvest Tea
