Dinner Camping Recipes

Crunchy Tabbouleh

6-ounce box tabbouleh mix (including spice packet)

1 small cucumber

2 scallions

1 carrot

2 radishes

1/2 cup broccoli florets

4 sprigs parsley

2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)

2 tablespoons olive oil

At home: Combine bulgur from tabbouleh mix with contents of spice packet; pack in a zipper-lock bag.

In camp: At breakfast, chop veggies and combine all ingredients in a leakproof container with 1 cup cold, filtered water. By lunchtime, the bulgur will be rehydrated and the salad will be ready to devour. Serve with tortillas. Serves 2.

Angel Hair Pasta with lemon oil

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

12 ounces angel hair pasta

1/8 cup Parmesan cheese

salt to taste

freshly ground pepper to taste

At home: Mix all ingredients except pasta and cheese. Pack in a small, Lexan container (ideal for oil as it won’t sweat through the plastic). Break pasta strands in half and pack in zipper-locked bag for easy transport.

In camp: Cook pasta until al dente, about 5 minutes. Strain liquid from pot; mix in lemon oil and half of the Parmesan cheese. Place in bowls and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Serves two hungry hikers. Serves 2.

Note: Angel hair pasta cooks quickly because it’s thin; use it when fast meals or fuel savings are a must.

Chicken Posole Wraps

Limed corn is the secret to this classic New Mexican comfort food. Flour tortillas and lime wedges are traditional accompaniments.

1 can posole (limed corn) or hominy (15 oz.)

1 foil pouch chicken breast (7 oz.)

1 can chopped green chilies (4 oz.)

1 cube chicken bouillon

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup water

1 package (dozen) 8-inch tortillas

At home: Place onion and garlic in a zip-top bag. Drain posole and chilies; combine in a separate bag.

In camp: Sauté onion, garlic, oregano, and cumin in oil until onion softens. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve bouillon. Simmer 5 minutes or until posole is heated through. Use tortillas to dip. Serves 2.

Salmon-studded Spaghetti

Pink salmon is the star of this pasta dish from the Pacific Northwest

1 can artichoke hearts (14 oz.), drained andquartered

1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

16 oz. pink or smoked salmon in foil pouches

2 tablespoons olive oil

10 ounces spaghetti

1/4 cup Italian-style bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

At home: Place the first 3 ingredients in a zip-top bag.

In camp: Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, sauté artichoke mixture and salmon in oil until heated through. Toss with pasta and bread crumbs, and top with cheese. Serves 2.

Tagliatelle Puttanesca

6 teaspoons anchovy paste

6 teaspoons olive oil

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon sugar

splash balsamic vinegar

3 teaspoons capers, rinsed

12 ounces tagliatelle (similar to fettuccini) pasta

3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

freshly ground pepper to taste

At home: Mix together all the ingredients except pasta and cheese. Store sauce in a small container or zipper-lock bag. Refrigerate until departure. The amount of sauce may seem small but the anchovy and tomato paste give it a concentrated flavor that goes a long way. Note: Sauce will keep for one day in warm climates, two in cool climates.

In camp: Cook pasta until al dente, about 6 minutes. Strain liquid from pot and stir in sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan and cracked pepper if desired. Serves 2.

Mushroom and Tomato Orzo with Pesto

2 cups water

8 ounces orzo

2 sundried tomatoes cut into strips

4 dried mushrooms, diced

2 teaspoons pine nuts

1 tablespoon pesto

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (optional)

In camp: Place mushrooms in pot and add water. Bring to a boil. Add pasta, tomatoes, and cook until tender (about six minutes). Strain. Add pesto and pine nuts and stir. Tip: For extra flavor and crunch, roast pine nuts in a pan over high heat, either in camp or before departure. Top with Parmesan. Serves 2.

Chicken Sausage Corn Chowder

Dried peppers, zucchini, and spices commingle with corn and sausage in this savory stew.

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced

11/2 oz. dehydrated corn

1 oz. dehydrated zucchini, or 1 whole zucchini

2 dried ancho chilies, sliced (or 11 oz. can diced chilies)

2 red/yellow sweet peppers, sliced in strips and dehydrated

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried dill

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 red onion (1/2 cup diced)

1 clove garlic

1 or 2 precooked 6-inch chicken-apple sausages

1 cup powdered milk

2 tablespoons olive oil

At home: Combine dried vegetables in one zip-top bag; combine the 3 spices in another. Pack onion and fresh veggies in paper bags. Repackage powdered milk.

In camp: Rehydrate veggies in 3 cups lukewarm water for 15 minutes. Mince garlic, dice vegetables, and slice zucchini and sausages into 1/2-inch-thick coins. Heat oil, then sauté onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Add spices and sausage, and cook for 5 more minutes. Pour in rehydrated veggies with their water. Simmer 10 minutes or until tender; add more water if necessary. Meanwhile, pour 1 1/2 cups cold water into a 1-liter Lexan bottle; add powdered milk and shake well. Add to soup gradually. Heat until hot but not boiling. Serves 4 to 6. Note: don’t use dried ancho chilies, which are hotter than Hades.