Camping.com

RV Road Trip

RV Road Trip

RV Camping | Road Trip Ideas

Hit the Road and Camp America!

More...
RV Stuff

RV Stuff

Top RV camping trips and Tips

Top Trip & RV Camping Tips

More...
Family Camping Fun

Family Camping Fun

Family Camping Fun | Hot Spots

Camping tips and trip ideas for the whole family

More...
Camping Gems

Camping Gems

Camping Trip | Hidden Treasures

Find hidden treasures for camping and RV road trips

More...
Camp Cuisine

Camp Cuisine

Recipes | RV & Campsite Cooking

Recipes for Camping and RV Cooking

More...
Camp Styles

Camp Styles

Tips | For the Way You Camp

Tips and Trip Ideas for Every Type of Camper or RVer

More...

Camp Cuisine

Camp Cuisine - Camping Recipes

Inspire your inner camp chef with recipes for camping trips.  It doesn’t matter if it’s shared around a campfire, cooked in your RV's gourmet kitchen, or take-out from the local deli, food just tastes better on a camping vacation!
Find and share more great camping recipes at CampingCafe.com

Homemade Granola Bars

Homemade Granola Bars

By Michaela Jellicoe

When you make your own granola bars from scratch, you can make any style of granola bar you like and your selection of ingredients is much wider. You can also make a healthier version of a granola bar; your homemade granola bars will not be made with corn syrup and chemicals. The best part about making homemade granola bars is that you can load them with whole grains, but they still taste as yummy as an oatmeal cookie.

I started my granola bar journey by doing some online research into how exactly a homemade granola bar is made. From this I learned what proportions are generally used and what types of ingredients are most often used. After I figured out the basics of making a granola bar I decided to experiment to create a recipe that I liked.

I went to my local grocery store, which has a great bulk foods section. I knew I wanted some rolled oats, wheat germ, and whole-wheat flour, among other things. As I perused the aisles of my grocery store I decided to add some rolled barley to my recipe. My first attempt at making granola bars used rolled oats, rolled barley, wheat germ, whole wheat flour, honey, vanilla, baking soda, butter, unsweetened coconut, mini semisweet chocolate chips and walnuts. This first experiment tasted great, but it was crumbly and fell apart at the slightest touch.

The crumbliness of the recipe was extremely dissatisfying, so I decided to try again. I used the same basic ingredients, except I replaced some of the honey with brown sugar, I added an egg white and replaced the coconut with candied ginger. This batch was a success, although it may be more like a cookie than a traditional granola bar. The ginger is a great addition to the recipe too -- it adds a little bite to counter the sweetness of the honey.

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup rolled barley (optional: replace with rolled oats)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ (optional: replace with a little less flour)
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter (can use a little less if you want)
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 egg white
1/4 cup candied ginger (optional)
1/2 cup diced walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking pan.
2. Mix the dry ingredients, except the ginger, walnuts and chocolate.
3. Melt the butter. Grease the measuring cup for the honey before measuring the honey; this will make it much easier to get the honey out of the cup. Separate the egg yolk from the white, dispose of the yolk and whip the white until it is frothy. Add the butter, vanilla, honey and egg white to the dry ingredients. Make sure to mix well, so all of the oats are covered.
4. Mix in the ginger, walnuts and chocolate chips.
5. Let the mixture rest for around 10 minutes. This will help the honey, egg and butter to soak in, so the bars will hold together better.
6. Put the mixture into the baking sheet and press down hard. If you grease your hands before pressing the mixture into the pan you will find that the oats don't stick to your hands as much.
7. Bake for 18-25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Allow to cool completely before serving. You can eat them while warm, but they don't get hard and stick together until they are completely cool.


Going Greek

Going Greek


Greek cuisine is composed of fairly simple foods with complex flavors. Greek cuisine has a long history. Many of the traditional recipes have remained virtually the same for hundreds of years. As you prepare your Greek meal, you can enjoy the delightful flavors and think through the years of Greek history that brought these recipes to your table. Many Greek dishes are made with lamb, but if lamb isn't your favorite it can be substituted for a less strongly flavored meat, like beef.

Souvlaki
Souvlaki is a great Greek meat recipe which combines tender meat and grilled meat. If you want, you can mix the types of meat you use and can add onion and pepper wedges to your skewers as well. Also, you can cut your meat into larger or smaller chunks depending on how large or small you like your meat skewers.

Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, curshed
4 lbs pork/lamb/chicken cut into 1 inch cubes
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the meat making sure to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours

2. Preheat grill to medium heat. Put meat onto kebab skewers.

3. Lightly brush grill with oil. Cook the meat for 10-15 minutes or until done, be sure to turn the skewers often to ensure the meat is cooked evenly.

Tzatziki
This is a traditional Greek sauce which has a delightful mild flavor and is great paired with Souvlaki in a pita.

2 cups plain yogurt
1-2 cucumbers, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
3 cloves of peeled garlic
salt and pepper to taste

1. Blend in a food processor or blender, yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, dill and garlic. Blend until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Moussaka
Moussaka is a traditional Greek eggplant casserole which combines eggplant, lamb and bechamel sauce.

3 peeled medium eggplants, cut 1/4-1/2 inch thick lengthwise slices
1 cup finely chopped onions
3/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
2 lb. lean ground lamb
1 cup tomatoes
bay leaf
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Ground black pepper to taste
3 egg whites
1/2 bread crumbs
3 egg yolks beaten
fresh nutmeg
Grated parmesan cheese

For the Bechamel Sauce
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
2 cup milk
2 small onions with 2 to 3 whole cloves punched into each
1 small bay leaf

1. Generously salt the eggplant slices with sea salt in a colander and allow to drain. Set aside and let the eggplant slices drain for 25-45 minutes.

2. Saute the chopped onion until golden in 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the ground lamb and brown slowly.

3. Add the tomatos, bay leaf, red wine, nutmeg and black pepper and simmer gently for about 45 minutes.

4. While the meat sauce is cooking, brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and saute on both sides until browned. Drain the slices on a paper towel, so they don't get too oily.

5. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold gently into the cooled meat sauce with the bread crumbs.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare the bechamel sauce. First melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and stir over low heat for 3-5 minutes. Then stir the milk in slowly. Add the onions and bay leaf continue to cook and stir the sauce until it is thick and smooth. Put the sauce in the oven for 20 minutes to cook. Strain the sauce to remove the onion and bay leaf then top with some freshly grated nutmeg.

7. Beat the egg yolks then pour some of the hot bechamel sauce and add some freshly grated nutmeg.

8. Pour the egg yolks into the bechamel sauce and mix.

9. With the oven preheated to 350 degrees, place a layer of eggplant into a greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Then place a layer of meat sauce. Continue layering and end with a layer of eggplant. Pour the bechamel sauce over the casserole. Top with grated parmesan.

10. Bake the casserole, uncovered, until lightly browned and heated through. Remove from the oven and allow to set for 10-20 minutes. Slice and serve.

Best Festive Drinks

Best Festive Drinks


The New Year is a great time to indulge in a few festive drinks. Of course, what makes a drink festive is the atmosphere in which it is prepared and enjoyed, so a New Years celebration is the perfect place to get adventurous with your cocktails. Whipping up a few cocktails is a lot of fun, especially when you are trying new flavors and recipes. Here are a few great recipes to try as you bring in the New Year and continue to celebrate throughout 2010 and beyond.

The Classic Champagne Cocktail

This is one of the ultimate cocktails for champagne lovers. Unlike many champagne cocktails, this one enhances the flavors and is best made with good quality champagne.

Chilled Champagne
1 sugar cube
2-4 dashes Angostura bitters
Lemon twist

Drop the sugar cube into the bottom of a chilled champagne flute. Moisten the sugar cube with a few dashes of bitters. Pour the champagne over the sugar cube and garnish with a lemon twist.



Bellini

The Bellini is a nice fruity champagne cocktail. In some ways this is similar to the Mimosa, but it has a distinct and unique flavor.

Chilled champagne
1-2 oz peach nectar
.5 oz fresh lemon juice

Mix the juices in a chilled champagne flute. Stir well and gently pour champagne to the rim.

You can choose to use more or less peach nectar depending on how fruity you like your cocktail.  Either way it will be a delightfully refreshing drink.


Caipirinha


The Caipirinha is also gaining popularity throughout the world. It is best made with Cachaca, a Brazilian alcohol made from sugar cane, but light rum is an acceptable substitute if you can't find any Cachaca.

1.5-2 oz Cachaca
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 lime or .5-1 oz fresh lime juice

Cut the lime into at least 4 pieces. Put the lime wedges and sugar into an old fashioned glass and muddle well. Fill the glass with crushed ice and then pour the Cachaca over the top. If you don't have the tools to muddle the lime and sugar, you can use fresh lemon juice instead. Combine the lime, sugar and Cachaca in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Then pour into an old fashioned glass filled with crushed or whole ice cubes.


Tom and Jerry


The Tom and Jerry is a hot drink that slightly resembles eggnog. It is believed that the famous bartender Jerry Thomas invented the Tom and Jerry. This drink is a great wintertime treat.

1-2 oz dark rum (substitute light if you want a lighter drink)
1-2 oz brandy
1 egg, separated
1 tsp sugar
Hot milk
Freshly ground nutmeg

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks begin to form. Add the sugar and continue beating until peaks are stiff. Beat the yolk until it is thick and frothy. Beat in the brandy and rum. Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture, making sure you don't flatten the egg whites. Pour the batter into a warm mug. Gently fill the mug with hot milk, sprinkle with nutmeg, and enjoy.

You are here: Home Camp Cuisine