snowrooster

We will be going on our first family campout in a couple of weeks. I camped w/my family as a kid and dh and I have camped prekids, but it has been a few years. I bought a nice tent and the kids (ages 4 & 6) are very excited. We are just going for one night as that is pretty much all I can handle!!

Of course I know the standard favorites - smores, hot dogs, etc. and we aren't going to do anything too involved or gourmet. So I'm looking for quick, yummy fun ideas for things to cook on campfire that don't require too much preparation or special campfire cooking equiptment. BTW, we are going on my birthday so I figure I kind of get to be in charge of what we eat (not that I'm not normally anyway!!)!

maria_so

Chicken legs marinated in garlic and soy sauce at least 4 hrs before grilling is easy. Get drumsticks so it can be handles easily. Trust me, it's simple but VERY yummy. Skewered veggies are really nice on the grill too. Green pepper, big mushrooms, red onions, yellow squash, even pinapple sliced up in chunks and skewered over the grill is yummy. Additionally, you can brush some vinaigrette on it while on the fire and it will add an addiotinal yum!

I love camping - enjoy!

kureiff

Some of our favorites:

Hamburgers. Wrap the patties individually in foil and put them on the grill over the campfire. They'll puff up and cook in their own juices -- delicious.

Camp potatoes. Scallop the potatoes, put them in foil with a stick of butter, a few slices of bacon, and some chopped onions and green peppers (and salt and pepper). Throw on the grill. When they're done, add grated cheddar cheese.

Steaks. Easy and delicious over the campfire.

Shrimp. Put shrimp, a little bit of olive oil, and a few lemon and lime halves in tin foil. Cook over the campfire.

Chicken. We marinate chicken breasts in an orange sauce (all in a ziploc bag in the cooler) and then grill.

Scrambled eggs. You can make them up ahead of time in a ziploc bag and then toss the ziploc bag in boiling water. Requires the use of a gas camp stove.

Egg muffins. Toast english muffins, add a fried egg, cheese, and slice of canadian bacon or regular bacon.

Pancakes with fresh berries picked while camping. We almost always have huckleberry pancakes when we're camping.

Fajitas are easy. You can pre-cut the chicken or steak and the vegetables. Marinate in a ziploc bag and then cook.

You can make lasagna in a dutch oven. Dutch ovens are also great for homemade berry cobblers (we usually do blackberry or huckleberry).

You can buy one of those ice cream balls and make homemade ice cream.

Have fun! We love to camp, and it's great fun for kids!

suze

Make up a big pot of chili, then freeze it in plastic containers. They will help keep you cooler cold, and you only need defrost and dump in a pan to warm on the campfire.

suze

I'm meaning make this ahead of time, at home, on your own stove.

trippinkpj

I have a "canned" dish with chili. Heat together the following: 1 can chili w/ beans, 1 can beef tamales, 1 small can of corn and a small canned of sliced olives. sprinkle with shredded "mexican" cheese blend. Yum! Although, Suze's homemade chili sounds better.

Kansan

When our children were little, we enjoyed making "surprise packages". It's easy to make and can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the cooler. We usually use a hamburger patty but one can also use chicken breast, fish fillet or sausage; whatever meat the little ones enjoy. Lay the meat on a long strip of foil. Then each diner gets to add whatever extras they like. We've used onion slices, mushrooms, thinly sliced potato and carrot, tomato, green pepper, pepperoni, cheese, the list is endless. Wrap it up, crimping the ends well. Toss on the grill and cook about 30 minutes depending on the heat. Flip once during cooking. It's easy to serve on a paper plate and clean up is so easy.

The children enjoyed this as they had a hand in preparation. I'd try to label the packages for each child, so there's no confusion at serving time.

If it's their first time camping, I'd suggest each child has their own flashlight with fresh batteries. Sometime little ones get a bit spooked and like to know they have their trusty flashlight.

SuzieTrue

A fun thing to do is stick bread.
Use a can of refrigerated bread sticks, separate the sections, wrap around a stick [can be the long fork you use for roasting marshmallows], hold over the fire and rotate slowly. My DH's scout troop loves them.

Kansan

Here's something for dessert. I haven't tried it, but it looks like fun for the kids.

Ice Cream Ball: Dip into a sweet, cold bowl of homemade ice cream after a long day of hiking or on a hot day at the beach. Fill the bottom of this durable, lightweight Lexan® plastic ball with ice and rock salt, add ice cream ingredients to the top and just shake, pass or roll the ball around your campsite. In 20 minutes, scoop out about a pint of ice cream. Recipes included.
www2.llbean.com/product/41066.htm

starrsville

You can also do this with two cans. The smaller one holds the ice cream mixture. The larger can holds the smaller can and ice - and you roll the can back and forth. Google for tin can ice cream for recipes and more info.

thurstonbb

We used to always make spam-kabobs - spam chunks and pineapple chunks with brown sugar/pineapple juice poured over. They sound awful but tasted yummy, especially a bit crunchy.

Kansan

Starrs, that beats $29.95!!

starrsville

But, it's not as pretty!

J_Correa

We have the ice cream ball - and since we got it for Christmas from my dad (with the express purpose of having ice cream while camping) it beats paying the $29.95 AND the ghetto tin can method. Although, if I hadn't gotten the ball for Christmas, I'd be out there with my tin cans just like starsville

When I was a kid, we would make instant pudding in the creek - instant pudding, milk (or powdered milk and water, which is what we'd do for backpacking) - mix it all in a ziplock bag and secure underwater in the creek with a big rock. The cold water makes the pudding set up. You can put crushed up cookies in there too, candies, or whatever.

We generally grill when we go camping and have canned pinto beans refried and tortillas. Very easy. We do the packets too sometimes - meat, potatoes, etc.

For breakfast, if we have eggs, I always crack the eggs into a jar before we go, that way we don't have to worry about the eggs breaking in the ice chest - and they stay really cool since I can submerge them in the ice water in the bottom.

trippinkpj

We've also enjoyed the taco, roll-ups or quesadilla's when camping. And breakfast burritos.

starrsville

I'm ghetto - and didn't know it!

If you have a campfire, potatoes wrapped in foil are great - but take a while to cook. Packets with meat and veggies work great. I like steak tips and onions and carrots.

We loved to take a Jiffy Pop popcorn popper. Can you still buy those things?

NOTHING smells as good as coffee and bacon at a campsite. Nothing.

Grapes and apple slices in baggies for quick snacks are always good.

And don't forget how good a box of spaghetti with a jar or can of sauce will taste. Easy, easy, easy - little prep and very good.

Be sure to pack a can opener.

suze

Will you have a gas camp stove? Or you will cooking only with wood on an open fire pit?

starrsville

Oh! And take marshmallows. You can cut twigs, but I'd take the thin metal coat hangers to make the roasting sticks. Can't go camping without marshmallows at the campfire!

starrsville

PS - If you are going to a campground with hookups, sneak in a one eye hot plate. Cheap (less than $10) from Wal-Mart. Yes, I've cheated with kids to make boil water quickly for hot chocolate, spaghetti, scrambled eggs, etc. When kids are hungry, they won't care

RedRock

Don't for get to keep a clean food free campsite. You did not say where the camping would be but there may be critters that are attracted to the smells of good cooking. You don't want a late night uninvited dinner guest.

http://www.all-creatures.org/aw/grizzly.html