SWEET POTATOES!
I wash, peel, slice into large 1/4" circles, brush with olive oil, season and grill. Put them off to the side and lay a piece of foil over the top if you are using an open pit.
Just before you take them off the fire, brush them with BBQ sauce.
OMG they are soooooo good!
Potatoes are also great!
No refrigeration needed for the ingredients and they are filling.

I actually prefer camping for 2 - 3 nights vs just one night. Lugging all that stuff, and set up for just one night is too much work for me.

I agree that it is so much work for 1 night. You get there, set up camp, sleep, take down camp and go home. 2 nights would give you a whole day to just enjoy yourselves in the woods (or wherever).

We always make camping food very simple. Hamburger Helper. Pre-made spaghetti sauce frozen in freezer baggies, served with veggies and dip. Scrambled eggs and sausages. Hot dogs and beans.

My kids love the jiffy pop popcorn that comes in the foil containers - the bottom burns pretty easily so take care with it. Marshmallows are always fun.

Reviving this thread. Going camping this weekend and looking for recipes and ideas. I was hoping to do some make-ahead stuff but until it cools off I can't leave the bedroom (the one air conditioned room in the house) to cook in the 96 degree kitchen.
I'd love to hear some ideas from others. I'll be with my 4-and-5-year-old nieces. Plus their mom and maybe my husband who is not thrilled with this weather.

pdx - pasta salad makes a good hot weather, make ahead camping food. I make mine with tri-colored corkscrews, an italian-style dressing, and some various and assorted veggies. It makes for a good side dish for lots of other things - and since it doesn't have mayo, it wont spoil quickly or be harmed if it isn't kept absolutely chilled.

You can also make the foil packets ahead of time and just cook them when you are ready - no pre-cooking needed, so you don't have to heat up your kitchen, just preparation.

Of course, sandwiches are always a good fall back - esspecially if you don't want to cook too much ahead and want easy meals while camping.

Quesadillas and tacos are another good choice. Cook the meat ahead of time, shred the cheese, have everything ready to go in small containers.

If you have kids--especially ones not your own--I'd go with november moon's taco idea. Then they can eat the items they want on their taco. My kids like refried beans on their tacos so maybe bring a can of those those too.

I would always pack a box of basic mac and cheese or annie's for that age group, even if it doesn't go with whatever you're serving.

pdx - we do a no electricity/plumbing camping trip every year and the BEST thing ever is a hobo pie maker. Get the double. You can find them at local camping stores:

http://www.cabelas.com/p-0031806515113a.shtml

Sandwiches are sooo much better melted and toasted in the pie maker. Just rub a little butter on the maker. Also what I do is line the pie maker with aluminum foil and reheat leftovers. I always buy a great rice dish from a local Indian restaurant before we leave and heat it up all weekend. It is like having a microwave. And we also put Little Debbie pies in there and heat them up for dessert. There is no clean-up either! Just toss the foil, or burn the sandwich remnants off in the fire.

Combine the hobo pie maker with the waterproof tubberware:

http://www.organize.com/loandlostco8.html

and you won't have cooler water in your lunch meat. I hate cooler water.

REI sells a plastic ball that you can fill with cream and sugar and play with until you have made ice cream.
My kids are grown, so I haven't tried it yet, but it sure appeals to me!
Anyone tried it??

The aforementioned hobo pie maker are called "girl scout pie makers" at my house.
I think we bought them at Wal Mart??
We buy junky white bread and butter both sides and then fill with:
a) cheese (grilled cheese) mmmm
b) pizza sauce, grated cheese, pepperoni (pizzas)
c) granulated sugar and canned fruit pie filling (dessert)

We make these at our cabin on the fire.
There is an art to it; you can't hurry them or they burn.

The frozen stacks of hamburgers or turkey burgers you can get in plastic bags in the frozen section at Costco, etc work really well for camping. The turkey burgers especially taste great cooked over a wood fire. Do you have a cooking grate you can take to stretch over the fire, propped up on some rocks or logs? Get the fire going, then let it burn down to coals before cooking, and you can't miss.

Dessert - That's why I go camping!
1. Banana boats: Cut a banana the long way through the skin, 2/3 of the way into the banana. Push chocolates chips in a row down the center, add a row of baby marshmallows and close up and wrap in tin foil. Put on the grill after the steaks cook - check in about 5 minutes. Yum!
2. Baked apples; Core the apples, put a caramel in the core-hole. Wrap in foil and bake until soft. Serve with kabobs.
2. Grilled pineapple; brush pineapple with olive oil and grill until soft and naturally caramelized. Serve with teriyaki salmon (marinated in a zip lock using La Choy teriyaki)

If you have to have a main dish other than steak or salmon try the crock pot - it works while you play.