Resources For Open Fire Cooking

Transcript

Resources for Open Fire Cooking Page 1 of 7 Cooking Without Utensils Introduction -Everyone who has been involved in scouting has memories and a story or two about cooking and meals that they have made or eaten. Cooking without utensils, while no longer a rank requirement, is a long-time scouting tradition. Its novelty makes it a great deal of fun and an adventure to some extent. It can teach a great deal about heat management, meal planning, and nutrition. It can be much more than a marshmallow or hotdog on a stick – and it should be. Time required – One hour class-time and + two hours food and fire preparation time. Demonstration should be just before a meal time. After the class, the group can then prepare their own meal using techniques learned. Target Audience – 1-25 scouts, venturing crew members, and/or adults Learning objectives – At the end of the session, learners will: Have fun and eat a meal that they have prepared without utensils Become aware of good cooking-fire requirements Recognize that good meals can be prepared without utensils Become aware that leaves, rocks, clay, sticks, and stones can become effective cooking tools Learn that these ideas can increase enthusiasm for cooking Be able to plan a meal cooked without utensils Training Format -Outdoor demonstration and practice Required Materials -Ideally hardwood charcoal (briquettes as an alternative), an area where suitable materials can be harvested without damaging the environment, sweet or neutral tasting leaves (cornhusks as substitute), rocks that can be heated without shattering, clay, and food. Cooking without utensils is far from a science. There are many variables such as the fire, the food being cooked, the wind speed, temperature of cooking rocks, sticks, clays, leaf moisture, etc. These variables make cooking times impossible to be more than intelligent guesses. In learning, there will be a lot of undercooking and over-cooking. Practice, practice, practice. You will have fun, learn, and enjoy the food. Trying all of these methods with all of the foods mentioned here is not practical in one session. Various foods and materials are not always available. Try to prepare at least one meat dish, one vegetable, one bread, and a dessert using several methods of cooking. Meat and/or bread on a stick, eggs in onions or oranges, baked squash, and some stone boiling would be good to try for. Cooking Without Utensils Demonstration Ideas -One way to do the demonstration could be with food ready to go and a bed of coals waiting. 1. small fish – planked and propped next to the fire 2. ½ pound fish, 2 strips bacon, 2 gobs of butter, and 1 small chopped onion -- wrap in leaves and cook in fire 3. ½ pound beef, 2 medium onions, and 1 slice bacon -- on stick as a kabob 4. beef (chunk or ground) -- baked on leaf on coals 5. beef steak 2”x3” -- directly on coals 6. egg -- fry on flat rock 7. egg -- on spit 8. egg -- on coals 9. bread (biscuit mix) -- as twist http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/TrainingModules/Cookingwithoutuntensils.aspx?p... 4/3/2010 Page 2 of 7 10. biscuits -- on a hot rock griddle 11. bread -- done as ashcake 12. potato -- baked in hot earth under fire 13. corn -- wet husks directly in coals Preparation – Raw foods that require refrigeration should be in coolers. The foods should be prepared as much as possible and ready to go. The fireplace should be ready to go and with a bed of glowing coals. Explain how to prepare a good cooking fireplace and how to select and prepare and lay wood for the fire. A second fire should be prepared and ready to light during the demonstration if the group will be cooking their meal after the demonstration. Have a demonstration bear-bag up. The Fire – The fireplace should be in a proper area with water available. Start with a good twigs and wood fire. For a fast bed of good coals, start a teepee fire under a stack of criss-crossed hardwood with pencil-sized wood below and increasing to about wrist size as you go up. Ideally a bed of coals 4-5” deep is best. (see diagram 1) If real charcoal is available, add it after spreading the fire. Briquettes can be used, but should not be used if any food is to be placed directly upon them. A rock ‘fence’ on the lea side of the fireplace will create a draft to make fire hotter. A rocklined bottom is a good idea to hold and reflect heat. Before actual cooking begins, a good bed of coals is needed – not flames Trainer Tip: During the course of the demo a number of safety and conservation warnings will be needed – proper fire ring, water nearby. Stone selection -- dry igneous. Stick and leaf selection – no oleander, rhododendron, mayapple, poke, or castor bean. No wood with toxic sap. Avoid resinous woods and those that will spoil flavors. Cooking materials and techniques Directly on the coals – This is likely the way primitive cooking began. Simply throw the food on the fire. Steak should be 3/4” to 1½” thick, fan ashes off of the coals. (A bed of coals at least 2” thick in area 1/3rd larger than total area of steaks is best.) Press the meat on the coals to seal in the juices. After about a minute, fan ashes of another area and flip the steak on to it. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side. Fish – gut, don’t scale, leave the head on. For a large fish, make slits in flesh to the backbone every inch or so. After cooking, remove head, tail, and skin. Wrap small fish in leaves or wet paper and put on coals. Eggs – pierce shell and membrane Fowl – clean the bird from the vent, add dressing if you want. Wet the feathers by dunking bird in water, cover coals with ashes, add bird, more ashes, then coals. Roast corn – open husks, remove ‘silk’ and strip all but 1 layer of husk, tie that husk around the corn with a piece of husk. Dip it in water and cover with embers, or bury in sand and make fire over it. Ground cooking – Small squash are their own cook-pots – cut them open, clean out the seeds, put in brown sugar and butter or margarine, replace the cut portion and fasten with a couple of toothpick-sized sticks. Cook on or under the ground + 2 hours. Bread or biscuits – prepare the dough in a loaf about ½ “ thick, rake the fire from an area and place the loaf on smooth flat earth, and cover with hot ashes. After baking 10-15 minutes, turn over, rake the loaf out, and blow off the ash. Test for doneness with a slender twig. (see diagram 2) Roast potatoes, carrots, beets, onions, small turnips, and tomatoes; also apples if wrapped in leaves. Scrape out a hole deep enough to hold them, build a quick fire above it, scrape half of the coals aside, put food in, cover with coals, cover with dirt, let cook 25-40 minutes. Steaming – pit lined with rocks, fire 1 hour, remove coals, line with wet vegetation, add food, cover with more wet vegetation, cover, add water, seal, for several hours. Sand – red-hot dry sand, well-wrapped food, covered with 3” wet sand for 1 hour Rock cooking -The most important thing to remember is that rocks can contain moisture. If that moisture is converted to steam, the rocks can explode. Igneous rocks are less likely to crack or explode when heated. Avoid shale and limestone; try for smooth, not gritty rocks. In the wild you just have to be a bit of a geologist; pick your rocks carefully and be aware of the potential danger. http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/TrainingModules/Cookingwithoutuntensils.aspx?p... 4/3/2010 Page 3 of 7 Trainer tip: For demonstrations I fill a shallow pan with vermiculite or sand and place the rocks on the pan and put it into a low heat oven overnight. A flat rock less than 2” thick can be used as a griddle. Place it on top of coals and heat slowly and evenly for about 30 minutes. When one side is heated, turn it over, heat the other side, level it, brush off, and use as a griddle. The rock is ready for cooking when a drop of water sizzles on it. Trainer tip: soapstone, marble, concrete paver, or granite counter top can be used Bacon and eggs – break in an egg into a ‘fence’ or barrier made of bacon strips. Onion rings – dip in batter, fry on hot rock. Batter should be thinner than for biscuits, but thick enough to adhere to the onions. Biscuits -- ½” thick 2” diameter Tortillas – pat out dough thinner than pancakes. For less sticking, a thin layer of flour can be dusted on a hot rock griddle before putting on a thin tortilla Small (about golf ball size) hot rocks can be placed inside the body cavity of small mammals or birds. Use gloves, tongs, or careful words with a couple of sticks. Remember that if it is hot enough to cook with, it can burn you. Ideally the ‘critter’ should then be wrapped in some sort of insulation to hold in as much heat as possible. Hot stones can be used for boiling in anything that will hold water. Generally the rocks won’t damage the linings – water takes all of their heat. Containers to consider are wooden bowls, gourds, space blankets, pumpkins, or someone else’s hat. Stone boiling can be done in a hole in the ground lined with any material that holds water. A basket or such in the bottom to catch and hold the rocks will make them easy to find and change. Heat 20-30 stones 2-3” diameter for about 10 minutes to a half hour. It takes 5 or 6 such stones to boil 2 quarts of water in 2-3 minutes. Remove cold stones before adding new hot ones. Pumpkin cooking – Hollow out pumpkin as for a Jack-o-Lantern, put in food, add water until about 2/3rd’s full, add 6-8 hot rocks about golf-ball size, put top slice on. When simmering stops (about 25 minutes), remove rocks and return them to the fire and add new rocks. Stone oven – (see diagram 3) The oven should be just large enough for the food. The opening should be toward the fire. Build the fire to heat, then cover the open ends with slabs. it is best to have a layer of green vegetation around the food; this adds moisture and avoids scorching. Stick cooking – stick selection Leave No Trace 1. Look for the size and shape sticks you want in an area that is off the trail and that won’t be missed 2. Check to see that it will be useful – green, non-poisonous, neutral or good taste and smell, solid, no pith or pitch. Know your plants -- avoid oleander, rhododendron, laurel, yew, holly and elm. 3. Cut low to the ground, don’t leave a sharp or jagged stump 4. Trim it to shape off the trail, remove leaves and bark Heat stick to seal in sap/resins before using unless using sticks that will add a good flavor. Sassafras or black birch add great flavors. The thicker the item to be cooked the farther it should be from the heat. Otherwise the result will have a raw inside and a burned outside. Roasting is best on the side of (not over) coals – not in the flames. A container to catch drippings for basting or making sauce or gravy is a good idea. 16-18” above coals, if directly above them. Broiler racquet from woven sticks (see diagrams 4a, 4b, and 4c) © 2010 Boy Scouts of America - All Rights Reserved http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/TrainingModules/Cookingwithoutuntensils.aspx?p... 4/3/2010 Page 4 of 7 Split stick for toast, etc. Meat – 8 count using your hand as a thermometer on side of fire, if over coals 4 count – chicken – 35 minutes per pound, lamb – 35 minutes per pound, beef – 30 minutes per pound, fish – 8-10 minutes per pound; rotate ¼ turn every 10 minutes Meatloaf – meat, onions, cornflakes, stick ½“ diameter with branch nubs – tie on with bark strips or such (see diagram 5) Kabobs – pencil-thick stick, meat, vegetables, mushrooms. Food close together = rare, spaced = well-done. If you are using bacon, don’t cut in pieces, stretch it along the side. (see diagram 6) Planked fish/steak – attach to heated split logs, flat strips, flat rocks, etc. with pegs or wire, place at angle in front of fire. With fish have skin side next to the plank. (see diagram 7) Slab cooking – heat a green hardwood slab on the fire until the sap sizzles and use it as a griddle. Egg – stick maximum of ¼” diameter, triangular cross-section, about 6” above coals for about 10 minutes. Be careful not to seal the holes in the shell. Birds – dress and stuff, 2 sticks through body side to side, 1 at legs 1 at wings, suspend by sticks next to fire on a wet string with a drip pan below. A reflector is very useful. Baste with drippings, and after a bit turn it over. Allow at least 20 minutes per pound total. Bacon strips at the sticks helpful, low end of bird should be about 4” from ground. (see diagrams 8a and 8b) If suspended on a twisted wet string or wire it will rotate better if a Seton wind fan is used. Make a fan or wind-catcher and put it into the twist. (see diagram #9) http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/TrainingModules/Cookingwithoutuntensils.aspx?p... 4/3/2010 Page 5 of 7 Fowl Stuffing – (one cup of stuffing for each pound of bird) 3 cups dry bread cubes ½ cup chopped celery 2 tbsp chopped onion 1 tsp sage or sassafras leaves 2 gobs butter 1 tsp salt ½ tsp pepper Mix the above ingredients. Then add enough water to moisten. Bread twists -- Twist stick should be 1-3” diameter. Peel bark, cut lengthwise slashes to hold dough. Heating the twist stick very hot makes the dough stick better and can do some baking from the inside. Dough stiff enough to have a thumb-thick roll will hang without breaking. At first, bake close to coals to firm up, then move away for slower baking. (see diagram 10) Bread cups -- stick about baseball bat thick, heat and grease, coat with + ½” biscuit mix. When done, fill with pudding for éclair or butter, sugar, cinnamon on the outside. Could also be used as a bowl. Place the food between the fire and a reflector of some sort if possible. Clay cooking – Clay selection is important. Smell and taste a bit. The wrong clay can impart bad flavors. Trainer Tip: For demonstrations, a talk with a local potter might give good ideas and/or useful clay. Poultry, fish, or small mammals should be wrapped in clay with no fur or feathers exposed. They cook in what becomes their own little oven. Gut the food item and cut off head and feet but leave skin, feathers, or scales on. For birds, remove the tail oil gland and large tail and wing feathers. Cook ¾ hour for fish or a small bird. Rub the wet, putty-like texture clay into the feathers, fur, or scales very well and wrap in clay. For fish use a thin layer and place in coals for 45 minutes to an hour. For birds and mammals, the clay layer should be about ½-3/4” thick. When the clay has hardened and the food cooked, crack open the ‘pot’ and the fur, feathers, or scales will stick to the hardened clay. Eggs can also be wrapped in clay, covered with ashes, and ready in about 20 minutes. Leaf cooking – ‘Indian aluminum foil’ – food can be wrapped in non-poisonous leaves (at least three layers is best) and placed on the coals and covered with warm ash. Many leaves will provide seasoning in the process. It’s a good idea to taste the leaves before using them. A bit of botany is required here. Obviously poisonous plants (castor bean, mayapple, elephant ear, dumb cane, pokeweed, rhubarb, etc.) should be avoided. Plant leaves with a good flavor –sassafras, maple, grape leaves are ideal. Basswood, birch, and tulip tree are also good. They can really add flavor to what is being cooked. Some of the nut tree leaves can give a bad flavor. In any event, know your plants. Most are safe. Trainer Tip: For demonstrations, soaked corn husks, lettuce, cabbage, or banana leaves work very well. (Banana leaves are available in many ethnic grocery stores.) Wet brown wrapping paper or newspaper will work. For meat, fish, of fowl try 6-8 layers of wet paper. Meat cooking – place meat on 3-7 layers of leaves and put on coals. The leaf area under the meat stays moist and cool. After about 5 minutes remove from the coals and flip onto other leaves for the other side. Meat, vegetables, and breads can all be cooked wrapped in leaves. They can be placed on the coals, buried under the fire or in hot ashes. Well-wrapped leafy vegetables – cabbage, spinach, etc. will steam and cook in their own juices. Wrap them into a wrist-sized ‘cigar’ and tie with a green leaf. Wrap corn in leaves and bury under fire. If banana leaves are available, remove the midrib. Take a portion-sized leaf section to wrap the food item. Wrap the food with the raised ribs on the outside of the bundle -- heat the leaf section first to make it flexible. Two leaf layers are best. Tie it with a strip of leaf. A banana leaf on warm coals can be used as a fry http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/TrainingModules/Cookingwithoutuntensils.aspx?p... 4/3/2010 Page 6 of 7 pan. Breads – ‘Bullet’ balls of dough roasted in ashes. Bannock on racquet -- stiff dough under 1cm thick. Dough in fist-sized ball -- flatten, drop hot rock in center and wrap with dough. “Twist” on a stick If your recipe calls for an egg and the weather is right, replace each egg with 2 tablespoons of snow. For a baking soda substitute use an equal amount of wood ash and mix with the dry flour. Trainer Tip: Mixing dough seems simple enough, but for a demonstration there are a couple of ways to do it with a bit of showmanship. Instead of using a bowl, mix the flour in its own container. If using a box of commercial mix, lay it on its large side. Cut a large three sided flap in the box and liner. Scoop a hole in the flour. Pour water into the hole, then take a small stick and stir the water in a circular motion. Gradually dough will form. When the ball of dough begins to turn in the opposite direction from the stirring you will have made the correct flour/water mixture for most biscuits, etc. Instead of using the mix in the box, a flour bag is a better idea. A good set of dimensions is a circular bottom about 7” in diameter, with about 8” sides. Have two tie tapes about 9” long sewn to the side seam. (see diagrams 11a and 11b ) With the bag, open it up and make the flour hole. For stiffer dough, ash cakes, breads, bannocks – lay out a cloth, tent flap, someone else’s coat or shirt, etc on a flat surface, dust it with flour, then put the dough on the cloth to shape it. Vessels – Oranges, onions – cut onions along lines – not across, oranges stem to end – good for eggs, meatballs, or biscuits. Try scooping an opening in a potato large enough for an egg, piece of sausage, or some cheese. Seal the opening with the slice you made to do the scooping. Cook in embers for about an hour. Gourds, pumpkins, coconut shells. Leaf plates, bark slabs, turtle shells, sea shells, shell spoons, twig forks, chopsticks. Bowls and spoons can be hollowed out of slabs with well-placed embers, time, and controlled puffs of air. Bark or leaf pots – sew or use split sticks to hold together. To work bark, heat by soaking in hot water or holding over fire. (see diagrams 12a, 12b, and 12c) Clean up – Scour with pinecones, horsetail rush, sand, dry grass. Use wood ashes as hand cleanser, and ashes to cut grease (soap). Grand Finale – Trainer Tip: For a Grand Finale that takes advanced time and effort, but is a real wow! – Prepare ‘Chicken in a Backpack’ in advance and have it ready at the end of the demonstration. Chicken in a Backpack Stuff a dressed chicken with about 6 golf-ball sized hot rocks, cover with thin-sliced potatoes and onions. Wrap in layers of leaves or paper. Place in plastic bag http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/TrainingModules/Cookingwithoutuntensils.aspx?p... 4/3/2010 Page 7 of 7 and put in pack (someone else’s is best) surrounded by well-packed leaves, dry grass or other insulation. A three-pound bird feeds four and takes about four hours to cook. Rocks should have been heated 30 minutes or more. Conclusion – Trainer Tip: Thank them for attending, and remind them that their new knowledge needs to be shared if it is to be meaningful. Scouting should be youth-led. They should share these ideas with their youth leadership and suggest that they can use them for unit and district planning and implementation. Fire out and area clean! Theodore Roosevelt in writing about outdoor cooking finished with “If to the above recipes you will add a ten hour hike, hunt or fish you will find it excellent.” Bibliography/References -Aloha Council – BSA. The Hawaiiana Award Handbook, A Handbook For Scouts. Honolulu: Aloha Council, Boy Scouts of America. 1973. Boy Scouts of America. Cooking (Merit Badge Series). Irving, Texas: Boy Scouts of America. 1986 and earlier editions. Boy Scouts of America. Fieldbook. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Boy Scouts of America. 1967. Boy Scouts of America. Outdoor Skills Instruction, Cooking. #33567. Irving, Texas: Boy Scouts of America. 1991. Boy Scouts of America. The Boy Scout Handbook. 11th edition. Irving, Texas: Boy Scouts of America. 1998. Brown, Tom Jr. and Brandt Morgan. Tom Brown’s Field Guide to Wilderness Survival. New York: Berkley Books. 1983. Department of the Air Force. Survival Training. AF Regulation 64-4 Volume 1. Superintendent of documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 15 July 1985 Graves, Richard. Bushcraft, A Serious Guide to Survival and Camping. New York: Schocken Books. 1972. Hanson, James A and Kathryn J Wilson. The Buckskinner’s Cook Book. Chadron, Nebraska: The Fur Press. 1979. Jaeger, Ellsworth. Wildwood Wisdom. Hew York: The Macmillan Company. 1951. Kochanski, Mors L. Bushcraft. Edmonton: Lone Pine. 1987. McManners, Hugh. The Complete Wilderness Training Manual. New York: DK Publishing. Second Revised Edition, 2007. Seton, Ernest Thompson. The Book of Woodcraft And Indian Lore. Garden City: Doubleday, Page & Company. 1923. Smith, Charles F. Games and Recreational Methods for Clubs, Camps & Scouts. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company. 1945. Thomas, Dian. Backyard Roughing It Easy. Columbine, New York: Faucett. 1980. Thomas, Dian. Roughing It Easy. . Provo, Utah: Brigham Young Press. 1974. Vinal, William (“Cap’n Bill”) Vinal. Nature Recreation. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1963. Vliet, Russ. A Manual of Woodslore Survival as Developed at Philmont. Springer, New Mexico: The Tribune Press. 2004. West, James E and William Hillcourt. Scout Field Book. New Brunswick: National Council Boy Scouts of America. 1948. Wilder, James A. Jack-Knife Cookery. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc. 1929. Wiseman, John. SAS Survival Guide, Collins Gem. Glasgow: Harper Collins Publishers. 1993. http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/TrainingModules/Cookingwithoutuntensils.aspx?p... 4/3/2010 The following four recipes are from a book called “The Scout’s Outdoor Cookbook”, Series: Falcon Guide Paperback: 408 pages Publisher: Falcon Guides; 1st edition (May 1, 2008) Language: English ISBN-10: 0762740671 ISBN-13: 978-0762740673 A worthwhile book for the troop’s library, it is has recipes for various types of camp cooking, even some “no-cook” recipes. I’ve used this book, as well as lent it out to other troops. Backwoods Cook Book Backwoods Cook Book 1 Backwoods Cook Book Backwoods cooking The secret to successful backwoods cooking is to build a good fire that will provide hot embers, for it is on embers that we cook - not flames. One of the problems with embers is that they tend to become cool after a short while. The keyhole fire solves this problem. Build the fire in a large circle area and pull the hot ashes through into the smaller circle where the cooking takes place, as they are needed. A two inch bed of ashes is required for successful backwoods cooking, use beech or oak logs, as these will give longer lasting embers. Charcoal can also be used and it will hold the heat longer than wood embers. Aluminium foil can be used if you want to take the easy way out. With it, it is possible to construct pots and pans for cooking food or you can place your food in an aluminium foil envelope. The pioneers and backwoodsman of the past used only those materials that could be found locally for creating cooking utensils. They often used leaves and clay as well as ingenious cooking spits and holders made from green twigs and branches (green twigs and branches are less likely to go on fire and are pliable so they can be worked). Hygiene Although backwoods cooking is considered to be primitive in approach your food hygiene methods should not be. Wash all food before use and keep covered until you intend to use it. Take care not to burn food and avoid cooking the food quickly in a flame. Make sure all the food is properly cooked, thus the need for slow cooking over embers. Quick cooking will cause the food to cook on the outside and be raw inside. Clean up the area used after you are finished and dispose of all food scraps carefully. Don't forget to clean your hands also after you have finished eating as it is likely that it will be your hands that you use to hold and eat the food with. Cooking methods Roasting For this method you will require a good bed of embers. For large animals and birds you will need a spit construction over the fire. For smaller animals and fish, the best way, is to peg 2 Backwoods Cook Book them out on a board or a flat piece of wood and stand this next to the fire to form a kind of reflector. Baking This method is useful if you want to cook a meal while you are away - a bit like a hay box oven. Dig a pit around 60cm (2 feet) deep and 60cm (2 feet) across. Now light a fire in the bottom of the pit. Place a thin layer of soil on top of the embers then place a number of leaves (cabbage leaves are best) on top of the soil. Now place you food on top of the leaves covering it with more leaves. Cover this with more soil and then light a fire on top of it. It will take an hour or more to cook this food depending on how big the food is you are cooking. Another way of baking food is to wrap your food in leaves or grass and then in mud. Then bury it in, or surround it with, a fire, and leave it for an hour or more. When you break open the cast of clay, you will find that the grass has kept the food moist Grilling For this method, you will need some kind of grill which can be made from green sticks, and a hot bed of embers. The disadvantage of grilling food is that it tends to dry out. Frying You will need some form of pan or grill base, usually a flat stone which is place in the fire to heat it up. The stone is then cleaned off and food fried on it. It may be necessary to place small pieces of twig around such things as eggs to stop them rolling off the stone. Boiling You will need some form of container. It is possible to use a paper bag to boil up water the trick is to ensure that the heat only touches that part of the bag that has liquid behind it to absorb the heat. In Stone Age times a water hole was created. Into this hole were placed hot stones, heated on a fire nearby. This resulted in heating the water and thus boiling the food. 3 Backwoods Cook Book Container cooking It is possible to use food as containers for other foodstuffs, such as, orange skins in which eggs can be cooked. Onion 'shell' created by cutting an onion in half and scooping out the core of the onion and leaving three or four shins in place to form a container. You can also use potatoes or pineapples in the same manner. Simple recipes Orange eggs Cut an orange in half and eat out the contents without breaking the skin. Break an egg into the orange shell and place on embers and allow to cook. When done, eat from container. Onion eggs Cut the onion in half after removing the outer skin. Remove internal contents except for the remaining three outer layers. Break egg into shell and place on embers. When cooked eat the onion container as well assist contents after removing the outer scorched layer. Spud egg Halve a large potato. Hollow one half. Break egg into hollow. Pin two halves of potato together with small sticks and roast in hot embers. Twists Mix flour, water and a pinch of salt together to form a thick dough, adding raisins and sultanas if you like. Make a snake like roll of the dough and twist this snake like fashion on a thick green stick (with bark removed). Support it over glowing embers turning occasionally until the outside turns golden brown. 4 Backwoods Cook Book Instant hot dogs Lay sliced onion on a cabbage leave add a sausage or two and place more onions on top. Wrap up the cabbage leaf tightly and secure with a number of small green sticks. Place in embers for about 7 - 10 mins turning occasionally. Boiling You will need some form of container. It is possible to use a paper bag to boil up water. The trick is to ensure that the heat only touches that part of the bag that the liquid is in contact with so it can absorb the heat. In Stone Age times a water hole was created, into this were placed red hot stones, heated on a fire nearby. Container cooking It is possible to use food as containers for other foodstuffs such as orange skins in which eggs can be cooked. Onion Skins 'shell' created by cutting an onion in half and scooping out the centre leaving 3 or 4 skins to form a container. You can also use potatoes or pineapples in the same manner. 5 Backwoods Cook Book Baked potato Perhaps the easiest to cook backwoods. Take a potato and place it in the embers of the fire. When it is cooked, after about 25 - 30 mins slice open the skin and place a piece of cheese or butter on top. Simple Kebab Remove the bark from a green stick and onto it spear slices of bacon, mushrooms, sausage, carrot, tomato, peppers, and pieces of pork. Support the skewer over glowing embers turning occasionally. Eat when the meat is crisp and golden brown. Fish It will be necessary for you to clean and gut any fish before you cook it. The fish should be cleaned thus: Wash the fish thoroughly in clean water Remove the scales by scraping with the back of a knife (that is not the shape edge), working from the tail towards the head. Cut the spine at a point just behind the gills and tear the head off with a steady, slow. Slow, forward motion. If you are careful, the fish innards will come out with it. (Dispose of carefully) Slice the belly open from tail to gills and thoroughly clean the inside. Finally, cut of the fins and tail and cook as desired. Cooking methods for fish Wrap method - wrap fish in grass and cover in mud and place on fire. Or wrap fish in cabbage leaf and pin together a with small twigs and place on fire. Planked method - Pin the fish flesh side forward on a plank or piece of flat board and cook by reflected heat, place a knob of butter on the fish when it is cooking and later a splash of lemon – delicious Broiling method - Construct a broiler as shown and place your fish in it cook of hot embers turning regularly. Fish cook very quickly so be careful you do not burn them. Meat and burgers Meat and burgers can be cooked by a number of methods some of which are described above such as the Kabob method or the wrap method whereby the meat is wrapped in cabbage leaves. Meat may also be cooked using a broiler or by frying on a hot stone. Burgers in leaves Place three layers of cabbage leaves directly onto the hot embers and put the burgers or mince patties on top of them. After approx. 10 minutes, turn the meat over, putting it onto three new cabbage leaves. Repeat this process until the meat is cooked. Note: Cabbage leaves can replace foil in most instances when using backwoods cooking recipes. It is important that at no time should rhubarb leaves be used, as they contain a highly poisonous resin. 6 Backwoods Cook Book Instant oven You will need about 1.5 meters of foil and a number of green sticks. Fold the sheet of foil in half and peg one end to the ground with the bottom of a stick in each corner at the end. Fold the foil in half and bring the free end up, attaching it to the top of the two sticks as shown. Place the food on the bottom half of the foil and light your fire by the open end of the reflector oven. Backwoods cooking is all about cooking different things with different and odd methods! Have a look at the ideas below! Egg in an Orange Cut an orange in half. Scoop out the flesh inside and eat it – be careful not to cut through the skin! Now crack an egg into the skin and place on the embers of the fire until the egg is cooked. Spud Egg / Egg in a potato Cut the top off a potato of and scoop a hole in the middle. Crack the egg into the hole; put the top back in place and secure with small wooden pegs. Bake until the potato is cooked. Backwoods Mince You can cook mince meat inside all sorts of vegetable containers: orange peels, hollowed-out potatoes, onions, gem squash, butternut, or even cabbage leaves. Kebab Use a green stick to spear slices of bacon, mushrooms, sausage, carrot, tomato, peppers, and pieces of pork. Support the skewer over glowing embers turning occasionally. Eat when the meat is crisp and golden brown. Cabbage hot dogs Lay sliced onion on a cabbage leaf, add a sausage or two and place more onions on top. Wrap up the cabbage leaf tightly and secure with a number of small green sticks. Place in embers for about 7 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Banana hot dogs 7 Backwoods Cook Book Take a banana and cut a slit in the peel down the inside of the curve, and open it outwards. Remove the banana and feed it to a passing baboon or a nearby Scout. Now put a sausage inside the banana peel and cook it directly on the coals. Preparing fish You will need to clean and gut any fish before you cook it. The fish should be cleaned as follows: Wash the fish thoroughly in clean water Remove the scales by scraping with the back of a knife (not the shape edge), working from the tail towards the head. Cut the spine at a point just behind the gills and tear the head off with a steady, slow, forward motion. If you are careful, the fish innards will come out with it. Slice the belly open from tail to gills and thoroughly clean the inside. ! Finally, cut of the fins and tail and cook as desired. Steamed Fish Make a fire that is long enough for the length of the fish and more than wide enough. Let this burn down to a good bed of embers. Meanwhile prepare the fish and clean it thoroughly. Cut a lot of grass to use for the steaming. (If you cut it instead of pulling it up, the grass can grow back.) Place a good layer on top of the coals. Put the fish on top of the grass and place more grass on top. Then cover the fire and grass with earth and pack it down. Wait for 30 minutes and uncover. You really need to ensure you have a good bed of embers to be successful. If you are by the sea shore, then the same method can be used with seaweed instead of grass. Other methods for fish Wrapped in a cabbage leaf, or grilled on a grid make from twigs. Or pin the fish flesh side forward on a plank or piece of flat board and cook by reflected heat from the fire. For real style, place a knob of butter on the fish when it is cooking and later a splash of lemon – delicious. Pit Oven / Fiji Oven Dig a pit, or use a natural depression in the ground. Light a fire in this and build it up, including as many rocks as you can find. DO NOT use flint or rocks from a river bed, as the heat can cause them to explode from the water expanding inside them. When you have a good bed of embers, wrap your food up in leaves, or on a bed of grass (see above) and cover the top of the hole over with sticks. Over this lay sacking or mats and then cover this over with earth. Make sure you seal in around the edges. Leave for 2 hours and then uncover and enjoy. One tip though, if you are cooking for a larger number of people, then put more embers over the top of the food to ensure it cooks. Boiling in a paper bag It is possible to use a paper bag to boil water. The water inside will prevent the bag from burning. The trick is to ensure that the heat only touches that part of the bag that the liquid is in contact with so it can absorb the heat. 8 Backwoods Cook Book Frying You will need some form of pan or grill base, usually a flat stone which is placed in the fire to heat it up. The stone is then cleaned off and food fried on it. It may be necessary to place small pieces of twig around such things as eggs to stop them rolling off the stone. Grilling For this method, you will need to make a grid or mesh out of green sticks, and grill your food over a hot bed of embers. Remember that some types of wood are poisonous and should not be used. Twists Mix flour, water and a pinch of salt together to form a thick dough, adding raisins and sultanas if you like. Make a snake-like roll of the dough and twist this snake like fashion on a thick green stick. Support it over glowing embers turning occasionally until the outside turns golden brown. Damper Breads Dough can be cooked on a flat rock in the fire. With some imagination you can make chapattis, or mix in some baking powder or bicarbonate of soda to make soda bread. Chocolate banana Cut a slit lengthways in the banana and insert some pieces of chocolate. Wrap the whole lot in foil and place in the embers. Eat once the chocolate melts. Stewed Fruit Puddings Autumn provides a lot of fruits available for use; in the UK for example there are Apples, Blackberries, and many others. Crab apples are more predominant in the wild, but make the most of what you can find. Get the all together, peel the apples and stew them up. This can then be used in tarts, pies or just eaten on its own. Toasties To cook the toasties then butter 2 slices of bread, spread marmalade on the opposite side to the buttered side, sprinkle currants in the marmalade, put the 2 slices of bread together with the butter side out, wrap in tin foil and place on the embers for a couple of minutes. Onion eggs Cut the onion in half after removing the outer skin. Remove internal contents except for the remaining three outer layers. Break egg into shell and place on embers. When cooked eat the onion container as well as its contents after removing the outer scorched layer. Container cooking It is possible to use food as containers for other foodstuffs, such as, orange skins in which eggs can be cooked. Onion ëshellí created by cutting an onion in half and scooping out the core of the onion and leaving three or four shins in place to form a container. You can also use potatoes or pineapples in the same manner. 9 Backwoods Cook Book Meat and burgers Meat and burgers can be cooked by a number of methods some of which are described above such as the Kebab method or the wrap method whereby the meat is wrapped in cabbage leaves. Meat may also be cooked using a broiler or by frying on a hot stone. Burgers in leaves Place three layers of cabbage leaves directly onto the hot embers and put the burgers or mince patties on top of them. After approx. 10 minutes, turn the meat over, putting it onto three new cabbage leaves. Repeat this process until the meat is cooked. Note: Cabbage leaves can replace foil in most instances when using backwoods cooking recipes. It is important that at no time should rhubarb leaves be used, as they contain a highly poisonous resin. Baked apples in clay or tinfoil Core apple and stuff centre with currants or dates or sultanas, butter. Wrap in greased tinfoil and place on the embers. Cook for 10-15 minutes. If clay is used, cook longer. Chicken on a string You may know that you can roast a chicken on a spear over a fire, but the French have an idea here you don’t even have to turn the chicken! You hang it on a string over the fire and the chicken will turn itself. (It’s a good idea if you bind your chicken here and there to stop it crumbling off the carcass. Here is the method: Rub the whole chicken with margarine, sprinkle with salt inside and out. Now tie the chicken around the neck with a piece of string 0.5 m long and suspend from a tripod so it hangs 20-25 cm above the embers. If you can collect the drips of fat in a tinfoil ‘saucer’ this should be used for basting. Bindu-Mielie Open husks and remove silk. Close husks round mealie and soak in water for 30 minutes. Cook on hot embers in husk on each side. Remove husks and eat. BACKWOODS AND INDIVIDUAL COOKING Backwoods cooking has strong appeal and is an excellent Patrol activity, working in pairs. Need not be wasteful if done properly, but is generally a slow process--more time needed to prepare meal than by orthodox methods. Not more than one meal should be attempted by this method in any one day. Firing is of vented importance. Scouts should be trained to differentiate between hard and soft wood fires (this ties up with woodcraft and tree recognition). Bread making Mix flour, salt, and water to thick dough without handling too much. To make twist, peel green stick not less than 1" diameter, bake in fire, then twist spiral of dough about 1/2" 10 Backwoods Cook Book diameter? Round it and bake slowly over red embers. Greenstick should not be of bitter or poisonous wood (avoid poplar, elder, etc.). Australian Damper Wrap in green leaves, scrape away red embers and place on ground, and then build fire over it. Dampers in aluminium foil are made in the same way and are excellent! Greenstick Broiler Greenstick Broiler Green twigs are woven across a three pronged stick to make a grill. Meat is seared in the flame, then placed on the grill and broiled slowly over red coals. Add salt to bring out the juices. Oat Cakes Mix oats with flour and make into a dry paste with milk. Bake as for Australian Damper. Potatoes Bake in wet leaves or paper, or very thin shell of clay or in aluminium foil. Kabobs Alternate thin slices of apple, bacon, potato, spiked on a thin green stick and roasted slowly over hardwoods. (Potato generally takes longest to cook). Flab Wash and pin out on a flat board. Bake slowly on reflector principle. Eggs Crack egg and put in shell of clay about 1/2 inch thick, bake in red embers. To make spudeggs, cut potato across short axis, hollow out both halves, break egg into it, replace top and spike in place with sharpened match stick, bake in embers for about 15 minutes. Foil Cooking Excellent results can be obtained. American Explorer Scouts prepare their "pressure packs" before leaving for hike and after cooking open the foil and use as dinner plate. Method: Make envelope of foil sealed with a double fold down three edges, cut meat, vegetables, etc., into cubes, and put in envelope with seasoning and teaspoon of water or fat (this is essential). Seal top of envelope and place in fire, clear of flames (which will cause foil to granulate). Potatoes, apples, and bread can also be cooked by the same method. 11 Favourite Recipes for Camp compiled by Sharon Martin Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Co ntents Brea kf a s t s 3 Egg Nut Hash Browns Oatmeal in a paper cup Breakfast in an Orange Pancakes in an Orange Eggy Bread or French Toast Other French Toast/Eggy Bread Recipes 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 Lunches & Sna cks 7 Applesauce sandwiches Egg Mc-Girl Scouts Eggs-in-a-bag Ziploc Omelettes Egg-in-a-hole Pitta Bread Pizza Scrambled Pancakes Taco Salad in a Bag Bags of Gold Cooking in a paper bag: Orange Sweet Pototoes Breakfast Egg Orange Gingerbread 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 10 M a in M ea l s 12 Chicken Stew Indian Burger Patties Tin Can Bread Chicken in Foil Camp Meatloaf in a Pan Silver Turtles Boil Water in a Paper Cup 10 Minute Casserole Foil Dinner Chicken Tikka Codfish Balls Steak in a Bun Fruit Kabobs Mock Angel Food Frying Pan Pizza Sweet & Sour Chicken Vegetable Samosas 12 12 12 12 13 13 14 14 14 15 15 16 16 16 16 17 18 Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Des ert s & Trea t s 19 Quick Fruit Flan Martians in a Spaceship Martian Pudding WWII Mayonnaise Chocolate Cake Foil Sundaes S’mores Fudge Snow Taffy Brown Bears in an Apple Orchard Pineapple Upside Down Donuts Campers Fudge Chocolate Noodle Drops Campers Fudge Fudge Pie Openfire Peach Skillet Dessert Campfire Cream Puffs Darn Goods Fruit Crumble Homemade Cake Mix 19 19 19 19 20 20 20 21 21 21 22 22 22 23 23 24 24 25 Bit s a nd Pieces 27 Candle Cookery Christmas No-cook Sweets Chocolate Marshmallow Cups Friendship Cake Ice Cream in a Bag Choc Peppermint Candies 27 28 29 29 30 30 Conversions Weights and Measures Liquid Measures Handy Measures Spoon Measures Oven Temperatures Healthy & Hygiene 32 32 32 33 33 33 34 Ó Sharon Martin 2001 BREAKFASTS EggNut Ingredients: 1 egg 1 thick slice of bread oil for frying Either tear a round, 3 inch hole in the centre of the bread or use a 3 inch cookie cutter and do the same. Place the bread onto a frying pan, lightly greased. Crack the egg into the centre hole. When it is lightly brown turn the whole thing over, and continue to cook till egg is done. Carefully lift the eggnut from the pan to your plate. What do you do with the ‘holes’? Dip them in beaten egg and cook as mini eggy bread rounds. Hash Browns Ingredients: 1 ¾ cup Instant Potatoes 1 2/3 cup Milk 1 2/3 cups Water ½ tsp Salt 3 tbsp Butter 1 Egg ¼ cup Bread crumbs Equipment: Mixing bowl Measuring Cups Measuring Spoons Mixing spoon Lifter Stove Fry Pan Instructions: Mix package of Instant Potatoes as directed for 4-5 people. Bring water and salt to a boil. Remove from heat. Add milk. Stir in butter, and potato flakes. Mix in egg. Shape into Flat Patties. Roll in Crushed Corn Flakes. Fry golden brown in a small amount of butter. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Oatmeal In A Paper Cup Categories: Yield: 1 serving 2 parts Water; cold 1 part quick oats 1 ds Salt 1 ts Sugar, to taste Stir all ingredients together. Cup must be filled to top edge to keep it from burning. Set cup by coals, not flame. Stir when it bubbles, then cookabout 1 minutes. NOTE: Do not used waxed, plastic or foam cups. DS = Dash TS = Teaspoon Breakfast In An Orange Preparation Method: Foil cooking Number Served: one, add ingredients for each person Non Food Items Needed: Foil Long tongs Knife Spoon Fork Food Items Needed: One orange One piece of Canadian Bacon Two eggs Salt and pepper to taste At Home Preparation: None On Site Prep / Cooking Instructions: Each person cuts of the top (leaving about a 2 inch hole) of an orange. Keep the top- it's your lid the orange forms a "shell". Scoop out the pulp of the orange and eat. (this is your first course). Place a piece of Canadian Bacon in the bottom of the orange. Break both eggs and pour in on top of the bacon. Scramble slightly with a fork and put the top back on. Wrap in foil and place on glowing coals. Cook 15 to 20 minutes or until done. Eat out of the orange shell. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Pancakes in an Orange Preparation Method: Foil wrapped and in the fire Number Served: 4 muffins Non Food Items Needed: serrated spoon Food Items Needed: 4 large oranges, washed 1 cup Bisquick 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 cup milk maple syrup for drizzling At Home Preparation: None On Site Prep / Cooking Instructions: Trim top 1/4 inch off oranges and save. Using a serrated spoon (like a grapefruit spoon) scoop out insides. Go ahead and eat it now! =) You should have a orange cup left. In a bowl mix the Bisquick, sugar and milk. Spoon the batter into the empty orange shells about halfway filling them. Cover the opening with the top that you cut off and cover the whole thing tightly with foil. Bury in the coals until set - around 60 - 70 minutes. (an hour? I dunno about this....I'd be checking after about 5-10 minutes!!) Serving Suggestions: Unwrap and let cool some. Be careful they are hot! We like them drizzled with maple syrup. Yum! Eggy Bread or French Toast A traditional UK camp breakfast we serve with bacon or sausages and baked beans! Ingredients: Sliced bread Eggs (1 eggs will do about 2 slices of bread dependent upon the size of the egg!) Cinnamon or paprika Tomato Ketchup, brown sauce, Branston Pickle, maple syrup, or whatever else you fancy to eat with them. Utensils: Large deep plate or shallow bowl Frying pan Fork or a whisk Method: Crack open eggs onto plate or into the bowl. Beat thoroughly. Dip slices of bread into mixture, making sure that both sides are completely covered. Simply fry on both sides until golden brown. If you add the paprika on to the bread as you turn it each way it creates a slightly reddy brown golden colour. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Other French Toast/Eggy Bread Recipes Using two slices of bread, make a peanut butter sandwich. Dip the sandwich in the egg mixture and toast lightly on greased buddy burner. When browned, flip over and toast the other side. You can add banana slices to the sandwich before toasting. · · · · · · · 1 egg per person milk cinnamon nutmeg vanilla maple syrup powdered sugar Mix 1 egg, a little milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, dash of vanilla. Dip both sides of bread into mix. Fry in an heated, oiled pan, or on top of a greased buddy burner. Serve with maple syrup or powdered sugar (confectioners or 10x sugar) or granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar (sugar and cinnamon mixed-I think it's 1 cup sugar to 1 Tablespoon cinnamon) Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Lunches and Snacks Applesauce Sandwiches This recipe is from the Great Camp Woolsey Cookbook, courtesy of the Ottawa Area Girl Guides. NOTE: This meal is great on a buddy burner! Spread applesauce on a slice of bread. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Top with a second slice of bread and butter the outsides of the sandwich. Cook like a grilled cheese sandwich. Egg Mc-Girl Scouts Thanks very much to Kathy Stephan Items needed: charcoal matches aluminum foil 1 - 6 oz (170g) tuna can or equivalent per person 1 tablespoon measuring spoon hot pads long tongs Ingredients (multiply first four ingredients by number of people being served): 2 pieces of link heat & serve sausage per person 1 egg per person 1 whole English muffin per person 1 slice of sandwich style cheese per person soft margarine or margarine, softened jam/jelly spray vegetable coating for cans Directions: Start charcoal fire; spray cans with the cooking spray. Place sausages in bottom of cans with 1 tbsp. water. Break egg over sausages and water. Cover well with foil and bake in coals for 15-30 minutes. Check to see when eggs are done. While cooking eggs and sausages, butter and heat split muffins on stick or grill. Place slice of cheese on hot muffin and contents from the tuna can. Place jam/jelly on other half of muffin if desired and place on top of eggs & sausages. Eggs-in-a-Bag Crack as many eggs as you'd like into a sturdy ziplock bag (the freezer bags are recomended). Add onion, peppers, ham or whatever else you'd like. Cheese is not a good idea because during the cooking process the cheese gets much hotter than the eggs, and the bags may melt. Close the bag, getting out all the air you possibly can. Then the girls get to "smoosh" up their eggs to make them scrambled. Drop the bags into a pot of boiling water. Takes about 5-10 minutes to cook. If you are cooking with a number of girls, it might be a good idea to write names on the bags with permanent marker before cooking for easy identification. This is an especially good meal to make while you are camping and have to heat up your water for dishes since the pan itself never gets dirty, and you have your water already heated. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Ziploc Omlettes A couple of weeks ago, I did a little outdoor cooking with my 3rd year girls. We made omlettes in a bag and they were really good. In a heavy ziplock bag (freezer bags) put in your egg(s) (one was okay for a taste, but not enough for a meal) Add 1/8 cup of milk for each egg add in your extras....we used onions, green peppers and ham zip up the bag and squish it around with your hands to mix. Put the whole bag into a pot of boiling water and cook until the eggs are done! You can eat these right out of the bag and save on the dishes! They really are great! Mistybunny Egg-in-a-Hole Take a piece of bread and butter it on both sides. Cut a hole out of its middle. Place bread on a hot skillet and crack an egg into the hole. When sufficiently cooked on the one side, flip over! You can fry the hole too. This is a great method of cooking an egg on a Tin Can Stove, since the egg can't run over the side of the can. Pita Bread Pizza's My brownies and I make this every Saturday of our camping for lunch. You need: Pizza Sauce, Cheese, Pepperoni, Bacon, etc (Pizza Fixings), Pita Bread too. You spread the pizza sauce on the pita bread and then load it all up with your favourite pizza toppings. And then cook in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes or so. You could make these in a tin foil oven too and wrap them in tin foil to cook! YUM! Jennifer Hartling From Kathy C. We do have an annual request – which they made purely accidentally:- Scrambled Pancakes Just plain ole pancakes cooked in a not quite greased enough mess kit fry pan. But, that's just my girls. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Taco Salad in a Bag Each girl gets a bag of nacho chips. Slit open down side of bag not along the top. Add taco meat sauce, grated cheese, lettuce, salsa and sour cream. Eat with fingers - no dishes to wash. (we prepare the toppings before leaving and divide into zip lock baggies so there are no dishes to wash while hiking) The Taco meat sauce is frozen after being bagged and can be dropped into a pot of boiling water to heat, or if you are really ambitious you can de-hydrate the meat then re- hydrate while hiking. Ann Richey This is REALLY good!! Bags of Gold Preparation Method: Wood fire or bed of charcoals Number Served: Non Food Items Needed: Large saucepan or dutch oven Spoon or ladle Food Items Needed: Canned biscuits (at least 2 - 3 biscuits/girl) Tomato Soup Grated Cheese At Home Preparation: On Site Prep / Cooking Instructions: Open cans of biscuits and break each one into fourths. Then roll each fourth into a ball. Punch a depression in the ball and add the grated cheese, seal closed. Heat tomato soup until boiling. Add the biscuit balls into the tomato soup (watch for girls trying to drop them from high up...they will get burned with the soup). Add the remaining grated cheese directly into the soup. The biscuits will eventually puff up and rise to the top of the soup. They will not fully bake. Once they have puffed up, risen and have cooked for a while, serve hot (it is your discretion as to how long they cook). Finally..Enjoy! Comments: If you are adding extra fillers to the soup, add them after the biscuits have mostly all puffed up. You may not be able to add all of your biscuits at one time (depending on how many you have to add). Mistybunny Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Thanks to Sandy for the following recipes: ----- Now You're Cooking! v5.51 [Meal-Master Export Format] Cooking in a Paper Bag - Eggs Fried in a Bag, Water for Tea Categories: Girl Scouts Yield: 1 EGGS FRIED IN A BAG 12 eggs 6 sl bacon Salt and pepper to taste COOKING IN A PAPER BAG: Perhaps you have the patience and skill to fry your breakfast egg in a paper bag over the embers of a cook fire. See that there are only coals -- no flames -- or else the bag will ignite. BASIC EQUIPMENT: 12 paper bags (1/2 or 1 lb. size), 12 toasting sticks, and about 4 yards of string. EGGS FRIED IN A PAPER BAG: For each serving: Place 1/2 of a bacon slice in the bottom of a paper bag. Break an egg on top of the bacon. Gather the top of the bag together and secure to the end of a toasting stick with string (or just poke the bag onto the stick). Hold for 15 minutes over the embers (not flames) while the bacon sizzles and the egg fries. Roll down the sides and eat your breakfast out of the bottom of the bag. WATER BOILED IN A BAG FOR TEA: If you want to experiment further with paper bags as cooking utensils, try boiling water for tea in one. When the paper is wet. its kindling temperature is raised. As a result, the temperature necessary to boil water inside is not high enough to burn the wet bag. Use bags with seamless bottoms because hot water will soften the glue that hold the bag together. Try making your own seamless bags by drawing up the edges of a large piece of brown paper to make a hobo bag. Gather the top of the bag together, tie with a string, and fasten it to the end of a toasting stick. Hold the bag over the embers of the cook fire until the water boils. Source: GS Mile Hi Council - Denver Colorado USA -------------------- Title: Cooking in an Orange Shell - Sweet Potato, Egg, Gingerbread Categories: Girl Scouts Yield: 1 ORANGE SWEET POTATOES 6 oranges 6 c canned sweet potatoes 3/4 c brown sugar 12 marshmallows (1/4 lb) Ó Sharon Martin 2001 BREAKFAST EGG 12 eggs 6 oranges 12 sl bacon (if desired) Salt and pepper to taste ORANGE GINGERBREAD 1 pk gingerbread mix Water for the mix 12 orange shells COOKING IN ORANGE SHELLS After you have eaten the pulp from half an orange, save the shell cup to use as a utensil for eggs. vegetables. or cake. Label the individual shells with marking pencil if you like. Be sure to remove any membrane that may have been left. ORANGE SWEET POTATOES Cut the oranges in half and eat the pulp (or save half-shells from an earlier meal). Write names on the shells with a magic marker. Mash the canned sweet potatoes and pack the potatoes into the orange shells. Sprinkle with a little brown sugar and top with a marshmallow. Bake in the embers of the cook fire until done. BREAKFAST EGG Cut the oranges in half, remove the pulp and eat it. Save one half-shell from each orange. Break an egg into the shell; season with salt and pepper. Set it in the coals to bake. NOTE: The shells may be lined with wax paper or bacon. ORANGE GINGERBREAD Make the gingerbread batter by following the package directions. Fill the empty orange shells half full with the batter. Cook in the embers of the cook fire. Contributor: Girl Scouts Mile Hi Council World of the Out-Of-Doors (1990). Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Chicken Stew Chop chicken into 1 inch cubes or equivalent portions. Brown in a large pot. Cover tightly and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes, salt and pepper, onions, mushrooms, carrots and peas etc. Continue to simmer for another 45 minutes. Mix 2 cups of flour with 3 cups of water to a smooth paste. Add to stew, stirring. Cook for an additional 15 minutes. Indian Burger Patties Combine: 1 cup finely chopped onions 3 lbs. Minced beef curry powder, madras etc. and any other favourite asian herbs or spices (careful of the strength!) 3 eggs salt and pepper Using your hands, mix the minced beef into a finer dough like quality. Add the curry powder and mix well. Shape into small patties 1 inch thick. Fry on a griddle. Tin Can Bread Combine 1 1/2 cups biscuit mix, 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 2 tbsp. sugar. Stir in 3/4 cup milk and 2 tbsp. vegetable oil. Spoon into greased cans to 2/3 full. Cover tightly with foil and stand in a pot of boiling water. Cover pot and steam about 30-40 minutes. Cool slightly and shake out of can. Serve with soups, stews, etc. Chicken In Foil 1 sm Green bell pepper; chopped 1/2 sm Red bell pepper; chopped 10 Mushrooms; chopped 4 Chicken breast; halved 1 cn Pineapple slices; 8oz 1 ts Butter or margarine Garlic powder, salt and/or pepper to taste 4 16-inch squares aluminium foil Divide the peppers and mushrooms into four equal parts. Coat a small area in the center of the foil with butter or margarine. Place a portion of peppers and mushrooms on the greased area of foil. Top with a chicken breast and a pineapple slice. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Fold foil securely and check for leaks. Place on coals for 10 to 15 minutes per side. Makes about 4 servings. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Camp Meatloaf in A Pan Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef for every 4 girls 1 cup chopped onions 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup diced apple slices 1 cup bread crumbs (we use real bread and cut up into small pieces) salt and pepper to taste (we have used milk but with the apple slices it tends to stay moist so when camping we stick with apple slices but you could use 1/2 cup milk/lb hamburger). NOTE: if you think it is too moist add more bread crumbs Wash hands thoroughly before handling food. We use non-latex gloves on the girls' hands to avoid touching food at all. Mix ingredients together and using muffin tins put small handfuls of meatloaf mixture into the foil, roll up tops of foil and place in muffin tin. Each 1 lb will make approximately 24 individual meatloafs. Place tin foil over the top of the muffin tins and put on coals, not fire, or rack set close over fire. If using hot coals place some coals along top of tin foil on top of muffin tins and allow to cook one hour checking periodically to see if cooking properly. We serve hot and let the girls choose their own. Silver Turtles This is just another way to describe foil wrapped meals. We take 2 pieces of foil, put a damp paper towel between them, then place whatever it is you are cooking onto the foil. We usually do a meat, then canned vegetables. We add sauce, or cheese, after cooking. mmmmmmmm Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Boil Water in a Paper Cup (Or Kindling Points) 1 Unwaxed paper cup Water to fill cup Open fire or Candle flame What to do: Fill the unwaxed paper cup with water and set it over the fire or candle flame. The cup will NOT burn, even when the water starts to boil. What happens: For the paper to burn, it must reach its kindling point. The water draws heat away from the paper and prevents the paper from reaching the kindling point. When the water boils away, the cup will burn. NOTE: Please use a paper cup that is unwaxed. If you don't the wax will catch on fire. Sandy Ten Minute Casserole 1 6.5 oz. can of chicken (or tuna) 1 Cup Minute Rice 2 packets Cream of Mushroom Cup-a-Soup 1 and 2/3 cups boiling water. Bring water to a boil. Add chicken, soup and rice. Stir to remove lumps. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit 10 minutes. Stir again & dig in!!! Foil Dinner 6 Potatoes, partially cooked and sliced thin 6 Carrots, sliced thin 3 onions, sliced into rings 3 lbs. Ground beef salt and pepper to taste aluminum foil Prepare vegetables and leave them soaking in a bowl of water prior to cooking. For each serving: Make a patty of 1/4 lb. ground beef (3/4 inches thick) and place on a square of foil. Place potato slices, carrots and onions on top of patty. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with another square of foil and seal edges tightly, Place packet onto embers or onto grill. Cook 10 to 20 minutes until cooked through. Serves 12. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Chicken Tikka To feed....... 12 24 36 1.5kg 3kg 4.5kg 6 tbsp 12tbsp 18tbsp Condensed tomato soup 900g 1.8kg 2.7kg Milk 600ml 1.2lt 1.8lt Chicken breast, cut into cubes Tikka paste Method 1. Mix the soup, milk and tikka paste in a pan and heat thoroughly. 2. Stir in the chicken and simmer gently for 20 mins 3. Check the chicken is cooked and serve with : a ) salad and pitta bread or b) boiled rice and vegetables. Codfish Balls Number served: 3-4 Ingredients: 250g/8oz white fish vegetable oil for cooking butter for greasing 500g/1 lb cold mashed potato (or use 1 packet of instant potato for ease) milk to mix salt & pepper 1 beaten egg fresh white breadcrumbs Method: Steam the fish by placing it in a lightly buttered deep enamel plate which is balanced over a pan of boiling water, with a second plate inverted over the top. This should take 10 minutes. Put the spuds on to boil at the same time or the water to boil to make up the instant potatoes. When cooked, mash thoroughly. Leave the fish to go cold. Remove the bones and skin if you haven’t bought it ready boned. Flake it with a fork. Using a fork, mix the fish with the cold mashed potatoes, using about 1 part fish to 2 parts potato. A little milk can be added to make the mixing easier. Season well with salt and pepper and mix again. Make the mixture into balls, a little larger than golf balls preferably. Roll the balls in beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs. Fry in smoke-hot oil in a large frying pan until golden brown. Serve hot with brown bread and butter. Sharon Martin Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Steak-in-a-Bun Cut meat into thin slices like bacon and cook on a stick over the coals. Serve in a hamburger bun with an assortment of relish, ketchup and mustard, or A-1 sauce. Fruit Kabobs Alternate marshmallows and fresh fruit such as orange sections, pineapple cubes, apple wedges and dates on a pointed green stick. Toast over coals until marshmallows are brown. Mock Angel Food Let a loaf of white bread dry out for a day or so and trim off all the crusts. Cut the bread into 2" cubes and dip each one into a bowl of sweetened condensed milk. Be sure to coat all sides and roll in shredded coconut or cinnamon sugar. Toast over coals, on a sharpened stick, turning until browned on all sides. Serves 12 Frying Pan Pizza recipe: 5l w % / / 2d& mi ^f k e^i c qb^pml l k ci l ro p^i q ebo_p 1*2 q^_i bpml l k p l f i 1 q^_i bpml l k p ql j^ql mrobb .1 lw % 1--d& qf k k ba ql j^ql bp 1l w % . --d& ql mmf k d % pbb _bi l t & 2 pi f ` bp ` ebbpb ebo_p % ql mmf k d7 vl r ` l ri a rpb l k f l k p) mbmmbop) . + Mrq ci l ro) / + Jf u e^j) jrpeol l jp bq` p^i q) mf k ` e ql dbqebo dbk qi v 0+ Qrok l k ql 1+ E b^q . pmob^a ql m t f qe ql j^ql Qef p t f i i lk 2 qrk ^) mf k b^mmi b) ql m&� l c *ebo_p ^aa /f k q^_i _l bp t iml l k p l c lfi ^k a 1 q^_i bpml l k p l c t ^qbo ^k a hk b^a t bi i ci l roba _l ^oa ^k a ol i ki d l m rq^k ql q^_i bpml l k 2+ @l l h cl o ` l l hba _^` mbm l kmbol k f ) lfi fk mrobb) jf k rqbp rk qf i covf k d m^k ) ^aa ql j^ql bp) cf q covf ^aa _^pb ^k a ` l l h rk qf i ql mmf k d ^k a qebk ` ebbpb+ ` ebbpb e^p jbi qba+ cf*.q1� ^ covf . / k dk *m^ m^qol i p l c 1,2 rpr^i i v j^hb Ó Sharon Martin 2001 . lo / b^` e�� dl i abk _ol t k rk abok b^qe Sweet and Sour Chicken This is a very easy to make Chinese dish - as long as you follow the instructions! Equipment needed : · · · · · · 1 frying pan, 1 saucepan, quite big, 2 wooden spoons, a chopping board, a sharpish knife, some bowls to eat out of. Food you should have : · · · · A bag of chicken strips Some onions A jar of sweet & sour sauce Some packets of noodles Method : Heat up a LITTLE oil in a frying pan, and put in one bag of chicken strips, stir it occasionally. While the chicken is cooking chop up an onion into strips, if you don't know how to do it then ask a Guider!! When ALL the chicken is white, then put the onion in the frying pan. Stir it occasionally · While the onion is cooking, heat up another pan with water in until it boils. When the water is boiling put in the noodles, one block of noodles for each 2 people, start timing!! (they need 4 mins to cook) Now that you have the noodles cooking, your onions should be almost cooked, so put in some sweet and sour sauce out of the jar. Stir it all around, and with a different spoon try to break up the noodles………..is 4 minutes up yet?? When your noodles are cooked, ask a Guider to tip the water down the sink (make sure they don't lose any noodles!!) Share out the noodles into bowls, so there is enough for everyone in your group. Now share out the sweet and sour chicken in the same way! Eat it, but are you brave enough to do it with chopsticks?? Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Vegetable Samosas 359g/12oz Potatoes peeled and diced 125g/4oz frozen peas 45ml/3 tbsp vegetable oil (I use a large knob of the vegetable Margarine spread) 1 onion Chopped 2.5cm / 1 inch Ginger root, finely chopped 1 garlic clove crushed 1tsp Garam Masala 2 tsp mild curry paste. (Buy a jar of cook in sauce. it goes a long way) ½ tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp lemon juice Vegetable oil for shallow frying (Again-I use vegetable Marg Spread) Cook the potatoes in pan of boiling salted water for 5 mins add peas and cook for further 5 mins or until potato is tender. (You could use cold leftover boiled potatoes diced. Boil peas first for 5 mins then add the cold potatoes for a couple of minutes to heat through) Drain Well Heat the cooking oil (Spread) in a frying pan add the onion and potato and Pea mixture, ginger, garlic and spices, fry for 2 mins. Stir in lemon juice and cook gently for 2 mins. Remove from heat and LIGHTLY mash the potato and peas mixture. (Only squash it a bit. …Don’t MASH it flat) At this point - If you want to you could add 60g/ 20z/ ½ cup of unsalted Cashew nuts. Mix well and add salt to taste. Heat sandwich toaster; spread the veggie marg on BOTH sides of each slice. Put bottom layer in toaster and quickly add the filling, Place second slice on top and close toaster. Pace the floor till its ready, Be careful, the filling is HOT. This should make around 6 sandwiches Remember that means 12 altogether as they divide in half in the sandwich make. You could make this mixture at home and take it ready to use for speed. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Desserts and Treats Quick Fruit Flan Ingredients: Ready made flan case, fresh or tinned fruit, and quick jel and double cream or tinned cream. Directions: Let the girls make up their own flans, using what fruit they like, and making them as pretty as they like, and then pour quick jel over. You can also use tinned pie filling for this one, but it is not so interesting for the girls. Once the quick jel has set, beat the cream nice and thick and put a blob with each serving or, much more fun, using the tinned ‘squirty’ type cream, let the girls use their imagination by putting a creamy design on top! Martian’s in a Spaceship This is a green apple (spaceship) which they hollow out, then stuff a mars bar (martian) into. Apple is wrapped in aluminum foil, and baked in the coals for about 20 minutes. Baked apple with chocolate is YUMMY! Martian Pudding Ingredients: 1 packet Instant Whip or Angel Delight per four girls 1 Mars Bar per girl. Directions: Chop the Mars bars up into bite size pieces, and make up the Instant Whip in the usual way. Pour over the Mars Bars , and serve when set. (This is sickly, but easy, and the girls love it!) WWII Mayonnaise Chocolate Cake Ingredients: 3/4 cup cocoa 1 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs, beaten 3 cups flour 1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing 1/2 tsp salt 3 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 cup lukewarm milk 2 tsp vanilla Directions: Blend cocoa, sugar and mayonnaise to form a smooth paste. Add beaten eggs. Add the sifted flour, salt and baking soda alternately with the lukewarm milk and vanilla. Bake in a greased and floured 9 x 13 inch pan at 375 oven for about 30 to 35 minutes. Note: Stress to the girls that there was a war going on, and imported goods were a luxury. The fear and reality of German U-boats prohibited much of the shipping industry, and when ships could get out on the seas, it was to transport steel, weapons, tanks, and war material. Sugar was traded like gold in the United States, and the price on the black market soared. To receive a pair of silk stockings from a fellow was like getting an engagement ring. Leg makeup was commonly used instead. (Draw a straight line down the back of your leg to simulate the Ó Sharon Martin 2001 hose's seam.) Cocoa is grown in the tropics, and the same shipping problems occurred. Therefore people hoarded. Foil Sundaes Arrange slice of pound cake on foil. Top with brown sugar, butter and pineapple (crushed), or canned pie filling. Wrap well and grill over coals. Smores Fudge 1 bag 11.5 oz milk-chocolate pieces 6 squares unsweetened chocolate (chopped up) 1 can 14 oz sweetened condensed milk 1 TBSP butter or margarine 1.5 cups miniature marshmellows 1.5 cups teddy bear shaped honey graham Grease 9 inch square baking pan (8 inch will work too) In medium saucepan, over low heat, cook first 4 ingredients until melted, stirring, 8-10 minutes Remove pan from heat, stir in 1 cup of marshmellows and 1 cup of graham snacks Spread into prepared baking pan, immediately press remaining marshmallows and graham snacks into fudge Refridgerate until firm, about 4 hours To serve, cut into squares (It sounds like more work than it is. Nice break during day. Doesn't take quite 4 hours to cool, so mid-afternoon is okay or supper for late evening snack.) Snow Taffy Boil together 3 c. sugar, 1/2 c. whipping cream, and 1/2 c. cereal cream, until it reaches "soft ball" stage.... (112 - 115deg. C or 234 - 240 deg F) -- stir constantly to prevent scorching.... pour in lines onto clean snow and roll up onto popsicle sticks or skewers and enjoy. We found if it was eaten right away, it was chewy and taffy-ish, but the ones we covered with foil and ate later were almost like a white fudge! But VERY VERY sweet and rich! I wish they were virtual calories!!! I'm sure you could create variations on this by adding peppermint extract and green food colouring, or..... almond extract or orange or strawberry or rootbeer or..???? endless flavouring possibilities, I'd guess, as the cream-y base would be easy to enhance! -don't know who originally posted this....or where I got it from. ) Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Brown Bears In An Apple Orchard Cooking method: fire, stove top Cooking time: 20 minutes Servings: 6 Ingredients: 2 cans applesauce Package of ginger bread cake mix (follow directions for cookie mix) Method: Heat two cans of applesauce in a deep pan. Mix package of gingerbread cake mix, following directions for cookie mix. Sape gingerbread into small balls. Spread over top of hot applesauce, Cook over low fire for approximately 10 minutes uncovered and 10 minutes covered, or until gingerbread is done. Pineapple Upside Down Donuts Cooking Method: Foil Cooking Time: 15 -20 minutes Servings: 1 Ingredients: 1 donut 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1 pineapple slice 1/2 teaspoon butter 1 cherry miniature marshmallow (optional) Cut the donut in half making a top and a bottom. Sandwich the pineapple in between the haves. Fill the centre with brown sugar and butter. Top with cherry and marshmallow. Wrap in foil and cook on a grill above a bed of hot coals until marshmallow are melted. Approximately 15 -20 minutes. Note. DO NOT COOK IN COALS AS THE DONUT WILL BURN. Campers Fudge Ingredients: 1/2 cup margarine 1/4 cup boling water 1/2 cup cocoa 1/2 cup powdered milk 1/8 teaspoon vanilla 1 lb. Icing sugar Melt margarine in boiling water. Add the rest of the ingredients. Spread unto plate and cool. Makes 1 1/2 lbs of calories! Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Chocolate Noodle Drops Melt a package of chocolate chips in a pot over low heat. Add chow mien noodles to melted chocolate. Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper, and drop spoonfuls of chocolate-coated noodles on the paper. Place cookie sheet in a cool spot so that drops will harden. Eat and enjoy. Here are 2 favorite recipes that my Guides like to make Camper Fudge Ingredients 1/2 cup margarine 1/4 cup boiling water 1/2 cup cocoa 1/2 cup powdered milk 1/8 teaspoon vanilla 1 lb. Icing sugar Melt margarine in boiling water. Add the rest of the ingredients. Spread unto plate and cool Makes 1 1/2 lbs of calories! Fudge pie 2 tbsp cocoa 2 eggs 1 c sugar 1/2 c flour 1 stick butter, melted 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 c pecans Melt butter in pan and add all ingredients. Bake in greased pie pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with ice cream or whipped topping. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Openfire Peach skillet dessert Preparation Method: wood Number Served: 9 Non Food Items Needed: Large cast iron skillet, lid to cover 1 cup Measuring cup tsp. measuring spoon Hot pad serving spoon Food Items Needed: 1 can sliced peaches 1/3 can of peach juice 1 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. lemon juice 1 cup biscuit mix (dry) 1/3 cup water 4 Tbsp. melted butter 1/4 cup sugar cinnamon At Home Preparation: You could measure your dry ingredients into plastic bags to eliminate need to measure at camp. On Site Prep / Cooking Instructions: Start wood fire. Drain peaches, measure juice, add back to drained peaches. Add 1 cup sugar and lemon juice. Pour into large skillet. Mix biscuit mix with water until stiff. Drop by spoonsful onto peaches. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serving Suggestions: Serve warm Campfire Cream Puffs You will need: A piece of clean wood dowel about 3/4 - 1" around. Ours are 2 feet long. Tin foil No stick spray Instant pudding Milk Pillsbury crescent rolls Whip cream in spray can fire/coals Wrap the end of the dowel with tin foil and spray with no stick spray. Wrap one crescent roll around the end of the dowel making sure the edges meet and its not too thick or thin on the end. "bake" your crescent over the hot coals turning often until golden brown. Fill the cooked crescent roll with pudding and add whip cream. Eat and ENJOY!! Mistybunny Ó Sharon Martin 2001 We do the same thing, but instead of whipped cream, we add jelly and make jelly rolls! We also will use a stick instead of a dowel, perhaps because we're very country and there are always green wood around at both our camps. Darn Goods Method: Camp Stove Refrigerator biscuit dough (comes in a tube) Vegetable oil for frying cinnamon sugar powdered sugar Cut circles of biscuit dough into quarters. Heat oil. Fry dough until light brown. Turn and brown the other side. Drain on paper towels. Put cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar in separate paper bags. Drop in Darn Goods and shake to coat. Best when eaten warm Hint: Any biscuit or bread dough can be used, just pinch off pieces about the size of a one inch ball. Fruit Crumble 350 g (12 oz) fruit (possibly sweeten with about 50g sugar?) 50 g (2 oz) margarine or butter 100 g (4 oz) self raising flour 50 g (2 oz) sugar 1 Heat oven to 190ºC, 375ºF, Gas Mark 5. 2 Place sweetened fresh fruit or canned fruit in ovenproof dish. 3 Rub fat into flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. 4 Add sugar, mix thoroughly and spread evenly over the fruit. Bake for about 30 minutes until fruit is cooked and top is golden. As for portion control - intended for 3-4 ish but sorry that's up to you! I have seen this go a long way when served to sparrow appetites or vanish underneath a sea of custard between two. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Homemade cake mix When is the last time you made a cake from scratch? With so many cake mixes on the market, it is almost unheard of. But here is a homemade cake mix that can be made in a large quantity and stored easily. While it takes a little time to make the mix itself, it’s worth the effort. It’s only a fraction of the cost of store-bought cake mixes and nothing compares to the taste of a homemade cake! Homemade Cake Mix 3-1/3 cups shortening 5 tablespoons double-acting baking powder 7-2/3 cups granulated sugar 3 tablespoons salt 11 cups sifted all-purpose flour Place shortening at room temperature in a large mixing bowl. Cream 1/2 minute with mixer at medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Cream another 1/2 minute at same speed. Add 4 cups sugar, 1 cup at a time. After each addition, cream 1 minute at medium speed. Sift together 3 times, flour, baking powder, salt, and 3-2/3 cups of sugar. Sift last time into a clean mixing bowl. Add 2 cups of sifted ingredients to shortening-sugar. Blend 1/2 minute at medium speed. Turn mixture into dry ingredients. Blend until it looks like cornmeal. Be sure all ingredients are well blended. To Store Mix: Measure mix into 6 equal parts. Spoon it lightly into measuring cup. Each part should be 3-1/2 cups. Place each part into a quart glass jar or zip-lock baggies. Cover and store in a cool, dark place; or place in a metal can, cover, and store in a cool place. When stored properly, mix stays fresh for up to a month. For longer shelf-life, store in the freezer. YELLOW CAKE 3-1/2 Cup cake mix 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 medium eggs 3/4 cup milk Yield: 1 square cake 8x8x2 inches 2 round layer cake pans - 8 inches 1 loaf cake - 10x6-1/2x2 inches 1 sheet cake - 12x8x1 inches Place mix into a 2 quart bowl. Make a well in centre of mix. Add eggs, vanilla and all the milk to the mixture. Beat mixture 1 minute with electric mixer at low speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl to be sure all ingredients are mixed. Beat 2 minutes longer at same speed. Batter should be smooth and free of lumps. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Pour into desired pans and bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 30 - 40 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back up when pressed lightly in centre. Variations: White Cake Use 3 medium egg whites instead of whole eggs. Spice Cake Add to the mix for cake: 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1/2 teaspoon cloves Orange Cake Add 1 teaspoon grated orange rind to mix and use 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract in place of vanilla Chocolate Cake 1. Add 2 extra tablespoons of milk 2. Stir liquid ingredients into mix until just blended 3. Add 2 squares of melted chocolate and blend into mixture 4. Continue mixing batter as directed Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Bits and Pieces Candle Cookery EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Silver Foil Candles Vegetable Oil Silver Foil Containers (pudding size ones are best for popcorn) Bulldog clips Teaspoon Matches Barbecue Skewers Coathangers & Pliers Popcorn Chocolate Buttons Mint Sweeties Digestive Biscuits Marshmallows Popcorn in Foil Light the candles. 1. With a foil container - add half teaspoon of oil in to the container. 2. Add a teaspoon of popcorn. 3. With silver foil, cut out a piece of foil much larger than the container. Put a double fold in the middle (this is so the popcorn can expand when cooking). 4. Cover the container with the silver foil and seal well over the edges. 5. Using some initiative, pliers and a coathanger, or two bulldog clips, hold the container over the candle until the popcorn begins to pop. Chocolate Mint Sweeties Light the candles. 1. Crush the mint sweets inside a plastic bag. 2. Using a small foil container, melt the chocolate over the candle. 3. When melted add the crushed mint sweets, mix and then leave to set. S’More’s Light the candles. 1. Skewer a marshmallow (or two) onto a barbecue skewer. 2. Hold over the candle until cooked to taste, then place them between two biscuits with a couple of chocolate buttons. Eat while still hot. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 CHRISTMAS NO-COOK SWEETS CANDLE need - mini roll per person and a pack of ready roll icing 1. stand roll on end 2. shape a piece of icing to look like a flame and add to the top. FATHER CHRISTMAS need - swiss roll (cut into slices), pack of ready roll icing (white), pack of ready roll icing (red), Smarties and strawberry shoelaces. 1. lay swiss roll on plate. 2. cut santa hat shape from red icing and place at top of cake 3. cut santa beard shape from white icing and plact at bottom of cake 4. stick eyes and nose on with water icing 5. put mouth (shoelace) on beard - smile is best. JESUS IN MANGER need - rich tea fingers (manger), white ready roll icing (pillow and blanket), jelly babies (Jesus) 1. roll icing out and cut circles 2. wrap jelly baby in circle (like you would a baby) 3. make a pillow out of the remaining icing and place at one end of biscuit. 4. lay baby with head on pillow. 5. you can use a cocktail stick to score a pattern onto the blanket if you want. CHRISTMAS TREES need - rectangles of sponge cake, green ready roll icing, silver balls and mini M&Ms 1. stand rectangle on plate so it stands tall. 2. drape a circle of icing over so that it looks like a tree. 3. put a silver ball at the top and use M&Ms to decorate like you would a tree. Choc Marshmallow Cups 225g Good plain chocolate 25g butter 1 tbls cream, evaporated or condensed milk 1 tsp. vanilla essence Small marshmallows 1. Melt the chocolate in a medium sized bowl. 2. Stir the chocolate. Cut the butter in little pieces and add it to the chocolate, stirring until it is melted. 3. Stir in the cream or evaporated milk and vanilla essence. Let it cool. 4. Put it in the fridge for about 30 minutes until it is stiff enough to handle. Halfway through – when a bit cooler than at the start, mix in enough marshmallows to make it nice and lumpy! 5. Take small spoonfuls and put into small foil sweet cases. 6. Leave to set. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Friend s hip Ca ke Starter Mixture 1 1/3 teaspoons dried yeast 140g/5oz plain flour 8 fl. oz water Mix together all the ingredients, and cover the mixture. Leave it in a warm place and stir it daily for three days. After this time, the mixture should be frothy and have a distinctive sour, fermented smell. Cake Take the starter mixture, and proceed as follows; DAY 1 - Add 140g/5oz plain flour, 8 fl oz. milk, and 85g/3oz of sugar. Mix well, cover and refrigerate. DAY 2,3,4 - Stir and return to fridge. DAY 5 - Repeat day 1, transferring the mixture to a larger bowl. DAY 6,7,8,9 - Stir and return to fridge. DAY 10 - Divide into 4 equal parts (approx. 250ml per part). Take one part of the base and add: 220g/8oz. plain flour 220g/8oz. sugar 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. bicarbonate of soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. vanilla essence 2 medium eggs, beaten 8 fl.oz. vegetable oil. Add one or more of the following in addition to the above: chopped or pureed apple mashed banana raisins walnuts chocolate chips coconut apricots chopped fresh peaches. The amount is variable, but allow 3 pieces of fruit or 110g/4oz dried fruit, nuts etc. Pour the mixture into a deep 12in x 9in oblong or 9in round cake tin. Then mix together 55g/2oz brown sugar, 1 tsp. plain flour, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon and sprinkle this over the cake. Bake in a pre-heated oven 375°F/ 190°C/gas mark 5 for approx. 40 - 60 mins. Cool and store in an airtight tin. The other 3 parts of the base mix can be used separately as new starters, and passed on to friends. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Ice Cream in a Bag recipe: Ingredients & materials: 2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup half & half 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup salt (the bigger the granules, the better. Kosher or rock salt works best, but table salt is fine) Ice cubes (enough to fill a gallon-size bag about half full) 1 pint-size ziplock bag 1 gallon size ziplock bag Combine the sugar, half & half, and vanilla extract in the pint-size bag and seal it tightly. Place the salt and ice in the gallon-size bag, then place the sealed smaller bag inside as well. Seal the larger bag. Now shake the bags until the mixture hardens (about 5 minutes). Feel the small bag to determine when it's done. Take the smaller bag out of the larger one, add mix-ins (cookies, candies, fruit, etc.), and eat the ice cream right out of the bag. Easy clean up tool. Serves 1. Chocolate Peppermint Candies (makes 3 dozen) 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk 1 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract 4 - 4 1/2 cup icing sugar 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips 2 teaspoons hard block margarine In a bowl, combine milk and extract. Stir in 3 1/2 - 4 cups of sugar to form a stiff dough. Turn onto a surface sprinkled lightly with icing sugar. Knead in enough of remaining sugar to form a dough that is very stiff and no longer sticky. Shape into 1 inch balls. Place on a waxed paper lined (or grease proof paper) baking sheet. Flatten into circles. Let dry 1 hour. Turn over and dry another hour. Melt chocolate and margarine. Dip patties in chocolate mixture and place on waxed paper to harden. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Conversions ENGLISH US/CANADIAN Biscuits Double cream Single Cream Prawns Vegetable fat Bicarbonate of soda Plain flour Pastry flour Cornflour Demerara sugar Black treacle Golden syrup Icing sugar Glace cherries Gelatine Digestive biscuits Fresh yeast Sponge fingers Crisps Chips Brisket Mince Streaky bacon Topside beef Stewing steak Dumpling mix Spring onions Iceberg lettuce Cos lettuce Aubergines Courgettes Cooked Beetroot Spanish Onion Jam Jelly Cookies Heavy cream Light cream Shrimp Shortening Baking soda All purpose flour Cake flour Cornstarch Brown sugar Dark molasses Corn syrup Confectioners sugar Candied cherries Gelatin Graham crackers Compressed yeast Lady fingers Chips Fries Chuck steak Ground meat Strips of bacon Top round Beef chuck Package biscuit mix Scallions Head Bibb lettuce Romaine Eggplants Zucchini Cooked Beets Bermuda Onion Jelly Jell-O I have no doubt that I have left lots of other ingredients from this list. If you know of any others, please let me know and I will add it to the above list. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES US/CANADIAN ENGLISH Imperial ½ oz 1oz 2oz 3oz 4oz (1/4lb) 5oz 6oz 7oz 8oz (1/2lb) Metric 10g 25g 50g 75g 100g 125g 150g 175g 200g 9oz 10oz 11oz 12oz (3/4lb) 13oz 14oz 15oz 16oz (1lb) 24oz (1½lb) 32oz (2lb) 225g 250g 275g 300g 325g 350g 375g 400g 750g 1kg Dry Ingredients ½cup flour / ¼cup sugar ¾cup flour ½cup sugar / 1 cup flour 1 ½cups flour / ¾cup sugar 1 2/3 cups flour 1 cup rice/ 2 cups flour/1 cup sugar Fats/Liquids ½cup butter/water/milk 2/3 cup shortening ¾cup butter/ 1 cup molasses/honey/ butter/milk/water/jam(jelly) 2 ½cups currants/raisins 1 ½cups cream cheese 4 cups flour 2 cups butter/margerine LIQUID MEASURES Imperial 1 fluid oz 2 fluid oz 3 fluid oz 4 fluid oz 5 fluid oz (1/4 pint/1 gill) 6 fluid oz 8 fluid oz 10 fluid oz (1/2 pint) 16 fluid oz 20 fluid oz (1 pint) 1 ¾pints Metric 30ml 60ml 100ml 125ml 150ml 190ml 250ml 300ml 500ml 600ml 1000ml (1 litre) Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Handy Measures The following ingredients measured in level tablespoons give approximately 25g/1oz weight. 3 4 2 6 3 5 2 3 5 1 4 2 4 1 Semolina, flour, custard powder, cornflour and other powdery starches Porridge Oats Rice Breadcrumbs (fresh) Breadcrumbs (dry) Grated Cheese Granulated and caster sugar Demerara Sugar, icing sugar (sifted) Desiccated coconut Syrup, honey, treacle and jam (jelly) Ground almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts Dried fruits Cocoa Powder Salt Spoon Measures 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons 1 level tablespoon = 15 ml 1 level teaspoon = 5 ml if great accuracy is not required: 1 rounded teaspoon 1 heaped teaspoon = 2 level teaspoons = 3 level teaspoons or 1 tablespoon OVEN TEMPERATURES Very Slow Slow Moderately Slow Moderate Moderately Hot Hot Very Hot C (Celsius) 110 130 140 150 160 180 190 200 220 230 250 F (Farenheit) 225 250 275 300 325 350 375 400 425 450 500 Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Gas Mark ¼ ½ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HEALTH AND HYGIENE The following are basic tips for health and hygiene at camp. Anti-Bacterial Anti-bacterial cleaners are types of disinfectant and can kill germs. They often come in spray form. Anti-bacterial cleaners won't work if you don't use them properly, so always follow the instructions. Always clean surfaces first with detergent to remove any grease or dirt, then apply disinfectant to kill any remaining germs. Use separate cloths or sponges for separate tasks; where practicable use disposable cloths. If using them more than once, wash in hot water and soap then place in a suitable disinfectant, rinse thoroughly and allow to dry. Do not soak overnight as disinfectant solutions weaken and may allow bacteria to grow. Keep serving bowls covered to protect them from dust, insects and pets. Bugs 'Bugs' and 'germs' are the common name for the harmful organisms - such as bacteria and viruses - that cause food poisoning. Because we can only see them through a microscope they are also called microbes or micro-organisms. They can get into our food at any point in the food chain - from the time when an animal or food is in the field to the moment food is put on to the table to eat. If they are allowed to survive and multiply they can cause illness when that food is eaten. Food poisoning bacteria multiply fast but to do so need moisture, food, warmth and time. They multiply best between 5 and 63°C. One germ can multiply to more than 4 million in just 8 hours in the right conditions. Food poisoning microbes can be dangerous and can kill - though this is rare. They are very hard to detect since they do not usually affect the taste, appearance or smell of food. Cans Before opening cans wipe over the tops to remove any dust - and don't forget to clean the can opener. Never put open cans in the fridge - transfer contents into a storage container or covered bowl and remember to use within two days. Don't use food from rusty or damaged cans. Chopping Boards Wash and dry knives and chopping boards thoroughly after every use and especially between chopping raw meat, fish and poultry and chopping cooked and ready-to-eat foods. Ideally use separate chopping boards for raw and cooked foods. Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Cling Film Cover dishes and other open containers with foil or film before storing them in the fridge. Don't re-use foil or film to wrap other foods Cool Bags Use an insulated bag or cool box to keep chilled and frozen foods cool when shopping and buy these foods last. Use enough ice packs to keep cool bags really cool. When having a barbecue or picnic keep meats, salads and other perishable foods cool in the fridge or in a cool bag until just before you are ready to cook/eat them. Ideally use separate cool bags for raw meats and cooked/ready-to-eat foods. Cool bags can only keep food cool for a limited period so cook sooner rather than later. WASHING HANDS Don’t forget to wash hands: a) before handling food – any food b) before handling meat after veg c) before handling veg after meat d) before eating or sampling food during cooking e) after eating or sampling food during cooking f) before cooking g) after cooking Finally, EVERYONE to wash their hands before they sit down to eat. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To all those who contributed may I say a very big thank you for without you this book would not have been possible. If you know of any information, recipes or material in this book that does not have the correct acknowledgement or should not be used please contact me. Sharon Martin [email protected] Ó Sharon Martin 2001 Forward I realised quite a long time ago that when it came to camping and cooking – you were on your own! Any food that you cooked or recipes that you came across were often gained by ‘word of mouth’, no pun intended. Occasionally, if you went to camp with another group, you would pick up another idea, another method of cooking or another recipe that you would subsequently take to your next camp and use yourself. Food or menus can get boring year after year if you don’t try something different! This book would not have been completed without the efforts from all of the leaders who contributed to it. I would like to thank all those who sent in their contributions and all of those who have asked for copies of the original book, because without them, this one would never have been completed. Finally, I must say a huge thank you to a particular lady, who shall remain anonymous as requested. She has been a marvellous contributor and the majority of the unmarked recipes are from her. Thank you very much. I hope that you have a go at cooking as many of the recipes as possible that are in this book, and if you gain a couple of pounds because of them, please don’t blame me. Bon appetit! - 1Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Contents Page No Breakfasts Breakfast Hash Tuna Tin Brekkie Eggs (V) Savoury Potato Cakes (V) Kedgeree (V) Eggs in a Nest Pumpkin Pancakes (V) 5 5 6 6 7 8 Lunch Pitta Pizzas Make Chapattis (V) Eggs in a Hat (V) Omelettes in a Bag (V) 9 9 9 10 M ain M eal s Baked Bean and Sausage Casserole Veggie Lovers Camp Stew (V) Chicken in a Hole Vegetable Potjie (V) Campers' Dumplings Hash Mess with Eggs Italian Chicken Salisbury Steak Campfire Stew Hobo Meal Erwtensoep Dutch Oven Nachos Sunrise Spuds Ham and Sweet Potato Foil Pack Pocket Stew Dinner Bread (V) Charcoal Chicken stuffed with Charcoal Number Salad (V) Troop Brownie Smiles (V) Robinson Crusoes (V) Western Skillet Rice Sweet ‘n’ Salty Corn (V) Pizza Chicken Packets Cheesy Chilli Packets Steak on a Stick Summer Veggie Packet (V) Premium Packet Potatoes (V) - 2Ó Sharon Martin 2003 11 11 12 13 13 14 14 14 15 13 16 16 17 17 17 18 18 19 19 19 19 20 20 20 21 21 22 Desserts Camping Dessert Recipe (V) Chocolate Chip & Bran Muffins (V) Apple Crisp (V) Chocolate Crunch (V) Butterchoc Surprise (V) Sponge Puddings (V) Buttermilk Pancake Mix (V) Apple Pancakes (V) Peanut Butter and Jelly Pancakes (V) Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (V) Chocolate Chip Pancakes (V) Easy Dutch Oven Cobbler (V) Gingerbread Oranges (V) Ball-Toss Ice-cream (V) Faux Gateaux (V) Campfire Éclairs (V) Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes (V) Dandy Candy (V) Cookie Recipe (V) DIRT! (V) Banana Boats (V) GORP! (V) Ants on a Log (V) Mosquitoes on a Stick (V) Mock Angel Food Cake (V) Smiles (V) DIRT! (V) Éclairs (V) Texas Trash (V) Poached Eggs (V) Cold Fried Eggs (V) Walking Apples (V) Tics on a Latrine Seat (V) Baked Apple (V) Wormy Apples (V) Indoor S’mores (V) Pudding Cones (V) Banana Supreme (V) Bags-of-Gold (V) Puppy Chow (V) Spiced Apples (V) Dipping Apple Wedges (V) Original Home baked Girl Scout Cookies (Circa 1912) (V) Original Girl Scout Cookie Recipe (V) Baked Apples – Snack (V) Campfire Dump Cake (V) Pineapple Upside-down-wiches (V) Indoor S’mores (V) - 3Ó Sharon Martin 2003 23 23 23 24 24 24 25 26 26 27 27 28 28 28 29 29 30 30 30 30 31 31 31 31 31 31 32 32 32 32 32 32 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 34 34 34 35 35 35 Grilled Peaches (V) 36 Bits and Pieces How To Make Butter (1) (V) How To Make Butter (2) (V) How To Make Butter (3) (V) Butter Tips Hints for jam making Tamarillo Jam (V) Raspberry Jam (V) Dampers (V) A Thanksgiving Dinner 37 37 38 38 38 39 39 39 40 Conversions Weights and Measures Liquid Measures Handy Measures Spoon Measures Oven Temperatures Healthy & Hygiene 42 43 43 44 44 44 45 - 4Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Breakfasts Breakfast Hash This is a traditional recipe when camping and is always a huge hit! This can be done over the fire with a bed of medium-hot coals or on the stove. 3-4 medium potatoes, diced into bite size pieces 1 package smoked sausage, diced into bite size pieces 1 medium onion, chopped (optional) 1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional) 1 cup diced red, green, yellow pepper (optional) 8 eggs, beaten 1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese Cook potatoes for about 10-15 minutes, add the smoked sausage and any of the optional ingredients you choose, and cook until the potatoes are cooked through. Pour in the beaten eggs and cook until eggs are done. Top with shredded cheese and let melt (or mix in). Tuna Tin Brekkie Eggs 1 empty, washed, tuna tin Vegetable oil 1 egg Foil Using a clean and empty tuna tin, spray or wipe some oil around the inside of it. Crack an egg into it. Cover with foil. Carefully put it into the ashes of a fire or above a buddy burner. Once cooked, placed between a muffin, sliced in half (like a well known fast food chain Egg Muffin). - 5Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Savoury Potato Cakes 1 Packet of Smash or 2 ½ lb cold potatoes 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 tablespoon chopped onion Salt and pepper Chopped ham or bacon for extra flavour Mix the Smash according to the instructions on the packet. OR mash the cold potatoes. Mix in the other ingredients, adding the ham or bacon if wanted. Form into cakes with clean, well-floured hands and fry in a shallow frying pan with a little oil. Kedgeree This needs some planning and you will need to start the day before! This recipe will need to be practised first as the quantities are based on trial and error. Rice White fish, filleted (cod, rock salmon etc.) 2-3 Hard boiled eggs Salt and pepper Butter/Margarine 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Boil enough rice for the number of people sitting down for the meal. Once boiled, let it get cold and store safely in a cool box or fridge until the next morning. Gently boil or poach an equal amount of white fish. Be careful you don’t overcook. Once cooked, drain, flake the fish and allow to cool and put in a safe place - in a cool box or fridge. THE FOLLOWING MORNING: Mix the rice and fish together. Add two or three hard boiled eggs. Heat the whole lot in a deep pan/Dixie with ¼ lb butter/margarine added. Keep stirring all the time. Add a little salt and pepper to taste. Serve with toast or brown bread and butter. - 6Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Eggs In A Nest Wonderful, easy, camp breakfast. These can be done at home in the frying pan as well, but the girls particularly love cooking on their camp stoves. Camp stove in frying pan or on tin can stoves (my guides preference) Tin Can Stoves Charcoal Briquettes or Buddy Burners Tin Foil Fire Starters Matches Spatula (Flipper) Oven Mitts Water (to douse fire) Bread Butter/Margarine Eggs Light buddy burners or charcoal in proper clearing. Once heat source is going well, cover with tin can stove. Lay 1 piece of heavy duty foil on top of stove. Butter outside of 1 slice of bread. With knife or Circular cookie cutter cut a 3" circle out of the centre of the bread. Lay bread, butter side down on piece of foil on stove. Crack 1 egg into the middle of the hole. Cook until egg is done to desired consistency. You may cover loosely with another piece of foil to cook the egg faster. Serve with bacon, sausage or fresh fruit. Warning - most Guides (9 - 12 years old) will want 2 or maybe even 3 (not allowed in my unit). - 7Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Pumpkin Pancakes Here's the prefect thing for nippy autumn breakfasts. 2 cups flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1½ cups milk 4 eggs, separated 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup pumpkin purée ¼ cup melted butter In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Combine the milk, egg yolks, butter and pumpkin purée and stir into the dry ingredients until just blended. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Stir ¼ of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it. Gently fold remaining egg whites into the batter. Heat the skillet over a medium heat. You can tell if your skillet or griddle is hot enough by flicking a drop or two of water on its surface. The water should skitter around and quickly evaporate if the pan is hot enough. Spoon the batter into hot oiled skillet, allowing about 3 tablespoons per pancake. Cook pancakes for about 1½-2 minutes. You will know your pancakes are ready to be turned over when large bubbles form on the uncooked surface. Flip the pancakes and cook for about 1½ minutes on the other side. Serve immediately or keep warm on a baking sheet in a 200° F oven until all pancakes are cooked. - 8Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Lunches Pitta Pizzas You get a pitta bread, and split it open, then inside you put some tomato puree, cheese, and then whatever toppings the guides want ham chunks, pineapple pepperoni, (we cut up pepperami snacks for this), tomatoes and peppers. Then wrap it all up in silver foil and put round base of fire, or generally heat over cookers and then they eat it straight from the foil. No mess! And very tasty too! Make Chapattis 8oz or 250 gram plain flour (white or wholemeal) 3 fl oz or 80 ml water (warm if possible) 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) Put the flour in a bowl and gradually add the water, stirring with a knife, until enough water is added and a ball of dough is formed. Add more flour if it gets sticky. Knead the dough on a floured board/plate with your hands for 5 -10 minutes. It should feel elastic. Cover the dough and leave for an hour. During this hour gather enough punk and wood and light a cooking fire. Try lighting the fire without matches (using a magnifying glass or even "rubbing 2 sticks together"). Knead the dough again for 5 mins. Divide the dough into balls, no bigger than a golf ball, there should be enough for all your patrol, and one for the leaders to taste! Flatten each ball, roll it in some flour and roll, or press, into a thin round about 6ins (15cm) in diameter. Put a small frying pan over the fire. Add a little oil and when hot cook a chapatti for about 30 sec on each side, moving it so it does not stick. When done press the chapatti with a clean cloth and it will swell up, or lift out of the pan and put on griddle over the fire. Spread with butter and eat hot. Eggs in a Hat 4 4 4 4 slices of your favourite bread eggs slices of ham slices of cheese 1) Warm the skillet or griddle over a low heat. 2) Grease the skillet well. 3) Using either a round cookie cutter or a drinking glass, cut out a hole in the centre of the bread, being careful not to break the crust. (It will still work if the crust breaks, just not as well.) - 9Ó Sharon Martin 2003 4) 5) 6) 7) Place the bread in the skillet and lightly toast it on both sides. Crack an egg into the hole in the bread and cook until the egg white is almost solid. Flip the bread and egg over and place a slice of cheese and a slice of ham on top. Serve when the cheese is melted. Dip leftover bread and make French Toast from it. Omelettes In A Bag This recipe is especially fun for kids. 2 eggs Diced ham Diced onion Diced capsicum Place all the ingredients in a large Ziploc freezer bag. Each person will 'scramble' their omelette by squishing the bag with their hands until it is all nicely mixed. In a large pot of boiling water, place the bags (one or two at a time) and move them around with a large spoon for 4-5 minutes until the eggs are done. Pour the omelette onto a paper plate and you have breakfast! No mess, no fuss and lots of fun for kids. - 10Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Main Meals Baked Bean and Sausage Casserole 1 ½ kg 2 tablespoons 2 2 teaspoons 440g can 445g can 1 tablespoon 1 teaspoon Thin sausages Oil Onions, sliced Curry powder Baked beans Italian Cooking Sauce Soy sauce Worcestershire sauce Prick sausages well with skewer, place in large pan, cover with water, bring to boil, cover, reduce heat simmer 10 minutes, drain. Remove skins from sausages, cut sausages in half. Heat oil in pan, cook onions and curry powder until onions are tender. Add baked beans, Italian Cooking Sauce, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, bring to boil, simmer 15 minutes. Veggie Lovers Camp Stew (Great when you take a vegetarian to camp!) This stew recipe is versatile - you can add potatoes if you cut them small, or you can add any kind of sausage. 3 yellow squash 2 large sweet onions 1 large green pepper 2 cloves garlic Butter Salt and pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon water Cut vegetables into chunks and add some butter, garlic (minced or chopped), salt and pepper. Wrap in foil and sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of water (this will help to steam the veggies). Set over fire for about 30 minutes or longer depending on how well you like your vegetables cooked. - 11Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Chicken in a Hole (from Botswana, Africa) Whole chicken, cleaned and gutted Chicken spices - your favourite Garlic, onion - as you like Cabbage leaves (optional) Cheesecloth (optional) Heavy duty aluminium foil Wipe the chicken. Push cloves of garlic (we've used up to 20 per chicken) between the skin and the flesh of the chicken. Stuff an onion into the cavity of the chicken. (We don't like stuffing, so we use an onion - but stuffing is quite acceptable.) Sprinkle your favourite chicken spices inside and outside the chicken. Wrap cabbage leaves around the chicken. This is optional - they help prevent burning of the chicken skin, if we forget about the meal. If you want the chicken skin to remove easily after cooking, cheesecloth wrapped around the chicken will do that. It also will help prevent the burning to a crisp of a forgotten chicken. Wrap two or three layers of aluminium foil around the chicken and freeze it for later use at the campsite. Take out the chicken to thaw. Meanwhile, prepare the cooking hole. Dig a hole about a meter deep and about a half meter square for one chicken. If you are cooking more than one chicken at a time, then make a proportionally bigger hole. Line the walls of the hole with wood. Put hot coals in the bottom of the hole, or make a fire in the bottom of the hole. The wood along the walls should burn down to coals, leaving hot walls and a pile of hot coals at the bottom of the hole. Sprinkle dry sand lightly over the coals at the bottom of the hole. Put in the chicken(s). Sprinkle dry sand and hot coals around the chicken. These may come from the pile of coals at the bottom of the hole or from a fire built adjacent to the hole. Cover the chicken with a light layer of dry sand. Put hot coals on top of the chicken. Put dry sand on top of these hot coals. Fill in the hole. Put a marker to indicate where the hole is (sometimes it gets lost). Go away for a game drive or other activity for about 3-4 hours. When you come back, find the hole, dig up the chicken, and eat it. - 12Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Vegetable Potjie (from Botswana, Africa) This recipe is a favourite for the second or third night out in the bush. The root vegetables keep well so that they can make a very filling meal after several days camping. The best part you can kick around the coals and tell stories while waiting for the food to cook. 5-6 medium potatoes 5 large carrots 1 small turnip or rutabaga 1/2 cup oil 4-6 cloves garlic 1 medium butternut squash 2 ears of corn 1 stalk celery 2-3 onions 1 teaspoon salt Black pepper to taste 2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 teaspoon dried basil 1 cup vegetable stock Wash the vegetables and cut into chunks. (You can use any other hard winter vegetables that you like.) Heat a cast-iron pot over coals until a little bit warm, then add oil. When the oil is hot, lightly cook onions and garlic. Arrange vegetables in layers on top of onion and garlic mixture. The ones with the longest cooking times go on the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle on the seasonings and herbs. Pour stock over the final layer. Cover the pot with its lid and simmer over campfire coals for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Leave the lid on until the cooking time is finished. Campers' Dumplings This is a great recipe on a cold day when you get back to camp. The leftovers are great too! 2 cups diced chicken or leftover turkey 1 can cream of chicken soup 1/2 teaspoon pepper water with 8 bouillon cubes 1/2 stick butter 1 teaspoon salt 2 large cans chicken broth or 2 quarts 8 flour tortillas Bring broth and seasonings to boil. Meanwhile, slice tortillas into thin strips. Place in the boiling broth and cook for about 15 minutes. Add chicken pieces and cook for 15 more minutes uncovered. - 13Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Hash Mess with Eggs This doesn't look too appetizing, but kids love it. 1 pound ground beef 2 sticks butter 6 large eggs 1 green pepper, chopped 5-8 mushrooms, sliced thin 1 bag frozen, cubed hash browns Salt and pepper, to taste ½ cup milk ½ onion, chopped 1 cup shredded cheddar Make this at home a day ahead and bring it with you. Fry hamburger until done. Add vegetables and mix together with seasonings. Put in 9x13 cake pan. Top with cheese. Cover with foil. At the campsite, mix eggs and milk and pour over top of and cook until eggs are done. Very good and filling. The kids eat it with Ketchup; adults use salsa and sour cream. Take a metal wire grill so you can use it with a camping pan set. You can also cover the pan with foil and set it on rocks in the embers. Just butter the pan really well if you do the embers thing! Italian Chicken This is a great first dinner after a long day of backpacking. 1 small coffee can 1 chicken breast 1 green pepper 1 carrot, sliced 1 sheet of foil 1 bottle of Italian Dressing 1 potato, sliced Any seasonings you like At home, put everything together in the coffee can and cover with foil. Put this in your backpack and let it marinate all day while you hike. This lets the juices go into the chicken and veggies. I like to add a little salt and pepper. At camp, cook on hot coals for 45 minutes or until done. Salisbury Steak 2 pounds hamburger 2 cans cream of mushroom soup 1 onion, chopped Mushrooms Make eight patties with the meat and grill until no longer pink. Mix the remaining ingredients with one can of water in a Dutch oven. Warm over the fire, grill or stove. As the patties are done, drop them into the soup mixture. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over rice. - 14Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Campfire Stew 1 pound hamburger 2 cans mixed vegetables [don't drain] 1 medium onion [optional] 1 bottle ketchup In Dutch oven, brown hamburger with onions and then drain the fat. Return to fire/burner and add the remaining ingredients. Also, rinse your ketchup bottle with about 1/2 cup water and add. Let simmer for at least 30 minutes; but it is best to simmer for about an hour. If stew starts to become dry, just add a little water or more ketchup diluted with a little water for you ketchup lovers! Serve hot with warm bread or crackers. For added flavour, pour into your serving a little ketchup, steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce, etc. Hobo Meal and tips 1) One great, easy recipe that's always a wonderful meal is the hobo meal. All you need is heavy-duty foil, potatoes, onions, corn, meat, peppers or celery if desired and salt and pepper. If using ground beef, you should make small meatballs. Just put everything in the centre of a piece of foil, pull up the corners like a sack and twist closed. Place on the coals and wait for your meal to cook! No clean up either! Just eat out of the sack - eat with your fingers if it's cool enough. 2) Using a few corn chips as fire-starters is economical and efficient. Simply light them with a match and toss a few on the campfire or barbecue. 3) Placing an egg into a plastic bag and then back into the egg carton makes transporting eggs safer. If the shell breaks, the mess stays in the bag. Remove the shell and scramble the egg later. 3) To make devilled eggs with no mess, put eggs yolks from hard-boiled eggs in plastic sandwich bag. Add remaining ingredients, close bag and mix. When finished cut small tip off corner of bag and squeeze into hollowed egg white, then simply throw away the bag. No mess, no fuss! 4) Add a few ice cubes to aluminium foil packet dinners or vegetables to prevent them from burning and keep them moist. 5) Control the flames on a barbecue grill by using a spray bottle of water mixed with 1 teaspoon baking soda. 6) To cook hamburgers more evenly and avoid the syndrome of well done edges and rare centres, make a tiny hole (about the size of your index finger) in the middle of the - 15Ó Sharon Martin 2003 burgers. During grilling, the hole in the middle will disappear but the centre will be cooked the same as the edges. Erwtensoep (Thick Pea Soup) This is a recipe that no Dutch cookery book would be complete without. Pea soup is the national soup of the Netherlands. Throughout the winter, nearly every restaurant, bar or cafe has a sign advertising their own special pea soup, but take care - Dutch pea soup is a meal in itself, full of fresh winter vegetables and chunks of bacon and sausage. If the winter is particularly hard a few hardy souls will set up stalls on the frozen canals and inland lakes and sell bowls of hot pea soup to hungry skaters. As with many national recipes, every housewife has her own recipe - very often the soup is made the day before and then reheated the following day. This improves the flavour. Any leftover soup can be diluted with chicken stock and eaten as a first course a day or two later. 1 lb split peas 3 cloves 1 whole onion 1½ level teaspoons salt 1 level teaspoon dried thyme ½ celeric or 2 sticks celery ½ lb smoked boiling sausage 2½ litres water 1 bayleaf 2 pigs trotters or bacon hock Freshly ground black pepper 4 leeks 3 medium potatoes 2 level tbs. chopped parsley Rinse the peas and soak them overnight in the water (some brands are specially treated and do not need to be soaked - follow the manufacturer's instructions). Bring the peas to the boil in the water in which they have been soaked. Stick the cloves and bayleaf into the peeled onion and add it to the peas, together with the pigs trotters or bacon, salt, pepper and thyme. Cover the pan and simmer the soup for about 2 hours, until the peas are tender. Remove the onion, cloves and bayleaf and rub the soup through a sieve. Clean and slice the leeks and celeriac or celery, peel and chop the potatoes and add them to the soup together with the sausage. Bring the soup back to the boil and simmer for a further 45 minutes. Slice the sausage, remove the meat from the pigs trotters and return sausage and meat to the pan. Adjust the seasoning, sprinkle the soup with chopped parsley and serve with chunks of rye bread or pumpernickel Dutch Oven Nachos Brown the meat in a Dutch oven over hot coals, drained off the grease and set the hamburger aside. Lightly wipe out some of the extra grease from oven but not too much, then layer chips in the bottom, then some meat with green peppers and onions and top with cheese, then layer two more times so that there are three layers of chips, meat, veggies and cheese and let it bake until bubbly. The nachos will stay warm on the table in the Dutch oven for over an hour! - 16Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Sunrise Spuds This high energy recipe is great for backpacking - and no clean up! Instant mashed potato flakes Dehydrated onion Ziploc bag Grated or powdered cheese Pre-cooked bacon bits Measure out ¾-1 cup of the potato flakes into a Ziploc bag. Add the cheese, onion and bacon. Seal the bag airtight. Slowly add hot water and stir until a consistency of mashed potatoes is achieved. Enjoy it right out of the bag! Ham and Sweet Potato Foil Pack Cubed ham Pineapple pieces 1 tablespoon brown sugar Charcoal fire Sweet potatoes, cubed 2 tablespoons butter Heavy duty aluminium foil Grate for fire (optional) Place the ham, sweet potatoes and pineapple pieces on a large piece of aluminium foil. Place the on top and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Gather the two opposite sides and fold down like a lunch bag. Fold in the other two sides trying to leave some air in the pack. Cook on a grate over a coal fire, turning after 10 minutes. This should take about 20 minutes to cook. Pocket Stew Stewing meat Onions Any other vegetable you would cook in a stew Carrots Potatoes In the middle of a piece of heavy duty foil approximately 18 inches long, place the pieces of the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the foil into a pocket and place directly on the coals. The cooking time will vary, depending on the size of the pocket and the heat of the coals. The vegetables will cook in the juice of the meat but, if you wish, you may add a tablespoon or two of cooking oil. - 17Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Dinner Bread 4 Tablespoons yeast 2 1/2 cups warm water 1/4 cup honey 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1/2 cup butter, melted 1 3/4 teaspoons salt 1 cup dry milk powder 8 cups all-purpose flour (if using wheat flour, increase water to 3 cups) 1. Dissolve yeast in water with honey. 2. Add eggs, butter, salt, milk powder. Mix 3. Add flour. Moisten well and let rest 5 minutes 4. Knead 5 minutes, adding more flour if necessary. 5. Divide into 3 loaf pans (greased), 8" x 4" 6. Let rise in warm oven 20 minutes 7. Cover with foil and heat oven to 350 degrees F 8. When oven reaches 350 degrees, remove foil and bake 30 minutes. Charcoal Chicken Stuffed With Charcoal whole chicken - rinse out cavity butter heavy-duty aluminium foil Start charcoal fire and allow briquettes to become grey. Using oven mitts and tongs, place approximately 4-5 hot briquettes on a piece of heavy duty foil and wrap securely using a drugstore wrap. Wrap the coals in a second piece of foil, putting the folds on the opposite side. Place coals into the cavity of the chicken. (This works best with two people, one to hold the chicken open by the legs; one to insert the foil wrapped coals.) Place the chicken on a large piece of foil and place pats of butter on the skin. This adds flavour and helps to keep the chicken from sticking to the foil.) Wrap chicken securely in foil then wrap securely in a second piece of foil, being sure to place seam on opposite side of chicken. It's important to seal in all the juices. Place chicken directly on the embers. Pile more embers around and on top of the chicken. Allow to cook for approximately 1 1/2 hours, turning chicken over half way through and adding more briquettes as needed. This is sure to surprise everybody the first time they see you doing it. They are sure the chicken will be burnt or raw - instead it is so tender it falls right off the bones. We usually wrap potatoes in foil and put them in the embers too. We also cut up fresh carrots, or green beans, or zucchini and add a little butter before wrapping them in foil too. These go on a rack over the fire and get turned when we think about it. - 18Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Number Salad While working out the number and shapes try-it we made a number salad. We happened to use fruits but, dry foods would work too such as peanuts raisins, M&M's, small pretzels. We used: 1 - orange slice, 2 - apple chunks, 3 - raisins, 4 - banana slices and 5 - grapes. Troop Brownie Smiles Prepare a box mix of Brownies and cut into squares. These are decorated into "Smiley Faces" using frosting circle, M&M eyes and mouth and a marshmallow nose. We asked the girls to vote on several decorating mediums; nuts, raisins, M&M's, marshmallows, frosting (which flavour) and even mini kisses or chocolate bits. The three top vote winners were used: M&M's, marshmallows and frosting (white). Robinson Crusoes Spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter onto 2 graham crackers, then sandwich 1 toasted marshmallow between them. Add 4 thin squares of chocolate. This is one of several recipes for camping I found in the August 1994 Family Fun. Speaking of Family Fun magazine, I just received the March 1997 issue & it has several pages on Edible Art (several cute ideas especially the Banana Bug - pretzel sticks are used for legs & antennas, raisins are glued on the back with peanut butter & also are used for eyes. Western Skillet Rice 1 pound ground beef 1 1/2 cups water 1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes 1 cup sharp cheese, shredded 1 envelope dry onion soup mix 3/4 cup uncooked rice 1 cup green peas Brown meat and drain well. Add soup mix, water, rice, tomatoes and peas. Cover and simmer 25 minutes until rice is tender Top with shredded cheese before serving. We lash a tri-pod and suspend a Dutch Oven over an open fire to cook this. This is a recipe that we use during our Advanced Outdoor Living Training formerly known as Level III & IV Camp Training. So far, we have left the peas out when we've made this. At the last training, participants suggested the following variations: Add chopped celery while browning the hamburger. Add chilli seasonings. Add canned kidney or chilli beans. - 19Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Sweet 'n' Salty Corn 16 small ears corn 1/2 cup honey 2 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 cup water Gently pull the husks down from the corn but do not tear them off. Remove the corn silk. Bring honey, salt and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Boil syrup gently for 3 minutes. Brush corn with syrup, cover with husks and wrap ears in foil. Cook corn on hot coals for 20 minutes until tender, turning often. Pizza Chicken Packets 4 boneless chicken breast halves 1 cup pizza sauce 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese 20 slices pepperoni 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped onion Preheat oven 450F or grill medium-high. Spray one side of a 12x18" sheet of heavy duty aluminium foil with non-stick cooking spray. Centre one chicken breast on the sprayed side of foil. Spoon 1/4 of the pizza sauce over chicken. Top with 1/4 pepperoni, vegetables and cheese. *Fold foil into packet. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts. Bake 18-23 minutes on a cookie sheet in the oven or grill 10-12 minutes, covered. Note: Substitute or add your favourite pizza toppings. How to fold Foil Packets: For each foil packet, bring up the two sides of the foil and double fold with about 1" wide folds. Leave room for heat circulation inside the packet as the food cooks. Double fold each end form the foil packet. Cheesy Chilli Packets 15 1/2 oz can chilli or kidney beans; rinsed, drained 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes with onions and garlic; drained 1 lb. ground beef; cooked, drained 1 Tbsp chilli powder 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese Combine beans and tomatoes in a small bowl. Centre 1/4 of the bean mixture on a 12x18" sheet of heavy duty aluminium foil. Mix ground beef with chilli powder and salt to taste. Spoon 1/4 of ground beef over beans and tomatoes. *Wrap foil into packets. Bake at 450F for 15-18 - 20Ó Sharon Martin 2003 minutes on a cookie sheet in the oven or grill, covered, over medium/high heat for 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese just before serving. How to fold Foil Packets: For each foil packet, bring up the two sides of the foil and double fold with about 1" wide folds. Leave room for heat circulation inside the packet as the food cooks. Double fold each end form the foil packet. Steak on a Stick 2 lb. eye of round steak (beef) 21 oz can crushed pineapple; in its own juice Kabob sticks (soaked in water for 30 mins) Garlic salt Cut steak into 1 1/2 inch pieces, removing all visible fat. In Ziploc gallon-sized bag marinate steak pieces in crushed pineapple and juice for at least 8 hours. (The longer it marinates, the better it tastes.) Arrange about 6 pieces of steak on kebob sticks. Sprinkle lightly with garlic salt. Cook on grill, turning once, until the desired doneness is achieved. Makes 8 servings Summer Veggie Packet 1 medium onion; chopped 2 medium yellow squash; cut in 1/4" slices 4 large Roma tomatoes; quartered 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese Sprinkle chopped onions down the centre of an 18x24" sheet of heavy duty aluminium foil. Top with squash and tomatoes. Season with basil, salt and pepper to taste. *Wrap foil into a packet. Bake at 450F on a cookie sheet in the oven or grill, covered, over medium/high heat for 13-15 minutes. Open foil packets; sprinkle with cheese. Let stand until cheese melts; serve immediately. How to fold Foil Packets: For each foil packet, bring up the two sides of the foil and double fold with about 1" wide folds. Leave room for heat circulation inside the packet as the food cooks. Double fold each end form the foil packet. - 21Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Premium Packet Potatoes 1 small onion; thinly sliced 4 medium red potatoes; cut into bite-size pieces 1 medium bell pepper; diced 1/2 cup Italian or Ranch salad dressing Spray an 18x24" sheet of heavy duty aluminium foil with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle onion slices down the centre of the sprayed side of foil. Combine remaining ingredients, except dressing, in a small bowl add salt and pepper to taste. Toss with dressing to coat. Layer mixture evenly over onion slices. *Wrap foil into a packet. Bake at 450F for 30-35 minutes or grill, covered, over medium/high heat. How to fold Foil Packets: For each foil packet, bring up the two sides of the foil and double fold with about 1" wide folds. Leave room for heat circulation inside the packet as the food cooks. Double fold each end form the foil packet. Taken from www.lazygourmets.com/ - 22Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Desserts Camping Dessert Recipe 8” tin foil pie plate or cake tin Thinly sliced applies Mini marshmallows Any other favourite fruit Favourite cookie Cinnamon (optional) Favourite chocolate bar Use an 8" tin foil pie plate or cake tin (no clean up!). Use your favourite cookie (chocolate chip, peanut butter, gingersnap, etc) and coarsely break up cookie to fill bottom of pie plate. Put a layer or two of thinly sliced apples over the cookies - you can add cinnamon if you like. Next, put in a layer of mini marshmallows (or marshmallows cut in half) and break in pieces of your favourite chocolate bar (the ones with a creamy filling such as caramel - like Mars Bars work best). Then slice whatever fruit you have handy (bananas, peaches or more apples if you like). Top with additional marshmallows and chocolate bar pieces. Take a large piece of tin foil and place pie on top. Gather the edges to come above the top of your pie and pinch. Cook on the grill of an open fire for about 15 minutes. Cooking over the coals, rather than the flame, reduces chances of burning. Chocolate Chip and Bran Muffins 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour ¾ teaspoon salt 1/3 cup chocolate chips 2 eggs, well beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla 5 teaspoons baking powder 1 cup white sugar 1 ¼ cups natural bran 1 cup Milk ½ cup vegetable oil Sift together first four ingredients. Stir in chips and bran. Mix together last four ingredients. Add to flour mixture. Stir to blend. Fill muffin cases and bake at 375° F, 20 minutes. Apple Crisp 12 oz rolled oats Catering tin solid pack apples or apple pie filling 4oz demerara sugar 2 oz melted marg Mix all ingredients together. Bake in 350° oven for 10 mins or until golden brown. - 23Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Chocolate Crunch 8oz butter 12oz plain flour 2 drops of vanilla essence (optional) 8oz caster sugar 2oz cocoa powder Simply mix all of the above together and place in a greased tin. Place under a running cold tap and then sprinkle with sugar place in 200C oven for about 15 minutes Butterchoc Surprise 4 packets Butterscotch Angel Delight Topping: 2 oz margarine 2 tbsp cocoa 2 tbsp icing sugar 2 tbsp golden syrup 14 tbsp cornflakes Milk Make up Angel Delight with milk according to packet instructions and put into a container. Put all topping ingredients except for cornflakes in to a large billy and melt gently - stirring all the time. When melted take billy off the fire and add the cornflakes - mix until all covered. Dot mixture evenly over the Angel Delight. Sponge Puddings 500g margarine 700g self raising flour 8 tbsp milk 500g caster sugar 8 beaten eggs 400g chocolate chips or sultanas Grease 8 x 14oz baked bean tins. Place a circle of greaseproof paper in the bottom of each tin. Beat margarine until soft and creamy, then beat in the sugar. Add flour and beaten egg a little at a time and mix. Add milk. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon evenly into greased tins. Cover tins with greased greaseproof paper and foil and tie securely with string. Place in a dixie of boiling water, which should reach halfway up the tins. Boil for at least 1.5 hrs, keeping water level topped up and boiling at all times. Serve with custard or chocolate custard. - 24Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Pineapple Upside Cake Individual pineapple upside down cakes can be made using the tuna tin and foil method. Put a littl e margarine and brown sugar in the bottom, a slice of pineapple with a maraschino cherry in the centre and yellow cake mix on top. Cover with foil and cook on the grill. Buttermilk Pancake Mix You can save money by preparing a big batch of this dry pancake mix to use whenever the mood for a special breakfast strikes. Instructions are included below for making the basic pancakes, but the mix can be used for other recipes as well. For Mix: 2 cups dry buttermilk powder 2/3 cups sugar 4 teaspoons baking soda 8 cups flour 8 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons salt To Make Pancakes: 1 egg 1½ cups pancake mix (see above) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 cups water (more as needed) To Make Mix: Sift all the ingredients together. Store in an airtight container and use within six months of making. To Make Pancakes with Mix: Mix all the ingredients until blended together and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. Lightly oil a large griddle or skillet (preferably non-stick). Heat the skillet over a medium heat. You can tell if your skillet or griddle is hot enough by flicking a drop or two of water on its surface. The water should skitter around and quickly evaporate if the pan is hot enough. Spoon the batter into the hot oiled skillet, allowing about 3 tablespoons per pancake. Cook the pancakes for about 1½-2 minutes. You will know your pancakes are ready to be turned over when large bubbles form on the uncooked surface. Flip the pancakes and cook for about 1½ minutes on the other side. Serve immediately or keep warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven until all pancakes are cooked. - 25Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Apple Pancakes It's amazing how some simple can fruit can turn an ordinary pancake into something special. This makes a thinner, more crepe-like pancake. 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup milk 4 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced 2 tablespoons sugar 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1 egg 1 tablespoon vegetable oil In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients except the apple. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Gently fold in the sliced apples. Heat the skillet over a medium heat. You can tell if your skillet or griddle is hot enough by flicking a drop or two of water on its surface. The water should skitter around and quickly evaporate if the pan is hot enough. Spoon the batter into hot oiled skillet, allowing about 3 tablespoons per pancake. Cook pancakes for about 1½-2 minutes. You will know your pancakes are ready to be turned over when large bubbles form on the uncooked surface. Flip the pancakes and cook for about 1½ minutes on the other side. Serve immediately or keep warm on a baking sheet in a 200° F oven until all pancakes are cooked. Peanut Butter and Jelly Pancakes This recipe is a big hit with the kids. Use the buttermilk pancake mix to make this. 1 egg 1½ cups buttermilk pancake mix ½ cup peanut butter 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 cup water (more as needed) Jam/jelly for topping Mix all the ingredients until blended together and let the mixture stand for about five minutes. Lightly oil a large griddle or skillet (preferably non-stick). Heat the skillet over a medium heat. You can tell if your skillet or griddle is hot enough by flicking a drop or two of water on its surface. The water should skitter around and quickly evaporate if the pan is hot enough. Spoon the batter into hot oiled skillet, allowing about 3 tablespoons per pancake. Cook pancakes for about 1½-2 minutes. You will know your pancakes are ready to be turned over when large bubbles form on the uncooked surface. Flip the pancakes and cook for about 1½ minutes on the other side. Serve immediately topped with jelly or keep warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven until all pancakes are cooked. - 26Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Lemon Ricotta Pancakes These pancakes are sophisticated, yet accessible. Nearly everyone loves their creamy, light lemon flavour. It's hard to find a more perfect start to breakfast or brunch. Serve with jam or maple syrup. 1 cup flour 1¼ cups ricotta cheese 1¼ teaspoons baking powder 3/5 cup C milk zest of 1 lemon, minced ½ teaspoon nutmeg 4 teaspoons sugar 2 eggs juice of 1 lemon Combine the dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients until combine. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Lightly oil a large griddle or skillet (preferably non-stick). Heat the skillet over a medium heat. You can tell if your skillet or griddle is hot enough by flicking a drop or two of water on its surface. The water should skitter around and quickly evaporate if the pan is hot enough. Spoon the batter into hot oiled skillet, allowing about 3 tablespoons per pancake. Cook pancakes for about 1½-2 minutes. You will know your pancakes are ready to be turned over when large bubbles form on the uncooked surface. Flip the pancakes and cook for about 1½ minutes on the other side. Serve immediately or keep warm on a baking sheet in a 200° F oven until all pancakes are cooked. Dust with icing sugar, if desired. Chocolate Chip Pancakes 1 ¼ cups flour ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup milk ¾ teaspoon vanilla essence 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 2 eggs 4 tablespoons melted butter ¾ cup chocolate chips Pre-heat the griddle or skillet. Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips. Lightly oil a large griddle or skillet (preferably nonstick). Heat the skillet over a high heat. You can tell if your skillet or griddle is hot enough by flicking a drop or two of water on its surface. The water should skitter around and quickly evaporate if the pan is hot enough. Spoon the batter into hot oiled skillet, allowing about ¼ cup of the batter per pancake. Cook the pancakes for about 1½-2 minutes. You will know your pancakes are ready to be turned over when large bubbles form and begin to pop on the uncooked surface. Flip the pancakes and cook for about 1½ minutes on the other side. Serve immediately or keep warm on a baking sheet in a 200° F oven until all pancakes are cooked. Dust with icing sugar, if desired. - 27Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Serve immediately topped with your favourite syrup. Easy Dutch Oven Cobbler 1 18-ounce box cake mix (any flavour) 1 12-ounce can of 7-UP 2 16-ounce cans of pie filling or other fruit 2 tablespoons butter Spread the butter evenly on the bottom of a 12-quart Dutch oven. Drain the fruit, place it into the Dutch oven and sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the top. With your finger, make a swirl in the mix. Pour in the 7-UP. Cover with the lid. Put 8-10 charcoal briquettes on the bottom and 16-18 on top of the Dutch oven. Cook for 50 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown Gingerbread Oranges 1 orange per person 1 packet gingerbread cake mix (the kind you just need to add water) Slice the top off an orange about ¼ of the way down and eat the pulp. Prepare the gingerbread cake mix according to the packet and spoon a little into each orange shell. Each orange should be about 2/3 of the way full. Place the top of the orange back on the shell. Wrap the orange in foil and place in the coals of a fire for about 15 minutes. Ball-Toss Ice Cream 2 (1-quart) zip-top bags 2 (1-gallon) zip-top bags 1 (8-pound) bag of ice, crushed or in cubes newspaper heavy-duty strapping or packaging tape ¾ cup whole milk or flavoured milk 1 cup whipping cream 1/3 cup sugar ½ cup rock salt ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Place all ingredients in a 1-quart bag. Squeeze out all the air and seal the bag. Place this bag inside the other quart bag and seal. Place the double-bagged ice cream mix inside a gallon ziptop bag. Fill the gallon-size bag with ice, sprinkle the ice with the rock salt and seal the bag. Place this bag inside the other gallon bag and seal. Wrap the filled bags in several layers of - 28Ó Sharon Martin 2003 newspaper. Secure the newspaper by wrapping it with heavy-duty tape. Tape the "ball" on all sides so that it will hold its shape. Now, toss the "ice cream ball" back and forth for 15 to 20 minutes. Unwrap the ball, remove the ice and enjoy the ice cream! Makes about 3 cups. * Check every girls' bags to make sure they are closed properly (Rock salt and Ice cream tastes terrible!) * Using "freezer" ziplockbags works better Faux Gateaux 1 1 1 1 large chocolate swiss roll (chocolate cake works just as well), sliced and divided into two tin black cherry fruit pie filling tin squirty cream chocolate flake, crumbled Line a bowl with the first half of the sliced cake. Pour over half the tin of cherry fruit pie filling. Put the second half of the sliced cake over the top of the pie filling. Pour the last of the cherry fruit pie filling over this final layer. Squirt the cream over the top of the pie filling. Decorate with the crumbled chocolate flakes. If you don’t have Cadbury’s chocolate flake sold in your country, using a cheese grater, simply grate a chocolate bar over the top instead. 1 large plain sponge cake or jam swiss roll 1 tin apple pie fruit filling 1 tin squirty cream and white chocolate to grate over the top. Campfire Éclairs 8 oz. can refrigerator crescent rolls 2 vanilla pudding snack packs 1 tub whipped chocolate frosting Cover tip of stick with aluminium foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Stretch one crescent roll over foil and squeeze tip to close and tighten. Cook over campfire until golden brown, turning frequently. Crescent roll is done when it slides off the foil easily. Fill centre of crescent roll with vanilla pudding and spread chocolate frosting on top. Mini pineapple upside down cakes Take a cake doughnut and slice it in half. Put a slice of pineapple between the two doughnut slices and sprinkle with brown sugar. Place a maraschino cherry in the centre. DOUBLE wrap in foil and place in the - 29Ó Sharon Martin 2003 coals or on a grill in the fire pit. It takes about 10-15 minutes to heat through and melt the sugar. (Some people brush melted butter/margarine on the donut slices before baking). It's yummy! Dandy Candy A bowl A spoon Measuring cups Measuring spoon A knife Wax paper 1 cup of peanut butter 1/2 cup of honey 1/2 cup dry milk powder 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup of rolled oats Measure the peanut butter, honey, milk powder, oats and vanilla. Put them all in the bowl and mix with the spoon. When it is mixed together, put it on waxed paper and make a rectangle shape from the dough. Cut the dough in half. Keep cutting each piece in half, until you have 32 little pieces. Wrap each piece in wax paper, then share with your friends. Cookie recipe 2 cups butter 2 tsp. Soda 5 cups blended oatmeal** 2 cups brown sugar 1 8 oz. Hershey bar (grated) 2 tsp. baking powder 2 tsp. Vanilla 4 cups flour 2 cups sugar 24 oz. chocolate chips 1 tsp. salt 4 eggs 3 cups chopped nuts (your choice) **Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar, and nuts. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies. I found a recipe in the American Girl Cook Book for - DIRT! We crushed up 1 box of thin mints, then we mixed 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup powered sugar, 8 oz cream cheese blended until smooth, then in a separate bowl mixed 3 cups 2% milk and 1 lg. package of vanilla pudding until thick. We mixed both those bowls together into a fluffy mixture and layered it with the thin mint crumbs.... - 30Ó Sharon Martin 2003 We poured it into 6" plastic flower pots... first 1/2 inch layer of DIRT (cookie Crumbs) on the bottom of the pot, then one layer of pudding mixture one thin layer of DIRT one more layer of pudding mixture and one last layer of DIRT We topped it off with gummi worms crawling all over the DIRT. We made fun foam flowers w/ green pipe cleaner stems and green leaves to stick into the centre of it all, turning it into a potted plant garden. SPRING IS IN THE AIR!! (Oh and we served it up to the judges with a (new) garden trowel!! I was later told the Trowel really "DID IT" for one of the judges!!) One 9x 13" pan was turned into a veggie garden, using green coconut as rows of grass, (On top of the "dirt") with carrots growing up thru the grass (orange foam w/ green tops). Not only did we win a big blue rosette ribbon for our creativity (it was based on taste, creativity, presentation and originality) but we were the youngest troop to compete and we even beat the Cadettes!! Oh, and this can be made at camp too, using a plastic ziplock bag to knead the pudding and pour it into ice cream cones! It's a real hit!! - 31Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Banana Boats Slice open a banana and put inside it marshmallows, choc. chips, peanut butter chips, coconut, bottled cherries, whatever toppings you want, wrap it in foil and put on the fire coals for a short time to let everything melt. Orange sticks Take an orange and roll it around in your hand to smoosh the insides up. Then insert a peppermint stick (the old fashioned kind that are semi-porous and have a slight hole in the middle, experiment with some and you'll find the right ones.) into the orange (make a small X first with a knife or something) and you can sip the oranges juice through the peppermint "straw". GORP The traditional mix is always M&M's, raisins and peanuts but others suggested adding tiny crackers, pretzels, dried fruit, Salted nuts, banana chips, freeze-dried pineapple bits, dried apples, coconut, sunflower seeds, unsweetened dry cereal, cheez-its, bugles, potato sticks. skittles, chocolate chips, cheerios, chex mix, pretzels, peanut butter morsels, etc. Ants on a log 3-4" Celery sticks with peanut butter and topped with raisins. Mosquitoes on a stick Celery stick with peanut butter, sunflower seeds. Mock angel food cake Day old bread cubes dunked in sweetened condensed milk, rolled in coconut and roasted on a stick over the fire. Smiles Core apple. Slice into circles, spread peanut butter, then small marshmallows (teeth). Top with another slice & Smile! DIRT!!! Crush up one box of thin mints. In bowl 1, mix 8 oz cream cheese 1/4 TBS butter and 1/4 Cup powdered sugar. Blend until smooth (let stand at room temp 2 hours before mixing). In separate bowl, mix 3 cup 2% milk and 1 large box of vanilla pudding, Mix till thickened. (You can also mix this in a ziplock bag and knead until thick (5 minutes) Mix both these bowls together until smooth. Then layer as follows either in a 6 inch flowerpot (using a trowel to serve) or in a 9X 13" pan. cookie crumbs on bottom 1/2 pudding mixture 1/3 cookie crumbs - 32Ó Sharon Martin 2003 1/2 pudding remaining cookie crumbs on top, add flowers made from fun foam on green pipe cleaners to create a "spring tulip garden" add gummi worms, we made the 9x13" pan into a garden.... adding green coconut into long rows of seeds, complete with 1" tall orange carrot tops (w/ green tops) we glued seed packets to popsicle sticks and stuck them at the end of the pan to look like seed rows (like a newly planted garden!). This recipe is easy to do at camp too... just squish the pudding w/ milk in a plastic bag, and add to already crushed thin mint cookies into an ice cream cone, and VOILA!! Instant dessert!! you can use either vanilla or chocolate pudding, they both taste are good!! Éclairs: Biscuit/scone dough about a finger in diameter and 5" long. Coil around a clean green stick, toast over coals of a campfire until golden. Twist slightly to remove from stick. Fill hole with instant vanilla pudding (premixed in a ziploc bag according to instructions on the box). May smear canned chocolate frosting on the outside. Texas Trash The snack made from Chex cereals with butter and Worcestershire sauce. Also a place to toss in some chocolate chips. Choco and salt taste great together. Poached eggs A slice of swiss roll, covered in cream and topped with half a peach (canned). If you make them carefully, they do look pretty realistic!!!! Cold fried eggs A variation on the Poached eggs...this is a slice of pound cake with whipped cream and a peach half. Walking apples Hollow out one apple per person, leaving the bottom intact and 1" walls. Chop up the apple innards, stir in a handful of raisins and enough peanut butter to hold it together. Pack the filling into the apple shell. Good for hiking. - 33Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Tics on a latrine seat spread cream cheese on am apple ring, add raisins. Baked apple Core apple. Fill hole with cinnamon candies, wrap in foil, and cook over coals until tender. Wormy apples Apple wedges spread with peanut butter, wrap gummi worms around each. Indoor S'mores Spread marshmallow ice cream topping on a graham cracker, sprinkle with chocolate chips, top with another cracker. Pudding cones Mix instant pudding according to package directions in a ziploc bag. Spoon into ice cream cones, eat immediately. Bananas Supreme Take unpeeled banana and carefully slit part of one. Push in chocolate buttons (not sure of the US equivalent - maybe you could use chocolate drops for cookies) or thin slices of Snickers or Mars Bar. Bags-of-Gold Make biscuit recipe. Form biscuits with a chunk of cheese in the middle. Cook over open fire on a cookie sheet or, better yet, in a box oven! Optional: cover with spaghetti sauce (works well if biscuits burned!) Puppy chow Combine chex or cheerio cereal with peanut butter, melted chocolate, and powdered sugar. Spiced apples Core apple leaving the bottom in tact (forming a cup). Into the core put a chunk of butter, some cinnamon, and sugar. Wrap in foil. Cook on fire until apple is soft. Dipping Apple Wedges Combine 2 egg yolks, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter,1/2 cup water, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat and bring to a boil over medium heat for one minute. Serve warm or cold. - 34Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Original Homebaked Girl Scout Cookies (circa 1922) 1 cup of butter (or substitute) 2 tablespoons of milk 1 teaspoon of vanilla 2 teaspoons of baking powder 1 cup of sugar 2 eggs 2 cups of flour sugar crystals Cream butter and sugar, add well-beaten eggs, then milk, flavouring, flour and baking powder. Roll thin, make trefoil cut-outs, sprinkle sugar crystals on top and bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes, or until just golden-brown. These were very easy to roll out in February but when I went to make them in July, the house was too warm and the dough was very sticky. If you are going to decorate them using frosting, don't sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Original Girl Scout Cookie Recipe 1 cup Butter 1 cup sugar 2 eggs, well beaten 2 TBS milk (powdered sugar, optional) 3 cups flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 2 tsp. Vanilla Combine butter and sugar. Blend well. Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well. Chill dough 1 hour for best results. Roll out thin and cut out cookie shapes. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 350 until lightly browned 11-14 minutes. Makes 3-1/2 dozen. You really should have it chilled to work the best and also make sure it is rolled thin since the cookie really puffs up. Baked Apples - Snack hot coals (fire or charcoals) foil tongs to remove from coals knife Make what you need, easily added to or subtracted from apple Slice of butter Brown sugar Cinnamon sugar Raisins - 35Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Or can use marshmallows and chocolate Core apple (may need help doing this for younger girls). Place on 2 layers of foil. Fill apples with brown sugar, slice of butter (girl decided on how big) cinnamon sugar or fill with marshmallows and pieces of chocolate. Wrap foil around the apple. Bake on coals for around 15 minutes (medium size apple). Campfire Dump Cake 42 oz. fruit pie filling 18 oz. white or yellow cake mix 1/2 cup butter Pour pie filling into Dutch oven. Evenly sprinkle cake mix over filling. Place pats of butter on top of the cake mix about 2 inches apart. Place 1" of coals under the Dutch oven and 2-3" on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until done. Serve with milk or cream. Pineapple-Upside-Down-Wiches 8 plain cake doughnuts; sliced in half width-wise 8 pineapple slices Sandwich 1 pineapple slice between doughnut halves. Wrap each sandwich in foil. Place in hot campfire coals for 5 minutes, turning once. Indoor S'mores 2/3 cup light corn syrup 2 Tbsp. butter 11 1/2 oz. milk chocolate chips 1 tsp. vanilla 8 cups Golden Grahams cereal 3 cup mini marshmallows Grease a 9x13" pan. Heat corn syrup, butter and chocolate chips to boiling in saucepan, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Pour over cereal in large mixing bowl; toss quickly until well coated. Fold in marshmallows, 1 cup at a time. Press mixture evenly in pan with piece of waxed paper. Let stand 1 hour until firm. Cut into 1-1/2" squares. - 36Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Grilled Peaches Summer is a great time to make fruit on the grill like this recipes, which is great on its own or even better served over vanilla ice cream or frozen yoghurt. 1 1/2 Tbsp. butter 3 Tbsp. brown sugar 1/3 cup dark rum (or orange juice) 8 ripe peaches; peeled, pitted, halved Melt butter, then stir in brown sugar and rum. Stir until sugar dissolves. Place peach halves in a large bowl. Pour butter/rum mixture over peaches and stir gently to coat. Grill peaches over a medium fire, about 5 minutes per side, brushing with leftover butter mixture as they grill. - 37Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Bits and Pieces BUTTER We used baby food jars and 1/4 cup of heavy whipping (thickened) cream and then shook the living daylights out of it, then for good measure shook some more!!! It took between 15 and 30 minutes to be done, depending on the energy of the girl. I think everyone got a small ball of butter by the end, although the younger girls need some leader help as their arms got too tired. At one camp we had a group doing a conga-line dance around the cabin and grassed area where we where holding the Day Camp! It was a big hit with the girls!!! But we didn't use salt at all! HOW TO MAKE BUTTER (1) I believe we used heavy cream and baby food jars. Just fill about 2/3 full, then "Shake, shake, shake! Shake, shake, shake! Shake your butter, shake your *butter*!! (For those old enough to remember the reference. My girls thought it was hilarious and started singing along with me, shaking their booty *and* their butter). It took about 10 minutes or so of vigorous shaking then all of a sudden, there is a big glob in the middle of your jar, sloshing around in the liquid. We poured off the remaining liquid and used craft sticks to spread the butter onto crackers (saltines - no need to add more salt). There was salt (normal table salt) available if anyone wanted to add some, but mostly the girls thought it was just fine without. And oh, boy did they like the butter! HOW TO MAKE BUTTER (2) We used a pint size canning jar, an old-fashioned wooden clothespin (with out the metal spring) and heavy cream (you can also use a quart jar for a larger amount.) Fill the jar about 2/3 full of cream. Drop in the clothespin and seal the jar tightly. (The clothespin acts as the "butter churn") The girls would then sit in a circle. Each one would give the jar 15-20 good hard shakes and then pass to the next girl. They would usually sing songs while doing this. After about 20-30 minutes we would have a fabulous good size lump of butter which would have the texture of a whipped butter. Then remove the butter from the jar also removing the clothespin from the butter. Add a pinch or so of salt. And wa-la you’re ready to eat! My girls would beg for pancakes, box-oven biscuits or whatever just to be able to make butter on each trip. - 38Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Butter (3) It took 20 minutes to make soggy butter, and that was using baby food jars rolled back & forth between 2 girls sitting on the carpeted floor. We made them make barriers with their legs, so the jars wouldn't get away or break. It made about 2 tablespoons of butter, and they girls got to drink the "buttermilk" that remained in the jars. The more you shake, harder and faster, the better the butter clumps together. We used half & half or heavy whipping cream, and added a small pinch of salt. Or something similar, I think the recipe came from their junior book. Butter - Tips Whenever the instructions for making butter come up, someone usually posts and says it did not work for them, or that it takes a long time. But they only put cream into the jar. We ALWAYS include a hard object (a marble) in the jar with the cream. Of course, wash it well first. The explanation I have read several times is that the marble striking against the fat helps physically break it down, and it then re-forms into the butter. Be sure to remove the marble before eating the butter. Also, regarding what type of cream to use, keep in mind that you are using the butterfat: whole milk - 3-1/2% fat half & half - 11% fat light cream - 18% fat whipping (heavy) cream - 30% fat So you are going to get far better results with whipping cream. Hints for Jam Making 1. Always gather fruit on a fine day. It should not be over-ripe. 2. Wipe fruit with a damp cloth. 3. Fruit should be partly cooked before sugar is added. 4. Bring fruit to boil point slowly to avoid burning. 5. Always use a wooden spoon for stirring. 6. When sugar is added, boil as rapidly as possible. Rapid boiling improves colour and flavour of jam. 7. Instead of skimming jam, stir in a piece of butter the size of a walnut when jam is cooked. 8. To test jam, put a little on a saucer. When cool a skin should form on top. 9. Jam jars must be sterilized and thoroughly dry. 10. Put jam into warm jars and cover while hot. - 39Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Tamarillo Jam 1.3 kg tamarillos 2 c water 500g green apples (peeled and minced or chopped finely) 2 kg sugar Juice of 1 lemon Scald tamarillos, peel and cut up; put with apples into preserving pan with 2 cups of water. Bring to boil and add sugar and boil until it sets, about 1 hour. Test. Add lemon juice and put into sterilized jars. Raspberry Jam To every 500g of raspberries allow 500g of sugar. Put fruit into preserving pan and bring to boil. Add sugar and boil quickly for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir for 20 minutes. Put into sterilized jars. Ref: The New Zealand Girl Guide Handbook 1st edition 1993 I haven't tried either of these - (we don't have cooking facilities at our meeting place) but they do look fairly straight forward compared to some jams I've made and they will have been "girl-tested" before inclusion in the book :) Dampers To make small 'loaves' take a handful of dough the size of a clenched fist, make into a flat pattie about 2cm thick. When all the patties are ready, place on heavy duty foil on oven tray and bake in a hot oven for 10-15 mins or until golden brown. They will rise to about 5 cm and sound hollow when tapped with a stick. Slice and serve well buttered (with jam or honey or golden syrup is nice - (I know golden syrup is available in some specialist shops in the US - the stuff my friend found was imported from Canada. Golden Syrup is a bit like treacle - but has a diff taste and a slightly thinner consistency) Twists are where we take a lump of the dough and wrap it around a stick in a snake like spiral and the girls cook it over a fire like they would a sausage. It should slide off easily when cooked and honey etc can be dribbled down the middle. Thick 'snakes take longer to cook and the outside is more likely to burn before the inside is cooked. One other important thing for any cooking using sticks is to make sure that the sticks are safe ones - not from poisonous plants. - 40Ó Sharon Martin 2003 A Thanksgiving Dinner Free Heat Roast Turkey with Stuffing A Medley of Fresh Garden Vegetables Buttermilk Biscuits Fruit Delight Hot Mulled Cider Turkey 1. Buy some hardware cloth. Cut 4 pieces about 12" wide. Weave the raw edges together so you have 4 long, narrow cylinders. 2. Pound 4 metal stakes about 2' high into the ground so the stakes form a square. Space the stakes so the square is roughly the right size "oven" for your turkey. Place aluminium foil around the bottom of each stake, then place the hardware cloth cylinder over the stake. 3. Place charcoal briquettes in each cylinder to approximately knee height. 4. Wrap aluminium foil around the outside of the cylinders until it is a little more than knee height on you. Make sure the shiny side is in. 5. Find 3 large branches about 6-8' long and 3-4" in diameter. Tie them together into a teepee shape. Place the teepee so it is cantered around/over your oven. 6. Make stuffing according to your regular recipe. 7. Clean and stuff your turkey. 8. Using a thin wire, make a cage for the turkey and suspend the turkey from the teepee so it is only a few inches off the ground. Place a roasting pan under the turkey to catch the juices as it cooks. 9. Light your charcoal and go do something else for a few hours! Seriously, someone should keep an eye on the fire and make sure that the fire is safe and the bird isn't cooking too quickly. If it is, tent it. The charcoal should be enough to cook the turkey, but if not, add more as needed. 10. When done, cut down the bird. Let sit for about 15 minutes before carving and eating. The hardest part of this recipe is making the hardware cloth cylinders. But once you've done the work of preparing the materials, you can re-use them any number of times. The rest of the process is time-consuming, but fun. Vegetables 1. Slice up a selection of fresh vegetables: for example, red potatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, red and green peppers . 2. Put a couple of inches of water in the dutch oven. Then insert a vegetable steamer and add the cut-up vegetables. 3. Season with fresh herbs. 4. Cover and put on the fire with coals on top. 5. Cook until done. Buttermilk Biscuits We cheated and used the refrigerator rolls! They still come out great. Simply follow the directions and bake in a box oven. - 41Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Fruit Delight 1. Empty 2(?) cans of fruit pie filling into a baking pan. We made one half apple and one half cherry. 2. Sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. 3. Sprinkle over the fruit the contents of a small box of cake mix (Jiffy cake) and cinnamon. 4. Bake in the box oven (while eating the turkey and biscuits) until warm and bubbly. This was good and the kids would probably love it as is. Personally I think I would try to use fresh fruit. Also if you cut butter into the cake mix before sprinkling it on you will get a nicer consistency. Cider Just heat cider with cinnamon sticks and whole cloves for some wonderful warmth while outdoors in nippy New England! Serve with an assortment of butters or jams, cranberry sauce, etc. It's the little touches like nice condiments, centrepieces on the table, etc. that really finish off the meal! - 42Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Conversions ENGLISH US/CANADIAN Biscuits Double cream Single Cream Prawns Vegetable fat Bicarbonate of soda Plain flour Pastry flour Cornflour Demerara sugar Black treacle Golden syrup Icing sugar Glace cherries Gelatine Digestive biscuits Fresh yeast Sponge fingers Crisps Chips Brisket Mince Streaky bacon Topside beef Stewing steak Dumpling mix Spring onions Iceberg lettuce Cos lettuce Aubergines Courgettes Cooked Beetroot Spanish Onion Jam Jelly Cookies Heavy cream Light cream Shrimp Shortening Baking soda All purpose flour Cake flour Cornstarch Brown sugar Dark molasses Corn syrup Confectioners sugar Candied cherries Gelatin Graham crackers Compressed yeast Lady fingers Chips Fries Chuck steak Ground meat Strips of bacon Top round Beef chuck Package biscuit mix Scallions Head Bibb lettuce Romaine Eggplants Zucchini Cooked Beets Bermuda Onion Jelly Jell-O I have no doubt that I have left lots of other ingredients from this list. If you know of any others, please let me know and I will add it to the above list. - 43Ó Sharon Martin 2003 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES US/CANADIAN Imperial ½ oz 1oz 2oz 3oz 4oz (1/4lb) 5oz 6oz 7oz 8oz (1/2lb) Metric 10g 25g 50g 75g 100g 125g 150g 175g 200g 9oz 10oz 11oz 12oz (3/4lb) 13oz 14oz 15oz 16oz (1lb) 24oz (1½lb) 32oz (2lb) 225g 250g 275g 300g 325g 350g 375g 400g 750g 1kg Dry Ingredients ½cup flour / ¼cup sugar ¾cup flour ½cup sugar / 1 cup flour 1 ½cups flour / ¾cup sugar 1 2/3 cups flour 1 cup rice/ 2 cups flour/1 cup sugar Fats/Liquids ½cup butter/water/milk 2/3 cup shortening ¾cup butter/ 1 cup molasses/honey/ butter/milk/water/jam(jelly) 2 ½cups currants/raisins 1 ½cups cream cheese 4 cups flour 2 cups butter/margarine Imperial 1 fluid oz 2 fluid oz 3 fluid oz 4 fluid oz 5 fluid oz (1/4 pint/1 gill) 6 fluid oz 8 fluid oz 10 fluid oz (1/2 pint) 16 fluid oz 20 fluid oz (1 pint) 1 ¾pints Metric 30ml 60ml 100ml 125ml 150ml 190ml 250ml 300ml 500ml 600ml 1000ml (1 litre) - 44Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Handy Measures The following ingredients measured in level tablespoons give approximately 25g/1oz weight. 3 4 2 6 3 5 2 3 5 1 4 2 4 1 Semolina, flour, custard powder, cornflour and other powdery starches Porridge Oats Rice Breadcrumbs (fresh) Breadcrumbs (dry) Grated Cheese Granulated and caster sugar Demerara Sugar, icing sugar (sifted) Desiccated coconut Syrup, honey, treacle and jam (jelly) Ground almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts Dried fruits Cocoa Powder Salt Spoon Measures 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons 1 level tablespoon = 15 ml 1 level teaspoon = 5 ml if great accuracy is not required: 1 rounded teaspoon 1 heaped teaspoon Very Slow Slow Moderately Slow Moderate Moderately Hot Hot Very Hot = 2 level teaspoons = 3 level teaspoons or 1 tablespoon C (Celsius) 110 130 140 150 160 180 190 200 220 230 250 F (Fahrenheit) 225 250 275 300 325 350 375 400 425 450 500 - 45Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Gas Mark ¼ ½ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HEALTH AND HYGIENE The following are basic tips for health and hygiene at camp. Anti-Bacterial Anti-bacterial cleaners are types of disinfectant and can kill germs. They often come in spray form. Anti-bacterial cleaners won't work if you don't use them properly, so always follow the instructions. Always clean surfaces first with detergent to remove any grease or dirt, then apply disinfectant to kill any remaining germs. Use separate cloths or sponges for separate tasks; where practicable use disposable cloths. If using them more than once, wash in hot water and soap then place in a suitable disinfectant, rinse thoroughly and allow to dry. Do not soak overnight as disinfectant solutions weaken and may allow bacteria to grow. Keep serving bowls covered to protect them from dust, insects and pets. Bugs 'Bugs' and 'germs' are the common name for the harmful organisms - such as bacteria and viruses - that cause food poisoning. Because we can only see them through a microscope they are also called microbes or micro-organisms. They can get into our food at any point in the food chain - from the time when an animal or food is in the field to the moment food is put on to the table to eat. If they are allowed to survive and multiply they can cause illness when that food is eaten. Food poisoning bacteria multiply fast but to do so need moisture, food, warmth and time. They multiply best between 5 and 63°C. One germ can multiply to more than 4 million in just 8 hours in the right conditions. Food poisoning microbes can be dangerous and can kill - though this is rare. They are very hard to detect since they do not usually affect the taste, appearance or smell of food. Cans Before opening cans wipe over the tops to remove any dust - and don't forget to clean the can opener. Never put open cans in the fridge - transfer contents into a storage container or covered bowl and remember to use within two days. Don't use food from rusty or damaged cans. Chopping Boards - 46Ó Sharon Martin 2003 Wash and dry knives and chopping boards thoroughly after every use and especially between chopping raw meat, fish and poultry and chopping cooked and ready-to-eat foods. Ideally use separate chopping boards for raw and cooked foods. Cling Film Cover dishes and other open containers with foil or film before storing them in the fridge. Don't re-use foil or film to wrap other foods Cool Bags Use an insulated bag or cool box to keep chilled and frozen foods cool when shopping and buy these foods last. Use enough ice packs to keep cool bags really cool. When having a barbecue or picnic keep meats, salads and other perishable foods cool in the fridge or in a cool bag until just before you are ready to cook/eat them. Ideally use separate cool bags for raw meats and cooked/ready-to-eat foods. Cool bags can only keep food cool for a limited period so cook sooner rather than later. WASHING HANDS Don’t forget to wash hands: a) before handling food – any food b) before handling meat after veg c) before handling veg after meat d) before eating or sampling food during cooking e) after eating or sampling food during cooking f) before cooking g) after cooking Finally, EVERYONE to wash their hands before they sit down to eat. - 47Ó Sharon Martin 2003 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To all those who contributed may I say a very big thank you for without you this book would not have been possible. If you know of any information, recipes or material in this book that does not have the correct acknowledgement or should not be used please contact me. Sharon Martin [email protected] - 48Ó Sharon Martin 2003