Bag Omelets

Burgers in Foil

Outrageously Good Franks and Chili

Campfire Chicken Fajitas

Trail Mix

Campfire Banana Splits

F. Interesting Camping Sites

G. A Relaxing Camping (or Outdoor) Activity

H. People Pleasing Soups...For Camping

I. Customer's Recipe Corner

Outrageously Good Pasta

Cream of 3 Mushroom

Clam Chowder

J. Short and to the Point

K. Quote of the Month

L. Interesting facts to impress your Friends with

*** Please note: Camping can be fun and relaxing, but it is also important that you are properly prepared and safe. I am only concentrating on one aspect, but before venturing into the wilderness with only your pots and pans, please use the "Interesting Camping Sites" section to find out everything you need to know to have a safe and memorable camping trip. ***

How many people have set off on their camping adventure thinking that they'll live off the land, and eat only what they catch? Too many, and its sad when these people realize that either they are not, as they previously believed, descendants of Paul Bunyan, or that eating small slivers of fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner is not as exciting as it had once seemed.

When setting off on any camping trip, it is important to follow the Boy Scout's motto and always be prepared: Not only with proper shelter, clothing, and first aid equipment, but also with the necessary food provisions. Even if you are confident in your ability to catch enough fish to feed everyone, it's still important to bring other food, in case of bad weather, smarter-than-normal fish, and most importantly, for variety!

(No one wants to eat fish every day, all day!) When making a list of what food and cooking equipment to bring on your excursion, the first thing to do is research the camping grounds you have chosen. Do they have campfire rings or pits, grills, contained fuel stoves, do they allow open fires? Once you have established how you will be able to cook at your chosen campsite, you can then start to plan what you should bring.

Most campgrounds have campfire pits which are perfect for all your cooking needs, as well as for sitting, talking and singing around, watching the fire crackle (a very relaxing pastime), and many other fun activities (see 'S'mmmmmmores' for more).

Whatever your cooking method of choice is, you will need to plan your meals carefully beforehand, to ensure you are properly fueled for all your camping adventures!

This list is just a bare minimum of items that you should bring in order to have a fun and well-nourished camping trip. Please visit some of the sites listed further below for other items that may be more suited to your individual needs (and of course, the food items listed below are only suggestions...feel free to bring anything you want, as long as you make sure to store it safely...nothing would ruin a great trip more than a food poisoning!)

- Propane or other fuels for stoves, lanterns, heaters, etc.
- Waterproof matches (store these in a ziplock bag for extra waterproof protection)
- Pots/Pans
- Spatula and/or serving spoons
- Stove (if this is your cooking method of choice)
- Tablecloth (a vinyl or waterproof one would be best)
- Container for drinking water
- Cups, plates, cutlery
- Cooking Knife (sharp)
- Instant coffee, hot chocolate mix or tea
- Groceries (enough for your stay)
- Biodegradable dish/hand soap
- Dish towels and scrub pad
- A large cooler (size depending on the length of your stay)

What Food to Bring:

If you have a good cooler, and a sufficient amount of ice, you will be able to bring a greater variety of food. For longer trips though, it is important to bring food that can survive outside of a cooler as well!

Camping food can range anywhere from veggie or hot dogs (great for roasting over an open fire) to a steak and baked potato dinner! It just depends on your own tastes, and the amount of time and energy you want to put into preparation and cleaning.

The best type of camping food is dehydrated food (freeze- dried food is also good, but can be very expensive and is not so much on the tasty side of things). They are typically compact in size, making them ideal for hiking trips, easy to prepare and, if properly sealed or packaged, have minimal scent (good for keeping away surrounding wildlife). A great and versatile addition to any camping food list is dehydrated soup. The vast variety available makes soup mix perfect for all types of meals. For great soup recipes, see the Camping Recipe section.

Although eating soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner is more appealing than fish was, you might also want to bring some breakfast food. When a lot of people think of camping breakfasts, they think of sizzling bacon and eggs over a newly lit fire while the sun rises over the lake. Well, if you have properly packed and stored your food (in a cooler with plenty of ice packs, always stored in the shade), you may be able to enjoy this peaceful image on your first morning out. However, after this you will probably want to start thinking about more non-perishable foods.

A great non-perishable camping breakfast is cereal. Much like dried soups, there is a wide variety of cereal choices, from hot oatmeal to cold cornflakes, and even miles away from the nearest refrigerator, you can still enjoy a healthy, hearty breakfast! See our Camping Recipes section for great cereal ideas.

So, you got to the campsite, set up your tent, got fresh water...now what? What can you do except sit around your campfire and see who can kill the most mosquitoes? Well, there are plenty of things you can do in the great outdoors:
hike, canoe, explore, swim, read, the possibilities are endless (When selecting a campground, look into the available activities at each site. This may help you decide which campsite is right for you!) There is one traditional camping activity that can be enjoyed by everyone, young and young at heart: making yummy, chocolaty smores!

There are many ways to make a s'more (and undoubtedly, everyone thinks that their smores recipe is the best), but before you can start working on creating your own best- smores-recipe-ever, you need to know the basics:

What You'll Need:

-Some aluminum foil
-Chocolate
-Graham Crackers
-Marshmallows (the big ones work much better!)

1. Shape the aluminum foil into a small bowl. Break up the chocolate into small pieces and melt it. Once it's melted, set it aside to the cooler side of the fire.

2. Roast some marshmallows over the fire until they're just the way you like them.

3. Take one of the graham crackers and cover it with chocolate. Top it with a roasted marshmallow and another graham cracker.

4. Enjoy.

Once you've mastered the basic s'more, feel free to add, modify or change the recipe around. If you want, you can add some fruit in between the chocolate and marshmallow (or use chocolate that already has fruit (flavor) in it). For more information on the beloved s'more and for tons of great s'more recipe ideas, visit:

www.geocities.com/suarezgfam/SmoresRecipes.html

A Fruit-Filled Breakfast of Champions
Serve 1

1 ziplock bag of cereal
1/8 cup Instant Milk (1/8 cup to every cup of real milk you would want) Dried or dehydrated fruits of your choice (you can usually find these at your local grocery store)

At Home:
1.Choose your favorite cereal (hot or cold). For less packaging (and a greater variety), put your cereal into single-serving ziplock bags.
2. Add the instant milk; along with whatever dried or dehydrated fruits you want in your cereal (good choices are dried cranberries, raisins or blueberries).

At Camp:
1. When you're ready to eat breakfast on your trip, just add water (boiling water for hot cereal, cold for cold cereal). The fruit and milk will re-hydrate, making a tasty, fruity breakfast that will keep you going all morning!

Sadly, the name is a pretty accurate description of this recipe, but it is a great way to save space in your cooler, and avoid breaking all the eggs in your travels to the campsite.

1 Ziplock bag
2 Eggs
1/2 handful of grated cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped ham, chopped onions, sliced mushrooms or whatever else you want in your omelet!

At Home:
1. Break two eggs into a ziplock bag, along with the cheese and other ingredients of your choice.
2. Close the bag, making sure that there's no air in it (Otherwise, the bag might pop)

At Camp:
1. When you're ready for your omelet, put the bag in a pot of boiling water. It should be done after around 5 minutes. Check occasionally to make sure they don't overcook

Burgers in Foil
Serve 4

1 to 1 1/2 lb of ground beef
4 16-inch squares of aluminum foil
4 Carrots, sliced
1 Large potato, sliced
Chopped dehydrated onions
Worcestershire sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

1.Separate meat into 4 portions. Place each in the center of a square of foil.
2. Top with equal portions of chopped carrots, and potatoes.
3. Season with dehydrated onions, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Seal foil, checking for leaks.
4. Place on hot coals for 10 to 15 minutes per side.

Outrageously Good Franks and Chili
Serve 7-8

A quick and easy camping twist on our great Chili Con Carne.

1 bag O.G. Vegetarian Chili and Beans
1 pack of hot dogs or veggie dogs
Sliced mushrooms (optional)
Sliced onions (optional)

1. Prepare the chili according to instructions, stir in the the mushrooms and onions, and rest on the cooler side of the fire.
2. Roast the hot dogs over the fire, cut up and add to the chili.

Campfire Chicken Fajitas
Serve 4

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 pouch fajita mix
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 olive oil
1/4 cup water
4 flour tortillas
1/2 cup grated cheese
Any other fajita toppings you would like

At Home:
1. Cut the chicken into 2-3 inch strips. Place them in a ziplock bag and add the garlic powder, olive oil and half the fajita mix.
2. In another bag (always keep raw chicken separate from other ingrediants), add the onion, the peppers and the rest of the fajita mix.
3. Refrigerate until you are ready to cook.

At Camp:
1. In a large skillet, add the contents of the ziplock bag with the chicken, and cook until browned.
2. Stir in the contents of the other bag (your veggies), and the water.
3. Cook another 3-5 minutes or until it looks done. Serve on flour tortillas and top with grated cheese.

Recipe Variations
-For a yummy vegetarian option, replace chicken with Portobello mushrooms!
-For our spice-sensative readers, you may want to only add the fajita mix while cooking, as marinating the chicken in it will intensify the spice.

Trail Mix
Serve 10

2 cups chopped dried mixed fruit
2 cups mixed nuts
5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
5 ounces raisins

1. Combine everything together and store in an air-tight container (for more convenient use, separate into single serving ziplock bags).

Campfire Banana Splits
Serve 6

So you're all s'mored out...well, this yummy recipe will help you regain your love of the marshmallow.

6 large squares of aluminum foil (each big enough to cover a whole banana)
6 large bananas, unpeeled, stems removed
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 10.5-ounce package of miniature marshmallows

1. Cut a slit down the center of the unpeeled banana (cutting through the banana too).
2. Carefully open the banana just wide enough to place the chocolate chips and marshmallows inside the banana (while still in the peel).
3. Stuff with as much of the chocolate chips and marshmallows as you want.
4. Wrap the bananas with the aluminum foil and place directly in the coals of a fire. Leave in long enough to melt the chips and the marshmallows, about 5 minutes.
5. Unwrap bananas, open the peels wide, and eat with a spoon.

Recipe Variations
- You can put in any other ingredients that you want into this yummy dessert. A few suggestions: Peanut butter, nuts, sprinkles, whipped cream or chopped fruits.
- Try a Campfire Banana Split S'more by spooning the contents of the finished banana split on to the graham crackers.

http://camping.about.com

This site offers a great 5-step beginners crash course in camping! Great for those of you who are taking the camping plunge for the first time! They also have some more great camping recipes.

www.camp-a-roo.com

Want to introduce your child to the excitement of camping, but aren't sure how to go about it? This site offers great tips and advice on bringing your little ones camping.

www.mec.ca

This store has everything you need for camping and all other outdoor activities. It has a great information section which covers all aspects of outdoor camping.

www.essortment.com/in/Travel.Camping.Backpacking

Any questions that you need answered about camping can be found here. This site has it all. A great reference for any camper.

If you are lucky enough to be camping in the great outdoors, or are just trying to find a few minutes of peace in a hectic schedule, this activity is a great way to relieve stress and let your imagination have some playtime!

Cloud Pictionary

It's not as complicated as it seems, I just tried to give it a catchy title. Here's how it works:

On a partially cloudy day, find a spot outside where you have a clear view of the sky. Sit or lie down and just watch the clouds roll by. Watch the clouds take on different shapes, and see how many different pictures or objects you see in the clouds (for example, you might see a fluffly little cloud that looks like a smily face) If you're with someone else, you can take turns pointing out different pictures or objects you see, or you can make it into a game and make the other person guess what your cloud looks like! It's always interesting when someone else sees a famous celebrity in the same cloud you thought looked like a giant hamburger :)

*** Just remember to wear sunglasses with UV protection, even if it seems overcast. The sun is still shining brightly beyond the clouds, and I want you to be able to cloud watch for many years to come!***

"We ordered several soups with our sample order; the bean with
bowties is great! Can't wait to try the others camping next week."
Anne Sims, NC

"The instant soup is very good, and is perfect for backpacking.
Light, filling, and not too salty like most instant soups. A snap to
make. Very tasty!"
Kristin Wilson, AZ

"I love your products. I really like them because they store great
which means a lot when a person doesn't have a lot of room. And
the taste is fantastic. Very simple instructions, and easy to cook
both camping and at home."
Leanna Goodrow, CA

Outrageously Good Pasta

"I love the sauce packages and do multiple things with the flavor packs.
Add chicken to a sauce packet to make a pasta topping with a major
flavor attitude. I don't know how I made it through life before ED Foods"
Tim, CA

Cream of 3 Mushroom Variation

"My husband and I tried the 3 mushroom soup and also added dried
chantrels to it. It was the best soup i've ever tasted and so easy to
prepare."
Danica Prowse, BC

Clam Chowder

"My family tried the potato chowder. I followed the suggestion on the
package and also added a can of clams to make a clam chowder.
We all loved it. The vegetables and clams made a hearty soup."
Nancy Lyday, CA

"Pure Canadian Maple Syrup...mmmmmmm"
Kelly Paffile, WA

"Love ya!!!!"
Lynn Engleheardt, WA

- Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the US Treasury.

- Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better.

- Coca-Cola was originally green.

- It is impossible to lick your elbow (did anyone else just try this to see if it was true? (it is!))

- The State with the highest percentage of people who walk to
work: Alaska

- The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven:
$6,400.

- The average number of people airborne over the US any given hour: 61,000.

- Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

- The world's youngest parents were 8 and 9 and lived in China in 1910.

- The youngest pope was 11 years old.

- The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.

- Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:

Spades - King David

Hearts - Charlemagne

Clubs - Alexander the Great

Diamonds - Julius Caesar

- 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

- If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

- Half of Americans live within 50 miles of their birthplace -If you were to spell out numbers, you would have to go to the number 'one thousand' to find the letter "a".

-The only food that doesn't spoil is honey.