"Campfire" Cooking

This past summer I was fortunate enough to work on a fantastic project FEED NOVA SCOTIA's Kidz Magic Cupboard.  It was a blast.   Somehow, I didn't get to take a photo of my favorite recipe that the kids created....Campfire Stew.  Of course, we weren't at an actual campsite.  We were in a Church kitchen and the stew was prepared by making tinfoil packets filled with whatever delicious ingredients we had on hand (see bottom of post for the recipe).  But as I was reading my latest cookbook acquisition -  Campfire Cuisine: Gourmet Recipes for the Great Outdoors by Robin Donovan and preparing some of the "camping" recipes in my kitchen - far from wildlife of any sort... I kept thinking about the kids and their excitement about making their own versions indoors and sharing stories about actual camping experiences.

I'm all grown up, but it's still nice to pretend and I love the Campfire Cuisine to bring the Great Outdoors inside... no bugs... no snakes...no wild bears or coyotes .   Did I mention, I prefer my comfy bed to a sleeping bag?  Or that I'm afraid of snakes?   So what's your favorite camping dish... pretend or true?  And here's the recipe for the kids version of ...

Campfire Stew

Adapted from Paula Deen's My First Cookbook

Serves 1

Tools:

Cookie sheet Tin foil Cutting board Dry measuring cup ( ½ cup size)

Vegetable peeler Sharp knife Oven mitts

Ingredients:

½ cup ground beef (or chicken or pork) 1 carrot 1 small potato Salt & pepper

Other fun options: Broccoli, turnips, mushrooms, onion Spices & herbs

Directions:

1.    Wash the carrot and potato (and any other vegetable you choose to add.

2.    Turn the oven on to 350 degrees F.

3.    Tear tin foil into a piece 12 inches (one foot) long and lay it on the table or counter. 

4.    Crumble the ground beef in the center of the foil.

5.    Peel the potato and carrot with a vegetable peeler (turnips need a vegetable peeler too).  To peel an onion, carefully slice the top off the onion and then use your fingers to peel off the brown skin.

6.    Using the cutting board, chop the carrot into 1 inch pieces and cut the potato into 8 pieces (Ask a grownup to help).  If you’re using a turnip, cut it into pieces the same size as the potato. 

7.    Pile the vegetables on top of the ground meat.  Shake a little salt and pepper over top.

8.    Take the corners of the foil and bring them together over the meat and vegetables.  Twist the top of the foil and make sure there are no holes the juices can escape from.

9.    Place the tin foil packages on the cookie sheet.  Put them in the oven (or let your grownup help you).  Bake the stew for 1 hour.

10. Using oven mitts or ask your grown up to help take the baking sheet out of the oven.  Let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes before you open the foil. 

STEAM WILL COME OUT, SO BE CAREFUL!

 .