Camping Cuisine

One of the things I enjoy about camping is making some nice meals. Funny that, because I'm not really into cooking at home. But when I'm camping, I try to slow down, relax and enjoy, and that seems easier to do with good food.

I try to make the meals easy ones to prepare so foil packet meals often feature on the menu. Pizza made on naan bread is another favourite, you just bring along whatever toppings you like, some pizza sauce and shredded cheese. Pizzas can be made on the BBQ or in an electric fry pan. Paired with a salad and a nice cold beer or glass of wine and they make a quick evening meal.

Some times I like something a bit fancier than pizza; for me shrimp or salmon is the way to go.  Two of my go-to recipes are Garlic Dijon Salmon and Shrimp and Creamy Garlic Shrimp.  On a nice evening, you can enjoy a most wonderful meal with a glass of wine.

Sometimes when it's a little chilly or even rainy then you need something more hearty that will stick to your ribs. This make ahead Taco and Rice casserole is good but a real sit by the fire camping meal is this Tater Tot and Meatball Foil Packet meal. We had this last summer one evening while it was pouring rain. I was able to heat up the foil packets in the electric fry pan. It certainly filled us up and warmed us up too.

I bought a Coleman oven for my Coleman stove a couple years ago. Last summer I put it to good use, making the Taco Rice casserole but I also made cornbread, apple turnovers and cinnamon rolls. The turnovers and cinnamon rolls were store bought but they were still delicious.

Just so you don't think that there's never dessert. You can also make foil packet desserts. We've had pineapple (or peach)upside down cake, apple crisp and cherry cobbler.  Nice that my trailer has a small freezer so I can bring along ice cream but if you don't have a freezer whipped cream will do. 

What got me thinking of this camping cuisine? Well, my youngest sister and I have started booking campsites for a trip out west. Hopefully, COVID won't delay campground openings this summer, that would really mess things up since our reservations at many places are only for one night. We're not heading west until early June so I think we'll be alright. 

We've booked campsites all the way through Ontario except in Thunder Bay where the municipal campgrounds only start taking reservations at the end of the month. We haven't yet booked any further west as campground reservations for provincial parks in Manitoba and Saskatchewan only open in April and in Alberta only 90 days before the date of arrival. Below is our route so far except that I'll be starting from Ottawa. Some places we're staying for more than one night, so it will take us 11 days just to get across Ontario.