Camp Cooking in the Dog Days
Copyright Janet Groene 2026. This site has had just under $300,000 views. To ask about rates to reprint Groene content, email janetgroene@yahoo.comSettle into your campsite, set the table and make yourself at home with an easy homemade mealRV & CAMPING MAIN DISH OF THE WEEKSaucy Spanish Chicken Stew1 rotisserie chicken1/3 cup dry sherry1/3 cup golden raisins8 ounces chorizo sausage, chopped1 tablespoon vegetable oilMedium onion, diced2 tablespoons minced garlicMedium zucchini, diced2 carrots, peeled and sliced1 cup water1 chicken bouillon cube2 cans, 8 ounces each, tomato sauce1. Cut the roasted chicken in 6 to 8 portions. Set aside, 2. Put sherry and raisins in a bowl or jar and set aside to soak* 3. Sizzle chorizo in hot oil, gradually adding vegetables to coat with pan droppings4. Add water, bring to a boil and dissolve bouillon. Cover pot, reduce heat and cook until vegetables are tender 5. Add tomato sauce and chicken parts. Cover and simmer until heated through. Stir in raisins. Serves 6 to 8. Garnish with lime wedges and serve Cuban bread to slurp up the sauce. * Raisins get plump faster if you can warm the sherry firstLIFESAVER SAUCE OF THE WEEKLox Mayonnaise Need a sumptuous sauce to perk up tonight’s so-so seafood dinner? Wow ‘em with this easy mayonnaise.2 cups good quality mayonnaise½ cup finely chopped lox (smoked salmon)2 tablespoons chopped capers, drained2 tablespoons minced sweet onion such as VidaliaLemon juice to taste Stir everything together and chill several hours while flavors blend. Spoon over hot, cooked seafood such as grilled fish steaks, beer-battered fried fish or crispy fish cakes. Keep in the refrigerator for up to four days. See more of Janet’s galley-tested recipes at https://BoatCook.blogspot.comBE PREPARED Stuff happens when you're away from home too. Be prepared for delays, mechanical breakdown, sudden evacuation, can't find ice, fire ban, supply chain interruptions, shelter in place order, civil disturbances. How much food will you need for a week in the woods for two adults and two kids? A month in a remote fish camp? A two-week power outage? See Survival Food Handbook for tips on buying, stowing, and making meals from ordinary supermarket supplies that need no fresh ingredients. BLACK POT RECIPE OF THE WEEK As always, fire management is important to keep pots from boiling dry. Fuels, fires, pots and lids vary. If one can of soda is not enough here, add water or broth rather than a second can of soda. Pepped Up Beef Stew2 tablespoons flour1 teaspoon salt½ teaspoon pepper1 1/2 pounds beef for stew in small cubes2 tablespoons vegetable oil3 to 4 medium potatoes, cubed2 to 3 carrots, peeled and cut upLarge onion, diced12-ounce can Dr. Pepper soda1 cup peas, thawed Put flour, salt and pepper in a bag and shake the meat to coat it. Over a hot fire, brown meat in hot oil, gradually adding vegetables to coat with pan drippings. Add half the Dr. Pepper, bring to a boil, then move to well-starting coals. Cover and simmer gently, adding more soda and liquid as needed, until everything is tender and swimming in a smooth sauce. Serves 6 to 8. LESS LABOR, MORE LABOR DAYCOOKING ABOARD YOUR RV For yourself or a gift, Janet Groene's timeless RV cookbook is packed with shortcuts, tips and 270 easy, delicious recipes to cook inside the camper or outside on the campfire, camp stove or grate. Amazon will wrap and ship it for you. https://amzn.to/3nNndWY VEGETARIAN MAIN DISH OF THE WEEKHungarian Cheese Noodles2 cups egg noodles2 tablespoons olive oil Medium onion, diced1 tablespoon minced garlic14-ounce tub small curd cottage cheese1 cup each sour cream and plain yogurt2 tablespoons each poppy seeds, Worcestershire sauceHot sauceWhile noodles boil in salted water, heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet and stir-fry onion and garlic to soften. Drain noodles, return to the pot and toss with the other tablespoon of olive oil. Fold in cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt, poppy seeds and Worcestershire. Cover the pan and cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally until it’s thick and creamy. Serves 4 as a main dish. Pass the hot sauce. BONUS RECIPESandwich Meat Casserole From humble bologna to fine quality turkey and ham, sandwich meats are sold in vac-pacs with an extended life in your camp cooler. (Watch use-by dates, keep sealed and keep cold.). With some tweaking they can be turned into hot, knife-and-fork camp meals. Here’s one.12-ounce vac-pac sliced turkey 6-ounce vac-pac slliced or diced ham2 tablespoons butter, bacon fat or lard2 onions, diced1 ½ to 2 cups sliced mushrooms1 can condensed, low sodium cream of mushroom soup1/3 cup milk or water2 tablespoons soy sauce or ketchup Chop meats and sizzle in hot fat, gradually adding onions and mushrooms. When everything is nice and brown, whisk soup, water/milk and soy sauce/ketchup until smooth and creamy. Cover over low heat for a few minutes to heat through and blend flavors. Spoon over rice, pasta, noodles, s
Copyright Janet Groene 2026. This site has had just under $300,000 views. To ask about rates to reprint Groene content, email janetgroene@yahoo.com
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup lemon flavor yogurt
Settle into your campsite, set the table and make yourself at home with an easy homemade meal
RV & CAMPING MAIN DISH OF THE WEEK
Saucy Spanish Chicken Stew
1 rotisserie chicken
1/3 cup dry sherry
8 ounces chorizo sausage, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
Medium zucchini, diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup water
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 cans, 8 ounces each, tomato sauce
1. Cut the roasted chicken in 6 to 8 portions. Set aside,
2. Put sherry and raisins in a bowl or jar and set aside to soak*
3. Sizzle chorizo in hot oil, gradually adding vegetables to coat with pan droppings
4. Add water, bring to a boil and dissolve bouillon. Cover pot, reduce heat and cook until vegetables are tender
5. Add tomato sauce and chicken parts. Cover and simmer until heated through. Stir in raisins. Serves 6 to 8.
Garnish with lime wedges and serve Cuban bread to slurp up the sauce.
* Raisins get plump faster if you can warm the sherry first
LIFESAVER SAUCE OF THE WEEK
Lox Mayonnaise
Need a sumptuous sauce to perk up tonight’s so-so seafood dinner? Wow ‘em with this easy mayonnaise.
2 cups good quality mayonnaise
½ cup finely chopped lox (smoked salmon)
2 tablespoons chopped capers, drained
2 tablespoons minced sweet onion such as Vidalia
Lemon juice to taste
Stir everything together and chill several hours while flavors blend. Spoon over hot, cooked seafood such as grilled fish steaks, beer-battered fried fish or crispy fish cakes. Keep in the refrigerator for up to four days.
See more of Janet’s galley-tested recipes at https://BoatCook.blogspot.com
BE PREPARED
Stuff happens when you're away from home too. Be prepared for delays, mechanical breakdown, sudden evacuation, can't find ice, fire ban, supply chain interruptions, shelter in place order, civil disturbances. How much food will you need for a week in the woods for two adults and two kids? A month in a remote fish camp? A two-week power outage? See Survival Food Handbook for tips on buying, stowing, and making meals from ordinary supermarket supplies that need no fresh ingredients.
BLACK POT RECIPE OF THE WEEK
As always, fire management is important to keep pots from boiling dry. Fuels, fires, pots and lids vary. If one can of soda is not enough here, add water or broth rather than a second can of soda.
Pepped Up Beef Stew
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt½ teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds beef for stew in small cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 to 4 medium potatoes, cubed
2 to 3 carrots, peeled and cut up
Large onion, diced
12-ounce can Dr. Pepper soda
1 cup peas, thawed
Put flour, salt and pepper in a bag and shake the meat to coat it. Over a hot fire, brown meat in hot oil, gradually adding vegetables to coat with pan drippings.
Add half the Dr. Pepper, bring to a boil, then move to well-starting coals. Cover and simmer gently, adding more soda and liquid as needed, until everything is tender and swimming in a smooth sauce. Serves 6 to 8.
LESS LABOR, MORE LABOR DAY
For yourself or a gift, Janet Groene's timeless RV cookbook is packed with shortcuts, tips and 270 easy, delicious recipes to cook inside the camper or outside on the campfire, camp stove or grate. Amazon will wrap and ship it for you.
VEGETARIAN MAIN DISH OF THE WEEK
Hungarian Cheese Noodles
2 cups egg noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil Medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
14-ounce tub small curd cottage cheese
1 cup each sour cream and plain yogurt
2 tablespoons each poppy seeds, Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce
While noodles boil in salted water, heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet and stir-fry onion and garlic to soften.
Drain noodles, return to the pot and toss with the other tablespoon of olive oil. Fold in cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt, poppy seeds and Worcestershire. Cover the pan and cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally until it’s thick and creamy. Serves 4 as a main dish. Pass the hot sauce.
BONUS RECIPE
Sandwich Meat Casserole
From humble bologna to fine quality turkey and ham, sandwich meats are sold in vac-pacs with an extended life in your camp cooler. (Watch use-by dates, keep sealed and keep cold.).
With some tweaking they can be turned into hot, knife-and-fork camp meals. Here’s one.
12-ounce vac-pac sliced turkey
6-ounce vac-pac slliced or diced ham
2 tablespoons butter, bacon fat or lard
2 onions, diced
1 ½ to 2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 can condensed, low sodium cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup milk or water
2 tablespoons soy sauce or ketchup
Chop meats and sizzle in hot fat, gradually adding onions and mushrooms. When everything is nice and brown, whisk soup, water/milk and soy sauce/ketchup until smooth and creamy. Cover over low heat for a few minutes to heat through and blend flavors. Spoon over rice, pasta, noodles, split biscuits, toast or campfire-roasted potatoes. Serves 4 to 6.
PARK POTLUCK DISH OF THE WEEK
Chickpea Pasta Salad
2 cans, 15 ounces each, garbanzos (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked and drained spiral pasta
Medium red sweet pepper, seeded and diced
2 or 3 ribs celery, diced
½ cup sliced scallions, white and light green parts only
Small head lettuce, cut in bite size
Small can diced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
Italian dressing to taste
Mix everything well, add dressing to taste and chill. Stir, garnish and serve. Makes 8 to 10 potluck servings.
Garnish suggestions: Just before serving, top with sliced radishes toasted sesame seeds, freeze dried chives or parsley sprigs
SIDE DISH OF THE WEEK
Get a starch and green vegetable in one hot dish, then add Swiss cheese for a flavorful binder.
Beans, Greens 'n Barley
2 cups cooked barley
½ cup bottled Italian salad dressing
2 cans cut green beans, drained
About 1 cup fresh spinach, cut chiffonade style
Slivers of Swiss cheese ad lib
Cook and drain barley. While it’s hot, toss with salad dressing. Fold in spinach, green beans and some of the cheese. Top with remaining cheese slivers. Serve warm or at “room” temperature.
Cook’s note: To cut spinach, remove any tough stems, roll leaves into a log and cut with scissors into small strips.
NO BAKE DESSERT OF THE WEEK
Lemon Yogurt Icebox Pie
9-inch crumb crust, store-bought or homemade, chilled
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup water, milk or light cream
1 cup orange flavor yogurt
1 package instant lemon pudding mix
Optional: Whipped topping
Blend cream cheese and 1/3 cup liquid, then whisk in the two cups yogurt. When it’s smooth, add lemon pudding mix. Whisk until it begins to thicken, then quickly pour into crust. Serve as is or with whipped topping.
COME BACK OFTEN FOR MORE RECIPES, TIPS, SHAMELESS SHORTCUTS AND HARE-BRAINED IDEAS TO INSPIRE THE CAMP COOK
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