Camping, Glamping, RV Cooks Keep It Simple

CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Meat Crust Cabbage Pie

    The trick to making this a two-“crust” pie is to use the skillet itself to shape the “crusts”. As it cooks the rich, beefy flavor floats through the cabbage and onion filling. It’s a whole meal from one skillet.
    Packaged cabbage for coleslaw comes in a variety of sizes and types, some with some red cabbage or shredded carrot in the mix. Have all ingredients chilled and chopped ahead of time so this pie can be assembled quickly. When working with raw meat, it’s a safety plus to use disposable kitchen gloves.

1 pound lean ground beef
Salt, pepper
2 cups shredded cabbage
Large potato, scrubbed and thinly sliced (2 cups)
Medium onion, peeled an thinly sliced

1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
½ cup ketchup

1 1/2 cups shredded  cheese

    Line a cold,  deep, 10-inch skillet with plastic wrap. Divide ground meat in half and press half the ground meat into the skillet in a thin, even layer. Using the plastic wrap, slide this layer out of the pan. Set aside and keep cold.
    Spray skillet with nonstick spray. Press the rest of the ground meat in the pan to form a bottom crust. Arrange cabbage, potato and onion on the meat layer. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.  Drizzle with half the ketchup and 3/4 cup cheese. 

    Carefully flip the second layer of meat over the top, like pie crust. Discard plastic wrap. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper
    Cover skillet and cook over medium heat-low 40 minutes or until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Spread with remaining ketchup. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Let stand uncovered 10 minutes for easier cutting.  Cut in  wedges. Serves 4. 

Cook's note: A slope-sided, nonstick skillet works best for sliding this pie out of the pan. 

Eat real food, not salty, greasy, overpriced snacks when the hungries hit. Make homemade trail mix in a big batch. Package it in small bags for the pocket. Eat anywhere.  Delicious recipes sweet and savory at https://createagorp.blogspot.com.

Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week
Strawberry Whip

   2 pints strawberries, trimmed and cut up
1/4 cup water
1 4-serving packet strawberry gelatin dessert mix, regular or sugar free
Large (8 servings) box French vanilla pudding mix, regular or sugar free
3 cups whole milk
Large tub of whipped topping.
Graham crackers

    Reserve the second pint of fresh strawberries. In a covered pan over low heat, stew one pint of the strawberries with water until juices are released. Bring to a boil, turn off heat and stir in gelatin to dissolve it. Set aside to cool to lukewarm. Spray a 9 X 13-inch dish with nonstick spray and cover the bottom with a single layer of graham crackers.
    In a large bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk. Fold  in half the whipped topping and the cooled strawberries. Spread pudding mixture  over the graham crackers. Top with another layer of graham crackers,  pressing them gently into the pudding to form an even layer.      Cover with plastic wrap and chill several hours or overnight. Spread with remaining whipped topping and garnish with fresh strawberries. Keep cold.  Serves 12 to 15.
    

Camp Cook Tips

    * Cut a piece of ribbon, rope or clothesline about 3 times the length of a roll of paper towels. Thread it through the roll and tie a square knot (or a pretty bow). You can now hang the roll on any nail, hook or limb around the camper or campsite.  Ditto for toilet paper.

    * Use a sharp, pointy knife to cut a walnut-size cone out of the top of each muffin. Fill hole with a marshmallow, peanut butter or cheese.  Pop the cone back on top, nuke for a few seconds and serve.
 
    * To make a quick supper in a frying pan,  whisk a can of condensed cream soup, any flavor, with half  a soup can of milk or light cream and a one-pint  carton of liquid eggs. Pour into a buttered, nonstick skillet, cover and cook over low-medium heat until eggs set. Serve as is or sprinkle with grated cheese and crushed Fritos. 

       * Inexpensive pop-up laundry hampers store flat, so buy several. They make big temporary storage containers for camping. Line with plastic bags and use indoors and outside for waste baskets, recyclables, firewood, laundry, toys or  game supplies. https://amzn.to/2mlUvyg



 

Bonus Recipe
One-Pot Pasta-La-Vista
    Is your family tired of tomato-based pasta dishes for camping? Here’s one that isn’t.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil    
1 pound lean bulk Italian sausage
Large onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup cut-up mushrooms
3 1/2 cups water
2 cups small pasta such as dilatini
20-ounce bag of baby spinach, trimmed if necessary
½ cup heavy cream (or more to taste)

 
    Heat oil in a large pot and stir-fry sausage, breaking it up. Keep stir-frying while adding  onion, garlic and mushrooms. Add water and bring to a boil. Add pasta. Keep heat high and push down pasta if necessary to keep it covered. Cook 7 minutes. Stir in spinach for 2 minutes more. Turn off heat and set aside, covered for 5 minutes while flavors blend.  Stir in cream. Serves 4. 

Are any new campsites coming to your neck of the woods? See updated reports of proposed and about-to-open campgrounds each week by state and province at https://solowomanrv.blogspot.com/

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