RV & Camping Chow Time

 Copyright Janet Groene 2026. To ask about rates to  republish  this content, email janetgroene@yahoo.com/

CAMPING & RV RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Deep Sea Dumplings

Use any condensed, homemade or ready-to-serve Manhattan style (tomato based) clam chowder as long as it adds up to about 6 cups. Milk-based type New England clam chowder is not recommended for this recipe. 

6 cups Manhattan style clam chowder

1 cup tomato juice, Clamato or V-6 juice

1 ½ cups biscuit mix

½ teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Milk or water

Small can shrimp, drained and rinsed OR

1 cup cooked, chopped shrimp 

While soups and juice  come to a steady simmer (not a hard boil)  in a large saucepan, mix parsley flakes and paprika with biscuit mix. Add milk or water to make a thick dough. Do not over-beat. Cut up shrimp and fold into dough. 

Drop dough by teaspoons into simmering chowder and cook 10 minutes uncovered, then 10 minutes tightly covered.. Makes 4- 5 servings. 

See more of Janet’s galley-ready recipes at https://Boatcook.blogspot.com

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SPECIAL REPORT

MAKE AHEAD DISH(ES) OF THE WEEK

Tons of Torpedos

Call them hoagies, gyros, grinders or submarine sandwiches....

These foil-wrapped meals are the only tummy fuel you’ll need on short camping trip, a picnic or road trip. Eat them right out of the foil or roast them  until the filling turns into a hot, melty meal. Make them by the dozen. 

Heat on grate over medium coals, n the oven or in a covered grill

General rules:

+ Make torpedos only with fully cooked meat. Freeze promptly. 

+ For food safety, keep torpedos frozen, refrigerated or in a well chilled ice chest. 

+ Spread split sides of buns with a thin film of butter or oleo to keep bread from getting soggy.

+ Mayonnaise is not recommended as a binder for sandwiches that will be frozen. 

+ If sandwiches will be frozen,  raw vegetables (onion, green pepper, mushrooms)  should be blanched and well drained before adding to the mix.  

+ Unwrap foil carefully. Fillings, especially melted cheese,  can be scalding. 

Chicken Salad Torpedos

8 to 10 sub rolls, split

Soft butter

1 ½ bricks, 8 ounces each, cream cheese

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Small can diced water chestnuts, well drained

2 teaspoons dried tarragon

3 to 4 cups cooked , seasoned chicken,  chopped

Split rolls and spread cut sides with a thin film of soft butter. Soften cream cheese at room temperature and mix in lemon juice, water chestnuts, tarragon and chicken. Fill split rolls and wrap in foil. Chill or freeze. Eat as is or heat evenly just until heated through.  

Bully Beef Torpedos

Canned corned beef has been the camper’s, sailor’s and prepper’s best back-up food since Napoleon’s time. A little goes a long way. Caponata is an eggplant appetizer. 

12-ounce can corned beef

8-ounce package Velveeta, coarsely shredded

Small can or jar caponata, chopped (about 1 cupful)

2 to 3 tablespoons ketchup

8 sub buns or large hot dog buns

Scrape excess fat from corned beef and chop as fine as possible. Grate Velveeta on the large holes of a box grater and fold into the corned beef with the caponata and just enough ketchup to bind the mixture. Pack into split buns. Wrap and chill or freeze. In camp, thaw and heat the wrapped torpedos over medium coals.   

Spinach & Bacon Torpedos

2 packages, 10 ounces each, chopped spinach

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt, pepper

1 pound bacon, chopped

8-ounce package mozzarella or Cheddar

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

8 to 10 sub buns or  large hot dog buns

Thaw and drain spinach and cook in hot oil with garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside in a sieve to drain well. Press to remove excess liquid.

Fry out and drain bacon and fold into the cooled spinach with the cheeses. Fill buttered buns and wrap tightly in foil. Freeze or chill. To serve,  roast the wrapped sandwiches over medium coals, turning often for even heating. 

Wrap snugly in foil

Tuna Melt Torpedos

10-ounce can tuna, drained

1/4 cup pickle relish, drained

3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

½ teaspoon onion salt

About ½ cup softened cream cheese

8 slices American, provolone or cheddar cheese

8 large buns, split and lightly buttered

Mix tuna, relish eggs, onion salt and cream cheese. Fill buns and top with a slice of cheese. Wrap in toil and chill or freeze. Thaw and roast in a medium over or over medium coals until heated through.  

Hot Hula Torpedos

For each Torpedo you will need:

1 hoagie bun, split

Soft butter

Pineapple jam

Small jar diced pimentos, drained

2 thin slices of mild, melt-able cheese such as white American

1 slice canned pineapple, drained

I slice deli baked ham or roast pork lunch meat

Heat in foil, Eat out of the foil

Lightly spread both split sides of the bun with butter. Spread one side with pineapple jam and dapple with a few pieces of pimento. Press a light scattering of fine chopped macadamia nuts on the other buttered side.

Assemble with a slice of cheese, a slice of ham, a slice of pineapple and the second slice of cheese. Wrap tightly in foil and freeze or chill. This torpedo can be eaten at “room” temperature but heating brings out its magic. 

To serve, place wrapped torpedo over medium coals or in a medium oven and heat through. 

Muffaletta Torpedos

These New Orleans favorites are traditionally served at “room” temperature but no law says that you can’t heat ‘em over the campfire on a cold day.

8 slabs of French bread, 6 to 8 inches long

1/3 cup each red wine vinegar and olive oil

1 teaspoon each garlic salt and crumbled dried oregano

6-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

Small jar salad olives, chopped and drained

Small can sliced black olives, drained

Thin slivers of sweet onion

1 pound thin sliced deli meats and cheeses such as provolone, salami and pepperoni.  

Split bread. Whisk vinegar, oil and seasonings and use a pastry brush to “paint” the cut sides of the bread with a light touch. Chop and mix artichoke hearts and olives to form a relish Drain thoroughly.

Assemble sandwiches with onion, meat and cheese and close. Wrap tightly and keep chilled up to three days. 

Make twice as many as you think you'll need

Wild  Rice Vegetarian Torpedos

8 burrito size flour tortillas

1 can vegetarian refried beans

About 1 tablespoon picante sauce

1 box wild rice and rice mix

8-ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

½ teaspoon each chili powder and ground cumin

Mash refried beans with picante sauce until spreadable. Spread a thin smear on each tortilla. Cook wild rice mix according to package directions. Cool completely and fluff with a fork. Fold in cheese, seasonings and remaining refried beans. Make burritos and wrap in foil. Chill or freeze.

In camp, warm wrapped torpedos over medium heat until heated through. Open foil. Make sure the food is cool enough to eat,  and eat from the foil. 

More filling ideas for freeze-able Torpedos:

Peanut butter and jelly

Ham and cheese

Cooked meatballs (go easy on the saucenow. Serve torpedos with a dipping sauce later)

Grilled hot dogs in toasted buns

Lamb meatballs with a little crumbled feta cheese; serve with cold raita

Sliced deli roast beef spread with boursin and rolled up

Seasoned refried beans mashed with whole kernel corn and diced green chillies from a can

Cooked, chopped salmon with drained, cooked or canned bean sprouts, soy sauce and sticky rice as a binder

Not recommended for freezing:

Egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad with mayo

Sandwiches with sauerkraut

Raw vegetables or fruit

Pickle slices, Sour cream

Meats that are only partially cooked

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JUST IN TIME FOR FATHERS DAY 

COOKING 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 

Campground Potluck Recipe of the Week

Mexicali Casserole

To make this a vegetarian dish, use vegetarian tamales. Canned tamales make this a quick and easy hot dish. 

3 cans, about 15 ounces each, tamales

2 cans, 12 ounces each, whole kernel corn with green and red pepper, drained

Small can sliced ripe olives, drained

½ cup stuffed green olives, chopped

I package Jiffy cornbread mix

Egg and milk (for cornbread mix)

1 cup grated  Monterey Jack cheese

Put tamales in a greased 9 X 13-inch casserole and sprinkle with corn and olives. Bake 10 minutes at 400 degrees, then drizzle with cornbread mix, prepared according to package directions. Bake until cornbread is golden brown. Remove from oven, sprinkle with cheese and let cheese melt. Serve at once or keep warm. Serves  8-12. 

STUFF HAPPENS. BE READY

FOR FOOD EMERGENCIES 

   Stuff happens when you're away from home too. Be prepared for delays, sudden evacuation,  breakdowns,  refrigerator failure, supply chain interruptions, civil disturbances.    http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe 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. 

Campers have limited storage space for emergency food.  Survival Food Handbook  is just for campers, truckers, RV travelers and boaters. Make the most of every ounce, inch and dollar. Have a stash of staples you will use and replenish.  http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe

Drumstick Corn Dogs

10 medium drumsticks

1 cup flour

12 cup cornmeal

1 tablespoon each sugar and baking powder

½ teaspoon each paprika, salt and dry mustard powder

1 cup milk or light cream

1 egg

Fat or oil for deep frying

Season drumsticks with salt and pepper. Arrange on a greased baking pan and bake 10 minutes at 425 F. Reduce heat to 325 F. And roast until chicken tests done at 170 F. IT's important that chicken is thoroughly cooked. Cool completely and refrigerate or freeze.

To proceed, mix dry ingredients for the batter. Whisk milk and egg and mix with dry ingredients to make a thick batter,  Bring oil to 375 degrees F.. Pat drumsticks dry. Pour some of the batter into a tall glass or clean tin can. Holding drumsticks by the short end, dip in batter. Let excess batter drip off and fry drumstick until  golden and crusty.

Keeping oil at 375 F. dip drumsticks on at a time and fry. Serve at once or keep warm. 

Caution: deep frying requires extra caution in camping. The stove and pot should be on a firm surface. When finished, let the leftover oil cool and dispose of it in a suitable container. Do not pour it into the ground or the RV sink. For food safety, the chicken should be cooked thoroughly before deep frying in batter. 

NO BAKE DESSERTS OF THE WEEK

Hot Apple Shortcake

6 store bought shortcake shells OR

6 baked, cooled biscuits

1 can apple pie filling

1 cup  orange juice 

½ cup  sugar

Optional: 1 cup miniature marshmallows AND/OR  1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Set out shortcake shells or split biscuits. Put apple pie filling in a pan and chop or mash it coarsely. Add orange juice and sugar and bring to a boil until sugar dissolves. Stir in marshmallows or pecans or both. Spoon hot over shells. Serve at once.  

Variation: try this with another fruit juice such as pineapple, apple or cranberry. 

Freckleberry Pie

Doctor up an ordinary icebox pie with fresh berries, freckled throughout the sweet custard filling. I found raspberries too delicate and strawberries too juicy for this recipe. 

9-inch crumb crust, homemade or store-bought.

14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

½ cup fresh lemon or lime juice

8-ounce tub whipped topping

1 cup fresh, firm blackberries, blueberries OR

1 cup dried cranberries

Chill crust.  Wash berries and pat dry. Thaw whipped topping.  Whisk fruit juice and condensed milk. When it begins to thicken, fold in whipped topping and berries. Put in crust and chill. Serves 8.