Easy One Pot Meals for Family Camping
One pot meals are sure-fire family camping wins. Not only is a single pot easier to stow in a meticulously tight, packed car than multiple pots and pans, but one pot recipes are simple to make and serve. Plus, there are fewer dishes to wash when dinner's done. However, if your family is bored with the same old recipes, it may be time to expand your repertoire.
Try these creative one pot meals on your next camping trip.
Creamy Ham Calico
2 10 oz. bags mixed vegetables, thawed
1 15 oz. can sliced potatoes, drained
1 medium onion, diced
1 lb. cooked or canned ham, finely diced
1 15 oz. can kidney beans
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. each pepper, dry mustard and salt
3 cups milk
Grated cheese
In a pot, bring your vegetables, potatoes, onion, ham and water to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the beans and simmer while you combine the flour, seasonings and milk in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour the flour mixture into the pot, stirring over medium heat until it thickens. Ladle the mixture into soup bowls and top with cheese. Serves 6-8.
Skillet Quiche
1 10 oz. package of frozen spinach, thawed
2 eggs
1/3 cup flour
2 cups cottage cheese
1 8 oz. package shredded Cheddar cheese
1 small can of mushrooms, drained
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/3 cup pepperoni, finely chopped (optional)
Coat the bottom of a 10-inch skillet with oil and begin pre-heating the skillet. Drain the spinach and squeeze it dry. Whisk the eggs with the flour and stir in the cottage cheese and shredded Cheddar. Fold in the spinach and pepperoni. Spread the spinach mixture evenly in the skillet and then cover, reduce the heat, and cook until the bottom is crusty. Make sure the quiche is set in the center before serving. Serves 4.
Pine Bark Stew
1/2 lb. bacon or salt pork, diced
2 large onions, diced
9 cups water
1 16 oz. box dry hash brown potatoes
1 32 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 cup ketchup
3 lbs. skinless, boneless fish, cut into bite size pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste
Tabasco Sauce
Fry the bacon in a large cast iron skillet, then cook the onions in the bacon fat until translucent. Add water, bring to a boil and stir in the potatoes, tomatoes and ketchup. Cover the pot and simmer at medium-to-low heat for 15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Increase the heat and stir in the fish, then simmer until it turns white and firm. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Tabasco. Serves 6-8.
Pork Chop Hot Pot
4 lean pork chops
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 15 oz. can creamed corn
Trim any excess from the chops and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the oil, brown the chops on both sides and arrange your potatoes, onion and pepper on top. Add a half-cup of water, cover and cook over low to medium heat until the vegetables are tender. Put the finished chops and vegetables on serving plates and stir the corn into the pan juices, scraping up browned bits. Spoon this corn gravy over the meat and potatoes. Serves 4.
Butternut Squash & Turkey Chili
1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1 oz. packet chili seasoning mix
1 4 oz. can diced green chiles
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups butternut squash, cubed
2 cups water or chicken stock
Coat the bottom of a Dutch oven with vegetable oil and brown the ground turkey over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for two minutes. Stir in chili seasoning mix, green chiles, beans, tomatoes, butternut squash and water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes to one hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with crackers or corn bread, grated cheese and chopped onion. Serves 4.
King Neptune's Pasta
1 12-16 oz. package frozen shrimp (deveined and tails removed)
1 12-16 oz. package frozen bay scallops
16 oz. linguini
1 stick butter, diced
1 6 oz. jar grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz. whipping cream
3/4 cup milk
Thaw and drain all shrimp and scallops and cut them into bite size pieces. Cook and drain the linguini, and stir all ingredients into the hot pasta. Continue stirring over low heat until a creamy sauce forms and the seafood is firm. Serves 8.
