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Camping, RV & Outdoor Tips
- Spanky, from Beavercreek, Ohio has yet another variation on the S'mores
theme: Use fudge striped cookies and melt a marshmallow in between 2
cookies. Takes less room to pack and saves money!
 Scott
and Sue from Indiana were on the same track when they suggested: use
chocolate covered graham crackers for s'mores -- no need for the chocolate
bar. - K. Cooper from Idaho has these organizing tips: Do everything you
can before leaving home. I take everything out of the original packaging
and put in whatever I would have to store it in while camping -- hot
dogs and pre-made salads in a ziploc bag. Mix hamburger with seasonings
and onions and put in a ziploc and smash flat. Put all condiments in
squeeze bottles (mayo jars take up too much cooler room). Pre-cut onions
and veggies, etc.
- Designate one cooler just for drinks as it will hold ice longer from
not being opened as often.
- Bob from Germantown, Wisconsin writes: When you need to clean off
a grill while camping, use ice cubes. As they melt on the hot grill,
the grease and dirt falls right off.
- If you plan on serving your breakfast eggs scrambled, you can crack
them ahead of time into a sealed container - no eggshells to worry about
while camping. Just keep the eggs well chilled.
- A reader from Wooster, Ohion wrote in: When camping, I try to use
disposable cups and plates whenever possible. However, keeping young
children from spilling styrofoam cups is a big challenge. Recently I
discovered if I put a styrofoam cup into a heavier cup like a coffee
cup and serve their beverage with a straw it makes drinking much easier
for them and clean up easier for you! No more accidental spills. Remove
the paper cup and straw and throw away!
- The Grant Family from Indiana writes: "We tried York Peppermint Patties
instead of the traditional Hershey's for our S'Mores and they were a
hit. However, I think that next time we'll try thin mints.
- The Alvis Family of Elk Grove, California has this suggestion: Everyday
bar soaps that become too small to use can be placed in a old nylon
stocking and tied to a tree branch by the waters edge so you'll always
have soap for clean up at the waters edge. The nylon lathers up nicely.
- June Griffeth from Dunwoody, Georgia came up with a camping dessert
in a pinch on a rainy evening. She had intended to make S'mores on the
fire but it rained. Instead June quartered a two inch slice of Entenmann's
Cheese Danish (the kind with confectioner's powdered sugar works great)
and arranged on a paper plate, topped with sliced strawberries and spooned
on some melted chocolate. June used a makeshift double boiler of heavy-duty
foil over a pot of water to melt her chocolate bars.
- Janice from Wisconsin sent in this tip, handy for when you're buttering
lots of corn on the cob: melt a stick of butter in a pan of hot water.
The butter will float, to butter corn, simply dip in the pan, the butter
sticks, the water doesn't.
- Andie B. from Seattle, Washington says, "For brown bag lunches, use
frozen bread. By the time you're ready to eat it, the bread is moist
and delicious.
- D. Giller finds it handy to carry a couple of cans of evaporated milk
on camping trips when making pancakes or waffles or any other recipe
that calls for milk. Mix half milk and half water to use as a milk substitute
in recipes. Covered tightly it last longer in the fridge than regular
milk.
- Jorge S from Anaheim, CA coats the outside of his camping cooking
pots with bar soap before putting them on the fire. Jorge says this
makes the soot clean off ultra-easily.
- For RV kitchens, freeze stocks, leftover wines, even lemon or lime
juice in ice cube trays, then keep small zipper plastic bags of these
cooking essentials in your RV freezer.
- Freeze fresh herbs as well in small zipper bags - beats the flavor
of dried every time.
- Your freezer is a also a good place to keep small amounts of leftover
tomato paste. Most recipes call for only a tablespoon or two, what to
do with the rest of the can? You got, freeze in ice cube tray and put
the cubes in small plastic zipper bags.
- Loyda Coulombe from Federal Way, Washington had this tip for
making ribs: "For tender ribs on the barbeque grill I first make sure
they have been cut apart (if they are beef ribs); for pork ribs I roll
them up. Stand ribs up in a crock-pot adding a little water so they
don't stick to the bottom. Heat on high for several hours before throwing
on the grill to finish cooking and soak up BBQ sauce. They come out
super tender.
- Lee Pravitz from Dover,Delaware has another method for making
tender ribs: Cut the ribs into sections, put into a foil bag (like the
new Reynolds bags, or you can make your own by cutting two pieces of
foil the same size and folding them together). Put in a 1/2 cup of water,
close the bag tight, put on the second shelf of your grill and cook
on LOW for one hour. Take ribs out of bag and finish cooking ribs on
the grill with the BBQ sauce. The ribs will fall off the bone everytime.
- Sis Ward from Hot Spring, Arkansas and her family always take
plenty of heavy duty aluminum foil on their tent camping trips. Sis
says you can make so many things from aluminum foil including aauce
pans, lids, bowls, even water bowls for your pets.
- The Allisons from Texas sent in these tips: We have found that
if we freeze our meat before we begin our trip that it lasts better
in our camper fridge and a we don't have to shop as often. Also, we
freeze water in a 1/2 gallon milk jug and put one in the bottom of the
frige and it keeps it much colder. Also, if starts to melt you know
right away that your refrigerator is off.
- The Alston Family of Lufkin Texas has an easy, inexpensive
and less messy way to make S'mores. You can buy the fudge striped cookies
( $1 at a dollar store or Wal-mart) and a bag of marshmallows. Roast
your marshmallow then squeeze it between two cookies. It will melt the
chocolate on the backs of the cookies.
- Toni Vande Voren from Wyoming, Michigan writes: "When getting
ready for a camping trip, especially in the fall or early spring when
we still like a nice hot meal, I fill the large coffee cans with chili,
stew or soup, and freeze. It adds to the coldness of the food in the
cooler, plus, I can set it at the edge of the campfire to heat, right
in the can, serve up in bowls and then dispose of the can. No big pots
to wash and worry about. My hubby likes this too, when he camps without
me, as he hates washing pots and pans worse than I do."
- Gayle from Lawrence, Kansas says "The new flexible
cutting boards are great!!! But if when using they seem to skate
around on your countertop, merely place a damp towel under the cutting
board. You will be amazed how it will anchor it.
- Molly Segda from Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey has this camping
suggestion: If you have a meat & potatoes, veggie & salad type of family
like I do, this is a good time saver. Put as many potatoes as you need
in large pot, leave skins on.cover with water and put on top of potatoes
a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil. Put fresh ears of sweet corn
on top of the foil and cover (if you don't have a lid large enough,
place a second piece of foil on top of corn). When potatoes start cooking,
corn will steam and both will be cooked at the same time, using the
foil as a server & also keeping it hot till ready to eat. Mean while,
your steak or hamburgers are cooking. Time it accordingly. Potatoes
should take about 1/2 hr. Also, put your cut up salad in a large plastic
bag and shake, with or without salad dressing. This saves time and dish
washing. A delicious meal just like you were home, in about 45 minutes
with prep. & cooking. PS: Any fresh veggies will work.
- When grilling vegetables or tofu, instead of using a pastry brush
to brush on marinade, use a large sprig of rosemary, which will impart
additional flavor to your foods.
- Monica G. from Los Angeles, California wrote in with the following:
"My Godson, Peter, gave me this kitchen tip. To clean messy bbq grills,
use 1/2 onion to scrape off grease and burnt on food pieces. You use
the 1/2 onion like you would a scouring pad. I didn't believe it would
work myself until I tried it.
- From NeNe in Tennesse - "When ever I need to mix tuna for tuna
salad I first put all ingredients in a 1 gallon sealable plastic bag,
remove excess air, then I just blend ingredients by squeezing the bag.
Then I snip off 1 corner to squeeze out the amount I need for sandwiches,
salads, and etc. This idea can be used with many other foods such as
deviled eggs, seafood salad, meatloaf, seasoned ground beef for the
grill and so on. This is extra nice to prepare foods on camp-outs, picnics,
or carry dish for get-togethers (and a lot easier to transport). Enjoy
the food and an EASY clean-up.
- Becky W. from Independence, Missouri had the following tip for quick
camping meals: "For a quick meal while camping, brown ground beef, add
sloppy Joe sauce, and freeze it in a freezer bag. Throw it in the cooler
(it will help keep other food cool too) and then warm it up in a pan
over a fire or on a grill. Can also be done with taco meet; just bring
along your shells or tortillas and other desired toppings!"
- Lou from Southern California adds a natural tenderizer to chicken,
beef and lamb, by sprinkling with fresh lemon juice.
- Try this trick for cleaning metal shish kabob skewers: clean with
a dry, soap filled scrubbing pad (such as SOS). Burnt on food seems
to come off much easier this way, then all you have to do is rinse.
Especially handy when camping!
- There's never enough room in an RV or Camping kitchen to take everything.
Cooking pots with handles do great double duty as mixing bowls when
not being used on the stove.
- Try tacking a small cloth shoe bag to the inside of an RV kitchen
cabinets. This is handy for holding objects like can openers, spatulas,
serving spoons and other items that might clutter up the drawers.
 On
camping trips, use baking soda for cleaning dishes, pots and pans, hand
and even teeth. - Deorodrize a musty smelling tent by setting up and sprinkling with
baking soda.
- Deodorize sleeping bags by prinkling baking soda inside. Let sit for
about 6 hours before shaking out and setting out in the sun for a few
hours.
- Keep fish hooks from rusting between fishing trips by sticking thm
in a cork and submerging them in baking soda.
- Add baking soda to hollow fishing lures to give them spin in the water.
- Clean upholstery spots in car or RV with a baking soda paste. Rub
into the stain, let dry then vacuum.
- Baking soda can clean stains on fiberglass RV bodies. Scrub with baking
soda on a damp sponge. For tougher stains, apply wet baking soda, let
dry then wipe away.
- Charlee S from Missouri has a tip for cooking hamburgers more
evenly and avoiding the sydrome of well done edges and rare centers.
Charlee makes a tiny hole, about the what your index finger could fit
through, in the middle of her burgers. During grilling, the hole in
the middle will disappear but the center will be cooked the same as
the edges.
- To clean foods that have burnt on a barbecue grill, enclose them in
a large plastic garbage bag. Mix 1 cup baking soda with 1/2 cup ammonia,
pour over the grills, close the bag and let sit overnight. The burnt
on pieces will have loosened making the grills easy to clean.
- Control the flames on a barbecue grill by having a pint spray bottle
of water mixed with 1 teaspoon baking soda.
- Clean coolers with a water and baking solution to eliminate odors.
- If you have room, store unscented candles (or well wrapped and sealed
scented ones) in the cooler or RV refrigerator to keep the hot sun from
melting them.
- Even if you don't like ot for drinking, use powdered milk for cooking
as its easier to store, lighter to carry and cheaper than regular.
- A cup of baking soda and a cup vinegar poured down a drain can help
clear a clogged drain.
- Baking soda can help clean dishes, especially greasy ones .
- Nothing cleans plastic like baking soda and it doesn't scratch the
surface -sprinkle on a sponge or rag and use as you would cleanser.
- A general mixture of 5 tablespoons baking soda to 1 quart water makes
a good all-purpose cleaning solution for glass, plastics, formica, etc.
- Remove grease from a stovetop by cleaning with a solution of baking
soda and white vinegar.
- Remove stubborn cooked on food from dishes by sprinkling pan with
a half cup or so of baking soda and an equal amount of white vinegar
-- let soak for a few hours before cleaning.
- De-grease and clean barbecue grills by applying a baking soda paste
with a wire brush, let set for about 15 minutes, then wipe clean. Let
the fire burn away any excess residue before you begin to cook.
- Jamie Sanders from Georgia writes: "I have camped my entire
life. One great, easy recipe that's always a wonderful meal is the hobo
meal. All you need is heavy-duty foil, potatoes, onions, corn, meat,
peppers or celery if desired and salt & pepper. If using ground beef
you should make small meatballs. Just put everything in a the center
of a piece of foil, pull up the corners life a sack & twist closed.
Place on the coals and wait for your meal to cook! No clean-up either!
Just eat out of the sack - eat with your fingers if it's cool enough."
- Lori from Germantown Hills, Illinois says, if you like to make
chicken faijitas, buy split chicken breasts and cut off the bone. Leave
the skin on so when you grill it, the chicken won't stick to the grill
but the skin will so you can flip the meat over and cook it on the same
piece of skin.
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Fabulous Foodie Kathy Weigman of Appleton, Wisconsin suggests
adding a few ice cubes to aluminum foil packet dinners or vegetables
to prevent them from burning and keep them moist.
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The Terry Family of Delaware, Ohio marinate their fresh chicken,
place in freezer bag and freeze before leaving on their camping trips.
The frozen food helps keep the cooler cold, and by the time you're
ready to cook, it has slowly thawed.
- To make deviled eggs with no mess put eggs yolks from hard boiled
eggs in plastic sandwich bag. Add remaining ingredients, close bag and
mix. When finished cut small tip off corner of bag and squeeze into
hollowed egg white, then simply throw away the bag. No muss, no fuss.
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Grill beef over medium, ash covered coals. To check for temperature,
cautiously hold the palm of your hand over the coals at cooking height.
Count the number of seconds you can hold your hand in that position
before the heat forces you to pull it away. It should take about 4
seconds for medium heat coals.
- Salt beef after cooking or browning (unless it's added to the dredging
flour) as salt draws moisture out of beef.
- Trim fat from beef after cooking as leaving a layer of fat preserves
juiciness.
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Getting your on-the-road oatmeal is fast if you turn regular oatmeal
in a blender before leaving home. Blending makes the oatmeal the same
as "instant."
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Using a few corn chips as fire-starters is economical and efficient,
Simply light them with a match and toss a few on the campfire or barbecue.
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Placing an egg into a plastic bag and then back into the egg carton
makes transporting eggs safer. If the shell breaks, the mess stays
in the bag. Remove the shell and scramble the egg later.
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Patting beef steaks with paper toweling before cooking makes for
better browning of the meat.
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