World Traveler I
Looking for recipes and ideas for making meals out of very little. Lets see what creative ideas people have. Post up!
Making a meal out of nothing (or very little)...
- Thread starter beyondthepavement
- Start date
this is my specialty...
i usually start with a good starch base, such as rice, macaroni, potatoes, etc
so say you have rice. cook it and then add a can of Rotel, some kind of bean (ranch style, black beans, etc) maybe add some kernel corn and a meat...even a canned meat like SPAM is fine. cook that together and add seasoning you like and you have a meal. get fancy and put it in a tortilla and add cheese. if there is any left overs, add an egg in the morning and make a breakfast burrito out of it.
one camp meal i make a lot is to fry up some SPAM cut in small pieces and add to rice, Rotel and black eyed peas.
cook up mac and cheese and add Rotal and SPAM or a can of tuna.
take ranch style beans and put on a baked potato and add cheese...BAM!
take corn tortillas and tear into little pieces and brown them in a skillet with oil...remove. cook some bacon and add it to some whisked eggs and mix in the browned tortillas and add cheese and put in a skillet and it is a hybrid quiche. that one is pretty damn good!
instant potatoes with corn and a jar of gravy and hamburger or chicken meat....like the KFC bowls
there is a LOT. my oldest is in college and i have taught him how to cook good with $10 and a trip to walmart or dollar general. he has mastered that and even taken it to new levels with ramen noodles and other items...
i usually start with a good starch base, such as rice, macaroni, potatoes, etc
so say you have rice. cook it and then add a can of Rotel, some kind of bean (ranch style, black beans, etc) maybe add some kernel corn and a meat...even a canned meat like SPAM is fine. cook that together and add seasoning you like and you have a meal. get fancy and put it in a tortilla and add cheese. if there is any left overs, add an egg in the morning and make a breakfast burrito out of it.
one camp meal i make a lot is to fry up some SPAM cut in small pieces and add to rice, Rotel and black eyed peas.
cook up mac and cheese and add Rotal and SPAM or a can of tuna.
take ranch style beans and put on a baked potato and add cheese...BAM!
take corn tortillas and tear into little pieces and brown them in a skillet with oil...remove. cook some bacon and add it to some whisked eggs and mix in the browned tortillas and add cheese and put in a skillet and it is a hybrid quiche. that one is pretty damn good!
instant potatoes with corn and a jar of gravy and hamburger or chicken meat....like the KFC bowls
there is a LOT. my oldest is in college and i have taught him how to cook good with $10 and a trip to walmart or dollar general. he has mastered that and even taken it to new levels with ramen noodles and other items...
Advocate I
When alone for a weekend hunting trip, breakfast is usually a Svenhards pastry and coffee, and dinner is usually a couple cuts off a log of salami and a block of cheese. Also bring a couple apples, oranges, and bananas for snacks throughout the day. This doesn't fly when the lady is along.
If it is cold out and I need something to stick to the ribs in the morning, I like instant grits with a little butter and pancake syrup on top. Cooked or precooked bacon crumbled over it and you are living large. I'd bet chopped SPAM would work as well.
Grubworm hit the nail on the head, you can do just about anything with potatoes. I bake a couple pounds of potatoes before I leave for a longer trip. They store well, cut up nicely, and fry or otherwise heat up fast with whatever else you want to throw in. With eggs, bacon, and onion in the morning, or chili or ranch beans, onion, and cheese for dinner. Worse case, fry 'em up in butter with a little salt and pepper. Catsup or salsa, SPAM or any pork or beef, is a good addition if you got it. Usually the scramble in the morning is leftovers from the night before thrown in with fried potatoes.
One camp breakfast I made with the last of the supplies doesn't sound good, but was surprisingly dam good, was scrambled eggs with canned chopped green beans and bacon all mixed together.
What not to do- last trip to Death Valley, we knew we would be needing to make quick lunches on the run. My lady decided to make a big bowl of egg salad so we could easily make quick sandwiches. Worked great, until trapped in the tent during a severe sandstorm and on-and-off sideways rain. Egg salad sandwiches 3 days straight made for some seriously rank off gassing which happened to peak when we were sheltered in our tent. Vary your meals so you can keep in balance!
If it is cold out and I need something to stick to the ribs in the morning, I like instant grits with a little butter and pancake syrup on top. Cooked or precooked bacon crumbled over it and you are living large. I'd bet chopped SPAM would work as well.
Grubworm hit the nail on the head, you can do just about anything with potatoes. I bake a couple pounds of potatoes before I leave for a longer trip. They store well, cut up nicely, and fry or otherwise heat up fast with whatever else you want to throw in. With eggs, bacon, and onion in the morning, or chili or ranch beans, onion, and cheese for dinner. Worse case, fry 'em up in butter with a little salt and pepper. Catsup or salsa, SPAM or any pork or beef, is a good addition if you got it. Usually the scramble in the morning is leftovers from the night before thrown in with fried potatoes.
One camp breakfast I made with the last of the supplies doesn't sound good, but was surprisingly dam good, was scrambled eggs with canned chopped green beans and bacon all mixed together.
What not to do- last trip to Death Valley, we knew we would be needing to make quick lunches on the run. My lady decided to make a big bowl of egg salad so we could easily make quick sandwiches. Worked great, until trapped in the tent during a severe sandstorm and on-and-off sideways rain. Egg salad sandwiches 3 days straight made for some seriously rank off gassing which happened to peak when we were sheltered in our tent. Vary your meals so you can keep in balance!
Enthusiast III
4 ing.
Hamburg
BBQ Sauce
Shredded Cheddar
Pilsbury Biscuits
Brown Beef add BBQ Sauce after
While beef browning place biscuits into cupcake pan making bowls
cook part way, add beef
top with cheese finish baking
***************************************************
3 ing.
Frozen meatballs
1 jar pepper jelly
1 jar chili sauce
Put them all in crockpot low 4 hours
****************************************************
2 ing
Chicken Breast
Stove Top
Butterfly breast
fill with Stove Top
Bake
Hamburg
BBQ Sauce
Shredded Cheddar
Pilsbury Biscuits
Brown Beef add BBQ Sauce after
While beef browning place biscuits into cupcake pan making bowls
cook part way, add beef
top with cheese finish baking
***************************************************
3 ing.
Frozen meatballs
1 jar pepper jelly
1 jar chili sauce
Put them all in crockpot low 4 hours
****************************************************
2 ing
Chicken Breast
Stove Top
Butterfly breast
fill with Stove Top
Bake
Member III
It's hard for me because I LOVE food & I LOVE to cook, especially outdoors. However, I'm kind of "testing out" the idea of transitioning from bringing a bunch of food that needs to be preped/cooked and a bunch of cooking devices to a much simpler/lighter/less space filling/less work way of doing things.
On shorter (3-4 day) trips, I've been preparing meals ahead of time & freezing them in plastic containers. I do this mostly for breakfast & dinner, as we tend to snack our way through lunch time. The frozen meals help keep the ice chest cold. I take them out to thaw as needed. I also use the plastic container as a plate/bowl when its ready to eat, so I'm really cutting down on the use of paper plates/bowls and on having to do a bunch of dishes. Since I'm only feeding myself or myself and my wife, most of the time I just wipe the containers out with a damp paper towel, snap the lid back on, and throw them in a grocery bag for storage until I get them home to clean properly. I've been using the damp paper towels for cleaning my pots & pans as well. I'm also using a lot less water and the paper towels go in the fire, so I'm also generating less trash. This might not be for everyone, but it's starting to work pretty good for us.
The other thing I'm doing is looking for more "1 pot" meals, meals with less ingredients and/or less fresh ingredients. We eat pretty healthy most of the time, so living on boxed/canned/frozen foods for a few days shouldn't kill us. Besides, I like to challenge my cholesterol medication to do its job every now & then...
On our latest trip I made SPAM Risotto & it was great!!! 1 box of parmesan risotto & 1/2 can of less sodium SPAM was all I needed to make a quick, filling, belly warming meal. I cooked it in one pot, it was ready in 15 minutes, and went well with a glass (or two) of Chardonnay. The other 1/2 of the SPAM was cubed and cooked the next morning with scrambled eggs. I'm learning the infinite ways SPAM can be used in "camping meals".
On that same trip, I also tried something new. I got 1 small bag of egg noodles and 1 large can of beef stew. The noodles were cooked according to the directions, drained, and divided into bowls with tin foil over the top to keep them warm. The beef stew was cooked in the same pot, and when ready (5 minutes), divided over the top of the noodles. Another easy, quick, and filling meal.
I've also done chicken fajitas by purchasing a bag of frozen chicken fajitas (everything is included) and a pack of tortillas. I warm the tortillas by wrapping them in foil and throwing them on the side of the fire while cooking the fajita mixture in 1 pot/pan. Sometimes I'll do black beans or black beans & Spanish rice as a side. Although the frozen fajita mixture is pretty good, I've been thinking about making them fresh and freezing them to take on our next trip.
On shorter (3-4 day) trips, I've been preparing meals ahead of time & freezing them in plastic containers. I do this mostly for breakfast & dinner, as we tend to snack our way through lunch time. The frozen meals help keep the ice chest cold. I take them out to thaw as needed. I also use the plastic container as a plate/bowl when its ready to eat, so I'm really cutting down on the use of paper plates/bowls and on having to do a bunch of dishes. Since I'm only feeding myself or myself and my wife, most of the time I just wipe the containers out with a damp paper towel, snap the lid back on, and throw them in a grocery bag for storage until I get them home to clean properly. I've been using the damp paper towels for cleaning my pots & pans as well. I'm also using a lot less water and the paper towels go in the fire, so I'm also generating less trash. This might not be for everyone, but it's starting to work pretty good for us.
The other thing I'm doing is looking for more "1 pot" meals, meals with less ingredients and/or less fresh ingredients. We eat pretty healthy most of the time, so living on boxed/canned/frozen foods for a few days shouldn't kill us. Besides, I like to challenge my cholesterol medication to do its job every now & then...
On our latest trip I made SPAM Risotto & it was great!!! 1 box of parmesan risotto & 1/2 can of less sodium SPAM was all I needed to make a quick, filling, belly warming meal. I cooked it in one pot, it was ready in 15 minutes, and went well with a glass (or two) of Chardonnay. The other 1/2 of the SPAM was cubed and cooked the next morning with scrambled eggs. I'm learning the infinite ways SPAM can be used in "camping meals".
On that same trip, I also tried something new. I got 1 small bag of egg noodles and 1 large can of beef stew. The noodles were cooked according to the directions, drained, and divided into bowls with tin foil over the top to keep them warm. The beef stew was cooked in the same pot, and when ready (5 minutes), divided over the top of the noodles. Another easy, quick, and filling meal.
I've also done chicken fajitas by purchasing a bag of frozen chicken fajitas (everything is included) and a pack of tortillas. I warm the tortillas by wrapping them in foil and throwing them on the side of the fire while cooking the fajita mixture in 1 pot/pan. Sometimes I'll do black beans or black beans & Spanish rice as a side. Although the frozen fajita mixture is pretty good, I've been thinking about making them fresh and freezing them to take on our next trip.
Member III
You sound like me... almost all the way down the line. I like to use Knorr rice side and add the meat, canned corn, and the diced tomatoes with green chilis; makes for a nice filling meal. I also freeze some of these to take "camping" for a quick easy meal when out. The Knorr side with red beans and rice makes for a really quick jambalaya with a little andouille sausage and diced chicken. And the instant potatoes with ground beef, a little peas & carrots makes for a nice little shepherds pie. Not a big fan of the Spam thing though; too much of that growing up.
Boostpowered
Rank VI
Member III
Fried chicken,fish or steak even veggies.
Marinate in milk and or egg wash roll in breading or crackers and fry with your favorite oil.
Hamburger gravy.
2lb ground meat( i use bison or waygu)
1/4 cup all purp flour
1 qt milk
Tsp onion salt
Salt and pepper to taste after
Cook meat till browned in skillet do not drain the fat, sprinkle flour over hamburger, stir till fat is absorbed, put skillet on med heat, add 1/2 the milk stir till gravy starts to thicken add remaining milk while stiring until you get the constancy you want. Great on toast or biscuits.
Basic egg noodle.
4 eggs
1 tablespoon water
3-1/2 cups sifted all purp flour
Mix everything tpgether for a few min til its thick and mixed well hand kneed dough for 1 min cover bowl with dry towel and let rest 15 min.
Then roll and shape the pasta to your liking
Let the noodles you roll dry out for classic store bought pasta. Or cook immediately for dumplings.
Salt pork and beans
Ingredients pack of salt pork and a pack or 2 of dry beans fill pot with water and let beans sit overnight, drain water and refill pot with fresh water now put in salt pork and set the pot on stove on low all day,
This can be made in a crock pot or pressure cooker also, and if you dont want gas from the beans soak em overnight in beer instead of water.
Marinate in milk and or egg wash roll in breading or crackers and fry with your favorite oil.
Hamburger gravy.
2lb ground meat( i use bison or waygu)
1/4 cup all purp flour
1 qt milk
Tsp onion salt
Salt and pepper to taste after
Cook meat till browned in skillet do not drain the fat, sprinkle flour over hamburger, stir till fat is absorbed, put skillet on med heat, add 1/2 the milk stir till gravy starts to thicken add remaining milk while stiring until you get the constancy you want. Great on toast or biscuits.
Basic egg noodle.
4 eggs
1 tablespoon water
3-1/2 cups sifted all purp flour
Mix everything tpgether for a few min til its thick and mixed well hand kneed dough for 1 min cover bowl with dry towel and let rest 15 min.
Then roll and shape the pasta to your liking
Let the noodles you roll dry out for classic store bought pasta. Or cook immediately for dumplings.
Salt pork and beans
Ingredients pack of salt pork and a pack or 2 of dry beans fill pot with water and let beans sit overnight, drain water and refill pot with fresh water now put in salt pork and set the pot on stove on low all day,
This can be made in a crock pot or pressure cooker also, and if you dont want gas from the beans soak em overnight in beer instead of water.
Off-Road Ranger I
- 1,146
- First Name
- Jim
- Last Name
- Hopkins
- Member #
-
15959
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- WRFL231
- Service Branch
- LEO
Member III
Enthusiast III
Stop for cheeseburgers on the way in.
While in camp, drink ale/eat salami. Coffee and packaged pastry for breakfast.
Stop for cheeseburgers on the way home.
While in camp, drink ale/eat salami. Coffee and packaged pastry for breakfast.
Stop for cheeseburgers on the way home.
Boostpowered
Rank VI
Member III
I couldn't tell you i cook with alchohol more than drink it. Id imagine it might but not sure, try it.
Member III
Take your meat of choice like hamburger, cubed beef, stew meat, lamb burgers or even diced chicken.
Brown meat in a pan
Add a can of veg all, salt pepper and garlic to taste (1/4 cup cream if you have it)
Serve with bread, tacos, Naan or your choice of bread.
One of my favorite things to take camping is 1 pound of ground lamb mixed with 1 pound of ground beef and a 1/4 cup of blue cheese (optional 1 cup of mushrooms) mix in advance divide equally into 4 or 5 patties by putting each one in a zip lock sandwich bag. I like to freeze them in advance for camping or a fast dinner at home.
You can have them as burgers.
Cook them and chop up then add salsa for tacos.
Mix it with the above veggie dish or other stew type dishes.
Even breakfast with eggs, bacon and your choice of bread above.
One meat used many different ways with different flavors and minimal number of additional things to take with you.
Brown meat in a pan
Add a can of veg all, salt pepper and garlic to taste (1/4 cup cream if you have it)
Serve with bread, tacos, Naan or your choice of bread.
One of my favorite things to take camping is 1 pound of ground lamb mixed with 1 pound of ground beef and a 1/4 cup of blue cheese (optional 1 cup of mushrooms) mix in advance divide equally into 4 or 5 patties by putting each one in a zip lock sandwich bag. I like to freeze them in advance for camping or a fast dinner at home.
You can have them as burgers.
Cook them and chop up then add salsa for tacos.
Mix it with the above veggie dish or other stew type dishes.
Even breakfast with eggs, bacon and your choice of bread above.
One meat used many different ways with different flavors and minimal number of additional things to take with you.
