Breakfast Round the Campfire

Now that you’ve blown the dust off your trusty camping tent, head out for this 4th of July for a weekend of outdoors life. Dont leave home … without a plan however. These websites can help you make your outdoor trip and activities much more fun by giving you the information you need to make knowledgeable decisions.

www.mapquest.com - If you’re heading to a new locale to hike, backpack or camp, Mapquest will give you directions from your door to your destination. Just click the “Directions” icon, enter your starting point and destination and soon there will be a detailed map on your monitor complete with written directions, the number of distance miles (total and segment) and how much time it should take you to make the drive. Advanced options allow you to choose shortest time, shortest distance, avoid toll roads, avoid highways and show seasonally closed roads, or to convert your map to a satellite view with road graphics overlaid.

www.weather.com - Knowing how to get where you’re going is only part of the plan. You’ll also want to know what the weather will be like when you arrive and while you stay at your destination. This website is the online version of The Weather Channel, which is a standard on almost every cable TV lineup around the world. This site will answer just about any weather forecast question for almost any destination that you can imagine. You can find out the current conditions and forecasts for the coming weekend, 10 days ahead or a month ahead, so planning ahead for the weather systems on your next hiking, backpacking or camping trip is easy.

www.reserveamerica.com - It’s hard to beat the convenience of this site when it comes to reserving your chosen campsite. If you’re not familiar with campsites and/or parks in the area you plan on visiting, you can perform a search based on different criteria, according to the specific amenities or features you are interested in enjoying. If you know the park you’re planning to stay at, it’s easy to book a site or sites for the number of nights and people you need. There is a wealth of helpful information available including directions, maps of parks, regional maps showing other parks, whether pets are allowed, and if sites are primitive or not, as well as many other useful functions. Yes, there is a service charge when booking sites, but the convenience ReserveAmerica offers is worth it.

Have a “Camping Basics” list….you know, the stuff you always take camping.

Pack all of the non-perishables into one of those plastic containers and if you are an avid camper, just keep it stocked.

Create a “Food Staples” list. These are the items to pack the day before into a container with a tight fitting lid. These are the items that you don’t want to share with the bugs.

As you are tending your outdoor kitchen, don’t hesitate to pass on your camping wisdom to whomever is within earshot.

To cook a meal for 8-10 hungry campers, clean it all up, repack it away and store it in the tightly closed box, cooler or back in the vehicle. This requires methodical planning, patience, time management, resourcefulness, and a good sense of humor. (The humor comes in handy when you have to haul all of that stuff back out again for the next meal). What school can teach all of these valuable lessons and result in a plate of delicious grub?

What you pack should be basic, but not sparse. You can offer an amazing menu from just a few basic food stuffs. Avoid packing mayonnaise or lunch meats, as they are quick at spoiling.

And you can even bring the kitchen sink with you. Get two of Granite Gear’s Kitchen Sink and you can haul them from the creek to your campsite by balancing them on a stick over your shoulders. Better yet, get your kids to do it. Or you could just get one Kitchen Sink and end up spilling water inside both your shoes while trying to scramble back to camp with an awkward bucket.

Monday - Everything Breakfast

Also makes a great sandwich.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 eggs
• 1 pound sausage
• 3 ounces shredded cheese
• 15 tatertots

PREPARATION:

Brown sausage, add tatertots, and cook until potatoes fall apart. Then add eggs and cheese. Scramble them to your preference and serve.

Servings: 4-6
Preparation time: 10-20 minutes

Tuesday
This tried & true Dutch Oven Blackberry Cobbler recipe will make you the hero around the campfire. Enjoy this delight of a camping dessert!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Bisquick
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Cinnamon, to taste
• 2 x 29 ounce cans blackberry filling

What’s Next:

Line a 12-quart Dutch oven with heavy duty aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Place on bed of coals to preheat for 10-15 minutes. Mix all ingredients except for blackberries. Remove Dutch oven off of coals and pour in fruit, drain if needed.

Pour batter over top of fruit. Add cinnamon on top, if desired. Put lid on Dutch oven and place back on coals. When using charcoal, place about 8 pieces on bottom and 13-15 on top. Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from coals and crack lid to allow it to cool. Now go be the camping hero!

Wednesday - CampFire Eggs
No camping trip is complete without at least one breakfast of campfire eggs,.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 dozen eggs
• 1 pound bacon
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• small can chopped mushrooms
• shredded cheddar cheese

PREPARATION:

Cut bacon into thirds and put into large cast-iron skillet on camp fire (or stove), stirring to separate pieces. Cook until about 1/2 done, then add chopped veggies, and stir until bacon is crisp and veggies are tender. Meanwhile beat eggs in large bowl, adding a little milk if available, and stir into bacon mixture in skillet. Cook stirring constantly until eggs are set. Remove from fire and sprinkle with cheese.Servings: 4-5

Thursday Stuffed French Toast

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 package maple flavored sausage
• 1 package cream cheese
• 8 slices bread
• 2 eggs
• butter
• maple syrup

PREPARATION:

Brown sausage in pan. Drain grease and add cream cheese, more or less depending on how much you like cream cheese. You can do this step at home, if you like, and bring premixed. Use the sausage mixture to make a sandwich with two pieces of bread.
Dip the entire sandwich into a well beaten egg mixture. Toss this onto a buttered skillet, and fry up just like French toast until light brown and sausage is warm. Serve with maple syrup.Servings: 4

Friday Easy Breakfast Scramble
* 1 Lb. Bacon - fry crisp & crumble
* 1 - 32 Oz. Pkg. Frozen Country Hashbrown Potatoes
* 1/4 Cup Chopped Onions
* 1 Dozen Eggs
* 1/4 Cup Milk
* Salt & Pepper

Directions:
In a large iron skillet, melt the bacon grease and add the onions until they are transparent. Add the potatoes and cook until brown. Add crumbled bacon. While potatoes are cooking, whisk eggs and milk together until slightly foamy. Pour over potatoes and cook. Turn every few minutes until eggs are done. This can be cooked on a camp stove or an open fire. Great served with fried biscuits.

Comments:
Before leaving home, I fry the bacon and crumble it. I place the cooled bacon grease in a small container with a tight lid, and chop the onions and place them in a small baggie. This cuts preparation and cooking time at the camp site to 20 minutes.

For some variation, try sliced mushrooms, red, green or yellow peppers or salsa. Feel free to create your own variations, too!  Best of all enjoy the journey and each other  Git ‘r done safely

Sweet Sustenance

Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did. William Butler (1535-1620)
Oxford dictionary of quotes

Some days I feel like I can’t get anything “important” done, because of all of the daily, mundane tasks I must first accomplish.

Tasks such as getting gas, buying groceries, stopping by the post office, horsekeeping, housekeeping, innkeeping, (geez all this keeping !) greenhouse gardening the weekly menu line up, getting the car’s oil changed…these are all regular, everyday activities, which seem to leave little room for creative expression.

Or, do they?

Perhaps this every day life stuff is what sets someone apart from the crowd.
Perhaps it is about the way you treat people, and the way you face each day, which makes you who you are.

If you grocery-shop with a scowl on your face…what does that say about you? If you wait in line at the post office with your hands on your hips…what does that say about you?

How can we make our “everyday life” reflect our extraordinary qualities? It’s something I strive for everyday. I’m not quite there yet. I might be guilty of an occasional grocery store scowl, or find myself in an occasional hands-on-hips sort of mood…

But I want to create a better realty, because this islife; it’s not a dress rehearsal. So on to the weekly menu with my all time favorite fruit… guaranteed to inspire creativity and smiles..

When To Buy Strawberries
From: Handling Tips From The NASGA Fresh Strawberries Booklet

If you cant or don’t grow ‘em yourself, of course, choose locally grown strawberries during the harvesting session, they will be the freshest and the most flavourful. When picking strawberries, try to pick early in the morning or later in the day when the fruit is cool. Strawberries are best used within 2-3 days of picking. Cover and store them unwashed in the refrigerator. Do not crowd or press.

What To Look For When Buying Strawberries
From: Handling Tips From The NASGA Fresh Strawberries Booklet The best strawberries are the ones you pick yourself or buy from your local strawberry fields. Farm fresh strawberries are hours old with little or no handling and no travelling. Enjoy the flavour and fragrance of fresh-picked strawberries. Look for plump, bright red and fully ripe berries. Caps should be attached green and fresh looking. The size of the strawberry is not important. All strawberries, large and small, are equally sweet and juicy.

How To Store Fresh Strawberries
From: Handling Tips From The NASGA Fresh Strawberries Booklet
Sort and remove any bruised or damaged berries as soon as possible and use in sauces, purées or jams. Place the berries in cool, well ventilated containers (32 to 40°F / 0 to 5°C). The moisture content of Fresh Strawberries is high, so store uncovered or loosely covered. Hull strawberries and rinse gently JUST before serving. Careful storing and handling will maintain their maximum flavour, colour and texture.

They start pointing their nose out around mid-may and disappear by the end of July. We are lucky have real-ruby-red-home-grown strawberries as soon as the beginning of May.

Strawberries are so versatile from a mousse to a soup, from a compote to a posh tart A so many strawberries, too little time.

So basically what happens is that you end up making a new strawberry thing everyday and everyone — except you — gets bored with strawberries.

It’s Monday …. so let’s have a healthy start to the day and week. Not to worry, decadence will take uh root during the week, no doubt Blend strawberries, blackberries, a banana, a small pot of strawberry yoghurt and orange juice for 30 seconds.

Served with whole wheat toast or muffins . you’re ready to roll. While you’re sipping…more fruit for thought.

Freezing Strawberries Without Sugar for Jam and Other Uses
From: Handling Tips From The NASGA Fresh Strawberries Booklet
Fill freezer containers with prepared sliced, or washed and dried berries to within 1/2″ (1 cm.) of top. Combine 4 cp. (1 L.) cold water with 1 tbsp. (15 mL.) of lemon or lime juice and pour over berries before freezing. Seal, Label and Date.

More strawberry induced fixin’s on the inn menu this week.

Strawberry Cream Cheese French Toast

Serves: 8

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
12 slices home style white bread cut into 1-inch cubes
16 oz. cream cheese (cold) cut into 1-inch cubes
1 dozen large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1/3 cup Canadian maple syrup
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. butter

Steps
Slice the strawberries. Arrange one half of the bread cubes in a well greased 13″x 9″ baking dish. Arrange all of the cream cheese cubes over the bread cubes, and sprinkle 1 1/2 cups strawberries on top. Arrange the remaining bread cubes over the strawberries.

Pour the half-and-half Into your blender, then add the eggs and blend. Add the maple syrup and blend. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread, strawberry and cream cheese mixture. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the dish from refrigerator 45 minutes prior to baking. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes; remove cover and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until French toast is puffed and golden.

To prepare strawberry sauce: In a small saucepan, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and 1 cup water. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until mixture has thickened. Stir in the strawberries and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until berries have softened. Add the butter, and stir the sauce until butter has melted. Serve hot over the Strawberry Cream Cheese French Toast.

Waffles with Fruit
Ingredients

* 2 cups sifted flour

* 3 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 eggs, separated
* 1 1/2 cups milk
* 5 tablespoons melted shortening
* 1/2 cup strawberries, blueberries or whatever fruit you’re adding

PREPARATION:
Mix and sift dry ingredients. Combine beaten egg yolks, milk, melted shortening and; add to dry ingredients, beating until smooth. Stir in sliced banana. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour or spoon batter into each section of a hot waffle iron.

Cook waffles until crispy and browned. Serves 6.

Strawberry Pancakes - From all recipes

Pancakes are the epitome of a decadent breakfast. Light and fluffy, sweet and doughy they are comfortable and fancy at the same time. Dress them up with some vanilla and a few slices of gorgeously plump strawberries and you have the perfect start to an amazing day.

ingredients:
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 ¼ cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for cooking
approximately 1 strawberry per pancake (~8), sliced into 8ths

* obviously these would work with almost any fruit: banana, blueberry, blackberry…peach…mmm. Anything works.

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a smaller bowl beat the egg slightly, add milk, vanilla and 3 tablespoons oil. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir just until flour is moistened (clumps are okay!).

2. Heat non-stick frying pan over medium-high and brush lightly with oil.

3. Pour batter by ¼ cupfuls onto hot pan, making three pancakes at a time. Top each with strawberry slices and then cook until edges look slightly dry. Turn and cook other side until golden.

More fruits of my labour for next weekend, and the “doingness” takes my mind off pre-show nerves. Another show and go with Alle, here in Whitehall. Yup .. it’s showtime folks yet again…

Without courage, wisdom bears no fruit. Sorry couldnt resist
-Baltasar Gracian

Fireworks Dont go up in Smoke

Every year about this time the fireworks tents begin to sprout out by the county line, and I know its almost here again - the 4th of July. Get the party started with some fireworks fun. Doing this will also let all of your closest neighbors and their dogs know that something special is going on. Dogs just love the excitement of fireworks and will bark for hours, before, during and after the display is set off, to let everyone in the neighborhood know that they heard the fun! Let’s hope that they don’t let the police know. No need for that. Unless your cousin is chasing a friend around the yard, scaring her with a sparkler. Then, the police might be needed. That is, if he won’t stop. Some people just go overboard, with all of the fun.

Always remember, when setting off your fireworks, to aim away from all houses, including your own. We all love excitement but, the sight of several fire trucks is not what we really want to achieve, here.

More seriously here are some safety tips for those getting ready to light off some fireworks:

• Do not smoke around or while lighting fireworks (DUH)
• Keep children away from lighters
• Buy from trusted sellers
• Keep a bucket of water around for “dud” fireworks. Do not try to re-light them. Toss them in the “dud bucket” for 15-20 minutes
• Do not carry fireworks (not even the fun snappers) in your pocket
• Never point fireworks at another person or living being (be nice to your pets and other animals)
• No matter how small the firework is, use it outdoors!
• Do not try to make your own fireworks (another DUH!)

More news you can use at The National Council on Fireworks Safety.

Did I miss any? I’m looking for your tips too! Get fired up …safely.

On the Road Again

When we were kids little, we’d go to Sunken Meadows Beach on Sundays.

The journey from my house to the beach usually took about an hour. It really wasn’t that long considering the distance, but I was impatient.

“Are we almost there yet?” I would ask this question every 5 minutes. “We are almost there my dear.” A few of those and I could see those threatening glances through the rearview mirror.
When we are young and excited to go somewhere, we usually can’t wait to get there and we will constantly and eagerly ask when we will get there…Now we are supposed to be the “grown up”, and instead of asking “are we there yet”, this is what we tell ourselves:

* Why do I want to go there anyway?
* I don’t care if I am there or not.
* I have better things to do…

We have little patience for anything that is going to take long. We often quit half way through the journey. We often drift towards other “better” destinations.

We have no time. We have no patience.

On the road of experience one often takes an unexpected detour … or a wrong turn as it were. They’re not really mistakes. They just look like them at first glance. They are in fact signals that guide you to the hidden opportunities that lie within. If you’re making mistakes, you’re on the right path. You’re moving toward the inevitable achievement of your dreams. Took me a long time to figure that one out.

One of the biggest traps that people fall into when they want to pursue their dreams is that they go on an information overload… me included. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s certainly prudent to do some research beforehand. For example, if your dream is to open up a sauna, I doubt it would be wise to go ahead and open it up in the middle of the Sahara Desert.

The only way you’re going to get that feedback is if you make mistakes and mistakes can only be made when action is taken. Those mistakes provide the information you NEED to get what you want. It’ll point out where you are deficient in and give you the opportunity to strengthen it. If you look at it that way, you’re actually saving time because you now know what needs to be worked on and what doesn’t. The experiences we gather from actually doing an activity rather than reading about it are different as night and day.

I remind myself constantly be it with running the B&B or riding and training our horses is that that I WILL make these mistakes and they part of the road of experience. As ludicrous as it sounds, it’s right. Making mistakes are those adjustments you make while you navigate toward your destination.

You’ll also find that each mistake you make builds off one another. You WILL definitely make mistakes during your journey. It will happen. Make no doubt about it. But they are for YOUR benefit. We can always learn something from each mistake that propels us to the next level. Each mistake builds off one another. Each mistake we make turns into an opportunity to become better

Each mistake also has the potential to take us on a tangent that we never would’ve taken had we not made that mistake, and more often that not, it’s those exact tangents that take us closer to the achievement of our dreams. I’ve experienced that so often; in retrospect, I was glad for the faux pax that at the time it happened made me anxious. None of us have the foresight to project and see how each these tangents take us closer to the achievement of our dreams. We can only see how those tangents have helped us when we look back. A classic case of 20-20 hindsight.

The point is most folks (and I include myself) don’t realize the full potential that each mistake brings, especially when you’re in the middle of it.. They want to avoid making mistakes but the irony is that those mistakes are what they NEED. They are there to help you. Make no doubt about it. Making them is a sign you’re on the right road.

Do I hear an “amen”

Frugal and Environment Friendly Fun

Summertime, the great out doors… what more could you ask for… Your intrepid innkeeper has some ideas . Tis the season after all.. the travel season that is.

Take advantage of parks and available green spaces. The reason for living a green life is to help preserve the environment, so what better way to enjoy the benefits of that action than going out and enjoying nature. Even in urban areas there are parks, community gardens, open spaces and nearby hills open for exploration.

GORP helps US and Canadian residents locate local trails and hiking areas. Local town and city resources will also give ideas on parks within a city and the kind of recreation that can be found there. An especially good place to start a search is in the information section of the phone book.

For the gadget-minded, geocaching is a great idea. Geocaches are boxes or containers places all across the world that have a log and items, and the idea is to share something with others, and join in the fun of finding the cache and becoming part of its history. Think of this as a modern day treasure hunt, usually facilitated through the use of a GPS device. And you can “cache” here in Montana

A less gadget-oriented fancy smancy alternative to geocaching is letterboxing. Again, this works on the same principle, but minus the fancy positioning equipment. Many members of the geocache community use their powers for environmental responsibility, incorporating park recycling and cleanup in the caching activity. Wow .. this is for kids and the kid in us!

And for the kid in us all… now you can have your cake or uh… bar and eat it too. From Allrecipes
Preparation time: 25 minutes Baking time: 20 to 25 minutes Makes 24 bars

Ingredients
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup natural-style smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup dried cranberries (or raisins)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or almonds (2 ounces/60 grams)
1/2 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Coat a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33-centimeter) baking pan with nonstick spray.

2. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the peanut butter, sugar, and honey in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until blended. Blend egg and egg whites with a fork in a small bowl. Add to the peanut butter mixture, along with oil and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add reserved flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula. Mix in oats, dried cranberries (or raisins), walnuts (or almonds), and chocolate chips. Scrape batter into the prepared baking dish. Use a piece of plastic wrap to spread batter into an even layer.

3. Bake the bars until lightly browned and firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack before cutting into 24 bars. One serving is one 2 x 2-inch (5 x 5-centimeter) bar.

Happy trails (but remember … pack it in, pack it out)

Wow this is a kids dream come true… happy trails

Gear Up for Green Grilling

With the barbecue and grilling season heating up here **finally** in Montana , If the griller/bbq hero in your household has been itching for a new grill or smoker that won’t break the bank, the Weber Smokey Mountain just may be the answer for you. They are extremely fuel efficient, affordable and need minimal messing about with the fire– they’re ’set it and forget it” cookers.

The WSM is a low cost, low tech bbq cooking solution. Plus, it’s multi-seasonal and are small enough that you can put it right by your back door and not spend a bunch time out in the cold this winter.

Another option here if you cook the food for yourself at the table is this handy dandy Portagrill. It’s fun and seems like it would be great for a party. Chop up some veggies and slice some proteins and give everybody the opportunity to make up their own meals.

It comes with a stainless steel handle which makes it easy to carry, even when hot.

The grill sits on a wooden trivet, providing stability while protecting your table from the heat. There’s also an internal heat shield and bowl that stops the charcoal from contacting with the porcelain. Available from the A+R Store: $300

Nobody Here But Us Chickens or so it sometimes seems.. I’ve been doing research on free range farming practices in our ongoing eco-friendly quest. What I’m discovering is that industrial poultry farming is also for the birds. Some corporate farms crowd a million beakless chickens in cramped dark cages where they soak up antibiotics and lay their guts out for the duration of their miserable lives. Yikes.

And the chickens are coming home to roost. Industrial farming isn’t just bad for chickens and hogs — it destroys family farms and pollutes aquifers, soils, air, and water. A subject nearer and dearer to my heart here in Montana We should look for free-range chickens from suppliers they trust and seek out local markets and producers who buy from sustainable family farms. There are still networks of farmers who raise their animals to range freely on grass pastures and natural feeds, who don’t use steroids, sub-therapeutic antibiotics, or other artificial growth promotants, and who treat their animals with dignity and respect. And it tastes lots better too. And with that it’s time to fire up the barbie with some free range chicken

Ingredients
* 1 lime, juiced
* 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 1/2 cup white wine
* 1/4 cup honey
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon paprika
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1 pinch red pepper flakes
* 1 pinch cayenne pepper
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 6 skinless, boneless free range chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk together lime juice, vinegar, orange juice, wine, and honey in a bowl until the honey dissolves. Add salt, pepper, chipotle powder, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, cinnamon, oregano, cumin, ginger, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and olive oil; whisk to mix. Place chicken breasts into a resealable plastic bag, pour in marinade, and coat well. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil grate.
3. Remove chicken from marinade and shake off excess; discard remaining marinade. Cook chicken on the preheated grill approximately 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until the juices run clear and there are no signs of pink in the meat.

And since we’ve passed the summer solstice and from here on our days will only be getting shorter. There are plenty of good grilling months left though. Check out today’s Fish Creek Find If you expect to be out cooking for friends and family after dark, here’s a gadget that might help: flashlight grill tongs. What will they think of next?Now you can increase your BBQ guru’s after-hours efficiency by taking the flashlight out of his mouth and putting it right where it’s needed—where he’s grilling.

The extra-long stainless steel tongs run on 2 x AAA batteries and an LED flashlight. Now you can make sure that meat is done all the way through before you toss it on the plate, even after the sun has gone down.

$50 at RedEnvelope

Other Helpful Camping Recipe & Technique Links:

- Campfire Cuisine article by Marcia Kiesel, Food & Wine (1998). A for the dedicated car campers, don’t miss the sidebar - Tips for Packing your Cooler

- Martha Stewart shows us how to do campfire potatoes.

- Wikipedia: Campfire Cooking. Check out the photo of the oven made from scraps!

- An interesting round-up of assorted campfire cooking techniques - coffee can cooking, cooking on leaves, cooking on rocks, etc. Be warned there are an irritating number of ads cascading through the content on this page.

- Lots of good prep and packing tips in this Associated Press article by Annmarie Timmins. Spice up Campfire Cooking with a Little Prep Work

- The GORP community food section. Sections include - Making Good Joe, Top Trail Recipes, GORP-Tested Stoves, Campfire Staples. (registration required)

Happy cooking and camping!

Things only a Tourist Can Ask

Ever ask a silly question and later pray that no one would remember your verbal slip-up? The old adage of “there’s no such thing as a stupid question” doesnt apply… While most have played the “tourist ” role at one time or another, it is hilarious to spot blatantly obvious tourists . On the road again

* Does the sun set every night?
* Are the Amish in season?
* How long is a one-day pass good for?
* What time does the 6 o’clock rodeo start?
* When do they turn off the geysers? (at Yellowstone Nat’l Park)
* Why don’t you have better marking in the places where trails don’t exist?
* Is that the same moon we see in Vermont?
* If it rains, will the fireworks be held inside?

But remember wherever your travels take you you start with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of luck. Wherever you wander, wherever you roam, be happy and healthy and glad to come home.

Slow Down to Go Faster

The words “going on vacation” can sometimes conjure up the desire to escape the “day job” and as often as possible. For these folks, sitting on a beach is probably the most appropriate option, because the idea of working while on “vacation” wouldnt enter the picture.

And yes, working on a farm can beat sitting on a beach; or and can be way more more rewarding than tourism of the conventional sort.

1. You can stay longer

If you’re working on a farm, you typically stick around one place longer than the typical tourist.You’re able to get a more real understanding of the environment and culture. You ‘ll get a genuine sense of place and even of having “come home”.

You ‘ll also have time to truly relax, and because you aren’t flying frantically around a country or region, doing the “if it’s Tuesday, it must be Belgium” routine. . It’s something most conventional tourists never notice, because they turn up and leave during the “tourist season,” or when the boss gives them the pefunctory two weeks in summer.

2. You can travel cheap

You usually find yourself pay a huge premium for food, accommodations and entertainment, which are located in the tourist zones aka “tourist traps”. If you avoid the “tourist traps” by living and working with a farming community, you will get room and board for next to no money Often you can arrange some kind of work-trade in exchange for a place to stay. This makes it feasible to travel for months at a time.

3. You can experience reality

Even though you’re technically still a tourist in a foreign land (and don’t be tempted to forget this), we get a deeper glimpse into what “real life” is like for the locals.

To find a more “authentic” experience, you have to make the effort to do what the touristy tourists aren’t doing, When you get out of the “tourist trap” zone, you must respect the cultural values of the local community. Flaunting material wealth or otherwise disturbing the peace is not cool.

4. You can enjoy a deeper, more meaningful experience

When you work on a farm, you and the locals are mano o mano. You share a common purpose, whether it’s building or repairing a home, planting or harvesting a crop, or tending the animals. When you share this experience with the locals, you come to know what is valuable to them, and what is valuable to that place.
It’s the finding and playing “a game bigger than yourself” and the lessons learned is actually what many people seek when they travel.

You will return home transformed, a new person with fresh insights into the world and a broader, deeper context and meaning for your life. Slow down to go faster.

A Happy Green Camper

Camping season’s just around the corner and yes you can be a happy and green camper. Luxury Eco-Camp Kit from Biome Lifestyle.

What comes in the Eco-Camp Kit:

• “Solar shower – One Solar heated reusable shower. 20L capacity, sufficient for 2-3 showers.
• Water-powered digital alarm clock – no batteries required.
• Solar powered iPod charger – One hour of sunshine gives about one hour of play time of Apple iPod’s.
• Organic cotton roll-up bed – Hand made from high-quality hand woven organically grown cotton using natural colourfast dyes. Easy to carry and much more sumptuous than a camping mat.
• Soft shetland wool throw – hand knitted throw made from soft, undyed Shetland wool. Can be used as a blanket or luxurious picnic rug.
• Self-powered LED Lantern - wind-up technology lantern. 60 seconds wind-up provides one hour of illumination.
• One bar of organic soap
• One Organic cotton bath towel – available in natural.
• All contained within an eco-friendly Biome Lifestyle bag.”

Before you hit the road green bake a batch of these oatmeal raising peanut butter cookies to take with and then hide the results in the furthest and most forgettable reaches of your kitchen. You’ll thank me later. From cooks.com
3/4 c. butter
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. quick oatmeal
1 c. raisins

Drop onto cookie sheet by teaspoonfuls. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 15 minutes

And if you like the idea of a campfire sans camping this Blomus fire basket, you can have a campfire in your backyard. Sometimes, there’s no place like home … right Auntie Em?

At Blomus USA

Travel with a Clear Conscience

Ah , summertime and the living is easy… So should your travels. Your “green habits” dont have to go on vacation, just because you are. Keep in mind that your little efforts could go a long way to keep that loved destination as beautiful as it is. Turn off the lights when you leave your guest acccomodations; Just because you dont get charged for the electricity doesnt mean you should waste it.

Respect the Local Culture. It helps a lot if you do your homework and read up on the local culture. It will help you understand the differences which may exist between you and the locals. It will spare you any embarrassment by committing a cultural faux pas. After all, YOU should adjust and not them. Plus, you’ll leave a great impression on the locals you come in contact with.

Support Local Establishments. Rather than have lunch at the local branch of McDonald’s, choose that little out of the way family-run bistro. And when you buy local crafts, it is normal to haggle but (puhleaaase) do not go way below the items worth that the local merchant will be giving something that they worked hard for, for peanuts. If the value does not amount to much in $ dont waste your time.

Think of the Environment. If not needed, do not ask for your towels or bedsheets to be changed. After all, you dont change your sheets every day at home either… right? Check GreenGlobe for establishments that are environmentally responsible. Do not litter, even if you see that the others have already done so. Turn off the light in your hotel room when you leave. Do not waste water.

Follow the Golden Rule: Do not unto others what you would not have them do unto you. No matter how little your efforts may seem, if many would follow this kind of attitude, it will mean a lot. Now hit the road with a clear conscience