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Our Very First Group Camping Trip

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photo credit: Nadine Wegner By guest blogger Peter Valentine Our kids’ class has a tradition of reserving a block of sites at a Campground in the Catskills for a start of summer multi-family camping trip. While we love camping, we were reluctant to open our quirky unit to a 24/7 togetherness campaign. Our messy, disorganized family of five can barely get to school on time (OK, we’re never on time) and running with the pack is often a challenge. But this year, we decided to give it a try. We started out early (for us) and still managed to be the last family there.   And as we tried to maneuver our food up to the now-waning community grill, and as our tent and gear still sat in a pile beside our car and as our kids’ requests for this and that grew more intense, all my fears were confirmed. This would be a prolonged display of the fact that our family was in a constant state of chaos management. And then one Mom handed me a plastic cup of single malt whiskey. And another Mom and Dad f...
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Retro Camping Recipe: Hobo Dinners

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I hope you enjoy this retro recipe from Betty Crocker - nobody takes pictures of food like Betty, am I right? In fact we make something just like this on camping trips - Stew in a Can. It's fun to put all the ingredients in a can, cover it up and let it cook away on the grill - or right in the hot coals of the fire. Kids can put whatever they want in their own "hobo can" and check it as often as they like. So maybe this recipe isn't so retro - or maybe I'm the one who's retro. ;)  Have fun! - Maggie You might also like: Retro Camping Recipe: Grilled Rice Pudding Retro Camping Recipe: Campsite Quickie Retro Camping Recipe: Camper's Coffee Cake Download our popular e-cookbook instantly: The Real Family Camping Cookbook "Maggie da Silva has a cool blog and an e-cookbook devoted to the joys of family camping meals. Some smart ideas in here for summer hijinks on the road." –  The New York Times
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Tablecloth weights: who knew?

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I was sitting on the patio at my in-laws’ house enjoying a nice cup of coffee when something gently bonked my leg. It was a teeny, tiny silver elephant, which was clipped to the corner of the tablecloth. This wee pachyderm appeared to be weighing down the tablecloth so it wouldn’t flutter up and blow away. A tablecloth weight! How genius! Who knew? It turns out, after an exhaustive Google search, that there are about a zillion kinds of clip-on tablecloth weights that you can purchase instantly, and for not too much $$, either.   Check these out: First off, how about the cute, little pewter RVs pictured above! Come on, campers, you know you want ‘em. http://dgworld.co.uk/blog/outdoor-cooking-equipments-romes-2034-set-of-4-2-5-inch-x-1-inch-vintage-rv-tablecloth-weights/ Or these slightly creepy 2” large black ants (these ones won’t spoil your picnic … in fact they might save it). You can find these at: http://www.organizeit.com/tablecloth-weights-set-of-ants.asp And who doesn’t appr...
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Homemade camping fire starters put to the test! (hint: the Girl Scouts win.)

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Kettletown, CT State Park provided these handy little firestarters We made two firestarters for our last camping trip, and the campground gave us one when we bought wood so we decided to do an in-the-field comparison of all three. We saved the scientific test for the last day, which was good because we got a lot of dew that morning and the kindling and newspaper was all damp and didn't want to catch! Firestarter 1: Wood chips and wax The campground gave us starters made out of woodchips and wax, housed in those tiny paper cups they give out medication in at mental institutions.  Results: The lip on the paper cup made a good wick, so the starters caught fire right away. They burned steadily and didn't go out.  I did wish they made more of a blaze, though, since everything was so damp. Firestarter 2: Toilet paper rolls and dryer lint We used graph paper because we didn't have any newspaper These firestarters were fun and easy to make. Simply save up your dryer lint and empty...
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We're thinking a lot about camping these days, aren't you? You may also like: Family Camping Packing Checklist Homemade Camping Firestarters Put to The Test Camping Recipe: Muffin Tin Eggs Kids Line Willow Organ... $30.00 Kohl's
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Camping recipe: Muffin Tin Eggs

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Muffin Tin Eggs from The Real Family Camping Cookbook 2nd Edition This is a fun way to make eggs for a bunch of people at the same time, or make eggs for some people in a muffin tin and pancakes for others in the skillet.  Serves: 6 Ingredients: 6 strips of bacon 6 eggs muffin tin Preparation: 1. Cut each strip of bacon in half, making 12 pieces total. 2. Put 2 pieces of bacon into the bottom of each of the 6 muffin tin cups in a cross, making a little bacon "basket." 3. Place the muffin tin on the grill over the campfire and cook the bacon until done to your liking. 4. Crack an egg into each cup on top of the hot, cooked bacon and cook more until the eggs are done. You can make fried and scrambled at the same time! Variation: • On occasion I've been teased that all of my recipes contain bacon! Instead of bacon, you can cook the eggs in butter. • This dish is especially nice with a few leaves of fresh spinach cooked between the eggs and the bacon. • A sprinkle of c...
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Retro Camping Recipe: Campfire Fondue

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One of the last things I would consider making on a camping trip is fondue: think about all the tiny, little bugs flying into the pot! But according to Betty Crocker, it's quite practical. All it takes (according to Betty) is a can of soup and a block of cheese - then you can dip whatever you want into it. In Betty's view, that means "Zebra Bread" (doable), apple wedges, canned vienna sausages (haha, OK, Betty) and canned potatoes (ick). I don't know if it's the can of cheese soup or the Tahitian Treat in the photo, but count me in as a convert. Next camping trip we're definitely having fondue! You Might Like: Retro Camping Recipe: Grilled Rice Pudding Retro Camping Recipe: Campsite Quickie Retro Camping Recipe: Camper's Coffee Cake
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