Favorite on-the-road recipes

[Boston Wrangler]

I have some cheap and easy recipes that I have learned while camping. One of my favorites that's a hit everywhere I go, whether I'm camping or at someone's house, is Peach Cobbler. I learned this recipe while camping at a Jeep offroading event at Tellico in North Carolina. The ingredients cost under $5 and will serve about 10 people.

Camper's Peach Cobbler

canned sliced peaches in light syrup

dry golden or yellow cake mix (I usually go for Duncan Hynes on sale)

squeeze or spray "butter" of some kind (whipped butter, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray, and Parkay Squeeze all work well, but you'll have to find which one is to your liking)

Heat coals or preheat oven to 400 ºF. Drain 1/2 to 2/3 of the peach syrup into a cup. Set aside. Cover the bottom of a dutch oven (if camping) or a glass caserole (for a kitchen oven) with a single layer of peaches. Cover the peaches with approximately 1/4" of cake mix. Drizzle some or all of the syrup over the cake mix to moisten. Add another 1/4" of cake mix. Evenly coat the top of the cake mix with enough spray "butter" to moisten.

Place dutch oven on coals and put coals on the lid or put the caserole in the oven for 45 minutes or until the top is crisp and golden brown and peaches are heated all the way through. Serve hot/warm with ice cream for a special treat.

So let's see some of your favorite recipes!

[Nicholas Mosher]

Giant salads mixed in and ate from ziplocks. They don't make you tired while driving, and are easy to make/eat/cleanup.

Nothing beats a slush-puppy and footlong though, or meatloaf at the greasy spoon. Afterall, its a roadtrip!

[Mark Sedenquist]

So let's see some of your favorite recipes!

As we have traveled around the continent, we have been fortunate to sample some great road food. Some of those recipes can be found on this page -- plus Dennis Weaver has writtten an article about food preservation tips while rolling down the highway.

Mark

[Dennis Weaver]

The Versatile Santa Fe Sopaipillas



We’re always up for fresh bread away from home and we like the versatility of these sopaipillas. They are great at home or in an RV--as an accompaniment for meals, a vehicle for our favorite Mexican foods, or dipped in cinnamon and sugar and served as a snack for the kids. But they also work as camping food.

For road food, consider mixing up the ingredients ahead of time as a mix to cut down on prep time on the road.

We’ve wandered through the woods with youth and scout troops on backpacking trips in the Rockies and Minnesota and they work as great, fresh bread on a camping trip. And keep them in mind for emergency bread—they can be cooked over any heat when the power goes out. Best of all, they are quick and easy.

Santa Fe Sopaipillas

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup dry milk
3 tablespoons shortening
3/4 cup cool water

Optional cinnamon-sugar coating:
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon


Directions:

1. Mix together the dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening with a pastry knife. At this point, you have a mix. Store the mix for no longer than thirty days in the pantry, six months in the refrigerator, or two years in the freezer.
2. To make the mix, place the ingredients in a medium bowl. Form a depression in the middle and pour in the water.
3. Cut the water into the mix. The dough will be crumbly and dry. Remove to a clean surface and knead for two minutes. You will have a stiff dough.
4. Form the dough into balls the size of golf balls. Smash the balls flat with the heel of your hand until they are no more than 1/4-inch thick.
5. Heat cooking oil in a heavy fry pan or Dutch oven. The oil should be 3/8-inch deep and hot enough that there is a slight sizzle when the dough is placed in the oil.
6. Fry each side until brown. Dip in cinnamon and sugar if desired.