Potatoes are popular as a camping staple because they travel well: they are easy to bring, don’t need refrigeration, and versatile as a meal by itself or to substantiate any entrée.
Below are some of the most popular easy campfire baked potatoes recipes that you and your hungry little campers can enjoy. Notice they are mostly 1-person recipes and have very similar ingredients - potato, butter, salt, pepper, onions, seasonings. So, let your campers fix their own, to their own liking, making it is as much fun as eating it.
Potato Stand-Alone Recipes The Plain Baked Potato
Slice potato in half and smear each half with butter, put potato back together and wrap with foil. Poke holes over the potato with a fork before you wrap it to allow for even, speedy cooking. Place potatoes on the coals or at edge of campfire. Let them bake for approximately 30 minutes or until fork tender.
Onion-Filled Campfire Potatoes
Slice potato in half and place sliced onion inside. Place pat of butter on top, wrap in foil and bake (see Plain Baked Potato)
Baked Potato in a Can
Use a tin can such as one from beans or vegetables. Generously butter the outside of the potato, season to taste. Next place the potato in the can and cover with foil. Put the can next to the fire of coals and let it cook for about 30-45 minutes. Do not remove the tin foil, even for a peek! You will have the best baked potato, perfectly cooked.
Campfire Mashed Potatoes
Bake the potatoes, then mash with a potato masher. Heat some milk and the butter before you add to the mashed potatoes. Be careful not to over mash so you will not get a waxy texture. Spice it up a bit with dried herbs or seasoning.
Hash Browns
This is great for breakfast and can be made with any type of left over potatoes you have from the meal the night before. Cook in a pan over the fire or coals and add some butter to crisp them up or cook with a little but of the grease from the bacon. Add seasonings to taste.
Potatoes as part a Recipe
Favorite Campfire Breakfast
Place 4 strips of bacon on a large piece of Aluminum foil and cover bacon with a large handful of frozen hash brown potatoes. Cut 3 rings of onion or bell peppers and place on top of potatoes. Crack an egg into each ring. Put Picante sauce or cheese on eggs, salt and pepper. wrap foil securely and place in coals.
Sausage and Potatoes
Spray pan with Pam. Sautee onions and potatoes in olive oil until onions are clear and potatoes brown. Add kielbasa and soy sauce.
Add to your Stews/Soups
Red potatoes work well for such meals that have pot roast in it or corned beef. Simply drop the unpeeled potatoes into the liquid of your meal 1 hour before the meat is done.
Tips for cooking potatoes at camp:
Wash potatoes before you cook them.
Poke holes on the potatoes before you wrap it up (don't want soot in it).
Use heavy-duty foil. If not available, wrap foil around it twice.
Yukon gold or russet potatoes for balking, unpeeled red potatoes for stews.
When baking on a campfire, keep potatoes from the flames to prevent soot. Glowing, white coals produce the best results
Kiptopeke State Park located at the southern end of Virginia's Eastern Shore and just a few miles from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Virginia is not just for lovers, it has some pretty lovely beaches, too. The 375-acre Virginia State Park offers nearly 4300-feet of beach that's perfect for swimming, surf fishing, or taking leisurely sunset walks.
The campsites are set away from the beach with sand dunes in between; and each campsite offers a picnic table, fire ring and a pole to hang your camping lantern. The state park's campgrounds include a total of 147 campsites. 86 campsites are open to RVs up to 40 feet in length. There are tents sites and pop-up sites. However, there are no electricity hook-ups.
Before you run away, read about their 5 new lodges built just this year (2007).
The lodges are open year-round and are very popular. The amenities listed on the website for each lodge doesn't sound much different from the room amenities list at Holiday Inn.
Kitchen comes with refrigerator, coffeemaker, stove, dishes, silverware, even dish towels.
The bedrooms come with linens (but no room maid to change them daily). You may wish to bring your own pillow as well as a comforter for chilly nights.
Each lodge has six bedrooms and sleep 16 total. Great for family reunions.
Porches, heat, air-conditioning, fireplace gas logs make for a very comfortable camping experience, if you still want to call it camping.
Technorati: camping-hammocks, camping-hammock-info, hennessy hammock No, you don't need one. But it's a lot of fun to bring one. Sure it's one more thing to add to your camping packing list, but if camping's about living it easy, kicking up your legs, daydreaming, or just enjoying a nap in the breeze, try tossing in a hammock.
Some backpackers and hikers even toss out the tent for the hammock for these reasons:
Camping hammocks are ultra-light compared to the traditional pop tent. And they take up less room when packed. Most hammocks for camping will pack the hammock, the tarp, mosquito netting, the ropes into one draw-string bag.
Typically, if you're camping with a tent, your site choices are very limited. No one wants to sleep on a slope, on top of rocks, or in a pit. Using a camping hammock opens up more campsites. As long as there are two trees available, you have a site!
A hammock is surprisingly comfortable. After a long day on the hiking trail, a good hammock will cradle your body gently but firmly, allowing you to rest quite well. When a hammock is properly hung, you'll have the choice of sleeping on your back or on your side.
Hammock camping is not just for warm weather camping. When the weather gets cooler, include a warm sleeping bag and a few hand warmers to warm your toes during the night.
Quick to setup and dismantle. It only takes 5 minutes or so to set up a camping hammock, including the tarp and support ropes. Setting up a tent takes at least 15 to 20 minutes especially if you need to spend time finding the perfect ground area on which to place it first.
Most of us would not give up the comforts of our camping tent for a hammock. It's still fun to bring one for recreation - taking naps, watching a kid figure a hammock out, extra seating at mealtime, extra 'bed' for an extra camper, or just for remembering the good old childhood days when you can just day dream looking at clouds move and change shapes.
Features to Look For When Buying a Hammock (demonstrated in video below)
Is it light? Does it pack well? Choose a camping hammock that is not just lightweight but can be packed into a very small pouch.
Is it quick to set up? Choose a style that can be set up and taken down easily and quickly.
Is it secure? What is the weight rating? Are the seams Double-stitched? Do the ropes and hooks look strong? A good hammock, even an ultralightweight one like the Texsport will support 300 lbs.
Does it protect you? If you'll be sleeping overnight in the hammock, make sure the canopy provides ample protection from the elements (including bugs, poisonous insects and small reptiles.
Will it damage the trees? The better hammock manufacturers include a tree-hugger that will be gentler on the trees than a thin rope. If it doesn't, you can purchase a tree-hugger strap separately.
Right from the beginning we warned you this camping blog is not for extremist rugged, survival-trained Eagle Scouts. Our slogan, "21st Century Family Camping Today, (ipods allowed)" says it all.
Well, what do you know, Eureka now has a camping tent with built-in power outlets for you to charge your ipods, iphones, and i-whathaveyous. Eureka tents have always been a leader in camping tents, but I hope they have not insulted their loyal camping customer base with this tent that's really your 21st century living room. Just watch the video below, and you will gasp in disbelief. When you get your jaw back together, you'll want one. Hold your horses, they are not cheap.
The one featured in the video costs $289 plus the power pack. It is 13 foot by 10 foot, very generous size, and lots of features you want in a camping tent, but might you achieve the same power capability by sticking with your tent, and purchasing a portable power pack, like the Duracell PowerPak ($99) separately instead?
If you are smitten with the Eureka N!ergy Tent in the video, don't get it on the Eureka website ($289), Amazonhas it on sale for $230 and free shipping. Add another $60 for the Eureka N!ergy power pack.
What do you think? Drop us a comment and tell us if being able to use a hairdryer (what's next, a vacuum cleaner) in a camping tent is really camping?
A mosaic of geological and ecological features, Acadia National Park is composed of ocean, mountains, forests, streams, ponds, wetlands, meadows, and beaches. This paradise of natural wonders rests mainly on Mount Desert Island, but also extends to the Schoodic Peninsula, Isle au Haut, and a dozen tiny islands. The park's dramatic geological extremes are the result of glacial activity and a melting process that shaped the area into islands, coves, and kettle ponds, forming a 10,000-year-old shoreline so "new" that finding sand is almost a rarity.
The plant and animal life in this 47,633-acre park is diverse and accessible. Anglers will find 28 species of fish lurking in the coves and streams, and bird watchers will be awed by more than 300 species of birds (including 23 species of warblers and that old icon–the bald eagle), which call this park home.
Acadia reflects all that is New England, with glimpses back to the days when wealthy New Englanders first began settling the region. There are winding carriage roads and quaint stone bridges ideal for hiking, biking, and breathing crisp Maine air. With vistas that leave even the most hardened park-goer speechless, the 27-mile Park Loop Road features Cadillac Mountain, the North Atlantic coast's highest promontory, and Thunder Hole, where views of waves smashing against the coast give visitors a powerful sense of how this wondrous park was shaped.
Park activities - The variety of geological features offers something for everyone. There are 115 miles of hiking trails looping through the park and 45 miles of carriage trails, which are perfect for walking, biking, or horseback riding. Fishing, boating, skiing, snowshoeing, and wildlife watching are also popular activities. One of the park's true gems is its educational ranger-led programs, which include boat cruises, mountain hikes, stargazing, bird and nature walks, short talks, and evening slide programs. See a map of Acadia National Park.
Technorati: smores, smores-recipes We've all had the traditional s'mores recipe: Campfire-roasted melty, gooey marshmallow on a Hershey's Chocolate bar on a graham cracker topped with another graham cracker square. I guess, when you've had a dozen of those every night at the campfire, you start getting ideas (as well as a tummy ache) to come up with other interesting variations.
Here's 14 more S'mores Recipes, some perfect for the campfire, some you can do indoor. 1. Baked Alaska Peanut S'mores - a gourmet recipe with gourmet ingredients (Epicurean).
11. Gourmet Smores Recipe collection - From who else but www.gourmet.com if you haven't tried French S'mores. By the way, where do you get Petite Écolier, and what is it?
12. Frozen Smores - when something a little cooler is more appealing.
Technorati: rv camping, littleguy teardrop trailer, tent camping The joy and convenience of RV camping has taken a hit this summer with outrageous gas fill up costs of $500 to $800. If you feel compelled to let your RV sit at home this year, take the opportunity to try out other forms of camping. Summer won't be summer without a few nights under the stars.
Option 1. Tent Camping - If you own an RV, one of the reasons is likely to be that you don't like the hassle of setting up tents (and breaking it down). But when was the last time you looked at camping tents though? Today's tents are light and weather-proof, and are a snap to set up. The Wenzel Timber Ridge Sport 9-by-7-Foot Four-Person Dome Tent takes only a few minutes to set up, even for beginners. At $39, even if you resume RV camping, it's a spare handy shelter to have for kids to sleep and play in.
Option 2: Yurt Camping - Check your local state parks and campgrounds if they offer yurts. Yurts are move-in-ready tents. When you check-inn at the campground office you will be given a lock combination code or key that will open the door of your yurt. Did you hear that? A door. Yes, a Yurt has a door. You open that door and you find furniture, simple appliances - some even come with linens and utensils. Read my earlier post about this unique outdoor camping style: yurt camping.
Option 3: Tagalong Trailers - If you've been considering scaling down your outdoor abode, maybe it's time to consider travelling with a small tagalong trailer, instead of a living room on wheels. The Mercedes class of these is the sleek Airstream Basecamp. At $26K list, I will need to trade in my kid's college savings to afford one. Don't think my hubby will go for that.
A more affordable version is the LittleGuy TearDrop Trailer which starts at $5,495. You can see pictures of the manufacturer's web site: http://www.golittleguy.com. It's still not chump change. It's like deciding to buy a scooter to drive to work and leave your Hummer at home. Want to save even more? Build it yourself, just like Mary and Myron did (see video below).
Gone are the days when campers used to miss their fresh and warm desserts after meals. Now with dutch oven, you can easily prepare some dinner treats for your friends or family over a campfire. Dump cake is one of the favorite camping recipes.
You need two ingredients and your camping oven to prepare this delicious dump cake. All you need to do is to follow these steps:
1) Put one can of fruit or peaches in your dutch oven.
2) Add one box of white cake mix on the fruit in the oven.
3) Place your dutch camping oven on hot coals. Also place some coals on the top lid of oven.
4) Bake the cake in dutch oven until it is golden brown and a crust is formed.
You need to practice the dish to ensure that you heat the dutch oven at proper temperature. Moreover, you would learn new techniques and have an idea of number of hot coals to use. Most important is to carefully monitor the progress of the baking process.
Many a times people burn the bottom of the dump cake that spoils its taste. You can alter the baking temperature by adding or removing the hot coals from dutch camping oven. If you are referring some cooking recipe book then number of hot coals to use is also mentioned in the recipe to ensure that you do not end up burning your dish.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Abhishek_Agarwal
Visit the author's website http://www.Camping-Guru.com and download his FREE Camping Report "Camping With The Family: How To Have A Safe, Fun, And Inexpensive Vacation" and learn some amazing Camping tips and tricks for FREE. Learn how to have the perfect vacation on a shoe-string budget.
Technorati tags: camp cooking, campfire recipes, easy camping recipes One of the highlights of camping is cooking and eating outdoors. The cleaning up part is not as much fun. Here are 5 easy camping recipes in a Ziploc® bag that you can enjoy and not end up with a pile of preparation or cooking dishes.
Recipe #1 - Ziploc® Bag Fudge
What you need:
• 1 lb box of powdered sugar
• 2 packets of a cocoa mix or you can use ½ cup of cocoa
• 2 tbsp of butter
• 3 oz package of cream cheese
• 2 1 gallon Ziploc® storage bags
What to do:
Combine all ingredients into one of the bags and seal it up. Place the filled Ziploc® bag into the other bag. Pass it around to all of your campers so that they can squish the contents until it is all mixed thoroughly then enjoy. Camping Tip: Measure all the dry ingredients Read more
Welcome to Campgrounds Videos section of JoyOfCamping.com.
We just started this new section Summer 2008 at the request of our readers. As such, we have not covered all the states of the U.S. Help us suggest a campground to add here for benefit of fellow campers. Do you have a campground video you've posted online, share the link in the comments section below. We might add it to our Campground video channels.
The Plain Baked Potato
separately instead? 
in the video, don't get it on the Eureka website ($289), 
takes only a few minutes to set up, even for beginners. At $39, even if you resume RV camping, it's a spare handy shelter to have for kids to sleep and play in. 
. 
