Thursday, June 19, 2008

Foil Dinners: Variations

I didn't attend the latest Supper Club, but found these recipes for Foil Dinner variations (Oriental Chicken, Baked Apples, etc.) from Marta. Enjoy.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Panna Cotta

I just tried this great recipe I got from a friend. I love this stuff. Certainly not low fat, but yummy.

1/3 cup milk (skim or reg)
1 envelope (.25 oz) unflavored gelatin (approx 2 teas)
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 t. vanilla

Pour milk into a small bowl and stir in the gelatin powder. Set aside for a least 5 min. While waiting for gelatin to soften, in a saucepan, stir together the heavy cream and sugar, and set over medium heat. Heat without boiling, to to completely dissolve sugar. Pour the gelatin and milk into the cream, stirring until completely dissolved. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and pour into six individual ramekin dishes.

Cool the ramekins uncovered at room temp. When cool, cover w plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, before serving. To serve, unmold from dishes upside down on a plate and top w fruit. (I do raspberries and drizzle homemade hot fudge on it.)

Hints:
1. If gelatin is separating in individual dishes in layers, cool entire mixture by stirring until closer to room temp, then poor into cups.
2. To unmold from dishes, dip dish in hot water for a few sec. run knife around edges.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Grandma Nellie's Surprise Cobbler

1 1/2 C flour
1 C sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 C milk

Mix into a batter and pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan or dutch oven. Batter will be thin.

If fresh fruit is used - use 6 cups sliced peaches, set aside in bowl.

If using bottled fruit - drained fruit (save juice) and cut in pieces, set aside in bowl.

In saucepan mix
1 C sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch, heaping
2 C. water (I use the reserved juice to make up most of the liquid--1 1/2 C of juice + 1/2 C water)

Bring to boil, then add fresh fruit. Do not cook. Mix together and pour on top of batter. Batter will rise through the fruit.

Place dots of butter on top and sprinkle with 1 tsp cinnamon.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. (not sure on dutch oven cook time)

Ziploc Omelets

Ziploc Omelet
The best part is that no one has to wait for their special omelet!!

Have guests write their name on a quart-size Ziploc freezer bag with permanent marker.
Crack 2 eggs (large or extra large) into the bag (not more than 2) shake to combine them.
Put out a variety of ingredients such as: cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, hash browns, salsa, etc.
Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shakes. Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up.
Place the bags into rolling boiling water for exactly 13 minutes. You can usually cook 6 omelets in a large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling water.
Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed.
Nice to serve with fresh fruit and coffee cake; everyone gets involved in the process and a great conversation piece

Imagine having these ready the night before, and putting the bag in boiling water while you get ready. And in 13 minutes, you got a nice omelet for a quick breakfast!!

Try it…it really works!!!

Great for camp outs too!

Camping Ideas...

Since we are in the season of camping, and thanks to the great supper club at Paige's last month on this theme, I thought I share with you a few of the ideas we passed around.




  • Tin Foil Dinner: classic--meat, potatoes, carrots, onion, zucchini all wrapped up in a little pouched and baked in coals to perfection. Elizabeth said they like to add a little gravy or creamed soup to add to the yumminess. She also said she and Brigham have cook offs to see who's is better.

  • Perfect bite of steak: Paige buys cubed steak at the grocery store and then cooks each piece to perfect doneness. No mess or cutting and each bite is piping hot.

  • Corn on the cob: Put entire corn cob into coals. Cut until the outside is nice and charred. Open and eat. Yummy, smokey corn.

  • Dutch Oven Potatoes: I'm sure you all have a great recipe for this. We usually mix potatoes, onions, bacon and canola oil but I can't wait for Paige to post her recipe!

  • S'mores: you have to have s'mores at any campout. For supper club we tried a few different varieties including graham crackers with almond joys and reese's peanut butter cups. Any candybar would work but we all agreed their much better when the chocolate is melted. Apparently there are s'more sticks out there than allow you to carefully warm your chocolate too. Fudge Stripe cookies are also always an easy solution. We also roasted starbursts which were yummy!

  • Boiled Omelets. My sister-in-law Julie gave me this recipe and says its yummy and really easy. She says she did not write the recipe but it is too enthusiastic not to post it in it's original form. I'll post it above.

  • Grandma Nellie's Surprise Cobbler: Eden shared this recipe with us and it is my all time favorite peach cobbler (perhaps I'm biased). I've only ever made it with homemade bottled peaches and it is SO worth the extra effort. Again, recipe above.

Any other camping favorites? Please post what you like to do in the comments.