livesummer 2015Dutch Ovens are the ideal campfire cooking pot,sturdy enough to hold up to direct heat. Be sureto season well at least once before leaving ifyour buying it new for your trip.Prep as much of your food asyou can prior to leaving: chop ingredients,par-boil longer-cooking vegetables. You'll berewarded with a faster, easier dinner aftera long day hiking.Taking the little ones out for the first time?Try doing a longer outdoor day trip first. Youcan see how they react and make notes ofthings you'll need, like extra babysunscreen.
livesummer 2015bbq campfire chiliThe rich, meaty mouth feel in this BBQ chilicomes from dry TVP. Bonus points for nothaving to worry about keeping the temp lowenough for it's real counterpart!Before you leave:- Chop the onion and bell peppers, addall together in one plastic zip bag- Mix together chili powder, garlicpowder, chili pepper, black pepper, andsalt in one plastic zip bag- Open, drain, and rinse both beans andcorn, place in one plastic zip bag2 tbs vegetable oil1 onion, finely chopped1 green bell pepper, finely chopped1 red bell pepper, finely chopped2 tbs chili powder1/2 tsp crushed chili pepper1 tsp garlic powder1 tsp black pepper1 tsp smoked salt1 6oz can tomato paste1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed1 can black beans, drained and rinsed1 can sweet corn1 can fire-roasted tomatoes1 cup TVP1 cup prepared BBQ sauce (we recommendhickory style, read label to be sure its vegan)To Prepare:Heat oil in dutch oven over medium-hot coals. When oil is hot, add the bag of peppers andonions, cook for about 5 minutes. Next, add the bag of spices and stir to coat. Allow to cook foranother 5-7 minutes, toasting the spices. Add all the remaining ingredients except TVP and stir.In a seperate bowl, stir one cup of water with the TVP and let sit for five minutes or so, or untilTVP begins to absorb water. Add the contents of the bowl, including any remaining water, to thepot and stir. Cover, add coals to dutch oven lid, and allow to bubble for about 30 minutes, stirringoccasionally.Tip: Don't forget the charcoal! Wood-burningfires add ambiance, but nothing works as well ashigh quality coals when it comes to campfire cooking.