Cooking Outdoors: 4 Great Camping Recipes

There's nothing like being outdoors to make one appreciate the beauty of nature.

After awhile, all that appreciating can make one really hungry. 

Taking the amenities of the kitchen to the campground isn't really possible, but making delicious food is. Combining fresh ingredients with dehydrated vegetables or vaccum-packed chicken or jerky, the art of cooking outdoors relies on simplicity to create a feast that will delight the most pampered of senses. 

So when sitting around the campfire this summer gazing at the stars, enjoy making the following recipes, which are not only tasty but lightweight, easy to make and sure to put a smile on everyone's face.  

Chicken/Fish Stew

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb. mixed vegetables, dried
• 2 packages dried soup mix (Knorr vegetable, onion)
• 2 packages dried potatoes with sauce (16.5 oz. au gratin, scalloped, etc.)
• instant milk made with cold water
• 21-24 oz. chicken (3-4 packages or cans)
• cornstarch to thicken
• Dehydrated salsa

Directions:

1. Rehydrate salsa in 1 cup hot water per 1 cup dried salsa, add water as needed.
2. Sauté onions and peppers in 2 tsp. oil.
3. Add cumin, oregano, and garlic.
4. Heat chicken.
5. Fill tortillas with chicken and vegetables, top with cheese and salsa.

Cuban Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

• 3 packages Vigo dried bean and rice mix
• 21-24 oz. chicken breasts (vacuum packed)
• 2 lb. corn, dried
• flour tortillas
• salsa
• 1 lb. grated cheese
• dehydrated salsa

Directions:

1. Rehydrate salsa in 1 cup hot water per 1 cup dried salsa, add more water as needed.
2. Rehydrate corn in boiling water and simmer 10 minutes.
3. Make beans and rice per package directions with boiling water. Heat chicken breasts.
4. Fill tortillas with beans, rice and half of chicken breast.
5. Top with salsa and cheese. Serve with corn.

Beef Stroganoff

• 2 packages dried beef stroganoff mix (double servings per person)
• 2 lbs mixed vegetables, dried

Directions:

1. Make stroganoff per package directions simmering in boiling water to rehydrate. 
2. Rehydrate vegetables by simmering for 10 minutes in boiling water. 
3. If the stroganoff does not come with meat you can add canned beef, rehydrated jerky or a soy veggie beef substitute.

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

• 11/2 lbs. chicken (3-4 pkgs.)
• 2 tsp. lemon pepper
• 2 tsp. cumin or cumin seed
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cans white corn or hominy
• 2 cans green chilis
• 1 lime, squeezed
• 3 cans white beans, with juice
• 1/2 lb. shredded jack cheese

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients and simmer until heated through. Serve with bread.

This article first appeared on Calabasas Patch.