Can We Talk....Potato Soup and More....

I have been so lax in getting up our post about our week long trip in Little Red.  Just haven't been able to get the ole brain working.  😬  Every trip we take, I think that I will take a few minutes and give a little background on our journey, but the excitement of the travel takes over.  I don't share the details much but today I felt the need to put it out there for those who may be in a similar situation.  I hope that sharing may help those who have the same struggles.

I have some frustrating and complicated health issues that make camping .....um....somewhat interesting  Lets say that.  I have some structural problems like a lot of people our age - I'm 60.  Moving and manipulating can be a slow process but for the most part we do fine.  But...and this is a big one...I also have MCI.  Now if you don't know what that is then I am so happy for you because if it has entered your life through a parent, sibling, spouse or even yourself then you know what the deal is.  MCI stands for mild cognitive impairment.  I'm sure there could be a better name for it because for many of us mild just doesn't cut it.  Anyway, in my case it can make for frustrations that just don't make sense and Greg has to deal with that.  So far so good.

Greg surprised me when he moved ahead and ordered Little Red.  We had looked at vintage campers for years and had dreamed of owning one once he retired.  Last year I think he realized that we needed to do it now....while we still can.  For me, I can tell you that camping has been the best thing I could do for myself and for Greg.  It has brought me back to living in the now and truly helps me stay focused and moving forward.  Prior to getting the camper I had become a rocking chair Grannie ---- and I don't even have grandchildren.  😊  I can't explain it but I would recommend it to anyone dealing with any of these types of issues.  Get out there and enjoy life...don't waste a minute.

Okay ..now for main reason for this post.  Potato Soup....we are dealing with a cold snap here in SC and I'm not complaining because I know it's much worse in other parts of the country.  All kinds of potato soup is a staple around here.  We love it and it also gives us a break from meat once in a while.

This is my recipe and I just change it up depending on what I have on hand.  I made it today with just potatoes and carrots.  There are a few things that make it so much easier.  I try to keep gravy mixes like these on hand.  They
are great for thickening so many different things and they add so much flavor.  This type of bullion also makes a huge difference in taste and I love it.  You have to refrigerate it after opening but it is so worth it. 
With these two ingredients you can make lots of good stuff and they are great for camping if you like to cook.  I have thrown in chicken and corn and made chicken chowder. Another thing that goes with the soup so well are Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits.  They turn out crisp and you can even break them into your soup.  Oh My!!!  Pot pies turn our great using these and crescent rolls.  Use your imagination and enjoy!!

If you've made it this far, thanks so much for listening to my rambling on.  The post on the Florida trip will be up soon.  Our next destination is Table Rock at the end of this month.  Looking so forward to this beautiful area!

Goulash for the Road

Last week we made a big ole pot of goulash and it turned out pretty good.  This is the kind I grew up with and its so simple and is considered by most as American Goulash.  It's not the Hungarian recipe but just an old southern one my mother used.  There are lots of variations - my Grannie made it with potatoes, we make it with pasta - usually macaroni but I will use whatever I have on hand.  This stuff freezes really well so it's a great make ahead for camping.  Full disclosure - I forgot to take a picture of mine so this is a google image.  Ours looked very similar - I promise.  😀  You can make it more brothy (is that a word?) by adding more liquids.  We like ours a little juicy.  So here goes.

Goulash
2 cups Pasta (we use macaroni but any will do)
1 pound hamburger or ground turkey
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1large jar spaghetti sauce - which ever your prefer
1 small chopped onion
2 tablespoons of jarred garlic
1/2 stick butter or margarine
Olive oil
Seasonings

Boil macaroni or pasta according to package instructions.  I normally keep mine firm as it will cook more once you add it into the Goulash.  Brown the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil until soft and translucent.  Remove from the pan and add the meat and brown well and drain if necessary.  Add salt, pepper, garlic salt, parsley, and Mrs. Dash to taste.

Now add tomatoes and sauce and return meat back to the pot along with the onions and garlic.  Stir well and add drained macaroni/pasta.  I don't rinse so that a little of the pasta water carries over to the pot.  Stir well and simmer with the lid on for about 20 minutes.  If you like it to have more broth, I have actually added one can of V8 - I know it sounds funny but it works great.  Enjoy!

Coming up...our week long camping trip through Tibee Island and down through parts of Florida and back.  So awesome and Little Red did so well!!

Pot Pie for the Road...

Since we have a camping trip scheduled in early December, I was hoping to make something out of our leftovers that could be frozen and kept till then.  While perusing Pinterest as I do, I found the perfect idea....a pot pie!  Our Dad used to make something called ice box soup so this just fit right in.  The idea is to make the pie from your leftover turkey, gravy, veggies and add a crust.  Simple and yummy!  Full disclosure - this picture came from Google Images because I once again forgot to take a picture of mine.  If I do say so myself, it turned out pretty cute.  (Smile)

This recipe is really flexible and you can switch out the meat, etc. and make it your own - even if you don't have leftovers.   I plan to make it with chicken next time. Frozen peas or green beans work great in this too. It freezes up well and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.  When camping you could also reheat it over the fire after it's thawed completely.  This would work awesome in an iron skillet.  It's great for pack and go.

Turkey Pot Pie
2 cups cooked chopped turkey or chicken
1 cup gravy - I used leftover but you can grab a pack of gravy mix which makes about a cup
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped carrot
3 medium potatoes cubed
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup creamed corn - I used homemade but any kind will work
1 small onion
1 package crescent rolls
1/2 stick margarine or butter
3 teaspoons corn starch
1/4 cup water
 Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic parsley salt

Start by sauteing the onions, potatoes, celery and carrots in butter/margarine until softened.  Then add the chicken broth to the pan and stir well.  Let this simmer until the veggies are tender.  Then add the gravy and turkey and corn and mix well.  Heat until warm through.  Mix corn starch and water well and add to the mixture. Stir completely and simmer until the sauce is thickened.  You will need to stir regularly to keep the sauce smooth.  Add water if needed to keep the sauce from being too thick.

Next roll out the crescent rolls on a floured surface.  Use a rolling pin to smooth the package into one sheet of dough.  Pour the filling into a baking dish sized to fit and carefully lift the dough over the pie filling.  Tuck in any ends and butter the top well.  I used spray butter but any softened butter or margarine will do.  Sprinkle garlic/parsley salt over the top and place in a 375 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes.  Keep a close watch as this browns up pretty quickly.  Cool and enjoy!

Hobo Dinner

Here is another camping recipe and one of my favorites.  When I was in girl scouts we never were able to go camping so we made this over a fire in the church yard and it was delicious.  Going camping just gives me an excuse to make it again.  I didn't get a pic of mine but this one I found on Pinterest....my favorite hangout!  It came from Every Day Moms Meals.

For ours we used a box mix of scalloped potatoes - you don't have to do this but it is really easy to prepare and pack.  If you don't use those just use regular potatoes of your choice.  You can cook this over a fire, in a toaster oven or on your grill.  Just what ever works for you.  We loved it and added sour cream and more shredded cheese and of course hubby added ketchup.  This will be a staple for us from now on especially in cooler months.  You can also make these ahead before you leave home and pack in your fridge and they are ready for the fire.  Hope you enjoy!

Hobo Dinner
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 box scalloped potatoes or two large potatoes peeled and sliced
1 cup milk
1/2 stick margarine or butter
1 cup hot water
1 sliced onion
Heavy duty foil
1 cup shredded cheese
Sour cream, shredded cheese and steak sauce for toppings (Ketchup if you are somebody who eats it on everything like my hubby)

If using the scalloped potato dinner put the potatoes in a sauce pan or iron skillet and cover with the hot water.  Simmer until they soak up the water - about 10 minutes.  Brown the hamburger meat and drain if desired.  Add milk and the sauce packet from the potatoes and heat until smooth.  I tear off a large sheet of foil - about the size of a large baking sheet.  Place your ground beef on the foil and add potatoes and then onions.  Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top and then pour the sauce over. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Garlic salt is also good if you have it on hand.  Pull the foil up and fold securely to make a sealed packed.  Metal pie pans that you recycle can work great here to avoid any drips if you want to use them.  Cook over fire or grill for about 35 minutes. If you are using raw potatoes just place them in as above and add another half cup of shredded cheese. You won't need the water or milk.  Canned fried onions are also really good in place of the raw onion.  This meal is also delicious leftover!

Cabbage Roll Soup

Here is another easy recipe that works great to prepare at home and take along with you on the road.  We love this one because it actually tastes like cabbage rolls without all the hassle of putting those little guys together.  Sometimes it's called deconstructed cabbage rolls.  Either way it is delicious if you like cooked cabbage.  So yummy!!  You can use all sorts of meats but we mostly go with hamburger, ground turkey or both.  Here again this is a really easy big ole pot of food and you can make it your own with seasonings and additions.

Cabbage Roll Soup
2-3 pounds hamburger or ground turkey (or use equal parts of both)
2 large cans diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel
1 very large (6 lb 9 oz) can crushed tomatoes or other tomatoes of choice
1 large head of cabbage chopped
1 or 2 large bell peppers chopped (depending on taste)
1 large onion chopped
2 tablespoons jarred garlic or fresh
1 large container beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons basil
2 tablespoons Mrs. Dash Seasoning (love this stuff)
2 cups brown rice prepared (optional)


We love this soup in fall especially but the main reason we made it this week is that my daughter-in-law brought us the most beautiful large fresh cabbage.  I just wish we had taken a picture before we cut it.  Also I just
happened to have that massive can of crushed tomatoes on hand.  You don't really have to have that and can use any kind ~ pureed, crushed, diced or mix of those. But they have these at Costco and they are awesome to have on hand for soups, etc.  If you don't like it so tomatoey (that's a word, right??)  then you can increase the broth, add water and decrease the tomatoes.

As usual I like to put a big ole pot on the stove and add the sauces/liquid and seasonings.  Then I brown the onions, garlic, cabbage and bell pepper and season as I go and add to the pot after they are softened.  Then I brown the meat again seasoning while it's cooking and since I used turkey this time I didn't need to drain.  Add to the pot along with the cabbage.  This one was so fresh that it took a little bit of time to soften but I just kept stirring and simmering for at least two hours.  Just keep testing to see that it is the desired tenderness.

We serve ours with a bed of brown rice in the bottom of the bowl.  This is completely optional and the rice could also be added to the soup raw and let it cook in the pot.  It's all up to how your family likes it.  The guys like lots of hots sauces for toppers and we make skillet corn bread to go along with it.  Enjoy!!  Oh and it freezes up beautifully making it easy to take along on your camping trip.

Camp Chili

One of our very favorite foods for fall camping is Chili and Beans!  I added beans because I know that in many parts of the country Chili is something very different from what we make.  We use both ground turkey and beef and several different kinds of beans.  I make this at home and freeze it because chili just gets better the longer the beans and other goodies get to hang out together.  You can also make it meatless and we have done that many times. Corn is also really good in this too.  Now as I have said before - I'm no chef so this is just an idea to get you started and it's just easy and yummy!!!  This is a big ole batch so if you don't want lots of chili then cut back on the amounts.

Camp Chili
2 pounds ground turkey
3 pounds ground beef
Large can tomato sauce
Large can tomato puree
2 cans of Rotel tomatoes
1 can tomato soup
3 cubes beef bullion
2 cups water
1 cup catsup
1 large chopped onion
1 large chopped bell pepper
2 tablespoons jarred garlic or fresh
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash
Salt and pepper to taste (I use a lot!)
2 large cans kidney beans
2 small cans chili beans
2 cans black beans

I like to add the tomatoes and liquids to the soup pot first and let them start to simmer.  In a sauce pan I sautee the onion, garlic and bell pepper until tender and add to the pot.  Then brown the turkey and hamburger and add to the pot. There is a big debate around my house about how the meat is browned!  I like it chunky and hubby likes if very fine.  If I make it it's gonna be chunky - I want to know there is meat int there!  :-)   I do season all of these as I brown/sautee them to add flavor.  At this point I season this mixture and it should be a little strong because the beans will dilute the flavor.  I let it simmer for about an hour before adding the beans.

Give the mixture a good stir and drain and rinse the beans.  The only ones I don't rinse are the chili beans because they are packed in a seasoned sauce.  Add all of the beans to the hot tub and stir well.  I normally simmer for at least a couple of hours after that and add more of anything that may be missing at this point.  If it is too thick you can add more water.  Too thin - you can add more catsup or sauce.  For us this makes a huge stock pot full of chili.  We top ours with cheese and raw onions, sour cream and crackers.  Enjoy and remember it's even better the next day!

Camp Cooking

Cooking and eating are two things we really enjoy about camping!  I especially love making stews and chili ahead and taking them with us.  You can freeze it for the trip and it will also help keep things cold in the cooler or fridge.

This week I made Chicken Corn Chowder with dumplings.  Now this is definitely not a soup - it is hearty and you can almost eat it with a fork.  You could make it soupier by adding more broth and or milk.  It is a little labor intensive but you could speed things along by using already prepared ingredients.  It makes a huge pot that would feed a hoard of hungry campers.

I am a utility cook, not a Martha Stewart wannabe or anything near close to it.  I love cooking but I make mistakes and burn stuff on a regular basis.  That's why I love soups and stews because they are so flexible and hard to screw up.  So here's my recipe.  Let me know if you like it or if you have any better ideas.  It will be going with us on our next weekend camping trip.
Fall camping is such a great time for this type of food!

Chicken Corn Chowder with Dumplings
3-4 pounds of boneless chicken breast chopped in bite size pieces
8-10 slices of bacon
1 stick of butter or margarine
1 large onion chopped
2 tablespoons jarred garlic (or fresh)
6 cups chicken broth (More or less depending on how thick you want it to be)
1 can cream of chicken soup
3-4 stalks celery chopped
1 jar alfredo sauce
1 1/2 cups carrots chopped
4-5 potatoes peeled and chopped
1 cup half and half
1 large bag of frozen corn
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 cups Bisquick or baking mix
2/3 cups skim milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic salt

I like to build the stew so I start a stock pot with the chicken broth added and after it is warm I add the cream of chicken soup and alfredo - yep I said alfredo.  It gives the stew a nice creamy texture and a great taste.  I used a whisk to stir this as it heats and get it all mixed together.    Then in another pan, I add the chopped onion and sautee in grape seed or olive oil  (which ever I happen to have on hand) along with a couple of tablespoons margarine or butter.  I season each ingredient as it cooks with salt and pepper and garlic salt.  After they are softened I add the garlic and continue to cook for a few more minutes until both are transparent.  Then I add this to the broth and keep stirring.

Next I add the celery to the pan with butter or margarine and oil and sautee until tender, seasoning again as I go.  Add that to the pot and continue stirring.  Do the same with the carrots and then add to the hot tub.  Next add the potatoes to the pan and season well and sautee and add in with the broth mixture. 

Next I brown the bacon and put it aside to drain but leave the bacon fat in the pan.  Cook the chicken until browned slightly and almost done. I like it cut into bite sized pieces but hubby normally chops it for me.  He was working when I defiled this chicken so it was not chopped so perfectly but still worked just fine. Add to your pot.  At this point I let the stew simmer until the vegetables are almost done.  Then dump in the corn and stir well again.

Look at your stew and determine if it is brothy or soupy enough (yes I know that's not a word) and if not add more liquid.  Let it come to a gentle boil and add the half and half to a glass jar and add the corn starch and shake it up - after you add the lid.  Pour this into the chowder and stir well.  This will help it thicken.

Next add the Bisquick or baking mix to a bowl with the skim milk and mix well.  Be sure this is a very stiff dough or the dumplings will dissolve and you will have a pot of chicken mud. You can also use a can of biscuit dough cut into pieces.  Let the pot come to a gentle boil and drop the dumplings by the spoonful into the broth.  Don't stir - it's tempting but don't do it.  Let the dumplings cook 10 minutes with the lid off and then 10 with the lid on and this should get them done all the way through.  You can ladle broth over the top of the dumplings after the 20 minutes of cooking to get any raw spots done.  I also season the top of the dumplings with garlic salt and pepper while they are cooking. 

This can be served with shredded cheese and the chopped bacon.  It is delicious and it will stick to your ribs for sure.  Enjoy!