Mac and Cheese...Oh Yeah....

I have been searching and researching mac and cheese recipes for the longest time.  I have tried so many and could never get that creamy cheese gooey goodness I was looking for.  They always ended up dry and lacking taste or having a weird yucky taste.  Ugh!!!

On Easter I had several recipes pulled up on Pinterest that looked so yummy but I knew my chances weren't good at pulling one off.  Well this time my experiment worked and I did my best to get it all down so that I am able to recreate it.  There was one ingredient that I would never have thought of or tried but a customer of Greg's had recommended it.  It turned out to be the key ingredient!  One small can of Campbell's Cheddar Cheese soup.  Yep...that's it.  In this pic its still very creamy but if you like it a little more solid you can continue to simmer on the stove top or place it in the oven with butter, shredded cheese and bread crumbs.  So awesome!!

So here's my recipe and how I do it but there are lots of ways to accomplish good mac and cheese and Pinterest is full of them.  😋  As always this recipe freezes really well and is perfect for a take along camping.  If your fridge works on propane while driving you can put your frozen mac in the there while traveling and it will help the chill in your fridge on the road.  Frozen dinners can also keep things cold in your cooler.  When you arrive you can finish thawing and warm.  You are ready to eat.


Creamy Cheesy Mac and Cheese

2 pound box of macaroni
4 cups shredded cheese - I used sharp cheddar but you can change or mix it up
2 sticks of Velveeta Mini Blocks
2 cups milk
1/4 cup half and half
1 stick butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 small can cheddar cheese soup
3 heaping teaspoons corn starch
1/2 cup water 

To start I boil all of the macaroni until it's firm but not too soft.  I drain but don't rinse and put aside

in a large heavy dutch oven. I use my lodge porcelen coated cast iron one.  Cut the butter and mix with the macaroni.  This will keep it from getting too stiff.  Put the pot on low heat and season to taste.  I truly believe this pot makes a huge difference and if I decide to bake it off, it is all ready to go.  It also keeps it from sticking or burning on the bottom.

While the mac is boiling, I start the sauce in a large pot.. First add the cheese soup and place on medium heat.  Add one cup of the milk and mix well.  Add the Velveeta and simmer until completely mixed.  Place corn starch in a lidded jar and add water.  Close the jar and shake until it's all dissolved.  Pour the mixture into the sauce and continue to simmer.  As the sauce thickens add the other cup of milk.  This should be getting very creamy and not too thick.

After the sauce is creamy and all ingredients are dissolved start adding the shredded cheese one cup at a time.  I use a rubber coated whisk to keep the mixture smooth.  As soon as it is completely melted and smooth, poor over the warm macaroni and mix well.  Add half and half and continue to stir on low heat.  Let this mixture simmer until it is the desired consistence and the macaroni is soft.  If you feel it's too thick or stiff you can add more butter and milk in small amounts until it is the way you like it.

At this point if you want to bake it, add another cup of shredded cheese and melted butter to the top and sprinkle with bread crumbs.  Bake uncovered until bubbly at 375.  We like ours creamy without the bake but it is delicious either way.  Enjoy...it's really good scooped into a bowl over a campfire. 

Camping Gadgets and Goodies...We Got Em.....

Since we began this journey with Little Red last September, we are learning all about the need for gadgets..and goodies.....and there are lots of them.  Some are just fun and others really make so much difference in your camping experience.  I thought I would take a minute to review a few things that we have found invaluable for us. Everybody who camps has their own personal preferences but these are our favorites.  Let us know some of yours.  We love hearing about and trying new things.  So here's our list so far.

Wagon - We looked at these for years and we received this one as a gift from our Son.  We love it and it's just perfect for our car.  Ours is the blue color which works perfect with our other stuff.  😄  We actually leave it open with the wheels down in the back of our car and store things in it for the road.  Lucy also uses it as a place to hide under when she is afraid on the ride.  Really...we need to work on her car issues but that's another post.  This wagon is so easy to use I can even do it and the wheels turn so it's very east to steer.  We are so looking forwarding to using it this Spring and Summer for the beaches and lakes we visit.

Flip Flops - Now I'm not sure these qualify as a true gadget but they are on the top of our list.  We just call them flippers or floppies but as old tent campers who took many bathhouse showers, they are an essential and we have lost more pairs than I can count as well as just plain worn them out.  They become our go too shoes because they can be hosed off, thrown in a bag etc and they are just comfy.  Our new favorites are the Okabashi which I originally found at the gift shop at a campground.  Then I found them on Amazon so we both have a pair.  For us they are hands down the most comfortable flips we have ever had and they are solid one piece construction.  Check these out and you may never go back to the old style.  They are also very reasonably priced.

Collapsible Bag - These bags are indispensable and we use them for several functions every trip.  These sides snap and they stand up.  The elastic strap  wraps over it to flatten it when not in use.  We pack them and put them on the bed during travel.  One our last trip I even used one to pack my clothes and stored it at the end of the bed.  It worked perfect for me.  This one is a little different from the link but there are so many choices on Amazon.

Dog Bowl - We found this little dog bowl when we were on a camping trip and we have been amazed at what a difference it makes.  Lucy cannot spill it and so far we haven't either. 😄 This is the bottom side and it has sections for her food and water and the little feet really work.  We had tried different bowls but always spilled.  I forgot to empty it on one trip home and not a drip ended up on the floor.  It was very inexpensive.  We have such limited floor space in the 166 but this one fits right by the fridge beside the bathroom door.  We are able to squeeze a small trash can there too.  This link is not the exact one but it is very close.

Hooks - I can't say enough good things about this hook.  It attaches with an adhesive type rubber backing and is easily removable just like Command hooks.  But....you can reattach it by wetting and reapplying.  This particular one holds up to 20 pounds.  We put it up in the bathroom and it was the perfect place for hanging clothes.  It worked great and has not slipped a bit.  Love it and we will get more of these.  If you camp in a small camper or any camper, then you know that hooks are so important. 


Okay - these are just a few of our favorites and we are learning each time we go out what works and what doesn't.  We have more to talk about like our portable grill which is just awesome and our tag along potty tank - AKA the pooper.  We will be trying it out on our week long trip to Devils Fork in May.  Next up is the round up and pics from our trip recently to Table Rock State Park.  It was awesome and so much to do there.  Definitely on our return list.

On the Road.....

Tybee Island Lighthouse

At the end of February we made a week long trip in Little Red.  I was a little apprehensive but we so thoroughly enjoyed it.  We pushed ourselves to see if we could make it through 4 different campgrounds within the week.  We started out with Tybee Island and camped at Rivers End.  From there we traveled down to Tamoka State Park in Florida and then to Blue Springs and finally Fort Clinch.  It was so much fun and we will definitely do this again.  This trip also taught us more about packing up and setting up in short order and making adjustments for each campground.  We set up and visited Blue Springs in full pouring rain but still enjoyed every minute.  Warning this may be a long post.

Our first stop on this almost week long trip was Tybee Island and Rivers End Campground .  This was our first visit to a non-state park in Little Red and we just loved this campground.  All sites are covered with gravel which helps to keep things clean.  They have full hookups, cable television and wireless all through the campground.  The bathhouses are all family style and very clean.  The beach is just a short walk and you can visit the lighthouse on the way.  This beach is so beautiful and there are actual swings set up right on the beach so that you can sit and relax and watch the waves.  I wish had gotten a pic of them..they were just awesome.  This is a quaint little

campground and the sites are very close together.  This is our little site and each one comes with a picnic table and fire ring. We were there the weekend before President's Day so it was absolutely full.  We really enjoy that and it was so much fun.  This one will definitely be on our return list.  While we were in Savannah, we visited Wilmington Island which is where we spent our honeymoon almost 32 years ago.  Back then we stayed at the Savannah Inn and resort for two nights and then camped at Huntington Island for the rest of the week.  We were able to visit the location but now it's condominiums.  We also visited Fort Pulaski and it is a must see if you get to this area.  We were able to get a picture of us in the same place that we took one on our honeymoon. So much fun!!

From there we headed further south to Tamoka State Park and Campground in Florida.  I have to say the campgrounds in Florida were a great surprise.  All 3 we visited on this trip had big clean newly refurbished bath houses and they were very clean and enjoyable.  Tamoka reminded us a lot of Hunting Island here in South Carolina.  We love Hunting and its closed right now for repairs from last year's storm Matthew so this was perfect. This is the view from the outpost - so relaxing and calm here.  There is boating, fishing and more in this area.  Campsites include the usual with a table, fire ring as well as an area to hang your trash. etc.  We drove into Ormond Beach and it did not disappoint!  It is so clear and the water is so blue and you can actually drive on the beach!!  This is a foreign concept for us but we really wanted to try it....but we didn't.  There is a big picture of the aqua lifeguard station on the left border of the blog. Of course that is one of my favorite colors and one of my favorite pics from the trip!

We then headed on to Blue Springs State Park and Campground and of course it was beautiful!!  It was pouring rain the entire day when we arrived so we didn't put out our full set up.  This is one of the fantastic bath houses with washer and dryer included along with a drink machine.  I know not everybody cares about the that but I do.  😊 The manatee were running while we were there and we were actually able to see a few swimming and spouting water.  We couldn't actually get a picture from where we were but it was awesome anyway.  Fish were jumping

high in the air and coming back down on their side.  I had never seen anything like it.  The next day we walked back down to the springs before we left and it was sunny and bright.  The area was full with kids and dogs everywhere - we loved it.  Lucy quite enjoyed meeting several other doodles who were visiting. The sites there were wooded and included fire rings and a large picnic table.  There is much to do here with boating, kayaking, canoeing, along with boat tours of the springs.  We would love to spend a few days there when we go back.

Our last stop was Fort Clinch State Park and Campground.  I wasn't really thinking I would like this one but it was great.  It's unusual in that the fort is in the campground or vice versa...not sure which.  We actually saw an armadillo on our camp site several times during our stay.  He was so cute but he didn't take to Lucy and he would start burrowing as soon as he saw her.  The drive into this campground is just beautiful and the tree branches drape across and
meet in the middle.  The bath houses were newly refurbished and fit right into the fort setting.  The sites included the usual picnic table and fire ring and were wooded and clean.  The fort was just a short walk and the campground has about 22 sites right on the beach.  They were amazing and we would definitely like to try one of those next time. There is a long pier and boardwalk out onto the beach as well.  It was closed for repairs while we were there.

Well that was it and from there we were headed back home.  If we had not needed to be home, we would have definitely stayed longer.  We got into a rhythm of setting up and just staying one night was not bad at all.  We can set up Little Red in about 30 minutes now and get ready to move in about the same amount of time.  We are still loving our little guy and still would greatly recommend a Retro to anyone looking for a small light weight camper.   The only issues we have had so far were totally user error.  Since this post has grown way too long I will save those stories for another day.

Peppy's First Trip in Little Red

We are planning Trip Number 5 in our Little Red Retro this weekend.  We are pretty excited to visit Cheraw State Park.  We had hoped to travel down to Edisto but that campground filled up pretty quickly.  We are thrilled to visit this very unique site on our quest to hit all SC State Parks and surrounding areas.

According to Google Cheraw is ( /tʃərɔː/ chə-raw, local /ʃərɔː/ shə-raw) is a town on the Pee Dee River in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 5,524 at the 2000 census and center of an urban cluster with a total population of 9,069. It has been nicknamed "The Prettiest Town in Dixie."  More info is available on the SciWay website.

This will be our Camper Elf Peppy's first ever road trip.  We are excited for him to travel with us and hoping that Lucy Loo will allow him to survive the trip.  Maybe they will decide to get along.  She is very fond of removing the face of his kind (stuffed toys...shhhh don't tell Peppy)  and chewing it into non-existence.  Silly girl...  His job is to watch over our little camper and it's inhabitants.  

 Cheraw State Park is unique in that it also has a golf course on site and it is quite popular.  Hubby is going to bring his clubs along and check it out.  It also sits on the beautiful Lake Juniper and fishing is popular there as is boating and kayaking.  We will probably take the canoe along too and see how it goes.  Lucy still needs to try out her little life jacket.  She won't be happy about that.  Temps are supposed to be up this weekend so hopefully we can go out for a little canoe ride.

We will keep you posted on our visit and let you know how this campground stacks up.  Lucy and Peppy are quite excited.  😉

Camper Elf Has Arrived....

Look who showed up here this past weekend!!  This is Peppito aka Peppy and he is a Camper Elf.  He came to live in our camper and watch over us but we are keeping him inside where it's warm for now.  He is quite mischievous and gets into lots of things.  Our main goal will be keeping Lucy Loo from eating him up.  She thinks he came for her and she stalks him all day.

This morning we found him riding on the back of the Campground Truck ~ Lucy
thought that was quite curious.  😀  We will keep you posted on his antics and Lucy's trail not too far behind.  Love our little Elf and of course our Lucy Loo.  Stay tuned. 

Myrtle Beach State Park

We took Little Red down to Myrtle Beach State Park last week and it turned out to be an awesome campground!  I wasn't really expecting much but hubby had faith. 😃  We had not seen this one in many years and I have to admit as younger tent campers our expectations were very different.  Also we were camping with kids back then and activities for them ranked high on our list.

We arrived after dark in the wet and cold so set up was a little challenging but hubby did an amazing job.  I stood outside with a flashlight beamed on the tree that lived very close to the hookups and he was able to line up perfectly.  😅Unfortunately this site was not level and we have not purchased anything to put under the tires to level up so we were leaning a bit but it wasn't bad.  We had a full hookup along with picnic table and fire ring.  We found all of the sites to be fairly good size and clean.  We were on number 29 and it was roomy with grass and we could have set up a tent with no problem.  Also there were a good many campers in that particular area of the campground which was nice.  We weren't sure if many would be there for cold weather camping.

This was our set up and even though it was too cold to spend a whole lot of time outside, we still enjoyed it.  This campground has a boardwalk that runs from the entrance of the campground all the way to the beach.  It's awesome and makes the walk such a pleasure.  It is also really good for dogs - helps get their little paws all free of sand by the time you get back to your camper.  Lucy really enjoyed the beach and visiting with other dogs and walking the board walk.  I am sure this state park is very popular during the summer.

Another really neat thing here is that they provide horse rides on the beach for a fee.  They bring them in each day and it looks amazing.  We didn't try it but we so enjoyed watching them glide across the sand...it was magical.  Of course Lucy thought they were big dogs and she was none too impressed.

We went Christmas shopping a couple of days on this trip and found some great deals and loved the decorations.  At Bass Pro Shop Santa was visiting and they invited us to bring Lucy in for a picture.  She loved walking through the store and sniffing things and talking to people.  Of course she got lots of attention too.  This is she and Greg waiting in line with a reindeer in the background.  We always visit this location when we are at the beach.  We also checked out Red Robin for lunch and it was delicious.  I know lots of people say it's over rated but we truly enjoyed it.  Lucy loved the burger bite we took back to the car for her.  It was very cold that day so she was fine waiting for us there and she was wearing her jacket.  😁


The campground was very clean and updated with wireless throughout the park.  It was a little weak in some areas but worked well on our phones to save us a little data.  The full hook-up worked really well and we didn't make many trips to the bath houses.  However they were very clean and looked like they had recently been updated.  The shower stalls were large and included a place to hang towels and clothes.  Greg took a couple of showers there and said the water was nice and hot.

There is also a legendary pier in the park and it is pictured on the left side bar as well as on the state park
web site. There are trails to walk and both the pier and the registration area have stores that include all sorts of t-shirts, mugs and other goodies as well as necessary staples and camping supplies. 

Our son gave us a Star Shower for us to take with us to decorate our campsite.  We so love it.  We had seen these at Halloween when we camped at Devil's Fork and during the summer at Hunting Island.  For this trip we used the red and green lights and it was very festive.  I wish we had been able to get it to show up on camera.  You can find them on Amazon and at Target as well as lots of other places.  It looks like you put up hundreds of little lights and it only takes a minute.  We have them set up here at home too.  The campground was festive as lots of other campers had decorations and lights.

So on our list of campgrounds this one goes up at the top end of the list.  It was so much better than we expected and had very little damage from Hurricane Matthew.  The rates, location, campsites as well as dog friendly park along with the beach made it a perfect fit for us. The camp customer service representative even called us on our way down to be sure we had the gate code to get in since we were running late.   We give it a big ole five!!!  While we were in the area we visited Huntington Beach State Park.  This was another great surprise and we really loved it.  We will definitely try and camp there next year.

Cost:  $  (Snowbird rates are excellent!)
Location:  5 out of a possible 5 - this is one of our favorites!
Service:  Excellent
Overall Rating:  5+ out of a possible 5 Campers
 

Update on our Retro - we are still loving it and enjoying spending time in it on every trip.  The heat worked well in the cold weather on this trip and with full hook ups it was great.  We love being able to stock the fridge when we pack and not have to worry about moving the food when we get to our destination.  Hubby says the camper is very easy to pull and he can barely tell it's back there when driving.  We still get lots of comments and horn honks every where we go.  A guy actually stopped us in traffic on this trip to talk about it.  Of course we love talking about our Little Red Retro!!!


Another note on Hunting Island - we heard on this trip that it more than likely won't reopen until 2018.  This makes us very sad and we are hoping that things will move along a little faster.  We will keep you updated on anything that we hear.

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!

Hunting Island Update

We were so fortunate to have scheduled a visit back to Hunting Island State Park this year just before Hurricane Matthew rolled through there.  This park has always been one of our favorites and we are so saddened by the damage done by this powerful storm.  There are more links in the side bar about the damage and expectations for reopening which will be at least 2-3 months out.

This was our campsite setup with a tent added.  We normally bring this along for when our kids join us and this gives us a good bit of space.  This old Sears canvas tent is over 30 years old and has some wear.  At one point our dogs ripped out the back window so we sewed it shut - that was fun.  Anyway....it works and is great for Fall camping.  To me it is too warm for summer but the guys still seem to enjoy it.  The screened room is a K-Mart purchase....yep I said K-Mart.  It was on sale and matched the camper so we couldn't pass it up.  It worked great and hubby said it was easy to put up and take down.  We set it up in line with our little retro awning and so we could walk out right into it.  We had a good rain storm our first night on this trip and it worked great for that.

This is the set up from the back end of our site.  Please ignore the huge bag of trash - we were headed for the dump.  The raccoons will gladly handle it for you if you leave it out over night. We love that front big window on our unit and it really gives us a lot of light and visibility.  We are still working on a full walk through so that you can see all of the features of Little Red.

One of our favorite things about Hunting Island is the close proximity of the wild life.  They literally hang out with you and we so enjoyed that.  Below is a picture of one of our

regular visitors to our site.  It is against the law to feed them but it is so tempting because they come right up and lick your hands.  I'm pretty sure some campers are feeding them. (Smile)  This was my first experience getting up close and personal with a deer.  They look you right in the eye.  It was amazing! We didn't catch the raccoons on camera but they were so brave and were all around us most of the time.  They stole marshmallows on a regular basis. We are just hoping that all of the beautiful wildlife fared okay with the storm.  Lots of babies were there on this visit.

As we hear more and find out about the park reopening, we will visit and post more information.  This campground is just magical and the powers that be are committed to bringing it back to as close as it was.  Watch for more details as they are available!

Why Do We Camp???

Why do we camp....this is a question we hear a lot - especially way back when we tent camped.  I can't answer this for anyone else but for us it is our reset button.

Why would you want to cook outside, use bug spray like it's hand lotion, hover over a hole in the ground to do unspeakable things???  Also - there is lots of discussion about what is really camping and what is just staying somewhere else other than home.  Some say if you use an RV then you aren't really camping.  Others call it Glamping.  For us our little camper is a safe haven.....we still cook outside, still use the bath house at campgrounds and spend a good deal of our time outside the camper.  But I am the first to admit that we are not the hard core campers who are out in the woods in a tent with no running water.  We are old and those days, for the most part, have passed us by.  I like knowing that I have a place to go if I need to use the bathroom at night and its dark outside.  I like having a hot shower in the bathhouse and I like the combination of the comforts of home along with the experience of staying in a campground.

Now why do we do this - well here is a list of our reasons - I am sure there are others but these are the ones that come to mind.  I love knowing why others enjoy it too.  We have met so many people along the way and we share our stories and we find so much more in common that we could imagine.  It is an awesome community!

1. It is a reset - a back to simple things trip that gives us time to do things that we just don't take the time to do at home.
2. It makes us thankful - for running water, hot showers, a clean place to sleep, and good food to eat.  When we get back home we are ever more thankful for the ease of life there and we appreciate simple things so much more.
3. The nature - I can't say this enough.  We have seen things at campgrounds that we would never experience at home.  Having a  young deer lick your hand and look you right in the eye is something I will never forget.  Seeing a little family of raccoons scamper up a tree and sit and watch is was just amazing.
4. Walking....we walk and exercise so much more than at home.  We drive less and force ourselves to do things and we actually like it.  If you knew me then you would know that is quite the accomplishment.
5. People - campers are just the best.  We meet the most remarkable people and they teach us so much. We meet their awesome dogs and learn about where they are from and what camping means for them.
6. The food - you just learn a new appreciation for how to make things over a fire or on a small grill.  You learn to combine the skills you use at home with making the best of what you have on hand.  When you sit down to enjoy that meal you just created it just tastes better, smells better and you linger over your meal and enjoy the experience.
7. The atmosphere.  One of my favorite things is a walk around the camp at dusk when there are smells in the air of fires and dinners being prepared.  Lights of all sorts and types glow around the campsites.  Kids are playing outside and you hear laughter and joy.  I so enjoy seeing the different setups, tents, campers and more.  
8. Travel - camping allows us to travel and is so much more affordable.  Exploring our state and neighboring ones is something we otherwise would not be able to do.
9. The stars - you can't see stars in many places like you can in a campground or out away from light pollution.  We had never seen anything like the evening sky show we glimpsed each night on our last trip. 
10. The sounds - the chirping, croaking, humming, singing of nature is magical and so very peaceful for us.

Now I am sure there are many more advantages that don't come to mind but these are the highlights for us.  I
love discovering the joys others find.  In my mind camping is not just a leisure activity but a healthy habit.  Already planning our next adventure. 

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!

Maiden Roll for the Little Red Retro

We took our Little Red Retro out on her first journey and rolled up to Calhoun Falls, SC.  If you have never heard of this little town don't be surprised.  We live in SC and had never heard or been aware that it existed.  It is very small with only one little grocery store and it it's surrounded by Lake Russell.  We camped in Calhoun Falls State Park which sits on the lake.  We have a state park pass and hope to hit all of the ones in South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina.

This park is large compared to some we have visited and when I say natural and quiet, that is a real understatement.  We actually witnessed a family of deer running through the woods and squirrels frolicked about with no fear.  Each site includes a large iron stand to hang your trash so that its not down low for animal consumption.  Our site was on the lake and most are and each one has
ample room for an RV and tents as well.  There are pull through sites for third wheels and we visited one of the handicapped sites which was located in a good flat spot with a roll up pad for wheel chairs, etc.  All lake front sites have a set of steps to get down to the water.  Of course there's a picnic table, grill and hook-ups for RVs.  We had no trouble with our trip to the dump station when we left and recycling is also available.

This park has something for just about every camper including tennis courts, basketball court, swimming area with a beach front to the lake, boat launch ramps, hiking trails and more.  The one thing you won't find here is wireless.  Lots of campers had tailgater pods and  little satellite dishes and they appeared to work fine here.  We have an air TV antenna on our unit but nestled in the trees here in the woods it didn't work  We did get good cell reception and that worked good throughout our two day stay.

So for us this campground hit about 4 out of 5 campers on our rating system.  The bathrooms were typical of state campground facilities and had ample supplies with older showers but toilets were in good condition and the bath houses were located in fairly convenient locations.  One thing to be aware of is there is very little lighting at night.  We found that a good flashlight was a life saver and really was necessary.  There were lots of dogs in tow and we of course had our little camper Lucy.  You will just need to bring along your dooty bags for pick-ups and pups must be leashed at all times.  Lucy gave this campground a big ole paws up - she made friends and loved smelling all the trails and lake areas.  So in summary we enjoyed Calhoun Falls and would definitely return.  We found the staff at the lodge helpful and friendly and the little onsite store had lots of goodies as well as necessary items you might forget.

Ok so here is our rating for Calhoun Falls Campground:

Cost:  $
Location:  4.5 out of a possible 5
Service:  Excellent
Overall Rating:  4 out of a possible 5 Campers 

So far we love our Little Red Retro and are very happy with our first RV purchase.  We already have our second trip planned for the end of September.  We will be checking into Hunting Island State Park Campground!  Pics and our review on that one to come.

The Litte Red Retro ~ Our Road Warrior

Well - we finally did it!  After 30 plus years of wanting and wishing, we took the plunge and got ourselves a tiny sweet little camper.  As old tent campers this is an awesome refuge from the heat and more.  We are in love!!  She is a Riverside Retro RV and very light making it possible that we can pull her with our Ford Edge.  We took her out on her maiden roll a week ago and it was awesome - more on that later.

This little unit is so compact but packs a punch in details and comfort.  It has a roof top air conditioner that will absolutely blow you out with cold air.  It has both heat pump and gas heat, gas stove and a wet bath.  There is a full size queen bed and dinning area and tons of storage spaces and cabinets.  It also includes a little dinette reminiscent of the 50's and 60's canned hams.  We had thought for years that we would try and rehab an old original one of these but one day when we were out and about we saw a couple of the Retro's at a local dealership and we were hooked - it was love at first sight!

There are different sizes and models of the Retro and we chose the Model 166 based on weight and affordability.  Their web site linked above gives the floor plans and pics of them inside and out.  Down the road if we change up vehicles, we may opt for a bigger model of RV.  For now this one is a dream come true and we are hoping to schedule one camping trip per month.

We will rate the sites we visit and offer tips and info on senior camping and what makes it easier, harder and just plain enjoyable.  For me, I have always loved the atmosphere of the campground and seeing all of the different campers and set ups.  It's an awesome community and we are so excited to be a part of it.  Join us as we roll through South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina on our first adventures.  By the way we live in South Carolina.