Real Family Camping

The Real Family Camping Cookbook - The Inspiration Behind the Book

2020-11-13T12:52:00.001-05:00

I'm excited to announce that The Real Family Camping Cookbook is now out in paperback! This book is my personal "bible" of go-to recipes and meal plans we use on our camping trips! I put it together over the years camping with my kids, and I'm really happy to be able to offer it in paper, and at the right size (6x9) to toss into a backpack or the car for outdoor getaways!

The funny thing is, I never went camping when I was little. My People didn't camp - they drank coffee and did crossword puzzles! (Not that you can't do both.) So the camping bug didn't bite me until high school. My high school had two (TWO!) mandatory camping trips every year (EVERY YEAR!) - one in the fall and one in the spring. By the time I’d muddled through a couple of these – with all the wrong gear - I knew how to pack light and overlook the misery of a wet sleeping bag. The bare essentials!

On these school camping trips, the teachers fed us exclusively on big hunks of Vermont cheddar, and hot, lumpy bowls of Wheatina (an aggressively bland hot cereal, if you've never had it). All washed down with murky stream water! A few microbes are good for you!

My revenge took the shape of marshmallows many years later when I took my own kids camping - I always made sure we had fun and delicious food on our trips! And The Real Family Camping Cookbook grew out of our hilarious food experiments on those family trips – I was constantly trying out new dishes on the kids and then writing them down for the next time. That way I would remember to pack for our favorites, like Monkey Bread and the eternally popular Paper Bag Eggs.

Paper Bag Eggs! It's a tradition!

So, that’s how this book was born – part Little House on the Prairie, part science experiment, and part adventure... and my sincere hope that readers and campers have as much fun around the fire as we do.

You can find the book on Amazon (also available as an ebook), and I would love to hear what you think! You can DM me on Instagram or Facebook, drop a comment here, or, if you're so moved, leave an honest review on Amazon. Thank you and happy camping! Maggie

When kids make their own foil packets - they eat veggies!

9 Tips for First Time Campers

2020-08-26T13:25:00.001-04:00

You’re planning to take the plunge – your first camping trip! Everyone says it’s SO GREAT, but secretly you think a weekend at the Marriott would be way more fun.

Will you burn down the tent? Give everyone food poisoning? And what about the rain? WHAT ABOUT THE RAIN?

Don’t worry, camping is easy if you follow a few simple tips and don’t stress the small stuff! You’ll unplug, hang out and make s’mores. You’ll sing songs by the fire that you forgot you knew, and rediscover the joy of reading by flashlight. You may even be the first one up in the morning, boiling water for coffee and savoring the quiet before everybody else gets up.

Packing - use a checklist!

Here are our tips for first-timers, and remember, everybody was a beginner once!

1. The first time, go car camping within 30 miles of your home. Take your car (or rent one), throw your stuff in the back and go for it! That way if there’s a disaster (hurricane) or everyone just plain hates it (it happens) you can drive home, take a hot shower and order a pizza.

2. Choose your campsite as carefully as possible. Look at the campsite maps and think it through. You want to be close enough to the bathrooms for a run at night, but not so close you hear your fellow campers there. You want to be a little secluded, but the first time out you want to be able to park your car right at the camp site (not carry your stuff in).

3. Put your tent up at home before you go camping, so you know how to do it. Do it twice, if you need to! Get a big tent, if you’re a family. Everyone should be able to sit up in it and read or play cards, and smaller people should be able to stand up, change clothes, etc. (When you go hiking and are carrying your tent on your back is when you bring a tiny tent.)

4. Meal plan. Plan what you’re going to eat, and don’t bring too much! Breakfast and lunch should be simple, and dinner can be a bit more elaborate, sitting around the fire affair. Plan for some fun camp food traditions, like paper bag eggs or spider dogs. Tips on how to pack the coolers here. And don’t forget the s’mores .

Paper Bag Eggs

5. Pack simply, but thoughtfully. We freeze 6-8 tall water bottles to keep our cooler nice and cold for a couple of days and then become cool drinking water. Bring a fully charged phone charger, but know that not all camp sites have wifi. Bring mosquito spray. Bring warm clothes – even in the summer (it can get cold at night). Bring a lighter to light your fire and stove. Bring flashlights and extra batteries. Our packing list is here.

6. Plan to arrive at the campsite in the late morning or early afternoon. You want to have time to set up your tent and get your things in order before dusk. You don’t want to set up your tent in the dark – and I say this from experience. Fighting off the mosquitos and keeping the kids calm while setting up a big tent is no fun!

7. Bring a small camping stove and test it before you go. Most stoves need a small propane tank that can be bought separately at the store or on line. They’re easy to use, but most have to be started with a match or lighter, FYI.

At a scruffy campground somewhere in New Jersey

8. Bring games, books, cards, crafts, whatever might be fun on a rainy day.

9. Know the campground rules. The most important ones are: 1) Pack all your food away in your car at night or when you’re out hiking (to keep bears away), and 2) Don’t bring in your own firewood (this is to control pervasive insects). But each campground has its own rules. Observe them, or you might get a ticket! (Again, speaking from experience.)

And remember, it’s all about being together on an adventure. It doesn’t have to be perfect. I remember once when we took our three kids camping when they were all under five years old to a scruffy campground with a dirty brown pond, and on the last night it stormed so hard we packed up the tent and all our stuff in the pouring rain and hightailed it out of there. The kids thought it was hilarious, and frankly, so did we. So go for it, and enjoy it!

Our Very First Group Camping Trip

2017-08-31T09:00:00.000-04:00

photo credit: Nadine Wegner

By guest blogger Peter Valentine

Our kids’ class has a tradition of reserving a block of sites at a Campground in the Catskills for a start of summer multi-family camping trip. While we love camping, we were reluctant to open our quirky unit to a 24/7 togetherness campaign. Our messy, disorganized family of five can barely get to school on time (OK, we’re never on time) and running with the pack is often a challenge. But this year, we decided to give it a try.

We started out early (for us) and still managed to be the last family there. And as we tried to maneuver our food up to the now-waning community grill, and as our tent and gear still sat in a pile beside our car and as our kids’ requests for this and that grew more intense, all my fears were confirmed. This would be a prolonged display of the fact that our family was in a constant state of chaos management.

And then one Mom handed me a plastic cup of single malt whiskey. And another Mom and Dad fed our kids. And another Dad came over and helped pitch our tent.

Still, we were destined to be known as the weirdest family there. Apart from our ragtag pile of camping gear, we had all kinds of odd habits. For one thing, our teenager insisted on sleeping in the car. With my shame held at bay by the whiskey (it was good whiskey), I let slip to another couple that our older boy would not be sleeping in spacious comfort in our big army tent. Rather, he would be stuffed in the back of our aged station wagon that night, along with the coolers and the bag of oranges we would probably forget to eat.

The other couple immediately started cracking up laughing, but before I could think of a defense for this practice, the wife told us that her husband is terrified of the outdoors and has spent every night of every year of the class camping trip in their car. As night fell and we all laughed over our whiskeys he confessed, “I just hate tents. I don’t know what it is.”

So we all went to our tents that night soon after dark (as it goes with camping). And two campers went to their cars. And in the morning everyone was off running with the pack, getting sunburnt, eating other people’s food as we fed other peoples’ kids and we all gathered round at night for more whiskey.

I guess it does take a village after all, but the greater lesson I think that I learned is that every family has their quirks and you won’t ever know the joy of discovering them if you stay at home.

Peter Valentine writes a daily poem using words found in the New York Times crossword puzzle. Visit him on Facebook here.

You may also like:
Family Camping Packing Checklist
Camping recipe: Muffin Tin Eggs (great for groups!)

Download our popular e-cookbook: The Real Family Camping Cookbook

Retro Camping Recipe: Hobo Dinners

2015-06-17T18:26:00.002-04:00

I hope you enjoy this retro recipe from Betty Crocker - nobody takes pictures of food like Betty, am I right? In fact we make something just like this on camping trips - Stew in a Can. It's fun to put all the ingredients in a can, cover it up and let it cook away on the grill - or right in the hot coals of the fire. Kids can put whatever they want in their own "hobo can" and check it as often as they like. So maybe this recipe isn't so retro - or maybe I'm the one who's retro. ;) Have fun! - Maggie

Tablecloth weights: who knew?

2014-08-04T12:00:00.000-04:00

I was sitting on the patio at my in-laws’ house enjoying a nice cup of coffee when something gently bonked my leg. It was a teeny, tiny silver elephant, which was clipped to the corner of the tablecloth. This wee pachyderm appeared to be weighing down the tablecloth so it wouldn’t flutter up and blow away. A tablecloth weight! How genius! Who knew?

It turns out, after an exhaustive Google search, that there are about a zillion kinds of clip-on tablecloth weights that you can purchase instantly, and for not too much $$, either. Check these out:

First off, how about the cute, little pewter RVs pictured above! Come on, campers, you know you want ‘em. http://dgworld.co.uk/blog/outdoor-cooking-equipments-romes-2034-set-of-4-2-5-inch-x-1-inch-vintage-rv-tablecloth-weights/

Or these slightly creepy 2” large black ants (these ones won’t spoil your picnic … in fact they might save it). You can find these at: http://www.organizeit.com/tablecloth-weights-set-of-ants.asp

And who doesn’t appreciate a little encouragement at the table? How about some Happy Luck Smile Love pebble clips? http://www.gardens2you.co.uk/garden-accessories/set-of-four-clip-on-grey-pebble-table-cloth-weights-outdoor-garden-accessory.html

But if you're like me you're probably thinking, hey, I could make those! So here are some instructions to make ‘em yourself: http://www.home-dzine.co.za/crafts/craft-tableweight.htm. I think once you figure out the clippy things, you can attach just about anything, like a painted rock, seashell, or even a little bag of sand or pennies.

If you do craft a set, please send me pictures! I want to see what you created. Meanwhile, I guess I don’t have to weigh down my tablecloths with ketchup bottles anymore…

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Homemade camping fire starters put to the test

10 little things that make kids happy on camping trips

Paper Bag Eggs: A classic camping recipe

Homemade camping fire starters put to the test! (hint: the Girl Scouts win.)

2013-06-25T09:39:00.000-04:00

Kettletown, CT State Park provided these handy little firestarters

We made two firestarters for our last camping trip, and the campground gave us one when we bought wood so we decided to do an in-the-field comparison of all three. We saved the scientific test for the last day, which was good because we got a lot of dew that morning and the kindling and newspaper was all damp and didn't want to catch!

Firestarter 1: Wood chips and wax
The campground gave us starters made out of woodchips and wax, housed in those tiny paper cups they give out medication in at mental institutions.

Results: The lip on the paper cup made a good wick, so the starters caught fire right away. They burned steadily and didn't go out. I did wish they made more of a blaze, though, since everything was so damp.

Firestarter 2: Toilet paper rolls and dryer lint

We used graph paper because we didn't have any newspaper

These firestarters were fun and easy to make. Simply save up your dryer lint and empty toilet paper rolls, stuff the lint into the rolls, wrap in newspaper and tuck in the ends.

Results: Maybe these would start faster if we had used newspaper and not graph paper (apparently we don't know what's going on in the world but what we do know we like to chart). But either way, I had the same conclusion as with the wood chip starters, which is that the lint didn't make much of a blaze, so I had to tease the flame with bits of this and that to get it going.

Firestarter 3: Egg cartons and crayons, or "Fire Kisses"

"Fire Kisses" in the making

Our friend Samantha turned us on to "Fire Kisses" - the firestarters she made in the Girl Scouts. These are egg cartons with saw dust and wax (or old, broken crayons) wrapped in wax paper. We did a version of these with scraps of paper and wax bits, and we stuck them in a very low oven to melt the wax.

Results: As Samantha predicted, these worked the best! You break them off one by one and use them as needed. The egg carton cardboard catches really fast and the combination of cardboard, paper and wax made a flame that was big enough to get our damp, morning fire going. Go, Girl Scouts! (And thanks to Samantha. )

Camping recipe: Muffin Tin Eggs

2012-11-13T15:00:00.003-05:00

Muffin Tin Eggs

from The Real Family Camping Cookbook 2nd Edition

This is a fun way to make eggs for a bunch of people at the same time, or make eggs for some people in a muffin tin and pancakes for others in the skillet.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

6 strips of bacon

6 eggs

muffin tin

Preparation:

1. Cut each strip of bacon in half, making 12 pieces total.

2. Put 2 pieces of bacon into the bottom of each of the 6 muffin tin cups in a cross, making a little bacon "basket."

3. Place the muffin tin on the grill over the campfire and cook the bacon until done to your liking.

4. Crack an egg into each cup on top of the hot, cooked bacon and cook more until the eggs are done.

You can make fried and scrambled at the same time!

Variation:

• On occasion I've been teased that all of my recipes contain bacon! Instead of bacon, you can cook the eggs in butter.

• This dish is especially nice with a few leaves of fresh spinach cooked between the eggs and the bacon.

• A sprinkle of cheese can never hurt, right?

Retro Camping Recipe: Campfire Fondue

2012-11-04T11:53:00.000-05:00

One of the last things I would consider making on a camping trip is fondue: think about all the tiny, little bugs flying into the pot! But according to Betty Crocker, it's quite practical. All it takes (according to Betty) is a can of soup and a block of cheese - then you can dip whatever you want into it. In Betty's view, that means "Zebra Bread" (doable), apple wedges, canned vienna sausages (haha, OK, Betty) and canned potatoes (ick).

I don't know if it's the can of cheese soup or the Tahitian Treat in the photo, but count me in as a convert. Next camping trip we're definitely having fondue!

You Might Like:
Retro Camping Recipe: Grilled Rice Pudding
Retro Camping Recipe: Campsite Quickie
Retro Camping Recipe: Camper's Coffee Cake

Camping Giveaway: Win a Sierra Cup!

2012-11-01T20:57:00.001-04:00

I have a fun contest to share with you all today, especially the campers! This classic Stainless Steel Sierra Cup is familiar to many campers. It has multiple uses: as a small bowl, plate or drinking cup, and can also be used as a small cooking/warming pan/pot. The Sierra Cup is a timeless, ultra-durable piece of camping equipment that has been and will always make an ideal addition to your outdoor and camping supplies.   

This month we’re giving away THREE Sierra Cups to separate winners!

RULES: Rafflecopter keeps track of the entries and randomly selects the winners. All entries will be confirmed before a winner is selected. Invalid entries will be removed. Once we contact the winners they have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. US residents only.  We’ll be running the contest through November 30th. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fall nature walk

2012-10-24T10:57:00.000-04:00

Here are some shots from our nature walk this past Sunday at Teatown Lake Reservation. Amazing how a forty-five minute amble through the woods with your kids can be the highlight of an entire week. Is the Hudson River School of artists still accepting applications?

Up the path

From the middle of a mostly dried-up brook

A little bushwhacking is good for the soul ... and the appetite!

The meadow - full of grasshoppers and crickets

Our walk spills out into a wide open meadow, full of grasshoppers and crickets. You can't tell from the picture, but they were zigging and zagging every which way - some even seemed to have propellers! Where do they go in the winter? Any ideas?

You may also enjoy:
Nature Walk 10/2/11
Nature Walk 10/9/11
10 Fun Camping Games for Kids

New camping recipe: Rice and Eggs

2012-10-23T10:59:00.000-04:00

Our kids like rice, so we often put on a pot when we're camping, and we never throw out the leftovers. (Or any leftovers, truth be told.) And though I'm sometimes teased about how often I use bacon in my recipes, in my defense I would point out that bacon is a great salesman of new foods to kids. So while this food has a grownup attitude, kids may be drawn to it's bacon-y goodness.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 eggs

4 strips of bacon

½ medium onion, chopped

¼ green pepper, chopped

3 c. leftover cooked rice (white or brown)

1 handful of cilantro, well washed and chopped (wash it at home)

butter or olive oil

salt & pepper and hot sauce

Preparation:

1. Chop the bacon and fry it in a skillet. Remove the bacon and drain it on a paper towel, leaving the bacon fat in the pan.

2. Wipe out all but 2 t. of the bacon fat with a paper towel. Add a little butter or olive oil and sauté the chopped onion and green pepper until soft.

3. Add the rice and bacon and heat through.

4. Move the rice to the sides of the pan and fry the eggs one by one in the center of the pan.

5. As each egg is fried, scoop up a spoonful of rice and put it on the plate, then add the egg on top.

6. Add a sprinkle of cilantro and serve with hot sauce, salt & pepper.

7. Ah, cilantro.

“Same old slippers, same old rice, same old glimpse of paradise.” - William James Lampton

New camping recipe: Banana Tacos

2012-10-18T14:39:00.001-04:00

Kids love food wrapped in tortillas! Banana tacos make a yummy grab-and-go breakfast for early morning hikers or kayakers, or for campers who don't use a camp stove and would rather not start a fire first thing in the morning. More fun than granola!

Banana Tacos

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

1 soft flour tortilla

1 banana

peanut butter
chocolate chips (optional, but extremely desirable)

Preparation:

1. Spread the tortilla with peanut butter.

2. Peel the banana and place it on top of the peanut butter in the tortilla.

3. Roll it up.

4. Buen Provecho!

Variation:

• This is also yummy with Nutella. But what isn't?

“Never interrupt me when I'm eating a banana.” - Ryan Stiles

You may also like:
Classic Camping Recipe: Monkey Bread
S'Mores 10 Ways
Spider Dogs

Happy Labor Day!

2012-09-03T00:06:00.001-04:00

Super Ramen to the rescue!

2012-07-19T12:49:00.002-04:00

What's high in calories, costs ten cents and can feed a family of four? That's right, it's your old friend, Ramen noodles.

If you've ever been hungry when the cupboard was bare, you know the joy of discovering that one pack of forgotten Ramen. Shrimp flavor, beef flavor, vegetable or mushroom - it all boils down to one central ingredient - salt. Well, that and MSG.

Ramen has it all over rice or regular noodles, because it cooks up in a minute and it's just begging to transform all your leftovers into a delectable feast - all in one pot!

Toss a few packages of Ramen into the car on your next camping trip and by the 3rd day they will call out to you to save the veggies in the cooler before they get yucky. Heed the call.

Super Ramen

from The Real Family Camping Cookbook, 2nd Edition

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 packs Ramen with bouillon packets (use the health food kind to avoid MSG)

2 c. veggies, like broccoli or cauliflower florets, asparagus, mushrooms, shredded cabbage and/or frozen peas, corn and spinach

2 c. chicken or vegetable broth, if desired instead of bouillon packets

3 eggs, beaten (or half beaten, I like them that way, too)

1 green onion (scallion), thinly sliced

soy sauce and hot sauce

Preparation:

1. In a large pot, put about 6 cups of water up to boil.

2. Add the veggies and bring back to a simmer.

3. Add the Ramen noodles and bring to a boil.

4. Reduce the heat and stir everything together.

5. Drain off all but 1 cup of water - this is super salty style. Get out the BP meds.

6. Add the bouillon and stir.

7. If you don’t want to use the flavor packets, drain off all the water and replace with chicken or vegetable broth.

8. Add the eggs, fold them in gently and cover the pot.

9. Simmer gently for about 2 minutes - don't stir it yet.

10. Gently stir the eggs and soup again - just fold everything back into the hot broth. You want the egg to turn into strings and pieces of scrambled eggs, not threads, like in egg drop soup. Or worse, cloudy egg broth. Yuck.

11. Ladle into bowls or mugs and sprinkle with green onions.

12. Serve with soy sauce and hot sauce

Variation:

• My brother, Pete, likes his Ramen with wheat gluten. So visit your local Chinatown and pick up a can or jar of this chewy meat substitute. Drain, chop and dump it in before you add the eggs. Yummy!

“I thought I would someday outgrow Ramen noodles. Man, was I wrong.” - Anonymous

Camping with Special Needs Kids

2012-06-25T12:14:00.001-04:00

Debbie with Zachary, Joshua and Benjamin

My friends Debbie and Bryan (or, as I call them, SuperMom and SuperDad) love to go camping with their two older boys, 11-year-old Benjamin and Zachary, 7. So far Joshua, their 4-year-old, has stayed home with Mom while the older boys head out with Dad, but they plan to all camp together one day.

All three kids have special needs, and preparing a camping trip to accommodate Zach and Ben takes a little more planning and flexibility than it might with some kids, but – as Debbie is quick to point out – it’s totally doable... and totally worth it!

Bryan, Zachary and Benjamin on the trail

Benjamin has high-functioning autism and reflux, and Zachary has a dairy allergy. To accommodate Zach’s allergy, Bryan packs simple camping food (hot dogs, bread and oatmeal, for example) and is careful to read the labels when he shops. They also pack medication. Ben’s needs are more complex. Sometimes he is afraid to try new things or feels anxious. Debbie makes sure Bryan has some little bribes to smooth the way (like candies), and they often camp with another family, which means that Ben can stay behind at the campsite with someone if he doesn’t want to join an activity.

Benjamin

Benjamin loved Cub Scouts and did great with them, but it turned out that Boy Scouts calls for a level of social and emotional maturity that he isn’t quite ready for – Scouts normally meet and camp without parents, for starters. While typical 11 and 12 year olds can handle that level of independence, Benjamin found it difficult without the support of a parent.

Debbie says, “Having kids with special needs always requires flexibility! Many times we have headed home early from a trip (whether it was camping or not) because someone got sick. There are often sleep issues in new settings, as well as the need to bring safe foods or read labels if sharing in a group.”

Zachary

And when it’s time for 4-year-old Joshua’s first camping trip, another level of planning and flexibility will be involved. Joshua has a metabolic disorder that makes him fatigue easily, dysphagia (a swallowing disorder), reflux, food allergies and an autism diagnosis. Debbie says, “Because Joshua fatigues so fast, we will need alternate activities for him if the others want to hike. He has a stroller wheelchair, but most trails and terrains will not allow for that. He does walk, but can’t walk far. It may work to have one parent - most likely me, as I tend to get tired, too! - stay behind after part of the hike, enjoying nature, maybe taking some photos, while the others go further.”

Future camper Joshua

“The best thing about camping for my husband and the kids,” Debbie says, “is simply that they enjoy it! It’s nice to find an activity they all can agree on. And it’s nice, being that we live in a city, for the kids to have some quiet time in nature.”

TIPS from Debbie and Bryan for first-time campers:

• Hope for the best but expect the worst! You just never know how things might go.

• If the first night is rough, consider cutting the trip short rather than dragging out a tough time. You can always try again another time.

• Bring as many familiar items from home as possible (bear, pillow, special blanket, etc.).

• Remember this is about making memories with your kids, not about perfection.

• Take lots of pictures! “Our kids love looking at the pictures of nature and wildlife (and themselves!) on the computer once they are home.”

• Pick a campground with amenities you like. “We like campgrounds with fishing nearby.”

• When picking a campground, try someplace close to home the first time. Look at the map of the campground and choose a campsite close (but not too close) to the restrooms or outhouses. Also talk to other people who may have been there before.

• Bring some bribes, like little candies, to convince kids who may be fearful to try new things.

• Nighttime is fun for roasting marshmallows or reading with a flashlight in the tent. The Scouts often prepare and perform silly skits. Try it!

• Try camping with a group or another family. “Being that my oldest does struggle with social skills, this is an opportunity for him to try and get to know others and share a common interest.”

Thanks for the tips, Debbie and Bryan! And give us a call next time you’re planning a trip near the New York Metro Area so we can tag along!

PS. You can follow Debbie on Twitter: @momx3deb. She also volunteer tweets for @popsiclecenter.

Nature Walk 10/9/11

2011-10-10T23:19:00.001-04:00

Lots of grasshoppers in this meadow.

We went on another nice nature walk this past weekend at Teatown Lake Reservation, with gorgeous weather. The tall grass was full of big, green grasshoppers jumping here and there and hawks were circling in the big, blue sky.

This sign pretty much says it all.

No matter which way you go, there you are.

Climbing T Rock

T Rock is an important milestone on our walk - actually, it's about half a mile into the trail.

Hawk's nest, way up - can you see it?

Something fell out of a tree, and when we looked up, we saw a big hawk's nest ...

Leftovers under Hawk's tree

And at our feet, we saw what had fallen - a bit of leftover squirrel.

Walking ahead

Our 7-year-old walks way ahead of us on the trail. He would walk a mile ahead if we didn't call him back from time to time.

Burnt by lightning

We found a big chunk of burnt wood, from a tree struck and burned by lightning.

Our new pet - Sally the salamander

This little guy came home with us. He was kind of dehydrated so we gave him a little aqua home to relax in. Once he got wet again he wanted to escape, so we released him into the woods. Our 4-year-old gave him a big stick to protect himself with.

Nature Walk 10/2/11

2011-10-03T09:23:00.001-04:00

Here are a few shots from our nature walk yesterday at Teatown Lake reservation in Croton-on-Hudson, NY.

Nice rock. Quartz, right?

Elf ladder.

Great day. Finally feels like fall.

Let's see ... no stripe in the middle means long winter? P.S. He bit my daughter!

Family Camping Packing Checklist

2011-09-22T00:07:00.000-04:00

One of the things I’ve learned from camping that applies to other areas of life is that the better prepared and organized you are, the easier it is to relax and enjoy yourself. Extra batteries are always good, and knowing where they are is even better.

There are plenty of camping checklists on the Internet. But this is what we bring when we go camping. (And thanks to my friends over at parentips.com for asking.)

Family Camping Checklist

For 2 adults, 3 kids, a station wagon and a seltzer maker.

Important Things

I.D./reservation info/directions/$ (wallet)

Cel phone/charger

Camera/batteries

Sleeping

Tent
Tarps and rope

Sleeping pads (we use foam mattresses from IKEA)

Sleeping bags (kids)

Sheets & blankets (grownups)

Pillows

Bear spray (pepper spray) – I keep this in the tent, figuring most bears would come when we’re asleep looking for food, not when we’re awake banging around

Light & Fire

Lanterns (battery-operated)

Flashlights

Batteries (+extras)

Candles

Matches and bic lighters AND a stove lighter (the long kind)

Firestarters or newspaper

Hatchet to cut wood into kindling

Pocket knife
Tiki torches, cans and fluid
Solar lights

1^st Aid

Bug spray – the health food store kind for regular nights

Bug spray – the poisonous kind for mosquito swarms

Sun screen

1^st Aid Kit – bandaids, aspirin, calamine lotion, tweezers, antibiotic cream, things like that - anything more serious and we’re going to town

Prescription meds (bring extra)
Sun glasses

Toiletries

Toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss

Soap

Deodorant

Hair brush & hair bands

Chapstick!
Feminine hygiene products - tampons & pads

Toilet paper

Towels (will double as beach towels)

Clothing

(Pack plenty of extras if you have room. Once things get wet it can be hard to dry them out.)
Warm clothes (sweaters, jackets, long johns) – even in the summer

Warm hats, extra socks

Hats with sun visors (baseball caps)

Bathing suits and solid foam floaties (a lot of places don’t allow inflatable floaties)

Extra shirts, pants, shorts, dresses (my daughter is a dress person), underpants and socks. The best socks for camping are tube socks. They go up high and keep the ticks away!

Rain Jackets – We always forget these and have to wear garbage bags (!), but you should remember your rain jackets
Pajamas

Kitchen/Campsite

An extra card table – we have a cheap, plastic one that comes apart

Camp stove with extra propane tanks (they sell the tanks at many campgrounds)

Campfire grill – a big, round one to fit over the fire pit (they often sell these at campgrounds)

Camp chairs – we only have 3 – we improvise with coolers or logs

1 medium pot, 1 skillet, 2 lids

Tea kettle – most people don’t bring this but we like our tea

1 large mixing/salad bowl

knife & cutting board

Spatula, wooden spoon, tongs

Can opener, bottle opener, corkscrew

Potato peeler

pot holders & dish towels

Plates, bowls, silverware, paper plates

Mugs and cups

Something to make a pot of tea in – we use a large Tupperware thing that Chinese soup came in

Seltzer maker! What can I say. We need seltzer.

Plastic tub for washing dishes

Scrubby sponge

Biodegradable dish soap

Paper towels

Garbage bags

Ziploc bags – large and sandwich size

Rope – about 3/4” thick

Clothespins

Tin foil

Tupperware

Coolers (see Packing the Coolers)

Water – pack two jugs of water and refill them at campground as needed. Nearly all campgrounds have potable water.

Food

*Plan for every meal and bring just the food that you need. Freeze everything possible and pack it carefully in the coolers, with the things that get used first on top.

That said, don’t forget these, or you will be sad:

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

Sugar

Coffee & maker (we use the low-tech Mellita filter system)

Tea bags

Milk

Spices

Condiments, like hot sauce

Wine!

Marshmallows, Graham crackers and Hershey bars (S’mores)

For the Kids

Compasses

Flashlights

Glow sticks

Books

Stuffed animals

Maps

Binoculars

Cards, games (we like Mousetrap), toys, a ball, badminton or horse shoes, Frisbee, beach toys, bubbles
Crafting supplies - paint & brushes to paint rocks, embroidery thread for friendship bracelets, etc.
Pens, paper, scissors, tape

Hammock & extra rope

For the Growunups

Books

Musical instruments (guitar, ukelele, bongos!) and song books

Nice to Have But Not Critical

A broom – nice to have to sweep out the tent, especially someplace beachy

Dutch oven – fun for a big group

Pie iron(s) – kids love them

Bandanas – come in handy

Walkie-talkies

Bikes, scooters, roller blades & helmets

Bird guide

Star Map

Car

Spare tire, jack, lug wrench

Flares

Hide-a-key (you will thank me for this some day)

And…

Don’t Bring

Your own wood. Most campgrounds don’t allow it. Bite the bullet and buy campground wood.

And …

Don’t Forget

To tell someone where you are going.

Have a great camping trip. Wish I were going, too!

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You may also like:

Packing the Coolers for Camping

Wordless Wednesday: Name That Caterpillar

2011-09-14T10:16:00.000-04:00

Anybody know what kind of caterpillar this is? My daughter befriended him yesterday.

Wordless Wednesday: Snake Skin

2011-09-07T02:27:00.000-04:00

Someone left this in front of the house yesterday.

New Camping Recipe: Carne Asada Tacos

2011-09-05T22:11:00.001-04:00

I may have mentioned that we always have steak the first night of camping. Often we just lay a big, fatty steak on a hot grill, season it with salt and pepper and call it a day. But when we have it together enough to plan something nice, this recipe of Pete’s is a great option.

Most of this gets prepared at home the day before! What's easier than that?

The meal consists of:

1. Tortillas, warmed

2. Carne Asada (grilled, marinated beef brisket)

3. Pico de Gallo (fresh salsa)

4. Rocoto hot pepper sauce

5. Sliced avocado

6. Chopped white onion and cilantro

7. Ice cold beer

8. Optional: rice and beans

Make everything the night before. All you need to do at the campsite is grill and slice the meat, warm the tortillas and slice the avocado. Genius, right?

Beef Marinade

Ingredients:

5 lbs. beef brisket (a nice, fatty meat)

6 cloves garlic, pressed

salt & pepper, 1 t. each

1/4 c. beer

1/4 c. lime juice - the juice of 2 juicy limes or 4 not-so-juicy limes

Preparation:

1. Mix together the pressed garlic and salt & pepper.

2. Rub the meat with the garlic and salt & pepper and place it in a dish with sides.

3. Mix together the lime juice and beer and pour over the beef. Cover with plastic. Marinate overnight*, turning the beef at least once.

*You don't have to marinate the beef 24 hours, but it's great if you do! It's also great if you marinate it only an hour. But at least for an hour.

LIME TIPS: When you buy limes, look for the old ones. They are soft and have more juice. Also, Hispanic stores have limes about 1/4 the price of those in the supermarket.

CAMPING TIP: Marinate the beef in a large Ziploc bag, then you can pack it right in its marinade.

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:

½ white onion, finely chopped

1 large tomato, finely chopped

handful cilantro, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 jalepeno pepper (optional), de-seeded and finely chopped

salt & pepper, 1 t. each

squeeze of lime juice

½ t. cumin (optional)

Preparation:

1. Finely chop the first 5 ingredients.

2. Mix all the ingredients together.

3. That’s it! Put it in an air-tight container and refrigerate. Keeps best in a glass container, like a mason jar.

Rocoto Sauce (hot rocoto pepper sauce)

The rocoto pepper is a very hot, very flavorful Peruvian pepper. It is hot enough that you may want to consider wearing gloves when de-seeding it. Look for rocoto peppers in the freezer section of Hispanic food stores. If you can’t find them, you can use any hot pepper with this recipe, like jalapeno or aji.

Ingredients:

1T.-1/4 c. olive oil, depending on how rich you like the sauce (we use 1-2 T.).

3-4 cloves garlic

¼ c. vinegar. Colavita vinegar has a nice, tangy flavor, unlike some vinegars that have a winey, alcohol flavor.

squeeze of lime juice

1 rocoto pepper, de-seeded

you can add a little water to extend quantity.

Preparation:

Throw everything in the blender and blend until smooth. Keeps well in a glass jar.

How to Cook the Steak

1. Remove the meat from the marinade.

2. Over nice, hot coals, grill the steak about 5 minutes on each side.*

3. Let the steak sit for a few minutes after it comes off the grill. Then slice it into thin strips, about ¼” thick.

4. As you slice the steak, season it lightly with salt on all sides.

*We like our steak rare, but well-done Carne Asada is fine. The fattiness of the meat and the marinade mean the steak retains lots of flavor.

TIP: While the steak is cooking, warm the tortillas. If the fire is really hot, 30 seconds per side will do. Stack them and they will keep each other warm, just like hamsters.

How to Assemble the Taco

Let everyone assemble their own and put whatever they want in it. Here is a sample assembly:

1. Warm tortilla

2. Sliced steak

3. Sliced avocado

4. Pico de gallo

5. Rocoto sauce (too hot for most kids)

6. Extra chopped white onions and cilantro

7. Roll up and eat.

Beer

Pete likes Negro Modelo, a dark, crisp, sweetish Mexican beer. I’d rather have a pilsner-style beer, like Pacifico or Corona. And I’ll take a Caguama, please, the super-sized 31.8 ounce bottle!

Whatever beer you choose, make sure it is ice cold – if you don’t have ice, submerge a bag with a couple of six-packs in a nearby river, lake or stream, tied to a tree root or something else that isn’t going to float away. And …

¡Buen provecho!

10 Little Things That Make Kids Happy on Camping Trips

2011-09-02T12:12:00.000-04:00

Hello, my friend. Allow me to go get my apparatus.

Just like grownups, kids need little things to keep them happy, especially on camping trips. For some kids, a simple, wooden car and a pile of dirt will do. For others, something pink and sparkly is in order. Still others maintain a positive outlook with the help of a math workbook and a handful of sharp pencils.

Here's a bunch of kid-tested, low-tech gadgets that will help a variety of individuals stay optimistic out in the wild:

1. A Compass. The eternal question is: “How does the compass know which way is north?” The answer is: It’s magic. No, the real answer is that the needle on a compass is a teeny-tiny magnet and the North Pole is magnetic, so the magnet points to the North Pole. I mean, that’s basically it – it’s really called magnetic north, not the North Pole. But if I said that, I wouldn’t be able to work Santa Claus into the explanation.

2. A Magnifying Glass. When your daughter befriends a giant, green caterpillar with a cute, orange nose, what better way to celebrate than to whip out a magnifying glass and cross its personal boundaries?

3. Glow Bracelets or Necklaces. I thought I was the only one who put glow bracelets on my kids at night, but then I heard that a lot of people do this – for safety. That never occurred to me - I was just appeasing grumpy campers - but of course, that makes total sense. When your kids glow you can find them in the dark. Either way, don’t let your kids chew on the glow sticks. They’re filled with toxic goo.

4. A Flashlight. When I say “a flashlight” what I really mean is lots of flashlights and tons of batteries. Take a flashlight or two and go for a walk at night. Not only is it spooky and magical, but when you shine a spotlight on something at night, like a rock with moss on it, it seems extra important and interesting.

5. Maps. Road maps, star maps, trail maps – our kids even think campground maps are interesting. The best part? “You Are Here.”

6. Bubbles. Bubbles have the magical power to change the subject. “He was hitting me!” turns instantly into, “Bubbles! With glitter!” Don’t leave home without them.

7. Binoculars. Who invented this amazing device that allows children to see everything in miniature when they look in the “wrong” end?

8. A Camera. Kids love cameras. Kids break cameras. What’s the solution? Well, we’re too cheap to buy our kids those digital “kid cameras” – last time I looked they were about forty bucks each. What we do is we let them play with all the broken cameras that still sort of work, and then we supervise them closely when they use our real camera to take a hundred archival photos of the tent zipper.

9. Balsa Wood Airplanes. We usually get these on Christmas, Hanukah and birthdays, all of which happen during the winter. So we basically fly them three times indoors, then crash them into a wall and break them into a thousand splinters. Camping is the best place to have these simple, elegant aircrafts, because you have the space to really make them soar and the time to try to make them do the tricks outlined on the plastic wrapper. The real crowd-pleasers are the ones powered by rubber bands, just a tip.

10. Walkie-Talkies. These can be kind of annoying for other campers, so keep the volume low and don’t use them all the time. But what’s funnier than hearing your kids say, “Daddy, what’s your 20?” (Where are you?) “Go for Little Pete.” (I’m here, go ahead and talk.) “10-100, Mommy!” (I’m in the bathroom!) and my personal favorite, “Glitter Pony has landed!” (Daddy’s back from the store!)

Have fun, everybody!

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Need camping recipes? Download our popular Camping Cookbook!

New Camping Recipe: Dulce de Leche

2011-08-27T18:59:00.001-04:00

Am I the only person on earth who didn't know you could make Dulce de Leche by simply simmering a can of sweetened condensed milk? It's the perfect camping recipe and so delicious, you won't believe it!

Put a can of sweetened, condensed milk in a pot of room temperature water (not boiling, or the can might explode - learned that the hard way) and bring to a vigorous simmer. Simmer for three hours.

After three hours, pop open the top and you have a perfect, creamy container of Dulce de Leche. Good on ice cream, pound cake, a plain cookie or right off the spoon when you're hiding from everyone in the car.

Shout-out to my mother-in-law, Judy, who showed me the way AND cooked up the Dulce de Leche in the photo above.

It's Still Summer! And I Can Prove It.

2011-08-17T22:57:00.000-04:00

Illustration by Garth Williams for the cover of A Cricket in Times Square, written by George Selden

20 pieces of evidence:

1. A cricket has moved into the kitchen. It chirps all the time, except when we go into the kitchen. Then it is silent until we leave again.

2. The kids sleep until 8:30, then they play until breakfast.

3. There's still time to camp, still weather to camp and we just fixed that tail light.

4. Sneakers, no socks.

5. I think one of the kids wore pajamas all day yesterday.

6. The cicadas are yelling at each other all night: "How about that heat?" "Did you see the sun today?" "I'm loving this tall grass."

7. Still time to read The Great Gatsby. It's only about 200 pages long, depending on what version you have.

8. Blueberries on cereal.

9. T-shirts after dark.

10. The smell of cut grass.

11. Ice cream every day, and sometimes twice a day.

12. Fewer rules. See above.

13. More time at the dinner table and more to talk about.

14. Still haven't shopped for summer clothes.

15. Flip flops.

16. Too hot to go into town.

17. Family trip still on the horizon.

18. Kids kicking off the covers.

19. Waiting for the breeze of an oscillating fan to come your way.

20. Steamed lobster, corn on the cob, baked potato, butter and beer.

One more day! Make it last!

“Daisy and Jordan lay upon an enormous couch, like silver idols weighing down their own white dresses against the singing breeze of the fans.” - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Chapter 7

The perfect summer read.