Fireside Goodies

I have been thinking about camping trips for the summer - subjects for future posts - and have really been missing camping.  I think my favorite time of day when camping might be at night when the family and friends gather around the campfire.  It is always such a cozy and peaceful time, you might hear someone playing their guitar and singing a couple of campsites over, you hear kiddos giggling and playing in the dark, and of course, it is a great time to reconnect with the fam.  Of course, this usually involves food.
Here is a snack I tried a couple of camping trips ago:  

You will need tortillas, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, peanut butter and peanuts.  Also aluminum foil.  I like to use the heavy duty kind to use over the fire.

First spread some peanut butter on the tortilla.  I tore off the aluminum foil and created my snack right on the foil it would be wrapped in.

Sprinkle with peanuts or cashews.  I chose cashews because they are an extra special treat for my family.  You could use other nuts here as well.  I imagine walnuts or pecans would be wonderful!

 Next, some mini marshmallows.

Add some chocolate chips, again you could substitute other types of chips here as well.  

 

Roll the tortilla up.

And tuck in the ends.  I'm not very good at this, so some were little squares and some were longer rectangles.  No matter, the results were the same.

Wrap them up tight in foil.  And put them on the fire pit.  We had to rig up a grate with some blocks of wood and rocks.  I didn't take a picture of that, it wasn't pretty ;)  One of those hanging grates on a tripod or other such set up would be wonderful for this.

Here they are.  I think we should have left them on the fire longer.  Oh well, next time, I will start them earlier and put them on the fire a little bit before everyone starts heading back.  That way they will be ready to go when they gather round.

You could add lots of other things to these.  I'm thinking bananas, cherry pie filling, apple slices and maybe cinnamon chips.  Oh boy!  I can't wait to go camping!
What type of snacks do you enjoy while relaxing in the beautiful outdoors?

Hot Cocoa Mix

Hello all!  I am turning my thoughts to camping and getting ready to get out there and enjoy nature!  The other night, I made up a batch of hot cocoa mix which I put into Mason jars and sealed with my vacuum sealer.  It was meant for my food storage, but then son #3 reminded me that we will be using it while camping.  Yes, even in the summer we make hot cocoa.  I know kind of weird.  My daughter and I don't drink coffee, so we have hot cocoa while dad and the boys have their coffee around our morning camp fire.  The boys also add the cocoa mix to their coffee.

 

Here is the recipe I used this time:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa powder (dutch-processed if available)
2 1/2 cups powdered non-fat milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Mix all together and prepare to enjoy.  I use 3 heaping tablespoons into a mug of hot water.  Mix well.  YUM!!
This will make 2 1/2 cups of mix.  This will fill up a quart jar and you will have a little bit left over.  Next time I do this, I am going to put it into smaller bags and then seal with my vacuum sealer.  This way it will be safer for our backpacking trips ...  don't have to worry about broken glass jars.

Sunbursts

Hi campers!  I thought today I would share a simple recipe with you.  This recipe is great for camping and for eating on the go.  As a matter of fact, I think I will make these for or lunch on the road when we head to the UP later this summer.    Easy and yummy!  Two "must haves" for camping food.

6 large whole wheat bagels
Grainy mustard
8 ounce cream cheese
Medium size sweet onion like a Vidala
12 thin slices of a round, dark, yellow cheese like Colby or Cheddar
6 slice hard salami

Split the bagels, spread cut sides with mustard and let stand a few minutes while mustard soaks in.  Let cream cheese come to room temperature and spread a thin, even layer over the mustard.  Cut the top and bottom off the onion, peel it, cut in half from north to south and slice thin crescents.  Press onion crescents around the cream cheese in a sunburst pattern.  It's the "sun" that shows through the bagel hole.  Put a slice of salami in the center of the cheese and put the second slice of cheese over the salami.  Top with the other half of the bagel, pressing firmly so the cream cheese "glues" everything together.  Leave whole and wrap.

Serve with some carrot and celery sticks. 

We often use a nice firm apple in place of the onion.  Just core it and then cut like the onion above.  It adds a real nice crunch and flavor for those who aren't real fond of onions.  You could use a tart apple like Granny Smith or one of my favorites, a Pink Lady for a sweeter taste.

I hope you get the chance to try out this recipe on your next trip.  Let me know how you like it. 

Share one of your favorite "traveling" recipes?

Aloha State Park

I recently had the chance to visit Aloha State Park again, and thought I would share this gem with you.  Aloha State Park is our choice of campgrounds for Memorial Day, it is the way we have kicked off our camping season for many years. 
Aloha State Pare is located in Cheboygan, Michigan.  The park has a day use area along with about 250 sites.  Don't let that number fool you though.  The sites are spread out and most are fairly large.
Aloha State Parks boast clean, modern restrooms.  There are four restroom/bath house combinations located in the park. 
Another sanitation station had been recently added to ease traffic back ups on busy days. 
The park does off some 50 amp sites, but not all are 50 amps, so if you need this be sure to specify.  Aloha does offer some paved sites, as well.
There is a small general store located just outside the park.  They provide a selection of groceries, beverages, ice cream and home made doughnuts.  This little store has save many meals for me when I have forgotten a key ingredient! 

The park stretches along the shores of Mullett Lake.  The lake is the center of the Inland Lake Waterways.  A basin reaches into the park providing easy docking and access to the water with your boat. There is also a parking lot of boat trailers and extra vehicles.  Kids enjoy hunting frogs, turtles, and crayfish on its shores.  The lake contains multiple game fish including; many varieties of trout, pike, perch, walleye, bass and even Lake Sturgeon.  A fish cleaning is located by the basin as well, so you can clean your catch of the day. 
Aloha State Park has become a favorite of my family's.  I hope you will check it out. 

Welcome

Hello and welcome to Michigan Family Outdoors Magazine.  It is my hope to encourage you go get out and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us in Michigan.  What a great place to live! 
My family enjoys camping, hunting, fishing, hiking and recently, kayaking.  We have thought about getting into geocaching as well, so I hope to bring you a variety of information about things you can do in the outdoors. 
I will be featuing campgrounds that we visit and giving a review of what is available to you, also sharing some of our favorite recipes and games and crafts.  I'm a teacher, so I will throw a little educational information in as well.  Don't worry, it will be painless and fun!
I look forward to getting to know everyone and chatting about my favorite thing....Michigan's beautiful outdoors!